BLK Super Speciality Hospital

There is a strong connection between the ears, nose and throat, as any ENT or Ear Nose Throat specialist will be able to tell you. When there is any kind of congestion or obstruction in the nasal passages, one can also feel some effect in the ears with the symptoms going from mild to severe.

So how can nasal obstruction cause clogged ears? Here is our explanation!

-        The Connection: To begin with, let us understand the connection between the ears and the nose. There is an opening that can be found in the back of the nose, which leads into a tunnel called the Eustachian Tube. This tube goes into the ears and creates some amount of pressure when the nasal passages get blocked. This pressure can be felt as clogging of the ears and can usually be eradicated with the help of a pop in the ears. This pop can be brought about by pinching your nose and trying to breathe, or even yawning hard or indulging in some gulping or swallowing motion as well. 

-        Mucosal Swelling: The swelling within the patient's nose usually points at the build up of mucus which can make the nasal lining thicker, thus making the act of breathing that much more laboured and difficult. This obstructs the nasal tract, in plain and simple terms. This swelling usually spreads to the tunnel or the Eustachian Tube, which can become swollen and even shut, consequently leading to a feeling of having clogged ears. 

-       Negative Nasal Pressure: When the pressure inside the nose is built up in a negative way due to the obstruction that makes the patient breathe even harder, then the ears end up taking the pressure. This makes them clogged. This negative pressure usually manifests in the back of the nose where the Eustachian Tube is located, which creates a build up in the ears as well. This can also lead to a ringing pain when a patient tries to suck in air too hard due to the obstruction. 

-       Bernoulli's Principle: If we are to incorporate air in place of fluid and liken the action of breathing with an obstructed nose, with the action of sucking fluid in through an obstructed straw, then the fluid dynamics would apply to this case. As per these fluid dynamics, more rapid flow of fluid can lead to decreased pressure on the surrounding areas. This can be applied to the blocked nose where air must pass through faster and with more fluidity so as to ensure that there is less pressure on the ears, which will keep them from getting clogged. 

Persistent clogged ears and nasal congestion can also point towards an infection and should be checked by a doctor immediately.
 

Do you know about the various benefits of yoga for your body and health? Yoga is the answer for a lot of aspects which everyone desires, such as a peaceful mind, a strong and flexible body and a healthy, glowing skin. It is commonly perceived that yoga aims at weight loss, but there are numerous benefits, which you can get by practicing yoga regularly. Here are the various ways in which yoga is ideal for your everyday life. It covers lots of aspects associated with your health and body functioning.

Yoga for overall fitness
You need to be physically fit, as well as perfectly balanced emotionally and mentally. This ensures that you are healthy in the true sense. Health is like a dynamic expression of life based on how happy, loving and enthusiastic you are in life. The various postures of yoga help in maintaining overall fitness, and balance both your mind and body in an ideal way.

1. It helps in improving health.
2. It gives you enhanced strength of mind.
3. Your physical power and stamina gets boosted.
4. Your body is perfectly detoxified.

Yoga for weight loss
Yoga is excellent for weight loss purposes. The Kapalbhati Pranayama and the Sun Salutations are effective yoga practices, which help you to lose excess weight. With regular yoga practice for a long time, you become extra sensitive to the types of food your body demands. This is effective for keeping a check on your weight.

Yoga for stress relief
Some minutes of yoga every day is a good way of eliminating stress that you experience in daily life. It refers to both physical and mental stress. Certain yoga postures, meditation, and Pranayama are ideal practices for getting rid of stress.

Yoga and inner peace
In today’s hectic world and the hustle bustle of daily life, every person desires some peace. This peace can be found within your own self and you do not always need to escape to the mountain to breathe freely. Practicing yoga regularly will give you immense inner peace, which is equivalent to a mini holiday to some nice, serene place. Yoga is very essential for calming your disturbed and troubled mind.

Moreover, yoga poses massage your organs and help in strengthening your muscles. The various breathing exercises and meditation forms associated with yoga are great for releasing unwanted, undesirable stress from your system. This, in turn, improves your immune system and prevents you from getting affected by frequent diseases and health conditions.

