4 Short Term Complications Associated with Preterm Childbirth – Part II
The ideal time is essential for everything and for a very good reason, pregnancy period is no exception. Any baby born before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy suffers several long term as well as short term complications. We have discussed four of the more common short term complications suffered by a preterm baby earlier; and in this article, we will continue with four more such complications. So, here we go!
1. Blood profile troubles– Preterm babies are at risk of several abnormalities regarding their blood profile. Anemia and infant jaundice are two of the major concerns. In case of anemia, the red blood corpuscles (RBC) in the body drop significantly. Though it is not uncommon for babies to suffer from low rate of RBC during the initial months, but it becomes critical in case the count drops significantly. Repetitive blood taken out for carrying out lab tests also acts as a contributing factor for the same.
Infant jaundice is the condition characterized by discoloration and yellowing of skin and eye of newborn. This condition arises when the blood of the baby contains too much bilirubin (yellow pigmented substance) secreted from the liver or RBC.
2. Weak immune system– Due to the fact that a baby is born before it was ideally supposed to, the preemies are born with an underdeveloped immune system as compared to the baby born on time. Thus, they cannot cope up with infections effectively, which is quite common in that period. With less-effective immune system, the infection quickly spreads through the bloodstream and may lead to life threatening situations.
3. Gastrointestinal problems – A preterm baby is more susceptible to have an under-developed gastrointestinal system. This causes several associated complications like necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). In this condition, the linings of the bowel wall gets injured, as soon as the baby starts feeding. For this reason, it is recommended to only breastfeed till six months to lower the risks of NEC.
4. Metabolism problems – As soon as the baby is in the world and begins to feed, the importance of metabolic system comes into play. Preemies are likely to suffer from metabolic issues. The prime cause is, that the liver of a preterm baby cannot effectively convert the stored glycogen into glucose.
ILS Hospitals offers extensive care for preterm babies, until the time they become healthy enough to sustain on their own.
Heart Attack – 5 Alarming Signs of Possible Heart Attack
Several symptoms of heart attacks can be widely confused and overlooked by most of us. Thus, several people fail to get proper treatment on time. Know these to save a life.
As you are already familiar with the 5 signs of possible heart attack in our previous article. According to cardiologists the five alarming signs which mean possible heart attack.
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Sweating
Though it is quite common to sweat while doing any strenuous work, as a matter of fact, it is not unusual to sweat during summers. But sweating without any explainable reason can be quite alarming. In fact, it might be a sign your body is giving you of a possible heart attack. Get a checkup, even in case you are having a doubt.
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Irregular heartbeat
Another symptom that must be calibrated carefully is any abnormal heart rate. Heart beats faster in case of running or being excited, similarly it gets slower in case of being depressed or sad. But if any abnormalities are observed, it could be indicating something more serious than extra caffeine or inadequate sleep.
This condition is medically termed as trial fibrillation and is one of the signs of potential heart attack.
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Unstoppable cough
Usually, a cough (or a couple of) isn’t something that is related to heart. But repetitive cough without any cold or throat infection that won’t stop is a possible cause of heart attack. Especially a long lasting cough which produces ink or white mucus.
The reason of constant cough is that the heart cannot keep up with the requirement of the body and causes the blood to back flow to the lungs. If not taken care on time, this may result in bloating. The doctor may also look for swollen feet and ankles.
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Pain that spreads to the throat or jaw
Under normal conditions, the throat and jaw pain are mostly caused by a sinus, muscle pain or a cold. If the pain primarily generates from a chest discomfort that eventually travels upwards to the neck and jaw, it might be another sign of possible heart attack.
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Snoring
Snoring is that brief period of time, when the breathing pauses momentarily. Most of the people snore at some stage of life, for some, it is while aging, while other young people snore after a tiring day at the office. Snoring for a long time is yet another indication of the body towards a possible heart attack.
If you or any of your friends or family member experiences any of these symptoms, don’t keep making wild guesses and wait for it to get over on its own. Instead, let a doctor address the situation and give proper advice after assessing it.
