One of the most common problems faced by ageing men is benign prostatic hypertrophy. Prostate is the gland at the base of the urethra near the bladder and when it enlarges it can lead to symptoms, mostly related to urination.

1. Frequent urge to pass urine
2. Prolonged urination
3. Frequent nocturnal visits to the toilet
4. Intermittent urination
5. Difficulty to start urinating
6. Inability to completely empty the bladder
7. Urinary tract infections

There are medications available to manage this, but offer only temporary relief. Many men therefore prefer to have the surgery undergone to manage these bothersome symptoms. However, like any surgery, the risks and benefits need to be considered along with other conditions like age, overall health status, other comorbid conditions, etc.

Surgical removal of the enlarged prostate gland is a more definitive approach to manage these symptoms. In addition to providing a quick cure, it also is used in the following cases:

1. Patients who do not respond to medications
2. Presence of blood in the urine
3. Associated bladder stones
4. Frequent infections of the urinary tract
5. Associated damage to the kidneys

Procedure of Surgery
During the procedure, a tube is passed through the tip of the penis into the urethra towards the bladder neck. Once it is in the desired position, laser is passed through it to deliver energy that acts on the prostate to either completely or partially destroy it. There are two methods by which laser acts on the enlarged prostate and making way for free flow of the urine.

1. Ablation: Excess prostate tissue is melted away by the laser by using photosensitive vaporization of the prostate. This is also known as Greenlight laser therapy or KTP laser vaporization. Alternately, Holmium can be used as the source of laser energy to ablate the prostate tissue.

2. Enucleation: Excess prostate tissue is cut and teased out through the urethra. Holmium laser is used to resect the prostate into smaller pieces, which are then removed out through a resectoscope. Another technique uses a tissue morcellator which grinds the enlarged prostate into smaller pieces to enable easy retrieval.

More men now opt for laser prostate removal as it has the following advantages:

1. Reduced risk of bleeding: This becomes essentially important in patients who are on blood thinners.
2. No hospitalization: This can be done either as an outpatient or with minimal one day stay at the hospital
3. Immediate symptom relief: As compared to medications, the relief is felt almost immediately after the surgery
4. No catheter: With laser surgery, a catheter may be required for less than 24 hours unlike in open surgical cases.

As noted above, as with any surgery, once enlarged prostate symptoms set in, have a detailed discussion with your doctor to identify if you are a suitable candidate for laser surgery.

Know About Laser Prostate Surgery

Terms like ileostomy and colostomy really sound a bit too scientific, don t they? Well, it is true that may seem to be pretty scary to almost anybody who is not professionally familiar with them! That being said, it is quite important to know what these things are, as it is always good to be informed of things like these. After all, one never knows when he or she may need to consider the possibility of having one.

The similarity which exists between these two procedures is due to the fact that both of them require the surgeon to cut an opening into the intestine from the skin of the abdominal wall. To be more specific about each of the procedures, the ileostomy involves the removal of the entire colon as well as the rectum of the person who is undergoing it. When this operation is performed, the small intestine s end is adapted so as to expel the faeces which are produced as a result of the digestive process.

Now, this does seem like quite a daunting prospect, does it not? Well, it does and with good reason as it is really not a small matter, at all. That is why the surgery is performed on people who suffer from diseases such as Crohn's disease, who have a condition in which entire sections of their gut cannot be linked in a proper manner!

On the other hand, a colostomy refers to a follow-up surgery to a colectomy, in which the surgeon creates an opening which is known as a stoma. A colectomy is when there is a removal of a part of the large intestine. In many cases of colostomies being performed, they are intended to be temporary in nature.

Now, taking into account just how serious these operations are, a person may wonder just what unfortunate thing needs to happen to warrant a surgery of this sort to be performed! Well, essentially, if there is an occurrence of bowel cancer which is significantly bad, then there may be a need which arises as a result of the same.

Advanced medicines do have some interesting facts; contrary to what most people think, a stoma does not hurt. This is because there are no nerves in the area! While a person may hopefully never need either surgery performed on oneself, that surely does not mean that awareness about them should not be widespread.

Colostomy And Ileostomy - What's The Difference Between Them?

Over the past several years, the prevalence of GERD (Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease) has increased in our communities due to unhealthy lifestyle and that can potentially lead to serious medical complications if left untreated. 

GERD is characterized by symptoms and/or tissue damage that results from repeated or prolonged exposure of the lining of the esophagus to acidic contents from the stomach and occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not seal off the esophagus from the stomach.

