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Patient Instructions

HABITUAL ABORTION

Abortion is the expulsion of products of conception either fully or partially. The causes of abortion vary from hormonal disturbances any trauma or injury, a severe shock, infectious and foetal abnormalities. It is a nature’s way of rejecting a malformed baby. Other reasons can be: TORCH infections. Uterine weakness or displacement. Cervical canal weakness. Patient Instructions

CAUSES

  • Injury
  • Foreign bodies (splinters, bullets, sutures)
  • Ischemia (lack of blood supply) -infarction, gangrene
  • Hematoma formation
  • Obstruction of normal drainage (sweat glands, biliary tracts, bronchial tree, urinary tract)
  • Accumulation of fluid (cardiac edema, lymphatic obstruction)
  • After intramuscular injections
  • In some systemic illnesses (tuberculosis)

SYMPTOMS

  • Redness, tenderness, heat and swelling
  • Reddish streaks extending proximally
  • Enlargement and tenderness of regional lymph nodes
  • Fever, malaise
  • Tiredness and weakness

DO'S AND DON'TS

  • For external abscess
  • Application of heat relieves pain and often alleviates the redness and swelling .It also prevents pus formation (suppuration).
  • If pus formation has already taken place, hot application helps to localize the process and accumulation of pus i.e. it prevents the pus from spreading.
  • Elevation of the affected part reduces the swelling and relieves the pain.

CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR

  • -Incision and drainage of an abscess by a surgeon may be necessary at times if it is too large, if it does not respond to the normal line of treatment or if it is close to any important organ\structure (bone) etc.
  • -To get proper treatment especially in case of abscesses which develop in internal organs

SYMPTOMS

  • Bleeding from vagina either profuse or in spots.
  • Pain is usually dull type of pain in abdomen and back.

DO'S & DONT'S:

  • If you have a bad obstretic history like repeated abortions, malformed foetuses, consult a gynaecologist as soon as pregnancy is suspected.
  • Do not over strain, carry weights, or do labourous jobs during pregnancy.
  • Take plenty of rest but do take some light exercise. Exercises should be done only under medical guidance or expert opinion.
  • Take doctor's advice on diet and medicate.
  • Do not self medicate.
  • Do not self medicate.
  • Regular follow ups with doctor is must. Patient Instructions

ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS

This is a skin sign, which is a highly significant marker of a probable malignant (cancerous) disease when it develops in adults. The lesions are commonly seen in the axilla (armpit), groin, umbilicus, and nipples.

CAUSES

  • Cancer (adenocarcinoma especially of the stomach, lymphoma)
  • Cushing's syndrome
  • Acromegaly (a condition resulting from excess growth hormone secretion)
  • Stein-Leventhal syndrome

SYMPTOMS

  • -Itching
  • -Black to brown hyper pigmentation of the skin in areas of multiple confluent papillomas giving rise to a velvety elevation over the skin

CONSULT THE DOCTOR

  • If no benign cause can be found, periodic efforts to locate the neoplasm (cancer) is mandatory. Patient Instructions

ACHALASIA CARDIA

This is a skin sign, which is a highly significant marker of a probable malignant (cancerous) disease when it develops in adults. The lesions are commonly seen in the axilla (armpit), groin, umbilicus, and nipples.

CAUSES

  • The exact cause is not yet known but some postulate that it could be due to some virus
  • The symptoms are worsened by any emotional stress and hurried eating.

SYMPTOMS

  • Difficulty in swallowing solids and liquids
  • Regurgitation- Bringing back of food or liquids from stomach
  • Retrosternal pain and heart burn- Pain and burning sensation experienced in the centre of the chest. It can be very similar to cardiac pain.
  • Pulmonary aspiration (passage of food in to the lungs) due to retention of large amount of saliva and ingested food in the esophagus
  • Need to drink water frequently in order to force the food down
  • Initially the symptoms are intermittent but later on can persist for long time
  • Weight loss and anemia in later stages due to nutritional deficiency

DOS & DON'TS

  • Consume soft foods
  • Sit reclining in a chair after meals
  • Do not lie down immediately after consuming anything. This may lead to pulmonary aspiration

CONSULT DOCTOR

  • If the chest pain is very severe
  • In case of pulmonary aspiration
  • Patient Instructions

ACIDITY OR HEARTBURN

Acidity is a general term which usually refers to regurgitation of acid or partly digested food from the stomach into the food pipe (Oesophagus) or mouth.
The sourness is due to fermentation of food in the stomach or over secretion of acid.
Heartburn describes a burning sensation behind the breast bone or sternum.