Kidney Stones – Various Types of Kidney Stones
The Kidneys play a vital function in the body as it purifies the blood and creates urine. Kidney stones are hard particles accumulated over time. According to doctors, there are mainly four types of kidney stones. Let’s understand each of these in details.
Calcium stones- Most of the kidney stones are made up of calcium component, particularly the calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate along with traces of other minerals. Presence of high level of oxalate also contributes towards the formation of calcium kidney stones. Any episode of hyperparathyroidism elevates the risk of developing calcium stones in the future.
Use of certain medication may prevent calcium kidney stones.
Struvite stones– Some of the kidney stones are made up of struvite. It can occur in both kidney and urinary tract. If it’s left untreated for a long time, it grows larger in size, which is also known as staghorn calculi. Apart from causing kidney stones, it can also lead to urinary tract infection.
As it can get bigger in size with time due to accumulate, it is considered as a serious health crisis. It can also cause infection. The medical treatment includes antibiotics; and if nothing significantly changes for better, then it has to be removed by surgical intervention. Women are more susceptible to develop a UTI and struvite stones as compared to men.
Uric acid stones- Some kidney stones are comprised of uric acid. Uric acid is a waste product produced by the body. Usually it passes through the body before eliminating as waste, but if this passage gets interrupted, then it accumulates to form stones.
Usually certain medications are used to dissolve these stones to prevent its further formation. People who are more likely to suffer from uric acid kidney stones are as follows-
- Having low urine as output
- Consuming a diet rich in animal protein
- Significant increase in alcohol consumption
- Medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and Gout
Cysteine stones- Less common type of kidney stones are comprised of cysteine. It is a chemical substance present in urine in traces. But the individuals who possess a high concentration of cysteine in the urine are likely to develop this kind of kidney stone in the future.
Certain medicines can be used to prevent it from occurring, in case it has already been formed, use of medication may dissolve it. However, if it causes blockage in the urinary tract, it has to be removed by surgery.
Diabetes Package – Why Should One Go For Diabetes Package?
There are several diseases that have spread its reach, especially in the past few decades. One such diseases is diabetes. Until a few decades ago, diabetes was considered as an illness which you got only when you became older. But now, even people in their early twenties are becoming victims of this dreadful condition and availing diabetes treatment.
So, what is diabetes and why is it crucial to keep an eye on it from time to time? Diabetes is a medical condition in which the sugar content of the blood becomes alarmingly higher than usual. It leads to several other complications such as very slow rate of blood clotting. Blood clotting is the primary step of healing from every cut, bruise, injury and accident. As a matter of fact, it is mere one of several complications that diabetes brings along with it.
Timely detection can save you from many unpleasant side effects in future. For this, one needs to go for diabetes check-up (fasting and PP) twice a year. Also if you are dealing with diabetes, you need to watch out for several other aspects as well. This is where the decoding diabetes package comes into play. It is an ideal package for diabetes treatment.
It comprises of the following diagnosis-
- Complete Haemogram along with ESR profile
- Blood sugar fasting and PP
- Total cholesterol profile
- HBA1C
- SPGPT
- SGOT
- Serum Bilirubin and serum creatinine
- Urine for albumin and creatinine ration
- Urea
- ECG
Along with these diagnosis, consultation with a physician further helps you to properly understand your vitals and other parameters better. It has been brought to our notice that several times, people fail to understand properly their diagnosis as the report mostly comprises of a value along with its range. Thus, for better understanding, we, at ILS Hospitals, have included a consultation as a part of our package.
A timely diagnosis helps to keep track of your health and in case you feel any deviation from normal conditions. This ensures that you stay healthy and get proper treatment at the right time. So, if you or your loved ones are suffering from diabetes or are on the verge of diabetes, avail this package for a complete care.
Cosmetic Surgery – How are Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Different?
There are several terms that got popular, especially in recent times, and one of them is Cosmetic Surgery. Lately, people who can afford it are going for cosmetic surgery for better aesthetics. But what is cosmetic surgery? It is known by very few people. It is widely confused and interchanged with another set of aesthetic surgery branch, the plastic surgery.
We will understand the difference between the two and then focus on our prime topic – the cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgery is a wide branch of medicines and surgery that comprises of two sub-categories- cosmetic surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery.
