Monday 29 October 2018

Types of Cancer Treatment – Best Hospitals for Cancer Treatment


Cancer can occur anywhere in the body and many times, the diagnosis is delayed and sometimes the cancer is detected in the last stag. It requires multidisciplinary team of medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, surgical oncologist, nurses, social workers, dietitians to come together to provide a holistic care to a patient suffering from cancer.

Symptoms

Any one or few symptoms may coexist in cancer patients from the list provided below, depending on the location of cancer and its spread- Fever, chills, recurrent infections or fever, loss of appetite, nausea, persistent fatigue, weakness, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, bone/joint pain and prone to easy fractures, shortness of breath, itchy skin or skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, easy bruising, bleeding gums, sweating of body during night, abdominal pain and back pain, headaches along with visual difficulties etc.

Treatment

Cancer Treatment In India, the factors that determine what type of treatment regimen the patient may receive depends on the type of blood cancer, disease's subtype, phase, category and/or stage, cytogenetic analysis results, overall health and symptoms, laboratory investigations like white blood cell count, cancer location, stage, rate of disease progression and spread; past history and family history of cancer and subsequent chemotherapy to treat it, how the quality of life will get impacted by the receipt of treatment

There are various treatment options for cancer and are listed below

Surgery  is the removal of the tumor and is performed as the tumor can improve symptoms and improve the prognosis of a person with cancer. The surgeon will try to remove as much of the tumor as possible, including any areas of spread and nearby enlarged lymph nodes

Chemotherapy  is the use of drugs to destroy tumor cells, usually by stopping the cells ability to grow and divide, usually given after surgery or with or after radiation therapy. Chemotherapy can be given via an intravenous (IV) tube placed into a vein using a needle or in a pill or capsule that is swallowed (orally). A chemotherapy schedule means the number of treatment cycles that need to be given over a defined period of time. In chemotherapy, either a single drug or combination of different drugs is given. The side effects of chemotherapy include fatigue, risk of infection, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and neutropenia. These side effects are transient and disappear once the treatment is finished.

Radiation therapy Radiation therapy is the use of high energy x-rays to destroy tumor cells. The schedule of radiation therapy regimen consists of a specific number of treatments given over a given set period of time. Side effects from radiation therapy may include fatigue, mild skin reactions, upset stomach, and diarrhea. These side effects are transient and disappear once the treatment is finished.

Targeted therapy In addition to standard chemotherapy, targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the tumor and blocks the growth of tumor cells while simultaneously limiting the damage to healthy cells

Palliative and symptomatic care includes supporting the patient with his or her physical, emotional, and social needs, improving quality of life, and supporting patients and their families. Palliative treatments include support related to medication, nutritional changes, relaxation techniques, emotional support, and other therapies.

Monday 22 October 2018

Know About Bariatric Surgery in India – Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery


Bariatric surgery is a minimally invasive technique (laparoscopic surgery) that causes weight loss by limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold. Bariatric Surgery in India, the most common bariatric surgery procedures are gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, adjustable gastric band, and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. Immediately after bariatric surgery, the patient is restricted to a liquid diet, which includes foods such as fruit juices or sugar-free drinks and desserts until the patient recovers from the surgery.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band
In this type of surgery, the surgeon places an inner inflatable band at the top of the stomach that creates a small pouch. By this method, eating even a small quantity of food will make the stomach full and reduces hunger by promoting the feeling of fullness, thus inducing weight loss. Reducing the size of the pouch is done gradually over time.

Gastric Sleeve
In gastric sleeve surgery, also called vertical sleeve gastrectomy, a surgeon removes a part of the stomach such that it looks like a banana-shaped section that is closed with staples. Like gastric band surgery, this surgery reduces the amount of food (and thus calories) that can be consumed, making you feel full sooner. The greater impact also is on the gut hormones and gut bacteria that may affect appetite and metabolism. This type of surgery cannot be reversed because some of the stomachs is permanently removed. Recent evidence suggests that the gastric sleeve procedure and the gastric bypass procedure are effective in improving type 2 diabetes and weight loss.

Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass surgery, also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, has two parts. First, the surgeon staples the stomach and creates a small pouch in the upper section. The staples make the stomach very small, so the patient eats less and feels full sooner. Next, the surgeon cuts the small intestine and connects the lower part of the small intestine directly to the small stomach pouch. Once this is done, food bypasses most of the stomach and also the upper part of the small intestine. Since there is less digestion of food by the smaller stomach pouch, and small intestine the body absorbs fewer calories. The surgeon then connects the bypassed portion beyond down to the lower part of the small intestine. The reroute of the food stream produces changes in gut hormones suppresses hunger and reverse obesity induces type 2 diabetes. Gastric bypass is difficult to reverse, although a surgeon may do it if medically necessary.

Duodenal Switch
This surgery, also called biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, is a bit complex than the other surgeries. The duodenal switch involves two separate surgeries. The first is similar to gastric sleeve surgery. In the second surgery, the bypassed small intestine is redirected food to bypass most of your small intestine. The surgeon also attaches the bypassed section to the last part of the small intestine reconnected to the last portion of the small intestine so that digestive juices mix with food. When the patient eats, the food goes through a newly created tubular stomach pouch empties directly into the last part of the small intestine.

Monday 15 October 2018

Know About Baldness Treatment in India – Healing Touristry



Baldness is also called as alopecia or hair fall. Hair loss is usually caused or aggravated by stress, pregnancy, aging, thyroid disorder, lack of protein, anemia, and heredity. Progressively as hair tufts disappear, it shows a bald patch between hairs.

Types of hair fall
·         Male pattern baldness
·         Female pattern baldness
·         Alopecia areata
·         Telogen effluvium
·         Anagen effluvium

1.     Male pattern hair loss
Hair loss is caused due to thinning related to hormone (androgens) and genetically called has androgenetic alopecia. Male pattern hair loss pattern is characterized by hair loss on the front of the head and is marked by a receding hairline.

2.     Female pattern hair loss
The early signs of diffuse hair loss and marked reduction in hair volume are visible at the age of 50 years and by the age of 80 years; full head hair loss is seen. It can cause psychological distress, particularly during menopause.

3.     Alopecia areata
It is an autoimmune disorder, where hair falls out in small patches around the size of a quarter or more which can leads to complete loss hair of scalp called as Alopecia Totalis or in extreme cases entire body called as Alopecia Universalis.

4.     Telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss)
Thinning or shedding is caused when a large amount of scalp hair is shifted in the resting phase (telogen phase) of hair growth cycle. Factors contributing are stress, anxiety, poor diet, post-pregnancy, menopause, illness, and smoking. Telogen effluvium is reversible and hair normally grows to a healthy state once the cause is identified and removed.

5.     Anagen Effluvium
Anagen effluvium is caused due to abnormal or rapid loss of hair from drugs used in the cancer treatment or exposure to the chemical toxin. Growth is quick after eliminating exposure to the cause.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be established by examination of the scalp to see the pattern of hair loss. A blood test may be carried out to determine the levels of female and male sex hormone levels and thyroid functions. A proper and detailed case history can also help identify the cause. Females with an increased level of androgens are more likely to suffer from symptoms like acne, excessive facial and body hair with irregular menses. These symptoms are characterized as a polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Treatment
Baldness Treatment in India, permanent hair loss is being treated by hair replacement procedures, such as hair transplantation methods (such as micro-grafting, slit grafting, punch grafting), and by scalp reduction. Hair grafting/ hair transplant is an outpatient hair replacement procedure performed wherein the surgeon cuts the removed scalp into small segments with varying amounts of hair in each graft. After transplanting into the balding area, it produces a thick and "natural" look.
A scalp reduction is the removal of non-hair-bearing skin from the scalp (mainly back area) so that the remaining hair-bearing skin can be stretched to fill in the bald area of the head.
The type of hair loss, as well as the patient's circumstances and desires, determine which hair replacement procedures are most suitable.

