Dr. Savitha Pawar

An important part of your adult life and a way of expressing your love, sex can be an effort when, both you and your partner do not feel up to it.

However when you completely put a stop to having sex, these 5 things can happen: 

1. You feel more anxious: A study by a group of Scottish researchers reveals that when you go without sex for a long time, you are unable to cope with the pressures of life. Couples who had sex for at least once over a 14 day period were able to cope with stressful situations, the study revealed. During sex, your body releases chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins that leave you with happy feelings. When you abstain from it, you shut down an avenue to get rid of pent-up emotion or energy.
2. It raises the possibility of prostate cancer in men: Research reveals that men who have sex regularly experience a 20% fall in their chances of developing prostate cancer. The reason is frequent episodes of ejaculation bring about the removal of harmful matter from the prostate gland.
3. You become more prone to colds and flu: Less sex can affect your body's ability to fight off germs, making you prone to common colds and flu. A research by the Wilkes-Barre University shows that couples who have sex one or two times a week witness a 30% boost in the production of immunoglobulin A or IgA (an antibody that is the body's first line of defense against germs) compared to people who don't.  
4. It increases the risk for erectile dysfunction (ED) in men: Findings published in the American Journal of Medicine highlight the fact that men who have sex less frequently are two times more likely to experience ED than men who have sex about once a week. According to the researchers of the study, frequent sex allows the penis to maintain its strength and effectiveness.
5. A drop in Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) for women: One good thing comes out of not having sex. It is said that about 80% of UTI (Urinary Tract Infections) occurs within 24 hours of having sex. During intercourse, bacteria from the vagina get transported into the urethra, leading to the infection of the area. For women, the decision to not have sex can reduce the risk of developing this condition. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

How physiotherapy can help through pregnancy and after pregnancy:

Pregnancy and childbirth throw a woman's daily routine out for a toss. During and after pregnancy is the time when her body undergoes a number of hormonal and physical changes. Mundane tasks like sitting, standing, walking, and working become a challenge.

Research suggests that almost all pregnant women experience musculoskeletal discomfort but around 25% become temporarily disabled because of it. All these occur due to the incredible changes taking place in the body during a normal pregnancy.

Pregnancy discomfort has been accepted as a part of the normal process of pregnancy for years now. But just because you are pregnant does not necessarily mean that you have to accept problems like a backache and pelvic girdle pain as unmanageable. Doctors of today have realized that physiotherapy is the key to enhancing a woman's health during pregnancy. The main aim of physiotherapy is to reduce discomfort, to prepare the body for delivery and to speed-up recovery after childbirth.

Physiotherapy through pregnancy

The basic aim of physiotherapy during pregnancy is to help the body deal with issues related to mobility, musculature, circulation and respiration. Prior to starting an effective antenatal (before birth) program, a thorough evaluation is done to recognize which exercises would be best suited to the woman's needs. These exercises are aimed at strengthening muscles,
decreasing joint pain, correcting muscle imbalances, and increasing the overall range of motion of the body. Therapists may also advise you about correct sleeping positions as your normal sleeping routine may be disturbed during pregnancy.

Here's how physiotherapy deals with some common complaints experienced by women during pregnancy.

Lower back pain: almost all pregnant women experience low back pain, though it tends to become severe after third trimester begins because the woman's centre-of-gravity shifts due to the increase in the stomach size. Lower back pain is treated with manual and passive physiotherapy, back support, postural education, and some pilates exercises. Home exercises are also taught which the women are encouraged to continue at home.

Pain in the sacroiliac joints: sacroiliac joints are present in the lowest region of the lower back. This pain is usually concentrated in the buttock region. During pregnancy, due to excessive hormone release, the body's connective tissues tend to relax so that the muscles can stretch to aid in delivery. This may cause the sacroiliac muscles and ligaments to become excessively mobile, causing extreme joint movements. Due to this, the woman may experience difficulty in lifting the leg, swelling in the joints, pain in the hips, and difficulty while standing and sitting. Strengthening exercises are provided by the physiotherapist to stabilize the joints and hands-on therapy is given to reduce the pain by realigning the pelvis.

Urinary incontinence (due to pelvic floor weakness): progesterone, which is known as the pregnancy hormone, relaxes the muscles of the pelvic floor in order for it to be supple and ready for delivery. Therefore, these muscles can weaken and strain during pregnancy and childbirth, which leads to urinary incontinence (unable to contain or retain urine) and pelvic floor dysfunction. Physiotherapists will teach you strengthening exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. They may also provide you with a pilates based exercise program to help reduce the muscle weakness that may occur after childbirth.