Though these branches are closely related, their main objective is entirely different. The plastic (reconstructive) surgery aims to improve the function of organs and to restore it in case it misaligned due to some injury or accident or a defect during birth. The cosmetic surgery, however, aims to enhance the aesthetics of an individual.
Now that you know the difference between these two terms, let’s resume the original topic of the article that is the cosmetic surgery. In several parts of the world, including India, the function of Cosmetic Surgery is often overlooked and underestimated. A lot of people actually rule this out of their life assuming it to be a part for only wealthy people who aren’t happy about themselves. According to them, it is a non-essential elective surgery, not a cup for common folks. However, it is not the actual scenario.
Several times, it is found that an individual suffering from low esteem due to some blemish within them. Previously, they had no choice but to live with it. But thankfully now, something can be done about it. From the hand of an experienced surgeon it is no less than a miraculous transformation.
Even though Cosmetic Surgery is becoming popular, it must be kept in mind, that every individual is not suitable for undergoing cosmetic surgery. Numerous medical and habitual factors must be calibrated carefully before making a decision. In several cases, the doctors postpone the procedure until the time the patient is through with psychological counseling.
One must understand this loud and clear that cosmetic surgery is a permanent change in the body and only after being absolutely positive, one should go ahead with it. It is one of the wonders of medical science for the people and we will bring more facts regarding the same very soon.
Gyneacology – Why go for ‘Well Women Package’?
Women are the nurturer of the world and true architect of the society. But sadly, most of them ignore their health for a major part of their life. According to Gynecologists of ILS Hospitals, the prime reason for overlooking medical needs are ignorance and taboo. Several women open up their physical discomfort and pain only when it becomes intolerable and reaches the chronic stage and unfortunately, only a little can be done about it.
Thus, we looked into this as a serious issue and came up with an affordable and complete health checkup package for every woman in India.
So what is the ‘well women’ health package?
Introduced by us at ILS Hospitals, it is a complete healthcare package for women. It covers all essential screenings that are required to ensure proper health. The well women package consists of the following screening-
- Complete haemogram with ESR profile
- PAP smear
- Blood sugar profile (fasting)
- Thyroid profile
- Urine test
- Mammography for women over 40 years
- USG breast screening for women below 40 years
- Chest X-ray
- ECG
- USG of entire abdominal cavity
Apart from the diagnosis and result, a consultation with the gynecologist helps to properly decode the reports, so the patient can get a clear picture of her health status. Also it helps the doctors to understand the patient’s health stability and which aspect of their health needs more attention.
Why it is recommended?
Proper diagnosis ensures the health status of the patient. If any abnormality is observed, its proper treatment can be sought as soon as possible. Usually it is found among women that they do not seek any medical help, let it be screening or consultation until they face some difficulties. This mindset needs to change, the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment must be impregnated in the mind of the society to build a healthy future.
Who are qualified to avail these?
Ideally, every woman should have it at least once in a year, starting from her mid-30s. But according to Gynecologists of ILS Hospitals, a lady should not delay it further than 45 years of age.
Why choose ILS Hospitals?
Several health care providers in Kolkata offer women checkup packages. But going for a ‘well woman checkup’ at ILS Hospitals is the best choice, not only from an economic point of view, but also because it consists of the precise set of screening which is needed to ensure proper health. We, at ILS Hospitals, understand that every woman is unique in her own way and has special needs, and thus offer appropriate consultation according to individual needs.
What Are The 5 Probable Signs Of Heart Attack You Should Watch Out For?
We have come across the saying ‘follow your heart’, but are you paying enough attention to your heart? Can you tell when your heart is not functioning properly? Probably not. In reality, heart attack necessarily does not onset with a clutch over heart closely followed by falling on the floor, like the way it is depicted in the movies. In fact, according to Cardiologists several heart attacks do not even begin with heart or even in the chest. Without proper knowledge it is often difficult to tell.
In case you are in doubt whether it is cardiac arrest or not, it is always advised to go for a checkup, especially if you are aged, overweight or have high blood pressure, sugar or cholesterol.
Look out for these signs in your loved ones and yourselves, which might be signs of heart attack.
