Prime Hospital - Ameerpet

Infertility is a medical condition which is characterised by problems in successful conception, even after prolonged and frequent unprotected sex amongst a couple. Infertility may occur due to problems with either the male, the female partner and in many cases both of them. This condition can cause much strife in a relationship not just within the individuals but also be a cause for social embarrassment. The causes of infertility could be-

1. Testicular injury or deformed testis,

2. Irregular menstrual periods,

3. Problems with erections,

4. Uterus is ill-shaped,

5. Premature ejaculation,

6. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome,

7. Pelvic inflammatory diseases caused by Sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia,

8. Scanty sperm count,

9. Thyroid disorders,

10. Blockage of the fallopian tube.

Other lifestyle related reasons could be excessive alcohol consumption, aging, diabetes, obesity, high pressure and as a side effect of radiation therapy or other medications.

Ayurveda and Infertility-

According to Ayurvedic scriptures, infertility occurs when there is a deficiency of nutrients in the Shukra Dhatu of an individual. This might occur as a result of indigestion and excessive toxic content in the human body. This could be caused due to excessive consumption of spicy foods or if they have chronic stress or anxiety. The Ayurvedic remedies boost the nutrition of the Shukra Dhatu in order to boost fertility. The most potent Ayurvedic herbs which can cure infertility are as follows:

1. A prescribed consumption of the powder of dried banyan bark along with sugar might help to cure infertility.

2. The inclusion of cumin and turmeric powder in regulated dosages in your daily food might also help to facilitate fertility.

3. A consumption of the root of the herb Ashwagandha for 3 times a day has also been shown to be beneficial.

4. A daily consumption of the powder of Vanari Kalpa in warm milk might help in curing any problems related to the ejaculation of semen.

5. Consuming a mixture of the powder of Vrushya vati in warm milk, it might help to increase the sperm count.

6. The consumption of Ayurvedic preparation of phalasarpi (a mixture of the herbs Kustha, manjistha, Triphala, tagara, haldi etc.) might help to deal with the problems of infertility in women.

7. Yoga also has many effective asanas or poses which help boost both male and female fertility and thus may help in correcting infertility caused due to physical factors such as injuries or deformities.

8. Changes in lifestyle also have to be brought in such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption among others.

Each tiny action we commit involves the risk of a condition, disease or disorder. For instance, sneezing a bit too hard can rupture an eye vessel, or having your face right up against the wind in a moving bus can expose you to germs. Diabetes is as prevalent as common cold in every household and there is no end to the list of causes that can make you suffer from it. While regular check-ups, medications, insulin shots can help you cope, there are certain measures that if followed, can enable you to avoid the risk of secondary yet fatal diseases. Diabetic nephropathy is one such condition.

When Kidney is affected to the extent that it cannot perform its functions(like excretion of wastes in urine, filtering blood from waste, maintaining electrolyte balance,etc.) properly, it is called as Nephropathy. The reason behind kidney damage could be many, but if diabetes is the prime cause, it is known as diabetic nephropathy in medical terms.

A few features of this disorder are as follows:

1. The kidneys comprise of several small blood vessels, which perform the function of sifting waste from your blood. Diabetes at an advanced stage can impede smooth functioning of these vessels. As a result, the kidneys malfunction or a person faces kidney failure.
2. Nephropathy brings along some other health issues as well. A person's blood pressure may increase as a result, thus making him or her prone to heart attacks and strokes. Sharp rise in cholesterol and triglyceride levels has also been noticed.
3. A doctor will check for the presence of a protein called albumin in the patient's urine to know if you suffer from nephropathy or not. Other tests to determine the functioning of kidneys are - S.Creatinine, eGFR, Albumin/Creatinine Ratio (ACR), 24 Hour Urine Protein, Renal Function Tests, etc. A diabetic person should therefore go in for yearly tests.

In a given situation such as this, dialysis or kidney transplant comes to your aid. Both are done when kidney functions are irreversibly damaged. Dialysis can be of two kinds; Hemodialysis or Peritoneal dialysis. Dialysis (also called as Renal Replacement Therapy) remedies kidney damage and kidney failure by using a machine to extract salts, wastes and other fluids in excess from the blood to let your blood have a healthy composition. Dialysis should only be done under the supervision of an experienced nephrologist for best results.

According to most experts, depression and diabetes have been intricately connected in a vicious cycle. While the prolonged and sustaining nature of diabetes directly makes one vulnerable to the bouts of depression, doctors tend to locate traces of depression in the family history of an individual in order to diagnose the roots of diabetes. It won't be too far-fetched to state that both causes as well as affects the other.

If you have diabetes, either type 1 or type 2, you have an increased risk of developing depression. And if you're depressed, you may have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. The good news is that diabetes and depression can be treated together. And effectively managing one can have a positive effect on the other.

How Diabetes and Depression Correlated?                    
There are myriad ways in which diabetes affects depression and vice versa.

Firstly, tackling such a long drawn disease and its various pitfalls might cause a lot of anxiety to one and lead to depression. Whereas on the other hand, depression reduces the zeal to live and thus results in poor lifestyle choices which in turn causes weight gain, unhealthy food habits, physical inactivity. As we are well aware, all these have the potential to wreak havoc for any patient of diabetes. 

Similarly, diabetes ushers in various other health complications, adversely impacting one's productivity. This may cause depression in a lot of people. 

On the flipside, depression impedes one's ability and enthusiasm to work or communicate, this in turn intervenes with one's monitoring of diabetes. Since these two extremely malevolent diseases have such close connections, medical science recommends ways to grapple with both. The rigors of managing diabetes can be stressful and lead to symptoms of depression.

Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression.

