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Guilt and Shame Risk Sexual Health Problems in Women

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

By: Padmashree Dr Alka Kriplani, Director & Head – Centre for Minimally Invasive Gynaecology, Obstetrics & ART, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon

The lack of clear approach to sexual health and reproductive concepts have caused many problems in this part of the country for a long time now. However, the general lack of awareness about sexual health in girls who have attained puberty is more telling as sex is still a taboo subject in conservative societies. The cost of it is severe as these girls are dependent on unverified sources of information, mainly hearsay, and experience of older girls and women. Sex is presented as a means to fulfill an end as not as an experience. As a result, anyone who is exposed to it outside the approved pattern is filled with guilt. They are not likely to come out and seek help. This guilt and shame around sexual health increases the risk of these girls and women increasing their risk of sexual health problems.

Common sexual health problems

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a fact of life and many women face it at some or the other point of their lives. Some of the common sexual health problem women encounter include:

Pain during sex: This is one of the most well-known sexual health concerns among women. Pain during sex, known as dyspareunia, can be the result of vaginismus. Vaginismus is a condition when the vagina suddenly tightens up just as something is inserted into it. The condition can be caused by a vaginal trauma, such as an episiotomy during childbirth, the guilt of having sex being a ‘wrong’ doing, fear of pregnancy or relationship problems, and can be treated.
Low libido: Stress is a major reason for low sex drive. Besides, diabetes – both type 1 and type 2 diabetes; hormone disorders such as that of thyroid gland; depression; tiredness; and mental or physical trauma, among others can cause low sex drive. Women after menopause may experience a drop in sexual drive due to lower levels of estrogen.
Orgasm issues: A woman may have never experienced orgasm or has had an orgasm in the past, but not any longer. One may have this due to fear or lack of knowledge about sex; not enough stimulation before sex; feeling depressed or stressed; relationship problems; or previous traumatic sexual experience.
Trauma and sexually transmitted infections: Women who have undergone the trauma of female genital mutilation (FGM), as practiced in some communities, can find it painful to have sex. The process deliberately cuts or changes female genitals. Lack of sexual knowledge increases the risk of sexually-transmitted infections such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea or more serious HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).

Knowledge is important

Sexual health problems can be addressed with knowledge and awareness. The most important is knowledge of contraception that will prevent both STI and unwanted pregnancy. Psychosexual therapy aims to help the woman to understand and change feelings about her body and sex. Physical contractions during sex can be addressed with relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and breathing while gentle touching exercises will help learn the vaginal muscles to relax. One can also do pelvic floor exercises to gain control of these muscles. Sensate focus exercises can help one relax during sex and increase sex drive.

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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Holi tips: Be careful if you wear contact lenses

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

By: Dr Tushar Grover, Medical Director, Vision Eye Centre, New Delhi

The fun-filled Holi festival is around the corner. With gulal, colours, water guns and water balloons all set to form an integral part of the celebrations which are only likely to get even wilder and more boisterous on the actual day, the temptation to get carried away by the occasion is all too strong. And amid all the excitement, we might just take in colours and material through various organs such as eyes, nose, ears, mouth etc without realizing it. While generally we are more careful about our mouths and even noses, we often tend to think that the colours are only superficially affecting the surface of the eyes and not really getting inside.

However in reality, some part of the colour or other material more often than not does manage to ‘steal into’ our eyes impacting this extremely sensitive organ. Because of the noisy and the spirited nature of the celebrations, those wearing contact lenses might even forget that they are actually wearing lenses making it harder for themselves and their eyes. The increased use of synthetic colours instead of natural colour in recent years makes it even more critical for people wearing contact lenses to be watchful.

How Holi impacts your eye health

The sheer unruly and unrestrained nature of Holi celebrations makes it almost inevitable that there is some degree of damage, howsoever mild or limited, to the health of our eyes. From minor irritations and abrasions to redness and itching to allergies to infections to inflammation of eye parts, the vigorous and energetic act of playing with colours entails a substantial health cost for our eyes.

