Archives: Treatments

Balloon Sinuplasty is a type of endoscopic nasal surgery, which uses small balloon catheters that inflate in order to drain the large nasal sinuses. Also commonly known as the ‘smart sinus’ procedure, the balloon sinuplasty is often recommended for people with chronic sinusitis, when all other treatments for their condition prove to be ineffective. The procedure is straightforward with minimal complications, and there’s no cutting or removal of any bones or tissue. It still carries a few risks, which includes the same types of risks that other sinus surgeries do. This procedure has been adapted from angioplasty, where balloon catheters are used for diluting damaged or congested blood vessels near one’s heart.

Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure for the removal of the tonsils. Tonsils are two-oval-shaped tissue pads present at the back of the throat on either side. 

A lung transplant is an effective treatment for people with severe lung disease, where a diseased or failing lung is replaced with a healthy lung, usually from a deceased donor. This treatment option is reserved for people who have tried multiple other treatments but failed to see any significant improvements.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons surrounding your shoulder joint. They help you to lift and rotate your arm and they also keep your shoulder joint in place. 

Pulmonary function tests are a group of tests for measuring the effectiveness of your lungs. This includes how well the individual is able to breathe and the effectiveness of the lungs to bring oxygen to the other parts of the body. It’s a noninvasive procedure, which means the doctor doesn’t need to cut you or put any tools inside your body.

A pelvic exam is an evaluation through which a doctor can look for signs of illness in the reproductive organs of a woman’s body. In this exam, the organs which are inspected include the vagina, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, vulva and uterus. Pelvic exams are performed routinely at public and private healthcare providers at their offices or clinics.

A colectomy is a surgery for removing a part of the colon or all of it. It is also known as large bowel resection. Colon also known as large intestine, is a long tube-like organ which lies at the end of the digestive tract. Colectomy can be required to treat or prevent any diseases or conditions which can affect the colon.

Nissen fundoplication referred to as Lap Nissen, is a surgery performed on patients suffering from Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). 

A liver biopsy is a medical procedure in which a small amount of liver tissue is removed surgically, to analyze it in the laboratory for signs of damage or disease. 

ECMO involves pumping the blood outside from your body into a heart-lung machine. The machine removes carbon dioxide and pumps back oxygen-filled blood into your body tissues (Read more).

Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan or HIDA scan is an imaging test that captures the images of the organs of the body to diagnose the presence of various medical ailments related to those organs. It is also called the cholescintigraphy and hepatobiliary scintigraphy. This test finds its use for gallbladder ejection fraction. Gallbladder ejection fraction is a test that measures the rate of release of bile from the gall bladder. Doctors usually use this test with ultrasound tests and X-rays.

Colonoscopy is a procedure which can enable your doctor to evaluate the insides of your colon (large intestine or large bowel). The colonoscope is a long and flexible tube, which has the thickness of a finger. It has a camera as well as a source of light on its tip.

A computerized tomography scan (CT scan) is a procedure that can allow doctors to see inside your body. It combines X-rays and a computer to create cross-sectional images of your bones, organs as well as other tissues. It can show more detail as compared to a regular X-ray.

A nephrectomy is a surgery that is performed to remove parts of or all of one of your kidneys. The kidneys are vital organs which filters water as well as waste products from your blood. They produce certain hormones as well.

Atherosclerosis is a condition which causes the arteries to narrow and harden. This leads to your arteries getting blocked, putting your blood flow at risk. It is usually caused by the build-up of fats, cholesterol and other such substances in and on your artery walls. The plaque can burst, which can trigger a blood clot. Atherosclerosis is often considered a heart problem, but it might affect any part of your body. This condition is preventable as well as treatable.

Carpal tunnel syndrome also known as median nerve compression, is a condition which can lead to numbness, tingling or weakness in your hand. It occurs due to a pressure on your median nerve, which runs the length of your arm and goes through a passage in your wrist which is known as the carpal tunnel, ending in your hand.

Spina Bifida also known as neural tube defect, is a birth defect that occurs when your spine and spinal cord don’t form correctly. The neural tube is the structure in a developing embryo which eventually becomes the brain of the child, spinal cord as well as the tissues enclosing them.

