Marma chikitsa- Indian Medical Tourism - Ayurvedic treatment -indiatreats

Marma chikitsa is an ayurvedic method of treatment similar to acupuncture. Marma chikitsa is older than acupuncture   and was practiced by the rishis of the ancient India. It differs from other hands on therapies because of its spiritual content.

As per Ayurveda there are 107 major special spots in our body ranging in size from 1 inch to 6 inches in diameter which are considered as the doorways to our mind and body.  Mind is considered as the 108^th marma. There are minor marmas which are spread along the torso and the limps. These  marma points were clearly mapped centuries ago in the ayurvedic text named, ‘Sushruthi Samhitha’. As per Ayurveda there are seven chakras in our body which are considered as the vibration energy centers along the subtle body and not the physical body. They are considered to be lying along the spine in human beings. The 107 marmas are located in our body parts as detailed below.

·         37 on head and neck

·         22 on arms

·         22 or extremities

·         12 on stomach and chest

·         14 on back

How is Marma chikitsa performed?

During Murma chikitsa the points on body coming under the Marma are stimulated. This stimulation clears the blockage giving physical relaxation as well as psychological relief.  By this therapy the sensitive and the subtle energy points in the body known as srothas are opened and the strength and energy are radiated into the body. Gently pressing the Marma points have been found to stimulate a sequence of positive events.

Benefits of Marma chikitsa

Experience has shown that Marma chikitsa  is profound and has far reaching effects in  the life of candidates who undergo this treatment. Dramatic shifts have been experienced by many patients in their mental, emotional and spiritual outlook. Some of the benefits of Marma chikitsa are explained below.

1.       Relief from chronic pain

2.       Detoxification of body at all levels

3.       Skin becomes fresher and radiant in its appearance.

4.       Body temperature and doshas are balanced.

5.       Neuro chemicals like serotonin, melatonin etc are released giving deeper sleep and better cognitive function.

In short, Marma chikitsa modifies your consciousness and changes your awareness.  By massaging Marma points controlling of prana (energy levels), motor and sensory organs  becomes easier. One feels younger and life becomes awesome.

Heart transplantation - Indian Medical Tourism, Indiatreats- Heart surgery

Heart transplant is a surgical procedure carried out to remove a damaged heart and replace it with a healthy heart donated by a donor. Getting a donor heart is not an easy task.  Usually heart donated by a brain dead person who lives on life support is used if it matches to the tissues of the acceptor  as closely as possible so that the chances of rejection of the heart does not arise at all.

This procedure is carried out under general anesthesia putting the patient to deep sleep. A cut is made through the breastbone.  Your blood is allowed to bypass to a heart lung bypass machine while the surgeon is carrying out his task. As the heart of the patient has stopped working, its function is now carried out by the heart lung bypass machine. Through this machine the patient’s body is getting oxygen and blood.

Doctor now removes the diseased heart and stitches the donor heart in place. After this the heart lung machine is disconnected. The blood starts flowing through the new heart and it starts functioning as usual supplying your body the required blood and oxygen. For several days tubes inserted to your chest for removing air, blood and fluid will  remain there itself till the lungs begins to expand fully.

When is the procedure necessary?

Heart transplant procedure is suggested by heart specialists under the following circumstances to save the life of the patient.

1.       When heart is severely damaged after a heart attack

2.       When heart failure occurs after treatments and surgical procedures

3.       For hearts which have severe defects at the time of birth itself which cannot be fixed by any methods including surgical procedures.

4.       Irregular heartbeats and rhythms  not responding to any treatments

For whom it is not suitable?

1.       Patients who are malnourished

2.       Patients who are above the age of 65-70

3.       Who have had stroke or dementia

4.       Who were cancer patients less than two years ago

5.       How are HIV positive

6.       Who have active hepatitis

7.       Who are diabetics and kidneys are affected by this

8.       Who suffer from diseases related to liver, lungs, nerves etc.

9.       Who are not supported by family

10.   Patients who are alcoholics or smokers or other life style problems that can affect the new heart.

11.   Patients who do not take care to follow the instructions of the physicians

Risk factors

As in the case of any surgery there can be risks from anesthesia as well as the surgical procedure. They are detailed below.

