Sanjeevani Surgical & General Hospital

An emergency action plan has been devised for air pollution in Delhi. The Central Pollution Control Board has launched the Air Quality Prediction System that would forecast the air condition of the next 72 hours. This system would forecast for various areas and localities of Delhi and neighbouring regions like Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Rohtak, etc. 

This pollution forecast system is based on the real-time observation of air quality using satellites. Satellites measure details of Aerosols like SO2, NO2, Dust, and particulate matter (PM10 and PM 2.5).

People can access air quality early warnings through the media corner of the CPCB website. It includes large-scale alerts on air pollution that may occur in Delhi.

How Is 72-Hour Pollution Forecast System Beneficial?

This new 72-hour Pollution Forecast System not only helps the general population prepare for bad-air days but also help enforcement agencies to gear up to take defensive action and warnings. For example, enforcement agencies may decide in advance to implement the Odd-Even system for cars, or put a halt on construction activity, or other remedial measures.

Diseases Caused by Pollution

Most respiratory diseases are caused by air pollution, some of which are:

Asthma: Asthma is one of the most common diseases that is caused by external and internal air pollution. In this chronic disease, inflammation and blockage occur in the air passage of lungs. Asthma is caused by the Sulphur, Oxides, Nitrates, Particulate Matter, etc.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease): Another chronic disease which is caused by air pollution is COPD. In this disease, the Alveoli, Air Sacs, and Air Passage become inflamed. People who work in mines, docks, or quarries are most likely affected by this disease.

Lung Cancer: Presence of various carcinogens in the air may cause serious issues like pulmonary or lung cancer. In this disease, an uncontrolled growth of cells reduces the amount of oxygen in the lungs. It also affects the functionality of the Lungs.

Cardiovascular Diseases: Breathing polluted air for a long time may lead to heart problems. Pollutants such as Nitrogen oxide, Carbon Monoxide, and Ozone mixed with bloodstream may damage the functionality of Heart and lead to cardiovascular disease.

Threat to Pregnant Women and Newborns: Air pollution adversely affects the health of pregnant women. Breathing polluted air by pregnant women weakens the immune system of unborn child.

How Can We Work Individually Towards Reducing the Pollution

• Awareness about air pollution
• Plant as many trees as possible
• Use less electricity (conserve energy)
• Curb unbridled industrialization
• Reduce the use of personal vehicles
• Reduce polyethene bags
• Reduce indoor pollution
• Do not burn firecrackers.
• Use less machines for cleaning.
• Do not burn the garbage and throw garbage at its fixed place.

Conclusion

Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world and both short-term, as well as long-term measures, are required to improve the situation. 72-Hour Pollution Forecast System is the step in the right direction. It will help residents know in advance about upcoming pollution days and also increase general awareness of this issue.

The sudden spread of the Influenza-A (H1N1) virus has left the Karnataka government a bit worried as the death toll this year has reached 6 with two fresh casualties in Bengaluru.

The government has alerted all the districts and has ordered to take the preventive measures to combat the prevalent disease. A total of 4,902 H1N1 cases have been tested positive this year across the country, out which 456 have been registered in Karnataka only.

What is H1N1 flu?

It is also known as swine flu because of its past. Initially, people go got infected with it used to be in direct contact with pigs. It is a respiratory disease which is caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract of pigs leading to barking cough, decreased appetite, nasal secretions, etc. The molecules released by the infected pigs quickly get transmitted to humans turning the flu into a pandemic.

How does H1N1 flu prevail?

It spreads just like seasonal flu. It is transmitted from one person to another through sneeze or cough. The small molecules released while sneezing or coughing stay alive in the air and whenever another person comes in contact with these drops, he/she also gets infected by the virus. It also gets transmitted when someone touches the things used by an infected person.

H1N1 Flu Symptoms:

Swine Flu has similar symptoms to the seasonal flu. They include:

• Cough
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Running nose
• Fatigue
• Chills
• Breath shortness
• Frequent vomiting
• Dizziness
• Pain in the belly region

H1N1 flu, however, can lead to more serious ailments like pneumonia, lung infection and breathing problems. It worsens the situation in case the patient is already a diabetic or asthma patient.

