Management of incontinence in males

What is urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is simple voluntary loss over urine control. The patient keeps voiding some amount of urine from time to time which is not under his control and thus can come across with embarrassing situations.

Incontinence is of four types: stress on bladder, overflow, urge and functional incontinence.

What are the primary causes for incontinence in males?

•          Enlargement of prostate gland.
•          Injury to head and spinal cord resulting in loss of bladder control.
•          Neurological diseases like benign tumors or degenerative diseases like Parkinson or multiple sclerosis.
•          Advanced infections of urinary tract
•          Organic brain damage with aging leading to mental confusion.
•          Toxins like excess alcohol
•          Medications which sedate and relax the bladder muscles.

Diet modifications for healing of wound

Introduction

Wound healing is a procedure by which a lesion is repaired by body’s immunity system. Most of the times, wound result as an outcome of accident, soft tissue rupture, pressure ulcer or a non healed lesion in diabetic patients.

In above cases, wounds have to be closed by external mechanisms to prevent infection. This include, cleansing, dressing and surgery depending upon the severity of wound. Nowadays, most practitioners are following a team approach which also includes an active role of nutritionist to heal wounds quickly.

What are the essential components of nutrition?

The most essential requirements of the body which are to be met by augmenting it with nutrition are: huge amount of calories, important vitamins and minerals and amino acids. The primary goal of nutrition is to attain a balanced pH at the level of skin and to boost the body defense cells. 

Management of chemotherapy induced neuropathy

Introduction

The nervous system is the essential parts of the body. It is classified as the central and peripheral systems. Where the CNS operates between brain and spinal cord, the PNS extends from the spinal cord and other parts of the body to induce sensory and motor impulses. 

Any harm to the roots or nerve extensions, any external injuries or any entrapment within the soft tissues leads to disruption of entire system and production of various signs and symptoms. Peripheral neuropathic pain is the most dominant sign followed by a peculiar ‘pins and needles’ kind of sensation and burning of feet, hands, fingers and toes.

What is the effect of chemotherapy drugs on the peripheral nerves?

Chemotherapy medicines like interferon, thalidomide, cisplatin, Paclitaxel etc are known to cause harm to the nerve structures, the trunks and the branches. History of neuropathy and any previous chemotherapy sessions are secondary factors for nerve damage. Present history of diabetes, excessive alcohol intake, and tobacco or mal nutrition also makes the person more prone to nerve problems. 

Development of neuropathy with chemotherapy

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Nervous system is one of the most integral parts of our body. It is divided as central nervous system and peripheral nervous system which is concerned with generation of sensory and motor impulses and production of a muscular contraction. This takes place when peripheral nerves sends and receive impulses to and fro between brain, spinal cord and skeletal muscle fibers. Any damage to this normal working leads to peripheral neuropathy which is characterized by tingling, numbness, pain, burning and motor losses.

How is neuropathy related to chemotherapy? / Chemotherapy induced

Peripheral neuropathic pain and other symptoms are directly related to the dosages of chemotherapy drugs, the number of chemotherapy sessions and risks of pre existing neuropathies. Certain drugs used in chemotherapy like cisplatin, Paclitaxel, thalidomide and interferon can damage roots and branches of peripheral nerves. Moreover, people with diabetes, alcoholism, malnutrition or previous chemotherapy sessions are at a higher risk of nerve damage.

Yoga for sciatica and back pain relief

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is referred to as a painful condition of leg which results due to compression of sciatic nerve at the level of low back or as entrapment between the fatty tissues of body. This is characterized by shooting pain, numbness, tingling sensation and loss of sensation to distal parts of feet.

How does yoga help in relieving sciatic pain?

Sciatic pain is directly related to the extent of nerve compression and entrapment. The prime focus of back pain doctors is to get the circulation and nutrients to the nerve and ensure its re functioning around the areas where it is trapped. It could be compressed by a disc bulge, fatty buttocks or muscles of hip.

Yoga poses which are good for back pain and sciatica

Sciatica

Sciatic nerve which originates from lumbar spine is subjected to certain pathological abnormalities like inflammation, compression from a spinal disc or getting trapped between fat layers of thigh etc.            This often results in sensation loss, typical pins and needles kind of feeling and severe pain. This painful condition is referred to as sciatica.

How does yoga therapy contribute to sciatic pain relief?

According to the back pain specialist, the maximum influxes of patients suffering from sciatic back pain are those with higher degrees of nerve compression from a prolapsed disc and who are relatively obese.

Non-surgical pain relieving remedies for osteoarthritis

What is osteoarthritis?

A degenerative condition of knee joints which is progressive in nature and is often seen in people above 50 years of age is known as osteoarthritis. The condition leads to movement loss, pain and stiffness of the joints. 

Why are alternative remedies needed? 

Most people are turning away from surgical treatments for the fear of not resolving their problems even after surgery. This has brought into light a number of alternative measures which are being opted by many doctors as well as patients for an effective osteoarthritis pain management. These remedies though do not cure the arthritis or the bone changes which have already taken place but can definitely slow down the overall process and elevate the physical wellness of patient.

Alternative remedies for osteoarthritis

A brief about arthritis

Osteoarthritis is simple wearing and tearing of knee joints which progresses with age especially after 45-50 years. Arthritis patient presents with marked pain and stiffness along with some rigidness within the joint which does not allow complete range of motion.

Why are non surgical treatments more opted for?

There is absolutely no assurance of symptoms reversal and joint improvement even after the surgery instead, the patient undergoes a traumatic experience on the surgical table as well as continues to struggle with his own joints lifelong. 

Replacing conventional radiation therapy by Hyperbaric oxygen for cancer treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy – What is it?

Inhaling oxygen in its purest form in a chamber which is sealed after oxygen is pressurized to 2-3 times the normal pressure in the atmosphere is known as HBOT. 

There is so far no evidence of cancer cure using the hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone. However, the cancer center strongly supports the benefits of HBOT along with the ongoing cancer treatment for the patient. This therapy combats harmful effects of radiation treatment which is well known to cause a delayed bone damage or osteoradionecrosis and hence compliment the overall cancer treatment

Galvanotherapy – Recently developed cancer treatment

Galvanotherapy

Galvanotherapy, also called as electrochemical therapy is recently evolved treatment of cancer which practices the fundamental principle of rehabilitation by inducing electrical impulses in the body to reinforce the weakened muscle mass after a surgery or fracture etc.

Many cancer treatment centers have now included bioelectrical therapy, BET or ECT as an integral module which is superior to many harmful therapies and is accepted worldwide for its non invasive and safe properties.

What is the standard theory of Galvanotherapy?

Theoretically, the BET or ECT works on the basic principle of destroying the cancer producing cells by subjecting them to direct currents via two electrodes. This eliminates the need for a surgery or simple excision.