The two most frequently reported symptoms of GERD are heartburn, which can be described as a burning discomfort that begins behind the breastbone and radiates to the neck and throat, and acid regurgitation, which is characterized as a bitter, sour tasting fluid. One out of five people experience heartburn or acid regurgitation on a weekly basis and two out of five people experience heartburn or acid regurgitation at least once a month.

However, some patients may present with atypical symptoms such as a cough, asthma, laryngitis, or chest pain, and other patients with GERD experience no symptoms at all. 

Causes

1) Eating food while not feeling hungry
2) Eating in haste and in indigestion
3) Eating stale food
4) Eating spicy, hot  & tangy, fermented, stale food on a regular basis.
5) Excess consumption of tea, coffee
6) Sleeping immediately after meals
7) Drinking alcohol & smoking in excess
8) Mental stress
9) Staying awake at night, disturbed
sleep
10) Eating late at night.

Signs and symptoms:

Difficulty in swallowing
Regurgitation of food
Belching
Bitter taste in mouth
Discomfort or pain in upper abdomen
Dry cough
Anorexia ( loss of appetite )
Excessive thirst
Heartburn especially after meals and at night
Loss of taste
Nausea & vomitting
Bloating
Giddiness
Treatment in Ayurveda focuses on:

1) Improving appetite
2) Help nourishment of body
3) Regulating the acid metabolism in the body
4) Improve the ability of digestion & absorption
5) Treat inflammation and cause healing of the digestive tracts
6) Protecting the intestinal layers from ill effects of acid 

Do's & Don'ts for GERD:

Do's

1) Eat light to digest food
2) Eat only when one is hungry
3) Gap between two meals should not be more than 6 hrs
4) Eat fruits  daily 
5) Food good for GERD - Old caged rice, Jowar roti, Moongdal, Bittergourd, pumpkin, dates, pomegranate, Indian gooseberry,  Lemon, mint, mangosteen, turmeric, coriander, cumin, asafoetida, coconut, cowghee, cow milk, fresh buttermilk .
6) Drink lukewarm water half hour after meals
7) Walk after every meal
8) Daily exercise for atleast 45 min

Dont's
1) Very spicy & hot, excessive consumption of chillies & curd
2) Excess tea, coffee & fermented food
3) Excess stress & negative thinking
4) Sedentary lifestyle
5) Excess smoking & drinking
6) Drinking excessive water 
7) Sleeping immediately after meals
8) Sleeping in the afternoon
9) Staying awake late night

Symptoms of GERD are very commonly found in the population. If it is not taken care of, it can lead to complications like Barrett's oesophagus, oesophagitis, ulcers, Ca oesophagus, bleeding, scarring and difficulty in swallowing. Ayurveda has a complete holistic approach in treating GERD. Treating on time helps in avoiding complications in future.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease And Ayurveda!

The goodness of water is known to all and sundry. Another fluid to watch out for is the coconut water. Coconut water will leave you with a mouth open awe with its health benefits. From small kids to pregnant women to elderly people, everyone can drink coconut water (unless asked to avoid on doctor recommendation) without any tension. The sweet, nut-like taste of coconut water is indeed very refreshing and soothing, a great respite in the scorching summers.

Positive effects of coconut water on the health

A low-calorie drink: Coconut water is an ideal and healthy substitute for processed fruit juice, aerated drinks, and beverages. Some of the amazing health benefits of coconut water include;
Improves Digestion: Coconut water is an excellent source of phosphatase, diastase, folic acid, and other enzymes that aids in the digestion of food.
A person with dehydration (an outcome of dysentery, diarrhea or cholera) can benefit immensely from coconut water. The coconut water works by restoring the lost electrolyte and plasma balance in the body.
Keeps skin aging at bay: Cytokines and lauric acid are known to have anti-aging properties. They maintain the pH balance of the skin. Coconut water is a rich source of lauric acid and cytokines. As expected, coconut water helps to restore the natural glow of the skin. Coconut water greatly nourishes and protects the skin from rashes and skin infections.
Drink coconut water, forget depression forever: Riboflavin, pathogenic acid, and thiamine are the triple healing vitamins that help to lower depression and stress in a person. With these important vitamins present, coconut water will lift your mood and spirits effortlessly.
Weight management: Being a low- calorie drink, coconut water is a healthy option for people who are on a diet and want to lose few extra kilos.
Healthy bones the natural way: An excellent source of calcium, coconut water will keep your bones strong and healthy.
Kidney stones a thing of the past: A natural way to deal with the problem of kidney stones is indeed a great news. Potassium is present in abundance in coconut water. Thus, it not only helps in dissolving the kidney stones, but also ensures that there is no recurrence of the condition (kidney stones).
A healthy blood pressure: Coconut water comes as a much-needed blessing for people with high blood pressure. The minerals (Potassium and Magnesium) along with Vitamin C ensure that the blood pressure is within healthy limits.
The magnesium present in coconut water comes as a savior for people with migraines.

