Floods And The Aftermath

Floods and the aftermath

The heavy downpour on Tuesday brought Mumbai city to a standstill. It caused water logging in several parts of the city and left people stranded due to limited transport availability. For many the day was spent treading across waterlogged areas while some chose to stay back at their work place. Power cuts, flooded roads and un-operational railway services brought the city to a halt.  The worst is over, however the after effect will still continue for a few days. Let us look at some of the health precautions to be taken.

Flooding and accumulation of water brings along with it various health issues and diseases. Bacterial infections and viruses spread easily. Children and elderly people are most vulnerable and need special care.

Some precautions post the heavy downpour:

1. Have you walked in the flood waters, do consult a physician for any medical precautions to be taken.
2. The stagnant water from gutters mixed with flood waters may carry leptospirosis bacterium, putting you at a high risk of contracting the disease. In case of any fever get yourself tested.
3. Water-borne and person-to-person infections can easily spread after a disaster. Dink only boiled water and maintain personal hygiene.
4. Gastrointestinal infections are common following floods, take care of your food intake.
5. Completely avoid street food, consumption of contaminated food can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever, food poisoning.
6. Mosquito-borne diseases increase during the rains. Uncollected garbage and filth across the city plays a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
7. Mosquitoes can lead to harmful diseases like Chikungunya, Malaria or even Dengue.
8. In order to stay safe from these diseases, make sure that there is no stagnant water in your area. Empty the dustbin daily and keep the area clean.
9. Use mosquito net and repellents to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes.
10. If you have a runny nose, sore throat, cough or fever, take the required medication and preventive measures so that the infection does not spread.
11. Rains also cause fungal skin infections due to dampness in the air. The skin infection can cause severe itching, discolouration and flaking of the skin of the particular area.

When it comes to maintaining good health, small precautions can go a long way. In case of any complications, please feel free to contact the doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/patients/makeanappointment.html

Alcohol has never been considered good for health. Heavy drinking can cause health problems. But many might not know that drinking alcohol can raise their risk of getting cancer. This is proven scientifically.

How Alcohol can cause cancer:

• • Damages Cell – When you drink, the alcohol in your body is converted into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. This can damage your DNA and stop your cells from repairing that damage, which can lead to cancer.
  • Affects hormones – Alcohol can increase the levels of some hormones in the blood, such as oestrogen, which is linked to breast cancer.
  • Folate and other nutrients – Alcohol drinkers tend to have lower levels of folate, an important vitamin that helps our cells produce new DNA correctly. Studies suggest that cancer is more common in people with low levels of folate in their blood.
  • Increases damage from tobacco – Drinking and smoking together raises the risk of cancer even more than drinking or smoking alone. This might be because alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco get inside the cells that line the mouth, throat and oesophagus.

Alcohol can cause at least seven types of cancer as per studies:

• • • Mouth
    • Throat (pharynx)
    • Voice box (larynx)
    • Oesophagus
    • Liver
    • Bowel
    • Breast
    • Cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, and Oesophagus: Alcohol use definitely raises the risk of these cancers. Combining alcohol with smoking proves even more dangerous.
    • Liver cancer: Long-term alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk of liver cancer. Regular, heavy alcohol use can damage the liver, leading to inflammation and scarring.
    • Colon and rectal cancer: Alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the colon and rectum. The evidence for this is stronger in men than in women.
    • Breast cancer: Even a few drinks a week is linked with an increased risk of breast cancer in women. This risk may be especially high in women who do not get enough folate in their diet or through supplements.

Apart from cancer, heavy drinking also causes heart disease, stroke, form of alcohol does not matter, beer, spirits or wine – they all put our long-term health at risk. The more you drink, the greater the risk of developing cancer. It is advised that one should not drink more than 14 units a week to keep health risks from alcohol low. If you do choose to drink, it is best to spread your drinks evenly throughout the week.

If you know someone addicted to Alcohol, do visit below details of our De-Addiction Clinic:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicsatkh/de-addictionclinic.html

You must have often heard of people complaining for sinus often. Have you ever wondered what is it? How is it different then the regular cough and cold? Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Healthy sinuses are filled with air. However, when they become blocked and filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause an infection.

Some conditions that can cause sinus blockage:

• Common cold
• Allergic rhinitis, which is swelling of the lining of the nose
• Small growths in the lining of the nose called nasal polyps
• A deviated septum, which is a shift in the nasal cavity

Below things can cause sinusitis in children:

• Allergies
• Illnesses from other kids at day care or school
• Pacifiers
• Bottle drinking while lying on the back
• Smoke in the environment

Where are they located?

Sinuses are a connected system of hollow cavities in the skull. The largest sinus cavities are about an inch across. Others are much smaller.

• Your cheekbones hold your maxillary sinuses (the largest).
• The low-center of your forehead is where your frontal sinuses are located.
• Between your eyes are your ethmoid sinuses.
• In bones behind your nose are your sphenoid sinuses.

Types of Sinus conditions:

Acute sinusitis (sinus infection): This is caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi which infect the sinus cavity, causing inflammation.