Sciatica: sciatica is a problem that a lot of pregnant women experience. Continuous pressure or strain on the sciatic nerve can lead to backache, and weakness, numbness and tingling in the leg or associated areas. Physiotherapy uses stretching exercises and manual therapy to relieve you of these symptoms.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: this condition is caused due to build-up of excessive fluid resulting in swelling in the carpal tunnel in the wrist. You may experience symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling, and loss of coordination in your hands and fingers. Physiotherapy techniques such as mobilization, strengthening exercises, stretching, and soft tissue techniques help to reduce these symptoms. In severe cases, a wrist brace may be provided to put on during specific activities to minimize inflammation.

Physiotherapy after pregnancy

Physiotherapy does not stop once your baby is born. It is very much part of post-natal care too. Gentle physiotherapy exercises must be started two days after the baby's birth. However, this must only be done after consulting with your doctor. Most hospitals have physiotherapists who will offer their services before you are discharged. For the first six weeks after childbirth, your body is still in the recovery phase and walking is the best exercise for you. Start with short walks, and then slowly increase time, distance, and speed of your walks, according to your comfort. Swimming is another good exercise, but you can only start with this after you have recovered properly. If you experience any pain and discomfort, discontinue the activity immediately and consult your doctor. After six weeks, with the go-ahead from your doctor, you can start with sports and exercise classes.

Women also experience certain post-natal complications. Here is how physiotherapy helps you recover from them.

Low back pain: physiotherapy techniques such mobilization, stretching, strengthening, soft tissue techniques, and hydrotherapy are very beneficial in reliving post-natal backache. Certain pilates exercises are also helpful.

Weakness of pelvic floor muscles: immediately after childbirth, the pelvic floor muscles are weakened. These muscles can be strengthened by pilates based exercise program and other exercises specific to pelvic floor muscle strengthening, which the physiotherapist will teach you.

Sacroiliac joint pain: this pain can continue after pregnancy too. Strengthening exercises and hydrotherapy can help in regaining normal muscle tone.

Diastasis recti or abdominal separation: generally this condition occurs in women who have undergone multiple pregnancies. A physiotherapist will provide you strengthening exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles.

A woman's body undergoes incredible strain during pregnancy, and physiotherapy is something that can make the entire process so much easier. It aims not only at your recovery but enhances your body's ability to have a smooth and easy delivery. Physiotherapy makes the experience of pregnancy positive and joyful, just as it should be.

1. Drink one glass (250 ml.) of coconut water or grape juice.
2. Take 3-4 pieces of dates and cook them with one glass of milk or water. Eat the dates and drink the milk or water. It is also good to blend them in a mixture before taking. This drink is very good and give instant energy.

A widely used surgical procedure, laparoscopy involves the insertion of certain surgical instruments, small tubes and video cameras in your abdomen through small incisions and cuts. This procedure is used to diagnose a number of ailments such as ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and pelvic inflammatory diseases to name a few. Even though laparoscopy is a very popular form of surgery, there are quite a few myths associated with it, which are:

1. Myth: The images taken through a laparoscope are of poor quality

This is not true. In fact, the visuals obtained through a laparoscope are clearer and much more accurate when compared to those obtained via an open surgery. The visuals of a video laparoscopy provide a detailed magnification of even those parts of the area that are inaccessible by the human eye.

2. Myth: If you've undergone multiple abdominal surgeries in the past, you can't opt for a laparoscopy

The truth is that you can go for a laparoscopy even if you've gone through multiple surgeries previously, irrespective of the location or size of the previous incisions. This is done through the use of a special instrument, called a microlaparscope that enables safe entry into the abdomen of the patient.

3. Myth: If you have large fibroids and ovarian cysts, you can't have them removed through a laparoscopy

False. Even though the incisions made by a laparoscopy are really small, they still allow the safe removal of large abdominal structures by the use of certain devices. For example, a cylindrical tool known as morcellator can be inserted through a laparoscopic incision and be used to remove large fibroids and ovarian cysts.

4. Myth: If you're overweight or underweight, you can't undergo a laparoscopy

No matter if you're obese or too thin, you can still undergo a laparoscopy as the tools used for this surgical procedure are available in different lengths and sizes, and can be adjusted as per the body type of the patient before the incision is made. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Surgeon.