Understanding the Heart of the Matter

The human heart is one of the first functional organs to develop, and the main functions involve circulating the blood through the vessels and exchanging nutrients through the body.

The structure of the heart

The heart comprises two atria, two ventricles, and two vessels – the aorta and pulmonary artery. It is functionally divided into two areas. The left or systemic chambers help supply blood to the vital organs, while the right or pulmonary chambers help circulate the blood through the lungs and aid in the oxygenation of the blood. The pacemakers and other circuits control the electric activity of the heart.

Effects of the heart diseases

Here are some common diseases affecting the heart and their effects:

·        Pump failure or cardiac failure

•   This affects the ability of the heart to pump blood to all organs.
•   Rhythm disturbances including the risk of sudden death.
•   Bluish discolouration of the tongue and extremities

·        Coronary heart disease can cause heart attacks

·        Cardiomyopathy or viral myocarditis are the frequent causes of cardiac failure

Prevention of heart diseases

Here are some tips to keep your heart healthy

•        Start with a healthy lifestyle
•        Regular aerobic exercises or a brisk walk of 30 minutes per day
•        Follow a healthy diet that is low in fat
•        Controlled stress and regular health check-ups
•        Quit smoking and alcohol consumption

Treatment for heart diseases

Medicines might not be effective for advanced heart failure cases. In that case, the cardiologists might suggest the patient get artificial devices that support the heart functions or, in extreme cases, a heart transplant.

Kauvery Hospital

At Kauvery hospital, we have the best cardiologists who are well experienced in performing advanced treatment options like heart transplantation. Make sure that you get regular health check-ups but if you note any discomforts, get immediate care. You can search options like “cardiologist near me” to find the nearest care.

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Spine Health - Back Pain, Neck Pain

Work from home (WFH) has become the norm for most working people due to the pandemic. One of the major problems we have encountered during this period is poor spine health. When you notice constant pain or discomfort in the back, it is best to consult with a specialist for spine treatment. Here are some common questions about spine health answered by a spine specialist from Kauvery Hospital.

What is working from home, and what are the common effects?

Most people, especially those employed in the IT sector, have started working from home due to the pandemic. But people who aren’t used to this WFH model, like the health professionals and more, are also forced into this.

Suddenly starting to work from an unfamiliar environment, most probably without the right furniture, and many other factors have built up our stress since we began the WFH model. Some people are starting to suffer from depression, anxiety, and social disorders because of this isolation.

But other than this, we have started to remain sitting for a long time now. We don’t have to travel to work, and strolls are also out of the question with the lockdown. This has brought about problems with the back and the neck.

You might hear of the term “Sitting is the new smoking”. Prolonged sitting with less physical activity can bring about a myriad of problems in the person, and one among them is increased pressure on the back muscles. These neck and back problems can become severe, and you might need spine surgery to treat them.

Also Read: How Wrong Footwear can cause Back Pain

Kauvery Hospital

Work from home has become inevitable, and with the increasing number of variants, it seems to be the only solution. It is best to learn what is good for our health and follow that routine diligently. If you are experiencing any problems with your back or neck, then try finding a specialist with options like “spine doctor near me” or other such search phrases.
 
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Tips to Keep Your Lungs Healthy

The global pandemic has made us pause our fast lifestyle and think about our health. We know that the Covid virus predominantly affects our lungs and the increasing pollution is definitely not helping. Learn what Dr Srinivas Rajagopalan, Senior Pulmonologist, Kauvery Hospital has to say about lung health.

What are some of the tips to keep our lungs healthy?

•        Avoid smoking. Smoking is one of the factors that damage the lungs. Even if you do not smoke, you should avoid exposure while others smoke. Exposure to smoke can also affect our lungs and this is called passive smoking.

•        Avoid smoking especially while you are near children. The lung capacity in children is less and it only reaches the peak capacity in the second decade of their lives. When exposed to smoking, the lung capacity of the children might not reach the peak level and cause problems in the future.

•       Exposure to dust particles can also cause damage to the lungs. Biomass fuel is one factor that has been causing lung damage especially in people living in rural areas. It is important to avoid wool fuel stoves and kerosene stoves, especially in a poorly ventilated place. The particulate matter when entering our body can cause damage to our lungs with time.

•       Poor air quality can affect the lungs. Monitor the air quality index and while it is above the permissible level, avoid going out or wearing a mask.

•       Adequate cardiopulmonary exercise can maintain the health of the lungs. If you are over the age of 40, brisk walking is recommended and people lesser than 40 years can choose jogging.

Also Read: What Happens Before a Lung Transplantation?

Kauvery Hospital

Usually, it is possible to treat lung complications but when it is severe beyond treatment, a lung transplant is recommended. At Kauvery Hospital, we are equipped to provide our patients with the immediate care and treatment that is needed.

 

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Nephrotic Syndrome in Children

Nephrotic syndrome in children refers to the set of symptoms that indicate the improper working of the kidneys. It is often known as "oothukamalai" locally. This is often noticed in children aged 1-10 and usually occurs after the child suffers from cold or such conditions. You must consult with a nephrology doctor to cure this condition.

Causes

Nephrotic syndrome is caused by the leakage of protein in the urine. Nephrons are the basic units of the kidneys, and there are filters present in them. When there is a problem with these filters, the proteins needed by the body start to leak through urine. This results in insufficient protein levels in children leading to this syndrome.

Symptoms

The nephrotic syndrome usually manifests itself by the swelling in the child's legs, feet, abdomen, and face.

