Categories
Health Problems & Solutions

Some Health Quaries & Answers

Storm in a teacup

Q: I have a ceramic mug that I bought from a street vendor. When I drink tea out of it I get a taste of clay

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A: Try drinking the beverage through a straw. If you can still taste the ceramic, discard the mug. Hot liquids can dissolve some of the clay and glaze. Some of these may be contaminated with dangerous heavy metals like lead. This is particularly true of poor quality stuff.

Breast-feeding & contraception

Q: I am breast feeding my four-month baby and want to use some safe and reliable form of contraception. I do not like the idea of an intrauterine contraceptive device.

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A: You could ask your husband to use condoms from the beginning to the end of intercourse. If this does not appeal to both of you, or is not feasible, you can opt for progesterone injections. They are sold under the trade name Depo Provera. The injection has to be given every 12 weeks under medical supervision. Another option is “progesterone only” pills, the trade name of which is Cerazette. Unlike conventional oral contraceptive pills, these have to be taken every day. Both the injections and tablets can cause irregular menstruation. After one year (when you stop breast-feeding), you can switch to oral contraceptive pills.

Frequent itching

Q: I have recurrent itching in my vagina and it has been diagnosed as a yeast infection. Despite repeated treatment it comes back.

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A: Recurrent infection is likely to occur if the normal vaginal Ph changes. This occurs if the normal bacterial flora of the vagina changes. This can occur during pregnancy, diabetes, urinary tract infection, with the use of oral contraceptive pills or antibiotics. Vaginal douching or washing with too much soap can also cause a similar problem. Treatment is with medications like fluconazole (tablet) or clotrimazole (vaginal pessaries and creams).

Relapses are common as the organism is now becoming increasingly resistant to the common medication. Unless the underlying cause is treated, relapses will occur. Relapses can also occur if your partner has diabetes which is not very well controlled.

Sleepless nights

Q: I am 64 years old and have difficulty sleeping at night. I started taking alprazolam 0.25 mg at night. Now I find that even with 0.5 mg I do not get any sleep.

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A: Alprazolam can be addictive if used as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug without medical supervision. Eventually higher doses may be needed for the same quality of sleep. It can also cause dizziness and loss of balance, particularly if you suddenly get up in the night. Other less addictive prescription medicines are available. Your doctor will be able to prescribe medication to help you sleep that will not react with any of the other medication that you might be taking for other illnesses like diabetes or hypertension. It is better to avoid “sleeping pills” altogether as far as possible. Try —

· Not sleeping in the daytime

· Exercising in the morning and evening

· Drinking a glass of warm milk at night.

Heat boils

Q: I have developed boils on my legs. They are painful and pus comes out if I squeeze them. I have this problem every summer. I am not diabetic.

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A: Our skin has a number of harmless commensal bacteria living on it. If small cuts and breaks occur in the skin as a result of scratching, these bacteria can enter the body and produce superficial boils. You need to keep your skin clean by bathing twice a day. Use a germicidal soap like Neko which is bactericidal. Apply the soap using a loofah or plastic scrubber. Avoid using talcum powder. Apply an antiseptic skin ointment (without steroids) like Neosporin or Soframycin on the boils after a bath. Do not break or squeeze the boils. If you develop fever consult a physician.

Lower testes

Q: My right testes appears to be larger than the left one.

A: The two halves of the body are not same. There may even be differences between your right hand and the left one. In most people the right testicle not only hangs lower but may also be larger. As long as there are no lumps or pain, you can leave it alone. If you are really worried, do an ultrasound scan to make sure there is no hernia or hydrocoele.

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Nan or Lactogen?

Q: My son is nine months old. Should I give him Nan or Lactogen?

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A: Children should be weaned on to solid foods after six months. Substituting tinned milk for breast milk is not the answer. They can be started on soft home-cooked solids such as cooked rice, dal and vegetables like potato. Eventually, by the age of one, they should be on the same diet as the family. Tinned precooked cereals and biscuits should be avoided.

 

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

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Categories
Featured

Contraception Myths

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A UK survey has revealed that myths about contraception may be widespread.

One in five women said they had heard of kitchen items, including bread, cling film and even chicken skin, being used as alternative barrier methods.