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which worsens over time and makes it hard to breathe. In this ailment, the air sacs in the lungs lose their elasticity and get enlarged. The alveoli which are located at the end of the bronchioles of the lungs become enlarged due to their walls breaking down or the air sacs getting destroyed, narrowed, stretched, collapsed or over-inflated. Having fewer and larger damaged sacs means a reduced surface area for exchanging oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of it. The damage caused by this ailment is permanent and unfortunately, there is no known way to fully recover from it.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a painless and non-invasive procedure, which uses a magnetic field, along with computer-generated radio waves for creating detailed images of the organs, as well as tissues in the body. This procedure is done using MRI machines, which are large, tube-shaped magnets. 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a common form of skin cancer, which is found in areas of the body that have been damaged by the sun’s UV rays or tanning beds. The exposed skin can include skin in the head, neck, chest, upper back, lips, ears, legs and hands.

When a fertilized egg implants itself outside of the uterus, it is termed as ectopic pregnancy. It’s also referred to as tubal pregnancy, as most of such pregnancies happen in the fallopian tubes. The problem can be with the egg or the tube and the egg get stuck on the journey to the uterus.

Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder, which affects the connective tissue in the body, which gives support and strength to various parts of the body such as cartilage, blood vessels, etc. This syndrome usually affects the eyes, blood vessels, the heart and the skeleton.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease also known as GERD, is a digestive disorder which is known to affect the lower esophageal sphincter, the ring of muscle between the esophagus and the stomach. It occurs when the stomach acid frequently flows back into the tube which connects the mouth and the stomach. The backwash might irritate the lining of the esophagus. Many people are known to experience this ailment quite often.

An arrhythmia is a condition of irregular heartbeat, where a person’s heart may beat too fast, too slowly or with an irregular rhythm. This problem occurs when the electrical signals that coordinate heartbeats don’t work properly. An irregular heartbeat might feel like a racing heart.

Hemodialysis is a process of filtering wastes and fluid from your body, after your kidneys are no longer healthy. Hemodialysis is one of the ways to treat advanced kidney failure and it helps one carry on an active life despite having failed kidneys.

Atrial fibrillation is a problem that occurs with the heart’s electrical activity leading to irregular and rapid heart rate, which can increase one’s risk of strokes, heart failure or other complications.

Cholecystectomy (or gall bladder removal) is a surgical procedure for the removal of your gall bladder. The gall bladder is a pear-shaped organ present below the liver on the upper right portion of your abdomen. The function of the gall bladder is to collect and store bile which is a digestive fluid that the liver produces. The surgery is quite common with hardly any complications. Your doctor will perform either Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy or, in some cases, an Open Cholecystectomy. Nearly 80% of people having gall stones undergo Cholecystectomy.

Jaw surgery also termed as orthognathic surgery, is performed to connect irregularities of the jaw bones to realign the jaws and teeth for improvement in the way they work. Making these connections can also help in improving your facial appearance.

Rhinoplasty also termed as a nose job, is a surgery that is performed to change the shape of the nose. It can be performed to change the appearance of the nose, to improve breathing or both.

Bariatric surgery comprises gastric-bypass and other surgeries for weight loss. These surgeries require changes in your digestive system that help you lose weight. You need to undergo a bariatric surgery when you didn’t see the desired results with a strenuous diet and exercise. You may also have to or for the surgery if you are experiencing grave health issues because of your weight. While some procedures limit your diet, there are other procedures that work by hindering your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients. There are many benefits that this surgery offers. To get success in the long run, you must make permanent alterations in your diet and exercise regularly.

Cryotherapy is a form of pain treatment method is which localized temperatures in which localized freezing temperatures are used to deaden an irritated nerve. It can also be used to treat some forms of cancers such as prostate cancer as well as for treating abnormal skin cells by dermatologists. Although you can receive benefits from just one session of cryotherapy, it is more effective when it is used on a regular basis. Some athletes even use it twice a day, while there are also others who use it daily for 10 days and after that go once a month.

Spinal stenosis is a condition that occurs when the space around the spinal cord narrows down and causes pressure on the nerve roots. This is usually caused by wear-and-tear arthritis. As the cartilage wears away, and a bone rubs against other bones, this can result in overgrowth of other bones that can intrude into space of the spinal cord. It usually occurs in the lower back and the neck.

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder. People suffering from this disease don’t have adequate healthy red blood cells that can carry oxygen throughout their bodies. The red blood cells are flexible and disc-shaped. Normally, they can easily move through the blood vessels. However, in Sickle Cell Anemia, the red blood cells acquire the shape of a sickle or a crescent moon. The cells become sticky and rigid. Ultimately, they are not able to pass through the small blood vessels. This blocks or slows down oxygen and blood flow to various parts of your body.

