Impact of Weight Loss on Erectile Dysfunction

When a man fails to develop or maintain an erection, he is said to be suffering from 'Erectile dysfunction'. Intake of certain drugs, neurogenic disorders, aging, surgery, smoking, obesity, diseases like diabetes and kidney failure are among the primary causes of this condition.

What impact does excessive body weight have on erection?

Obesity is one of the most important causes of erectile dysfunction. It obstructs proper flow of blood to the penis. Also, research associates obesity with reduced levels of testosterone and lesser sex drive, in turn, causing problems related to erection. Therefore, reducing weight becomes very important in order to improve this condition.

How are weight loss and erectile dysfunction related?

Studies show that within a span of two months, losing 5-10% of the body weight helps a man to improve erectile function. Weight loss not only improves the health of the man significantly but also an improvement in the sex life is observed as a result of this. Men with this condition usually depend on pills like Viagra or Cialis to get erections. But once they start losing weight by doing proper physical exercises and maintain a proper diet, they do not feel the need to rely on them anymore.

Also, most researchers share the view that weight loss achieved through lifestyle modifications helps in relieving you from erectile dysfunction in addition to enhancing your mental health and self-confidence. These lifestyle alterations generally include consumption of a healthier diet and increasing the amount of physical activity performed during the day and show better results than drugs and surgery used for losing weight.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Can Erectile Dysfunction be Treated through Weight Loss?

The body has multiple chemicals called hormones, which regulate many of its functions. Increased or decreased levels of these hormones affect various functions including metabolism, growth and sexual functions. Thyroxin produced by the thyroid (situated in the front of the neck) is one such hormone, which has a significant role to play in metabolism.

Graves  disease is one of the main causes of hyperthyroidism, where there is excessive production of thyroid hormones. Graves  disease is an autoimmune disorder, wherein the body reacts against its own tissues. It is very common in women than men, especially after 20 years of age. Family history also has a strong correlation in developing Graves  disease. The high levels of thyroid hormone increase the rate of metabolism, thereby altering weight, mental energy levels, physical stamina, and also mood.

Thyroid hormone is related to metabolism and more amount of it lead to higher metabolism. This causes the following symptoms.

    Intolerance to heat
    Excessive sweating
    Nervousness and anxiety
    Inability sleep, as the mind is always excited
    Increased appetite (sometimes despite weight loss) due to higher metabolism
    Irregular menstrual cycles
    Palpitations (rapid, loud heartbeat)
    Irregular heartbeats (tachyarrhythmia)
    Fine tremors of the extended arms
    Breast enlargement in men, known as gynecomastia
    Extreme moodiness, causing irritability and anger
    Inability to focus and concentrate
    General fatigue and shortness of breath with any exertion
    Increased frequency of bowel movements

In addition, the eye symptoms are quite diagnostic including:

    Protrusion of the eyes (exophthalmos), giving an impression that they are going to fall out
    Double vision
    Excessive tearing
    Increased irritation in the eyes

Diagnosis: The first symptom would be the presence of an enlarged thyroid gland (front of the neck above the collarbone), and the some of the above symptoms would be present.
In addition, tests to check for thyroid gland functioning including T3 and T4 levels would reveal increased amounts of hormone in the blood stream.
As a confirmatory test, the radioactive iodine uptake test also is done, which will indicate increased uptake by the thyroid gland. This indicates that the gland is functioning at an increased pace and requires additional iodine for the production of thyroid hormones.

Treatment: There are two approaches to it, one to control the symptoms and the other to control the thyroid gland per se.

    Beta blockers are very useful in controlling rapid heart rate and anxiety.
    Prednisone may be used to control eye irritation and swelling
    Antithyroid drugs are used to control the production of thyroid
    Radioactive iodine is given orally to control excessive thyroid production
    In severe cases, thyroid gland may be surgically removed partially or completely

Graves  disease is not life-threatening and once symptoms are controlled, the patient s quality of life improves drastically.

Graves' Disease - Things You Should Know About It

Swelling of the conjunctiva membrane due to an infection is called conjunctivitis. It can affect one or both eyes. The blood vessels get inflamed and the eye looks red or pink. Pink eye is the common name of conjunctivitis.

Symptoms

The symptoms of conjunctivitis are very obvious:

The white part of the affected eye appears reddish because the membrane which is affected is a layer that covers the white.

The affected eye is extremely itchy.

The eyelids get swollen.

