When blood clot blocks one or more arteries in your lungs the condition is known as pulmonary embolism. It can cause a decrease in the oxygen levels in your blood, damage to your lungs due to sudden restrictions in the flow of blood along with adverse effects on other parts of your body. Life threatening blockage can cause death if left untreated and you should immediately contact your health care provider to get proper diagnosis. Pulmonary embolism requires various lab tests and generally requires short time to resolve.

Symptoms:
The symptoms of pulmonary embolism mainly depend upon many factors pertaining to your previous medical history. Pulmonary embolism varies with the size of your lungs, the size of the clots formed in your blood, and any other underlying history of the heart or lungs. That said, pulmonary embolism has symptoms which are not similar to any two persons and will vary accordingly.

The common symptoms however may include the following and you are advised to opt for a health checkup if these are persistent in your body:
1. Cough along with bloody sputum is a common symptom.
2. Shortness of breath, which will become worse as the days passes by. They will appear suddenly and cause huge discomfort in breathing.
3. Chest pain which may give you the feeling of a heart attack. The pain will intensify when you sit to eat or cough. Deep breath will cause problems too and will not go away easily with exertion.
4. Some other symptoms include fever, excess sweat, irregular heartbeat and dizziness.

Pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed by the following methods:
1. Electrocardiography (also known popularly as ECG) to measure your heart's electrical activity and functioning.
2. CT plumonary angiography is gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary embolism.
3. Chest x ray, which is a common and non invasive test to check your heart and lungs as well as the problems with any bones surrounding them.
4. ECHO can detect secondary changes in heart due to pulmonary embolism.

Treatment of pulmonary embolism can be done with medicines if it is detected at an early stage or also if the clot is small. However, if the size of your clot is problematic and blocks the blood flow to your lungs or heart then surgery may be necessary. Open surgery and clot removal surgery are common in the treatment of pulmonary embolism and will require good regular follow up check ups. Regular leg exercises will also reduce the chances of any underlying disease and you should hence consult your doctor.

What Is Pulmonary Embolism?

A breast lump is a restricted swelling, projection, lump or knot in the breast that doesn't feel like a breast tissue. There are diverse reasons why breast lumps occur.

Not all lumps are cancer. These can also be breast conditions that are not harmful and which can be easily curable.Knots that feel harder or are not the same as the rest of the breast need to be checked. This kind of irregularity might be an indication of breast cancer.

A self-examination should be your starting point. This is how you can detect a lump on your own:

Step 1: Begin by taking a look at your breast in the mirror. Keep your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

This is what you need to search for:

    Breasts that are their typical size, shape, and shading
    Breasts that are uniformly formed without distortion or swelling

In the event that you see any of the changes mentioned below, convey them to your doctor:

    Dimpling, puckering, or protruding of the skin
    A nipple that is not in its initial position
    Redness, rash or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the changes mentioned above.

Step 3: While you're in front of the mirror, search for any indications of liquid or blood discharge from the nipples.

Step 4: Next, examine your breasts while resting.Use Your right hand to feel your left breast and use your left hand to feel your right breast. Cover the whole breast from your collarbone to the highest point of your mid-region, and from your armpit to your cleavage to search for any lumps.

Step 5:Examine your breasts while either standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest approach to examine their breasts is when their skin is wet, so this step could be done while taking a bath as well.

Diagnosis:

    Mammogram: Mammography is a technique using X-rays to diagnose and locate tumours of the breasts.
    Breast ultrasound: Breast ultrasound utilises sound waves to create pictures of the breasts from the inside.
    Breast MRI:This involves using an effective and attractive field, and radio frequency pulses to create photos of the insides of the breasts.
    Ultrasound-guided biopsy: During this sort of biopsy, utilising ultrasound imaging to discover the bump, a radiologist will give you anesthesia and afterward insert a needle into the lump to evacuate some tissue for assessment under a magnifying lens. Stereotactic biopsy and an X-ray-guided biopsy may also be used.

Possible treatments:

    In case the knot turns out to be cancerous, surgery is typically performed.
    You may have a few discussions with different doctors for additional treatment, including radiation treatment and chemotherapy or hormone treatment.