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure performed to treat kidney failure, where a healthy kidney is placed from a living or deceased donor into the person whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. 

LASIK (Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is the most commonly performed laser eye surgery used to treat eye disorders, viz. myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. Like other types of refractive surgeries, this procedure can reshape the front surface (cornea) of the eye to enable light entering the eye to focus on the retina without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

Liposuction, which is also termed as lipectomy, lipoplasty or liposculpture suction, is a type of cosmetic procedure, which can break up and suck the fat out of the body. 

A root canal is a treatment that is used for repairing and saving an infected tooth which has been badly damaged, rather than removing it. `Root canal’ is a term that comes from cleaning the canals inside the root of a tooth. 

When one of the blood vessels in the brain ruptures and bleeds and the blood supply to the parts of your brain is interpreted, this prevents the brain from receiving essential nutrients and oxygen. This can cause damage as well as the death of brain cells within a few minutes.

Glioblastoma is an aggressive tumor occurring in the brain or the spinal cord. It forms from astrocytes (star-shaped cells) that support the nerve cells. Although this type of cancer can occur to people of any age, it is more common in elderly people. Another name for the disease is Glioblastoma multiforme. 

The cancer of the lymphatic system is called Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The lymphatic system is a part of the immune system of the human body. While it may occur at any age, it mostly affects the people of 20-40 years age group. It may also affect the people who are over the age of 55 years. There is an abnormal cellular growth of the cells in the lymphatic system that spread to all parts of the body in Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. There are two most common types of cancer in the lymphatic system. Of them, one is the Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (or Hodgkin’s Disease) while the other is the Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is cancer originating from the lymphatic system of the human body. The lymphatic system fights the infections and spreads across our entire body. In this disease, the tumors develop from a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. It is one of the two general types of lymphoma and is more common than Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. 

A liver transplant is a surgical procedure in which a liver that can’t function properly is removed to replace it with a healthy liver from a deceased donor. It can also be replaced with a partial healthy liver from a living donor.

The optic nerve needs to be in a proper condition for good vision and Glaucoma is a serious condition that directly affects and damages the same. The most common cause of such damage is excessive pressure on the eyes. According to several pieces of research, Glaucoma is presently one of the leading causes that result in blindness, especially in older adults above 60 years of age.

A Brain Aneurysm is a condition in which there is ballooning or bulging of a blood vessel of your brain. It may rupture or leak which may result in bleeding in the brain. This is termed as a hemorrhagic stroke.

Lumbar Laminectomy is a surgical procedure that also goes by the name open decompression surgery and much like the name suggests, in this surgical procedure, surgeons aim to relieve spinal cord pressure caused by central spinal stenosis. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove the laminae in the spinal cord and reveal the bone spurs and tissues causing the compression. To relieve pressure, your surgeon will cut and clean the bone spurs and remove any tissues responsible for the compression.

A Cervical Laminectomy can be defined as a medical procedure that aims to relieve pressure from the spinal cord and nerves caused by nerve compression in the region. In this decompression surgery, your surgeon will remove the laminae present in the spinal cord and cut away the bone spurs and tissues that are causing the compression.

Occurring in the vagina, vaginal cancer is a rare cancer. The vagina is a muscular tube connecting the uterus with the outer genitals. It mostly occurs in the cells lining the surface of the vagina called the birth canal. Primary vaginal cancer that begins from your vagina is rare. However, the other types of cancer spread from different parts of your body to the vagina. Vaginal cancer is difficult to treat if it spreads beyond the vagina.

A chronic, inflammatory disorder affecting more than just joints is called rheumatoid arthritis. It can damage a wide variety of body systems in some people, like lungs, skin, heart, eyes and blood vessels. It is an autoimmune disorder that takes place when the immune system attacks its own body tissues mistakenly. The condition affects the lining of the joints. This causes a painful swelling resulting in joint deformity and bone erosion.

Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells that develops on the exposed skin. These areas are the face, arms, chest and hands. However, this can also affect the areas of skin that get less exposure to the sun’s rays. These areas are lips, scalp, neck, the bottom of the feet, ears, genitals and under your fingernails or toenails. Skin cancer starts to appear as freckles, moles or spots on skin.

Throat cancer is the presence of cancerous tumors that develop in the throat (pharynx), tonsils or the voice box (larynx). Beginning behind the nose, throat is a muscular tube that ends in your neck. This type of cancer usually begins in the flat cells lining the inside of the throat. The voice box is present below the throat and is at an equal risk of throat cancer. Cartilage makes up the voice box. Vocal cords that vibrate making sound whenever you talk are present in the voice box. Epiglottis acts as a lid for the windpipe. Throat cancer can also affect a part of the epiglottis.