Chronic sinusitis: This is more than infection, chronic sinusitis is a persistent process of inflammation of the sinuses.

Deviated septum: If the septum that divides the nose is too far too one side, airflow can be blocked.

Allergic sinusitis: Allergens like pollen, dust mites, and pet dander cause the defences in the nose and sinuses to overreact.

Signs and symptoms of  sinuses:

• Sinus headaches are often at their worst in the morning because fluids have been collecting all night long. It can also get worse when the barometric pressure of your environment changes suddenly.
• As the discharge from your sinuses drains down the back of your throat, it can cause irritation, especially over a long period of time. This can lead to a persistent which worsens when lying down on the bed.
• Postnasal drip can leave you with a raw and aching throat. It starts as an  annoying tickle but may get worse. If the infection lasts for a few weeks it may result in a painful sore throat and hoarse voice.
• Cough and sometimes fever.
• It also leads to pressure or pain in the ears and teeth.
• It causes occasionally facial swelling and feeling of nasal stuffiness.

Some sinusitis facts:

• Sinusitis can be caused by infection, allergies, and chemical or particulate irritation of the sinuses.
• Most people do not spread sinus infections to other people.
• Sinus infection is generally diagnosed based on the patient history and physical examination.
• Bacterial sinusitis is usually treated with antibiotics. Early treatment of allergic sinusitis may prevent secondary bacterial sinus infections.
• Complications of a sinus infection that may develop aremeningitis, brain abscess, osteomyelitis, and orbital cellulitis.

Are you or a family member suffering from sinus? Get yourself treated at our specialised Sinus clinic:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/ent/entservices.html

There is a critical shortage of organs and the gap between organs donated and people waiting for transplant is increasing. Every year around five lakh people die waiting for an organ.

Here are some gruelling facts that convey the reasons why India needs to donate organs more:

• Around 1,00,000 people die of liver diseases. Only 1000 get a liver transplant.
• More than 2,20,000 people await kidney transplants but only 15,000 get one.
• 10 lakh people await a corneal transplant.
• 50,000 people need a heart transplant.
• 20,000 people await a lung transplant.
• Only around 0.34 persons per million of population donate organs in India’s population in a year.
• Deceased donation transplantation is now responsible for almost 40% of the liver transplants done in the country and over 15% of kidney transplants.
• At any given time, there are 8-10 brain-dead potential donors in ICUs of any major city.
• When a trained counsellor talks to the relatives of a brain dead patient and explains the possibility of organ donation, almost 65% will agree to donate.

Give a missed call to 80800 55555 to support Organ Donation.

Approximately 5 lakh people across the nation die due to unavailability of organs each year. There is a wide gap between the number of transplants awaited, and the organs available. There is an urgent need for more people to step and donate their organs; save the lives of people languishing due to organ failure. If you’ve never considered organ donation or delayed becoming a donor because of possibly inaccurate information, here are answers to some common organ donation myths and concerns.

MYTH: I’m too old to be an organ and tissue donor

FACT: Age is not a barrier. There’s no defined cutoff age for donating organs.

The decision to use your organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age. Don’t prematurely disqualify yourself. Let the doctors decide at the time of your death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.

MYTH: I’m not healthy enough to donate because of my lifestyle choices

FACT: You don’t have to be in perfect health. People who smoke, drink or don’t have a healthy diet can still donate.

There’s every chance that some of your organs and tissues may be suitable for donation. Don’t rule yourself out – count yourself in! The determining factors are where and how a person dies, and the condition of their organ and tissues.

MYTH: It’s my choice – I don’t need to discuss it with my family

FACT: Your family needs to know. They will be asked to confirm your decision.

• Families play a crucial role in the donation process. The family will be involved in each step of the donation process and be asked to provide vital health information – even if you have registered your decision. If you’ve decided to become a donor, you need to register your decision on the Organ Donor Registry.
• Most importantly you need to discuss your decision with your loved ones. Prepare your family so that they are comfortable being part of the process.

MYTH: Organ and tissue donation disfigures the body

FACT: Organ donation is specialized surgery and does not disfigure the body

• Organ and tissue retrieval is performed by highly skilled health professionals. The surgical incision made during the operation will be closed and covered as in any other operation and will not be visible beneath the person’s clothes.
• The donor’s body is always treated with dignity and respect

MYTH: If I have registered as a donor, doctors won’t try as hard to save my life

FACT: The doctor’s first priority is always to save your life.

Saving your life is the absolute priority of medical staff – health staff, doctors and nurses work incredibly hard to save people’s lives. Organ and tissue donation is only considered when it’s absolutely clear that the person has died or that death is inevitable, at which time the Organ Donor Registry will be checked.

MYTH: Rich and famous people go to the top of the list when they need a donor organ

FACT: The rich and famous aren’t given priority when it comes to allocating organs.

It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when a celebrity receives a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else. The reality is that celebrity and financial status are not considered in organ allocation.

MYTH: My family will be charged if I donate my organs

FACT: The organ donor’s family is never charged for donation.

The family is charged for the costs of all final efforts to save your life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation. Costs for organ removal go to the transplant recipient.