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Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection which can happen in any part of urinary system – kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Women are more prone than men to get infected form UTI.
Symptoms of infection in upper urinary tract (kidney and ureters) are different from symptoms of infection in the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra), however, in some cases they can overlap.
Following are the common symptoms to identify lower UTI
Symptoms of upper urinary tract include
If you suspect that you might have UTI, you should consult a doctor who might ask you to have a simple urine test to check if your urine has bacteria which causes UTI. For treating UTI you might have to take a course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor, it is suggested to complete the complete course of the medicine even if you have started feeling better. Drinking a lot of water also helps in getting the bacteria flushed of.
A lot of preventive measures can be taken to reduce the risk of your getting infected with UTI, below mentioned are a few: –
Menstrual Cramps are very common in women, these cramps prevail in 90% of young women. At times these become so severe that they become the cause of absence from school, college and work.
Relief from Menstrual Pain
Exercise helps relieve these pains as it releases beta-endorphins, which are internal opioids “human morphine”. Exercise helps in producing analgesia, a sort of pain relief and helps in burning the prostaglandins, the chemicals that is released during menstruation which causes muscle contractions.
Experts suggest that the best exercises during your periods are swimming, brisk walking and cycling.
Exercise releases brain chemicals that can make you feel good. A little effort in your exercises that breaks sweat is helpful while real relief from period cramps comes from vigorous exercise which gets your heart pumping fast.
What is HPV?
HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus. It is a very common infection and most women get it at some time in their life. In most cases it clears up by itself without the need for treatment. But in some women the virus persists, placing them at greater risk of developing cervical abnormalities (CIN) which may need treatment.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to cause a number of ailments, ranging from issues as benign as common warts to life threatening diseases such as cervical cancer.
How do people get HPV?
HPV is a very common infection among people who have been sexually active at some time in their life. It is easily transmitted during sex between men and women and between partners of the same sex. The virus shows no symptoms, so it is possible that
The HPV vaccine gives protection against the most high risk strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), including ones which cause cervical, mouth and genital cancers.
Gardasil and Cervarix are the two HPV vaccines available, and both protect against the two most common high-risk types of the virus: 16 and 18. These strains are linked to over 70% of cervical cancers, and most anal, penile and mouth cancers. Gardasil vaccine which also protects against types 6 and 11 of the virus, which are responsible for around 90% of genital warts. Cervarix vaccine protects against the high-risk HPV strains linked to cancer.
It is important that women who have been vaccinated continue to take up the offer of cervical smear testing later in life, so that other kinds of cervical cancer can be picked up.
HPV vaccinations are recommended for all children of ages 9 to 15. The process requires 2 injections administered at least 6 months apart.
If the vaccination is administered when an individual is older (above 15 years) – 3 doses are required.
Both males and females can receive the vaccination until the age of 25.
Regardless of HPV vaccination status, cancer screening by Pap test, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and/or HPV testing are also recommended as vaccine does not prevent against all high risk HPV viruses.
The cervix is the lowermost part of the uterus – a slim, cylindrical neck of tissue that connects the uterus to the vagina. It allows menstrual blood to flow from the uterus to the vagina, and sperm must pass through it to reach and fertilize the egg following sexual intercourse.
What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer happens when cells in cervix grow in an uncontrolled way and build up to form a lump (also called a tumor).As the tumor grows, cells can eventually spread to other parts of the body and become life threatening.
In India, cervical cancer contributes to up to 29% of all cancers in women. The figures are alarmingly high, and without any government-sponsored screening programs, the responsibility to understand and screen for cervical cancer falls upon us.
What causes cervical cancer?
Nearly all cervical cancer is caused by HPV, or Human Papillomavirus, which is transmitted through skin to skin contact. There are several types of HPV, some more threatening than others. “Low-risk” types may cause genital warts, while “high-risk” types are linked to cancer.
In reality, HPV infections are extremely common, especially in women who have ever been sexually active. Usually, an HPV infection will clear on its own. It is only women with persistent HPV, the kind where the virus can’t be fought off by the immune system, that are at risk of cervical cancer.
What puts a woman at risk of cervical cancer?
The main risk of contracting cervical cancer lies in not getting regularly screened. Aside from this, those with weak immune systems or those suffering from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) will be more likely to contract cervical cancer.