Chronic Sinusitis is a condition when the spaces (sinuses) inside your head and nose have swelling and inflammation for more than three months. The condition interferes with the normal draining of mucus and leading to a stuffy nose. This results in difficulty in breathing with swelling or tenderness in the area around your nose. An infection, a swelling in the lining of the sinus or growths (nasal polyps) in the sinus may cause Chronic Sinusitis. The condition may affect both adults and children equally. It is also called Rhinosinusitis.

A serious sleep disorder in which the breathing of a person repeatedly interrupted during sleep is called Sleep Apnea. People who wake up tired and snore loudly even after taking sufficient full night’s sleep might be suffering from sleep apnea.

When a clouding is formed over the clear lens of the eyes, it is called a Cataract. People suffering from this ailment feel like seeing through a frosty or fogged-up window when they see through their cloudy lenses. It causes difficulty in several day-to-day activities, such as reading, driving, or even seeing somebody’s face clearly. Although most cataracts develop slowly, your eyesight doesn’t get disturbed early on. However, over time, it eventually starts interfering with your vision. Sometimes cataracts also make the colors appear less vibrant, and yellowed, similar to a sepia-toned photo. Though it is known as the most common cause of vision loss worldwide, it is treatable.

The cancer of the lymphatic system is called lymphoma. The lymphatic system comprises lymph nodes and vessels that are responsible for the movement of the lymphatic fluid throughout the body. White blood cells that fight the infections are present in the lymph fluid. The lymph nodes prevent the spread of infection. 

Laser Hair Removal is a procedure that uses a laser for the removal of unwanted hair. 

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation in the liver. Sometimes, it may cause serious damage to the liver. The virus (HCV or hepatitis C virus) transmits through contaminated blood. Nearly 50 percent of the population is unaware of the fact that they are suffering from hepatitis C. This is mainly because the symptoms don’t appear until the infection advances. Most people suffering from liver disease undergo screening for hepatitis C.

Grave’s Disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones. The condition is called hyperthyroidism. Amongst the various causes of hyperthyroidism, Grave’s disease is the most common source. This disease is more common in women and people below 40 years of age.

Gallstones are collections of hardened deposits of digestive fluid in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped, small organ situated on the right side of the abdomen beneath the liver. The digestive fluid called bile is present in the gallbladder. The gallbladder holds this fluid that is released into the small intestine of your body. The size of the gallstones may range from a sand grain to a golf ball. The number of gallstones formation may vary from one to many at a time.

Diabetes mellitus or diabetes is a metabolic condition characterized by high blood sugar (blood glucose) levels associated with other manifestations. It affects the way your body uses blood glucose. Glucose is a fundamental source of energy for the cells that form your tissues and muscles. Hence, it is absolutely necessary for the body and is the main source of fuel for functioning of the brain. Depending on the type of diabetes, the causes of the disease vary. It leads to high sugar levels in your blood, which may cause serious health complications. Insulin is a hormone that takes sugar into the cells for storage to be used for energy later.

Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease that causes severe damage to the digestive system, lungs, and the other organs of the body. It affects sweat, mucus, and digestive juices producing cells. Normally slippery and thin, these fluids turn sticky and thick in people suffering from cystic fibrosis because of a defective gene. These fluids clog the ducts, tubes, and the passageways mainly in lungs and the pancreas, instead of their lubricating action. The condition progresses with the passage of time and requires you to take care of your health.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a condition causing obstructed airflow from the lungs. It is a chronic inflammatory lung disease caused by long-term exposure to particulate matter or irritating gases including cigarette smoke. People suffering from COPD are at a higher risk of lung cancer, heart diseases, and other conditions. The two conditions that contribute the most to COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Usually occurring together, these conditions vary in severity amongst the individuals suffering from COPD.

Congestive heart failure is a progressive condition affecting the pumping of blood. It occurs when the muscles of your heart fail to pump blood efficiently. This is mainly because of certain conditions like coronary artery disease (narrowing of arteries in your heart) and high blood pressure that weaken your heart. This results in inefficient filling of blood in your heart and pumping further.