Ways to diagnose H1N1 infection:

Due to various similarities in the symptoms of seasonal flu and swine flu, the doctor has to run a swab up inside the nose around the back of the throat of the patient. The doctors, however, use this method only on those having life threatening issues due to swine flu.

H1N1 Treatment:

The doctors prescribe same anti-viral drugs for swine flu that are given to treat seasonal flu. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), peramivir (Rapivab) and zanamivir (Relenza) are some drugs that fetch best results.

Consuming antibiotics will solve no purpose in H1N1 flu as it is caused by virus, not bacteria.

H1N1 flu prevention:

The vaccinations are a good option to keep swine flu at bay but here are some more preventive tips that can be of help:

• Keep your hands clean
• Use alcohol-based hand-sanitizer
• Do not touch your eyes, mouth or nose
• Try to maintain a safe distance from infected people

Preventive tips for family members and colleagues of a swine flu patient:

• They should ensure they cover their mouth while sneezing or coughing
• They should wear a mask while sharing the same room or cabin with the infected person
• They should wash their hands with soap and water multiple times a day
• They should avoid using or touching the clothes or other products used by the infected person

H1N1 flu is a deadly pandemic that is causing serious issues for the people as well as the government in Karnataka. Everyone should be aware of the preventive measures to keep themselves as well as their families safe in such a situation. If you also have any of the symptoms of swine flu, you should immediately visit a doctor to diagnose the problem.

Excessive fat in the body can cause a host of health complications such as diabetes, blood pressure, gout and disorders related to the gallbladder. However, there are certain food types that can help you achieve a healthy body with optimal fat levels.

Some foods that aid fat loss are:

1. Greek yoghurt: This type of yoghurt contains higher amounts of protein and fewer carbohydrates as compared to regular yoghurt. It will help you feel full for a longer duration and prevent over snacking.

2. Green tea: Apart from its antioxidant properties which are beneficial to the body, it also raises the metabolic rate in the body to burn calories. Catechin is a compound present in green tea that aids in removing belly fat.

3. Chili peppers: They contain a compound containing capsaicin that helps in boosting metabolism which in turn burns fat.

4. Chicken: Chicken mostly consists of lean protein that requires more calories to digest as compared to digesting fats and carbohydrates. Lean protein also help build muscle in the body which burn more calories when the body is at rest.

5. Cinnamon: Cinnamon aids the body in transporting the sugar into the cells so that it can be used as energy and not stored as fat.

6. Eggs: Eggs are considered to be a type of super food as they contain plenty of minerals and vitamins. Eggs also contain protein that helps in feeling full for a longer duration.

7. Non starchy vegetables: Non starchy vegetables such as carrots, squash and zucchini contain fiber that help you feel fuller. They also contain very less carbohydrates so they do not add much calorific value to the body.

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a disorder that affects about 10 to 15% of women during their reproductive years. Though the exact reason or cause for the syndrome is not identified yet, it is believed to be genetic and runs in families. Obesity is believed to be another risk factor. There are multiple fluid-filled cysts in the ovaries, giving it the name.

PCOS is being identified as one of the main causes of infertility and therefore more women are becoming aware of this condition. There is a huge hormonal impact, and so there are physical as well as emotional symptoms which makes it difficult for both the woman and the people associated with her.

Symptoms:

• Gynecological symptoms mainly include bleeding disorders ranging from excessive bleeding to scanty bleeding to no bleeding at all during menstruation. There could also be irregular bleeding with some women bleeding for weeks together during a period, to some having no period for a few months. There could be multiple abortions, and this could probably lead to the diagnosis of PCOS
• Physical symptoms include excessive hair on the body (known as hirsutism), excessive acne, hair thinning, skin tags, insulin resistance, increased cholesterol and high blood pressure, the onset of diabetes, and pelvic pain.
• Emotional symptoms include increased stress levels, anxiety and depression, severe mood swings, and reduced self-esteem.