1.       Reactions to medicines

2.       Breathing problems

3.       Infection

4.       Bleeding

5.       Blood clots

6.       Kidney, lung, liver etc may be damaged due to anti-rejection medicines

7.       Chances of development of cancerous cells as a result of intake of medicines

8.       Stroke or heart attack

9.       Bone thinning, high cholesterol levels, diabetes etc.

10.   Lung failure, liver failure, coronary artery disease etc.

11.   Rejection of new heart

Preparing or the operation

After finding out that heart transplant is unavoidable in a case, the patient will be subjected to different tests to prove that he is a suitable candidate for the procedure. If you are in a waiting list your position on the list will depend upon the severity of your condition.  A patient who is in the waiting list will be contacted when a heart becomes available for him. As the donor heart has to be transplanted within hours, the patient for heart transplant has to stay ready waiting for the call. As preparatory task blood checking, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray urine test etc would already have done and an intravenous line in the arteries will always be there.

Operation

The patient will be administered with general anesthesia. Once the patient is under deep sleep, the surgeon will place a tube through his windpipe and connect it to respirator which is a breath supporting machine intended to continue breathing process uninterrupted during the surgical procedure. Another tube will be connected to your stomach to collect the liquid and air accumulating in the stomach. This helps the patient in not feeling bloated or sick after the procedure. Another tube will be inserted into your bladder to collect the urine. For severally ill patients a mechanical heart will be used to keep the heart functioning as the transplanting operation progresses.

The surgery will last 3 to5 hours. A bypass machine will be used to keep the pumping of blood uninterrupted. The old heart will be removed. The posterior walls of the upper chambers known as atria are attached to the new heart. As a precautionary step pacing wires will be connected to a pace maker placed externally. These wires will be removed prior to discharge. After connecting the new heart it is shocked so that it starts beating. The chest is closed.

When the patient awakes he will be in intensive care unit or cardio vascular ICU.  As you starts breathing you will be detached from the ventilator the tube inserted to your wind pipe will be removed. Pain medication will be administered either intra venous or through medications. As you recover you will be shifted from ICU to your room. Two to three weeks stay in hospital after surgery can be expected. Drugs to prevent the rejection of the new heart by the patient’s body will be given. The doctor will plan a rehabilitation program for your heart to recover faster and become normal.

After reaching home the patient should be careful in detecting  the possibility of infection by watching signs like infection, shortness of breath, sore throat, redness or drainage from incision etc.

Signs of rejection of the heart

·         Weight gain

·         Shortness of weight

·         Fatigue

·         Fever

The surgeon will suggest suitable drugs that can prevent the rejection of the new heart by the body. The patient can return to normal life within three months of heart transplant surgery. The patient will have to undergo cardiac catheterization every year to prevent coronary disease. All patients have been found to live for 2 years and about 70 % of them are found to live for 5 years or more. If rejection can be controlled by proper procedures the patient may live up to 10 years.

Chemotherapy - Cancer treatments - Indian Medical Tourism - Indiateats

Cancer cells grow fast and get multiples quickly than normal cells in human body. These fast growing cells are killed using drugs and this treatment is known as chemotherapy. Different type of drugs is available for chemo and they are used either separately or in combination with others according to the need of the individual patients. Chemotherapy has been found to be very efficient in treating the different types of cancer, but it has got some side effects and risk factors which have to be faced by the patients.

What is done?

Chemotherapy can be used in different settings depending upon the individual needs. Some of them are explained below.

1.       To cure cancer: In some cases only chemotherapy can be used for curing cancer completely.

2.       Chemotherapy after surgery: Chemotherapy can be used after surgical removal of cancerous cells to remove the hidden cells of cancer still present in the body.

3.       As a preparatory step: In some cases chemotherapy is done to shrink the cancerous cells  so that radiation therapy and surgery can be carried out easily. Doctors refer such treatment as neoadjuvent therapy.

4.       To relieve symptoms: Sometimes chemotherapy is used to relieve the patient from cancer symptoms. Such treatment is known as palliative chemotherapy.

5.       Chemotherapy for other conditions: Some chemotherapy drugs have been found to be useful for other conditions like bone marrow diseases and immune system disorders. So chemotherapy is done in such cases also.

Risks 

Chemotherapy drugs has different side effects. Some of the common side effects are furnished below. For detailed understanding of side effect of  a particular drug contact your doctor.

·         Vomiting

·         Nosea

·         Hair loss

·         Diarrhea

·         Fatigue

·         Loss of appetite

·         Fever

·         Pain

·         Mouth sours

·         Bruising

·         Constipation

Almost all of these side effects are treatable and preventable. These side effects subside as the therapy ends.

