Be Cautious Of These Monsoon Diseases!

The much-awaited monsoon season is here. Providing respite from the summer heat this season is most awaited. However, monsoon also brings along numerous diseases every year due to harmful viruses. The humid climate, heavy rains and windy environment spreads many infectious diseases.

Listing below some common monsoon diseases:

1. Dengue:

Dengue is the most common disease caused during monsoon and is spread through mosquito bites of Aedes aegypti mosquito.  Some symptoms include:

• High fever.
• Rashes.
• Headache.
• Low palette count.
• Hypersensitivity.

2. Chikungunya:

Chikungunya is caused by mosquitoes born in stagnated water. These mosquitoes are found in overhead tanks, coolers, plants, utensils and water pipes. This disease is caused by tiger Aedes Albopictus. Some symptoms include:

• Acute joint pain.
• High fever.
• Fatigue.
• Chills.

3. Malaria:

Malaria is spread by Anopheles mosquitoes. Case of this disease increase in monsoon season as there is a problem of water clogging in many areas which makes it a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Some symptoms include:

• High fever.
• Body ache.
• Body chills.
• Sweating.

4. Cholera:

Cholera is caused due to the consumption of contaminated food and water. Poor sanitation and hygiene also cause it. Cholera needs immediate treatment because it can cause death within hours. Some symptoms include:

• Low blood pressure.
• Muscle cramps.
• Rapid heart rate.
• Dry mucous membrane.

5. Typhoid:

Typhoid is a highly infectious monsoon-related disease. This disease is usually caused by contaminated food and water. Some symptoms include:

• Prolonged high fever
• Weakness.
• Abdominal Pain.
• Constipation.
• Headaches.
• Vomiting.

6. Viral fever:

This is a common disease throughout the year but is more prominent during monsoon season. Some symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Weakness.
• Body chills.
• Muscle, body and joint pain.

7. Diarrhoea:

Diarrhoea is one of the most common health complaints during monsoon season. It can range from a temporary condition to a potential life-threatening one. This can be caused due to the consumption of unhygienic food and water. Some symptoms include:

• Loose watery stools.
• Abdominal cramps.
• Fever.
• Bloating.
• Nausea.
• Blood in the stool.

8. Common cold and flu:

The sudden change in weather, causing fluctuations in temperature, is the main cause of cold and flu during the rainy season. During monsoons, the immune system weakens and becomes vulnerable to cough, cold and flu. Some symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Aching muscles.
• Runny nose.
• Sneezing.
• Congestion.

9. Leptospirosis:

This is a bacterial infection which is transmitted from animals to humans. Cover any open bruises or cuts. This diseases usually spread through open wounds while walking through water-logged areas. Some symptoms include:

• High fever.
• Headache.
• Muscle aches.
• Abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
• Rashes.

10. Stomach Infections:

Stomach infections happen when you consume unhygienic food and liquid products. Gastroenteritis is one common stomach infection that occurs in this season. Drinking enough boiled water and home cooked food is advised in this situation. Some symptoms include:

• Low-grade fever.
• Nausea, vomiting or both.
• Abdominal cramps and pain.
• Diarrhoea.

How to prevent Monsoon Diseases?

Here are a few tips to follow to stay away from diseases:

1. Try to keep your home and surroundings mosquito free.

2. Use a mosquito repellent and wear full sleeved clothes while stepping out.

3. Avoid visiting crowded places to reduce your risk of viral infections.

4. Drink only boiled water.

5. Consume fresh homemade food.

6. Make sure your home is well ventilated.

7. Washing hands before eating any food.

8. Avoid touching your nose and mouth with your hand without washing them.

Play safe this monsoon, Eat a healthy diet and keep yourself away from mosquito bites. However if you or a family member especially children suffer from any illness, do not take it lightly. Many symptoms can be misleading and need medical attention.

Consult doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Please find below website for more details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/

The world observes World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) on 14th June every year. There are medical camps held worldwide to encourage blood donation and spread the message of blood donation. Blood is an important resource, both for planned treatments and urgent interventions. It is irreplaceable. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. Blood is also vital for treating the wounded during emergencies of all kinds (natural disasters, accidents, armed conflicts, etc.) and has an essential, life-saving role in maternal care.

Blood Donation Facts

• It is good for your heart health – Donating blood regularly can help to reduce how thick and sticky your blood is, thus allowing blood to flow more easily through the blood vessels and reach the heart faster.
• Helps burn calories – You can burn about 650 calories per donation of one pint of blood.
• Type O Positive Blood is the most needed – Although all types of blood are needed and accepted, type O positive is the most needed. It’s the most common blood type and can be transferred to any other positive blood types.

