When to visit an ENT specialist

People are often confused about whether to let their painful ears heal themselves or to visit a doctor. We list the times you must visit an ENT specialist without delay.

Winter has now set in across the country, and the change in weather has brought the common cold and cough with it. Many people suffer from the cold and cough at this time of year. While the cold can resolve itself in a week’s time by causing symptoms such as a runny nose or sore throat, in some cases it can cause bigger problems.

Some people report more painful symptoms related to the common cold and cough. They may experience severe headaches, mild to moderate vertigo, painfully clogged ears and even the sensation of a lump in the throat every time they swallow. These are not normal symptoms of a common cold, but are indicative of an infection. If left untreated, it can progress into a more severe disorder.

If these or other symptoms do not go away in a couple of days, or if they are isolated issues not caused by cold, cough or the flu, it is time to visit an ENT specialist. The ENT doctor (or Otolaryngologist) treats the problems occurring in the ear, nose and throat, as well as the neck and the head. If you or a family member face these problems, it is time to visit the best ENT specialist in Bangalore:

Ear: Improper or low hearing, blocked ears, clogged ears (with mucus), pain in the ears, a tiny ringing or buzzing sound in the ears, a feeling of imbalance or ‘spinning’ of the room when walking or sitting.

Nose: Nose clogged for over a week, no sense of smell after the cold has healed, pain in the nasal cavity leading to the throat, painful sinuses, heavy breathing/wheezing, no sense of taste even when eating pungent or spicy food, etc. 

Throat: Painful or sore throat for over a week, difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in framing sounds or words, difficulty to eat despite having an appetite, inability to raise the voice, chronic cough even without change in weather.

Head and neck: Sudden painful headaches, headaches accompanied by vomiting, lumps or tumours, feeling of heaviness or swelling in the head, different facial movements than before, visible deformities, etc. 

The best ENT specialists in Bangalore can diagnose these ailments listed above and prescribe the course of future medical action. Look for an experienced ENT specialist in Bangalore who will run tests and take down a detailed case history before starting treatment. It is preferable to go to the same specialist in case of recurring ailments because the doctor will be familiar with your history.

4 Amazing Nutrients for a Growing Child

According to an article on the PR Newswire website, 20% of kindergarten children lagged behind in cognitive development and 31% in social and emotional development. While the study agreed that schools base their criteria on age, it is also the child’s social, emotional, motor and language skills that define their school success.

Besides encouraging your children to have a healthy foundation that will last them in good stead for the rest of their lives; it equally important for you to ensure that children get the right amount of nutrition that they need to meet their developmental milestones. Following nutrients in food products are very important for children

1.  Choline

Choline is a compound nutrient made up of phosphatidylcholine and is found only in certain kinds of fats. It is similar to Vitamin B and plays a vital role in providing nutrition and energy for the functioning of your child’s brain development. What choline does is allow a very important neurotransmitter in our brains (acetylcholine) which is vital for nerve connections and helps muscle coordination as well.

To ensure that your child gets adequate amounts of choline, include plenty of eggs, cauliflower and sprouts in your child’s diet.  

2.  DHA

You might now know it but over 80% of your child’s brain is composed of fatty acids. These long-chain fatty acids are vital nutrition for children as children’s brains grow at an extraordinary pace. Did you know that before the age of five, 85 percent of their brain development has already occurred? During this stage, it is important that you include DHA in your child’s diet in the form of Enfagrow A+.

3.  Folic Acid

Folate or folic acid is an important regulator of DNA. Folic acid is also needed for the production of red blood cells. A reduction in your child’s folic acid intake will result in a loss of energy and listlessness. According to an article in Nutraingredients, folic acid is also important to neurodevelopment, especially in language development.

To ensure that your child gets enough of folic acid in their diet, include plenty of dark green leafy vegetables), fruits and fruit juices, nuts, beans, peas, beetroot, spinach, liver, yeast, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts.

4.  Lutein

Lutein is a naturally occurring carotenoid that is found in large concentrations in the human eye. It is present in the macula of the retina and deficiency of this nutrient is known to cause macular deterioration of the eyes.

Give your child plenty of turnips, spinach, peas, sprouts, carrot and avocado to meet their lutein requirements.

