Uterine fibroids are referred to as benign, abnormal growths which tend to develop in the uterine walls of a woman. The size of such growths can range from a few centimeters to even excess of a few inches. As such, they can cause the uterus to increase to the size of a five month pregnancy. Although, the symptoms of fibroids are not always apparent, they often cause heavy bleeding and pain in women. A recent research concluded that around 60 to 75 percent women contract such fibroids by the age of 50, at least once in their life.

Depending on the site of formation, uterine fibroids are distinguished into different types. Intramural fibroids in the lining of the uterus and subserosal fibroids which develop outside the uterus are the most commonly observed fibroids.

What causes Uterine Fibroids?
Although, the exact reason for the formation of fibroids are obscure, medical professionals have determined certain factors that may affect their formation. Some of them are:
1) Hormones: Progesterone and estrogen, produced by the ovaries regenerate the uterine lining during each menstrual cycle and trigger the growth of fibroids.
2) Family history: If you have had a family history of uterine fibroids, then you&#x2019;re likely to develop the condition yourself as well.
3) Pregnancy: The production of progesterone and estrogen increases during pregnancy which increases the likelihood of fibroids.

What are the signs of the condition?
Depending on the location and size of the tumors, symptoms of such fibroids include:
1) Heavy bleeding and blood clots during periods
2) Pain in the pelvis
3) Frequent menstrual cramps
4) Pressure and pain in the lower abdomen
5) Swelling in the abdomen
6) Pain while intercourse

What is the procedure of the treatment?
Ultrasound and pelvic MRI are common diagnostic procedures to check for uterine fibroids. After diagnosis, depending on your age, size of the fibroid and your comprehensive health, the doctor would prescribe you with appropriate medications. Only after medications prove futile, doctors opt for minimally invasive surgeries.


Causes and Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids

Pancreas Transplant is a surgical procedure where the damaged pancreas is taken out of the body of the patient and transplanted with the healthy ones from the donor s body.
The pancreas is located in the middle part of the body that helps in the secretion of insulin in the body. Insulin helps in the absorption of sugar in the body and helps in maintaining glucose level. If the pancreas is not producing insulin in sufficient quantity than the patient is likely to suffer type 1 diabetes.

Most of the pancreas transplants are done to cure the extreme conditions of type 1 diabetes. However, the transplants are done only in case of severe diabetic conditions because the pancreas transplant has serious side effects and not always pleasant after surgery recovery.

Why is the Pancreas Transplant Done?
There are several reasons for doctors choosing for pancreas transplantation. One of the most reason is the type of diabetes. However, they are also performed along with the kidney transplantation, when damage to the kidney is done by diabetes.

Following reasons are worth considering for pancreas transplantation:
  Extreme and severe type 1 diabetes
  Kidney damage
  Type 2 diabetes due to a lower level of insulin usage in the body
  Poor blood sugar level

Types of Pancreas Transplantations-

  Pancreas Transplant Alone: The pancreas transplantation is done solely for the diabetic patient whose kidney is unaffected and does not require any surgery along with pancreas transplant.

  Pancreas Transplantation Along with Kidney Transplant: This kind of surgery is done by the doctors when the patient has weak kidney and damaged pancreas. In such a scenario, only kidney transplantation is not sufficient and requires new pancreas for overall development.

  Pancreas-after-kidney Transplantation: For patients who have been waiting long enough for a donor for pancreas and kidney both, this is a better solution. Since the waiting list to get, such donor is long and not probable. Doctors prioritize and perform kidney transplantation first since the condition for kidney transplantation is rather severe and affected. Then after pancreas transplantation is done when a suitable donor is found.

  Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplant: Pancreatic islet cells are responsible for producing insulin into the body. So, doctors perform surgery on the patient and inject the pancreatic islet cells from donor s pancreas to the patient under operation.