The HPV Vaccine can be taken to prevent cervical cancer and is available at the CK Birla Hospital. Connect with Dr. Keerti Khetan, expert gynaecologist at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology to lean more.
Cervical cancer Specialists at the CK Birla Hospital highlights some important symptoms of cervical cancer one should keep an eye on.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer include: –
• Blood spots or light bleeding between or following periods
• Menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual
• Bleeding after intercourse, douching, or a pelvic examination
• Increased vaginal discharge
• Vaginal discharge of a different colour or smell
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Bleeding after menopause
Usually these symptoms don’t mean you have cervical cancer but you must seek the opinion of a gynaecologist and if needed, go for a screening as if you are found to have a cancer, getting it diagnosed and treated early can mean you are more likely to survive.
What do you mean by screening?
Cervical screening (which is also called a smear test) involves taking a small sample of cells from the surface of cervix. This is then sent to the laboratory to see if there are any abnormal cells which can turn into cancer if left untreated.
Cervical cancer screening is done with Pap testing (LBC- liquid base cytology) and/ or HPV testing.
Connect with one of our top gynecologists today to speak about scheduling a screening, receiving the HPV vaccination, or to discuss your symptoms. Book an appointment at the CK Birla Hospital now.
Having menstrual cramps is one of the most common annoying part of your period. These cramps can strike before or during your period.
Prevalence rates are as high as 90 percent. Initial presentation of primary dysmenorrhea typically occurs in adolescence.
It is a common cause of absenteeism and reduced quality of life in women. The problem is often underdiagnosed and undertreated.
Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea
Chances are, you know all too well how it feels. You may have:
Pain in hips, lower back, and inner thighs
When cramps are severe, symptoms may include:
Types of Dysmenorrhea
What Causes PRIMARY dysmenorrhea
Menstrual cramps happen because of contractions in the uterus, or womb, which is a muscle.
The uterine lining produces these hormone-like substances called prostaglandins at the time of shedding, that cause the muscles of uterus to contract. If it contracts too strongly during your menstrual cycle, it can press against nearby blood vessels. This briefly cuts off the supply of oxygen to the uterus. It’s this lack of oxygen causes your pain and cramping.
What Causes SECONDARY dysmenorrhea
Secondary dysmenorrhea can be caused by several different conditions. These include.
The treatment you need will depend on what’s causing your painful periods and how severe the pain and symptoms are. Many women never see their doctor about painful periods and manage the symptoms themselves at home.
SELF HELP METHODS
These well-known methods you can try at home to soothe the cramps:
1.Heat therapy -Hot compresses through hot water bottles and warm baths are a tried and tested method for pain relief. Some studies have shown to be as effective as NSAIDS and aspirin for menstrual cramp pain.
2.Ginger -It seems ginger may also be a effective as common painkillers, as some clinical trials suggest.
3.-Certain low stress workouts have been found to ease bloating, back and leg pain caused by menstruation, increasing blood circulation in the affected area while also strengthening it contributes greatly to pain relief.
4-life style changes -as to refrain from the use of drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. All these are known to increase inflammation and worsening of pain.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
If you have primary dysmenorrhea, you may also be able to ease your symptoms with over-the-counter painkillers.
There are also treatments that your doctor can prescribe for you such as acupressure and TENS.
If you have secondary dysmenorrhea, your doctor will try and find out what condition is causing your symptoms and will discuss your treatment options with you. This might need certain investigations like USG to reach the diagnosis.
Menstrual cramps, whatever the cause, can be treated well so it’s important that you seek out treatment from an expert obstetrician or gynaecologist.
Often stiffness and shoulder pain is inappropriately given a blanket diagnosis of ‘Frozen Shoulder’. It is not enough to blindly undergo un-targeted physiotherapy without proper diagnosis of the underlying pathology. Rotator cuff pathologies are the most common cause of shoulder pain which could also present with difficulty in moving the arm, particularly above the shoulder level and behind the back.