While allopathy offers a regular dose of birth control pills as the mainstay treatment for PCOS, it does not help much. This is where homeopathy comes into the picture, as it offers safe products that address the root of the issue with no complications. 

Of note, homeopathy medicines should not be taken without consultation with a doctor. Symptoms should be discussed in detail before the doctor prescribes a compound.

If you are in the process of considering a breast augmentation procedure, here is an insight into what you can expect. In general, or in the majority of the cases, the surgery encompasses three phases—consultation, operation, and then the most important part, recovery. In most cases, the breast augmentation is completed under general anesthesia where the patient remains asleep through the procedure.

How is the surgery performed?
The surgeon makes an incision in the crease under the breast or under an arm or around the nipple to separate the breast tissues from the connective tissues and the muscles of the chest. This enables the creation of a pocket-like structure behind or before the pectoral muscle. Then the implants are inserted in this pocket and centered behind the nipple.

What may happen after the breast augmentation procedure?

1. Soreness and scars: After the surgery, some patients may suffer from soreness accompanied by swelling and bruising for around three weeks after the surgery. The scars tend to fade gradually with the passage of time even though a faint scar remains all through one’s life.
2. Discomfort: Some may experience a slight or tolerable pain in the nipple after the surgery. In rare instances, patients undergo sharper, and burning pain with touch. A light massage can help ease the discomfort.
3. Swelling: Some people report that their breasts feel firm after the surgery though this is a passing phenomenon. As the swelling subsides, the patients feel natural tenderness in the breasts within a short span of time.
4. Things to take care during recovery: Sometimes, surgeons recommend wearing a compression bandage or sports bra for proffering extra support to the breasts and the implants. If there is a pain, then the patient is prescribed pain-relieving medications, as well. Though healing takes a long span of time, however, one can easily resume back to their daily activities within a week. It is advised not follow a strenuous job or continue with any strenuous workout for a few months or till complete recovery.
5. Avoid strenuous activities: It is advised to sleep in a recliner for the first 2 days after the surgery, as this reduces the pain and swelling. Also, one should refrain or minimize the number of times one raises the hands above the head. It is advised to refrain from exercising or strenuous workouts for at least 3 to 4 weeks after the surgery.

The week following the surgery will be most difficult, and therefore, it is advised to complete all the important jobs before the surgery so that the body gets the required rest and recovers quickly.

As you can see, it is important to know and learn about the whole process before undergoing the surgery or deciding to undergo surgery so that you can make an informed decision and go about it systematically.

Gynecomastia is a condition characterized by enlargement of the breast tissue in men. It occurs when there is an imbalance of the testosterone (male sex hormone) and estrogen (female sex hormone) in the body. It may a cause of embarrassment in men.
Causes:
The primary cause for this condition is increase in the level of estrogen in comparison with testosterone in the male body. Testosterone controls male characteristics such as body hair and muscle mass. Estrogen is responsible for controlling female characteristics such as breast enlargement. 
Men usually produce small quantities of estrogen in their body to maintain certain sexual functions. Complications occur when estrogen levels in the male body increase too much in proportion to testosterone.
The condition can be classified as follows:
1. Gynecomastia in infants:  Half of the infants are usually born with large breasts due to their mother's estrogen. The effect tends to wear of in a few weeks.
2. Gynecomastia during puberty: Gynecomastia occurs during puberty due to changes in hormones. The condition goes away without any treatment in six months to 1 year.
3. Gynecomastia in men: This condition may peak in men during the age of 50-80. Statistics show that at least 1 out of 4 men in this age group have this condition.

Some other causes for this condition in middle aged men are as follows:
1. Heart medications
2. Anti-anxiety drugs
3. Antibiotics
4. Chemotherapy
5. Medications that are used to treat heartburn
6. Smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol 

Treatments:
1.        If the cause of the condition is medications, then discontinuing the medicines should stop the effects. It can also be treated by taking medicines to reduce estrogen levels in the body. 
2.        Surgery is another option where an incision is made in the chest area and the extra breast tissues are removed from the area. This also requires repositioning of the nipple in the chest. 
3.        Post-surgery, you should stick to a proper and healthy lifestyle to retain the new shape of the chest area. Weight gain or taking steroids can cause the symptoms of this condition to reappear.
 

