Medical revolution

Ischemic heart disease is caused by an imbalance between the myocardial blood flow and the metabolic demand of the myocardium. Reduction in coronary blood flow is related to progressive atherosclerosis with increasing occlusion of coronary arteries. Blood flow can be further decreased by superimposed events such as vasospasm, thrombosis, or circulatory changes leading to hypoperfusion.

Coronary artery perfusion depends upon the pressure differential between the ostia (aortic diastolic pressure) and coronary sinus (right atrial pressure). Coronary blood flow is reduced during systole because of Venturi effects at the coronary orifices and compression of intramuscular arteries during ventricular contraction.

Factors reducing coronary blood flow include:

1. Decreased aortic diastolic pressure

2. Increased intraventricular pressure and myocardial contraction

3. Coronary artery stenosis, which can be further subdivided into the following etiologies:

   • Fixed coronary stenosis

   • Acute plaque change (rupture, hemorrhage)

   • Coronary artery thrombosis

   • Vasoconstriction

4. Aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation

5. Increased right atrial pressure

40 micron collateral vessels are present in all hearts with pressure gradients permitting flow, despite occlusion of major vessels. In general, the cross-sectional area of the coronary artery lumen must be reduced by more than 75% to significantly affect perfusion. Coronary atherosclerosis is diffuse (involving more than one major arterial branch) but is often segmental, and typically involves the proximal 2 cm of arteries (epicardial).

"Thrombolytic therapy" with agents such as streptokinase or tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) is often used to try and lyse a recently formed thrombus. Such therapy with lysis of the thrombus can re-establish blood flow in a majority of cases. This helps to prevent significant myocardial injury, if early (less than an hour or so) in the course of events, and can at least help to reduce further damage.

Kidney Stones, acute as well as chronic, can be effectively treated with Homeopathic Medicines. Homeopathic treatment can avoid surgery in many cases. It is highly recommended in cases where tendency of having recurrent stones is there. Patient’s case history is studied in detail and a well selected homeopathic medicine is given which removes this tendency from patient’s body so that he does not have any more stones again. It has especially proved very helpful in cases of stones where surgery or other procedure is not advisable due to various reasons. All homeopathic medicines are safe, natural, easy to administer and without any adverse effects. If you have any specific question about your condition.

Causes of Kidney Stones

Infection or obstruction may play a part in kidney stone formation. Sometimes they occur when the level of blood calcium is abnormally high. Occasionally, stones may develop when the blood level of uric acid is too high, usually from over consumption of meat. Excessive dietary intake of calcium and oxalate and low fluid intake have also been associated with formation of stones. In most cases, however the cause is not known. It has been found that certain persons are having a tendency of forming recurrent urinary stones. Even after treating successfully once, they tend to form stones again and agai

Signs of Kidney Stones

The most common complaint arising from kidney stone (Renal Calculus; Plural - Calculi) is intermittent dull pain in the loin or back, increased by movement. Sometimes this pain is very severe. Following may be the other complaints:

• Extreme pain in back or side

• Blood in urine

• Fever and chills

• Vomiting

• A burning feeling when you urinate

Kidney stones are made up of salt and other minerals. They usually pass through in the urine on a regular basis. Most kidney stones go through the urinary tract unnoticed because they are normally quite small. Sometimes, however, they can get large enough to be noticed. This is often extremely painful as the larger kidney stones pass through the ureter, bladder and urethra. Kidney stones can also get stuck along the way, causing infections, increased pain and sometimes damage to the kidneys. Kidney stones can be broken up to prevent pain, infection and kidney damage.

In some people, chemicals crystallize in the urine and form the beginning, or nidus, of a kidney stone. These stones are very tiny when they form, smaller than a grain of sand, but gradually can grow over time to a 1/10 of an inch or larger. Urolithiasis is the term that refers to the presence of stones in the urinary tract, while nephrolithiasis refers to kidney stones. The size of the stone doesn't matter as much as where it is located.

When the stone sits in the kidney, it rarely causes problems, but when it falls into the ureter, it acts like a dam. As the kidney continues to function and make urine, pressure builds up behind the stone and causes the kidney to swell. This pressure is what causes the pain of a kidney stone, but it also helps push the stone along the course of the ureter. When the stone enters the bladder, the obstruction in the ureter is relieved and the symptoms of a kidney stone are resolved.

Endometriosis is a condition in which the lining of the uterus gets displaced and appears in various sites in the body, including the ovaries, the bladder, or the bowel. Although the cause of this condition is unknown, it is sustained by ovarian hormones. Endometriosis can lead to varying symptoms, including heavy, painful periods, breast swelling, backache before periods, infertility, painful intercourse, dizziness, and depression. Conventional treatments for it are diverse and problematic. The conventional pharmacological treatment is with drugs that inhibit ovarian or pituitary hormones. These drugs produce various masculinizing effects, including increased body hair and irreversible changes in the voice. Some physicians recommend surgical treatment in which the displaced cells are burned out with a laser, or removal of the uterus, Fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. Because some women experience great pain with this condition, they are desperate for any relief. These conventional medical treatments sometimes provide relief, but at the cost of new problematic symptoms and sometimes at the cost of the recurrence of the original condition. Michael Carlston, MD, a Homeopath and assistant clinical professor at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine, asserts that Homeopathic medicines can be very helpful at the early and middle stages of endometriosis, though because of severe scarring during advanced stages of the disease, they are not very effective later on. Endometriosis is not an ailment amenable to self-care; professional Homeopathic care is required.