Treatment

Nephrotic syndrome can easily be cured. There are different types of nephrotic syndromes in children.

Usually, steroids are prescribed for about 8-12 weeks to treat the condition. But there is a chance of recurrence in some children, which can also be treated with medications. There is only a meager chance of this syndrome leading to kidney problems in the future.

Also Read: High Protein Diets: Keep Your Kidneys Happy and Healthy

Kauvery Hospital

Nephrotic syndrome is a common problem in children, and thus there is no need for the parents to panic. Kauvery Hospital has some of India's best kidney doctors and can therefore provide you with premium care.

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Telemedicine in Monitoring Heart Health

September 29 every year is designated as World Heart Day by the World Heart Federation. This was initiated to increase awareness about heart diseases among the general public. Knowing the problem would help the people address it more efficiently and get timely help from the cardiologists or respective specialists.

Heart diseases, also known as cardiovascular diseases, constitute the majority of the deaths among adults. Thus creating awareness about it is crucial. Every year the world heart day has a theme, and for 2021 it is “Use heart to connect”. This theme is selected to encourage people to use digital technologies to get awareness and diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart diseases.

The importance of digital technologies had never been more apparent than during the Covid pandemic. People stuck in their homes, especially the elderly, needed healthcare. Telemedicine has greatly helped the patients communicate efficiently with the doctors without leaving their homes. Even people in remote areas greatly benefitted by using telemedicine and telehealth.

Other devices like smartphones, wearable healthcare technology can track heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and more. These wearable technologies, when used properly, can help the patient maintain a healthy lifestyle and even prevent the occurrence of heart diseases.

Some heart failure patients might have implants like pacemakers, defibrillators, and ventricular assist devices. These devices have a backup Memory, and this data can be used to check the condition even without the patient visiting the hospital.

Also Read: The different stages of Heart Failure

Kauvery Hospital

Advancements in the digital world impact every other field, and healthcare is no exception. We at Kauvery Hospital have the best technologies for our patients to go through the treatment process comfortably. Even after the pandemic, our cardiologists and other specialists use telemedicine to treat patients at remote places.

 

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Breast Conserving Surgery - Part 1

Breast cancers are common cancers in women. In this Breast-conserving surgery, the oncology doctors remove the cancer tissues and some normal tissues surrounding it but leave the rest of the breast intact. Watch Dr. Kriti Katherine Kabeer, Breast specialist and oncoplastic surgeon in Kauvery Hospital, explain this surgery's details.

1.   Who is recommended to get breast conservation surgery?

Breast conservation surgery is usually recommended for people with:

•       Early-stage cancers (stage 1 and 2)
•       Cancer located in a single place. Usually, the breast is divided into four quadrants, and if the tumor is located in a single quadrant, breast conservation surgery would be recommended.
•       Other than this, the size of cancer in tandem with the size of the breast is also evaluated.

2.     Should the whole breast be removed after a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer?

This is one of the common misconceptions that people have. If diagnosed with breast cancer, it is not mandatory to remove the whole breast. And not doing so will not increase the chance of recurrence of cancer.

There is no difference between a person who has removed the whole breast and the person who treated only the lump in terms of survival rate and cancer recurrence.

3.     What are the benefits of breast-conserving surgery?

The only difference between the person who underwent breast conservation surgery and the person who removed the whole breast is the quality of life. Women who underwent breast conservation surgery have better confidence to return to their routine life and consequently a better quality of life. With time the woman who underwent surgery might even forget that she had surgery, but this might not be the case with the person who removed the breast as a whole.

Also Read: Breast Cancer: Early Signs, Diagnosis and Treatment

Kauvery Hospital

Cancer is not a taboo topic, and there have been a lot of innovations happening. It is time to get more people aware of these advanced treatments. In Kauvery Hospital, we have the best oncology doctors and oncoplastic surgeons who have years of experience in this type of surgery.

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One Life One Spine

Every year, September 5th is celebrated as International Spinal Cord injury day. The aim is to make people aware of the risks of spinal injuries and the treatment options available. Watch Dr. Balamurali, Head of Spine Surgery at Kauvery Hospital, talk about the importance of awareness about spine injuries.

      What are the functions of the spinal cord?

The brain is similar to the motherboard of a computer, and it is responsible for all the major operations happening in our bodies. The spinal cord is the extension of the brain and thus is important for the proper functioning of the brain. For any function to happen, like touching or lifting an object, the brain sends the signal through the spinal cord, and then the action is performed.

The functions of the spinal cord include movement, sensation, breathing, bowel movements, and more. When there is an injury to the spinal cord, it affects all these activities. The patient might be aware of the surroundings, but they cannot function. Spine injuries can make a person bed-ridden, wheelchair-bound, or permanently disabled.

Also Read: Types of Spinal Surgery

Why is awareness about spinal cord injury important?

Spinal cord injuries are very common in India. Most people might ignore this topic, thinking that it wouldn’t happen to them, but being present at the wrong place at the wrong time can easily lead to an unfortunate accident.

Road accidents, especially two-wheeler accidents, commonly cause spinal cord injuries. You might be a safe driver, but that is not assured for the one opposite you. Other than collision accidents, some accidents happen due to potholes, bad roads, wet roads during rainy days, and more.

The minute an injury happens to the spinal cord; your life can change. There is no medicine or procedure like spine surgery to date that can fully fix a spinal cord injury.

Kauvery Hospital

A person suffering from a spine injury might need immediate treatment but needs to be handled carefully. You can search for “Spine doctor near me” to find the nearest possible professional care.

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