There are many changes that take place in our face and body as we start ageing. While the face starts to show the signs of ageing earliest-in the form of wrinkles and fine lines as well as a sagging chin and neck, the effect of ageing on the body might be slightly late. The skin may sag or you may end up putting on weight in various parts of the body like upper arms, which may look unsightly and bring down your level of confidence as well. Signs of ageing can often make you shy away from living your life to the fullest.

For the sagging upper arms, one can always get a procedure called an Arm lift. This is also called a Brachioplasty. This is a cosmetic procedure that can be conducted to tighten the skin of the arms from the elbow upwards. Let’s see how this procedure works.

What does it do?

• Excess fat tends to accumulate in both arms togather with weight gain. Person face laxity in this area after massive weight loss or with body ageing.
• Arm Lift is a surgical procedure to tighten the skin in the arms through the removal of excess fat deposits as well as skin.

Who can opt for this surgery?

Any person who is medically fit having arm disfigurement can opt for this procedure. Patients who have signs of ageing or excessive weight gain are the best candidates for this kind of surgery. Also, it may be used by the patients who are suffering from sagging skin after losing a great deal of weight which may lead to an appearance of bat’s wings on the sides.

How is this procedure conducted?

This surgical procedure is conducted by a Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon. It’s a day-care procedure. The doctor begins by marking the various areas of concern having excess fat and flabby skin. Thereafter, the doctor proceeds to remove the excess skin so that the arms are tightened getting more youthful look. This is done under anaesthesia to make patient pain-free. The skin that is removed is usually shaped like an ellipse. In many cases, there may be a need to conduct a liposuction if the patient has excess fat as well. Once the excess skin has been removed, skin edges are approximated with meticulous sutures with various Plastic Surgery techniques.

Recovery usually takes 5-7 days. Person can resume routine activities from very next day. Sometimes you might be advised a pressure garment for better outcome.

The nasal septum divides the nose into two nostrils or airways. When this septum is defective in structure or position, it can cause several physical difficulties like breathing problems, sleep apnea, bleeding, sinusitis, etc. The surgery to correct the nasal septum is known as septoplasty. The surgery is very common and has a high rate of success.

 
Reason: When the bone and cartilage separating the two chambers is crooked and deformed, it prevents the air from flowing properly through either one of the nostrils. People suffering from this condition often breathe through their mouth and this leads to respiratory tract infections. So, the septum is fixed with the help of septoplasty.
 
Procedure: 

1. First, your medical history is taken. A thorough physical examination is conducted and the nose is photographed from the inside and the outside. You may also be asked to avoid medication like ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin for a few days since these can increase the bleeding after surgery.
2. Septoplasty is performed under general or localized anesthesia and takes about 90 minutes. Incisions are made on the inside of the nose and the mucus membrane is lifted.
3. Then, the pieces of cartilage that are affecting normal functioning are repositioned or removed.
4. If the nasal bone is causing the septum to be wrongly aligned, then cuts are made on the bone and it is positioned correctly.
5. Sometimes, cartilage grafts (called spreader grafts) are put in between the upper nose cartilage and the septum to widen the narrow nostril.
6. After this, the mucus membrane is put back in place and stitched.

 
Post- surgical care: A nasal support is put inside the nose to help it heal and keep it straight. The support is removed after two days but there may be swelling and occasional nasal discharge for a few days. The tissues and cartilage become stable within 4 to 6 months. You are asked not to blow your nose or cough and sneeze too much as these might displace the nasal support. The head is to be kept at a higher level than the rest of the body while sleeping and physically demanding exercises are to be avoided in order to prevent nosebleeds.
 
Risks: Septoplasty is not performed if the patient had high level of blood sugar or high blood pressure. It is also delayed in case of any kind of infection in the nose, mouth or in the respiratory tract.