Links:

http://www.raisehealthyeaters.com/2011/12/pregnant-these-7-nutrients-will-give-your-baby-a-healthy-start/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choline

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutein

How to Help Your Child's Fight Against Pneumonia

Did you know that pneumonia kills 2,500 children every day? According to data updated by UNICEF in August 2016, pneumonia is the leading infection responsible for deaths among children under five. Worldwide, this infectious disease killed 920,000 children in 2015, of which a large percentage was children less than 2 years. Poverty-related factors, such as malnutrition and the lack of sanitation and safe water, are found to be leading causes of this ailment among children in India. The drier and milder climate of cities like Bangalore offer good breeding grounds for such bacteria and viruses, say some of the best pediatricians in the country.

Pneumonia is a condition of lung inflammation caused by bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and become solid. It can affect only one or both the lungs. Children might experience symptoms like dry cough, fever, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting and muscle aches.

Malnutrition: A Major Contributor to Pneumonia in Children

About 50% to 60% of children below the age of 5 suffer from moderate or severe malnutrition in India. In case a child suffers from pneumonia, then the severity of the disease increases because of malnutrition, increasing the chances of it turning into a fatal ailment. Malnutrition decreases muscle strength and muscle mass of the child, followed by a decrease in immunity or the power to fight various diseases.

The body secretes an antibody known as IgA, which is reduced in a malnourished child. There is also a decrease in T cells, which help fight infections. Hence, factors that could help with systematic resistance against diseases are missing in a malnourished child. In the country's IT hub, Bangalore, slums are increasing at an alarming rate, which is a major concern of the best pediatricians in the city. Due to poverty, children do not have access to proper food and water. In addition, the absence of breast feeding in the first 4-5 months of birth is also a major contributing factor.

Treatment of Pneumonia

• In case of severe pneumonia, the child needs to be admitted to a hospital immediately, where they will be given fluids and antibodies, along with oxygen therapy and breathing treatments, where needed.
• Children should be given plenty of fluids, which will help loosen secretions and bring up phlegm, recommend the best pediatricians in Bangalore.
• They should also not be allowed to participate in strenuous activities, which could deplete their existing energy level.
• Parents should encourage the habit of carrying a handkerchief everywhere and use it while coughing and sneezing to avoid spreading any infection.

It is strongly advised to take antibiotics, cough medicines and anti-inflammatory drugs only with a doctor's prescription.

What is devotion, and how do you practice Bhakti yoga?

Understanding the state of devotion is crucial to understanding the essence of Bhakti Yoga. Let’s examine the two.

You may have heard of somebody being ‘devoted to their job’ or their spouse or a certain movie star! In your idle moments, you may have wondered what this really means. Is it infatuation? Is it obsession? How is devotion different from love or worship?

Devotion (or ‘bhakti’) is an intangible concept that may take one many years to fully understand. Simply put, it is a state of mind that is driven by intense emotion. Human beings are driven by emotion in daily life. But the difference between emotions driving devotion and other emotions is that the former are pleasant. These pleasant emotions are intense enough to keep one awake at night, just like a person in love cannot sleep at night owing to thoughts of the beloved. Bhakti makes the entire world seem like a lovely place to be in, and life seems rosy and bright.

Uniting devotion with yoga

You have control over only four things in your life: your body, mind, energy and emotion. You can use your emotions to search for and find the ultimate truth in life. This is called Bhakti yoga.

Bhakti yoga is the path of devotion, and it converts unpleasant intense emotions into pleasant ones that light up one’s life. It can be explained in terms of a love affair in which one does not expect a favourable end result – if you fall in love with someone but do not expect them to reciprocate or marry you, but you still continue to love them with the same intensity, that is devotion. Another example is that of Radha’s devotion to Lord Krishna. She did not expect favour or commitment from the Lord, she was a married woman who did not have romantic illusions about her relationship with Krishna. Yet, her devotion to him was unabated.

In the same way, Bhakti yoga is like a love affair multiplied several times over. A person practicing it places their ultimate devotion in God or their Creator, and sends out enduring love towards the Lord. God’s way is the only way, God’s wish is their command. They surrender themselves to God’s will and go along with the rhythms of the universe on a constant path to reach God.

There is no room for expectation of reward in Bhakti yoga. Nor is this devotion an obsession. Over time, bhakti becomes more and more committed to God and His will. It means that the person is able to convert unpleasant, nasty emotions into pleasant emotions at will. It induces a slightly euphoric state that may seem like a trance to the rest of the world. However, one is not in any hypnotical trance, one is simply in abject surrender to the object of one’s devotion. 