Complications of the Procedure-
Some of the common complications of the procedure are:

  Blood clots
  Bleeding
  Infection
  Excess sugar in the blood
  Failure of the donated pancreas
  Transplant rejection
  Urinary tract complications

Conclusion-
Pancreas Transplant is done when the patient is severely diabetic and is not curable with only medication. The doctors suggest the post-surgery rest. The patient is required to be hospitalized for one week at least and keep strict follow-up routine to look after the effects of transplantation.

Pancreas Transplant - When Is It Required?

Fatigue is a common complaint amongst middle aged people. It is mostly seen in people who have refrained from physical activity or working out for long. This being said, there are a host of other diseases where fatigue acts as the most prominent symptom. Some major diseases where fatigue is involved are anemia, heart diseases, thyroid and diabetes. If you are feeling exhausted or worn out even after a good night s sleep, it is time to consult your doctor. Here are a few tips that can help you in managing fatigue in the early stage:
Review your existing medication: Get your doctor to check your medication to ensure that the fatigue is not a result of your existing medicine. Doctors often change the medication for any side effects such as this. It is also advised not to take additional medicine to counter fatigue.
Start moving: Studies show that physical activity greatly boosts the level of energy in an individual. Daily exercise not only reduces fatigue but makes the heart and lung function more efficiently. It increases vigor and the overall quality of life. According to a study conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, it was seen that people who are more active have more self-confidence.
Drink water: Dehydration often causes day time fatigue. It not only impairs the physical performance of an individual but also contribute to lack of alertness and motivation. A good indicator of the body s hydration is the color of the urine. Ideally it should be yellow, pale or straw colored. Any coloration other than this signifies that the body needs more water.
Hit the bed early: Lack of sleep is one of the biggest factors of fatigue. A study conducted by the Stanford University in 2004 showed that people with good sleeping habits suffers from less fatigue. An afternoon nap followed by a coffee further reduces fatigue and energizes a person. 8 hours of sleep is considered to be healthy and keeps fatigue at bay.
Frequent eating: It is observed that people who eat small meals several times a day are less prone to this condition than others who eat twice or thrice a day but eat bigger meals. Frequent eating maintains a steady blood sugar level and helps a person concentrate harder. This being said, it has to be ensured that food is consumed in smaller quantities to refrain from putting on weight.
Try Yoga: While any kind of exercise is helpful in countering fatigue, yoga is particularly helpful in boosting energy. A British study conducted among young adults showed that those who attended 6 weeks of yoga classes are found to be more energetic and mindful. Yoga should be practiced under strict supervision of an instructor to avoid any possible complications of the body.  


How to Manage and Treat Fatigue?

Are you losing your sight day by day? Does it make difficult to see you at night? Is this the onset of Blindness? Get to know about Retinitis Pigmentosa with these tips.

What actually is Retinitis Pigmentosa? 
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of diseases, which causes a slow, but progressive vision loss. It is a genetic disorder that affects the ability to respond to light.This inherited disease causes a slow loss of vision, beginning with decreased night vision and loss of peripheral (side) vision and eventually results in blindness.

Causes:
Retinitis pigmentosa is often hereditary (runs in families). If you or your partner has retinitis pigmentosa, there may be up to a 50 percent chance that you will pass it on to your children. Ask your ophthalmologist about genetic counseling if you are planning to have children.

Symptoms:
1. Slow loss of vision
2. Beginning of decreased night vision
3. Loss of peripheral vision
4. Difficulty in identifying colours

Diagnosis:
If you have poor night vision or a loss of side vision or if there is a history of retinitis pigmentosa in your family, your ophthalmologist will conduct a comprehensive eye exam to determine if you have retinitis pigmentosa. Your ophthalmologist will dilate your eyes to look at the back of them for signs of disease.

Treatment:
Currently there is no known cure for retinitis pigmentosa. However, research has shown that vitamin A palmitate may slow the progression of certain forms of RP. Your ophthalmologist can advise you about the risks and benefits of vitamin A palmitate and how much you can safely take. Taking too much vitamin A palmitate can be toxic, and evidence of vitamin A palmitate effect on RP progression is not substantial.
Another recommendation for slowing vision loss from RP is to wear sunglasses to protect your retina from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light.