Others had heard food items such as kebabs, Coca-cola or crisps could be used as oral contraceptives.

The survey questioned 1,000 women aged 18 to 50 and was carried out by market research company Opinion Health, sponsored by Bayer Schering Pharma.

Contraceptive myths have been around for thousands of years.

Ancient methods have varied from crocodile dung and honey before sex, to sea sponges and beeswax after.

Perhaps the most intoxicating was alcohol made from stewed beaver’s testicles.

However, it seems that a variety of unsafe and unproven methods might still exist in modern Britain.

Dr Annie Evans, Women’s Health Specialist at the Bristol Sexual Health Centre, said: “It is not surprising, given that Britain continues to have the highest unintended pregnancy rate in Europe.”

Alarming
Other myths surround the use of oral contraceptive pills. One in 10 of the women questioned believed that it always takes a number of years to regain fertility after discontinuation of the pill. Others believed that the pill could protect them against HIV.

Professor Steve Field, Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, commented: “This is alarming but not surprising.

“I’ve had complications with patients over the years that have concerned me.

“The more we can put appropriate information to the public about the availability of different methods of contraception, about their advantages and disadvantages, the better.

“It is important that access to advice is made as easily as possible for all ages.”

MYTHS THAT STILL EXIST
*Chicken skin and cling film as barrier methods

*Kebabs, crisps and chocolate as oral contraceptives
The pill as protection against HIV
Source: Bayer Schering Pharma

Yopu may also click to see:-
>’We want real contraceptive choices’
>Survey shows contraception myths
>NHS in contraception switch call
>BBC Health – Contraception

Source: BBC NEWS:5th. Sept.2009

Categories
News on Health & Science Positive thinking

What You Eat or Drink May Help You Get Pregnant

What goes inside a body may have a significant effect in improving female fertility, suggests a study.
…………………………………Pregnant_woman

Dr. Emma Derbyshire and her team, from Manchester Metropolitan University, has found that controlled diet may enhance the chances of getting a positive pregnancy test, even to the point of being as effective as IVF treatment.

The researchers observed that while intrauterine insemination and ovarian stimulation showed a success rate of 33% in conception, dietary advice was virtually as effective, giving a 32% success rate, reports Times Online.

They suggest that some efforts that may help increase a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant, and delivering a healthy baby.

These included restrictive methods like abstaining from alcohol, cutting down on caffeine levels or switching to decaffeinated versions.

Emphasis was also put on the inclusion of plenty of fruit and vegetables in daily diet, which could help to put off the reproductive years.

Source:
The Times Of India

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News on Health & Science

Abortion Leads to Next Premature Delivery

 

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Women who have an abortion could be risking the health of their next baby, it  emerged last night. Those who terminate a pregnancy are subsequently more likely to give birth prematurely, with two or more abortions more than doubling the odds.
Premature babies are at greater risk of health problems, with one in ten having lung disease, cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness.

Fertility doctors said the study did not prove abortion caused premature births because some of the reasons why women choose to terminate a pregnancy  –  such as unemployment or money worries  –  are also linked to early birth.

But other experts said the evidence was ‘compelling’ and insisted women seeking abortions should be warned of the risk. The data, revealed at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Amsterdam, comes as abortion rates hit record levels.

More than 200,000 women a year in England and Wales choose to terminate pregnancies  –  second only to the U.S. in the West.

The link between abortion and premature birth emerged during a review of dozens studies on pregnancy complications. Combining the results revealed that having one abortion raised the risk of the woman having her next baby prematurely, which is defined as before 37  weeks, by 20 per cent.


The risk of a very premature baby before 34 weeks rose by 50 per cent.

Women who had two or more abortions were almost twice as likely to have a premature baby and two and a half times as likely to have one very prematurely.

Dr Robbert van Oppenraaij, of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, said it was not clear what caused the link, suggesting that abortion may harm the womb or create infection.

Smoking, drug use, unemployment and low income are also associated with abortion and premature birth. However, others said it made ‘total sense’. Josephine Quintavalle, of the campaign group Comment On Reproductive Ethics, said: ‘There’s a logic. The body is protecting a healthy baby. By producing a abortion, you destroy that protection and make the cervix  –  the neck of the womb  –  more vulnerable.

