Avenue X-ray Clinic

Uterine polyps are growths attached to the inner wall of the uterus that extend into the uterine cavity. Overgrowth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) leads to the formation of uterine polyps, also known as endometrial polyps. These polyps are usually noncancerous (benign), although some can be cancerous or can eventually turn into cancer (precancerous polyps).

Uterine polyps range in size from a few millimeters - no larger than a sesame seed - to several centimeters - golf-ball-size or larger. They attach to the uterine wall by a large base or a thin stalk.

You can have one or many uterine polyps. They usually stay contained within your uterus, but occasionally, they slip down through the opening of the uterus (cervix) into your vagina. Uterine polyps most commonly occur in women who are going through or have completed menopause, although younger women can get them, too.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of uterine polyps include:

• Irregular menstrual bleeding - for example, having frequent, unpredictable periods of variable length and heaviness
• Bleeding between menstrual periods
• Excessively heavy menstrual periods
• Vaginal bleeding after menopause
• Infertility
• Some women have only light bleeding or spotting; others are symptom-free.
• When to see a doctor

Seek medical care if you have:

• Vaginal bleeding after menopause
• Bleeding between menstrual periods
• Irregular menstrual bleeding

Causes

Hormonal factors appear to play a role. Uterine polyps are estrogen-sensitive, meaning they grow in response to circulating estrogen.

Risk factors

• Risk factors for developing uterine polyps include:
• Being perimenopausal or postmenopausal
• Having high blood pressure (hypertension)
• Being obese
• Taking tamoxifen, a drug therapy for breast cancer

Complications

Uterine polyps might be associated with infertility. If you have uterine polyps and you're unable to have children, removal of the polyps might allow you to become pregnant, but the data are inconclusive.

Medical science constantly challenges the boundaries by finding not only the cures to the most dangerous diseases, but finds a way to prevent them even before they occur. With years of research, practice and data available for analysis, scientists are using advanced technology in combination with years of research to create a predicting mechanism for often fatal diseases like cancer.

Breast cancer screening has always been done with mammography. The fact is that this method is only 75% accurate, laden with false positives and misses a whole set of women totally- and that too when cancer has already developed. Part of the problem comes from the dense breast tissue which one in three women have. This tissue masks the lumps, which makes it difficult for mammograms to accurately screen cancer.

Some breakthrough scientific methods are changing this by drawing on years of research to predict this deadly disease, years before it can manifest itself.

A genetic test to predict cancer 10-11 years ahead of time
This test was performed to see how environmental factors could influence cancer, along with habits like smoking, abusing alcohol or hormones, genetic changes that occur and are put a large percentage of the women at a high risk of developing this disease.

A simple blood test is used for the genetic analysis of hereditary cancer. Researchers found a biological marker, methylation of the ATM gene, which has a very high ability to predict the risk of developing cancer, several years before diagnosis. 'Methylation' concluded that when one biological indicator is exposed to carcinogenic substances, or other abusive substances like tobacco and alcohol, it may trigger the development of cancer. On the flip side, this test will take time to reach the commercial market and even then cannot give an exact timeline as to when someone may develop the disease.

A simple blood test to predict breast cancer 5 years before it develops
This is the kind of medical miracle the world is looking for. Last year in April, researches in Denmark identified a simple blood test that can predict breast cancer five years before it actually develops with an accuracy of a whopping 80%.

It works by "measuring all of the compounds in the blood to build a 'metabolic profile' of an individual, in order to detect changes in the way chemicals are processed, during a pre-cancerous stage," says Laura Donnelly, health editor at The Telegraph, which covered this development. Danish researchers observed 57,000 participants over 20 years, gathering blood samples along the way, specifically comparing a set of 800 women who remained healthy or developed breast cancer within 7 years of their first blood sample.

 The researchers found they were able to predict, with 80 percent accuracy, which patients would be affected by the disease, just by looking at the metabolic profiles they built from the participants' blood samples. The results have been published in Metabolomics.

Gestational trophoblastic disease is a rare condition. It only happens when trophoblast cells abnormally grow inside the uterus. Also, this only happens after conception. These cells surround the egg which has been fertilized in the uterus. It is also worth note that the trophoblast cells usually connect the fertilized eggs to the uterus' walls and also form a part of the placenta. It is only when there is a tumor that this disease is diagnosed. There are many forms of gestational trophoblastic disease. Here they are:

Types

1.        Complete hydatidiform moles
2.        Partial hydatidiform moles
3.        Invasive moles
4.        Choriocarcinomas
5.        Placental-site trophoblastic tumors (PSTT)
6.        Epithelioid trophoblastic tumors (ETT)

It is worth note that most of these diseases have different stages. The stage of how far cancer has developed can be found out using the following techniques.