Blood Donation myths

The myths surrounding blood donation discourage many voluntary donors from giving blood. Here are a few myths:

• Myth #1: Donating blood is not good for my health, I’ll become weak.Fact: Donating blood does not affect your body in any way. Only 350-450 ml of blood is taken during a donation session. The body has approximately 5 litres of blood, and easily replenishes the blood that is donated.
• Myth #2: I can contract HIV or other infections from donating blood.Fact: Sterility is maintained at every level of the blood donation process. A new, sterile needle is used for each donation and is properly discarded at the end of each session. infection.
• Myth #3: I have already donated once this year, I can’t donate again.Fact:  You can donate four times a year, once every three months.
• Myth #4: I can’t participate in sports or other physical activity after donating blood.Fact: No, donating blood does not interfere with your ability to perform physically. However, you will be advised to stay away from heavy lifting and strenuous workouts for the rest of the day after the donation. You can get back on track the next day.
• Myth #5: Women can’t donate blood.Fact: While most women tend to have lower haemoglobin, anyone with haemoglobin levels of 12 and above can donate blood.

Things to know for Blood Donation

Often when donors turn up for emergency blood donations or even in voluntary blood donation drives, there are various eligibility criteria to look into. Follow these simple pre-donation steps to ensure that you will have a safe and successful blood donation:

1. Ascertain your eligibility: 

Although blood banks will ensure that only an eligible donor shall donate blood, a donor can still ascertain his/her eligibility before walking in to donate. In general, the donor:

• Must be in the age group of 18 – 60 years
• Must not have had a minor surgery in the last 6 months and a major surgery in the last 12 months.
• Must not have had a case of ear piercing in the last 6 months.
• Must not have had a case of dental extraction in the last 3 months.
• Must not have suffered from jaundice, typhoid in the last 1 year and malaria in the last 3 months.
• Must not have donated whole blood in the last 3 months.
• Must be healthy, fit, and not suffering from a current illness.
• Women should not be pregnant or breast feeding her child
• Must be free from Diabetes, not suffering from chest pain, heart disease or  unexplained fever.
• Also, donor’s blood pressure, haemoglobin and weight are checked before the donor is deemed fit for blood donation.

2. Sleep well on the previous night:

Getting a good night’s sleep the night before your donation is important because being tired can affect hormone levels.

3. Drink plenty of water:

Studies have shown that drinking a lot of water before a blood donation lessens the risk of fatigue and fainting. Water can increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system that makes people more alert, increases blood pressure and give more energy.

4. Have something to eat in the last 3 hours:

Eat a healthy meal before your donation. Avoid fatty foods, before donating. Tests for infections done on all donated blood can be affected by fats that appear in your blood for several hours after eating fatty foods.

5. Avoid alcohol consumption in 12-24 hours prior to donation:

At a rule of thumb, the person must not have had alcoholic drinks of any kind in last 12 hours at least.

6. Avoid smoking in last 2 hours:

It is generally advisable to avoid smoking 2 hours before a donation.

7. Ensure your Hb and blood pressure is at required levels:

Before you get onto the cot for a blood donation make sure that your haemoglobin level is tested and is in the acceptable range of >=12.5 g/dL. Also make sure that the blood bank checks your blood pressure levels.

Currently, in India, over 12 million units of blood are required annually, but only nine million units are available. As in many countries, including India, the demand exceeds supply, blood banks face the challenge of making blood available while taking care of the safety and hygiene. An adequate supply can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. Consult our Department of Transfusion Medicine for more details. Call our Blood Bank on 022-30937293, or visit the find below link for more details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/transfusionmedicine/blooddonation.html

What is Brain Tumour?

A brain tumour is a mass, or lump in the brain which is caused when brain cells divide and grow in an uncontrolled way. These brain cells grow and divide differently from healthy cells, forming a high grade (cancerous) or a low grade (benign) tumour. There are over 130 different primary brain and spinal tumours which are grouped and named according to the type of cell they grow from, their location in the brain and how quickly they are likely to grow and spread.

Type of Brain Tumour

What is the difference between a primary brain tumour and a metastatic (secondary) brain tumour?

Primary brain tumours originate in the brain itself. Primary brain tumours do not spread from the brain to other parts of the body except in rare cases. Pathologists classify primary brain tumours into two groups:

• Glial tumours (gliomas)
• Nonglial tumours

Gliomas are composed of glial cells, which include astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells, Schwann cells, microglia and satellite cells. Nonglial tumours develop on or in structures within the brain, such as nerves, blood vessels and glands.

