Conditions

Depression can manifest itself in many different ways. Learn to recognise signs of depression in a friend or a family member.  Counsellor Animitra Ghatak shares the surprising signs of depression and how you can help.   Depression is a mood disorder that may affect any of us at some point in our lives. This can be triggered by setbacks in life, bereavement or a chronic illness. Depression is not just about feeling sad or down. It affects the mind and the body. It…

Maveen Pereira is a mother of a young adult on the autism spectrum. She tells you what to do when your child seems to be acting out tantrums or seems to be out of control. TANTRUMS: 1.       Be Prepared for one: It is important to know what triggers a tantrum, how long these normally last, how it is manifested (violence to self, violence to others, jumping,…), what would prevent one from happening (e.g. preparing the child for a change in the routine if change…

Is stress causing your eczema flare-up? Dr Gita Mathai suggests remedies for different triggers What is eczema? The name ‘eczema’ covers a broad spectrum of skin diseases all of which are characterised by itchy, red, crusting and scaling. The skin eventually becomes thickened and hyper pigmented.  What are the types of eczema? Atopic dermatitis is the commonest type of eczema. It is caused by various allergies. It affects 20% of children worldwide. Children can ‘outgrow’ eczema, it can…

Mark Zuckerberg spoke recently about the three miscarriages his wife suffered before their successful pregnancy. Most people prefer not to talk about it, but, as Dr Chandan Dubey, obstetrician and gynaecologist, says, it’s fairly common with one in five pregnancies ending in miscarriage. Loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks is called a miscarriage. It is a common occurrence. One in every five confirmed pregnancies ends in a miscarriage. For these women the result is emotional and mental stress,…

Caring for a GERD Patient Heartburn is the most common symptom of this condition, although some GERD sufferers don't feel heartburn but instead experience chest pains and difficulty swallowing. Fortunately, with proper treatment and monitoring of the patient, the onset of more serious conditions can be prevented. Use the following suggestions to help comfort your family member or patient and ease the painful symptoms of GERD. Follow Up  After the initial GERD diagnosis, a follow-up doctor'…

In addition to medication to manage GERD, lifestyle changes are an important element of managing the condition: Lose weight. Obesity is the leading cause of GERD. Extra stomach fat places pressure on your abdomen, pushing gastric juices up into your esophagus.  Avoid foods known to cause reflux. If you're at risk for GERD, avoid: Fatty foods Spicy foods Acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus Mint Chocolate Onions Coffee or any caffeinated beverage Carbonated beverages Eat smaller meals…

In addition to managing lifestyle described here, treatment options include medication and surgery. Medication For chronic reflux and heartburn, the doctor may recommend medications to reduce acid in the stomach. These medicines include H2 blockers, which inhibit acid secretion in the stomach. H2 blockers include: cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), and ranitidine (Zantac). Another type of drug, the proton pump inhibitor (or acid pump), inhibits an enzyme (a protein in…

How is GERD diagnosed? Medical History Your doctor will begin assessing you for GERD by reviewing your symptoms. If you are frequently experiencing classic GERD symptoms, your doctor can diagnose you on that basis. The two most common symptoms are: Heartburn.  Regurgitation Lab tests People with severe symptoms may need to undergo tests that can both verify GERD and help doctors assess the scope of the problem. These tests include: Barium X-rays: The patient is asked to drink barium…

What are the symptoms of GERD? A burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), sometimes spreading to your throat, along with a sour taste in your mouth When acid refluxes into the esophagus in patients with GERD, nerve fibers in the esophagus are stimulated, causing the pain that is characteristic of GERD. Heartburn usually is described as a burning pain in the middle of the chest. It may start high in the abdomen and may extend up into the neck.  Chest pain In some patients, the pain may…