Month June 2016

Pulse and heart beat are checked primarily to have a simple and quick assessment of the condition of the heart and other system of the body. By checking the pulse the doctor can know the rate, rhythm and wave pattern of the arterial pulse. The normal arterial pulse will have certain characteristic features and any deviation from this pattern suggests an underlying problem.

For example normal, adult resting person’s pulse rate/heart rate is around 72 beats per minute. Here the words normal, adult resting all have significance as children’s heart rate is more compared to adults and a person who did some exercise like running, cycling and swimming will have a higher pulse/heart rate compared to other persons at rest. These are all physiological variations.

 Even at rest if a person’s pulse rate grossly deviates from the beat it signifies some underlying problem. In the same way if the rate of the rhythm or wave pattern of the pulse deviates from the normal it also denotes some underlying problem. Normal heartbeat consists of two heart sounds. In addition if any other sounds or murmurs (peculiar noises heard in between or along with the heart sounds) are heard, it also signifies some problem in the heart.

The arterial pulse can be felt at several places viz near the wrist, elbow, armpit, neck, groin, popletial fossa (area behind the knee joint) and foot. The wrist and neck are the most easily accessible places for the doctor to check the pulse with little discomfort to the patient. Hence these regions are usually preferred. In certain special conditions or diseases the pulse at the other regions are also checked. 

            There is no one reason why we get more colds and flu in winter. The rhinovirus, which is responsible for up to 40 per cent of colds, cultures better at a temperature of 32 degrees C rather than the normal body temperature of 37 degrees C. However, 32 degrees C is the normal temperature of the lining of the nose, which is good news for the virus.

We do tend to be indoors more often in poorly ventilated areas during the winter and this aids the airborne transmission of the virus. Similarly, ultraviolet rays will kill viruses and this may be another factor as there is obviously much less sunlight in winter. However, it is believed that one of the biggest factors for the great increase in colds that occurs in early autumn and just after Christmas is the return of school children and students to schools and colleges.

Children and teenagers are far more susceptible to infection as their immune system learns how to combat more infections as they get older and have been exposed to more of the 200 or so viruses responsible for the common cold. Densely packed nurseries, schools and colleges provide an ideal breeding ground for viruses which then spread out into the community, aided by the cold damp weather. 

Dandruff is thought to be caused by overgrowth of yeast such as Pityrosporum ovale which live on normal skin. This overgrowth causes local irritation resulting in hyper proliferation of the cells (keratinocytes) forming the outer layer of the skin. These form scales which accumulate and are shed as dandruff flakes.

Dandruff is a condition of excessive scaliness of the scalp. There are two varieties – dry and greasy. In the dry variety, the scales are fine, thin, white or grayish, and dry or slightly greasy. Such type of hair lacks lusture. People with this type of hair will have mild to moderate itching. The scales will fall freely on the shoulders.

This dandruff will be more common in winter than in summer. It signifies exaggeration of normal exfoliation of the horny layer of the epidermis. It usually affects people with dry integument and scalp. Such people are rather reluctant to use oil, on their scalp. In the greasy variety both the scalp and the integument are oily. It diffuses all over the scalp. Later the condition also extends to other hairy regions. It may extend typically to the eyebrows, eyelids, beard and other regions. The basic defect in this case is over production and/or change in composition of the sebaceous secretion. Dandruff is common at puberty and it occurs due to endocrine disorders, familial predisposition, unbalanced diet and constipation. Effective treatments for these conditions are prescribed, in Siddha medicine, based on commonly available plant products.

Cramp is a sudden, painful, involuntary contraction of a muscle. It generally affects the legs and hands. It can occur due to various reasons such as metabolic abnormality, sever cold, lack of blood flow and mineral deficiency. All these elicit pain or other types of sensory impulses that are transmitted from the muscle to the spinal cord, thus causing reflex muscle contraction. Thus, a positive feedback mechanism occurs so that a small amount of initial irritation leads to more and more contraction until a full-blown muscle cramp ensues.

Massage helps to overcome cramp mainly by stretching the cramped muscle. In other words, it elicits what can be termed as ‘reciprocal inhibition’ of the muscle. This can at times relieve the cramp.

Cramp can occur due to localized muscle spasm. The pain or uneasiness is caused by nervous irritation due to accumulation of some ‘metabolites; or chemicals’ in that area. Massage, external compression of muscle, improves blood supply.  Helps in washing away these metabolites and thus relives the cramp. However, not all cramps can be relieved by massage. 

Myopia is defined as an eye defect where the image of the object falls before the retina of the eye. The person affected with myopia cannot see distant objects clearly, but can see objects that are close to him. Myopia is also known as short sight. It may be caused due to: Increased Anterio Posterior length of the eyeball, Increased curvature of cornea or lens, Increased refractive index of the media particularly of lens sclerosis (early cataract).

Myopia can be broadly classified into three main types: Congenital myopia: It is present since birth and may be unilateral or bilateral. Simple or developmental myopia is common type where the defect increases usually as age advances,

Pathological myopia or degenerative myopia was the condition rapidly increases and there may be high myopia up to 20 D or more. Degenerative changes occur in post segment and fundus like myopic crescent choroidal sclerosis, post staphyloma due to stretching or sclera, vitreous degeneration retinal detachment and development of nuclear cataract seen.

 Latest technologies that are available for the treatment of myopia are: Radial Keratectomy, where the problem is corrected by making a series of radial cuts around outer edges of the cornea by a handheld small blade thereby reducing corneal curvature and reduction of myopia.

Photorefractive Keratectomy, where laser rays are used to correct the defect by gently removing corneal tissues from the central area of the cornea thereby reducing the corned curvature

 Lasik procedure combined with laser where small layer of the cornea are removed microscopically and then laser rays are applied to correct the defect.