Testing for cancer

1. Chest X-ray
This is simply an X-ray of the chest.

2. MRI 
An MRI is an abbreviation of magnetic resonance imaging. It makes use of a form of the magnet which transfers radio waves to a computer to find out what is going on within your body.

3. CT scan
This is similar to an X-ray except that more detailed and larger pictures inside the body can be taken and the scan has a slightly different procedure.
There are several ways to treat it depending on how far cancer has spread into the body. Here they are:

Treatment

1. Surgery
Surgery is usually done while the mole is still non-cancerous. The chances of the mole becoming cancerous are increased by pregnancy. Therefore, it is crucial that you do not become pregnant until the surgery is complete.

2. Chemotherapy
This is a less-ideal option but has to be taken if the mole has become cancerous. 
 

Feeling a lump on your breasts can be a terrifying moment. 'Cancer' is the first thing that comes to mind but in reality, most lumps in the breast are not caused by cancer. Apart from cancer, breast lumps can be caused by non-cancerous growths, injuries and infections. The only way to correctly diagnose the cause of a lump in the beasts is through a biopsy. Hence, this is the first step towards treating a breast lump. From here on, treatment will depend on the cause identified.

Mastitis or Breast Infection

Mastitis is a painful infection of the breast tissue often faced by women who are breastfeeding. It can be treated with heat treatment and antibiotics. Massaging the breast while taking a warm shower or applying a warm compress. This will open up the milk ducts and should be followed by nursing the baby or using a breast pump to relieve the swelling and pain.

Abscess

Antibiotics are the first line of treatment against an abscess but this is effective only if given in the initial stage of the infection. In later stages, an abscess will need to be surgically drained.

Fibroadenomas

This is a non-cancerous tumour often found in young women. It is often difficult to distinguish between a Fibroadenoma and a cancerous tumour and hence these are usually surgically removed.

Fibrocystic Changes

In some cases, the breast itself is composed of knotted, rope like tissue. This is known as having fibrocystic breasts. If a new lump presents itself on fibrocystic breasts, a mammogram and an ultrasound are performed to evaluate the lump. In most cases fibrocystic changes do not require any medication or surgery.

Breasts Cysts

Cysts can be defined as fluid filled lumps. In some cases, these cysts become apparent at the time of ovulation and disappear after the period. In other cases, it may need to be drained with a thin needle. Cysts often recur and need to be re-drained.

Fat Necrosis and Lipoma

Fat necrosis is a lump caused by an injury to the fatty tissue in the breast. Lipoma is a fatty growth within the fatty tissue. In both these cases, no treatment is required but if it causes any problems, it can be removed.

Breast Cancer

If the biopsy reveals the presence of a cancerous tumour, you must immediately consult an Breast cancer specialist. Treatment options for breast cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and hormone treatment.

Breast cancer is the most common forms of cancer in females, affecting one in every eight women in the US. There are huge awareness campaigns, which revolve around ways to recognize if you are prone for it and how to identify the disease in its early stages. Knowing the symptoms can help in early diagnosis and thereby early intervention and better prognosis.

How and why of breast cancer?

The breasts produce milk through the glands, which also contain connective tissue including fat, fibrous tissue, nerves, blood vessels, etc. The milk reaches the exterior through a fine network of ducts. Most cancers develop as small calcifications in these ducts, which continues to grow and spread to distant organs.

Warning signs and symptoms

Given the high incidence of breast cancer, knowing the symptoms helps in early identification. Read on to know more, especially if there is a family history.

1. Any change in the size, shape, or contour of the breasts
2. Appearance of a lump in the breasts or the armpits
3. Presence of a clear or bloody discharge from the breast
4. The breast or the nipple turning red
5. Sudden thickening of breast tissue or skin that continues for a while
6. Change in the feel or look of the skin (dimpling, puckering, scaliness, reddishness, warmth, etc.)
7. Hardening of the tissue under the breast skin
8. Difference in appearance or feel of one area in comparison with other areas

The presence of any of these or a combination of these symptoms should be an indication for a detailed checkup. As mentioned, early diagnosis helps in reducing complications and improving prognosis. It is also good to know risk factors, which also indicate if you need to watch for symptoms.