What You Should Know About Breast Lump Detection

A polyp is a cauliflower-like growth on the skin or the mucosal surface. Colon is the medical term for the larger intestine and the rectum. A growth on the mucosal surface of this part of the intestine is known as a colon polyp. Although not visible, colon polyps is present with symptoms, which can lead to their diagnosis. The main cause for concern is that some colon polyps can turn into colorectal cancer, which is the third largest cancer in America.

Types: There are two main types of polyps

Hyperplastic or inflammatory: These are benign growths and do not carry the risk of developing into cancer.
Adenomas: These carry the risk of turning into cancer, and so early detection and intervention is essential.
Though not all polyps develop into tumors, yet all tumors develop from a polyp. There is a strong genetic component, which makes it worse. Someone with inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn s disease is also at a higher risk of mucosal inflammation, which can induce dysplasia and then polyps.

Risk factors:

Family history
Inflammatory bowel disease
Obesity
Diet rich in processed meat and red meat
Smoking
Lack of physical activity
Type 2 diabetes
Being male, being African American
Symptoms: Though often silent, some symptoms which also appear only after the polyp has grown considerably include:

Bleeding with stools   often small amounts intermittently, which is occult bleeding, not visible though
Altered bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea)
Abdominal pain and discomfort
Unexplained weight loss
Anemia (due to blood loss)
Diagnosis: If a person is at risk from medical history and has the above symptoms, then the following are done:

Sigmoidoscopy Viewing the colon and rectum to see if there are any polyps. A biopsy may also be taken to confirm cancerous growth.
Colonoscopy The entire colon is viewed to rule out polyps in other areas of the colon.
CT scan of the abdomen which is non-invasive and can be used as the first step.
Treatment:

If a polyp is diagnosed, then it needs to be removed.
If it turns out cancerous, then detailed evaluation should be done to rule out spread to other areas. Additionally, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be required to completely eliminate the tumor and contain it.
The surgical removal of the tumor would be planned depending on the stage of the tumor.
Adapting a healthy lifestyle is very essential to managing polyps and preventing cancer. Quitting smoking, managing weight, eating healthy, and being physically active are some ways to prevent colorectal cancer.
Repeat colonoscopy needs to be done to ensure these are not recurrent.

Colon Polyps - What Are The Available Treatment Options?

The human body is an intricate mechanism that functions amazingly. And when there is any trouble it does not fail to show signs of trouble, and all we need to do is, to notice it and solve our problems. This is applicable to all types of health issues, including a perianal abscess.

What is Perianal abscess?
Perianal abscess is an extremely painful condition of anal abscess that occurs when one cavity in the anus starts getting filled up with pus. Very often it appears as a painful swelling similar to boil just near the anus. Usually, it appears red in color as well as slightly warm to touch. If the location of the anal abscesses is in the deeper tissue, then it might be less visible and it occurs in people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.

The worst part is that in certain cases, anal abscesses might lead to more painful anal fistulas. Generally, fistulas occur only if the abscesses fail to heal and break open on the skin s surface. Therefore, it is important that the abscess heals properly or else it may lead to intolerable pain and may even require surgery.

Symptoms of Perianal Abscess
The immediately noticeable and probably the most common anal abscess symptom is constant and throbbing pain around the anal area. Swelling accompanies the pain and its rate increases during bowel movements.

Various common signs of Perianal abscess are:

bleeding or rectal discharge
constipation 
fatigue
Swelling or tenderness,
Skin irritation all around the anus.
Patients with deeper abscess might also show symptoms such as chills, fever, malaise, etc. Various reports state that certain people also feel a lump or nodule at their anus s rim. Facing difficulty while urinating might also be experienced by some people affected by perianal abscess.

HOW TO DIAGNOSE PERIANAL ABSCESS?
One must immediately seek medical if they experience any of the above-mentioned signs or symptoms. Clinical evaluation along with digital rectal exam is sufficient for the proper diagnosis. But, in some cases, patients might need other tests to screen for rectal cancer, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease and sexually transmitted infections. Your physician might also suggest a CT scan, an MRI, or an ultrasound.

HOW DO YOU TREAT PERIANAL ABSCESS?
Just after the diagnosis, prompt surgical drainage would be carried out by the doctor before the abscess erupts. A deeper or larger abscess might require hospitalization as well as an anesthesiologist s assistance. In most cases, patients are prescribed certain medications for pain relief just after the procedure. Antibiotics are mainly given to those people who have comparatively weaker immunity or suffer from diabetes.