Retinal prosthesis is also an important area of exploration because the prosthesis, a man-made device intended to replace a damaged body part, can be designed to take over the function of the lost photoreceptors by electrically stimulating the remaining healthy cells of the retina.

Retinitis Pigmentosa: What You Should Know About It?

Menopause is the loss of a woman's natural ability to conceive as she approaches the age of 50. The levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to drop disrupting the ovulation and menstruation cycles. There are also associated symptoms of menopause, such as weigh gain, low sex drive and hot flashes. 

Here are 5 other problems you may experience after menopause:

Increased level of cholesterol: The human body comprises two types of cholesterol primarily: High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). The former is known as "good cholesterol". Estrogen helps to keep your HDL high and LDL low. After menopause, the levels of LDL or "bad cholesterol" naturally go up even if HDL levels remain unaltered. Regular physical exercise can prevent the rise in the levels of LDL.
Dry skin: Estrogen is responsible for controlling the production of oil in your body. As estrogen levels fall, the oil secretion falls too. This leads to dry and scaly skin, especially skin of the face and arms. You can use moisturizers and creams to prevent flaking of the skin.
Hair fall: This is also a result of dry skin. The skin of the scalp dries up and cannot provide nourishment to the hair. This causes hair fall. The variability in the levels of the hormones also causes deficiency of certain proteins that are essential for the nails and hair. Use mild herbal shampoos to deal with the problem. Chemical treatment procedures often do more harm than good.
Unsocial tendencies: The irregularities in the production of the female hormones have an impact on your emotional and social behavior. You may want to spend more and more time by yourself instead of socializing with friends and relatives. These are not symptoms of depression or any other psychological condition. It is simply an emotional transference period.
Drowsiness: While insomnia is one of the most symptoms of menopause, the situation somewhat reverses after some time. Menopause causes changes in the body weight, hormone cycles and metabolism. All of these, in turn, affect your energy levels. You feel extremely sleepy during the day, especially in the afternoon. However, sleeping during the day can cause sleeping problems at night. So, do not take a nap for more than half an hour during the day.

5 Things You Would Experience After Menopause

What is PCOD?

PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Disease is a disorder that causes innumerable hormonal disorders. It causes disruption in the normal menstrual cycle, often delaying it. Having been diagnosed with PCOD makes a woman prone to diabetes, cholesterol and cancer. A large number of cysts develop on the ovaries which enlarge when afflicted by this condition. PCOD can increase the chances of severe muscle spasms during one s periods.

Causes Of PCOD-

The cysts are mostly caused due to hormonal changes and fluctuations.

It could be genetic.

PCOD can also be a result of an unhealthy lifestyle that includes little rest, inadequate sleep and unwholesome diet lacking in the right nutrients.

Symptoms Of PCOD-

Acne

Excessive growth of facial hair

Weight gain

Difficulty in losing weight

Excessive hair on body as well, including chest, stomach and back

Irregular menstrual cycle. Women may miss their periods, or bleed more than once a month

Extremely heavy bleeding

Severe pain and muscular cramps during menstruation

Problems getting pregnant

Infertility

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Depression

Other serious hormonal disorders

It can lead to diabetes

It can lead to repeated miscarriages

A major risk of PCOD if left untreated, is that it can lead to endometrial cancer

Diet For PCOD-

A healthy diet along with physical activities and abstinence from smoking can help to reduce the symptoms of PCOD and prevent the disease.

Increase the intake of fresh, green vegetables.

Cutting down on junk, fried food and most importantly, processed food.

Abstaining from or greatly reducing the intake of alcohol.

Including lots of fibre, roughage in the diet.

Cutting down on sugary, aerated drinks.

Including lean proteins in the diet.

Reduce dairy products as milk may raise the levels of testosterones in the body.

Reducing or eliminating consumption of caffeine may help to increase chances of a fertile reproductive system.

Prevent yourself from giving in to unhealthy food cravings. Eat small healthy meals at regular intervals.

Include fruits, nuts and colourful veggies in your diet.

PCOD- Diet You Must Follow!

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