A Brief Introduction to Sickle Cell Anaemia
Sickle cell Anaemia is a rare, genetic illness. It is a form of anaemia in which the red blood cells are incapable of carrying an adequate amount of oxygen in the body. It is an extremely difficult illness that is quite challenging to live with. Only the best hospitals can provide medication and treatment for the same. Let’s understand the various aspects around Sickle Cell Anaemia.
Blood carries vital nutrients throughout the body and also facilitates the exchange of gases, namely the intake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide. The usual shape of the blood cells is just like a donut without any cavity inside. The bi-concave surface facilitates easy transportation of oxygen molecules. In case of sickle cell anaemia, the red blood cells resemble that of a sickle or crescent moon, thereby justifying the name.
This gives rise to 2 problems, inadequate oxygen supply, and the irregular shape of the cell leads them to get stuck in thin blood vessels, causing inflammation. A patient with sickle cell anaemia is likely to suffer one or more of the following symptoms.
- Anaemia that keeps on recurring and is closely followed by fatigue, and drained out of energy.
- Painful swells on feet, knees, and hands or other areas where the blood vessels are extremely narrow.
- Delayed growth which involves both natural and reproductive growth.
- High chances of gallstones, which often required gallstone operation to resolve.
- Poor vision that is purely due to blocked blood vessels reaching eyes.
- Frequent infections as this illness damages spleen, the organ that fights infections.
- Episodes of pain, particularly in chest, abdomen, and joints that lasts anywhere between few hours to few weeks.
Sadly there is no cure for sickle cell anaemia but with proper medication, it can be managed effectively through proper timely measures. The normal RBC has a lifespan of about 120 days, but the same reduces to 15-20 days for a sickle RBC. Needless to say, some of these patients require undergoing a periodic blood transfusion. These efforts along with proper medication can help the patient to get ease from the painful symptoms and to prevent the complications associated with the same.
On this 19th June, as we witness World Sickle Cell Day, we encourage people with this illness to stay strong and seek treatment from time to time. Also, we salute the never-ending support of their family, the doctors and most important the blood donors for their contribution.
A Brief Introduction to the Types of Blood Donation
Blood transfusion is a process of supplying blood of a matching group to an individual in need of it. Even though advanced procedures such as laparoscopic surgery rarely needs a blood transfusion, it is needed for medical emergencies, life support systems, several specific diseases, such as thalassemia, or even a major pre-scheduled invasive surgery.
Whether or not you have been a part of blood transfusions, you are more likely to be accustomed to only one type of blood donation. However, did you know that there are 4 types of blood donations, as per the element of the blood? Let’s have a quick look at each of them
1. Whole blood donation
The most common procedure, in which about a pint of whole blood is extracted out of the body. It may or may not be further segregated into platelets, plasma, and red cells, depending upon the need of the recipient. The procedure takes about half an hour or even less, while the patients can donate the same every 2 months.
2. Platelet Apheresis
It requires a special apheresis machine that collects blood and separates all its elements with centrifugal effect. The platelets component is kept for transfusion while the remaining elements return back to the body’s blood circulation. The process takes about 2 hours.
This type of blood is needed by patients battling cancers, undergoing organ transplant therapy and surgeries/medical emergencies that may involve massive bleeding. Moreover, while a single platelet donation can be used for multiple blood transfusion, it takes about 5-6 whole blood donations to make up for a single platelet transfusion. It can be donated every seven days, up to 24 times a year.
3. Plasma Apheresis
This type of blood donation goes simultaneously with the previous one. In this type, only the plasma is kept for the blood transfusion, while the rest is returned back to the body. The process takes about an hour and a half. It can be done after every two weeks.
4. Power Red
This one is yet another donation type involving the apheresis machine, which collects only the red cells while it returns the plasma and the platelets. Often the rare blood types have short supply as the donor need to meet few special guidelines for donating this type. It includes having higher levels of haemoglobin and specific body height and weight.
A single donation usually takes about an hour and collects two units of red cells. The donor can contribute every 120 days.
