What are the different types of brain disorders?

Brain Injuries

Brain injuries are often caused by blunt trauma. Trauma can damage brain tissue, neurons, and nerves. This damage affects your brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of your body. Examples of brain injuries include:

1. Hematomas
2. Blood clots
3. Contusions, or bruising of brain tissue
4. Cerebral edema, or swelling inside the skull
5. Concussions
6. Strokes

 Brain Tumors

Sometimes, tumors form in the brain and can be very dangerous. These are called primary brain tumors. In other cases, cancer somewhere else in your body spreads to your brain. These are called secondary or metastatic brain tumors.

The most common symptoms of brain tumors are:

1. headaches
2. seizures
3. numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
4. nausea
5. vomiting
6. changes in personality
7. difficulty with movement or balance
8. changes in your hearing, speech, or vision

 Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases cause your brain and nerves to deteriorate over time. They can change your personality and cause confusion. They can also destroy your brain’s tissue and nerves.

Some brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, may develop as you age. They can slowly impair your memory and thought processes. Other diseases, such as Tay-Sachs disease, are genetic and begin at an early age. Other common neurodegenerative diseases include:

1. Huntington’s disease
2. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), or Lou Gehrig’s disease
3. Parkinson’s disease
4. all forms of dementia

 Mental Disorders

Mental disorders, or mental illnesses, are a large and diverse group of conditions that affect your behavior patterns. Some of the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders are:

1. depression
2. anxiety
3. bipolar disorder
4. post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
5. schizophrenia

The symptoms of mental disorders vary based on the condition. Different people can experience the same mental disorders very differently. You should talk to your doctor if you notice a change in your behavior, thought patterns, or moods.

The two major types of treatment for mental disorders are medication and psychotherapy. Different methods work better for different conditions. Many people find that a combination of the two is the most effective.

If you think you might have a mental disorder, it’s important to talk to your doctor of AMRI Hospitals, best neurology hospital in Kolkata to come up with a treatment plan that works for you. There are many resources available — don’t try to self-medicate.

What Are the Symptoms of a Brain Tumor in Adults?

Symptoms of brain tumors vary according to the type of tumor and the location. Because different areas of the brain control different functions of the body, where the tumor lies affects the way symptoms are manifested.

Some tumors have no symptoms until they are quite large and then cause a serious, rapid decline in health. Other tumors may have symptoms that develop slowly.

A common initial symptom of a brain tumor is headaches. Often, they don’t respond to the usual headache remedies. Keep in mind that most headaches are unrelated to brain tumors.

Other symptoms include:

Seizures
Changes in speech or hearing
Changes in vision
Balance problems
Problems with walking
Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
Problems with memory
Personality changes
Inability to concentrate
Weakness in one part of the body

It’s important to keep in mind that these symptoms can be caused by a number of different conditions. Don’t assume you have a brain tumor just because you experience some of them. Check with your doctor atAMRI Hospitals, the best neurology hospital in Kolkata.

How Are Brain Tumors Diagnosed?

To diagnose a brain tumor, the doctor starts by asking questions about your symptoms and taking a personal and family health history. Then he or she performs a physical exam, including a neurological exam. If there’s reason to suspect a brain tumor, the doctor may request one or more of the following tests:

1. Imaging studies such as a CT(CAT) scan or MRI to see detailed images of the brain
2. Angiogram or MRA, which involve the use of dye and X-rays of blood vessels in the brain to look for signs of a tumor or abnormal blood vessels.

The doctor may also ask for a biopsy to determine whether or not the tumor is cancer. A tissue sample is removed from the brain either during surgery to remove the tumor or with a needle inserted through a small hole drilled into the skull before treatment is started. The sample is then sent to a lab for testing.

Rare tumor surgery saves 70-year-old woman

A 70-year-old woman with a rare pre-cancerous tumor in the liver underwent a complex surgery where 80% of her liver was removed. A successful surgery later, Kabutri Devi is now back home. The Hooghly resident had been suffering from upper abdomen pain vomiting and fever and had been losing weight.

