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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Oral habits, teeth alignment
Treating cirrhosis of liver sans transplant
Back pain & leg length inequality
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Oral habits, teeth alignment There are subtle oral habits which are not noticeable initially – even by oneself but affect oral health and the alignment of teeth.
Lip biting: It is common to see people nipping their lips between the teeth. If this is performed frequently, it becomes a habit. The repeated biting at a spot leads to localised thickening of the lip. At this stage, one does become aware of the enlargement and wants to avoid biting it. But it becomes difficult since the bloated area gets trapped between the teeth easily. The conservative treatment consists of wearing an appliance, called lip bumper. The dentist makes this appliance to the measurement of the individual’s jaw. It is worn on the teeth and it prevents the lip getting trapped between the teeth. Gradually, as the lip is not bitten, the swelling recedes. The appliance also serves as a constant reminder to the patient not to bite. The other method is surgical excision of the distended area. Following surgery, the patient is advised not to bite on it and, if needed, also wears the same appliance to keep the lip away from the biting line for some time. Tongue thrust : Normally, on closure of the jaws into the bite, the upper front teeth overlap the lower anterior teeth. An individual with this habit thrusts his tongue between the upper and lower row of teeth. This leads to the development of space between the teeth. Tongue thrust habit is not self-correcting. The treatment consists of wearing an anti-tongue thrust appliance given by the dentist. It is worn on the upper teeth, and is not painful. The appliance restricts the tongue from projecting between the teeth. Infantile swallowing: This is like the tongue-thrust habit. Here the individual is not aware of the habit. However, it does not lead to marked distortion of teeth alignment. The treatment is the same as that for tongue-thrust. Mouth breathing: Normally we breathe through the nose most of the time. Some individuals, however, breathe through the mouth. This oral habit is important from the dental point of view. First, mouth-breathing may be caused by an obstruction in the nasal passages or the presence of large adenoids. If adenoids are the cause, the specialist advises to wait for natural remission, which often occurs as the child grows. Secondly, mouth-breathing can be just habitual. It may persist even after surgical clearing of nasal obstruction. The patient is also asked to keep a strict vigil during waking hours and keep the mouth closed, breathing through the nose. For the night, the dentist gives an appliance – Oral screen. This appliance is worn inside the lips and over the teeth, and prevents breathing through the mouth. Whatever is the cause, your doctor will ensure that nasal breathing becomes a routine. Then the teeth are likely to fall into their natural place. Sometimes an appliance has to be given to correct the projected teeth into alignment. It is important for parents to be vigilant and look for any of these habits in their children to help teeth grow into aesthetic alignment. The writer is Head, Dental Department, The Apollo Clinic, Chandigarh. email:
chawlahs@gmail.com
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Treating
cirrhosis of liver sans transplant Cirrhosis is the twelfth leading cause of death by disease, killing thousands of people every year. Chronic alcoholism and hepatitis C are the most common causes. In cirrhosis of the liver, scar tissue replaces normal healthy tissue, blocking the flow of blood through the organ and preventing it from working as it should. Two to three pegs in women and three to four pegs in men per day for years can cause cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholism, chronic hepatitis virus infection, Hepatitis B, C and D, autoimmune hepatitis, inherited diseases such Wilson disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), drugs toxin and infections are the causes of cirrhosis. Initially, the person affected feels exhaustion, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain, spider-like blood vessels (spider angiomas) on the skin. As the disease progresses, the complications such as swelling of whole body (Edema), accumulation of water in the abdomen (ascites), bruising and bleeding, jaundice, itching, gallstones, toxins in the blood or brain sensitivity to medication, portal hypertension, enlargement and engorgement of blood vessels due to local hypertension, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes and liver cancer may develop. In allopathy, liver transplant is the only solution but homoeopathy cures this condition by activating the patient’s own immunity. A patient in Chandigarh said, after 14 days of homoeopathic treatment, his liver ezymes came down to almost normal, SGOT from 561 to 42 and SGPT from 550 to 86. Another patient said: “My brother had been an alcoholic for the past 15 years and was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver. He was advised liver transplant. When my brother was struggling between life and death, somebody suggested me to try homoeopathy. We started taking this treatment. The result within a week was miraculous.” The writer is Director, Homoeopathic Research Centre, Chandigarh.
email-drcastro@rediffmail.com
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Back pain & leg length inequality Asymmetry in lowerlimb length is termed leg length inequality (LLI). This is one of the most commonly occuring biomechanical defects which is either not noticed by the individual or the treatment is delayed. This leads to a number of problems vis-à-vis back pain, hip pain etc. There is actual shortening of the long bone of the leg (anatomic defect) which could be due to a congenital or acquired reason. Functional inequality occurs when factors other than actual bone shortening/ lengthening make one leg shorter/longer than the other e.g. arthritis, joint fusion, malalignment, joint replacement etc. Diseases like poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy too lead to LLI. Various gait abnormalities encountered in the above mentioned cases: l l
An early heel off may be seen on the short side. l l l l Diagnosis: Clinically measuring the distance between two points, usually the hip and ankle joint is diagnostic. However, radiographic means clinches the diagnosis. l l LLI effects: l l l l Treatment: l l l l l People having leg length inequality or gait problems should immediately take opinion from the specialist to correct the problem otherwise they may have to suffer from back pain, hip arthritis, knee pain etc. The writer is Director, Medical Services (Power Utilities), Haryana
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Health Notes Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health examined 655 patients with Type 1 diabetes for 20 years and found that patients who gained weight over time were less likely to die. “Although weight gain in adulthood is typically associated with increased mortality, this may not be the case for those with Type 1 diabetes,” said Dr Trevor Orchard, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
— ANI
Toenails and heart disease risk
LONDON: Assessing the nicotine content in toenail clippings may help predict a woman’s risk of developing heart disease, says a new study. The US study on nurses suggests that measuring the nicotine content in toenail clippings can help in calculating the risk. The researchers analysed the toenails of more than 62,500 women, who showed double the level of nicotine in those with heart disease than those without the condition. The team believes that the test can bring out more accurate results than simply asking a person about their smoking history. It is well established that smokers have a higher risk of heart disease.
— ANI
Test to identify sleep patterns
LONDON: You can now find out whether you are an early bird or a night owl, thanks to scientists at Swansea University, who have discovered a new “non-invasive” technique of identifying people’s sleep patterns. Researchers from the School of Medicine at the University tested the method — simple mouth swab — at Cheltenham Science Festival to identify their natural pattern of wake and sleep — known as the circadian rhythm. The team said that instead of blood samples that were required to obtain the ribonucleic acid (RNA) needed for this type of research, all that is required now from the subject is a quick cheek-swab, reports the BBC.
— ANI
Lung surgery: Quick recovery
With the help of this technique, UAB Chief of Thoracic Surgery Dr Robert J. Cerfolio, instead of crushing the intercostal muscle and nerve that lies between the ribs during rib spreading, teased the muscle and nerve away from the rib and then moved it out of the way before spreading the ribs. This led to fewer traumas to the muscle and intercostal nerve and dramatically reduces post-operative pain. This simple variation in the previous technique would help patients return to normal activity quicker.
— ANI
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WASHINGTON: Diabetics are often advised to shed those extra pounds. However, a new study suggests that weight gain can actually help people with Type 1diabetes.
WASHINGTON: Researchers have developed a new modified muscle flap technique, which can help in further reduction of pain and quicken recovery in patients after lung surgery.