Side effects that comes later and last longer

Some chemotherapy side effects appear very late and last for more than six months after the treatment is over. They are

Hear problems

Damage to lungs

Infertility

Nerve damage

Kidney problems

Risk of second cancer

More details about these side effects can be collected from your doctor.

Symptoms and diagnosis of breast cancer - Cancer treatment - Indian Medical Tourism - indiatreats

                            

Cancer developing in the tissues of breast is known as breast cancer. Lump in the breast, change in the shape of the breast, fluid coming from nipple and dimpling of the skin is signs of breast cancer. Pain in the breast, itchy breasts, pain in upper back shoulder and or neck, changes in shape size or appearance of breast, changes in the appearance and sensitivity of the nipple etc are considered as early signs of breast cancer.

Medical experts are not sure about what causes the formation of breast cancer. It is not possible to say why one person develops the disease and why the other one remains safe. We can only say factors which can increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer. They are discussed below.

Causes of breast cancer

1.               Increase in age: it has been found that older women are at a higher risk of breast cancer. More than 80 % of female breast cancer occurs among women who are more than 50 years of age or who are in the post menopause period.

2.               Genetics:  Women with relatives who have breast cancer are more likely to develop this disease. But the fact remains that the majority of the breast cancers are not formed as a result of genetic factors. Genes BRCA1, BRCA2, and TP53 carry more risk of genetic cancer formation.

3.               Previous history of breast cancer:  A women who already had breast cancer is more prone to the re occurrence of breast cancer.

4.               Women with breast lumps:  Women who already have some breast lumps which are benign are more likely to develop breast cancer.

5.               Denser breast tissue: Women who have denser breast tissues are more likely to develop breast cancer.

6.               Estrogen Exposure: Women who started to have periods at a younger age or whose menopause was delayed are also at greater risk of breast cancer. This is because of the strong estrogen exposure that happens at the starting and closing of menstrual periods.

7.               Obesity:  Women who have  increased their body weight as a result of post menopause experience are more likely to develop breast cancer

8.               Height: Women who are taller than average women have a greater risk of breast cancer.

9.               Alcohol addiction: Women who regularly consume alcohol are at higher risks of breast cancer. Such women should not exceed one drink per day.

10.   Exposure to radiation: CT scans and x-rays have the potential to increase the risk of breast cancer on patients who undergo such tests.

11.   Hormone replacement therapy:  HRT therapies of both types i.e. combined or estrogen-only may increase the risk of breast cancer.

12.   Certain type of jobs: Researchers have found that women working under certain conditions are more likely to develop breast cancer.  Women working in night ship prior to first conception and women who bring human body in contact with carcinogens and endocrine disruptors are also more prone to breast cancer.

Diagnosing breast cancer

The following tests are usually conducted to diagnose breast cancer

1.               Breast exam:  Doctor will examine both your breasts and lymph nodes found in the armpit and try to feel any lumps or abnormalities.

2.               Mammogram: X-ray of breast  is known as mammogram. By studying the mammograms your doctor will be able to detect abnormalities, if any and further investigation may be suggested by your doctor.

3.               Ultrasound: Ultra sound Scan  will be able to confirm whether the new found lump is only a fluid   

              filled cyst or a solid mass.

4.       Biopsy: By biopsy we mean taking a sample of the lump and sending it for medical examination. The experts in the biopsy lab will be able to determine whether a lump is actually cancerous or not. Biopsy results also reveal  the grade of the cancer, the existence of hormone receptors or other receptors in the sample etc which can influence the course of treatments suggested  by  the doctors.

5.       Breast magnetic resonance: This is an MRI test used for taking clear picture of the breast’s interior. Before the photograph is taken a dye injected to increase the visibility of the internal parts of the breast.

Staging of breast cancer

 After diagnosing the existence of breast cancer, the next step of your doctor will be to find out the present stage of the cancer. Understanding the stage helps him in determining the mode of treatment to be carried out. Tests  conducted to understand the present stage of your cancer may include the following tests.

·         Complete blood count tests

·         Mammogram of both the breasts

·         Breast MRI

·         CT scan

·         Born scan

·         Positron emission tomography

Not all women will need all of these tests and procedures. Your doctor selects the appropriate tests based on your specific circumstances and taking into account the symptoms you may be experiencing.

Like other cancers, breast cancer also has four stages. The stages of the breast cancer are indicative of how far they have spread into nearby tissues and lymph nodes. Stage 1V breast cancer is known as metastatic breast cancer and it indicates that the cancer has spread to other organs as well as other lymph nodes.