4 Major Reasons Your Feet Hurt by the End of the Day

A recent study in India revealed that excessive smoking may not only lead to heart and lung diseases but can also cause peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or in simple words, narrowing of the arteries in the legs. The disease was found in its severest forms in Patel Singh, a resident of Delhi.

Your feet carry the entire weight of your body and any problem faced by them can even lead to a collapse. Just to tell you the importance of these small body parts, the heel bone, which is the largest of the 26 bones present in the foot, not just supports you while walking but also acts as an insulator to absorb the impact of the body weight hitting the ground while you are involved in activities like dancing, running, etc.

It is obvious that there can be many cause of foot pain, given its vital role in our life. Interestingly, stress on your foot is 1¼ times your body weight, which increases to 2¾ when you run.

Common Causes of Foot Pain

1. Injury: One of the common reasons for heel pain in adults is a stress fracture in the heel bone. If you are involved in many activities through the day that involve pressure on the heels, it could trigger this pain. However, it is believed that one episode of injury might not be the reason for pain and repetitive stress fractures are the cause of persisting or frequent pain. Such fractures can occur due to strain on the muscles, bones, ligaments or because of repeated landing on harder surfaces.
2. Plantar Fasciitis: Inflammation of the Plantar Fascia, a tissue that connects the heel bone and ball of the foot, is known as Plantar Fasciitis. Walking in flat shoes is considered to be the major reason for this issue, while in women, it can be triggered by wearing high heels, which lead to the tissue being overstretch. You can use products like Scholl Foot Care to get overcome this problem.
3. Bony Spurs: This refers to abnormal bone growth at the point where plantar fascia is attached to the bone. The reason for this is prolonged strain on the feet, which can occur due to various reasons. It keeps growing in the direction of the stretch, leading to pain.
4. Arthritis: This is a medical condition where your bones become weak and can lead to pain in various body parts. Rheumatoid arthritis is often associated with foot and heel pain. People diagnosed with this condition experience pain if they walk or stand for too long.

Cracked heels can be another cause of foot pain but it can be taken care of easily using a moisturizing cream like Scholl Heel Repair.

If you are facing frequent pain, avoid:

• Standing for long hours.
• Walking too much in a day.
• Getting involved in any physically demanding activities like sports that require running, trekking, hiking etc.
• Travelling for long hours.

Try to get as much rest as you can and have a balanced diet so that body gets enough nutrients to recover. 

3 major reasons why yoga is more important than you think

Yoga is the path to better health and a better life. We list three reasons why yoga must become a way of life for all.

Though most people are aware that yoga is beneficial to them, they do not realise just how beneficial it can be. Consider the following reasons that underline the importance of yoga in daily life:

1. It lightens your being. Regular practice of yoga helps dispel the negative emotions that weigh you down. Since asanas and meditation require concentration, you are forced to leave aside other thoughts while your yoga session is on. This soon becomes a habit, where you can detach from stressful situations at will. In turn, you find that you experience a lightness of being that you had never known before.
2. It shows the way to enlightenment. Yoga and meditation pave the way to greater focus and clarity. By aiding concentration, you are able to channel your energies better and finish the task at hand. On a spiritual level, this mental acuity can help one sift through the many thoughts one has and focus on the one that is most important. All other thoughts can fall by the wayside as you focus on the one truth of your life and centre your being around it – this is the essence of ‘sadhana’ and deep meditation to achieve enlightenment.
3. It helps one make sense of the world. With your mental processes sharpened, you are able to face the world with renewed vigour. The world appears more positive and joyful. What seemed scary and stressful now becomes an optimistic place to be in. When you do not feel threatened by outside forces, you are able to understand the world better.

Arising from these three major reasons that stress the importance of yoga in everyday life, there are some key physical and mental benefits as well. Broadly, these are:

• Yoga improves heart health by reducing stress and anxiety.
• It calms the nerves and helps overcome negative emotions. This is an important benefit for those suffering from depression.
• The practice of deep breathing clears the nasal passages, helps the oxygenation of blood and eliminates toxins from the body.
• The asanas improve bone and joint health, while the muscles become stronger and flexible.
• Chronic aches and pains may be relieved by the regular practice of yoga.
• Some practices like Surya Namaskar induce sweating and give an overall cardiovascular workout to the body. This eliminates impurities and improves skin, hair and muscle health.
• Yoga increases mental focus and boosts memory.
• Regular practice of yoga induces feelings of wellness, confidence and contentment. 