A rich source of potassium implies coconut water helps to lower the instances of muscle cramps.
Having long, healthy, and lustrous hair is no longer a dream, all thanks to the coconut water. It hydrates the scalp, thus providing the necessary nourishment to the hair.
Being low in sugar and calories, coconut water is an excellent remedy for diabetic patients.

Coconut Water - 9 Reasons You Must Start Drinking It Today!

Causes and symptoms of enlarged prostate

The problem of an enlarged prostate or benign prostate hyperplasia is a very common occurrence as you grow older. It's known to strike men above the age of 50, with more than 50% of men after the age of 60, having this complaint.

Causes of enlarged prostate

A non-cancerous condition, enlarged prostate makes the passing of urine from the bladder through the urethra difficult. The multiplication of the prostate cells causes an enlargement of the gland, leading to a buildup of pressure on the urethra, affecting the discharge of urine from the body. The narrowing of the urethra, due to this benign condition, forces the bladder to contract more vigorously so as to push urine out of the body.

As time passes, the muscles of the bladder get significantly affected, causing them to become extremely sensitive, thicker and stronger. As a consequence, the bladder begins to contract, even if the amount of urine in the organ is negligible, causing episodes of frequent urination. Gradually, the bladder fails to completely empty itself of urine due to the constriction of the urethra. This can give rise to a number of health problems including the formation of bladder stones, urinary tract infections, blood in the urine and so on.

How can you identify the signs of the condition?

Signs of enlarged prostate are very easy to identify and include:

- A slow or weak urine flow
- Difficulty in initiating urination
- Instances of frequent urination
- A feeling of not completely emptying one's bladder
- Frequent urination during the night
- Exerting a lot to urinate
- Instances of dribbling
- Urgency to pass urine
- A feeling of urinating again minutes after doing so
- Urination that starts and stops



What Leads to an Enlarged Prostate?

5 hidden causes of acne, revealed!

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the openings of oil glands become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne usually appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to disappear, others seem to crop up. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and can also scar the skin. But what causes the recurrence of breakouts?

These are attributed to certain hidden causes, which are:

1. Your drug prescriptions

Steroids found in prescription drugs are a key offender, whether taken internally or topically. If taken internally, the offending ingredient will be listed as prednisone, which is the tablet form of steroid. Prednisone is used to treat inflammatory diseases like poison ivy, allergies and arthritis. If medications are taken topically, it could aggravate acne or cause steroid acne. Oral contraceptives are also a common cause of acne.

2. Your beauty routine

Acne caused by topical lotions, creams and makeup are known as acne cosmetica, commonly appearing on face, neck, hairline and scalp. Applying a product regularly to an acne-prone area can do more harm than good. Some people go to bed with ointments or oils in their hair that can get on the pillowcase and then rub on your face. It's best to put a clean towel over your pillowcase every night to prevent buildup.

3. Your cell phone

Cell phones gather all kinds of dirt and bacteria and are a big cause of acne on the chin and around the mouth. Wiping down the screen of your smartphones every day with alcohol or cleaning wipes will keep your phone and your face clean.

4. Using toothpaste to treat a zit

Certain toothpaste can actually cause you to develop acne or an acne-like eruption on the lower parts of your face, including your chin. Fluoride and other whitening and anti-cavity ingredients are quite abrasive and could potentially burn your skin, cause irritation and initiate breakouts.

5. Your workout gear

It's not the act of exercising that is causing breakouts but other issues. If you are using a communal yoga mat, you may be on the side that someone else's feet or perspiration had touched before, with the physical contact causing breakouts. It's best to put a clean towel over it before working out, even if it is your personal mat.

Also, workout gear that constantly rubs in a certain area can cause frictional acne. Constant rubbing ends up making you sweat, causing skin irritation and eventually developing into tiny red bumps. Though it looks like a heat rash, it is actually acne.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Do You Know that Dandruff Causes ACNE?

5 Hidden Causes of Acne, Revealed!

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