Benign Prostrate Hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition which results in the enlargement of the prostate gland. The prostrate grand is situated near the Urethra (a tube which helps flush out the urine from the bladder). Generally, the chances of developing BPH increase after one crosses the age of 50. But it is yet not know, why some men experience more severe symptoms than others.

Causes of BPH

This condition generally occurs because of old age and affects almost all men above the age of 75. It occurs because of the various hormonal changes and changes in cell growth that the body goes through, as one becomes old. Sometimes BPH can set in due to genetics. If BPH sets in due to genetically reasons, it usually is quite severe and affects men before they reach 60.

Symptoms of BPH

Quite a few men who develop BPH, experience no symptoms at all. But when symptoms of BPH, known as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUT) start, they can be either mild or very severe. The severity of the symptoms is not related to the extent of the enlargement. Many a times men with only a mild enlargement complain about severe symptoms, while men with a highly enlarge prostate gland may do not complain of any discomfort.
Symptoms of BPH tend to worsen due to cold weather and also because of physical and emotional overexertion.
There are certain medicines which should be avoided if you suffer from BPH, as they have a tendency to worsen your symptoms, for example- diphenhydramine, pseudoephedrine, oxymetazoline spray and other antidepressants.

The symptoms of BPH are related to issues with bladder emptying and issues with bladder storage. Symptoms related to the urine drainage from the bladder are

1. Strain while urinating
2. Weak urine flow
3. Some dribbling after urination
4. Sudden urge to urinate
5. Pain while urinating

Symptoms related to storage of urine in the bladder are

1. Waking during the night to urinate
2. Urinating frequently during the day and at night
3. Sudden urge to urinate, which may be hard to control

It however, has to be kept in mind that these symptoms may not primarily occur due to prostate enlargement, but may be the result of other conditions like urinary tract infections, prostatitis, prostate cancer, neurological disorders and even diabetes. Thus it is essential that you visit a doctor and get the cause for these symptoms diagnosed properly.

 

A common headache can have a number of reasons behind it, such as defective vision, hetrophoria or convergence deficiency, etc. Now, the question arises as to how they can cause headache. Read on to know more...

Q. Why should defective vision cause headache?

To attain a perfect vision, eyes with defective vision have to make sustained extra efforts, which results in headache. Even if the refractive error is very small, it can be the cause of headache. More prolonged the working and smaller the print, higher the incidence of headache.

Q. Can this occur at all ages?

Yes, it can occur at all ages. However, with age, the resistance decreases and hence elderly people are more prone to get headache. More the use of computer, mobiles, TV or prolonged studies precipitates headache

Q What is Hetrophoria?

Normally, both eyes always remain parallel, but in some cases, eyes have slight tendency to develop minor squint, may be convergent or divergent. This is called Hetrophoria or Latent squint. Such patients have to take extra strain to keep the eyes straight

Q. What is convergence deficiency?

For reading, both eyes have to converge and if there is weakness of convergence, extra strain has to be put on the eyes, which cause headache.

Q. What is the ideal method of refraction in young patients, I,e below 40 years?

Ideal method is to dilate the pupil with Tropicasyl plus drops. This has the advantage that the doctor can see the retina and Optic Disc. This is important to exclude any involvement of brain as the cause of headache. It also relaxes accommodation and hence provides correct refraction. In cases of Hypermetropia, it is extremely essential to dilate the pupil.

Q. What is the role of Autorefractmeter (a computer) in refraction?

It is a very important instrument to provide correct refraction, but it cannot be totally relied upon. Some opticians rely on it and give wrong numbers.

Q. What is acceptance Test?

You have refracted the eyes with Autorefractmeter or Streak Retinoscope but exact power is what a patient accepts. This is very important.

Q. What is astigmatism?

There is a difference in refraction in different meridians and it is important that a cylinder number is prescribed in correct axis. This is a difficult task and needs lot of experience.

Q. Is it important to correct astigmatism?

To relieve headache and strain on the eyes, it is very important that exact cylinder is prescribed.

Q. What is the role of exact centring of Optical Lenses?

.You may give correct number, but if the centre of the Optical lenses and cornea do not coincide, satisfactory results are not obtained. To dispense correct lenses is a big art and the Optician must be qualified and well experienced.

