Dr. Jyoti Vyas

One of the most common physically transmitted diseases is chlamydia. Chlamydia is a type of infection caused by the bacteria "Chlamydia trachomatis". The symptoms of Chlamydia are similar to the symptoms of Gonorrhoea (a bacterial sexually transmitted infection). Chlamydia infection causes permanent fallopian tube damage in women, leads to future ectopic pregnancy (the fertilised egg attaches itself outside the uterus) and infertility.

Symptoms of Chlamydia:
Men and women afflicted with chlamydia exhibit different symptoms.

The symptoms of chlamydia in women include:

1. Abnormal, sometimes foul-smelling, vaginal discharge
2. Bleeding between menstrual cycles
3. Painful periods
4. Abdominal pain, accompanied with fever
5. Pain during intercourse
6. Burning or itching around or in the vagina
7. Painful urination

Men usually display the following symptoms if they have chlamydia:

1. Minimal amounts of cloudy or clear discharge from the head of the penis
2. Painful urination
3. Itching and burning around the slit of the penis
4. Swollen and painful testicles

Treatment options available:

1. Chlamydia is diagnosed by taking a swab from the cervix (in women) or the urethra (in men). These swabs will be sent to the laboratory for analysis. Urine samples can also be taken to check for the appearance of bacteria.
2. Since chlamydia is a bacterial infection, it can be easily treated with antibiotics. Oral antibiotics such as azithromycin or doxycycline are commonly prescribed by doctors. Azithromycin is usually prescribed in a large, single dose. The dose may also be stretched out for five days. Doxycycline is taken two times daily for a week.
3. With the right antibiotic therapy, the infection will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks approximately. It is very important that you finish the medication course if you wish you heal completely without having to suffer from further bouts of this disorder.
4. Women with critical chlamydia may need hospitalisation, pain medicine and IV (intravenous, or directly through the vein) antibiotics. Pregnant women with chlamydia infection can be safely cured with antibiotic such as erythromycin ethylsuccinate, amoxicillin and azithromycin.

Your partner needs testing and treatment as well to avoid further spread and reinfection. It is vital not to engage in any sexual activity while the treatment is ongoing. A further retest should be done three months later to make sure the infection is rectified. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Diabetes is very restrictive - living with the disease however does not imply that you stop enjoying. By bringing about certain changes in your lifestyle, you can still live your life to the fullest. For better management of your disease, these are some of the changes that you can make to improve your blood sugar levels and keep your condition under control.

1. Stay fit with physical activity
The first lifestyle change you can make is to increase your level of physical activity. This can help you in burning extra calories, thereby keeping your blood sugar levels in check. Spending 30 minutes a day exercising is ideal.
If you’re not fond of exercising or don’t have the time for it, even performing simple activities like walking, vacuuming or doing your laundry can help to lower glucose levels while burning calories.

2. Maintain a healthy BMI
Likewise, try to lose those extra kilos that may be weighing you down and increasing your sugar levels. You don’t have to lose all the weight in one go, you can do so little by little. To lose weight gradually and consequently achieve a healthy BMI, you must have more of fruit and vegetables and less of sugary items and processed food along with exercising regularly.

3. Make the right food choices
When it comes to food, you should consume whole grain foods instead of refined carbohydrate alternatives. Make every meal a balanced one with starches, fats and proteins included in the right amount. Furthermore, avoid beverages that come with high sucrose or fructose content, as they don’t offer much in terms of nutrition, and instead just add to your calorie count. Some of the foods you can include in your diet are bitter gourd, cinnamon, green tea, amla, jamun etc.

4. Have a fixed quantity of food
Apart from knowing the right foods to eat and the balance that you need to maintain between the different types, it is also important to know about portion sizes and carbohydrate count. This is because among the different food classes, it’s chiefly carbohydrates that influence your blood glucose levels. So, you need to keep track of the amount of carbohydrates that you’ve consumed in order to arrive at the right insulin dosage.
In addition to keeping count of your carbohydrate consumption, understanding the right portion sizes for the different types of food is also extremely vital for better management of your ailment. Measuring cups and spoons should be employed to arrive at the right quantities of food.

5. Eat your meals at fixed timings
As a diabetic, you should not go longer than 5 hours without eating as it can cause your blood sugar levels to fall dramatically, making you feel weak and faint. Instead you should have your meals at fixed hours, spacing them out at regular intervals. This will ensure your blood sugar levels are always at an optimum point.

6. Control your stress
Stress is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. When you’re under stress, your body produces stress hormones (cortisol) that can cause your blood sugar levels (and even blood pressure)to rise. So, preventing or controlling stress becomes necessary to keep your diabetes under control.
Let not your diabetes get in the way of enjoying life!
 

Type diabetes

Severe hereditary heart imperfection commonly becomes obvious soon after the birth of a child or at some point in the first few months of its life. It is a tragic condition in children and some of the symptoms that are associated with the heart imperfections include rapid breathing, grunting while breathing, swelling of the abdomen, legs and areas around the eyes of the baby. 

The baby experiences shortness of breath during feeding and in this way, the baby does not gain much weight. The nostrils of the baby also become flared, and they at times turn pale blue in their skin color. In some cases, the blood pressure of the baby is also very low after their birth. 

Congenital heart defects are at times not diagnosed in the early stages of childhood as the signs are not noticeable.

However, some of the signs that are obvious and noticeable in older children mainly include: 

1. Children become short of breath while exercising or doing some activity and at times these children require frequent monitoring.
2. They get tired in no time and have less stamina
3. The legs of these children suffering from congenital heart defects tend to swell.
4. The blood circulation in these children is very poor 
5. Holes in the heart occur and typically in the walls between the major blood vessels as well as the chambers.

Do Tests Regularly:
It is very important that a follow up is done with pediatrician regularly and the tests described are performed regularly. In any such case if the problem is significant, then it is likely that your medical doctor would refer your child to a paediatric cardiologist. The paediatric cardiologist is specially trained to identify as well as treat severe heart problems in young children, infants and even in young adults.
 
Medications Used for Treating Heart Disease:
The condition cannot be prevented and hence to lower the risk of your baby having congenital heart disease it is very necessary that women have a healthy pregnancy. There are certain medications provided by the doctors to treat this condition and relieve the symptoms caused. The medications that are used include Vasodilators to widen the blood vessels so that the blood circulation is improved, Diuretics are used to reduce the extra fluid in the body. The strength of the heart beat is increased by use of Digoxin, and irregular heartbeats can be prevented by use of Antiarrhythmics. However, these medications do not treat the defect completely.