There is an opinion that chronic cases need higher potency while the acute cases need a lower one. I would like to share my views and recommend a method to make the choice easier but this is not the only way of doing it. I do not intend calling it a flawless method. There may be other and better ways. There are basically three types of elements, be it medicine, food item, a drink or anything. These are acidic, saline and alkaline in nature (Figure-1). If these three categories are arranged chronologically and we call them Group-1 (Acidic items), Group-2 (Saline items) and Group-3 (Alkaline items), the figure would appear as below (Figure-2). If there are just these three categories of items including medicines and they are used to treat all diseases, the diseases can also be categorized in three groups. With this arrangement, let us take few examples and see what type of medicine should be chosen in what potency so that it is effective without causing aggravation. Group-1. This is the group to which belong cancer, higher levels of uric acid, psoriasis, constipation, freckles, hemorrhoids, hemorrhages, epistaxis, hepatitis and AIDS etc. etc. A person in this group can be said to belong to "acidic" group but this does not mean that he/she has everything acidic in the body. It only means that acidic items will aggravate his/her diseases/suffering. This is why meat and acidic drinks etc. are forbidden if the person has any of these diseases. When the case is repertorized, it may happen that most suitable medicine may turn out to be acidic, like Nitric Acid, for example, which belongs to the same group. In such case, the potency chosen should be higher and not lower because a potency 6X or below is very likely to aggravate the disease. In certain cases even 12X might aggravate to some extent. This is where 30C or higher potency should be preferred. Take another case, which still belongs to Group-1 but has, for example, Natrum mur as the most suitable remedy. Natrum mur belongs to saline group, which is next in the cycle. Any medicine from this Group-2 can be used in any lower potency without the fear of aggravation. Group-2. Hypertension, advanced stage of hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, kidney stones, edema etc. belong to this group. Taking the example of Natrum mur once again; if a hypertensive person is given this medicine in lower potency, which belongs to the same group, the problem will aggravate but in higher potency it will not. If a lower potency is to be used, it must belong to Group-3, which is the next group. Group-3. Same rule applies to this group as well. This is the group of hypotension, subnormal body temperature, general weakness, relative impotency in men, diabetes inspidous, pre-mature graying of hair, sensitivity to cold, aggravations due to cold, disagreement with water, excessive sneezing, frequent vomiting, undue drowsiness, watery nasal discharge and so on. Taking the example of a person with subnormal body temperature: if he/she is given Kali-phos in lower potency, which belongs to the same group, the body temperature is likely to drop further but if the same medicine is given in higher potency, the temperature will tend to rise to normal. Acid phos is used for diabetes inspidous, impotence etc. in lower potency but it does not aggravate because it belongs to the next group. So what is the rule then? It can be summarized as under: If disease and medicine belong to the same group, use higher potency. If the medicine belongs to the next group, use any potency from lower to higher as you feel necessary. If the medicine belongs to previous group, you may use any potency that you consider suitable but remember that this medicine will only palliate, not cure. The disease will remain suppressed as long as the medicine is being used but will show up again as soon as the medication is stopped. Lasting cure will come from a medicine of higher potency that belongs to the same group or from a potency that belongs to the next group. Now the question is how to find out which disease belongs to which group and which medicine belongs to which category. The later can be found by looking at the pH value of mother tincture of the medicine but to determine the group of the disease, one would need to have some experience. Following are a few tips but please do not take them as final because there could be exceptions like always. Acidic Group. Susceptible to skin diseases, blood pressure between normal and low but generally on the lower side, body temperature fluctuating between normal (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and lower than this, generally thin structured, thirstless, agile, quick in movements, aggravated by tea, coffee and most of the acidic items. Color of urine can be fairly dark. All discharges generally scanty. Saline Group. Blood pressure between high and normal, almost never on the lower side, urine clearly yellowish, bothered by hot weather, warm food and drinks, body temperature never low, prone to kidney diseases. This group must never get Sulphur in low potency otherwise the aggravation may be too much. All discharges generally intermittent. Alkaline Group. This group is a bit tedious. There are two situations in it. The body temperature can be low with low blood pressure or normal temperature with blood pressure slightly higher than normal but the person is normally not hypertensive but if too much cold settles in the body, the blood pressure might rise very high. Body temperture and blood pressure may fluctuate depending on the diet taken recently. The person is mostly sensitive to cold, prone to vomiting and diarrhea, mentally sharp but getting fatigued easily, color of urine from nearly colorless to very light yellow and tendency to obesity. All discharges are usually free and fluent. If this grouping can be understood precisely, it is not only the choice of potency that becomes easier; the choice of a medicine also becomes very convenient. At times just one or two symptoms may indicate the group and help in arriving at one single medicine eliminating the need of repertorization in detail. After some experience of working with this grouping, one may be able to tell the symptoms to the patient rather than listening from him/her. Some minor symptoms and modalities shall of course have to come from the patient. Once the group is confirmed, recommendations about diet can be far more accurate. I have found it so convenient that at times I have been able to successfully treat some cases even without using a homeopathic medicine. Just the proper diet control does the job or using a particular food item in a special way brings the cure. This is not all about it. It is just the outline and has much more to it. In fact there are two sub-groups of each of these three main groups, based on a different concept all together. That makes at least six groups in all. So far I have seen all diseases fit into one of these groups. This includes all viral and bacterial diseases too. If this system and homeopathy are used together, most of the diseases and conditions can be successfully treated

Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder of children, afflicting about 35% in the U.S. It is often believed to be a physiological brain disorder with a genetic component. Children with ADHD are impulsive,overactive, inattentive, poor learners, and are frequently disruptive, aggressive and uncontrollable. ADHD is treated medically with stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, oral antihypertensives and antidepressants. While these medications can at times be effective if carefully monitored, side effects are possible, and most of these drugs should not be (though sometimes are) given to children under age six because of risk of toxicity or lack of dosage information due to inadequate testing for adverse drug reaactions in this population. Twenty percent of ADHD children do not respond to the first stimulant drug tried, or have a negative reaction to it. Clinicians using homeopathy for ADHD have reported good results, but objective evidence has been lacking. Now, a double blind, placebo-controlled study of 43 children with ADHD shows that homeopathy can be effective in treating the disorder. In a study published in the British Homeopathic Journal, Oct 1997, children afflicted with ADHD were given either a homeopathic treatment or a placebo for ten days, then parents or caregivers rated the children on the amount of ADHD behavior they displayed. Those receiving homeopathic medicines showed significantly less ADHD behavior than those given placebos. When evaluated in a follow-up interview two months after the study's end, 57% of the children showing improvement with homeopathy had continued to improve, even though they had discontinued the homeopathic medicines; twenty-four percent relapsed by the time of the follow-up; and the remaining 19% continued to experience positive results, but only while taking the homeopathic medicines. The homeopathic medicines found most helpful for ADHD were Stramonium, Cina and Hyoscyamus niger. Stramonium was specifically indicated when children had many fears, or suffered symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; children who were physically aggressive benefited most from Cina; and, children with manic or sexualized symptoms responded most favorably to Hyoscyamus niger. Below is an alphabetic listing of homeopathic remedies and a brief summary of how each might be applied to children with ADHD or ADHD symptomolgy.

Homeopathy at Home Homeopathy is safe for home use as there are no dangerous side effects. This, to many, is the principal that gets them interested in homeopathy in the first place. There is also a popular misconception that other forms of alternative medicine, such as herbal, nutritional supplements, or chinese herbal are also completely safe to self-prescribe, because they are 'natural'. This is not the case; homeopathy is safe because everything is very very dilute; many herbal remedies and supplements can cause lasting damage if not taken carefully. When people use homeopathy Most people first come to homeopathy when they feel they've been failed by conventional medicine. It may be for a long-held, chronic condition, or a short lived acute ailment. It may be that conventional medicine has been unable to help at all, or that the side effects are simply not worth the risk. For what do you most often use Homeopathy? Long term illnesses which conventional medicine has been unable to treat 29% Long term illnesses which conventional medicine is able to treat, but with major side effects 16% Long term illnesses which conventional medicine is able to treat, with no side effects 12% Minor short term illnesses 39% I've not yet used it 4% You can see that of those who use homeopathy on long term illnesses, most do so because conventional medicine has been unable to treat them, and a much smaller number use homeopathy to avoid the side effects of conventional medicine. Long Term and Short Term - Chronic and Acute Long term (chronic) illnesses are deeper rooted than short term (acute) illnesses, and are consequently more difficult to treat successfully at home - normally guidance from a homeopath should be sought. Short term illnesses can be treated much more successfully at home, by a layperson. And finally, as you become more confident at treating conditions at home, don't get over-confident. Stopping prescribed medication without first consulting a physician can endanger your health. If symptoms persist, always seek professional medical attention. Bear in mind that even minor symptoms can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition, and a timely diagnosis by your doctor could save your life.