Q. Does the quality of lens affect the visual comfort?

Yes, it is important that quality of lenses should be good, preferable fibre lenses which are Ant reflect coated. Crizal coating with capability to block the UV rays are very popular.

Conclusion: Refractive errors are important cause of headache and needs proper examination of the eyes, preferably after dilating the pupil. Astigmatic error even if too small may be the cause of headache. Spectacle dispensing is an art and a patient must select proper optician. Spectacles if advised for constant use must be used constantly to get full relief.

Arthritis is an inflammatory joint disorder of autoimmune starting point. In arthritis, the joints get to be painful, inflamed, swollen and warm with checked stiffness. Arthritis can be of different types like osteo arthritis, gout, sero negative arthritis, joints pain, back pain, cervical pain, sciatica, spondylosis,tennis elbow, etc. Over the long haul, other huge joints may likewise get influenced.

Homeopathy is a standout amongst the most prevalent all encompassing system of medicine. The determination of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms comparability by utilizing comprehensive approach. To the extent therapeutic medication is concerned, a few very much demonstrated medicines are accessible for homeopathic treatment of arthritis that can be chosen on the premise of cause, sensation, location, modalities and augmentation of the protests. For individualized remedy determination and treatment, the patient ought to counsel a qualified homeopathic doctor face to face.

Causes of arthritis

1. Injury: It can harm to ligament, bone, and cartilage that eventually prompts to extreme pain.
2. Obesity and propelled age: Both are extremely regular cause of arthritis.
3. Infection: Any sort of infection to the joint may come about arthritis.
4. Sprain: Due to sudden unnatural developments causes pain and additionally limitation of development of the joint.
5. Overuse: Overuse of knee joint can cause bursitis which eventually prompts to extraordinary pain.
6. Dislocation: Also causes serious arthritis.
7. Different causes: Include Sickle cell disease, Sarcoidosis, Kawasaki disease, Lupus, bone tumors, Crohn's disease, bleeding disorders and so forth.

Will Homeopathy treat joint inflammation?
Homeopathic method of treatment is extremely powerful in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Homeopathic medicines treat rheumatoid arthritis by directing the overactive immune system. They decrease joint inflammation and symptoms including swelling, pain and stiffness of joints. Homeopathy offers an extensive variety of medicines for rheumatoid arthritis. However, there is nobody cure for all ills connected with this condition. The most fitting Homeopathic medicine for rheumatoid arthritis is chosen in light of an inside and out analysis of individual symptoms. Exceedingly successful Homeopathic medicines for rheumatoid arthritis are ActaeaSpicata, RhusTox, Causticum, Bryonia, Kalmia, Caulophyllum, Ledum pal, Guaiacum, Benzoic acid, Calcaria Carb.

The homeopathic treatment for arthritis has the capability of forever reestablishing the health of your joints. It merits finding a decent homeopath that will regard you as the individual you seem to be, instead of essentially "obtaining" a remedy from another person's experience.

Homeopathic medicines can cure all types of conditions from its root cause. 

Most women attain menopause between the ages of late 40s and early 60s, the average age being about 51. This is an important milestone in a women-s gynecological history. One major change is altered female hormone levels, and this leads to a lot of physiological changes. From hot flashes to mood swings, there is also increased predisposition to osteoporosis and uterine cancer.

If you have not had your menstrual cycles for close to 12 months, chances are you are into menopause. So, that means absolutely no vaginal bleeding anymore whatsoever. However, if you experience bleeding, even spotting, be on the alert. It is not normal and needs to be examined, and if required, diagnosed and treated.
Postmenopausal bleeding or PMB as it is popularly called can be due to a variety of reasons. While it could be something as trivial as inflammation of the uterine or vaginal lining, it could also be an indication of more severe issues like cancer.