The harmful ingredients used in Holi colours

Most of the colours going around today usually are synthetic in nature containing toxic material such as industrial dyes and other harmful chemicals. Some of the other harmful ingredients being used in coloured pastes today include lead oxide, copper sulphate, aluminium bromide, Prussian Blue and Mercury Sulphite. Similarly, dry colours and gulal contain asbestos, silica, lead, chromium, cadmium, and others, all of which are detrimental to eye health.

How Holi colours affect contact lenses and therefore the eyes

For those wearing contact lenses, they should know that the lenses absorb colours. And so the colours tend to stick to the surface of the lens thereby prolonging their stay within the eyes. And given that most of these colours contain toxic chemicals, the resultant impact on eyes can be severe. The chemicals can damage or even lead to loss of epithelium, the protective covering for cornea which can have spillover effects on other eye parts. For instance, the iris of the eye can experience serious inflammation.

What should you do if you wear contact lenses on the festival of Holi?

First, take your contact lenses off before joining in the Holi celebrations.

Second, if you must use contact lenses and the using of which happens to be unavoidable, you can use disposable daily wear lenses. However, remember to wear new lenses once the celebrations are over.

Third, even if you are wearing daily disposable lenses, don’t allow any powder colour or paste to get into your eyes.

Fourth, if you have forgotten to take your lenses off and at the slightest feeling that the eyes may have taken in chemicals from the colours, you must discard the lenses immediately and get new ones which are meant for daily use only. Remember never to try cleaning the same lens and continue wearing it.

Fifth, if possible use glasses as a substitute for contact lenses. This is because glasses maintain a distance from the actual eyes unlike lenses.

Sixth, if any colour has entered your eyes, immediately wash them with clean water without rubbing your eyes.

Seventh, before going out to play Holi, you could consider applying cold cream around your eyes which would help get the colour scrape off easily from the outer surface of the eyes.

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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World TB Day 2021: The Challenge of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Although tuberculosis is considered a disease of the past, there has been a resurgence, especially in developing countries across the world. According to estimates by the World Health Organization, there are over 10 million new cases in the world. It also added that the epidemic is larger than previously estimated, owing to data from India. 60 percent of TB cases are concentrated to six countries. India leads the pack, closely followed by Indonesia and China, while Nigeria, Pakistan are not far behind.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is particularly hard to treat using medicines that are currently available in the market. Since the drug resistant variants come in different forms – extensively drug resistant and multi drug resistant – patients who are infected are resistant to at least four of the main anti-TB drugs. This is complicated by the fact that rifampicin and isoniazid, two of the most effective anti-TB drugs, have become both ineffective and toxic. So doctors are forced to prescribe less effective drugs that have to be taken over a longer period. For both the variants, patients have to take a lot of pills and daily injections for two years. However, even with this rigorous regimen, the cure rate hover around 60 percent, even at the best centers.

While the standard course of TB medication costs a little over a 1000 rupees, the treatment cost for multi drug resistant TB can go up to 1,50,000 rupees for one year, which is usually the minimum duration of the treatment. The government also does not offer a treatment programme for TB. Although the TB control programme DOTS, which was aimed at providing a standardized drug treatment to TB patients, reached over 600 districts, it was not entirely foolproof. There were considerable delays in diagnosing affected patients and prescribing the right course of medication, not to mention ensuring patients adhered to their regimens, which ended up perpetuating the cycle of transmission. Sticking to a one size fits all approach only amplified the drug resistance.

The harsh reality of the situation is that there have been a high number of TB and drug resistant TB cases in India because of policy shortcomings. Initially, public health officials turned a blind eye to drug resistant patients, and the numbers continued to rise. When the DOTS programme was reassessed and DOTS plus was rolled out, it posed its own unique set of challenges. The drugs that were needed were expensive and often difficult to obtain.