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Chest Discomfort
It is the most alarming sign of any cardiac arrest. In case any of the artery is blocked, i.e. experiencing heart attack, it is more likely to suffer pain, pressure or tightness in the chest. The discomfort may vary from minute to mild to severe. Some describes it as a feeling of having a heavy object on the chest, while others describe it as a burning sensation.
Though some people experience heart attack even without any chest discomfort, especially women, it should be calibrated carefully.
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Pain which spreads to Arms
Due to blockage of artery, the left side of the body experience pain. It initiates from the chest and spreads through the arm, specifically on the left side. It may last up to a few minutes, and can occur in episodes, i.e. the pain comes and goes away.
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Heartburn or Indigestion
The occurrence of any or all of these signals should be considered as a possible sign of heart attack. Moreover, some may vomit along with it. As per Cardiologist, women are more likely to experience it as compared to men. These symptoms get easily neglected by most of the people as these symptoms happen to people every now and then due to acid reflux or improper diet as well.
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Fatigue or Exhaustion
Feeling fatigued even after doing some light work such as climbing stairs or taking a stroll. It may be a sign of weakness and it is not alarming if it occurs once or twice, but repeated occurrence of unexplained weakness, especially for women, should not be neglected and immediate help should be sought.
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Feeling Dizzy
Experiencing dizziness or out of balance or feel faint, it should be closely observed. Though it may be a result of inadequate food. But if it is combined with chest congestion, then it should ring a bell.
These signs are the most prominent of that of heart attack. So educate yourself, your family and colleagues for an early detection and timely treatment.
Watch out 5 more symptoms of possible heart attack here.
ENT – Definition and Common ENT Problems
Stands for Ear, Nose and Throat. The department of medical science that deals with these three domains together. A specialized doctor in this domain is called Otolaryngologist, or more commonly as ENT itself.
Why it is so important?
Ears, nose and throat are vital parts of the body. Let’s have a look at these crucial organs and learn what may go wrong with it.
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Ears – It is the sensory organs that enable us to hear sounds around us. Moreover, it contributes towards an overall balance of the body.
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Nose – It is another sensory organ that enables us the sense of smell. It also contributes partially towards taste and filter the air entering through the nostrils as a defense mechanism.
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Throat – It provides the passage for air, water and food to reach the wind pipe and food pipe respectively.
Malfunction of these organs can affect the quality of life significantly. In certain cases, it can even become a medical emergency. In case a problem in any of these organs persists, proper treatment should be sought without delay.
So, what are the common ENT problems and their symptoms?
The most common ENT disorders and their respective symptoms are –
- Ear infection – germs entering the ear gets trapped causing ear infection. Children are more likely to get infected with it. If left untreated for long duration, it can significantly affect the hearing and speech development of the child.
Symptoms of ear infection are
a) Hearing loss
b)Drainage from ear
c)Difficulty with balance
d)Pain in the ear
e)Pulling or tugging the ear in children
- Sinus infection – Sinuses are the cavities located inside the skull surrounding the nose and eyes and contributes to the vocal resonance. Sinus infection occurs when a pathogen such as bacteria or virus enters the sinus cavities.
Symptoms of sinus infection are
a) Runny nose
b) Difficulty in breathing
c) Constant coughing or sneezing
d) Headache
e) Sharp pain around the eyes and bridge of nose
f) Bad breath and toothache
- Tonsillitis – According to ENT specialists in ILS Hospitals, most of the people suffer from mild tonsil infection at least once in life. But occasionally it gets severe due to inflammation to that extent when passage of air gets blocked and swallowing becomes difficult. In these circumstances, the removal of tonsil becomes inevitable, though nowadays this medical procedure is executed rarely.
Symptoms of Tonsillitis are
a) Difficulty in swallowing food and water
b) Change in voice
c) Persistent strep throat
d) No significant effect of antibiotics
ENT specialist should be consulted and proper treatment should be availed as soon as any of such symptoms persist for a long time.
Maternity – Pre Term Birth: 4 Short-Term Complications of Preterm Birth
The normal gestation period is 260 to 280 days, ideally consisting of 40 weeks. Though several babies are born prior to this time period, if any baby is born before this duration, he/she is referred as a premature baby. If a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is prone to short term as well as long term health complications. Generally, they do need more care and hospital stay as compared to the ones born in ideal time.
