|
|
|
|
| HEALTH & FITNESS |
|
|
|
How diabetes can be a
hurdle in child bearing Ankle injuries: Time is of the essence Prevent constipation;
it can cause piles
|
|
How diabetes can be a hurdle in child bearing Neeta has been going to her gynaecologist for the last several years due to infertility. Despite the use of all the medicines prescribed to her, luck has not smiled on her. Why? While she is a good patient in getting advanced investigations like ultrasound, MRI, etc, done to reveal the cause, she has not cared to arrest her bulging waistline or put a stay on her blood sugar level despite the doctor’s pleadings. The roadblock
The prevalence of reproductive malfunction in diabetic men approaches 50 per cent, whereas in diabetic women it seems to be only slightly lower. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of inability to conceive. Poor semen quality has been reported in diabetic men, including decreased sperm motility and concentration, abnormal morphology and increased seminal plasma abnormalities. In addition, diabetic men may have decreased serum testosterone. Among diabetic women, neuropathy, vascular impairment and psychological complaints have been reported in the pathogenesis of decreased libido, low arousability, decreased vaginal lubrication, orgasmic dysfunction, and dyspareunia. An association between the production of excess radical oxygen species and disturbed embryogenesis in diabetic pregnancies has also been suggested. In fact, maternal diabetes during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of complications in the offspring, such as altered foetal growth, polyhydramnios, foetal loss and congenital malformations.
The problems
A woman who has diabetes that is not well controlled has a higher chance of having a miscarriage or stillbirth. Also, the new-born may have birth defects. The organs of the baby form during the first two months of pregnancy, often before a woman knows that she is pregnant. Blood sugar that is not in control can affect those organs while they are being formed and cause serious birth defects in the developing baby, such as those of the brain, spine and heart. The baby is “overfed” and grows extra large. Besides causing discomfort to the woman during the last few months of pregnancy, an extra-large baby can lead to problems during the delivery the for both the mother and the baby. The mother might need a C-section to deliver the baby. The baby can be born with nerve damage due to pressure on the shoulder during the delivery. When a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, she may have protein in her urine, and can often develop swelling in her fingers and toes that doesn’t go away. She might have preeclampsia, a serious problem that needs to be watched closely and managed by her doctor. Women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure more often than women without diabetes. Also women with diabetes are more likely to deliver early than women without diabetes.
Treatment
A good control of diabetes and supervision by your gynaecologist are required. For people with diabetes, the first step in treating infertility is to control their blood glucose levels. When diabetes is well-controlled, there is a decreased risk for many complications like heart attack, kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness and sex-related problems. The second step is achieving a healthy weight.
The writer is a Chandigarh-based Sr gynaecologist. Some tips
1. Eat breakfast, but not too much or too dense in calories 2. Include vegetables or salad in your lunch and dinner 3. Choose fruit as a snack 4. Replace full-fat food and drinks with reduced-fat alternatives 5. Choose wholegrain foods instead of more refined foods 6. Eat smaller serving sizes by using smaller plates and cups 7. Eat slowly and stop when you are satisfied, not stuffed full 8. Eat when you genuinely feel hungry, rather than for emotional reasons 9. Swap sweetened drinks such as soft drink and juice with water 10. Eat your evening meals early and at a dinner table with the TV turned off. |
|
Ankle injuries: Time is of the essence Ankle joint is an extremely common joint to be afflicted by injuries and the most common form is sprain. Anatomically, various ligaments that are stretched or torn surround the ankle joint when ankle is forced to land in varied unnatural positions. Ankle sprain ranges in severity from grade-I to grade-III depending on the extent of injury to the ligaments, which may range from partial tear to complete tear with symptoms of the ankle swelling and discoloration (due to the accumulation of blood and fluid). Prolonged immobilisation, improper rehabilitation, returning to activity without proper healing may result in instability vis-à-vis a balance deficit that increases the risk of re-injury. Individuals, when not treated adequately, experience a feeling of “giving away” of the ankle. On an uneven surface, while climbing stairs, such individuals are good candidates for recurrent ankle sprain. Recurrence causes chronic ankle laxity that is manifested as follows: Pain or soreness. Recurrent swelling. Loosening of ankle. General disability — locking or giving away. Treatment at the initial stage aims to reduce post-injury swelling, bleeding and pain, especially during the first 24 hours. Protection of ankle during the initial healing phase is extremely important. Ankle support, crepe bandage and in severe cases leg cast is applied. In some cases, crutches are used until pain-free weight bearing is achieved. In the next stage, the priority is to increase motion and strength that help in facilitating