Metastatic or secondary brain tumours begin as cancer in another part of the body. Some of the cancer cells may be carried to the brain by the blood or may spread from adjacent tissue. The site where the cancerous cells originated is referred to as the primary cancer. Metastatic brain tumours are often referred to as brain metastases or lesions. Metastatic brain tumours are the most common brain tumours.

Some Brain tumour facts:

• The brain is the body organ composed of nerve cells and supportive tissues like glial cells and meninges – there are three major parts – they control your activity like breathing (brain stem), activity like moving muscles to walk (cerebellum) and your senses like sight and our memory, emotions, thinking and personality (cerebrum).
• Brain tumours can occur at any age.
• Doctors group brain tumours are classified by grade (grade I, grade II, grade III, or grade IV -the most severe). The higher the grade number, the more abnormal the cells appear, and the more aggressively the tumour usually behaves.
• The most common types of primary brain tumours among adults are astrocytoma, meningiom, and oligodendroglioma.
• The most common type of primary brain tumours in children are medulloblastoma, grade I or II astrocytoma, (or glioma) ependymoma, and brain stem glioma.

Brain tumour Symptoms

Symptoms of brain tumours vary according to the type of tumour and the location. Because different areas of the brain control different functions of the body, where the tumour lies affects the way symptoms are manifested. Some tumours have no symptoms until they are quite large and then cause a serious, rapid decline in health. Other tumours may have symptoms that develop slowly.

Headaches is a common symptom, other symptoms include:

• Seizures.
• Changes in speech or hearing.
• Changes in vision.
• Balance problems.
• Problems with walking.
• Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs.
• Problems with memory.
• Weakness in one part of the body.

How are Brain Tumours diagnosed?

To diagnose a brain tumour consult a neurologist. He may suggest a few tests like CT scan or MRI for further diagnosis.

How are Brain Tumours treated?

Surgery to remove the tumour is typically the first option once a brain tumour has been diagnosed. However, some tumours can’t be surgically removed because of their location in the brain. In those cases, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be options for killing and shrinking the tumour.

Treatment also includes rehabilitation following treatment. Rehabilitation could involve working with several different therapists, such as:

• Physical therapist to regain strength and balance.
• Speech therapist to address problems with speaking, expressing thoughts, or swallowing.
• Occupational therapist to help manage daily activities such as using the bathroom, bathing, and dressing.

Risk factors

We don’t know exactly what causes brain tumours, but some of the risk factors that have been identified include:

Age

Brain tumours occur most commonly in children and older adults, though they can occur at any age.

Sex

In general, brain tumours are more common in men than in women (around 70 percent more common).

Radiation Exposure

Exposure to radiation. either diagnostic (such as a CT scan or x-ray of the head), therapeutic (such as with radiation therapy to the head to treat leukaemia, or when radiation was used to treat scalp psoriasis), as well as radiation related to atomic bomb blasts are associated with a higher risk of developing a brain tumour.

A personal history of cancer

Both childhood cancers, and cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukaemia, and glioma in adults, are associated with an increased risk of developing brain tumours. It’s not known if this is related to the cancer itself or treatments for the cancer.

HIV/AIDS

People who have HIV/AIDS have roughly double the risk of developing a brain tumour.

Seizures

Having a seizure disorder has been associated with the development of brain tumours. The medications used to treat seizures that may raise the risk.

Prenatal Factors

Prenatal birth weight, specifically a high foetal growth rate has been associated with a significantly increased risk of brain tumour. Even children who are born large for gestational age or small for gestational age are at more risk of having a brain tumour.

Medications

The use of certain anti-inflammatory medications has been associated with a reduced risk of brain tumours.

Pesticide Exposure

There is some evidence that exposure to insecticides used in the home increase the risk of brain tumours in children and young adults.

Occupational exposures

Many people are exposed to carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) at the workplace. Some occupations that have been linked with an elevated risk of brain tumours include fire fighters, farmers, chemists, and those who work with petrochemicals, power generators, synthetic rubber manufacturing, or agricultural chemical manufacturing.

Consult our Centre for Neurosciences for further assistance for brain tumour. Please find below link for further details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_neurosciences/braintumor.html

What is Glaucoma?

It is a gradual progressive optic neuropathy which is often but not always associated with high intraocular pressure resulting in slow loss of peripheral vision.