Each blood donation types has its own features. On this World Blood Donor Day, 14th June we honour every blood donor and feel our duty to pay tribute to one particular donor named James Harrison of Australia. This blood plasma donor rightfully earned the title of ‘man with the golden arm’ as he has donated blood plasma 1173 times throughout his entire life. After receiving 13 liters of blood for a surgery at the age of 14, he committed to donate blood in the future. Having a rather strong antigen against the group Rh antigen, he was able to donate blood plasma, which as per estimation, saved about 2.4 million unborn babies.
While saluting such a determined spirit, we, on behalf of ILS Hospitals, urge every healthy, capable individual to donate blood, at least once in their lifetime.
How Plastics Are Affecting Our Health
We all have plastic bags in our homes which in it has other plastic bags too, isn’t’ it?
This is a statement that is both funny and frightening. Keep in mind that these are the reusable plastics, that we decided to keep. So, can you imagine how much plastics have we thrown out there?
The excessive exposure of the plastics around us has adversely affected our health, more than ever in the recent years.
Let’s have a detailed analysis of the same.
Polythene or more commonly known as plastic was one of the most revolutionary inventions of all time. Being durable, lightweight, and inexpensive, plastics became the material for almost every domain, within an extremely short duration. In exchange for all these comforts, this non-biodegradable started claiming health and wellness of human, wildlife, and environment altogether.
The air that we breathe, the land that we live on and grow food, the water we drink, everything contains plastics. Sadly even our food chain is no longer devoid of the plastic traces in it. As a result, the overall health has begun to decade gradually. Directly or indirectly, it contributes towards health disorders and complications, but not limited to the metabolism, cardiovascular, respiratory and several forms of cancer.
According to leading gynaecologists, the rising statistics of couples unable to conceive naturally or suffering multiple miscarriages is often due to exposure to harmful elements released by plastics. Many chromosomal and congenital abnormality also arise either from the current or the successive generation. Moreover, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity, and resistance to chemotherapy have also been found prevalent in both men and women.
Many people do not realize the same as often the source remains discrete from plain sight. For instance, the traces of plastic can be also found in food and water, which is packed or stored in plastic containers. Moreover, the contamination of animal’s food (eg, goat, poultry, cow etc.) with plastic components also act as an entry for it in our food chains.
Sadly, solving this problem is quite challenging. The best way to start is by taking proper measure and seeking guidance from best hospitals, in case any health discomfort arises and persists.
The theme for this World Environment Day, 5th June 2018, is ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. Since it is being hosted in India, let’s pledge to accomplish (4‘R’s) – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and most importantly Replace. Stay away from plastic materials, and whenever possible, go for the substitutes.
Let’s try our best to save our planet!
6 Superb Reason to Raise a Glass of Milk in Your Everyday Diet
You are what you eat!
This simple statement rules our lives. The diet, lifestyle, and heredity are the three main factors that contribute to our overall health. We have no control over our genes and amidst our busy lives, often we have no time to exercise routinely. So, we all must pick our food choices very carefully.
One of the best source of nutrients for everyday diet is a glass of milk, not only for the kids, but for every individuals. Let’s list out the advantages that it provides-
1. It Strengthens Your Bones
Fancy having the iron fist? Then you better start including milk in your diet soon. As per orthopaedic specialist, Milk is a rich source of calcium and sufficient dosage of calcium ensure that the bone stays healthy and keep issues such as bone decay and brittle bones at bay.
2. It Protects Your Smile
Cheese makes you smile while taking a shot, right? So does milk and other milk products in protecting that beautiful smile of yours. It protects the enamel of teeth and also reduces the chances of tooth decay and gum diseases.
3. It Offers a Diversified By-Products
Do not like milk or allergic to it? You don’t have to compromise on your health as milk offers a wide range of by-products or processed food. It includes curd, cheese, butter, yogurt, dips, sour creams. Moreover, it can be used to make frozen desserts ice creams, buttermilk, lassi etc. as well. Each of them has its own contribution towards our health.
4. It Provides Vitamin D
You don’t have to go and lie down under the scorching sun to absorb vitamin D if you are routinely consuming milk in your diet. Moreover, it also replenishes your body and keeps it nourished.
5. It is a Complete Product
It is the one food that contains everything – carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. It comes as no surprise that infants are prescribed to have their mother’s milk alone, not even water during the initial 6 months.
6. It Can Be Processed Accordingly
Do not want the extra layers of cream in your glass of milk? Go for the skimmed milk and still enjoy the other benefits the milk offers. Moreover, options like soya milk and soybean milk are available in the market as well, you cannot have dairy milk altogether.