circulation and inhibit swelling. Start with upward/ downward movement of the ankle, progressing to inward/ outward movement of the ankle up to the point of pain. Walking on toes/heels improves the strength of the muscles supporting the Balance exercises: While standing, raise one foot off the floor and balance on the other foot with the arms raised at the shoulder level for a count of 10. Increase the count gradually to 20. Start this exercise with your eyes open and later on close the eyes also. Wobble board exercises: When the patient achieves full weight bearing without pain, exercises are started for the recovery of balance and postural control on a wobble board. The patient is instructed to stand on the board on both feet and maintain the balance. Once pain-free motion is attained, strengthening exercises are advised with a stretch band. Sitting on the floor/ chair, looping a band over one’s foot with the heel on the floor ankle is moved outwards/ inward, upward and downward. Patients can be declared fit to return to normal activity only during the following conditions: When there is a full range of motion of the ankle. Ability to walk without a limp. Pain-free hopping possible on the affected limb. If ankle pain is managed properly and well in time, the incidence of chronic pain can be effectively reduced. |
|
Prevent constipation; it can cause piles Many people who have a sedentary lifestyle and are fond of spicy food and partying have to suffer at one time or the other from piles or haemorrhoids. It does not develop overnight but is the result of a cumulative effect of years of abuse that one subjects one’s body to. If you have pain while passing stool and you feel that some mass is obstructing the stool or some bleeding occurs during this period, it is quite likely that you are suffering from piles. Piles may be internal or external, depending upon which veins are involved. In advanced cases of internal piles, there may be some protrusion during the passing of stool. In more severe cases, this protrusion may have to be manually reduced. Piles are veins in the rectum that become swollen. To put it simply, it is the result of stagnation of blood in the veins that are in the rectal area. Poor blood flow causes blood to collect in the veins and leads to their swelling. Today’s lifestyle is primarily responsible for this retardation in blood flow. Sedentary lifestyle where exercise is minimal and the food that we eat being unsuitable can lead to a variety of diseases. These are aptly called lifestyle diseases. The lack of exercise leads to obesity on the one hand and impairs digestion on the other, both contributing to poor blood flow. To add to the problem, the diet that we normally take is rich in fats and spices and low in the fibre content. Fibre in the food helps in forming the required bulk that is easily expelled from the intestines. Food articles that have a high fat content in them take a longer time to digest. Also, non-vegetarian food is particularly hard on the digestive system. It stays for long in the intestines. Fruits and vegetables are particularly easy on the digestive system. They are quickly digested and equally easily expelled. Constipation is the primary cause for piles. People having difficult or hard bowel movements are more likely to develop piles. Straining during the passage of stool aggravates the problem. It is very important that one should avoid being constipated. This does not mean that one should be dependant on laxatives as they may be helpful in the short term but over-dependence on them may be counterproductive. It is better to include a bit of exercise and walk in one’s routine to avoid constipation. Adding fruits, vegetables and salad to one’s daily diet will provide enough roughage to prevent constipation. Drinking a lot of water throughout the day also helps. In some cases, piles may occur during pregnancy. This happens because the increasing mass of the uterus puts pressure on the intestinal canal and retards blood flow. Usually the piles disappear after delivery, but sometimes keep on lingering for long after delivery.
Do’s and don’ts
Exercise regularly. Walking is a very beneficial, mild form of exercise. Drink lots of water. It aids digestion and prevents the dryness of intestinal canal, thus helping in the expulsion of the faecal mass. Eat light food like fruits and salads. Avoid heavy, fatty and spicy food. Don’t strain at stool time. Straining increases the problem. Use laxatives sparingly. A glass of milk at bedtime is a good laxative.
Role of homoeopathy
Homoeopathy is very effective in treating this problem. The problem disappears in a couple of weeks with proper homoeopathic treatment. In case one is able to observe the above mentioned precautions, this trouble will never recur once it has been cured by homoeopathic medicines. The most commonly used homoeopathic medicines are Aesculus, Ratanhia, Acid-nitric, Graphites and Hamamalis. The writer is a Mohali-based practising homoeopath. Email: drharshsharma
@gmail.com
|
|
Anaesthesia exposure before age 2 linked to learning disabilities in kids Smokers likely to have strokes almost 10 yrs earlier Playing soccer halves death risk among the homeless
|
She feels diabetes and obesity can be managed after the conception! Her doctor feels otherwise; pregnancy may not occur until Neeta gives attention to her waistline and blood sugar level. Experts tell us that diabetes is a major menace. A recent report suggested that the number of diabetics has risen to 347m worldwide. Another report said that Chandigarh has about 13 per cent prevalence of diabetes, and it is rising.