Laparoscopic surgery is also known as minimally invasive surgery. It leads to a lesser amount of pain after the surgery, and therefore requires less medication also. It reduces the possibility of hemorrhage, thereby, lowering the possibility of requiring blood transfusion. The smaller length and depth of the incision also means that the patient recovers from the surgery faster than usual. There is also a lesser chance of contracting infections because a larger number of organs remain unexposed and therefore uncontaminated. Laparoscopic surgeries also cause smaller, lighter scars once the surgery wound heals completely.

However, as with any surgery, complications may occur during the course of laparoscopic surgery.

1. Wound infection: Even though laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive and the possibility of contracting infections is considerably less, the wound is capable of getting infected. Hence, it is essential to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene recommendations provided by the concerned medical staff. It is also assumed that the surgeons would prevent this possibility by maintaining strict protocols regarding this issue on their part.
2. Bruising: After surgery, depending on the type and duration of the procedure, the patient is always advised to follow certain restrictions regarding mobility and restriction of normal day to day functioning. These rules must be followed in order to prevent the possibility of bruising after a laparoscopic surgery.
3. Hematoma formation: A hematoma is an accumulation of blood outside the blood vessel. This is not normal at all and requires urgent inspection and treatment. This is a relatively common complication that happens after a laparoscopic surgical procedure. Precautions are taken by surgeons to avoid this but it may still occur. It needs to be diagnosed early, and then the bleeding vessel needs to be emobilized selectively in order to reduce any further complication of this type.
4. Anesthesia related complications: To prevent anesthesia related complications during laparoscopic surgery, it is essential that procedures related to the airways, ventilation, analgesia, antimetics are followed in the preoperative state.
5. Injury: Any injury that may be inflicted on the blood vessels present in the walls of the abdomen or on the sidewall in the pelvic region, as well as injuries in the bowel area and the urinary tract. Proper protocol must be followed by the doctor to avoid such complications as much as possible.

Stammering or stuttering is a type of speech impairment where sounds or syllables are repeated involuntarily or there are unintended gaps in between words when the person is unable to make the desired sound. People develop stutters due to genetic flaws, motor functioning defects, coordination problems or due to psychological stressors. The condition can result in anxiety, depression and withdrawal from verbal communication.

How does homeopathy help?

A stutter can be practiced away or corrected by speech therapy but there is no specific medicine that can be used to cure stammering. Homeopathic medicines can provide relief from the symptoms by fixing flawed nervous functions, improve motor coordination and modify the vocal apparatus. Different homeopathic treatments can be used depending on the nature of the condition.

The following is a list of homeopathic remedies and lifestyle changes that can be used to address the problem:

1. Foods rich in vitamin B6 like nuts, fish, bananas and chicken should be consumed regularly by children who have a stutter to help with motor functions.

2. Adults should avoid caffeine, tobacco and other recreational drugs as they cause hyper-stimulation of the nervous system.

3. Stramonium(jimsonweed) can be used when the stammering is violent and the person distorts his facial muscles heavily in order to be able to speak.

4. Lychopodium (clubmoss) can be useful for stammering as well as depression, memory weakness and sleep problems. This is especially helpful if the patient struggles with the last few words of a sentence.

5. Spigelia is beneficial for a mild stutter at the beginning of a sentence, often followed by undisturbed speech.

6. Causticum is prescribed when emotional excitability causes stammering, twitching of the facial muscles or problems in the vocal chords.

7. Staphysagria can aid in reducing social anxiety which often causes stammering i.e. the stammer only appears while interacting with strangers or authority figures.

8. Nux vomica (strychnine) is the medicine to use when stammering is a result of extreme stress or over work.

9. Fright or shock often causes speechlessness or stammering. Aconite can provide immediate relief in such cases.

10. Lachesis is an effective homeopathic medicine when the patient stutters over specific letters or syllables.

11. Gelsemium is used to treat stuttering after severe viral infections when the patient complains of a heavy tongue and lack of general coordination.