4 Flavoured Condoms You Should Try Out!

In September 2016, Durex, one of the leading condom brands in India, took the whole country by storm by announcing a new Brinjal flavoured product, or as they say in Hindi, 'Baingan' flavoured condoms. Within minutes, the social media was abuzz with posts and tweets flooding in.

After the chaos continued for almost 24 hours, the manufacturers revealed that they were not actually coming up with such a product and that it was just an attempt to promote the usage of condoms among Indian youngsters.

For years, the government of India has tried to sell the idea of safe sex and kept giving away free condoms but couldn't get people talking about it as much as just one tweet about a new flavour did. This only goes to show how the idea of flavoured condoms can capture the imagination of the people of the country and lead to higher use of the product and therefore increase the instances of safe sex. Here are some products that are definitely worth a try.

Condoms that will Enhance Your Experience

1. Extended Pleasure

This product is designed to deliver long lasting performance and has a special lube called Benzocaine in it that helps in delaying climax for men. Durex Extended Pleasure also helps provide increased intimacy.

Key Features:

• Nominal width: 53mm
• Nominal height: 180mm
• Transparent, lubricated and teat ended
• Straight walled shape
• 100% electronically tested 

2. Apple

“An apple a day (or night), keeps doctor away.” In this case, the gyneacologist! This dotted and flavoured condom is designed to intensify the experience for both partners and provide stimulation that is needed for great sex. Durex Apple Flavored Condom brings so much extra to the table with its flavour and fragrance keeps you away from all other distractions.

Key Features:

• Nominal width: 53mm
• Nominal height: 180mm
• Colored and lubricated natural rubber latex condoms
• Straight walled and teat ended for comfortable fit
• 100% electronically tested 

3. Pleasure Me

Durex Pleasure Me Condom comes with specially designed shaped and has uniquely placed ribs and raised dots to ensure stimulation for you and your partner.

Key Features:

• Nominal width: 53mm
• Nominal height: 180mm
• Transparent, lubricated and teat ended
• Straight walled shape
• 100% electronically tested

4. Feel Thin

Durex Feel Thin gives you the same level of protection by reducing the gap between you and your partner. They are designed to provide greater sensitivity during sex.

Key Features:

• Nominal width: 53mm
• Nominal height: 180mm
• Transparent, lubricated and teat ended
• Straight walled shape
• 100% electronically tested

Use these flavoured condoms and experience the difference for yourself.

No pregnancies and no STDs: why you must use condoms

We list the top 5 reasons why you must wear a condom during sex – and abstain if you run out of your normal supply.

Sex is great, isn’t it? It’s even better when you can perform sex without any anxiety weighing you down. You would get stressed out during sex if you were tired, or afraid of contracting a sexually transmitted disease from a new sexual partner, or terrified of getting your partner pregnant.

Why rob yourself of some great sex with these worries? Just use a condom – and here are 5 great reasons to do so.

1. To protect against STDs and STIs. Condoms create an essential barrier against bodily fluids exchanged during sex. Thus, if the bodily fluids between the sexual partners do not come in contact with each other, there is no chance of one infected partner spreading an infection to the other. Condoms prevent the spread of minor infections like thrush and major ones like HIV equally well.
2. To prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Couples who do not like to use condoms perform complex calculations to prevent pregnancy from unprotected sex. They time their ‘sex days’ basis the woman’s ovulation cycles, the number of days since her last period, the expected date of her next period, etc. Why not simplify matters and just use a condom instead? You can have sex whenever you want without having to worry about an unplanned pregnancy.
3. There are no side effects on using them. Unlike contraceptive pills that cause weight gain, headaches and nausea, condoms come with zero side effects. You just have to slip it on an erect penis and let it do its job. Once you are done, simply throw it away! You will not face any health problems on using a condom.
4. They can enhance the sexual experience. Most people mistakenly believe that condoms diminish their sexual pleasure. In fact, modern day condoms are designed to heighten the experience – they are lubricated, ribbed and dotted for maximum pleasure. Plus, they are super thin as well, to provide as natural a feel as possible, while being super strong so that they don’t tear during the act.
5. You don’t need prescriptions for condoms. While other methods of contraception for both men and women require a doctor’s prescription – and sometimes, even a surgical procedure – no such limitation exists with a condom. Just be sure to buy the right size.