Know More About Perianal Abscess!

An anal fissure is a small tear or crack in the lining of the anus which causes sharp pain, bleeding, itching, or burning.

An anal fissure can affect people of all ages, and it s often seen in infants and young children. Constipation is a common problem in this age group and it is a major cause of this problem.

An anal fissure usually isn t a serious condition. In most cases, the tear heals on its own within four to six weeks. In cases where the fissure persists beyond eight weeks, it s considered chronic, or long term.

Symptoms-

A visible tear in the skin around the anus
A small lump of skin just next to the tear
A sharp pain in the anal area during bowel movements
Streaks of blood on stools or on wiping
Burning or itching around the anus
Causes-

Straining during childbirth
Straining during bowel movements as a result of constipation
Chronic constipation
Diarrhea
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Overly tight anal sphincter muscles
In rare cases, an anal fissure may develop due to:

Anal cancer which occurs due mostly to ano-receptive sex without barrier protection
HIV infection
Tuberculosis
Syphilis
Herpes
Let s take a closer look at these risk factors.

Anal fissures are common in infants and young kids. Older adults also become prone to anal fissures as the blood flow to the anorectal region decreases.
Women also become prone to these fissures due to straining during childbirth.
The inflammation that occurs in the intestinal lining in people with IBD makes the tissue around the anus more prone to tearing, further causing fissures.
People who frequently experience constipation are at an increased risk for fissures. Also, one can suffer from fissures due to straining and passing large, hard stools. In both these cases, one may experience tears in the anal lining.
Frequent diarrhea can also tear the skin around the anus and so can ano-receptive sex without protection. This can lead to sexually transmitted diseases like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS and infection with HPV virus which causes anal cancer.
Treatment-

Treatment usually helps control anal fissures and the discomfort it causes. Your doctor will prescribe stool softeners and topical pain relievers to stem discomfort. However, if these do not make your anal fissure go away then surgery may be required. And in addition to this, your doctor will also need to look for other underlying causes that can cause anal fissures like for example anal cancer.

Diagnosis

An anal fissure can be diagnosed by simple physical exam. The doctor looks at the area around your anus and follows it up with a rectal exam to confirm the diagnosis.
This can mean the use of an anoscope. In this, the doctor inserts an anoscope into your rectum to be able to see the anal tear.
An anoscope is a thin tube and it allows doctors to inspect the anal canal. An anoscope is also used to diagnose other causes of anal or rectal pain such as hemorrhoids or piles.

How Anal Fissures are Diagnosed?

An anorectal abscess is a painful swelling near the anus or in the buttock. The swelling contains pus. 60% anorectal abscesses are superficial and resulting from infection in small anal glands present in between internal and external anal sphincters (intersphincteric space). They are known as a perianal abscess. 30% of anorectal abscesses are deep-seated and results in systemic infection. They are call Ischiorectal abscess. Submucous abscess, pelvirectal abscess and pilonidal abscess developed from versatile cause are comparatively less common. Inadequate and improper management of anorectal abscess may potentially cause complication like fistula formation.


Fast facts on Anorectal abscess-

* Anorectal abscess should be drained at the earliest.
* Conservative medical management almost invariably invites complication like fistula formation.
* Surgical drainage of pus reduces the chance of fistula formation by 50%.


What causes Anorectal abscess?

* Blocked and infected anal glands (cryptoglandular infection).
* Untreated anal fissure that becomes infected.
* Sexually transmitted infections.
* Penetrating injury of the perianal or buttock region.
* Crohn s disease.
* Colon cancer.
* Tuberculosis.



What are the symptoms of Anorectal abscess?

Superficial abscess-

* Constant and throbbing pain that worsens on sitting down.
* Swelling, redness and tenderness of the skin around the anus.
* Discharge of pus.
* Pain is often associated with bowel movement.

Deep abscess-

* All or some of the symptoms of a superficial abscess.
* Fever with chill and rigor.
* General weakness.
* Sometimes fever is the only symptom of the deep abscess.

The anorectal abscess should preferably be explored under general or spinal anesthesia. Medical management often fails and subsequently fistula is formed.

Anorectal Abscess - Know In Detail About It!

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