Cancer is one of the diseases that involve abnormal growth of cells. This is an uncontrollable disease that can even affect other parts of the body. One such type of cancer is colon cancer, which affects the digestive tract. Cancer starts from the large intestine and reaches the colon, which is the last part of the digestive system. The disease generally affects the ones who are older in age, but the disease is not age bound and affects the person of any age.

It is a late stage of the fibrosis or scarring of the liver. Many liver diseases or conditions like chronic alcoholism or hepatitis result in cirrhosis. Whenever any disease or excess consumption of alcohol damages your liver, it tries to undergo repair. The scar tissue forms during this process. With the advancement of cirrhosis, more scar tissue develops so that the liver functioning becomes difficult. This condition is decompensated cirrhosis. Advanced cirrhosis may turn out to be life-threatening.

Astigmatism is a common imperfection in your eye curvature that results in blurred distance & near vision, which is generally treatable. When the cornea of your eye or the lens inside your eye possesses mismatched curves, astigmatism occurs. The cornea is the front surface of your eye. The surface becomes egg-shaped instead of having a round ball shape. Because of this, you get a blurred vision at every distance. Often present by birth, the condition occurs in combination with farsightedness or nearsightedness. It doesn’t require corrective action if it isn’t much pronounced. You may opt for lenses or surgery if pronounced.

An Anal Fissure is a tear in the thin mucosa (moist tissue) that lines the anus. It occurs on passing large or hard stools during the bowel movement. Usually, the person may experience pain and bleeding with bowel movements due to Anal Fissures. At the end of the anus (anal sphincter), the person might also experience spasms in the ring of muscle. Although it affects people of any age, it is very common in infants. Some people need simpler treatments while others require medications and surgery for the same.

When the pain spreads out from the sciatic nerve, it is Sciatica. The pain generally boards from the lower back i.e. from hips and buttocks towards the legs. This is the pain that usually affects one side of the body. It mostly occurs when the nerves are compressed by a bone spur on the spine, narrowing of the spin or herniated disk. This can often leads to pain, inflammation, and numbness in legs.

When tissues like part of the intestine protrude through the weak abdominal muscles’ spot, an Inguinal Hernia occurs. The bulge causes pain when you bend, cough, or lift a heavy object. It is not mandatory that the condition is dangerous.

Anemia is a common medical condition is which there is a deficit of Red Blood Cells for carrying oxygen to the various organs of the body. People who suffer from this condition have a low hemoglobin level which is the main protein of the red blood cells.

Diverticula are small pouches that develop in the lining of your large intestine, usually forming in the lower part of the organ. Diverticulitis is a a condition in which one or more of the pouches become inflamed or infected.

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn’s disease causes severe inflammation if the digestive tract. As a result, you may experience problems such as acute diarrhea, malnutrition, abdominal pain, weight loss, and fatigue.

Esophagus or Esophageal cancer is a medical/ cancerous condition that develops in the esophagus. In most cases, Esophagus cancer would start to develop in the inner layer of your esophagus and then spread to other parts of esophagus and the body.

ABA stands for Applied behavioral Analysis and is the most widely used and effective therapy for children with autism disorder. The main goal of ABA therapy is to reduce undesirable behaviors and increase targeted behaviors or skills in the children suffering from autism (read more..)

Some hormones of our body may help growth of cancers like breast & prostate cancer. In hormone therapy, medications are given to deprive the cancer cells of the hormones they need to grow.

Brachytherapy is an internal beam radiation therapy technique where radiation seeds, the size of rice grains are placed in the prostate using a needle, guided by ultrasound imaging. The radioactive seeds keep emitting low dose radiation beams to the cancer over a long period of time (read more…)

Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high level radiation doses to either kill and eliminate the cancer cells or to shrink the malignant (cancerous) tumors in the body. Radiation Therapy uses highly, focused light or heat waves which breaks down the DNA of the cancer cells.

Basal cell carcinoma is a cancer which can grow on parts of the skin which get a lot of sun. It is the least risky type of skin cancer and it is unlikely to spread to other parts of your body and it can be cured easily if it caught early. The tumors usually start off as small shiny bumps, usually on the nose or other parts of your face. But they might occur on any part of the body, including the arms and legs. If you are having fair skin, you are more likely to get this type of cancer.

The most common type of brain tumors discovered as of now are: Glimomas, Craniopharyngioma, Medulloblastima, Meningioma, Pituitary Adenoma Tumor, Haemangioblastoma (read more..)

The common risk factors of Brain Tumors are: Family History, Past Medical Conditions, Exposure to Radiation, Low Immunity, Age, Obesity (read more..)