Depression affects your ability to perform tasks, communicate and think clearly. This can interfere with your ability to successfully manage diabetes.

Treatment: Depression is just like any other illness, it can be treated. Treatment can lift the depression and improve diabetes control.

Looking after your diabetes will help decrease the risk of getting depression. If you already have depression, good diabetes management will help lessen the negative impacts it can have. Depression is no different to any of the other complication of diabetes. It is a genuine illness for which you need to seek help and support from health professionals.

The treatment for depression and diabetes involves a coordinated approach that monitors both diabetes control and the symptoms of depression. It is about finding the treatment that works best for each person. For example, people with diabetes and mild depression may find that regular physical activity improves depressed moods and also helps control blood glucose levels.

Helping Yourself.

If you suspect you might have depression, take control of your health by:

• Going to a doctor or other health professional
• Getting involved in social activities
• Engaging in regular moderate physical activity
• Learning about depression and diabetes
• Very particular about medicines prescribed for Diabetes
• Eating healthily and including a wide variety of nutritious foods
• Achieving and maintaining healthy weight
• Limiting your alcohol intake
• Getting help, support and encouragement from family and friends
• Asking your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can ask a free question.

Type 2 diabetes is a form of diabetes in which the body does not use insulin properly and develops resistance to insulin.

A patient with type 2 diabetes must make several changes to his/her regular diet and food patterns. The aim is to manage the blood-sugar level of the body. Hence, a type 2 diabetes patients should follow a regular diet, which comprises of:

1. All types of foods from different food groups.

2. Lesser calories.

3. Lessened and limited intake of carbohydrates.

4. Healthy fats.

Here is a list of food items you should include in your diet in case you have type 2 diabetes.

1. Vegetables: You must have fresh or frozen vegetables and avoid using sauces, dips, fats or salts. Intake non-starchy vegetables like cucumber, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and vegetables, which are dark green or yellow in color. Also have starchy vegetables such as corn, green peas, beans, carrots and yams. Avoid potatoes as they are pure starch.

2. Fresh Fruits: You should include fresh fruits in your regular diet. Have apples, bananas, berries, papaya, cherries, grapes, melons, oranges, peaches, pineapples and raisins. Have whole fruits regularly, which do not contain added chemical sweeteners.

3. Grains: Include grains in your diet and consume whole grains more. Whole grains are not processed and consist of the whole-grain kernel. Grains contain starch, which is a source of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are bad for blood sugar. Hence, whole grains, which are rich in fiber are recommended. Fiber controls the blood-sugar level from shooting up. Fiber should be included in the form of bran of oat and wheat.

4. Proteins: Coming to protein food items, you should consume fish and poultry items often. Always remove the skin from chicken or turkey properly before cooking. Buy lean meat and trim all the fat from meat. Avoid frying and use methods such as baking, roasting, grilling or boiling. Also use healthy oils for frying purpose.

5. Dairy Products: In case of type 2 diabetes, always use dairy products, which are low in fat. Do not add sugar to milk, curd or yoghurt as they contain natural sugar. Do not consume more than three cups of milk a day.

6. Oils and Fats: Cut down the intake of excessive oily and fatty foods. Avoid food items that contain high saturated fats such as bacon, hams, sausages and butter. Consume food with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. Oil raises blood-sugar level and is high in calorie and should be used in lesser amounts.

A type 2 diabetes patient needs to undergo several changes in his/her diet to keep a check on the rising blood sugar levels and for living as healthy as possible. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.

Homeopathy is a complementary system of healing that believes in ‘like cures like’. But can it cure infertility? Read on to know more about the role of homeopathy in infertility. Homeopathy uses the same principle of ‘like cures like’ to treat infertility as well.

In scientific terms, infertility is defined as the inability to conceive despite having regular unprotected sex for one or more than one year . The cause for infertility can be either present in the male or female partner like low sperm counts in men or poor quality of sperm and hormonal disturbances, blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, fibroids etc. in women.

Homeopathy works in infertility by:

1. Regulating ovulation in women
2. Increasing sperm count and improving sperm mobility in men
3. Removing emotional blockages
4. Reducing stress
5. Treating depression and anxiety

Homoeopathy is especially useful in curing infertility due to low sperm count and sperm motility. A homoeopath can identify the cause of your infertility by asking you specific questions related to your: 

1. Age
2. Duration of trying to conceive
3. Nicotine, alcohol, coffee or tea consumption
4. Genital diseases including inflammation, surgery and trauma
5. Any other conditions you may suffer from, including hereditary conditions
6. Any active infection in the body
7. Exposure to toxins such as chemicals, radiation, heat or noise
8. Stress levels

Homoeopathic remedies for infertility
If you want a sure cure for infertility, visit a reputed homoeopath who will match the right medicine with your constitution and symptoms. However, we have a list of common remedies for the condition for your information:
Sepia

• This is a very powerful uterine remedy
• It is very useful in cases where the woman miscarries repeatedly
• Useful in treating uterine prolapse
• Treats late and scanty periods, irregular periods, as well as early and profuse bleeding
• Treats irregular or absent ovulation
• Treats low sex drive in men

Sabina

• Treats women who have recurrent miscarriages
• Treats inflammation of ovaries and uterus after an abortion

Silica

• Boosts the immune system and improves chances of conception

Aurum

• Treats infertility caused by depression, feelings of self-hatred and worthlessness
• Treats high blood pressure
• Treats enlarged and prolapsed uterus

Phosphorus

• Treats infertility due to uterine polyps
• Infertility due to anxiety and stress

X-Ray

• Treats infertility in males due to low sperm counts
• It helps in improving the quality of sperms 

  If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a homeopath.