Cancer is usually misunderstood as the name of one disease whereas the term is actually related with many diseases. Cancer is the name given to many diseases related with body’s cells growing out of control. Once the cells start growing abnormally, they spread to other parts of the body through blood and lymph systems. Birth, growth and division of body cells is controlled by many different processes that can go wrong for some reason and make a cell cancerous. Thus, cancer always begins in the cells. Cancer is said to be of more than 100 types. Most of the cancers are named after the organ in which they begin like liver cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer and so on. Cancer has been grouped into various categories. Three of the main categories are: Carcinoma – This type of cancer belongs to the protective lining of the internal organs and skin, which is in fact protective lining of the whole body. Sarcoma – This type of cancer belongs to the connective and supportive tissues like bones, cartilages and muscles et cetera. Leukemia – It is the blood cancer in simple language. This type does not form tumors. At times the process of normal growth and division of the cell gets damaged, due to which, old cell stay while the new cells are also formed making up a mass tissue called tumor. Such tumors are generally divided in two categories as under: Benign Tumors: These are often considered harmless because cells making them up do not spread to other parts of the body, are isolated and can be removed permanently. In most cases, they do not return. Malignant Tumors: These are cancerous n nature. The cells in these tumors can affect the adjoining tissues and also spread to other parts of the body. What is Mesothelioma, the Asbestos Cancer? It is a type of cancer found in those who have been working unprotected with asbestos. The name given to the disease has been taken from the word "mesothelium", which is the outer lining of lungs, heart and stomach. The disease affects the mesothelium, hence the name mesothelioma. Cause of Mesothelioma Those who have been associated with working with this material are the victims of this disease. It is believed that the exposure may not necessarily be for years; even few months are enough to cause the disease. It is also thought that if the workers carried asbestos dust with them on their clothes and hair etc. to their homes, those closely associated with them like their family members could also be affected but their chances of getting mesothelioma are obviously not as great as the worker himself. Asbestos is a natural mineral, which has been used for centuries as building material. Its deadly effects on human health were probably not known or were mistaken as aging effects because the symptoms are quite general and non-specific in nature. The symptoms do not appear soon after the exposure. It may take decades before the disease develops it self. So the use continued and the workers kept inhaling the fiber till it was noticed during early part of 20th century that death rate among the asbestos workers was higher than the others. Further investigations revealed that it was asbestos that was causing cancer among the workers. Chances of getting mesothelioma by occasional exposure to finished products of asbestos are very remote unless the product has lived out its life and has started to deteriorate. Residents of old houses with roofs made of asbestos cement sheets are not considered to be in as much danger as those who come into direct contact with dust from the raw material. In addition to the workers, those who lived in close proximity of asbestos factories were also exposed to the danger to some degree. Types of Mesothelioma There are three types of mesothelioma named after the organ mainly affected. When lining and surrounding tissues of lungs are affected, it is called Pleural Mesothelioma due to relevance with the organ. Similarly mesothelioma related with heart is called Pericardial Mesothelioma and the one related with peritoneum, which is the lining of stomach, is called Peritoneal Mesothelioma. Pleural Mesothelioma In this form of mesothelioma, lungs and respiratory areas are affected. – Malignant tumors – Shortness of breath – Chest pain – Fluid accumulating around pleura – Hoarseness – Hemoptysis (coughing up blood) -General muscular weakness without apparent cause – Paralysis – Swelling of face and – Weight loss have been commonly found among the sufferers. For treatment, surgery is performed to remove a portion or the whole lung to remove the tumor completely. Pericardial Mesothelioma In this form, – Chest pain – Palpitation – Persistent cough and – Shortness of breath have been commonly found. These symptoms are of general nature and do not necessarily point toward mesothelioma. Anyone who may have these symptoms must have a detailed medical check up done for diagnosis. Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms associated with this type are: – Abdominal pain – Nausea – Vomiting – Loss of appetite – Swelling of abdomen – Obstruction of bowels – Ascites and – Shortness of breath. Treatment and Help For treatment of all types, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are other options in addition to surgical removal of the tumors. Since the surfacing of hazards of working with asbestos, many governments have made laws about using this material. There are organizations at work to help the sufferers and their families, and mesothelioma lawyers and attorneys to provide legal advice and support to the affected persons. Homeopathy has many medicines for effective treatment of various types of cancer before it reaches the last stage.

Occasionally two (or even more) eggs are released by the ovary and both fertilized. This results in fraternal twins. This used to be uncommon but the rate of fraternal twins and multiple pregnancies are on the increase due to fertility treatment becoming more popular. Such twins will be no more similar than any other siblings as they have been conceived from separate egg and sperm cells. They may even be of opposite sexes.

More rarely, an embryo splits into two and two new beings begin to develop. This instance will produce identical twins: siblings completely alike in their genetic material though still two distinct beings.

If a sperm cell does penetrate the egg after ovulation, fertilization has occurred and a new life has been created. Fertilization usually occurs within the mother's fallopian tube - a structure in-between the ovary and uterus (womb).

When the father's sperm cell fertilizes the egg, other sperm cells are immediately prevented from penetrating the egg by a change in the outer protein coat of the ovum. At the moment of fertilization, or conception, much of your child's make-up will be decided. The coloring of hair, skin and eyes, the sex of your baby, and factors influencing height and build, are all determined at fertilization by information on the genetic material or DNA.

What is Acne?