Different stages of cancer - cancer treatment - Indian Medical Tourism - indiatreats

By stages of cancer we mean the extent up to which it has grown and what is its current condition. As soon as a doctor diagnoses cancer he conducts different tests to understand how big the cancer has grown to and how far they have spread to the surrounding tissues. He also checks to see whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Importance of cancer staging

Knowing the present stage of a cancer is very essential as it help the doctor to decide the course of action to be taken. If cancer has not spread to other organs of the body then a local surgery or treatment such as a surgery or radio therapy will be enough. In a local treatment, only one area in the body is treated. For cancer which has spread to many organs, a local treatment will not be sufficient.  A treatment that circulates medicine through the blood stream like hormone therapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy etc is the suitable modes of treatment for such a cancer.

Sometimes doctors are not sure about whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.  On such occasions they search the nearby lymph nodes to see whether they are cancerous. Presence of cancerous cells in lymph node is a sign of the beginning of the spreading of cancer. If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes doctors go for adjuvant treatment. This is treating the primary tumor as well as treating for the cancer spread to the nearby organs. Chemotherapy after surgery is an example of adjuvant therapy.

Staging systems

In general there are two main staging systems in practice. They are the TNM system and the number system. In TNM system T stands for denotes the size of the tumor and how far it has spread to the nearby tissues. It is represented by digits 1 to 4, digit 1 representing the smallest size and digit 4 representing the largest size. N stands for the information regarding whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or not. This also is represented using digits 1- 3, 1 representing zero nodes and 3 representing lots of lymph nodes. M stands for metastasize which represents how far it has spread  to other parts of the body, 0 representing cancer not spread to any other body parts and 1 representing the spreading of cancer to other parts of the body.

A cancer that has spread only to lymph nodes and not to any part of the body can be represented by T2N1M0. Similarly a more advanced cancer that has spread to other organs may be represented by  T4M3N1

Numbering system

Most types of cancer can be classified into 4 stages of cancer. Doctors usually use Roman letters  to represent cancer stages.

Stage 1: In this stage the tumor is relatively small and is not spread to any organs or lymph nodes other than the organ in which cancer is found.

Stage  2. In this stage a cancer cells have reached the nearby lymph nodes, but has not spread to any distant lymph nodes or organs.

Stage 3: In this stage the cancer has spread completely in the organ where it was formed and to nearby lymph nodes. The size of the tumor has also increased considerably.

Stage 4: Stage 4 refers to the stage where the cancer has spread to other organs also. This stage of cancer is known as metastatic cancer. Sometimes doctors add letters also to indicate the the cancer of the organ where it was developed originally.

Signs and symptoms of caner - Cancer treatments- Indian medical tourism, indiatreats

Cancer is not a single disease, but is a group of diseases caused by the abnormal growth of human cells which has the potential to spread to different parts of the body.  There are about more than 100 verities of cancer that occur in human beings. There cannot be a single symptom or sign which can foretell the formation of cancerous cells. Depending upon the part of the body where cancer affects, its symptoms may be different. But the common symptoms which can be caused by other diseases as well as cancer are detailed below.

1.       Fatigue

2.       Lump felt under the skin

3.       Change in the color of the skin like yellowing, redness, darkening etc.

4.       Change in bladder or bowel habits

5.       Trouble in breathing accompanied by persistent cough

6.       Difficulty in swallowing

7.       Hoarseness in sound

8.       Difficulty after eating followed by indigestion

9.       Muscle and join pains which cannot be explained

10.   Night sweats and persistent fever

11.   Bleeding or bruising without any reason

These symptoms can appear due to various reasons. But if you are worried about risks of cancer, it is better you meet your physician and act according to his opinion. If he suggests to undergo the appropriate screening tests for diagnosing cancer, do it without hesitation.

These symptoms can appear due to various reasons. But if you are worried about risks of cancer, it is better you meet your physician and act according to his opinion. If he suggests to undergo the appropriate screening tests for diagnosing cancer, do it without hesitation.

Causes for cancer

Changes or mutations taking place within the cells to the DNA are the causes for the formation of cancer. DNA of every human being consists of a large number of genes which contains instructions to tell the cell how to grow and divide and what are the functions it has to perform. When errors in these instructions occur, they can cause the cell to become cancerous and the stop it to function normally.

What are duties of gene mutations?