Paediatric Surgeons Renew Attack on Heart Problems in Babies

Indian paediatric care has been progressing by leaps and bounds in the last 45 years of its practice as a branch of medicine in India. Constantly, one hears of miracles being performed by doctors in various parts of the country, saving the lives of thousands of children facing problems at birth that need critical attention without delay. Recently Bangalore has emerged as a rapidly developing medical hub with visitors flocking here from all over India and abroad for treatment.

Parents Take Heart, Medical Help is at Hand

In the recent past, Bangalore has taken the lead in healthcare with the highest number of cardiac surgeries being performed in the city. Of these, 30% were paediatric cardiac surgeries. There are 1.5 to 2 lakh children born in India with congenital heart problems and diseases. In fact, heart disease in newborns is more common than Down’s syndrome but unlike Down’s syndrome, congenital heart disease rarely makes it to an expectant parent’s list of worries due to low awareness. According to paediatric surgeons in Bangalore, 90% of the heart problems in children are curable with timely intervention. An additional deciding factor is that the cost of treatment in North India is roughly 30% more than it is here. 

It’s not just Indians who are flocking to Bangalore in search of a paediatric surgeon. The city has become a hub for medical tourism, a recent trend that attracts people from developed countries come to destinations like India in search of quality treatment at the fraction of what it would cost them back home. At present, the city sees the maximum number of patients coming in from the Gulf countries for treatment. Similarly, the cost of treatment in Bangalore is approximately 10% easier on the pocket than in Singapore, Europe and the US.

In the period between 2014 and 2016, there were 88,020 patients from abroad in the city for treatment. As far back as 2007, there were almost seven lakh medical tourists in Bangalore from the US alone seeking specialized medical help in state-of-the-art facilities. There were patients from Bangladesh, Iraq, Yemen, Maldives, Oman, Mauritius, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Indonesia. What drives these patients to the city is a diverse range of medical needs including general surgery or specialized procedures such as joint replacement surgery, neurosurgery and more complex tertiary procedures such as paediatric cardiac surgery and organ transplants.

Is Having Sex During Pregnancy a Good Idea?

The nine months of pregnancy are like nothing you’ve ever experienced. It’s normal to be bombarded by varied emotions, from anxiety to excitement and from intense love to extreme anger… all within hours of each other! Apart from mood swings, you may also be coping with nausea, low energy and sleep deprivation.

While going through an emotional and physical rollercoaster ride, sex might be the last thing on your mind. In fact, your first priority would be to do what you believe is right for the baby. If you’re living in a metro like Bangalore, you probably already have the best gynecologist in Bangalore and maybe even joined yoga classes to ensure a smooth delivery. Many couples, especially women, would not consider sex a priority at such a time.

In fact, many couples abstain from getting physically intimate fearing that they may harm the baby in some way. The good news is that sex will not only not harm your baby, but may also be good for your and your baby’s health.

Myths About Sex During Pregnancy

Here are a few things parents-to-be worry about and should not:

• Sex can cause vaginal infections: If you have the same partner, the chances are low. Moreover, the most common vaginal infection is not an STD. A high level of hygiene needs to be maintained if you’re pregnant, irrespective of whether you’re having sex.
• Intercourse will hurt the baby: Your body has a number of natural shields that protect your baby from internal and external pressures. Your womb is made of exceptionally strong muscles and your baby is surrounding by the amniotic sac (a bag filled with fluid).
• Sex causes preterm labor: On the contrary, intercourse has proved to lower the chance of a premature delivery. 

Benefits of Sex for Pregnant Women

• Develops a Bond Between the Partners: It’s normal for the husband-wife relationship to go through ups and downs during pregnancy. Having sex releases oxytocin, or the cuddle hormone, which strengthens the bond between a woman and her man.
• Better Orgasms: Some women have experienced better climaxes during pregnancy. The reason could be the increased blood flow into the pelvic area, which heightens sensation.
• Calming Effect: Intercourse has a calming effect, helping you sleep better and keeping your blood pressure in check.
• Keeps the Child Safe: A unique protein in semen prevents pre-eclampsia in women. 

Do note that all these benefits of intercourse are in the case of a normal pregnancy. If there are complications, intercourse can cause harm. In either case, it is best to consult a gynecologist before you have intercourse with your partner. Of course, this is a great time to hug and kiss a lot, and have oral sex.