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles around the shoulder generating a force couple to stabilise the otherwise unstable joint and allow efficient movement in all directions. Rotator cuff disorders could range from tendinitis (inflammation/swelling of the tendons) often leading to impingement to Partial and full thickness tears. Unattended these full thickness tears could progress leading to complete failure of the Bio-mechanics of the shoulder causing what is called as pseudo-paralysis (inability to move the shoulder). If not treated at the right time, secondary wear out of the joint can cause arthritis requiring a replacement surgery.
Timely and correct diagnosis is thus prudent in treating these conditions and avoiding further morbidity. Any shoulder pain lasting for more than a few months should not be neglected and specialist consultation must be taken to reach a proper diagnosis and timely management. Often patients come after several months/years of pain medicines and improper Physiotherapy only to learn that they have a tear in the rotator cuff at a relatively advanced stage. This can and must be prevented by a timely and proper diagnosis.
In case you are experiencing any kind of shoulder pain, then don’t wait. Connect with our expert orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Ashwani Maichand and Dr. Praveen Tittal.
What’s the most disheartening reaction to the meal you’ve spent ages preparing? Your child not giving even one look to it. And when the meal refusals happen repeatedly, a lot of desperate parents fall into the trap of only serving food they know their child will eat – which is most likely to feature unhealthy kiddie-favourites like pizza, fries, and burgers.
However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way and there is a vast scope for improvement.
While some studies say that if a standoff over vegetables at dinner is a daily struggle with your child, there is some relief for the parents as the fussy toddler is still likely to grow up to be of normal weight and height. The point to be noted as a general rule, these toddlers have strong preferences for particular foods and are reluctant to try unfamiliar foods. Sometimes your fussy toddler would even insist on having their food presented in a particular way and can be very slow about eating it.
The most common effect of picky eating or fussy eating is a source of anxiety and stress for many parents. The consistent battles at mealtimes, combined with worry about whether the child is getting the right nutrients to grow and develop normally, can be exhausting and disruptive to family life and relationships.
Here are a few tips to be considered important if your child is a fussy eater:-
Even though this behavior is common in preschool children, they tend to grow out of it in the early school years, perhaps as they mix with their peers and develop greater autonomy.
The main objective of getting your kids to eat anything is to turn the idea of normal food on its head: To gradually introduce variety and to keep that going day after day, week after week until the experience of discovering new flavours, textures, smells, shapes and colours on the plate is the new normal.
You can gradually start to encourage variety at mealtimes by introducing small elements of unfamiliar colour, flavour or texture to trusted family favourites.
And when the time is right, change them just enough to begin to break some early assumptions about what food should be like, and just enough to get all children excited about the journey ahead.
In the education phase, parents can try helping children grow their own herbs to help illustrate where food comes from, then get them involved in cooking a meal using those herbs.
Or even accept the challenge to build a plate based on the main food groups.
Parents should think about the recipes they are well aware of, and think creatively about how they can tweak them to make them fun with colour, patterns, shapes and even by stacking or layering food.
Help equip your kids with the skills and desire to make healthy choices for a lifetime. Get in touch with our team of expert child specialists at the Department of Neonatology & Paediatrics.
Vitamin D also known as sunshine vitamin helps in keeping your bones strong. Recent researches suggest that Vitamin D protects you from a lot of health problems. Vitamin D is produced by your body in response to skin being exposed to sunlight. There are a few foods like fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks- fortifies dairy and grain products through which we can intake Vitamin D.
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency
Listed below are a few symptoms that can help you understand that you might have Vitamin D deficiency in your body
Causes of Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency can occur in your bodies due to various reasons, listed below are few of them.
Who are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency?
The following are at risk for Vitamin D deficiency
Why is Vitamin D essential for our body?
Vitamin D is very important for our body as it keeps our bones healthy and strong. It is reported that people with low Vitamin D levels often face depression and fatigue, proper Vitamin D levels in your body keeps you away from such risks. Vitamin D contributes to your strong muscles and general health.
How can Vitamin D be diagnosed?
If you see any symptoms in you which are mentioned above or fall in the category of high risks, you should get your Vitamin D levels checked. Vitamin D levels can be measured with a Vitamin D blood test.
How can Vitamin D levels be boosted?
Vitamin D in your body can be boosted through a exposure to sunlight, proper diet and supplements.
Get in touch with our team of experts to get your Vitamin D levels checked.
