The cancer of the bladder (an organ in the pelvic region that stores urine) is known as bladder cancer. This cancer begins in the cells that line the inner portion of the bladder. Though it usually affects the aged, bladder cancer can develop in people across other age groups as well. It is important to undergo frequent check-ups even after the condition has been cured, as there always remain chances of a relapse.
There are three types of bladder cancer:
1. Squamous cell carcinoma: Squamous cells appear in the bladder in response to any infection, which, with time, can become cancerous.
2. Transitional cell carcinoma: These cells are present in the lining of the bladder. They contract when the bladder is empty and expand when it is full. These cells are also found in the urethra, hence there are chances for the cancer to develop in the urethra as well.
3. Adenocarcinoma: Adenocarcinoma forms in the mucus secreting cells in the bladder.

The symptoms of bladder cancer are:
1. You may urinate frequently
2. Frequent backaches
3. You may experience pain during urination
4. Pain in the pelvic region
5. There may be presence of blood in the urine

There is no known cause of bladder cancer. However, certain factors such as smoking, infection and exposure to chemicals are known to trigger it. The risk factors of bladder cancer are:
1. Age: The risk of bladder cancer increases with age, it usually affects people who are above 40 years of age.
2. Smoking: Smoking releases toxins in the body that get stored in the urine. These can damage the inner lining of the bladder and lead to bladder cancer.
3. Gender: Men are more likely to develop bladder cancer as compared to women.
4. Chemical exposure: Exposure to certain chemicals such as arsenic increases your risk of bladder cancer.
5. Chronic inflammation of the bladder: If you suffer from chronic infection of the bladder, then the risk of squamous cell carcinoma increases significantly.

Bladder Cancer - 5 Things That Put You at Risk

What is DVT?

Deep vein thrombosis is a kind of vascular disorder. It happens when a thrombus (blood clot) forms in the deep vein anywhere in the body. It especially develops in the legs. This is a grave ailment and can actually be fatal for you unless you seek treatment right away.

What are the symptoms of DVT?

A worrying feature of deep vein thrombosis is that in most cases it shows no symptoms in the earlier phases. Moreover, what makes diagnosis hard is that even when symptoms manifest, they are very similar to those of other disorders like tissue or muscle inflammation or arthritis.

Here are some typical deep vein thrombosis symptoms:

  One or both of your legs become swollen
  Your legs feel tender and hurt a lot in all postures
  The skin of your legs always feel hot to the touch
  Your skin looks blotchy or discoloured
  You bleed when you cough
  Wheezing and breathing problems
  Dizziness
  Frequent and sharp chest pain

Who is susceptible to DVT?

Deep vein thrombosis usually happens when you sit or lie in one position for long stretches of time especially when you are recuperating after an illness or surgery. It can also happen to you for other reasons-

  Injury: An injury to your legs can narrow the blood vessels and that reduces the blood flow through the veins. That is why blood clots can develop there.
  Pregnancy: The additional weight that woman has to carry in the course of her pregnancy exerts extra pressure on the veins of the legs and pelvis and thus clots may form in the veins.
  Contraceptive pills: Birth control pills raise the chances of a woman getting deep vein thrombosis by four times.
  Obesity: Obesity means forcing extra pressure onto your veins.
  Smoking: Smoking interferes with the flow of blood through your veins and raises the possibility of getting blood clots.
  The family history of deep vein thrombosis: if anyone in your family has deep vein thrombosis, you might contract it too because it is hereditary.

Complications:

DVT becomes lethal if the blood clot becomes dislodged and travels from the legs to the lungs, it can cause a pulmonary embolism. This can lead to blockage of the artery of the lung and in that case, a person may die.

Treatment for deep vein thrombosis:

Treatment for DVT includes both invasive and non-invasive vascular techniques.