Allow rapid growth of cells: Gene mutations instructs a cell when to grow and how to grow. It can also ask a cell to grow more rapidly. This can lead to the formation of more cells with the same mutation.

Sometimes they are unable to prevent uncontrolled growth: As normal cells know when to stop growing, they are always available in the right quantity. But cancerous cells do not have this controlling mechanism and hence they do not stop growing when sufficient numbers are reached. This rapid growth of cancerous cells results in the formation of tumor.

Make mistakes in repairing DNA errors: The DNA repair genes always search for errors in cell’s DNA.  Whenever some error is found, they are corrected immediately. When mutation occurs in DNA repair genes, it implies that repair in DNA errors are not possible leading to the formation of cancerous cells.

How gene mutations are caused?

Genetic causes: Some people have inherited gene mutations form their parents genetically. Only a small percentage of cancer patients belong to this category.

Gene mutations that occur after you are born: A number of causes like smoking, viruses, radiation, cancer causing chemicals, hormones, obesity lack of exercise etc are  capable of producing gene mutations.

During a normal growth process gene mutations may occur naturally. But the cells has some inherent mechanism to find out such mutations and repair the mistake immediately. Occasionally  a miss occurs resulting in the formation of cancerous cells.

Interaction between gene mutations:  If you are a person born with inherited gene mutations, that will not make you a cancer patient from the date of birth onwards. You will become cancer patient only when some other acquired gene mutations combine with your genetic gene mutation. Inherited genetic mutation only makes one person  more susceptible to cancer than a normal person.

  The number of gene mutation required for the formation of cancer is not known till date. It depends upon the type of the cancer and the body organ subjected to cancer.

Risk factors:

Though doctors have sufficient knowledge about the risk factors, in experience it is seen that cancer generally  affects people who are free from risk factors. However, let us examine the common risk factors.

1 Age: Cancer takes decades to develop to its fullest extent. For this reason cancer is usually found among people who are  above 65 years of age. Cancer is not an adult disease or not a male disease.

2. Life style and habits:  Like style factors like smoking drinking, over exposure to sun, obesity, unsafe sex etc are considered to be major causes of cancer.

3. Family history: In fact, only a small percentage of cancer patients are found to have inherited genetic mutations as the cause of cancer in them.

4. Health condition: Chronic and sever health conditions like ulcerative clitoris etc have found to increase the risk of cancer in patients.

5. Your environment:  Environment  in which you live may be containing harmful elements and this can be a cause for the formation of cancer in you. Secondary smoke inhaled by the relatives of a regular smoker  can lead to the formation of cancer in a secondary smoker.  Chemicals like asbestos and benzene are also capable of producing cancer in its users.

Complications

Cancer and its treatment has often  been found to be followed by certain complications. Some of them are explained below.

Pain:  Pain is a natural accompaniment of cancer and its treatment, though all cancers are not painful. There are medications and other approaches which can reduce the pain caused by cancer and its treatment.

Fatigue: People affected by cancer are often subjected to fatigue especially those who are undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Breathing difficulty:  Cancer patients who undergo cancer treatment often find being short of breath. Proper treatments can bring relief to this condition.

Nausea: Occurrence of nausea is commonly experience by cancer patients. Your doctor will be able to predict the occurrence and give medications to reduce its severity.

Diarrhea/constipation: Your bowels are often affected by cancer as well as cancer treatment resulting in constipation or diarrhea.

Weight loss: Cancer takes away food form normal cells and this makes the patient lose weight considerably  resulting in severe weight loss. This is a very serious condition and even artificial nutrition through tubes have been found to be ineffective.

Chemical changes in the body: Cancer upsets the normal chemical balance of human  body and chemical imbalance so produced can lead to frequent urination, excessive thirst, confusion, constipation etc.

Paralyses the brain and nervous system: Cancer has often found to affect the brains and nervous systems of its patients resulting in headaches and stroke like situations.

Paraneoplastic syndrome: This is a special condition formed as a result of cancer which affects the human immune system and healthy cells are being attacked .Symptoms like difficulty in walking seizures etc are caused as a result of this phenomenon.

Metastasize of cancer: Spreading of cancer to other parts of the body is known as metastasize of cancer.  The area where the cancer spreads is determined by the type of the cancer.

Return of cancer: Cancer survivors who have escaped from the clutches of cancer are liable to the return of cancer. Ask your doctor and devise a course of action for non recurrence of cancer if you are a cancer cured person.

(NB: More articles about cancer will be published shortly)

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