Access to more Promising Drugs

After four decades of dormancy in tuberculosis research, two effective and less toxic medicines were finally released in 2012 – Bedaquiline and Delaminid. Bedaquline blocks the mechanisms used by the TB bacteria to produce energy, effectively killing it in the process. Thousands of patients across the country are in need of these medicines. Although the government announced that patients will get universal access to Bedaquiline, a lot of them are still denied access. According to authorities, its use has to be carefully monitored since it is still in the trial phase. This is complicated by the fact that it is expensive and we are yet to scale up affordability and access.

More recently, a three drug regimen, consisting of Bedaquline, Pretomanid, and Linezolid, showed a 90 percent favorable outcome in treating drug-resistant tuberculosis. The results of the study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, comes as a ray of hope for people suffering from drug-resistant TB. This is no small feat, as Pretomanid is the only other drug developed for TB in over half a century.

It is difficult to tell how soon patients in India will gain access to these drugs. At present, there are only a handful of government hospitals where Bedaquiline is administered, and presenting with a form of drug related TB does not guarantee access. According to government regulations, patients cannot access the drug unless they are residents of the state where it is administered. It is disheartening to see that only a fraction of the people suffering from the disease get the treatment they need. We hope that there is a change in policy that increases access and affordability so that patients get the treatment they need, and TB truly becomes a disease of the past.

Credits: Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Groups of Hospitals

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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Guj Court: Common practice for kin to drag doc into legal battles

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Ahmedabad: A man belonging to Udaipur has been fined Rs. 2,000 by a consumer court in Gandhinagar for alleging medical negligence on doctors who performed surgery on his father. The petitioner’s father passed away two days after the surgery.

The patient, 83, was a physician and was operated in Apollo Hospital in Gandhinagar in 2006, but died two days after the surgery. Following this, his son Lokendra Singh, sued gastroenterologist Dr Rupesh Mehta, who performed the surgery, the hospital and two other doctors, Dr Jay Kothari and Dr Sunil Chugh from Udaipur, who referred the patient to doctors in Gujrat for surgery. He accused medical negligence and demanded Rs. 19 lakh as compensation from the hospital and the doctors.

The consumer court observed no medical negligence on the part of the doctors and said that it become a routine practice that the kin of patients drag doctors into a legal battle to extort money.

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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Papaya For Good Digestion

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Papaya contains an enzyme called papain which is known to cause good digestion, it helps in digesting the food , as a fruit it has low calorie count, hundred grams of papaya only contains 43 calorie. It is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, and carbohydrate, as well as potassium. A experiment has been found to be done on rats and rodents, in which we have found that rats who are made to eat high calorie food had become obese by gaining weight and increasing cholesterol. And when they were made eating papaya juice and chunks in food, the cholesterol level comes down and obesity level also came down. Research also tells that eating papaya regularly helps in getting you out of metabolic syndrome, this syndrome is when the blood pressure comes down because of lowering of cholesterol and lowering of weight, then significantly your sugar level also comes down. They say that if you want to lose weight add papaya to every possible thing.
Papaya has so many health benefits, so as in weight loss. For weight loss papaya can be used in breakfast with oatmeal, we can use it with cereal, we can have it as mid meal or snack, papaya can be added in basically anything which we want to eat, such as pulses, veg and non-veg all kind of food. So many people use it for thickening of gravy. Papaya can be used in any form, and it works as magic. According to a recent research, papaya pulp, leaves, and seeds are working magically in providing nutrition, weight loss, in lowering blood pressure, in lowering cholesterol and obesity levels.

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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Job Alert: Senior Resident post vacancy in Department of Ophthalmology

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Lucknow: Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences has invited applications for the post of Senior resident on Adhoc Basis in the department of Ophthalmology. The selection will be done on the basis of a walk-in interview.