Acne is a term generally applied to eruptions on the skin like pimples, pustules, papules, nodules and small cysts etc. of varying characteristics. It is an inflammatory, papulopustular skin eruption occurring usually in or near the sebaceous glands on the face, neck, shoulder, upper back and other parts of the body. It involves bacterial breakdown of sebum into fatty acids irritating to surrounding subcutaneous tissues. Acne mostly affects the teenagers but is not restricted to this age group. It can occur in adults and middle-aged persons too. Acne is not a life threatening eruption but is quite troublesome and has great cosmetic value particularly if it occurs on uncovered parts of the body like face and neck. At times, particularly in severely aggravated cases, it may leave permanent scars on the skin. Common Acne Types Acne is of various types. At times acne is named by the location where it occurs like face acne, neck acne, chest acne and so on and similarly according to the age as for adult acne. Acne rosacea and acne vulgaris are the types that occur more commonly. Each type has its own characteristics. Some types are painful to touch but some are not. The eruptions may or may not have puss formation. Blackheads and whiteheads are also broadly categorized as acne. Acne Rosacea: A chronic form of acne seen in adults of all ages and associated with telangiectasia, especially of the nose, forehead and cheeks. It is characterized by small pimple on cheeks usually below the cheekbones accompanied by redness. This type occurs mostly in the adults and is at times called adult acne. Acne Vulgaris (Acne Simplex): A common form of acne seen predominantly in adolescents and young adults. Acne vulgaris is probably an effect of androgenic hormones (which stimulate the production of sebum) and Propionibacterium acnes in their follicle. It is said that it also results from the bacterial infection. Some other types of acne are: Acne Artificialis: An eruption in the skin caused by an external irritant such as tar or ingestion of halogen compounds. Acne Cachectocorum: An eruption or irritation of the skin that may occur in patients who are very and debilitated. It is characterized by soft, mildly infiltrated pustular lesions. Acne Conglobata: A sever form of acne with abscess, cyst, scar and keloid formation. Acne conglobata may affect the lower back, buttock and thighs, as well as the face and chest. Acne Indurata: A pathological skin condition characterized by extensive papular lesions that often produce sever scars. Acne Keratosa: A skin condition characterized by hard conic plugs that usually appear at the corners of the mouth and inflame surrounding tissue Acne Necrotica Miliaris: A rare chronic type of folliculitis of the scalp occurring mostly in adults and characterized by tiny pustules. Acne Papulosa: A common pathologic skin condition that develops small papular lesions that usually do not become inflamed. It is considered a papular form of acne vulgaris. Causes of Acne Acne is a common disease but the modern science has not yet been able to find its exact cause. Mostly it is believed that incomplete metabolization of oil makes the dead skin cell sticky blocking the pores of the skin where then bacteria enters into the pores and causes infection and inflammation. If this is true then cause of acne is not bacteria but faulty metabolization of oil that provides a favorable ground to bacteria to harbor itself and cause the trouble. It is believed that dirt does not cause acne. Whatever be the cause, acne is mostly caused by internal disorder. Dietary Habits If we dig it out further, it leads back to inappropriate dietary habits but the modern science does not agree. Diet is not considered as a factor causing acne whereas actually it is. The fact is that whatever we eat or drink does affects our bodies. This can be observed and experienced by anyone, like you drink water and feel that your thirst is gone, take food and your hunger is satisfied. If your body is deficient of proteins, you take protein-rich diet and if your body needs carbohydrates, you make up the deficiency by taking appropriate diet. Following the same argument, if you stick to a particular type of diet for too long, it is bound to tell its effects and create various symptoms according to what you have been taking. Acne is no exception. It will occur when suitable situation is provided by particular dietary habits. It is a matter of finding out the items that cause and promote acne, which might slightly differ for different persons. Defective Menstrual Cycle Most of the young girls with defective menstrual cycle can get acne. If the periods are delayed and bleeding is less than normal with dark and clotted blood, the ground is ready for acne to appear. Poor Hygiene: Though it is not a major cause of acne yet it is one of the contributory factors. | |

Allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to a particular substance that is usually harmless otherwise. The substance to which the body might react varies from person to person and the reaction is also not necessarily similar in everyone. Everyone does not have allergies but the persons who have them may be sensitive to one or more items. There are two main types of allergies: seasonal and perennial. Seasonal allergies occur in a specific season while perennial allergies persist round the year. The exact cause of allergies is not known. Since everyone has different body chemistry, bodies of all the persons living in the same atmosphere react differently to a substance like one person in the house might be allergic to dust while the others might not be. One opinion is that the tendency to be allergic could be inherited but is not true in all cases of allergy. Commonly found allergies are: Cigarette Smoke Allergy Cigarette smoke contains several irritating and toxic chemicals that might affect an individual more than the others and produce certain symptoms like nasal congestion or running nose, burning or watering of eyes, throat irritation, cough, and dysnea (shortness of breath). If the person is also asthmatic, dysnea might be much worse than others. Cockroach Allergy Cockroaches are one of the most commonly found domestic pest and is found even in the cleanest places. They mostly reside in the sewers and come out frequently and roam around on cooking utensils and uncovered foodstuff. Their excretions stick to the utensils and produce problems in allergic persons if used unwashed. While cockroaches can cause allergy, there is an excellent homeopathic medicine for asthma (of certain types) by the name "Blatta Orientalis" prepared from Indian cockroach. Medicine from American cockroach called "Blatta Americana" has also been prepared but is much less effective than Blatta Orientalis. Whole cockroach is used to prepare the medicine. Dust Mite Allergy It is caused by the microscopic organism that lives in the dust and is found where there is dust. Food Allergy Many people are sensitive to certain items of food like eggs, almonds, fish, wheat, milk and several other items. Problems caused by various food items may not necessarily be allergy. It could be simple intolerance. Allergic symptoms belong to nose, throat, eyes, respiratory tract, skin and digestive system. Grass Pollen Allergy This type is extremely difficult to prevent because going close to grass is not easy to avoid. Hay Fever It is also known as pollen allergy and is usually seasonal. The symptoms may be running nose, sneezing and sore throat. House Dust Allergy House dust can include the dust itself, food particles, stuff that enters the house with shoes, flakes of human skin as well as of animal skin if you have pets, hair, fibers of various types including those of the carpets and much more. This type of allergy is found mostly among the housewives who feel it much while dusting the house. Preventive measures include the use of mask while dusting and moist cloth for dusting. You might consider removing the carpets and having bare floors to minimize the presence of house dust. Metal Allergy A person can be sensitive to touch of various metals and may develop skin rash where the metal remains in contact for some time. This includes the allergy to artificial jewelry. Odors A person can be sensitive to different odors including but not limited to odor of food, flowers and perfumes. Allergy to odor of food can be quickly cured by homeopathic medicines. Pet Allergy Some people are sensitive to natural body odor of various pets. Pollen Allergy This type includes allergy to various types of pollen and trees. This is usually seasonal. The symptoms include running nose, sore throat, dyspnea and irritation of skin. Most allergies can be treated by medication or avoiding contact with the relevant substance. Homeopathic medicines can also cure various types of allergy.

Common Asthma Triggers The attack of asthma may start at any time under a particular condition or factor and may last for hours. These conditions or factors are called triggers and differ from person to person. Triggers are not the causes of asthma. They may cause starting of an attack or may worsen the already going on attack. Such triggers may include: Exposure to cold Weather changes Dry and cold weather Humidity Hot weather Physical exertion Lying down at night, especially after mid-night. Talking for a longer time Inhaling smoke particularly of cigarette Strong odors Dust Cold drinks Indigestion Cold bathing Asthma can also be triggered by emotional disturbance and mental stress This list is not exhaustive and complete at all. There might be many other factors that may start or worsen the attack and might be very individual and specific in nature. Treatment of asthma should be planned keeping such factors in view but the treatment would be for the cause not for the trigger. Treatment for the trigger would mean catching the thread from the wrong end. Prevention of Asthma Asthma is a condition that may not be possible to prevent completely but to a great extent one can reduce the suffering and misery associated with it. Following points may be worth consideration. You have to find out what triggers your asthma. As far as possible, avoid the condition that triggers it. Avoid food items, which create mucus in excess. This would differ from person to person. The diet must be changed according to the type of asthma. Remember that diet precautions are not the same for all types of asthma. If you catch cold and have running nose, do not try to dry up the flow too rapidly. If you have an allergy that causes irritation of respiratory system, have it treated properly. Do not postpone till tomorrow. If you live in cold climate, try to keep your body warm as far as possible. If the cause is climatic, see if you can change over to a suitable climate. Most of the times and for most of the people, it may not be possible at all to migrate and live in a different climate but it is a factor that can be considered. Treatment of Asthma Asthma is one of those diseases that do not have permanent cure in modern medicine whereas it can actually be cured by various alternative medicines. There are two types of treatment, those that provide instant but temporary relief and those that gradually cure and prevent further attacks. Modern medical system has good palliative treatment but nothing for permanent cure. Temporary Relief Nebulizers and/or inhalers provide temporary relief. In addition, the sufferer may feel relieved temporarily by one or more of the following conditions, which are different from person to person like triggers: Motion Sitting up straight Bending forward Sitting up with head bent backward Belching Expectoration Vomiting Defecation Taking a hot drink or any other condition specific to the individual Permanent Cure Acupuncture is also said to be effective for permanent treatment of asthma. Herbal treatment can also provide very effective and permanent cure of asthma. Homeopathy has a number of medicines that can treat various conditions of asthma according to modalities. Asthma can be cured permanently if treatment is planned keeping all the modalities in view. In homeopathy, factors and conditions that aggravate or give relief are called modalities, which vary from individual to individual. This precision makes cure of asthma much easier and mostly successful with lasting cure. There is no harm in exploring the system to see if it would be suitable to treat your asthmatic conditions.

From the moment of conception a hormone known as HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) is present in your blood. This hormone is used by most pregnancy tests to confirm pregnancy though levels usually reach a detectable level only 3-4 weeks after the mother's last menstrual period. Tests may be done at home with a home pregnancy testing kit obtainable from most pharmacies or by a health professional at your doctor’s office or local community health center. We've conceived! The miracle of conception is all the more exciting and profound when it happens to you and your partner! At the moment you find out you have conceived, your whole life will change and you know you are in store for many new and exciting changes, challenges and joys. At the moment of conception, the expecting mother enters the first trimester of her pregnancy… the start of a whole new phase of life. NaturalEco Organics wishes you lots of luck on your new journey! Remember that we are there for you now and throughout your pregnancy and first few years of your new baby's life. You will find lots of information on the NaturalEco Organics website and are also welcome to make use of our free Ask Us email service - with trained health consultants always available to answer your questions and give support.

Cystitis (Bladder Infection) Another extremely common condition for which Homeopathic medicines seem to work wonders is cystitis (bladder infection). While professional Homeopathic care and/or medical attention should be sought to treat recurring bladder symptoms and for severe symptoms, an individually chosen Homeopathic medicine can alleviate the pain and discomfort of most acute conditions before the woman reaches the doctor's office. The two most common remedies for acute cystitis are Cantharis (burning, cutting pain before, during, and after urination, each drop passing as though it were scalding water, frequent urges to urinate) and Sarsaparilla (severe pain at end of urination, burning pain and constant urging; a characteristic but not common symptom is that urine can be passed only while standing). Other remedies to consider are Berberis (pain in the thighs and loins during urination, pain extending from the bladder and/or over the abdomen to the urethra), Pulsatilla (pain during and after urination as well as when lying down, dry mouth but no thirst), Apis (stinging pains with an aggravation of symptoms by warmth of any sort), Belladonna (acute pain aggravated by any motion or simple jarring, a sensation of something moving inside the bladder, restlessness at night with wild dreams), Nux vomica (constant urge to urinate, short relief when passing small quantities and from warm applications or warm bathing), and Causticum (cystitis after surgery, involuntary urination when coughing or sneezing). Dose: Take the 6, 12, or 30th potency every two hours during intense symptoms and every four hours for less intense symptoms. Stop taking the remedy if symptoms are gone or become mild. If there isn't some type of obvious improvement in 24 hours, try another remedy. The correct remedy may need to be taken for up to three days for an acute urinary tract infection.

Approximately 15% of couples attempting their first pregnancy meet with failure. Most authorities define these patients as primarily infertile if they have been unable to achieve a pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. Conception normally is achieved within twelve months in 80-85% of couples who use no contraceptive measures, and persons presenting after this time should therefore be regarded as possibly infertile and should be evaluated. Data available over the past twenty years reveal that in approximately 30% of cases pathology is found in the man alone, and in another 20% both the man and woman are abnormal. Therefore, the male factor is at least partly responsible in about 50% of infertile couples.

Important issues related to the evaluation of the male factor include the most appropriate time for the male evaluation, the most efficient format for a comprehensive male exam, and definition of rationale and effective medical and surgical regimens in the treatment of these disorders. It is extremely important in the evaluation of infertility to consider the couple as a unit in evaluation and treatment and to proceed in a parallel investigative manner until a problem is uncovered. It has been shown that the longer a couple remains subfertile, the worse their chance for an effective cure. Many couples experience significant apprehension and anxiety after only a few months of failure to conceive. Unduly prolonged unprotected intercourse should not be advocated before a workup of the man is instituted. Initial screening of the man should be considered whenever the patient presents with the chief complaint of infertility. This initial evaluation should be rapid, non-invasive and cost effective. Of interest is the fact that pregnancy rates of up to 50% have been reported when only the woman has been investigated and treated even when the man was found to have moderately severe abnormalities of semen quality.

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. When you are pregnant, too much glucose is not good for your baby. Out of every 100 pregnant women in the United States, between three and eight get gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is diabetes that happens for the first time when a woman is pregnant. Gestational diabetes goes away when you have your baby, but it does increase your risk for having diabetes later.

If you already have diabetes before you get pregnant, you need to monitor and control your blood sugar levels.

Either type of diabetes during pregnancy raises the risk of problems for the baby and the mother. To help reduce these risks, you should follow your, exercise, test your blood sugar and take your medicine.

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With Type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With Type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can caus serious problems. It can damage your

eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes may include fatigue, thirst, weight loss, blurred vision and frequent urination. Some people have no symptoms. A blood test can show if you have diabetes. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes. You should also monitor your glucose level and take medicine if prescribed.

What is for Sterility?

Sterility, also referred to as infertility, is defined as an inability to conceive a child after trying to do so for at least one year. Sterility can affect both men and women, with the cause involving either one or both parties.

For a man to be fertile, the testicles must produce enough healthy sperm to be ejaculated effectively into the woman's vagina.

For a woman to be fertile, the ovaries must release healthy eggs regularly. In addition, her reproductive tract must allow the eggs and sperm to pass into her fallopian tubes to become fertilized and implanted in the uterus.

Diagnosing Sterility

If you and your partner have been trying for more than a year to become pregnant, or both of you are over thirty and battling, it is good idea consult your gynecologist, obstetrician or urologist for further investigation.

It is important to undergo a thorough fertility evaluation to determine the problem.

What Causes Sterility?

Sterility is classified into two groups, primary and secondary.

• Primary sterility means that a pregnancy has never occurred.
• Secondary fertility involves one or both partners who have conceived previously, but are now unable to do so because of a possible physical or medical condition impairing fertility. A woman who keeps having miscarriages is also considered infertile.

Risk factors for both men and women are the same and these include age, stress, being underweight or overweight, diet, smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Age plays quite a critical role, as fertility peaks for both men and women in their mid-twenties. Male fertility starts declining in their thirties, while women older than 35 years may experience problems conceiving.

Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid deseases and anemia may also affect fertility.

Help for Sterility

Sexual problems such as importance or premature ejaculation should be addressed. If a lack of sperm is suspected, surgery, hormones and assisted reproductive surgery can correct the problem.

It is also important to increase the frequency of intercourse by having well-timed sex regularly to improve fertility.

Infertility in women may be treated with ovulation drugs, surgery, artificial insemination or assisted reproductive technology (ART). Other methods of ART also include donor eggs and embryos or gestational carriers (surrogate mothers). These treatments are quite costly and it is best to choose the one that you are most comfortable with.

Many of these treatment options may have harmful or unpleasant side effects such as nausea, headaches and weight gain. Fertility treatments have also been known to increase a woman’s chance of having twins, triplets or other multiples.

Natural and holistic treatments have been used for centuries to enhance fertility in men and women. Herbal and homeopathic remedies are gentle enough to support the reproductive system and its delicate mechanisms while still promoting libido, sexual stamina and sex drive. In addition, men should ejaculate regularly to improve the quality of sperm.

Definition of Ulcer

Ulcersare crater-like sores (generally 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch in diameter, but sometimes 1 to 2 inches in diameter) which form in the lining of the stomach (called gastric ulcers), just below the stomach at the beginning of the small intestine in the duodenum (called duodenal ulcers) or less commonly in the esophagus (called esophageal ulcers).

In general, ulcers in the stomach and duodenum are referred to as peptic ulcers.

Description of Ulcer

The stomach is a bag of muscle that crushes and mixes food with the digestive "juices" - hydrochloric acid and pepsin. If the lining of the stomach (or duodenum) is damaged in one place or another, the acid and pepsin go to work on the lining as they would on food, breaking it down as though to digest it.

An ulcer is the result of an imbalance between aggressive and defensive factors. On one hand, too much acid and pepsin can damage the stomach lining and cause ulcers. On the other hand (and more commonly), the damage comes first from some other causes, making the stomach lining susceptible to even an ordinary level of gastric acid.

If a person does not receive treatment for ulcers, it could lead to a bleeding ulcer (the ulcer has eaten into blood vessels and the blood has seeped into the digestive tract), a perforated ulcer (the ulcer has eaten a hole in the wall of the stomach or duodenum and bacteria and partially digested food has spilled into the hole, causing inflammation) or a narrowing and obstruction of the intestinal opening preventing food from leaving the stomach and entering the small intestine.

The stomach defends itself from hydrochloric acid and pepsin by creating a mucus coating (that shields stomach tissue), by producing bicarbonate and by circulating blood to the stomach lining to aid in cell renewal and repair. If any of these functions are impaired it can lead to the formation of an ulcer.

The primary cause of ulcers is the bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium found in the stomach. Unlike other bacterium, H. pylori is able to twist through the layer of mucous that protects the stomach cavity and attach to cells on the surface of the stomach wall, where it produces urease, an enzyme that generates ammonia.

Urease generates substances that neutralize the stomach's acid and allows H. pylori to thrive. H. pylori weakens the stomach's defenses by thinning the mucous coating of the stomach, making it more susceptible to the damaging effects of acid and pepsin; inflaming the area; poisoning nearby cells and producing more stomach acid.

Although H. pylori is the primary cause of ulcers, there are other factors that play a role in ulcer development. These factors are the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a person's lifestyle and the stomach's inability to defend itself against digestive fluids, hydrochloric acid and pepsin.

NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox), or piroxicam (Feldene) interfere with the stomach's ability to produce mucus and bicarbonate (a chemical produced in the stomach that neutralizes and breaks down the hydrochloric acid and pepsin into substances less harmful).

NSAIDs also affect blood flow to the stomach, hinder cell repair and cause the stomach's defense mechanisms to fail.

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking caffeine, consuming alcohol and stress are also associated with ulcers.

Smoking slows the healing of ulcers and makes them likely to recur.

Caffeine stimulates acid secretion in the stomach, thus aggravating the pain of an existing ulcer.

Studies on alcohol consumption and ulcers have been less conclusive, although alcoholic cirrhosis has been linked to an increased risk of ulcers, and heavy drinking has been shown to delay the healing of ulcers.

Although emotional stress is no longer thought to be a cause of ulcers, people with ulcers often report that emotional stress increases ulcer pain. However, physical stress increases the risk of developing gastric ulcers.

Symptoms of

Ulcer
There may be no symptoms of ulcers or the individual may experience:

• A gnawing or burning pain in the abdomen between the breastbone and the navel. The pain is usually worse a couple of hours after a meal or in the middle of the night when the stomach is empty.
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight
• Tiredness (a symptom of a bleeding ulcer)
• Weakness (a symptom of a bleeding ulcer)
• Blood in vomit or stool. When blood is in the stool, it appears tarry or black (symptom of a bleeding ulcer).

Diagnosis of Ulcer

Doctors have a number of options available for diagnosing ulcers, such as performing endoscopic and x-ray examinations, as well as testing for H. pylori. Endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that gives the doctor a direct view of the upper digestive tract from within the body itself. By means of an instrument called a fiber-optic endoscope, the doctor is able to illuminate and follow the same path that food takes, examining the esophagus, stomach and duodenum from within. Along the way, the doctor will look closely at inflamed, ulcerated or infected areas, as well as growths and malformations.

If the doctor suspects ulcers, an upper GI (gastrointestinal) series (x-rays) of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum will usually be performed. The patient will swallow a chalky liquid that contains barium, which makes the ulcer visible on the x-ray.

The doctor may also order a gastroscopy, in which a flexible tube-shaped device with a special light-conducting properties will be put down the throat to enable the doctor to see the ulcer and obtain tissue samples for microscopic examination to determine if the ulcer is cancerous.

Confirming the presence of H. pylori is important in diagnosing an ulcer because elimination of H. pylori is likely to cure the ulcer. H. pylori can be detected using a blood, breath or tissue test. The blood test uses a blood sample to identify and measure H. pylori antibodies. Approved in 1996, the Meretek UBT Breath Test requires that a person first drink a liquid or swallow a capsule containing a small amount of a protein. The person is then asked to blow through a straw into a balloon. A lab technician checks the exhaled air for evidence of the H. pylori bacteria. If the doctor previously performed an endoscopy, the tissue obtained through that procedure is cultured and watched for growth of H. pylori organisms.

Treatment of Ulcer

Along with reducing stress and modifying lifestyle, doctors treat gastric and duodenal ulcers with several types of medicines, including H2-blockers, proton-pump inhibitors and mucosal protective agents. When treating H. pylori, these medications are used in combination with antibiotics. If medication is ineffective or complications arise, surgery may be required.

Medications

H2-blockers reduce the amount of acid that the stomach makes. These medicines include cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid) and nizatidine (Axid). A single bedtime dose starts healing a duodenal ulcer in four weeks and a gastric ulcer in six to eight weeks.

Proton-pump inhibitors modify the stomach's production of acid by stopping the stomach's acid pump - the final step of acid secretion. The recently approved and now available drug, omeprazole (Prilosec), is 10 times more powerful in suppressing stomach acid production than the H2-blockers, able to promote duodenal ulcer healing in two to four weeks. This potent acid-inhibitor can suppress about 95 percent of stomach acid production. It is especially useful for treating people whose ulcers fail to respond to H2-receptor blockers or other medications and those with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Mucosal protective agents protect the stomach's mucous lining from acid. The prescription medications are sucralfate (Sulcrate or Carafate) and misoprostol (Cytotec). The non-prescription medications are antacids (such as Tums and Rolaids) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

Antibiotics. With the discovery of the link between ulcers and H. pylori peptic ulcers can be treated by a short course of combined high dose antibiotic therapy rather than acid-suppression alone. Without antibacterial therapy, there is a 75 percent chance of the ulcer reoccurring. With antibacterial therapy, there is a 1 percent chance of the ulcer reoccurring. There are two types of combination therapies currenly being used: triple therapy and dual therapy.

Triple therapy involves:

• Metronidazole (Flagyl)*, an antibiotic taken four times a day
• Tetracycline (Achromycin or Sumycin)**, an antibiotic taken four times a day
• Pepto-Bismol taken four times a day

This regimen lasts two weeks. This treatment is 90 percent effective in destroying the H. pylori bacteria and in reducing the risk of reoccurrence. (*doctor may substitute amoxicillin (Amoxil or Trimox); **doctor may substitute clarithromycin (Biaxin))

Dual therapy involves:

• Amoxicillin two to four times a day or Biaxin three times a day
• Prilosec two times a day

This regimen lasts two weeks. This treatment is 80 percent effective in destroying the H. pylori bacteria and in reducing the risk of reoccurrence.

Surgery

The most common types of surgery for ulcers are vagotomy, antrectomy and pyloroplasty.

Vagotomy involves cutting the vagus nerve that transmits messages from the brain to the stomach. This interruption reduces acid secretion.

Antrectomy removes the lower part of the stomach (antrum) which produces a hormone that stimulates the stomach to secrete digestive juices. This enlarges the opening into the duodenum and small intestine (pyloris), enabling contents to pass more freely from the stomach.

Pyloroplasty may be performed with a vagotomy.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Ulcer

Where is the ulcer located and how severe is it?

Will you be prescribing any medications?

What are the side effects?

How much of the over-the-counter antacids can be taken daily?

What are the best antacids to take?

Does diet affect the ulcer?

Are there some foods that should be?

Do you have any printed pamphlets on the foods to avoid?

Is milk helpful in relieving ulcer pain?

Are there any symptoms that may be serious and should be reported right away?

Will ulcers reoccur?

For detail and treatment contact
Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Chughtai
+92-333-5199480

Glaucoma refers to a group of diseases that affect the optic nerve and involves a loss of retinal ganglion cells in a characteristic pattern. It is a type of optic neuropathy. Raised intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor for developing glaucoma (above 22 mm Hg or 2.9 k Pa). One person may develop nerve damage at a relatively low pressure, while another person may have high eye pressure for years and yet never develop damage. Untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.

Glaucoma can be divided roughly into two main categories, "open angle" and "closed angle" glaucoma. Angle closure can appear suddenly and is often painful. Visual loss can progress quickly but the discomfort often leads patients to seek medical attention before permanent damage occurs. Open angle, chronic glaucoma tends to progress more slowly and the patient may not notice that they have lost vision until the disease has progressed significantly.

Glaucoma has been nicknamed the "sneak thief of sight" because the loss of vision normally occurs gradually over a long period of time and is often only recognized when the disease is quite advanced. Once lost, this damaged visual field can never be recovered. Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of blindness. Glaucoma affects 1 in 200 people aged fifty and younger, and 1 in 10 over the age of eighty. If the condition is detected early enough it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means.

Symptoms

There are rarely any symptoms in the early stages of the disease so regular eye checks by qualified professionals are important. Ophthalmologists and optometrists will diagnose glaucoma on the basis of intraocular pressure, visual field tests and optic nerve head appearance.

Patients will sometimes notice patchy loss of peripheral vision or reduced clarity of colours and these people may benefit from a review by an eye specialist.

Symptoms of angle closure glaucoma can include pain in or around the eye ball, headache, nausea / vomiting and visual disturbances e.g halos around lights. In some cases there are no symptoms.

For more details contact 03335199480

Marrow types

There are two types of bone marrow: red marrow (consisting mainly of myeloid tissue) and yellow marrow (consisting mainly of fat cells). Red blood cells, platelets and most white blood cells arise in red marrow. Both types of bone marrow contain numerous blood vessels and capillaries.

At birth, all bone marrow is red. With age, more and more of it is converted to the yellow type. About half of adult bone marrow is red. Red marrow is found mainly in the flat bones, such as the hip bone, breast bone, skull, ribs, vertebrae and shoulder blades, and in the cancellous ("spongy") material at the epiphyseal ends of the long bones such as the femur and humerus. Yellow marrow is found in the hollow interior of the middle portion of long bones.

In cases of severe blood periods, the body can convert yellow marrow back to red marrow to increase blood cell production.

Stroma

The stroma of the bone marrow is all tissue that isn't directly involved in the primary function of hematopoiesis. The yellow bone marrow belongs here, and makes the majority of the bone marrow stroma, in addition to stromal cells located in the red bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow is found in the Medullary cavity.

Still, the stroma is indirectly involved in hematopoiesis, since it provides the hematopoietic microenvironment that facilitates hematopoiesis by the parenchymal cells. For instance, they generate colony stimulating factors, affecting hematopoiesis.

Macrophages contribute especially to red blood cell production. They deliver iron for hemoglobin-production.

Bone marrow barrier

The blood vessels constitute a barrier, inhibiting immature blood cells from leaving the bone marrow. Only mature blood cells contain the membrane proteins required to attach to and pass the blood vessel endothelium.

Hematopoietic stem cells may also cross the bone marrow barrier, and may thus be harvested from blood .

Blood cancer or leukaemia is a growing disease in Pakistan, affecting both genders and all age groups. This observation was made by consultant oncologist Dr. Saleem Siddiqui while addressing media persons here at Shifa International on Tuesday.

Although there is no credible data to measure the incidence or prevalence of leukaemia, or for that matter, many diseases in Pakistan, doctors make such observations on the basis of increasing number of patients visiting their clinics with a specific disease, in this case leukaemia.

Dr. Siddiqui said, blood cancer is a deadly but silent disease that can effectively be controlled if diagnosed on time. The real management of the disease involves bone marrow transplant; however, there are certain reservations about such an intervention. Firstly, it is a costly treatment and not common in Pakistan.

Secondly, it needs a donor whose bone marrow matches with that of the patient. Thirdly, the mortality rate among those who opt for bone marrow transplant is about 30%, and in 40% of the cases, there is a chance of reoccurrence of the disease after treatment. “On the other hand, Dr. Salim Siddiqui said, “Continuous medication for blood cancer is effective and makes the life of the patient comfortable till the medicine works.” Dr. Siddiqui said many patients cannot get themselves treated due to non-affordability. “Shifa International felt its responsibility and came forward to serve the needy. With the support of Pharma Co. Novartis, Shifa has been able to arrange and to provide free medicines for blood cancer patients. This facility covers patients belonging to upper Punjab, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, NWFP, Fata, Azad Kashmir and Afghanistan. “These patients are either referred to us by doctors in these areas, or they come to us directly,” he informed.

Dr. Siddique shared that a patient’s monthly dosage of medicines costs Rs120,000 to 200,000. “When a patient comes to us, some screening through tests is done to determine the suitability of drugs. In 95% cases, it is positive. All patients return to the clinic for follow-up every 4 to 6 weeks. At that time, certain tests are performed to determine the effectiveness of the medicine taken,” said Dr. Siddiqui. Shifa has been facilitating such patients for the last 4 years. “Currently, we have 592 registered patients. The medicines provided to them cost Rs721 million per year, with the monthly expense on these patients being approximately Rs60 million,” he shared.

Dr. Siddiqui assured that regardless of their number, all patients who test positive for the available drug will be served by Shifa without discrimination. At present, about 180 patients are coming through Shifa Foundation alone; these patients pay only Rs50 as initial registration while the rest pay only the consultancy fee and a discounted charge for the required tests.

Dr. Siddiqui concluded with an appeal to the media to support this noble cause by providing the right information to the general public.

Source: The News International, 12-feb-09

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:

• Acquired means you can get infected with it;
• Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases.
• Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease.

AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make "antibodies," special molecules to fight HIV.

A blood test for HIV looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." Fact Sheet 102 has more information on HIV testing.

Being HIV-positive, or having HIV disease, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections." See Fact Sheet 500 for an overview of opportunistic infections.

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HOW DO YOU GET AIDS?

You don't actually "get" AIDS. You might get infected with HIV, and later you might develop AIDS. You can get infected with HIV from anyone who's infected, even if they don't look sick and even if they haven't tested HIV-positive yet. The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people. Most people get the HIV virus by:

• having sex with an infected person
• sharing a needle (shooting drugs) with someone who's infected
• being born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an infected woman

Getting a transfusion of infected blood used to be a way people got AIDS, but now the blood supply is screened very carefully and the risk is extremely low.

There are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted by tears or saliva, but it is possible to be infected with HIV through oral sex or in rare cases through deep kissing, especially if you have open sores in your mouth or bleeding gums. For more information, see the following Fact Sheets:

150: Stopping the Spread of HIV
151: Safer Sex Guidelines
152: How Risky Is It?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 to 1.2 million U.S. residents are living with HIV infection or AIDS; about a quarter of them do not know they have it. About 75 percent of the 40,000 new infections each year are in men, and about 25 percent in women. About half of the new infections are in Blacks, even though they make up only 12 percent of the US population.

In the mid-1990s, AIDS was a leading cause of death. However, newer treatments have cut the AIDS death rate significantly. For more information, see the US Government fact sheet at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/aidsstat.htm.

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WHAT HAPPENS IF I'M HIV POSITIVE?

You might not know if you get infected by HIV. Some people get fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomach ache, swollen lymph glands, or a skin rash for one or two weeks. Most people think it's the flu. Some people have no symptoms. Fact Sheet 103 has more information on the early stage of HIV infection.

The virus will multiply in your body for a few weeks or even months before your immune system responds. During this time, you won't test positive for HIV, but you can infect other people.

When your immune system responds, it starts to make antibodies. When this happens, you will test positive for HIV.

After the first flu-like symptoms, some people with HIV stay healthy for ten years or longer. But during this time, HIV is damaging your immune system.

One way to measure the damage to your immune system is to count your CD4 cells you have. These cells, also called "T-helper" cells, are an important part of the immune system. Healthy people have between 500 and 1,500 CD4 cells in a milliliter of blood. Fact Sheet 124 has has more information on CD4 cells.

Without treatment, your CD4 cell count will most likely go down. You might start having signs of HIV disease like fevers, night sweats, diarrhea, or swollen lymph nodes. If you have HIV disease, these problems will last more than a few days, and probably continue for several weeks.

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HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE AIDS?

HIV disease becomes AIDS when your immune system is seriously damaged. If you have less than 200 CD4 cells or if your CD4 percentage is less than 14%, you have AIDS. See Fact Sheet 124 for more information on CD4 cells. If you get an opportunistic infection, you have AIDS. There is an "official" list of these opportunistic infections put out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The most common ones are:

• PCP (Pneumocystis pneumonia), a lung infection;
• KS (Kaposi's sarcoma), a skin cancer;
• CMV (Cytomegalovirus), an infection that usually affects the eyes
• Candida, a fungal infection that can cause thrush (a white film in your mouth) or infections in your throat or vagina

AIDS-related diseases also includes serious weight loss, brain tumors, and other health problems. Without treatment, these opportunistic infections can kill you.

The official (technical) CDC definition of AIDS is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00018871.htm AIDS is different in every infected person. Some people die a few months after getting infected, while others live fairly normal lives for many years, even after they "officially" have AIDS. A few HIV-positive people stay healthy for many years even without taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs).

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IS THERE A CURE FOR AIDS?

There is no cure for AIDS. There are drugs that can slow down the HIV virus, and slow down the damage to your immune system. There is no way to "clear" the HIV out of your body.

Other drugs can prevent or treat opportunistic infections (OIs). In most cases, these drugs work very well. The newer, stronger ARVs have also helped reduce the rates of most OIs. A few OIs, however, are still very difficult to treat. See Fact Sheet 500 for more information on opportunistic infections.

The HCV infection takes years to produce symptoms in those infected with this virus. About 35% of the infected people may produce symptoms while the rest may not produce symptoms at all. Hepatitis C does not have prominent symptoms in the early stage. The infected individual may experience vague symptoms such as abdominal pain, impaired digestion, loss of appetite, lassitude, weakness, itching, etc. However, these symptoms are so common that it is hard to point towards the diagnosis of Hepatitis C. The severity of the symptoms is not directly proportional to the intensity of liver dysfunction, however. Patients in the advanced stage may experience more severe symptoms such as yellow sclera, sometimes paleness (whiteness) of eyes, loss of appetite, depression, bleeding from rectum, bloody vomiting, exhaustion and weight loss. Advanced stage symptoms of Hepatitis C are those due to chronic inflammation of liver (hepatitis), cirrhosis (scarring of tissues) of liver and/or liver failure. The patients with acute Hepatitis C present with lethargic feeling, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, body pain, and exhaustion. Objectively, one may observe yellowness of sclera (icterus or jaundice as it is called

symptoms, diagnosis and surgical treatment options.
Diabetes-Related Eye Disease


Glaucoma



you'll find all you need to know about the disease, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments.

Retinitis Pigmentosa