CAUSES

  • Stress
  • Overeating
  • Obesity
  • Alcohol
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Irregular eating habits
  • Certain drugs like aspirin, antibiotics, etc.
  • Bending, lying down or physical exertion too soon after eating. Certain food like tomatoes, citrus fruits, onion, coffee, tea, spicy & fried food can also cause acidity.

SYMPTOMS

  • Burning in the chest after eating.
  • Sour eructations. Belching.
  • A feeling that food is getting stuck after swallowing.

DOS & DON'TS

  • Recognize signs of stress and identify the causes. At work reduce stress by learning to avoid long hours, not accepting unrealistic demands, setting realistic goals, accepting changes optimistically and not taking work related problems home. At home air your grievances, share your problems and regular weekend breaks with the family.
  • Take time to relax allowing about 20 minutes of leisure before and after eating and make meals enjoyable, unstressful occasions. Eat slowly, chew each mouthful well.
  • Eat meals at regular timings. Eat frequently but in small quantities. Do not overeat.
  • Avoid drinking immediately before meals and drink sparingly during meals.
  • Do not lie down immediately after meals. Eat less spicy, avoid fatty, fried food and those that contain possible irritants such as chemical food additives or hot spices. Avoid alcohol, reduce the amount of coffee and tea and avoid them entirely during an attack.
  • Don't smoke. It will irritate the stomach lining.
  • Drink cold milk at the time of heartburn.
  • Avoid painkillers or medicine which cause acidity. Hot compresses over the stomach are said to improve the blood supply in the area and relax the muscles.

CONSULT DOCTOR

  • If discomfort around the chest region is aggravated by exercise and better by rest.
  • If with heartburn you have difficulty in swallowing, breathlessness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or black or bloody stools.
  • If the heartburn occurs daily. Patient Instructions

ACNE

It is an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands (the oil-secreting glands) and the hair follicles. It is characterised by whiteheads, blackheads and pustules. Scarring is common and is usually associated with an oily discharge.

CAUSES

  • The cause is not fully understood, but the probable causes can be:
  • Heredity
  • Hormonal imbalance esp. during puberty
  • Hygiene
  • Improper diet
  • Stress
  • Drugs like corticosteroids

DOS & DON'TS

  • Wash your face frequently, atleast 5 times a day, taking care that it does not become too dry.
  • Do not scrub your face while washing because scrubbing on inflamed skin aggravates the acne.
  • Use a gentle cleanser made of natural ingredients or herbs rather than chemical preparations.
  • Do not use scented soaps and use a mild anti-bacterial soap if possible.
  • Try not to apply cosmetics regularly or use non-greasy light make-up of repute.
  • Do not sleep with your make-up on.
  • Do not overexpose your skin to the sun. Preferably wear a hat while going out.
  • Do not break your pimples else it will lead to secondary infection.
  • You can use facial steam to reduce inflammation and infection but never more than 15 minutes and not more than once a fortnight.
  • Diet should be rich in natural whole foods like whole grain cereals, fresh fruit salads and vegetables raw or lightly cooked. Avoid fatty food, chocolate, ice cream, butter, cakes, white bread, sweets and fried food.
  • Supplements of vitamin A and Zinc may be used.
  • Regular exercise will make your circulation better.

SEE A DOCTOR IF

  • Your acne does not respond in 2-3 months following the advice listed above.
  • If your acne is infected and there is pus like discharge.
  • If you are not sure if it is acne or any other skin eruption. Patient Instructions

ACOUSTIC NEUROMA

It is a neurofibroma [growth] arising from the eighth cranial nerve in or near the internal auditory meatus [inner ear opening]. It may occur in both sexes between the ages of 30 and 60 years.

CAUSES

  • - Von Recklinghausen's Disease [characterized by generalized neurofibromatosis - tumors of peripheral nerves along the course of the nerve]
  • -Prolonged use of cell phones for long conversations

SYMPTOMS

  • - Deafness
  • - Tinnitus [ringing sound in the ear]
  • - Chronic unsteadiness
  • - Tingling, numbness and pain
  • At later stage
  • - Headache
  • - Severe giddiness
  • - Vomiting

DO'S AND DON'TS

  • -Avoid long conversations on cell phones. Use hands free if you need to talk for long hours on the mobile phone.
  • -Do not clean the ear with pins or other objects. Gently clean the ear with ear buds only.

CONSULT THE DOCTOR

  • -If the giddiness is too severe