Post	Senior Resident
Name of Organization	Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences
Department	Ophthalmology
Age Limit	37 years as on date of interview
Pay Allowance	Rs. 67700 – Rs. 208700
Date of Walk-in Interview	1^st April, 2021

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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India records highest COVID-19 spike in 5 months

by Medically Speaking Team March 25, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

India records 53,476 new COVID-19 cases for the first time in 5 months. So far, India has recorded 1,17,87,534 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 1,60,692 deaths.
India has these much cases in month of October last year, it’s also the first time since 138 days when India has reported more than 50,000 cases in a single day. India has reported 251 deaths in 24 hours.
More than 5.31 crore people have been given the COVID-19 vaccine in India.

March 25, 2021 0 comment

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Scurvy: Symptoms, Diagnosis And Treatment

by Medically Speaking Team March 24, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Scurvy, also called vitamin C deficiency, one of the oldest-known nutritional disorders of humankind, caused by a dietary lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a nutrient found in many fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly the citrus fruits. Vitamin C is important in the formation of collagen (an element of normal tissues), and any deficiency of the vitamin interferes with normal tissue synthesis, a problem that underlies the clinical manifestations of the disorder.

Scurvy in Adults

Even though the number of people suffering from Scurvy has largely come down, poor diet or eating habits can lead to Scurvy. In an adult generally, the symptoms of scurvy include:

Bleeding and swelling of gums
Joint pain, particularly in legs
Weakness or fatigue
Red spots on skin
Swelling in wounds

Scurvy in Infants

Children who suffer from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to be affected by scurvy. In infants, there might be different symptoms that could help in detection of the disease, such as:

High fever
Diarrhea
Irritability
Loss of appetite

Diagnosis

If you suspect you have scurvy, your doctor will ask questions about your dietary history, check for signs of the condition, and order a blood test. The blood test will be used to check the levels of vitamin C in your blood serum. Generally, people with scurvy have blood serum levels of vitamin C less than 11 µmol/L.

Treatment

Though the symptoms can be severe, scurvy is fairly simple to treat.

Vitamin C is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables. It’s also often added to juices, cereals, and snack foods. If you suspect you have a mild case of scurvy, eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily is the easiest way to treat the condition.

Oral vitamin C supplements are also widely available and the vitamin is included in most multivitamins. If symptoms continue after a few days of dietary changes, talk with a doctor.

For severe, chronic, cases of scurvy, a doctor may recommend high-doses of oral vitamin C supplements for several weeks to months. There’s no consensus on a specific therapeutic dose for severe scurvy. For these cases, a doctor may recommend high doses of oral vitamin C supplements for several weeks or longer.

Daily Recommended Vitamin C

Daily vitamin C recommendations depend on age, gender, and other health conditions.

Age	Male	Female	During pregnancy	During lactation
0–6 months	40 mg	40 mg
7–12 months	50 mg	50 mg
1–3 years	15 mg	15 mg
4–8 years	25 mg	25 mg
9–13 years	45 mg	45 mg
14–18 years	75 mg	65 mg	80 mg	115 mg
19 + years	90 mg	75 mg	85 mg	120 mg

People who smoke or have digestive conditions typically require at least 35 mg a day more than nonsmokers.

What are the symptoms of scurvy?

Vitamin C plays many different roles in the body. A deficiency in the vitamin causes widespread symptoms.

Typically signs of scurvy begin after at least four weeks of severe, continual vitamin C deficiency. Generally, however, it takes three months or more for symptoms to develop.