AMRI Hospital Dhakuria doctors detected biliary cystadenoma in the liver, a rare benign neoplasm of the liver with less than 200 cases being reported across the globe. Though most tumors are benign, they have the potential to turn malignant if left unattended. “We removed almost 80% of liver in a bloodless surgery, where the patient did not need any blood transfusion” said Dr Suddhasattwa Sen.

The GI surgeon said being in the middle of the liver, the tumor posed a challenge. But the team did a left-extended liver resection, removing 80% of it in two hours. “The tumors can cause a rare cancer if kept in the body for long. The biopsy has not indicated malignancy,” Sen said.

SOURCE: TOI

How to Know If You Have a Hernia and What to Do About It?

The organs in your body are surrounded by tissue that holds them firmly in place. However, this supportive tissue can sometimes weaken, allowing an organ to push through it. This condition is known as a hernia. The organ can push through either toward the outside of your body, creating a visible bulge under your skin, or toward another layer of muscle, in which case it won’t cause any visible symptoms.

Millions of Indians suffer from hernias, but less than 20% of those cases are diagnosed. While most hernias aren’t life-threatening, they can cause severe pain if undetected or ignored. In some cases, the flow of blood to the part of the organ affected by a hernia can be cut off, which could result in a fatal outcome. It is thus important to learn how to know if you have a hernia and when to seek treatment.

WHAT CAUSES HERNIAS?

Hernias are a direct result of physical strain and muscle weakness. These two usually go hand-in-hand and can be caused by a variety of factors. Muscle weakness is most often age-related or caused by a congenital defect that leaves a small opening in the abdominal wall. It can also occur due to a chronic cough, as well as damage to the muscle caused by surgery or injury.

With your muscles weakened, many factors can put a physical strain on your body. These include:

1. Persistent coughing
2. Sudden weight gain
3. Lifting heavy objects
4. Abdominal fluid

Because it puts an unusual amount of pressure on your abdomen, pregnancy can strain your body and cause a hernia as a result. Chronic constipation can also cause a hernia, seeing as bowel movements put a lot of strain on your body. Surgical scars following a C-section may also contribute to a hernia.

Although anyone can develop a hernia, people who have a personal or family history of the problem may be more likely to suffer from it. Smoking is a major risk factor, seeing as it can cause a chronic cough. For the same reason, conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, and acid reflux can also be contributing factors.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A HERNIA

An unusual bulge or lump in the groin or the abdomen is usually a tell-tale sign of an external hernia. Similarly, a hernia can also manifest itself as a bulge that grows over time but disappears when you lie down or push it back with your finger. This is particularly common in women and is one of the reasons, in addition to outdated ultrasound equipment, why women only account for 8% of all hernia diagnoses.

Men usually experience a bulge in the groin or scrotum area, which is usually accompanied by swelling, burning, and severe pain. Other common symptoms of an external hernia include chronic pain when you try to lift heavy objects, bend over, or cough, as well as weakness or heaviness in the abdominal area.

While it doesn’t typically cause any visible symptoms, an internal hernia will often contribute to the onset of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD for short. As such, any of the following symptoms of GERD may be a sign that you have an undiagnosed hiatal hernia:

1. Bloating, pain, and discomfort in the stomach
2. A burning sensation in your chest
3. Sour taste in your mouth and throat
4. Frequent burping

In addition, a hiatal hernia can sometimes cause severe chest pain. As you probably know, chest pain can be a sign of a number of health problems, ranging from anxiety and panic attacks to potentially life-threatening heart and lung problems. Whatever the case, it is not a symptom you should ignore, which is why you should reach out to your doctor the moment you start experiencing chest pain.

A HERNIA WON’T GO AWAY ON ITS OWN

Anyone can develop a hernia, regardless of their age, gender, or health status. If you notice the symptoms of a hernia – either internal or external – you shouldn’t ignore them. A hernia never goes away on its own and can cause a lot of complications – some of them life-threatening.

As such, it is important to visit your doctor at the first sign of the problem. They will look at your symptoms and run all the necessary tests to determine the best treatment. In addition, they may recommend a combination of lifestyle changes and medication to keep your hernia under control.

AMRI Hospitals, Mukundapur, best hospital in Kolkata, brings special hernia screening package at Rs 2500/- providing expert diagnostic services.