It is painful, especially when the surroundings are bright.

A crusty layer may or may not form during sleeping and it can make it difficult to open the eye.

The infection typically affects one eye first and catches on to the other eye within a day because it is highly contagious. People in contact with the affected person are highly susceptible to contracting the infection.

Causes

This highly contagious infection is painful and itchy and needs immediate attention. The treatment is the same no matter what the cause. The main causes are:

Bacterial infection (indicated by sticky secretion).

Viral infection (indicated by a watery secretion).

In infants, it can be the cause of a partially opened tear duct.

Sometimes it happens due to an allergic reaction.

A Chemical reaction.

Immediate Action

Before going to a doctor and getting medicines, some immediate steps must be taken. Here are some things to do to reduce the discomfort and prevent the infection from spreading.

Contact lenses must be removed to prevent further infection. Infected contact lenses must be discarded or disinfected.

Contact with other people must be avoided. Direct physical contact, using the same towel or eye products must be avoided.

Avoiding touching the unaffected eye, it might prevent infection of the second eye.

Using a lukewarm compress can relieve some of the pain.

Using an over-the-counter hydrating eye drop can relieve some of the itchiness and the annoying sensation of having something in the eye.

Treating Conjunctivitis in Ayurvedic Way

Antibiotics have a lot of side effects and it does not sit well with some people. This is why a more natural approach is recommended. Ayurveda helps treat all the symptoms with zero side effects. Ayurvedic treatment is effective because it has everything needed:

Anti-inflammatory properties.

Antioxidants.

Antibacterial properties.

Ayurvedic treatment always works for conjunctivitis and does not cause any side effects. It is best to prevent getting infected altogether though. Using fresh sheets, fresh towels, disinfected eyewear and avoiding touching the eyes before disinfecting the hands can help.

Take Away

Conjunctivitis is one irritating eye infection which is contagious in its nature. However, it can be cured with proper care and ayurvedic treatment. It is always advisable to consult an ayurvedic specialist before going for any of the ayurvedic treatment.



Conjunctivitis - How Can Ayurveda Help?

A highly contagious skin condition that is caused by the infestations of tiny burrowing mites but is treatable with medication is Scabies. When the skin comes in direct contact with infested bedding or clothing, microscopic human mites, known as Sarcoptes Scabiei, are transmitted into the skin, burrowing into the epidermis. Once the mites reach the epidermis, it lays eggs there and continues to live, causing scabies which results in skin rashes and itchy bumps.

Causes:
Scabies is caused by the microscopic human itch mite when it burrows inside the epidermis. And there are two ways that a person can be infected with scabies, which are:

Contact with objects infested: Sometimes, when the mite is present on an object, such as the bed sheet or the upholstered furniture, the towel or the bedding, and the skin comes in contact with these objects, scabies may spread. However, one must know that without human skin contact, the mite can survive only for 48 to 72 hours and this makes the risk of causing scabies through contact with infected objects less common.
Direct skin to skin contact: Scabies is contagious but not highly contagious. Skin contact for a small period of time can not infect a person. Close physical with the infected person can lead to the spread of mites.
It is to be noted here that getting scabies from animals is not possible even if the animal has mites as this kind of scabies infest the human skin only.

Treatment
Scabies is often confused with other skin issues like eczema and psoriasis. Therefore, every person with severe itching should be tested for scabies. Once diagnosed, the treatment is relatively simple. Listed below are some of the treatment options:

Antibiotics: Patients who are suffering from excessive skin rash, itching and infections are usually treated with antibiotics to ease the itchy sensation.
Decontamination: The decontamination involves washing the clothes of the infected person in hot water and keeping the objects that cannot be washed in a bag for around 2 to 3 days to kill mites and their eggs.
Scabicides: Depending on the severity, overall health and age, the patient may be prescribed oral medication and creams.
Antihistamine: Antihistamine refers to over-the-counter anti-allergy drugs that can also be of help in managing the itching and rashes.
Things to remember:

In case of infected adults, scabicide cream or lotion needs to be applied all over infected person s body, starting from the neck down to the toes.
If a child is infected with scabies, the scabicide cream or lotion needs to be applied from head to toe.
In case of an infant, it is advised that only sulfur ointment or permethrin may be used. It is essential that the medication is applied only over a clean body.
All the people living with the infected person should also be treated simultaneously to avoid reinfestation.
As scabies spread moderately contagious, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent it from spreading further and causing any more trouble.