It is a leading cause of blindness next only to cataract and is one of the top five disorders targeted by the World Health Organization.

What is the mechanism?

Aqueous humour, a fluid which is secreted by the ciliary body in the eye, normally circulates and egresses out of the eye through a complex meshwork present in the angle recess called the trabecular meshwork (TBM).

The flow of aqueous humour can be restricted at the pupil where the space between lens and iris is very small, at angle recess which is normally a narrow alcove or at the TBM which is like a fine sieve.

This results in build-up of fluid inside the eye and the pressure affects the delicate nerve head of the optic nerve resulting in constriction of the visual field.

What is Intraocular Pressure (IOP)?

Fluid pressure caused by aqueous humour inside the eye is called IOP.

What is normal IOP?

IOP is not a number; it is always expressed as a range. The normal range is between 10 to 20 mmHg

What are the types of Glaucoma?

There are 2 broad classifications of glaucoma

• Primary
• Secondary

Primary can be congenital, open angle or narrow angle.

Secondary can be open or narrow angle depending on many identifiable causes.

In the open angle variant the damage is in the TBM while in the angle closure variant the resistance is at the pupil followed by the narrowing of angle recesses.

What are the risk factors?

While IOP is the only modifiable risk factor, family history is also an important risk factor. One out of every five people with glaucoma has a close relative who has it.

What are the causes of secondary Glaucoma?

Trauma to the eye, certain drugs like steroids, medications that have anticholinergic properties like topiramate can precipitate glaucoma.

Certain retinal pathology itself can cause glaucoma like proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

A hyperopic patient with long sight is more prone to angle closure due to the small structure of the eye.

What are the symptoms of Glaucoma?

Most of the time one remains asymptomatic until significant damage is done.

In angle closure glaucoma there can be transient headaches.

In sudden angle closure attack, there may be eye pain, headache, nausea and vomiting. It is often mistaken for a migraine or GI emergency.

What eye tests does one need to undergo?

The tests help in justifying the diagnosis, in making decisions about the management, how effective the treatment has been and whether there has been any progression in the disease.

What are the treatment modalities?

Depending on the type and severity of glaucoma, there are various modalities of treatment from laser and topical medications to surgery. Treatment is tailored depending on the disease’s severity, patient’s age and quality of life.

Is it curable?

Glaucoma, by definition, is a progressive disease no matter what treatment is given. Treatment definitely slows down the progression and stabilises and prevents the visual loss. Hence, early diagnosis, awareness, regular check-ups and prompt treatment is a must to prevent visual loss.

Watery Eyes in Infants and Children

Watery eyes in a newborn can be due to neonatal conjunctivitis, nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or congenital glaucoma. Sometimes watery eyes in a young child can be caused by seasonal allergies.

Tears flow out from the eye through the nose via a tear duct called the nasolacrimal duct which opens into the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity. The opening is partially covered by a mucosal fold called valve of Hasner which usually disappears several weeks after birth.

NLD obstruction is quite common, about 1 in every 20 babies born is present with this condition.

What are the symptoms of a blocked NLD?

• Waterlogged eyes
• Mucoid discharge
• Matting of lashes
• Sometimes eczema of the skin over the lids due to constant dripping of tears
• Pressure over the lacrimal sac often produces retrograde reflux of mucopurulent material through the lacrimal puncta

The infection results from stagnation of bacteria in the warm, moist environment of the lacrimal sac. Enlargement and abscess formation may occur in the lacrimal sac in infants with dacryocystoceles.

TREATMENT

The majority of infants with NLDO spontaneously improve during the first several months of life.

Digital massage of the lacrimal sac (Crigler’s massage) is commonly recommended. The goal of the massage is to force fluid through the distal NLD and cause the obstruction to open. If massage is used, it is important to use proper technique, which requires direct digital pressure over the lacrimal sac. The presence of mucopurulent reflux through the puncta indicates that pressure is being applied appropriately. It is not necessary to stroke the finger in a downward motion over the lacrimal sac as commonly taught; compression of the lacrimal sac is the only requirement to proper massage. Many a time parents don’t perform the massage correctly and often get frustrated with its efficacy. A topical antibiotic is recommended if there is significant discharge.

If children do not improve with time and conservative measures fail, surgical treatment is indicated. NLD probing has a fairly high success rate if done within 9 months of birth. In an older child probing is always attempted, if unsuccessful a dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR surgery) should be performed.