Early warning signs

Early warning signs and symptoms of scurvy include:

weakness
unexplained exhaustion
reduced appetite
irritability
aching legs
low-grade fever

Symptoms after one to three months

Common symptoms of untreated scurvy after one to three months include:

anemia, when the blood lacks enough red blood cells or hemoglobin
gingivitis, or red, soft, and tender gums that bleed easily
skin hemorrhages, or bleeding under the skin
bruise-like raised bumps at hair follicles, often on the shins, with central hairs that appear corkscrewed, or twisted, and break easily
large areas of reddish-blue to black bruising, often on the legs and feet
tooth decay
tender, swollen joints
shortness of breath
chest pain
eye dryness, irritation, and hemorrhaging in the whites of the eyes (conjunctiva) or optic nerve
reduced wound healing and immune health
light sensitivity
blurred vision
mood swings, often irritability and depression
gastrointestinal bleeding
headache

Left untreated, scurvy can cause life-threatening conditions.

Severe complications

Symptoms and complications associated with long-term, untreated scurvy include:

severe jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin and eyes
generalized pain, tenderness, and swelling
hemolysis, a type of anemia where red blood cells break down
fever
tooth loss
internal hemorrhaging
neuropathy, or numbness and pain usually in the lower limbs and hands
convulsions
organ failure
delirium
coma
death

March 24, 2021 0 comment

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Enjoying Indian Cuisine with Low Carbs is possible with these few tips

by Medically Speaking Team March 24, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Limiting Carbs may provide great health benefits, especially when it comes to blood sugar level, weight, blood pressure and lowering trans glycerides, but instead of having boiled and tasteless foods, you can enjoy Indian foods in your low Carbs diet. Carbohydrates include many traditional Indian foods. You can enjoy delicious a Indian cuisine while reducing carbs intake by keeping just a few things in mind.

Stick with Traditional Cooking Methods

A low carb diet can be tailored to Indian cuisine with the aim of increasing fat in a normal Indian diet. Fat is used in traditional Indian cooking methods such as tempering. This will not only increase your fat intake but will also help to add powerful flavor to your dishes and make your foods so delicious that you will hardly feel like you are on a diet.

Choose Low Carbs

Swapping foods rich in starch and sugar for low carbs can be a great way to plan a healthy carb diet. Here are some examples of healthy yet delicious low carb alternatives:

One of the most nutritious low-carb vegetables is cauliflower which is a great alternative to potatoes.
Limiting carbs can be very challenging for those who love bread and lentils, but, swapping sprouted grains for lentils or legumes It can help you enjoy a great meal with a reduction in carbs. Sprouts have fewer calories and are rich in fiber.
A low-carb lifestyle does not mean that you do not have to eat bread. Some of the most delicious and healthy low carb options in traditional flour include coconut flour and almond flour. Both are lower in carbs than wheat and grain-based flour. Indulge traditional Indian rotis or naan with coconut / almond flour rotis with a delicious cauliflower vegetable for a delicious low-carb meal.
You can also use low-calorie sugar substitutes that give you a complete sweetness Can help reduce carbs. Stevia, erythritol and xylitol are some of the safe sugar-free sweeteners that can saturate your sweet tooth without interfering with your diet.
Spices

Spices are one of the easiest ways to add flavor to foods without increasing their calories or carbs, especially in Indian cooking. Spices like turmeric, black pepper and cardamom not only enhance the flavor but it also has medicinal properties! Some other interesting yet low-carb spice options include cinnamon, mint, basil, thyme and coriander. You can also add cumin, oregano, paprika and cayenne.

Disclaimer: This content only provides general information, including advice. It is not a substitute for qualified medical opinion by any means. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

_{Source: NDTV}

March 24, 2021 0 comment

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Prof. Anup Kumar awarded as Best Healthcare Leader in Urology, Robotics and Renal transplant

by Medically Speaking Team March 24, 2021

written by Medically Speaking Team

Professor (Dr) Anup Kumar has been felicitated with the Leaders Awards, 2021 for Best Healthcare Leader in Urology, Robotics and Renal Transplant on 19 March 2021 by Honorable Protem Speaker Lok Sabha , Smt Rama Devi (Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee ,Member of Parliament Lok Sabha BJP ).

Prof. Kumar is the Chairman of Department of Urology, Robotics and Renal transplant at Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC.

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March 24, 2021 0 comment

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