In a nutshell, a glass of milk certainly belongs to your everyday diet, so, on this World Milk Day, 1st June, let’s ‘raise a glass’ too and take a step towards a healthier tomorrow. Cheers!!
ILS Hospitals Contributes Towards World Health Day 2018
World health day is a rather special initiative of World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure health awareness in all over the world. Each year, this day is celebrated focusing on a unique theme. For 2018, the theme is Universal Health Coverage. Let’s understand it in details
The World is divided as per many classifications. The most noticeable is the boundaries that separate it in countries. Even though these nations compete with one another to stay in power, there are several aspects they must work together. Health is the most common goal of every civilization.
Each country tries their best to keep its citizens healthy and disease free. But it is crucial to ensure the entire population stays free of severe threats as we live in the era when correspondence between nations is a common thing. The health of any individual nation can be severely affected by the same in another country. The outbreak of Ebola virus in the year 2014 is a painful reminder on our inability to establish a quarantine.
The nature of illness can spread through an outbreak which can either be due to a pathogen or even due to certain environmental factors. Either way being contagious in nature makes it very easy to reach places beyond boundaries of a nation.
This World Health Day 2018, with the motto of Universal Health Coverage, aims to ensure detection, prevention, control and correction of diseases in the global scale. Aspects of studying or being employed in a foreign land is a very common thing, nowadays. Moreover, foreign travel is quite easy due to foreign policy and tourism initiatives.
People often marry and settle abroad as well. Thereby, it is important to eliminate severe threats from the entire face of Earth, because creating a quarantine is always not feasible due to the involvement of diplomacy and political agendas.
Together, the epidemic and outbreaks can be controlled in time, without causing many interruptions the trade and travel around the world. On this World Health Day, we, at ILS hospitals, contributes our health checkup facilities and treatment procedures to ensure the perfect health of as many people as possible. It is not possible for any singular agency to ensure global health. However, every initiative matters, because it fits in the big picture. As it says,
If you take care of small things, the big things will be taken care of itself.
Cancer – Brief Introduction and Facts
Cancer is a category of illnesses that onset due to out-of-control growth of cells. It can affect any organ of the body, thereby having as high as 100 types of cancers. The uncontrollable cell growth arises in the form of lumps and tumors near the affected organs. However, in advanced stages, it might start appearing in a spot far away from the primary organs as it gets carried away through the bloodstream. Only the best hospitals can offer quality treatments and care for the same.
Let’s have a look at some of the facts about cancer.
1. Cancer can arise due to 2 factors- heredity and lifestyle. The role of heredity is minute as compared to that of a sedentary lifestyle.
2. Some of the cancer are preventable or at least be treated better by taking few corrective and preventive measures. Let’s have a few examples of it.
i) The lung cancer that arises due to prolonged smoking and tobacco use are the best example of the same. By avoiding tobacco altogether can mitigate the risk of such cancer.
ii) The increasing cases of skin cancer can be curbed simply by protecting the skin from excessive exposure of the sun.
iii) The chances of having breast cancer in the future can be controlled through routine breast check-up, weight management, and regular breastfeeding.
3. Cancer is one of the top 5 causes of untimely death in all over the world. Approximate 16 percent people die every year due to some of the other form of cancer.
4. Aging was considered as a prevailing factor for cancer. More than 75% cancer patient belongs to the age group of 50 plus. In contrast, cancer affecting children account for 1 percent of all cancer cases. However, sadly the recent statistics of cancer patients have begun to show deviation.
5. The most common form of cancer prevalent among women includes the organs, breast, cervix, skin, stomach, and lungs.
The most common form of cancer prevalent among men includes the organs, prostate, lung, colon, liver, and stomach.
A cancer is a very hyperactive, dynamic and critical medical threat that needs an extensive diagnosis, treatment and care to be able to address it effectively. For better chances of survival and cure, it is imperative to rely only on the best hospitals that are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and resources.
Kidney – Function and Diagnostic Tests
Kidneys are paired organs that purify the blood, controls body fluid and electrolytes and also process the waste out of the body. It is bean-shaped, of about 4 to 5 inches in length that roughly resembles the size of a fist. It sits beneath the ribs, just behind the belly. It purifies the blood by filtering them, from where it absorbs back the minerals, salts, and water, and removes the waste in the form of urine.