-        Atrophic vaginitis - Decreasing hormonal levels lead to increased dryness and therefore inflammation of the vaginal and uterine tissue. This is one of the common causes of bleeding after menopause.
-        Endometrial atrophy - Also caused by lower hormone levels, the lining of the body of the uterus gradually thins down and can get inflamed.
-        Polyps - Noncancerous growths in the uterus, cervix, vulva, or vagina can also lead to bleeding
-        Infections - General infection of any area along the uterine tract could lead to occasional bleeding
-        Cancers - Though only 1 in 10 PMB cases turn out to be cancers, the prognosis improves with early diagnosis and intervention.

Diagnosis: As repeated above, reach out to your doctor if you notice postmenopausal bleeding.  Diagnostic methods could include the following:

-        Physical exam
-        Transvaginal ultrasound
-        Endometrial biopsy
-        Hysteroscopy
-        Dilatation and Curettage
 

Treatment: Needless to say, this would depend on the diagnosis.

For very minor cases with diagnosis like altered hormone levels, no treatment may be required other than modification of the hormone replacement therapy.

For endometrial atrophy and atrophic vaginitis, use of estrogen creams and pessaries would be sufficient.
Polyps would require removal followed by cauterization (application of slight heat) to stop the bleeding.
Cancer - this would depend on the type and location and require a combination of chemotherapy and surgery.  Removal of the uterus also may be required in some cases.
So, if you have had bleeding of any sort after ayear of menopause, do not ignore it.  

Over the years, infidelity has surfaced as the single most common reason that has the ability to shatter and dismantle a perfectly happy relationship. Infidelity can occur in any and every form of relationship and in each of them it is deemed as unacceptable and uncalled for.  Lack of affection has been generally identified as the primary cause why people stray.

However there are other reasons too that cause infidelity. Some of them are:

Bad judgement

The person who is held responsible for going astray may actually be the victim of bad judgement and an impulsive decision.  There may not be anything wrong with the marriage but momentary attraction and a rash decision are possible reasons that lead a person astray.

Search for an emotional connect

A lack of emotional connect with the partner can be a possible reason for infidelity. An unquenchable thirst for attention and the need to be flattered as well finding an emotional connect with a new person causes infidelity.

Though the most common and devastating outcome of infidelity is the end of a relationship, there are ways one that helps one to overcome infidelity. Some of them are as follows:

Ending the affair immediately

The first and foremost step that you must take in overcoming infidelity is to end the affair immediately. If your relationship is important to you, then it would require your complete investment both physically and emotionally. You must snap all contacts with the other person and concentrate on rebuilding your relationship with renewed faith and trust.

Open discussion

If you want the relationship to work then you must have a completely free and open discussion with your partner. Coming clean about your past affair is imperative if you want to begin anew. Your partner deserves a complete, honest discussion and you must do it delicately and with a lot of care.

Willingness to compromise

Beginning a relationship after confessing about the past relationships requires a lot of hard work and compromises. It will take a long time for the relationship to be what it was before the infidelity and you should take complete responsibility for it as well have a willingness to compromise on certain issues.

Marriage therapy

Apart from attempts to amend yourself, you can also use the help of a marriage therapist. A marriage counselor or a therapist through prolonged discussions and sound counsels can avert the possible ending of the relationship.

Married for months and years and yet no intercourse? You are not alone! (This should be the heading) Mr. and Mrs. S. were married for over 2 years now. It was an arranged marriage and the couple were getting along well. The only issue bothering them was that despite trying in many different ways, sexual intercourse has not taken place between them. It appeared that initially the wife was afraid of penetration, has experienced pain when the husband tried to penetrate, avoided sex as much as possible, consulted several doctors and gynecologists and followed their suggestions.

Finally, when Mrs. S was mentally and physically ready for intercourse, the husband, Mr. S started experiencing erectile dysfunction. He says his erections are good when he is alone, or even when he indulges in foreplay, but loses erection the moment he tries to take the penis near the vagina.

The result? The marriage is unconsummated, that is, intercourse has not yet happened between the couple.

Unconsummated marriage is not a rare thing. Quite a few couples experience it, though the exact prevalence is not known. Usually it is expected to be more prevalent in cultures with no or limited sex education / premarital guidance. For some, the problem resolves in a few weeks, for others it takes years on end. I have seen several couples who were unconsummated for 6-8 years and at least one couple who were married for 18 years. It does not mean that the problem is so complex! It only means the couple have taken so long to pluck up the courage to seek professional help and to strictly follow the therapist's suggestions.