  Blood-thinning medicines: They prevent blood platelets from clumping together and reduce the size of the existing clots.
  Thrombolytic drugs: If medicines are not effective, work, these drugs will be injected into your veins. They travel down the veins to where the blockage is and disintegrate the clots so that blood can once again flow through the vein uninterrupted.
  Compression stockings: They exert pressure on the vein containing the clot, prevent it from moving, and do not allow new clots to develop. You have to wear them throughout the day.
  Surgery: In very rare cases, when non-invasive methods have no effect, you may have to undergo a kind of vascular surgery called venous thrombectomy. The surgeon will make a minute incision in the vein where the clot is lodged, siphon it out and then repair the damaged vein.

Deep vein thrombosis is easily curable with treatment. Do not delay it, as DVT has the potential to kill you.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - All You Should Know About It!

5 Ways to protect your skin this summer

Staying out in the sun too long can cause you to suffer from a host of skin problems such as age spots, wrinkles and even increase your risk of developing skin cancer. During the summer months, you need to take extra care of yourself as the sun is at its peak at that time. Here's what you can do in this summer to ensure that your skin remains protected:

1. Avoid the rays of the sun between 10 am and 2 pm

The strength of the UV rays depends on a number of factors such as reflective surfaces, height, and time of day. The sun's UV rays are at their strongest between 10 am and 2 pm. If you're outdoors, seek a cool area to protect yourself from the damaging rays of the sun. You could stand under a tree or use an umbrella to shield yourself from its ultraviolet rays.

2. Don't use tanning beds

Several studies reveal that tanning beds can cause skin cancer. According to these studies, individuals under 30 who use tanning beds increase their risk of melanoma (the most deadly of all skin cancers) by about 75%.

3. Increase your fluid intake

One of the ways in which you can beat the sun and protect your skin is by increasing your fluid intake during this time. On an average, one should have about 3 liters of fluids every day, which is about 1.5-2 liters of water and 1 liter of fluid from solid foods. From summer foods like watermelon and berries to beverages like fruit juice, milk, etc and liquid-based meals - all these avenues should be considered.

4. Have a proper cleansing regimen

To help your skin look fresh even during the summer months, you should exfoliate regularly. When you do this, all the dead skin cells are removed, giving your face a youthful and fresh appeal.

5. Use a sunscreen all the time

To protect yourself from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun, you should never forget to apply sunscreen when going out. Ideally, a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 should be applied thoroughly to your skin 30 minutes before leaving your house. More importantly, it should be applied again every 2 hours.



5 Ways to protect your skin this summer

Breast examination is a way of detecting early changes that help in detecting lumps or other growth in the breast. This is a manual form of examination that may be carried out by the doctor or even by the patient. This kind of examination helps in detecting the onset of breast cancer and helps in successful treatment of the same. It is an essential screening strategy that all women must go through. Let us cast a glance on the various details regarding this examination, and also how frequently it must be conducted.

Age: Women who have reached the age of 18 are said to have matured physically and sexually. They should perform this examination once they have reached the said age in order to detect any anomalies in the way the physical changes occur in the breast tissue.
Procedure: One should begin by looking at one's reflection in the mirror to find any rashes or dimpling in the breasts. The shape, size and colour of the breasts and nipples must also be studied so as to check for any anomalies. Inverted nipples, redness and soreness must also be reported to the doctor. Once you are done checking the visuals, you can raise your arms and look for any changes. Then, you will need to lie down and feel your breasts by using a circular motion. The finger pads must be used in order to check for any lumps. One must start from the centre and move the breasts sideways. Any wet and slippery feeling must be reported to the doctor immediately.
Pressure: During the breast examination, you must use light pressure for the skin and tissue that lie beneath the breasts, while medium to moderate pressure should be used for the middle portion of the breasts. One must use a firm hand to check the tissue that lies at the back of the breasts, near the rib cage.
Frequency: One must get into the habit of conducting a breast examination at least once a fortnight or once a month, without fail. You can also go to the gynaecologist for an examination in case you are not confident of conducting it on your own with proper movements and accuracy. You may also journalise your breast examination findings.
Menstrual Cycles: When you are going through your menstrual cycle or period, it is important to remember that your breasts can become tender just before or after the start of the cycle. So, do not panic if you think you have found a lump or any other growth at this time. It is best to check again after a week and then visit the doctor about checking the same.