• Family history: Breast cancer runs in families, and if you have a first-degree relative with breast cancer, watch out for symptoms.
  • Tested positive for BRCA1 and BRCA2
  • Family history of other cancers
• Age: Women over the age of 50 are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
• Race: Caucasian women carry greater risk than African-American women.
• Hormones: Increased use of estrogen increases the chances of developing breast cancer. Therefore, women who have used birth control for long time or are on hormone replacement are at greater risk.
• Abnormal gynecologic milestones: Women who have abnormal menstrual milestones are more predisposed to developing breast cancer. For instance, girls who attain menarche before age of 12, get pregnant after 30, and reach menopause after 55. Women with menstrual irregularities including cycles earlier than 26 days and later than 29 days are also likely to have hormonal issues and are, therefore, at higher risk of breast cancer.
• Other factors: Smoking, alcohol abuse, and obesity also increase the chances of a woman developing breast cancer.
   

Slip disk is a condition of the spinal column which consists of a stack of vertebras from the cervical, thoracic and the lumbar spine. The bones of the spine are cushioned by disks that are present to absorb shocks. Trauma to the spine may cause the disk to bulge or be ruptured. This may lead to pain in the neck and the back. 

Causes of slip disk -

Slip disk is caused when the jelly like substance present in the disks bulges out. The damaged disk thus puts pressure on the adjacent nerve causing excruciating pain. The various causes of a slipped disk are:

1. Incorrect form during exercise
If you are into weight lifting, it is important that you use proper form during exercising. Moves like barbell squat and deadlifts can put pressure on the spine and lead to disk problems, if not done correctly. Make sure you work on your core strength and keep your lower back straight while exercising. 

2. Smoking
Smoking causes the disks to lose their flexibility and thus, increases the risk of a slipped disk.

3. Ageing
Ageing decreases the content of water in the spine, thus leading to inflexibility.

Symptoms -

The symptoms of slip disk are:

1. Pain on one side of the body that tends to aggravate over time
2. Activities such as sitting and coughing may lead to pressure on the spine causing pain
3. Your range of motion on certain movements may be restricted
4. Pain in the neck while moving it
5. Numbness in the shoulder and the neck region
6. You may experience tingling sensations in the genitals, hips and the legs
7. You may have muscles spasms which lead to sudden contraction of the muscles
8. It may also lead to partial paralysis of the lower body

Prevention

1. If you are overweight, try to reduce weight and then focus on maintaining healthy weight levels
2. Maintain proper posture while sitting or standing
3. Exercise on a regular basis to build strength and keep your joints healthy
4. Don't remain in seated position for an extended period of time. Take small breaks in between to stretch

Uterine fibroids, also referred to as uterine myomas) are non-cancerous tumors that grow within the muscle tissue of the uterus. As many as 20% to 50% women between the age group of 18 to 40 suffer from the condition, but not all cases warrant treatment. 

It may be as tiny as a coin or it may grow to the size of a watermelon, making people think the lady is 6/7 months pregnant! There may be one big fibroid or several small ones. 

Causes

Though the exact causes are not known, family history and hormonal imbalances are said to be the main causes for the same.

Types of Uterine Fibroids

The four types are:

1. Subserosal Uterine Fibroids: Develops outside the uterus and continues to grow.
2. Intramural Uterine Fibroids: The most common type that lead to pregnancy like tummy. They develop within the uterus wall and continue to expand.
3. Submucosal Uterine Fibroids: Because these develop within the uterus lining, they are most likely to be the cause of heavy flow during periods.
4. Pedunculated Uterine Fibroids: These grow on the inner or outer side of a small stalk connecting to the uterus.

Common Symptoms

1. An enlarged uterus is the most common symptom. It is often mistaken for general weight gain or pregnancy.
2. Prolonged and painful menstrual cycle, that is many times irregular.
3. Urinary incontinence and constant urge to urinate.
4. Pelvic pressure.
5. Pressure on the bowels leading to constipation.
6. Pain during intercourse.

General treatment 

If you find out that you have fibroids during an examination or if you visit a doctor with any of these symptoms, they will most likely ask for an ultrasound or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which will confirm the type of fibroid and the extent of your problem. Treatment includes non-invasive-focused ultrasound surgery. 

Treatment with Homeopathy

One of the best advantages of choosing Homeopathy is that it works without side effects. It addresses the issue rather than the symptom. A surgical procedure mentioned in general treatment does remove the fibroids but there is no guarantee that they won't grow back as the underlying issue of hormonal imbalance remains. 

During a clinical study of the effects of Homeopathy on fibroids, 85% patients showed improvement and 48% people had complete fibroid removal. 

Treatment: There are medicines in Homeopathy that can treat uterine fibroids, cervical fibroids and help maintain normal hormonal balance in females.