What happens when the marriage is unconsummated?

Whether a couple is married or not, when they are unable to accomplish vaginal penetration, the relationship may be impacted in profound ways. It depends on how much each one loves, cares and supports the other, or how much each distrusts and finds fault with the other.

- Some try every position, lubricant, anesthetic, tranquilizer or the advice of a well-wisher and rate the outcome as success or failure.

- Some may altogether avoid intercourse or even other sexual activities.

- Some engage in all other intimate sexual activities including mutual masturbation or superficial sex (sex between the thighs) but preclude attempts to penetration.

- Yet others resort to the blame game, accusing the other for the failure. - Nevertheless, all unconsummated couples feel distressed, except those who enjoy satisfying sexual life, albeit without intercourse. Marital distress may in some cases lead to disputes between the couple, their families, and eventual annulment of marriage.

- Some people seek immediate consultation when they notice the problem, but many delay it for weeks to years out of embarrassment. Many a time, the couples seek professional help only when their urge to conceive surmounts embarrassment. Yet others consult only when their relationship comes under threat.

Why does it happen?

Unconsummated marriage can result from physical problems as well as psychological causes.

Causes in women:

1) Severe anxiety and fear of pain on penetration or of pregnancy. Sexual phobias and aversion is also a cause.

2) Past painful experiences

3) Sexual pain disorders such as localized vulvodynia (vulvar vestibulitis syndrome), which is characterized by pain with touch at the entry to the vagina, which can prevent intercourse.

4) Some women have a very thick hymen, or a septate hymen, which vertically separates the vagina into two sides.

5) Vaginismus - a condition in which the muscles surrounding the vaginal opening contract involuntarily and close the opening tightly, making the penetration impossible. This is a psychosexual condition requiring counseling and behavior therapy.

In the male:

1) Erectile dysfunction can prevent intercourse. If it has a physiological basis, it may be treated medically.

2) Too early ejaculation (ejaculating before penetration)

3) curvature of the penis (if the curvature is mild, it can be dealt with through creative positioning. In more severe cases, medical or surgical treatment may be needed).

4) Severe anxiety and being over protective.

Both:

1) Lack of knowledge about sexual anatomy, physiology and sexual positions & techniques may contribute to the inability to penetrate.

2) One or both of the partners may have mobility problems or difficulty getting in to or maintaining a position.

How is the problem treated?

Most of these conditions can be addressed with appropriate information, guidance, counseling and physical therapy, including use of vaginal dilators. A septate hymen needs surgical repair. Anxiety and fear have to addressed. Pain due to infections or deformities need to be treated. Male erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation require treatment.

Couples in unconsummated relationships of long duration, may need couples-therapy. Premarital education and counseling can go a long way in reducing the number of unconsummated marriages and the resulting distress and marital problems.

Antibiotics have been the bed rock of modern medicine. Modern medicine (cancer chemotherapy, placement of implants, joint replacement, transplant) have been based on the premise that infections could be treated. But today these magic bullets are beaten by bacteria & we are facing antibiotic resistance as a global threat. To save them, we must use antibiotics only when needed, also use a narrower spectrum possible & for the right dose and duration. Most Upper respiratory tract infections or diarrhoea may be viral and may not require antibiotics.

Antibiotics, earlier referred as wonder drugs, are derived from bacterium and are used to cure bacterial infections. These antibiotics cannot be used to cure viral infections. Therefore, they must be used only when prescribed by any physician. Ever since its inception, antibiotics have gained importance in medicinal field. Other than curing bacterial infection, they have also been widely used in preventing an infection.