Detecting any kidney illness in its early stage is very tricky as even 10 percent of the functioning kidney does a pretty good job. Thus, only best hospitals can offer a quality diagnosis of the kidney. At ILS Hospitals, we offer the following renal diagnostics for providing a quality treatment for any malfunction of kidneys.
1. Kidney ultrasound
The test is carried out by placing the probe transmitting sound waves over the waist. The sound wave gets reflected from the kidney to cast an image. This can help to find the existence of any stones, lumps, cysts or block in the kidney.
2. Urinalysis
It is a routine visual screening of kidney that can be done both by tools or pathologist himself through a microscope. It can help to detect minute signs of kidney damage such as bleeding, infections, or inflammation etc.
3. Ureteroscopy
It is a kind of endoscopy, specific for screening for kidney and its associated organs. The flexible endoscopic is inserted through the urethra into the bladder and then into the ureters. Even though the endoscope does not reach the kidney itself, it helps to detect any possible complications associated with them.
4. Computed tomography
More commonly known as the CT scan is helpful for diagnosis kidneys as well. The scanner captures the detailed X-ray images of the kidney in a series and it is then fed to the computer to analyze any abnormality in the kidneys.
5. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
More commonly known as MRI uses radio waves and magnetic field to yield a high-resolution image of the kidney to detect any abnormality in it.
6. Kidney biopsy
A fine needle is used to extract a small amount of tissue to observe it under a microscope. It can detect the possibility of malignancy in the kidney.
7. Blood and urine test
A sample of blood and urine is extracted and screened for possible infection and microbial growth.
On this month of March, when we observed World Kidney Day, we, at ILS Hospitals encourage every individual to keep a close eye on their respective renal health.
5 Most Common Gynecological Disorders
Living with a healthy body and a sound mind is more like a wishful thinking than a reality. There are many illnesses that affect both the genders, but a lot of medical conditions affects the health of women exclusively. Here we present 5 common illnesses, listed by Gynaecologists, that are most prevalent among women.
1. Dysmenorrhea
It is familiar to women as the painful periods. It is often termed the same when the pain reaches to the extent that it interferes the daily life activities. It is of 2 types. The primary dysmenorrhea is a result of disrupted ovulation and menstrual cycle. The secondary dysmenorrhea occurs as a result of some other underlying pelvic illnesses, infections or placement of certain contraceptive means such as copper T etc.
2. PCOS
It stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and is most prevalent among young women these days. It results in the formation of one or more, often recurring cysts in the ovary. It is due to high hormone production from the ovary and majorly caused by unhealthy lifestyle and stress rather than the influence of family or personal history.
3. Amenorrhea
It is the medical term for the absence of periods in the reproductive age. It is of two types, namely the pathological and physiological. During the pathological amenorrhea, the reason is due to some underlying disease or complications. The physiological Amenorrhea, on the other hand, is termed before the onset of menarche, after menopause and during pregnancy and lactation.
4. Vaginitis
It is the condition that onset due to inflammation and infection in the vagina. It is often seen among young girls having a high rate of infection, usually due to low production of oestrogen. However, it is also found in women of reproductive age group having infections due to microscopic organisms.
5. Fibroids
It is the condition of having single or multiple tumors in the uterus. It is the most common tumor in the female body. Fortunately, most of them are non-malignant is nature and does not cause any threat to the life of the patient. However, it might cause associated conditions like painful menstruation, persistent miscarriages, pelvic diseases, preterm labors etc. Often it is addressed by surgery, depending upon the nature of the tumor.
On this International Women Day’s, we, at ILS Hospitals, encourage every woman out there to take care of their body and seek medical help of gynecologists in time of need.
Scope of Haematology
Blood transfusing is often a very common solution to treat several side effect of any illness or as a compensation for blood loss from a treatment or surgery. But there are several illnesses that originate in the blood itself. Several hospital offer screening and treatment of the same. Haematology is the umbrella term for the branch that deals with diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care of diseases related to blood. The term is originated from Greek words ‘haima’ implying blood, and ‘logy’ implying to study.