Minoxidil solution used to treat baldness. Hormonal treatment helps to block effects of androgen (example- spironolactone, cyproterone, finasteride, and flutamide). Cosmetics camouflage colored hairspray to cover thinning areas of the scalp, hair wigs bulking fiber powder are few other ways to manage baldness.

Tuesday 9 October 2018

Know About Angioplasty Surgery in India


An angioplasty is a surgically invasive procedure to open the narrowed blood vessels and restore the supply of blood to your heart muscle. These blood vessels are mainly known as coronary arteries. Angioplasty Surgery in India, surgeons often perform angioplasty immediately after a heart attack, and takes about 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the patient’s condition. Performing an angioplasty within the first hours after a heart attack may reduce the risk of complications. The sooner you take treatment for a heart attack; the lower is the risk of getting heart failure or other complications.

How is angioplasty performed?
Cardiologists usually perform this procedure while you are under local or general anesthesia. First, they make an incision in your arm, where the catheter (a thin flexible tube) with a tiny inflatable balloon on the end into your artery is inserted. Using X-ray, video, and special dyes, the cardiologist carefully guides the catheter through the arteries into the blocked coronary artery. Then another guided wire attached with a deflated balloon through the catheter. Once it is in position, the balloon is inflated and deflated several times to remove the plaque or fatty deposits and also to widen the artery. The fatty deposits, or plaque, get pushed against the wall of the artery, thus improving the blood flow.

In some cases, the catheter is also accompanied by a stainless steel mesh called a stent. The stent is used to keep the blood vessel open. This stent remains in place after the balloon is deflated and removed. Once the balloon is removed, the cardiologist can also remove the catheter.

Many surgical procedures come with a certain amount of risk. Just like many other types of invasive procedures, after undergoing this procedure, you may have an allergic reaction to the anesthetic, the dye, or some of the materials used in the angioplasty. Some risks associated with coronary angioplasty include bleeding, clotting, or bruising at the site of insertion; blood clots forming in the stent; an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia; damage to a blood vessel, heart valve, or artery; risk of stroke during the procedure, a heart attack, kidney damage, especially in people who have pre-existing kidney problems, and an infection.

Angioplasty procedure is also associated with the risk of stroke, however, the risk is low. Post-heart attack, if there is a need of performing an emergency angioplasty, then the risk is far higher than a planned angioplasty.  However, angioplasty should not be considered as a complete cure as there are always chances of the arteries becoming narrow again due to plaque build-up in the artery or in a previously placed stent, called as restenosis.

After the procedure

After a heart attack, your cardiologist will explain how to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle. Always take your medications as prescribed by your cardiologist. It is better to quit smoking, as it damages the arteries and leads to impairment in blood supply to the heart. To help lower your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, it is imperative that you eat a well-balanced diet and getting exercise every day. Also, important is to maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce your chances of having another heart attack.

Thursday 4 October 2018

Dry Skin Treatment in India – Healing Touristry


A medical term for dry skin is Xerosis. Dry skin is the most common condition due to lack of water in the most superficial layer of skin, the epidermis. Humidity and temperature in the environment have a profound effect on the amount of water which retains within the skin. The epidermis is composed of fat and protein, which helps in preventing skin dehydration. Deficiency of protein or fat may make skin more sensitive and prone to rashes and skin breakdowns. Avoidance of harsh soaps and chemical cleaners would be the basic prevention.

Cause There is no specific cause for dry skin. It can be classified as external and internal causative factors. External causes include cold temperature and low humidity, especially in winter. Internal causes include impairment in overall health, age, genetics, family history, personal history or medical condition such as atopic dermatitis, thyroid disease is more prone to dry skin.

Overuse of sanitizer and lipid solvents (alcohol), cold temperature, over washing with harsh soaps are few other risk factors. Normally bathing and showering add water to the skin, but evaporation of this water results in dry skin. When skin feels over tight after bathing, it indicates the excess amount of water and natural skin oil are removed.