How Frequently Should a Breast Examination Be Done?

The spleen is a very important organ of the human body. A splenectomy is the process of removing the spleen from the human body. The spleen is a very small, fist-sized organ which is located under the rib cage, close to the stomach. The basic function of the spleen is removing the damaged or dead red blood cells. It also removes any kind of bacteria present in the bloodstream that can cause infections. When the spleen is removed, there are chances of infection that can be life-threatening if not treated. It is always better to prevent infections as soon as you see the symptoms.

Why do you need a Splenectomy?
There can be many reasons for the removal of the spleen from your body such as  

In case, the spleen is damaged due to an accident, injury or in the process of an abdomen surgery.
For treating some medical conditions such as lymphomas or leukemias.
Overactivity of your spleen.
In case any abnormalities found in the red blood cells of the body.
Collagen vascular diseases
In some rare cases, a person may be born without a spleen.
Sepsis:
The infection that is caused due to the removal of the spleen is called sepsis. This is a life-threatening condition where the bacteria that causes the infection keeps on spreading to the entire body and bloodstream. It is going to impact the normal functioning of the human body. Symptoms of sepsis include high fever, shivering, headache, confusion, drowsiness, severe pain in the abdominal area and increased heartbeat. But all this starts with a simple respiratory problem such as a respiratory tract infection.

Tips to prevent infections after a Splenectomy:
If you have had a splenectomy, then it is very important for you to take certain precautions such as:

You need to take certain vaccines such as HIB, pneumococcal or meningococcal and they will reduce the risk of getting an infection after the removal of the spleen.
You will have to take some additional doses of the above vaccines in order to maintain the effect on your body.
You need to take antibiotics on a daily basis to prevent a sepsis infection.
The first stage or symptoms start with chills or fever and hence you should make sure to maintain a set of antibiotics. Start taking them as soon as you see these symptoms.
If you are travelling to another country, then make sure you carry the antibiotics with you. If you notice any kind of symptoms, you need to take the medicine immediately.
You need to discuss the above-listed points with your doctor, especially if you require more information about how to prevent infection after the spleen is removed.

Tips To Prevent Infections After A Splenectomy!

When dieting and exercising fail to help an obese person manage their weight, bariatric surgery may be suggested. One of the most popular types of bariatric surgery is a gastric sleeve surgery or sleeve gastrectomy. The main aim of this surgery is to reduce the amount of food that can be consumed in one sitting. It does not affect the amount of nutrients and fats absorbed from the food that has been eaten. A majority of the weight loss resulting from this surgery happens within 12-18 months.

A gastric sleeve surgery is a relatively safe, straightforward and short surgery. Prior to surgery, few patients would have been given a special diet.  This surgery is always  performed laparoscopically popularly known as keyhole route. More than half the outer side of the stomach is removed. The remaining part of the stomach takes the form of a tube. 

Though recovery from any surgery varies from person to person, most patients are able to walk and allowed sips of water by evening. Though certain amount of pain and discomfort is expected, this remains in bearable range with pain killers. Usually liquid diet is advised for 2 weeks followed by soft foods for 4 weeks.

You will notice that you feel fuller much faster and are able to consume a very limited portion of your normal food intake. It is essential to drink plenty of water to remain adequately hydrated and to prevent constipation.

On an average, this surgery can help people lose up to 70% - 100%% of their excess body weight. However, this depends largely on your understanding and compliance of post operative dietary changes. A dietician can also help you make right food choices, decide meal portions and address the right number of meals needed by your body. For long term weight maintenance it is important not to fall back to your earlier lifestyle and to maintain a positive attitude.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery - What Is The Process Of It?

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