A Brief Insight Into Scabies, Its Causes, And Treatment!

Causes and symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which is characterized by the inflammation of the joint lining and gives rise to pain, stiffness, warmth and redness in the joints. The inflammation occurs in the tissue that normally produces lubricating fluids for the joint. This condition is progressive in nature, and can cause the destruction of joints, leading to functional and locomotive disability.

Though rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that can last for years, patients may not experience any symptoms for a long time. In some cases, the disease may affect other parts of the body like the eyes, lungs, and the heart.

The severity and duration of the symptoms are unpredictable, and the symptoms experienced are:

- At times, people experience increased disease conditions called flare-ups.

- They may also experience alternating periods when the symptoms fade or diminish, which is referred to as remission.

- Some of the common symptoms of the disease include lasting pain and stiffness for more than an hour in the morning, inflammation, fatigue, fever, and a general sense of discomfort.

- Inflammation in the joints close to the hands like wrists and fingers and other parts like neck, shoulders, elbows, knees and hips can also be affected.

- In some cases, both sides of the body are affected at the same time, which is known as inflammation in a symmetric pattern.

Rheumatoid arthritis is usually caused by the body's weakened immune system, which produces antigens to attack itself. The trigger to this reaction is not yet clearly deciphered.

It is diagnosed by clinical examination (American association of Rheumatology criterion) supported by relevant Investigations.

Management

Management for Arthritis includes the following aspects:

1) To control disease activity and control of symptoms of pain, stiffness.

2) Medical treatment to prevent system effects of the disease.

3) Nonmedical treatments comprise of dietary therapy, physiotherapy, immunomodulation therapy.

4) Minimal surgical therapy like arthroscopic synovectomy to confirm the diagnosis as well as reduce disease activity. At times, with the advanced decline of joints, a major surgery like replacement therapy may be required for specific cases.

What's more important is to know that at any stage of the disease patient can adopt and live an active life with appropriate treatment.



What Really Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Pulmonary Function Tests or PFTs are a set of tests that are used to determine, measure or observe the functioning of the lungs. The most common pulmonary function tests used are spirometry, gas diffusion, and lung plethysmography. 

Highlights of pulmonary function tests

A spirometry test is used to measure the amount of air inhaled and exhaled. It also measures the amount of time taken to complete a respiration cycle.
A lung plethysmography measures the amount of air in the lungs after the patient has taken a deep breath. It also measures the amount of air that remains in the lungs after the patient has exhaled as much air as possible.
What does a Pulmonary Function Test measure?
Pulmonary function tests would not only check how well the person is breathing but also how effectively the lungs are able to conduct oxygen to the rest of the body. In addition to air flow, these tests would measure the size and volume of the lung and lung diffusion.

These tests can also be used to measure

Total Lung Capacity   the amount of air present in the lungs after breathing in deeply
Forced Vital Capacity   the amount of air that can be exhaled after breathing in deeply
Minute Volume   the amount of air exhaled per minute
Vital Capacity   the total volume of air that can be breathed out after inhaling as much as possible
Tidal Volume   the amount of air inhaled or exhaled when breathing normally
Maximum voluntary ventilation   the amount of air that can be inhaled and exhaled in one minute
Functional Residual Capacity   the amount of air that remains in the lungs when breathing normally
Forced Expiratory Flow   the flow or volume of air during an exhalation
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate   the rate at which a person can exhale
When are Pulmonary Function Tests recommended?
A physician might recommend a patient undergo a PFT as part of a routine physical check-up. This test would be advised if the patient is experiencing any symptoms associated with lung problems or disorders such as asthma, respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD. A doctor would also use these tests to monitor and check whether a certain treatment prescribed for a lung disease or condition is working effectively.

Pulmonary function tests are safe as they are non-invasive but it is important to follow the instructions of the doctor or technician before, after and during the test. It is important to make your doctor aware of any surgeries, respiratory infections, chest pains or heart attacks that you might have experienced before the test. If you are taking any medications you might need to follow the advice of the doctor as to whether you can take them before the test.

Your doctor would also advice you on how to prepare for the test such as not eating a large meal, avoiding caffeine and wearing loose-fitting clothes. If you have any doubts, concerns or queries discuss them with your doctor.

Pulmonary Function Tests - Why Is It Required?

Don't wait any longer, manage your Surgical Prophylaxis online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Surgical Prophylaxis - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES