Dishoom Dishoom Diabetes!

Dr. K. Baraneedharan, Sr Consultant Diabetologist, Kauvery Hospital Chennai, shares his thoughts about Dishoom Dishoom Diabetes, the unique Diabetes awareness expo held at Kauvery Hospital to fight Diabetes.

Kauvery Hospital had a free diabetes awareness expo at their hospital recently. It welcomed diabetics and non-diabetics, who could go in and have a top to toe diabetic check-up.

 

Diabetic check-up and management

The check-up included blood sugar testing stalls, eye testing, foot testing, and a talk on diabetic awareness and diabetes management. There were also counsellors to help answer any questions that people with diabetes or at-risk people had on the illness.

The expo included a stall, where nutrition tips and a diabetic diet plan was given to help manage diabetes. A physiotherapist was present to help raise awareness of physical problems related to diabetes and prevent them. They also had a special stall for diabetic footwear where people could find out more about the various footwear options available for diabetic management.

Manage diabetes and live a better life

People walked away from the expo, much more aware of the importance of diabetes management, the various options open to them to help manage the illness, and hopefully to make changes in their lifestyle to live a quality life while managing their diabetes.

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Understanding BE FAST

Dr. Bhuvaneshwari Rajendran, Neurologist and Neurophysiologist, Kauvery Hospital Chennai, explains the acronym BE FAST and the significance of sudden arm/leg weakness/paralysis as a tell-tale sign of a stroke.

Origin of BE FAST

FAST is an acronym that has been used for a while now as a mnemonic to help detect and enhance responsiveness to a person's needs having a stroke. The acronym stands for Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time to call emergency services. With advancing technology, better facilities, and treatment, 2 more alphabets have been added to this acronym, making it BE FAST.



What does BE FAST stand for?

Balance – Is the person able to walk unaided? Are they experiencing a sudden loss of balance or coordination?

Eyes – Are they experiencing a sudden blurred or double vision? Is there persistent vision trouble?

Face – When smiling, is one or both sides of the face drooping?

Arms – When both arms are raised, does one side drift downward? Is there weakness or numbness on one side? The A doesn't stand for only arms but encompasses both limbs.

Speech – Is the person slurring or speaking in a garbled way? Are they able to repeat simple words and phrases?

Time – Immediate medical attention is essential if one or more of these signs manifest. Note down, time of symptoms.

Dr. Bhuvaneshwari Rajendran stresses the importance of taking quick steps if any of these symptoms manifest and get the patient to the hospital immediately.

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Liver Transplantation – what you need to know

Dr. K. Elan Kumaran, Kauvery Hospital, and Clinical Lead, Advanced Liver Diseases and Transplantation Centre, shares valuable insights regarding liver transplantation, its types, and its advantages.

 

What is a liver transplant?

A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a liver that no longer functions appropriately and replaces it with a healthy liver.

When is it done?

A liver transplant may be necessary if the patient has:

· Liver failure

· Liver cancer

· Genetic predisposition which leads to liver diseases in children

What are the two methods of liver transplant?

Living donor transplant

A donor has to be found in a living donor transplant who has a good match with the person who needs a liver transplant. After proper tests and evaluations are done, and the transplant is approved, a portion of the liver from the healthy living person is removed and placed into the person whose liver is no longer working correctly. Transplants from living donors are recommended as they go more smoothly. This is because the livers from living donors are outside the body for a shorter amount of time.

Deceased donor liver

If there is no living donor match available, a deceased donor liver is procured. It is usually taken from a person who has suffered from brain damage after injury or stroke. The donor must be between 1-70 years of age and should have been relatively healthy before their death. The liver will regenerate in about 8-10 weeks.

Is the surgery safe for the donor and receiver?

Due to advancements in technology and medical care, this is an oft done surgery and has a very high success rate and recovery rate. The donor also undergoes surgery and may take a month to recover and resume normal activities. The liver has the unique ability to regenerate. Hence the partial livers of both the donor and recipient soon grow into complete organs.

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A musical start to 2021

Dr. K Balaji, a Nephrologist and Trained Classical Vocalist renders a beautiful piece from Raga Hamsadhwani and explains the positive impact of music on the human body. This 2021, let's listen to beautiful music, spread positivity, and stay healthy! 

Hamsadhwani is a bright and auspicious raga and is usually the raga that is sung at the start of a Carnatic concert. It is a popular raga that is easily identified due to its distinctive charm. It is commonly sung in Madhyamakala or a medium-fast tempo and is derived from Shankarabharanam. It is said to have been created by Ramaswamy Dikshitar, and the credit for introducing this raga into the Hindustani system of music goes to Ustad Aman Ali Khan.

Popular kritis that are sung in Hamsadhwani include:-

· Vatapi Ganapatim
· Parvati Patim
· Tyagaraja’s Sri Raghukula and Raghunayaka
· Veeva Kuppier’s Vinayaka
· G.N. Balasubramaniam’s Vara Vallabha
· Papanasam Sivan’s Karunai Seivaai
· Muthiah Bhagavatar’s Gam Ganapathe.

Every raga has its spirit, and Hamsadhwani is no different. It is said to bring positivity and to spread happiness and prosperity.

Use of Hamsadhwani in music therapy

Music therapy is a methodology that has been used to help in the treatment of mental illness, depression, and anxiety. It has been found that listening to music can help in calming minds, reducing stress, and controlling high blood pressure. Hamsadhwani raga, in particular, has been found to have the potential to lower blood pressure and is used as a part of the music therapy programs that are being created to help in preventing cardiovascular disease.

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Importance of self-breast examination

Dr. Kirti Katherine Kabeer, Consultant Breast Cancer Specialist and Oncoplastic Surgeon, Kauvery Hospital, explains the importance of self-breast examination and touches upon the appropriate procedure to perform it.

A self-exam helps one check the breast to see if there is any change in the way your breasts feel that seems abnormal. It is helpful in the early detection of breast cancer.

When to do a self-breast examination?

The best time to do a monthly self-breast exam is about 3 to 5 days after your period starts. Your breasts are not as tender or lumpy at this time in your monthly cycle. If you have gone through menopause, pick any day of the month. Do it at the same time every month. 

Steps to perform a self-breast examination

Stand with shoulders straight and arms on hips. Look at your breast in the mirror.

Look for any of these indications:

· Abnormality in size, shape, and colour
· Visible distortion in shape
· Dimpling, puckering or bulging of the skin
· A nipple that has changed position
· Inverted nipple
· Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling
· Leaking from nipples

Lying down breast exam

Lie down with head-on outstretched left arm. Use your right hand to feel your left breast and press all over, and check for any abnormalities. Now turn over and repeat on the other side for the right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with your hand's first few finger pads, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion. Make sure to cover the whole breast from clavicle to rib cage and under the armpit too.

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Causes of blood in the urine and the treatment

Dr. Jeevagan, Urologist, Kauvery Hospital Chennai, shares valuable insights about the importance of consulting with a specialist if a patient manifests blood in the urine and explains the various reasons that could lead to the condition and the treatment options.

Causes of blood in the urine

If you notice blood in the urine, it should be taken seriously. It is never normal to see blood in the urine. It is essential to see a doctor at once and get tests done and a diagnosis made. 

There are several causes for the occurrence of blood in the urine, and these include:

Urological causes

· Tumour in the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra It is essential to get this checked at once, even if the blood stops after a few days. It could be the beginning of a tumour, and the earlier it is detected and treated, the better the outcome.

· In women, it could be due to a UTI .UTI often occurs in young women and recently married women, and they present with chills, fever, and blood in the urine. It is easily treatable with medication.

· It could be caused due to urinary stone disease.The bleeding occurs when the stones move in the urinary tract, rub against mucosa and cause bleeding. Treatment to remove the stones should address the problem.

Nephrological causes

· Glomurenephritis

This is a nephrological cause for blood in the urine. It occurs due to the inflammation of the glomeruli or the tiny filters in your kidneys. It can come on suddenly or gradually. The nephrologist will formulate a treatment plan.

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Dengue Fever Awareness

We have had a rough 2020, and 2021 doesn't seem to be any less stressful. While dealing with the pandemic, it is important to remember that the pandemic has not caused other illnesses to recede. We are still vulnerable to all the other diseases out there, and for us, Chennaiities, Dengue tops the list.

How is Dengue caused?

The Aedes mosquitoes cause dengue fever. When a mosquito bites a person infected with a dengue virus, the virus enters the mosquito. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another person, the virus enters that person's bloodstream and causes an infection.



The Dengue mosquito, or the Aedes aegypti, is about 4-7 meters long. It has white markings on its legs and the upper surface of its body. The female mosquito has a shorter antenna, and the male has a longer one. It is the female mosquito that is dangerous. Be on the look-out for mosquitoes with white markings and short antennae. These are most active during the day.

They breed in any place with stagnant water and therefore flourish in cities and city suburbs where they can find stagnant water in discarded tyres, empty flower pots, coconut shells, etc.

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Symptoms of Dengue

It is common for an infected person to manifest symptoms between 3-14 days. It usually starts with a fever. Within 2-5 days, there could be a rash and blood in stools. In young women, menstrual bleeding may be heavy. There is usually throat and nose chest congestion between the third and seventh day. Other symptoms include:

· Nausea
· Vomiting
· Rash
· Aches and pains
· Eye pain, typically behind the eyes
· Bone pain
· Fever

Symptoms of Dengue typically last 2–7 days. Most people will recover after about a week.