Soap is an emulsifier that removes oil from the skin, more the use more the dry skin even improper moisturizer can also cause dry skin. Material such as wool and synthetic irritates the skin and worsen it more. Dry skin condition may be because of medicines also, for example, high blood pressure, allergy, high cholesterol, and acne medicines. Few factors associated with dry skin are eczema, psoriasis, diabetes, hypothyroidism and malnutrition (deficiency of vitamin A may suffer from xerosis).

Sign and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms include rough dry skin, itching, a red plaque of eczematous skin (nummular eczema), itching can lead to itch-scratch-cycle. Common areas like lower legs, hands, arms, and groins. Due to constant scratching and rubbing, it causes small red raised bumps on the skin can open and get infected because of scratching.

Diagnosis is confirmed by visual inspection with medical and family history can help a physician to support the diagnosis, a biopsy would be recommended in difficult cases.

Treatment for Dry Skin
One of the best Dry Skin Treatment in India is daily lubrication with an emollient (which inhibits evaporation of water). Mainly cause requires treatment such as lotion and creams. Dry skin can be improved by application of bland over the counter moisturizer. Once the cause of dry skin is ruled out main focus of treatment will be to stop itching, prevent loss of water and restore skin hydration. For mild dry skin, light moisturizing lotion or lubriderm lotion or Cetaphil lotion is used. Curel lotion is a highly moisturizing product for severely dry skin. Vaseline is also used frequently to moisturize the skin. Various topical steroids can be used –mild strength like hydrocortisone 1% creams, pramosone 2.5% cream), medium 

Tuesday 2 October 2018

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment in India – Healing Touristry


Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and common disorder in which a person has frequent thoughts (called as obsessions) and uncontrollable behaviors (called as compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

People with OCD may have symptoms either of only obsessions, or only compulsions, or both obsessions and compulsions. These symptoms can interfere with all facets of life, such as work, and their personal relationships.

Obsessions are repeated and uncontrollable thoughts, images, or urges that cause high levels of anxiety and uneasiness. Common symptoms include fear of germs or contamination, wanting things to be at the perfect place and in perfect order, unwanted or forbidden thoughts involving sex, religion, and harm; and aggressive thoughts towards others or self.

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person does in response to an obsessive uncontrollable thought for at least an hour a day, and when it doesn’t give a pleasure, rather affects their life significantly. Once they do the activity, they may get some relief, and hence keep on doing the activity. Common compulsions include excessive cleaning with or without handwashing, arranging things in a particular way only, repeatedly checking on things such as checking repeatedly to see if the door is locked, or compulsive counting.


TREATMENTS AND THERAPIES

OCD is mostly treated with medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two. Although most patients respond to treatment, some patients continue to experience symptoms.
Sometimes people with OCD also have other mental disorders, hence it is important to consider these other disorders when making decisions about treatment.

Medication

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to alleviate reduce OCD symptoms. Examples of medicines that have been proven effective in both adults and pediatric population with OCD include clomipramine, which belongs to an older class of “tricyclic” antidepressants, and several newer SSRIs, including fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and sertraline. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are likely required higher doses in the treatment of OCD than of depression, and may usually take 8 to 12 weeks to start working; however, some patients experience fast improvement.

Recent data also shows that some patients may respond well to an antipsychotic medication (such as risperidone). If you are prescribed a medication, you should talk to your physician to understand the risks and benefits of the medications and do not stop taking a medication without talking to your doctor first. It is suggested to not stop a medicine abruptly as it may lead to "rebound" or worsening of OCD symptoms.

Psychotherapy


Psychotherapy can be an effective treatment for adults and children with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment in India. Research shows that certain types of psychotherapy, which includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and other related therapies (e.g., habit reversal training) are as effective as medicines for many individuals. A type of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention is also effective in reducing compulsive behaviors in OCD, even in people who did not respond well to medication.