‘And if you make the cervix more vulnerable, you are more at risk of a premature baby. ‘You don’t need a degree in biology to understand that.’

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which carries out almost a third of abortions in Britain, said leaflets it gives patients mention the link to premature birth.

Medical director Dr Patricia Lohr said: ‘Abortion is extremely safe. When we counsel women, we provide them with information about the potential for a slightly higher risk of miscarriage or early birth.’
TERMINATIONS FOR GIRLS OF
Scores of girls as young as 12 have abortions every year, Government figures show.

More than 450 under the age of 14 terminated pregnancies between 2005 and 2008, including 23 aged 12, Department of Health statistics reveal.

In the same period, 52 had at least their fourth termination before they were 18. Across all age groups, 64,715 repeat abortions were carried out last year, the most on record.

The figure included 46 women who had terminated at least eight pregnancies.

Research this year found that abortions on teenagers who have already had at least one termination had risen by almost 70 per cent since 1991.

Sources:
MailOnline 29th. June.’09

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Categories
Diagnonistic Test

Enhanced Alpha Fetoprotein Test (“Triple Screen”)

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Definition:This is a  blood test that measures the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a protein released by the fetal liver and found in the mother’s blood. AFP is sometimes called MSAFP (maternal serum AFP )  This blood test for pregnant women, also called a “triple screen,” checks the levels of protein and hormones being produced by the fetus. The levels of three different substances together can enable doctors to identify pregnancies that are at a higher risk for birth defects such as Down syndrome or neural tube defects (brain and spinal cord problems). If the blood test suggests problems, your doctor might recommend additional tests, such as amniocentesis or fetal ultrasound, to confirm the findings.
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test is available to women between their 15th and 20th week of pregnancy to screen for fetal abnormalities. This simple blood test measures the level of a protein called alpha-fetoprotein which is secreted by the liver of the fetus and enters the mother’s blood stream. Elevated levels of AFP may indicate an increased risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida or anencephaly, while low levels suggest Down Syndrome or other chromosomal defects.

The AFP test does not determine the existence of these genetic disorders; it only predicts their likelihood. And while the AFP test is most often used to screen for these defects, it can also be used to identify abdominal wall defects, some renal and urinary tract abnormalities, Turner syndrome, low birth weight, and placental complications. An incorrectly-calculated gestational age and multiple fetuses can also cause abnormal AFP levels.


How do you prepare for the test?

* Before having this test done, you need to think carefully about what you would do with the results once you have them. The results of this blood test cannot show for sure whether you have either a healthy fetus or one with a problem; it can only suggest which patients might want to go ahead with further testing. Because amniocentesis (the test that is usually recommended after an abnormal triple screen) has a small risk of miscarriage, and because most people with an abnormal triple screen decide to go ahead with amniocentesis, this is an important decision. You should have this test done only if you think the information it offers would help you to make decisions about your pregnancy.

What happens when the test is performed?

* Your blood is drawn for this test sometime between your 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. The blood is tested for three protein and hormone levels: maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (MSAFP), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Your doctor needs to weigh you on the day you have your blood drawn and ask when your last period began or what your expected due date is. The analysis of the results will take into account your weight and stage of pregnancy to determine whether the levels are normal.

What risks are there from the test?

* There are no risks from this test itself, but there are some risks from tests that might be recommended if the test result comes back abnormal (see-> “Amniocentesis,” ). This test can be stressful for expectant parents. Several things can cause the test to come back as abnormal even when there are no real health problems. Confusing results can happen, for example, in twin pregnancies and when mistakes have been made in estimating the age of the pregnancy.

How long is it before the result of the test is known?
The test results are available to your doctor within two or three days.

For more information You may click to see:->

Health informations for pregnant women:
Pregnancy & Childbirth :
Integrated test during pregnancy:
Common Tests During Pregnancy:
Glossary:  From “abdomen” to “zygote,” here’s your guide to pregnancy terminology.
:
High-Risk Pregnancy :
Healthy & Safe Pregnancy
:

Resources:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/AFP/AFP.shtml?Submit=Know+More+About+This+Test%3F
http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/pregnancy_information/afp_test.htm

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