These diseases can originate or affect any of the blood components such as blood cells, bone marrow, blood protein, blood vessels, platelets, coagulation, and spleen. Let’s understand what are the components of blood is and medical conditions surface under each of the components
The main components of blood as are as follows:
- RBC or Red Blood Cells – it carries oxygen to tissues
- WBC or White Blood Cells – it fights infections
- Platelets – it helps in blood clotting
- Plasma – it reserves protein and performs several other functions
Blood diseases that affect RBC are:
a. Anaemia – the body has a low level of RBC
b. Pernicious Anaemia (B12 deficiency) – prohibits the body to absorb B12 from the diet.
c. Aplastic anaemia – the body does not produce adequate blood cells, mainly RBC
d. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia – the body’s overactive immune system destroys its own RBC
e. Sickle cell anaemia – a genetic disease that makes the blood cell crumple into sickle shape
f. Polycythaemia Vera – the body produces too many blood cells that may cause blood clot
g. Malaria – an infection triggered by a parasite that enters the bloodstream through a vector (mosquito’s bite) that makes RBC burst.
h. Thalassemia – a genetic disease with features of severe anaemia, that often need a regular blood transfusion to survive.
Click here to learn more about Thalassemia.
Blood diseases that affect WBC are:
a. Lymphoma – a type of malignant blood cancer originating in the lymph system.
b. Leukaemia – another type of blood cancer originating in WBC.
c. Multiple myelomas – yet another type of blood cancer which affects the white blood plasma.
d. Myelodysplastic syndrome – a group of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow.
Blood diseases that affect platelets are:
a. Thrombocytopenia – the presence of low level of platelets in blood
b. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura – onset of the above illness due to unknown cause
c. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia – onset of the above illness due to the reaction against heparin
d. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura – a low platelet count due to the blood clot in blood vessels
e. Essential thrombocytosis (primary thrombocythemia) – the body produces excessive platelets causing a clot and/or bleeding.
Blood diseases that affect plasma are:
a. Haemophilia – a genetically inducing protein deficiency that causes severe blood clot
b. Von Will brand disease – a form of haemophilia that might result in the excessive blood due to an injury or surgery
c. Hypercoagulable state (hypercoagulable state) – a condition that often results in blood clot and needs blood thinner on a regular basis
Deep venous thrombosis – having a blood clot in the deep vein of the leg that can even travel to lung or heart.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) – a condition that causes multiple tiny clots throughout the body, simultaneously.
Most of these illnesses can be treated effectively if diagnosed on time.
A Complete Guide to Night-Blindness
What is Night Blindness?
With the word blindness, one might think of complete blindness after it is dark, well, that’s the whole myth. Night Blindness is a condition where a person is unable to see things clearly at dark or may face difficulties in seeing things in the dark. It is also called ‘nyctalopia’.
Though some category of night blindness can be treated with a proper diet and medication, some require surgery and there are some which cannot be treated at all. It’s better to consult an Eye specialist, that doing anything by one’s own self so that one can take necessary steps for its treatment.
What are the causes of Night Blindness?
Night Blindness can be caused due to various reason. The most common causes of night blindness are discussed below:
- Vitamin A Deficiency: We all have studied this during our school day. The deficit of Vitamin A causes or leads a person towards night blindness. Vitamin A, also called retinol, plays a role in transforming nerve impulses into images in the retina. The retina is a light-sensitive area in the back of your eye. Prescribe nutritional diet can help to restore the condition back to normal if diagnosed at the initial stage.
- Genetic Disorder: Like many other genetic factors, a person might also inherit disorder such as night-blindness. Usher syndrome, which is another related genetic condition that affects both hearing and vision.
- Abetalipoproteinemia: This is an inherited condition where a body may not absorb the required necessary nutrition from the food, which later may cause the deficiency of vitamins and minerals which will result in first cause mentioned above.
- Cataract: It is a condition of eye lenses were a dense cloudy appearance stands between the person and the clear vision. It develops slowly and eventually interferes with your vision. You might end up with cataracts in both eyes, but they usually don’t form at the same time. Cataracts are common in older people above 70 years.
- Diabetic retinopathy: It is a condition that occurs as a result of damage to the blood vessels of the retina in people who have diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy can develop if you have type 1 or 2 diabetes and a long history of uncontrolled high blood sugar levels. It might also result in total sight loss if remained untreated.