Pregnancy Care Tips During Summer

During pregnancy, you need to stay cool and calm. The temperature of the body gets increased while you are pregnant. During the summer days, it becomes essential to keep yourself cool during pregnancy. The period of pregnancy is full of excitement and joy but along with them pregnancy also links with the discomfort. The level of discomfort increases during summer days. You need to help your baby by giving comfort to make your baby’s survival easy on summer days.

Mother is the first relation to the baby that exists before the birth and forever. It is you who can help your baby to prevent the uncomfortable days.

Hair care

You need to take care of your hair by massaging your scalp with cooling hair oil to feel you relaxed. You can even go for a haircut and shorten the length of your hair. If not a haircut you should always tie your hair into a pony or a bun to avoid sweating on your neck. You should ensure proper passage of air on your neck and the back.

Skin care

Taking proper care of your skin is very important because during pregnancy skin usually becomes dry. So, make sure that whenever you go out you must apply sunscreen on your face and wear sunglasses to protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. You should even take care of your lips from getting dry for which you should regularly apply finest quality lip balms.

Proper exercise

You should do proper exercise in the morning when the temperature is low because exercise will be good for your baby. Do it in your comfort zone by not over stressing yourself.

Restrict outdoor activity

You should restrict your outdoor activities by early morning and late evening after the sun sets off. You should avoid going out during the afternoon when the sun rays are high.

Drink plenty of water

During pregnancy, you need to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. The summer season brings dehydration and urination increase during pregnancy, therefore, drinking plenty of water advised to the pregnant women to keep their baby healthy. During pregnancy, you eat and drink not only for you there is a new life inside you who depends completely on the nutrients that you provide.

Avoid direct sunlight

Direct sunlight is not good at all, especially during pregnancy. The direct sunlight increases nausea and dizziness and of course, makes you more uncomfortable while you are pregnant. Direct sunlight increases the dehydration which is neither good for you nor for your baby as well as it may cause foot swelling.

You should also avoid the activities that make you contact in direct sunshine. During summer days you should avoid more exercise that make you exhausted instead you should prefer moderate exercise in the cool environment you can prefer the timing of early morning OR evening when the atmosphere gets cool and comfortable. You should not skip your outdoor activities as they keep you fit and healthy.

Intake healthy diet

You need to pay extra attention to your diet while you are pregnant especially during summer days. You should include more and leafier vegetables in your diet along with the moderate quantity of fruits that provide you the entire required nutrient for you and your baby. Drink healthy juice to keep your body temperature cool. You should intake small diets on particular time during the day to maintain the metabolism of the body.

Look for light clothing to beat the heat

During pregnancy, you should think before you wear especially on summer days. You should prefer light color clothes that should light in weight also. It will be much better if you look for cottony clothes. Avoid the dark color and heavy clothes and must avoid polyester and nylon during summer.

Maternity wear is the best choice to deal with the discomfort. Maternity wear is specially designed seeing the comfort and looks during pregnancy. You need to stay cool and the clothes you wear should be comfy enough. Maternity wear makes you feel comfortable while maintaining your looks.

Take proper sleep

Proper rest can be considered the best way to eliminate stress. Make sure your bedroom has the comfy temperature that should not disturb your sleep. You must take a tight sleep at night but along with that, you should seek the time to have small naps during the day. Taking proper rest helps you to prevent the complications that can occur during pregnancy.

Set your time for swimming

Exercise during pregnancy helps you to stay healthy but the exercises should be moderate. Swimming is the best exercise during summer days while you are pregnant. Swimming makes you healthy as well as keeps you cool and make your body feel light. Water aerobics is also the better option to stay fit and healthy while keeping the body cool during summer days.

Swelling legs

Swelling legs is not uncommon during pregnancy. The heat you go through during summer days also associated with the swelling legs. You can avoid the swelling of your foot while caring them.

• Keep your legs up on the pillows while you are sleeping.
• Do not sit while hanging the legs down during pregnancy.
• You should buy the well-fitted shoes while you are pregnant to get the comfort and relax.
• Wear the correct choice of footwear during exercise. Your footwear should be comfy while walking also that is the part of the exercise

Visit Amri Hospitals, Best Child Care Hospital in Kolkata