General Guidelines for Children with Refractive Errors

• Play in the garden or an open ground
• Let sunlight brighten your houses as it protects from myopia; artificial lights have no impact
• Avoid rubbing as it is associated with increase in astigmatism
• Wear spectacles all the time
• Ideal age to use contact lenses for children is > 14 years
• Ideal age to surgically correct the error is > 18 years
• Eye exercises, yoga, homeopathy, acupuncture and contact lenses (ortho-k) do not have any effect on myopia progression
• Get your child an eye check-up by 1 year of age if a sibling or parents use spectacles

While watching monitors

• Upper limit for the duration of TV watching per day is < 1 hour/day
• Take a break for 5 minutes after 20 minutes of TV
• Minimum distance from the TV should be 6 feet and from laptop should be 1 feet

How to choose the RIGHT spectacles for children?

Spectacle Frames:

• Half rimless or total rimless frames are best avoided in children as the lens falling off or chipping is common
• Plastic frames are better than metal frames in terms of retaining a good fit for longer
• Silicon nose rests/pads are useful to reduce pressure imprints on the nose
• Round or oval eye wire is better than the rectangular ones as it covers the eye
• Middle level bridge provide better coverage while looking up as well as down than a high or top level bridge
• A temple with a side-spring is useful as it provides excellent fit for very long

Spectacle Lenses:

• Avoid glass material as they have low safety profile
• CR39 plastic is cheaper compared to polycarbonate material. However, polycarbonate is tougher
• Anti-scratch coating is highly recommended for all plastic lenses
• Anti-reflective coating and/or high index lenses are necessary for > 4 diopter lenses only

Tackling Refractive Errors in Children

Refractive errors are one of the most important causes of visual impairment in children.

Uncorrected refractive errors can lead to poor vision, quality of life, and scholastic achievement in academics and extracurriculars. It could also lead to inattentiveness and problems like amblyopia or lazy eye and strabismus or crossed eye. A successful correction of a refractive error ensures normal development of binocularity and stereopsis.

One of the most common treatment modalities in children involves the use of spectacles. However, spectacle correction though simple is not straightforward. To achieve a satisfactory correction one should consider an individualised approach.

Important factors that need to be considered while prescribing glasses are the child’s age, type and magnitude of refractive error, amount of anisometropia, and presence of amblyopia or strabismus.

An infant’s world is confined to nearby objects, as a result uncorrected hyperopia is more detrimental than myopia in infants. Very high myopia or can be associated with amblyopia. Kids often get used to these types of vision problem, and might not mention it to their parents. As a result, their amblyopia might not be diagnosed for months or even years, while parents chalk up poor grades or clumsiness to a child not being academically or athletically gifted.

What is Amblyopia?

Commonly known as lazy eye, it is a condition where due to many reasons the eye does not acknowledge the images seen.

What causes Amblyopia?

During the critical period of growth (birth to 6 years old), both eyes must receive clear vision. Anything that interferes with clear vision, like an uncorrected refractive error, will result in amblyopia or anisometropic amblyopia. This is a neurologically active process and results in suppression of the image with a permanent decrease in vision that later cannot be corrected by glasses or any form of treatment.

Early detection and treatment by using glasses, drops and patching offers some of the best outcomes.

If the amblyopia is because of a squint, muscle surgery to improve the alignment of the eyes may be an option.

Patching: eye patches are not just for pirates

• A child needs to wear an eye patch which is a broad band aid taped on the stronger or good eye for a period of 2 to 3 hours while awake for several months to years depending on the condition. Though it is a challenge, children usually adapt well, and the patch simply becomes part of their day.
• Beyond 8 years, when kids reach visual maturity it becomes rather hard to treat this condition.
• When correcting farsightedness in children who are less that 6 years, it is advised to under correct the refractive error, the residual refractive error being just above the mean for that age group. This will act as a stimulus for emmetropia except in conditions like amblyopia and esotropia (convergent squint) where it is imperative to give full cycloplegic correction. In school-going children myopia should be fully corrected.
• Compliance to the proper spectacle use is as important as a good prescription. This can be improved by the use of frames that fit properly and use of restraints such as a head band in younger children. The spectacle should cover the eyes completely to avoid peeking over the glass.

Did you know?

• All infants are hyperopic, i.e. have farsightedness, average cycloplegic refractive error being +2.0 D. As they grow a process of emmetropization or becoming normal occurs between 12 months to 6 years
• It is estimated that 3% of children under 6 have lazy eye
• An eye patch blocks vision in the child’s good eye forcing the brain to recognise the images seen by the weaker eye