Most of the babies born early possess low birth weight, which plays an important role in several aspects. While some of the complications may exist since the birth, others may develop later in life.
The following complications are experienced during the first few weeks/months of birth-
- Breathing complication- Due to the presence of an immature respiratory system, a premature baby may experience trouble in breathing. This is primarily due to lack of a substance called ‘surfactant’, which enables contraction and expansion, which enables breathing.Preterm babies may also acquire ‘Broncho-Pulmonary Dysplasia’, chronic lung disease and ‘apnea’ which result is difficulty breathing with prolonged pauses.
- Brain malfunction– A preterm baby is highly prone to intra-ventricular hemorrhage, the rupture and bleeding of an artery in the brain. Though most of them gets resolved on its own, some babies need medical help. Excessive bleeding can cause permanent brain damage.
Excessive bleeding can also lead to hydrocephalus, i.e. accumulation of fluid in the brain, for which surgery remains the only feasible solution to release the fluid accumulation. - Cardiac ailments– Patent Ductus Arterious (PDA) and Hypotension (low blood pressure) are the two most experienced heart problems among preterm babies. PDA is a disease in which a natural opening exists between two major blood vessels from the heart.PDA often gets corrected on its own, but if it is left untreated, it can result in uncontrolled blood flow and eventually leads to heart attack. Low blood pressure needs medicines and intravenous support and occasionally blood transfusion.
- Thermo regulation problem– A preterm baby may lose body heat quickly, as he cannot produce an adequate amount of heat to keep balanced heat. The prime reason for the same being, the baby’s body lacks adequate amount of fat to regulate ideal temperature. If the temperature falls beyond a limit, it can result in hypothermia.This condition does not come alone and brings several other problems, including low blood sugar and breathing troubles. The baby’s body tends to use all energy from breastfeeding to staying warm, and thus it does not help to grow. This is the prime reason, why preterm babies are kept in an incubator, until they can deal with the external environment on their own.
Check out 4 more short term complication of preterm birth here.
Kidney Stones: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
Kidney is the organ that filters the blood and formulates urine as a waste. Occasionally, salt and some other minerals solidify together to form kidney stones. The medical terminology for the same is Nephrolithiasis. The site for the stone formation is either in the kidney itself or in the urinary tract. The size of the stones may vary from sugar crystals to tennis balls.
Kidney stones usually do not cause any trouble and go unnoticed, if it is very minute in size and passes through the urine. According to the studies by the ILS Hospitals, approximately one in every 20 individuals, at some stage in life, develop kidney stones. It comes to notice only when it moves to the ureters causing hindrance to the urine flow and onset pain and discomfort while passing urine. Most of the stones will eventually pass from ureter to bladder with time.
Recognizing kidney stones can be quite tricky because abdominal pain can relate to several other factors as well, such as ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis. Also painful urination indicates possible urinary tract infection or any STD.
What are the symptoms?
When the stones descends to the urinary tract, it may either pass with urine, without any trouble or may initiate several symptoms such as:
- Sharp pain in the belly, back or groin
- Presence of blood in urine
- Frequent urination, usually accompanied by pain
- Nausea and vomiting
What are the causes?
Though anyone can develop kidney stones, some people with medical conditions like gout or taking certain medication are more prone to have it as compared to others. ILS Hospitals recommend that dehydration is one of the prime factors for the same. Moreover, diet and family history plays an important role in it as well. Urinary tract infection is another reason for the same, the stones develop because of infections. Certain metabolic abnormalities also increase the chances of having the stones.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A majority of people diagnosed with kidney stones falls in the age range of 20 to 49. A prior occurrence of kidney stone elevates the risk of having it again in future. The diagnosis of stones is mostly done by ultrasound. Additionally, intravenous pyelography and CT scan can be recommended depending on the severity.
Pain killers are usually given to deal with the pain. Occasionally, some medication is given to ease the flow of urine, so that small stones can pass without hindrance. If oral medication does not yield desired results, the surgical technique, lithotripsy is done.