Dr. Anil Pichad

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a STD caused by the three different types of the “Chlamydia trachomatis” bacterium. LGV is generally a disease of the lymphatic system. It is characterized by small, asymptomatic skin lesions along the pelvis or groin region. It has been noticed that men are more prone to this than women.

What are the symptoms of lymphogranuloma venereum?
The symptoms may start within a few days or months after coming in contact with the bacteria. Some of the common symptoms are:
1. Pain during bowel movement
2. The growth of small painless sores in the genital area
3. Your skin might swell and turn red.
4. There can be drainage from the lymph nodes in the groin.
5. Blood and puss may pass from the rectum as well

What are the possible complications related to lymphogranuloma venereum?
1) The patient may have brain inflammation although this is very rare
2) The patient may suffer from infection in joints, eyes, heart, and liver
3) The rectum may get narrower and scary
4) There may be long-term swelling and inflammation of the genitals

How can you diagnose lymphogranuloma venereum?
1. Generally, doctors suspect lymphogranuloma venereum when the patient is suffering from genital ulcers, swollen lymph nodes and proctitis (inflammation of the rectum and anus).
2. Rectal specimens, genital lesions, and lymph node specimens are taken to test for Chlamydia trachomatis. This is detected by culture, nucleic acid detection, and direct immunofluorescence tests.
What are the treatments available for lymphogranuloma venereum?

People with LGV must be treated with antibiotics and drainage of the bulbous growths may also be necessary for symptomatic relief. Generally, two antibiotics are used to treat such patients:
1. Doxycycline, may be used to treat patients who are not pregnant.
2. Erythromycin is used in other cases and especially for women who are pregnant.

HIV positive patients and HIV-negative patients are treated in the same way. However, HIV patients may have to continue the treatment for a longer period of time due to the compromised immune system. The patients have to abstain from sexual activity till the completion of the antibiotic dose. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Do not over expose your skin to sun white patches should turn slightly pink and not very red.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition, which is born due to an imbalance of hormones within the female body. When this happens, the female body faces anumber of problems as far as her periods or menstrual cycles goes, besides finding it difficult to conceive naturally and easily. Let us find out more about this condition.

PCOS and hormones
To begin with, let us understand what hormones are. These are chemical impulses that send messages to various parts of the brain and rest of the body to signal the release of other kinds of hormones that may be vital for various functions. In PCOS, it is normally seen that the sex hormones are thrown out of balance, due to which the ovaries start producing a small dose of some male hormones. This creates problems as far as ovulation is concerned and also, it gives rise to the growth of facial hair, acne and changes in the overall appearance of the patient. Insulin resistance is another cause that may also trigger PCOS. It is also an inherited issue in many cases.

Symptoms
From irregular periods to an increase in acne and facial hair, there are many symptoms that may point at the existence of this condition. Fertility problems and issues related to normal ovulation are also often seen in women who are suffering from this condition due to the irregular periods. Additionally, depression may be seen in many patients who are suffering from this condition on a chronic basis. Thinning of hair and excess weight gain with difficulty in losing extra pounds may also be indicative of PCOS.

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of PCOS is usually done with the help of a physical examination as well as a blood test that will primarily help in determining the sugar levels and insulin. The doctor will also conduct other hormone tests so as to understand which hormones are not in balance and which ones may be triggering changes in the body. Apart from all this, the doctor will also study the body mass index (BMI) of the patient to find out if there has been a sudden and drastic change on the weight of the patient. During the lab tests, where the blood and urine are examined, the doctor will also seek to rule out any anomalies in the thyroid gland. An ultrasound of the ovaries will also be conducted.

Treatment
Weight loss programs as well as diet tweaks that remove excess dairy and meat may be recommended by the doctor. Further, the doctor may also put the patient on birth control pills so as to bring better balance of hormones. Moreover, moderate exercise will be required for the patient so that the normal production of hormones may be resumed eventually. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

We know this very well how beneficial drinking water just after getting up is  and so many of us practice is too. But when we add honey and lemon in warm water and drink it daily, the benefits gets multiplied. Let's see how it is achieved.

1. Helps in losing weight - Drinking warm water mixed in honey and lemon is very good for health. It helps in losing weight and for this simple reason, people who want to lose weight should take it for sure.

2. No Constipation - This combination of warm water, lemon and honey is so good for health that if taken on an empty stomach it is helpful in keeping constipation at bay. It stimulates the digestive system, infuses water in dried stool which removes constipation completely.

3. Cleanse lymphatic system - Lack of water in the already dehydrated lymphatic system leads to problems like fatigue, disturbed sleep and blood pressure level and hinders mental development. But when you take water in lemon and honey, the lymphatic system gets hydrated and your body functions properly.

4. Keep bad breath at bay and improves oral health - Taste of honey and lemon removes any kind of bad breath in your mouth. Also, these keep your mouth bacteria-free and that's how without direct care, mouth gets benefited indirectly.

5. Boost immune system - Vitamin C helps in fighting cold. As it is high in potassium, it controls blood pressure as well as stimulates brain function.

6. Clears skin - Presence of Vitamin C removes blemishes and wrinkles from skin. Also, it gives a brighter and glowing look. As a result of drinking lemon and honey in water, your skin gets cleared giving your face a cleaner and fairer look.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Related Tip: 5 Life-long benefits of drinking Desi Haldi Milk

As we celebrate the Doctors’ day today, I wish to take this opportunity to hand over the 3 mantras to happiness. We all lead a very stressful life. Many of us have medical issues like hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol issues and so on. What should we do or should we have done rather so that we wouldn’t suffer from these lifestyle diseases?

Eat right:

As the maxim goes, you are what you eat. I would like to stress here that, diet is the single most important factor in our life which determines our longevity and disease pattern. Hence, it is important to eat right. Our diet should have a mix of about 40% complex carbohydrates like oats, whole wheat, brown bread, ragi, semolina and so on. High quality proteins should contribute 30% of our diet. Eggs, chicken, fish, meat, dal and pulses are good examples. Fats especially MUFA and PUFA should make 20% of the diet. Classic examples are sunflower oil, olive oil, rice bran oil. Avoid saturated fats, trans fats, margarine, ghee and butter. Pastry, Khari biscuits, toasts, cookies are rich in unhealthy saturated fats; hence best avoided. We should consume at least 3 servings of fruit daily. This is important because fruits are rich in vitamins, fibre and anti-oxidants.

Sleep well:

A rested mind in a rested body is the best state of happiness. We need to sleep at least 7 to 8 hours daily. The body recharges during the rest and makes it ready for the next day aggressions. With the smartphone entering our bedroom, the sleep pattern has been disturbed. We end up sleeping late while checking Whats App messages and so on. As a result the total sleep duration goes down and we get up in an irritable and sleep deprived state. Such a state is not conducive to healthy work the next day. Avoid checking smartphone apps and messages, reading newspapers just before sleeping and avoid tea/coffee/caffeine in any form post 7pm. This will make sure we sleep on time and get up on time.

Exercise:

This is the last and the most important mantra that can lead to ultimate bliss and happiness. We need to exercise at least 30 min daily for 5 days a week. This can be aerobic exercises like cycling, swimming, jogging, running and so on. Weight lifting for 45 min daily for about 5 days a week is ideal to build a well sculpted and muscular beach body that we all want. Exercising keeps our joints mobile, conditions our heart to strain, releases growth hormone and testosterone which keep you young. Endorphins released in the brain during the exercise make you feel good as though you are on the seventh sky.

I hope readers would take these mantras seriously and implement them religiously all through. This will go a long way in keeping our population happy and reach nirvana! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can ask a free question.