Below is the list of some commonly used antibiotics along with their usage-

1. PENICILLINS- It is one of the earliest antibiotics to be discovered. Penicillin finds its use in curing ear infections, dental infections, skin infections, gonorrhea and urinary tract infections. If combined with beta-lactamase inhibitors, penicillin gets shielded by the attack of other damaging bacterium enzymes.
2. AMINOGLYCOSIDES- This antibiotic is majorly used in treating pneumonia, typhus etc. This particular antibiotic comes with its own array of side-effects like damage to kidneys and ears. Therefore, it must be injected only if prescribed.
3. SULFONAMIDES- These sulfa drugs are pivotal in curing kidney infections. They too have side effects. Excessive intake of sulfa drugs can hamper the functioning of your kidneys.
4. FLUOROQUINOLONES- This antibiotic is used in treating urinal tract infections, skin infections and several kind of respiratory diseases like bronchitis, sinusitis and pneumonia. Owing to its side effects, this drug must not be given to children and pregnant ladies. Higher dosage may lead to a severe kind of nerve impairment, known as peripheral neuropathy. Additionally, they may also hinder bone growth.
5. CEPHALOSPORINS- Alongside its usage in surgical prophylaxis, Cephalosporin can also be used in curing bronchitis, pneumonia, step throat, otitis, tonsillitis, gonorrhea etc.
6. MACROLIDES- Macrolides serve as an alternative drug to penicillin. It can be used to treat all sort of respiratory infections, genital infections and gastrointestinal infections. Excessive intake of macrolides can cause gastrointestinal problems.
7. TETRACYCLINES- Tetracyclines can be a remedy for malarial infections, syphilis and chlamydial infections. Additionally, they are also used for curing Rocky Mountain spotted fever, respiratory tract infections, Lyme disease, urinary tract infections, typhus and sexually transmitted disease. Due to its side-effects, they must not be consumed by children and pregnant ladies.

ANTIBIOTICS USED FOR ANTIBIOTIC PROPHYLAXIS-

As mentioned earlier, antibiotics can also be used for preventing any infection while undergoing any kind of surgery. Antibiotic Prophylaxis is usually used when the patient is going to have breast surgery or joint replacement surgery or pacemaker surgery or cataract surgery or glaucoma surgery. Such medical procedures make the patient body highly prone to infections. Therefore, antibiotics are used to safeguard the patient's organs.

Note that Antibiotics should not be used for common cold as most are viral Dengue & Chikungunya. Also, unnecessary antibiotics result in side effects like drug rash, diarrhoea & other problems.

The abovementioned applications of antibiotics highlight its importance. But since the antibiotics have their side-effects, so it is advisable to undertake antibiotics only after consulting any physician.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that is caused due to many reasons. This condition mainly indicates a severe malfunction of the melanocytes or the melanin producing cells of the body. These cells are responsible for giving you your skin colour, tone and complexion. Usually, a person suffering from melanoma will have many normal and irregular moles as well as melanoma in the eye and digestive tracts too. So, what are the causes of this condition? Read on to find out.

1. Skin Cell Development: The general process of skin renewal includes the rise of new skin cells to the surface in a routine and continuous manner. This skin cell development can get hindered due to a number of reasons like DNA damage. When this happens, the dead skin cells accumulate instead of falling off to make space for the new cells, and this can cause a mass of cancerous cells to form.
2. Fair Complexion: Having an excessively fair skin tone may point towards lack of melanin or pigment in the skin. This erodes the protection that one naturally gets when exposed to the harmful Ultraviolet rays of the sun. This can increase the risk of contracting melanoma. Also, people with freckles, red or blonde hair, and even blue eyes can fall prey to this condition.
3. Location: Your geographic location also matters to a great extent when it comes to this disease. People living closer to the equator have reported increased cases of this disease due to over exposure to Ultraviolet rays. The direct and harsh rays of the Sun can also lead to this condition.
4. History: When you have a history of sunburns or if you are particularly susceptible to them, then you may end up with melanoma. Blistering sunburns and too many moles can also lead to this condition. Dysplastic nevi or many unusual modes with irregular shape, size and colour also indicate an increased risk of falling prey to melanoma. Also, if you have had a family history of this disease, then there are chances of contracting the same, as you may have inherited the carrier gene too.
5. Immune System: Much like many other diseases and cancers, this condition also greatly depends on the state of your immune system. Patients who have recently recovered from organ transplants, other such procedures,  and diseases can find themselves at the weak end of their immunity, which makes them susceptible to such kinds of cancer.

Melanoma should be treated in a proper way by a specialist from the Oncology department.