We are thrilled to share a proud moment for Saideep Sahyadri Hospital! For the first time in Ahilyanagar, Dr. Albin Paul and Dr. Rushikesh have successfully cleared the DNB Medicine Exam with flying colors. ✨👏
This incredible achievement reflects their hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support of our expert physician mentors. With 2 DNB Medicine doctors now part of our team, we are proud to offer more advanced and specialized care to our community, ensuring the highest standards of healthcare excellence.
A heartfelt thank you to our mentors and congratulations to the entire Saideep Sahyadri family! Here’s to a brighter, healthier future together
Bipolar Disorder refers to a mental condition in which the patient suffers from extreme shifts in mood. The symptoms may vary from person to person, including a significantly elevated mood known as mania.
They can also entail an episode of severe depression. Bipolar disorder is also popularly known as manic depression or bipolar disease across the globe.
There is no absolute cure for a bipolar patient. These individuals may feel uncomfortable living their lives, doing daily chores and tasks, and maintaining healthy relationships. However, the symptoms of this disease could be managed by certain medications and treatments.
BIPOLAR DISORDER
BIPOLAR DISORDER TRIVIA
A surprising fact about bipolar disorder is that nearly 2.8% of U.S. adults, i.e., around 5 million people, suffer from this disease. Yes, you heard it right. This is not a rare phenomenon. However, the symptoms might start showing after the person has turned 25.
Mood swings may differ for every individual. For some people, depression caused by bipolar disorder could last two weeks. The mania episode could last from several days to weeks too.
Some individuals find a rare occurrence of any bipolar attack in their lives, forex, one or two times a year. In contrast, some may find it a large part of their daily lives.
TYPES
Bipolar disease is broadly bifurcated into three types-:
Bipolar I
Bipolar II
Cyclothymia
BIPOLAR I
This type of disorder affects men and women equally. Bipolar I is defined as the occurrence of at least one manic episode. The patient may feel hyper or depressed before or after one manic episode.
BIPOLAR II
People with Bipolar disorder type II experience a significant episode of depression that lasts for at least two weeks. These patients may also feel a significant hypomanic episode that could last for four days. However, this type of bipolar disorder can usually be seen in women.
CYCLOTHYMIA
Individuals suffering from cyclothymia have an episode of both hypomania and depression. However, the symptoms are shorter and mild than the mania and depression in Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Patients of this disease may only find a couple of months that are stable.
While discussing your symptoms with your doctor, he would tell you what kind of bipolar disorder you might have.
BIPOLAR DISORDER SYMPTOMS
During the episodes of bipolar disease, the patients may fall prey to 3 types of symptoms; mania, hypomania, and depression.
Individuals suffering from mania may go through an emotional high. They can feel highly excited, euphoric, or full of energy. While experiencing mania, people can indulge in activities like-:
Substance abuse
Unprotected sex
Spending splurge
Hypomania is related to type II bipolar disorder. Although this is a lot like mania, the severity is a lot less. People suffering from hypomania can go around doing their routine tasks but may feel a slight change in their mood.
An episode of depression can make you feel:
Deeply sad or anxious
Hopelessness or loss of energy
Guilt or suicidal thoughts
BIPOLAR DISORDER IN MEN
Although bipolar disease is gender-neutral, it can happen to both men and women, but men’s symptoms can differ from what the women feel. You could tell if a man is bipolar if-:
Early age diagnosis
May experience more episodes than women, especially mania
Have substance usage issues
Men with a bipolar episode are less likely to ask for help or guidance than women and are more likely to die by suicide.
BIPOLAR DISORDER IN WOMEN
Some of the symptoms that could differentiate women with bipolar disorder are-:
Late diagnosis; maybe late 30s
Have fewer episodes of mania and more depression
Usually, succumb to rapid cycling, four or more episodes in a year.
Have a higher risk of alcohol misuse
BIPOLAR DISORDER IN CHILDREN
Diagnosing bipolar symptoms in children can be tricky, especially since they don’t show typical signs like adults. Sometimes the symptoms get overlapped by other symptoms of a variety of different conditions usually faced by children.
However, in the last few years, doctors and mental health professionals have found a way to gauge the symptoms of bipolar disease in children. Usually, the diagnosis takes weeks or months, but people can manage the symptoms after some treatments and medications.
Some symptoms of mania and depression in children are-;
Speaking too fast
Having risky behaviors
Insomnia
Having trouble focusing
Feeling sad or anxious.
Complaining about frequent aches
Suicidal thoughts
Lack of appetite
CAUSES
Bipolar disorder is a common phenomenon, but it is still one mystery that doctors and researchers cannot solve. It is not yet clear why do some people develop a condition like this. But there are some probable causes of bipolar disorder. These are-:
Genetics- if you have someone in your family with a history of bipolar disorder, you will likely develop a condition like this.
Environmental factors- it is not just the body that is responsible for developing bipolar disorder, but external factors, such as-:
Trauma
Stress
Extreme illness
Brain deficiency- if your brain is not working correctly or has abnormalities, you will be more likely to develop a condition like this.
BIPOLAR DISORDER TREATMENT
There is no absolute cure for bipolar disease. Although your doctor would use several tests and examinations to diagnose your symptoms, such as
Mental health examination
Mood journal
Physical exam
Several treatments could help you manage or curb your symptoms. Some natural remedies may also come in handy such as-:
Medications such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, etc.
Physiotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, etc.
Other treatments may include; sleep medication, supplements, acupuncture, etc.
Lifestyle changes
If you found out that you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, don’t worry. You are not alone. There are around 60 million people around the world coping with the same stress.
Educate yourself and those around you. Seek medical health and guidance. People with depression may have suicidal thoughts. You should take suicide very seriously.
The gravity of the problem of Antibiotic resistance is immense. Let us try to illustrate. Antibiotics have started to fail. Resistant bacteria already cause more than 750,000 deaths every year. This number is predicted to rise dramatically if radical actions are not taken.
Antibiotics – The misused miracle
Antibiotic resistance has become one of the greatest threats to global health.
Antibiotic resistance kills. 214,000 newborns are estimated to die every year from blood infections (sepsis) caused by resistant bacteria – representing at least 30% of all sepsis deaths in newborns.
Antibiotic resistance spreads silently across the world. More than 60% of the populations in some areas carry multidrug-resistant bacteria in their normal bacterial flora.
Antibiotic resistance is costly. It is estimated that the median overall increased cost to treat a resistant bacterial infection is around 700 USD, equal to over one year’s wages of a rural worker in India. Novel treatments for multidrug-resistant infections can cost up to tens of thousands of dollars, making them unaffordable for many.
Antibiotic resistance is here now. Resistance has already developed to the last-line antibiotics for gonorrhea, which in some cases is nearly untreatable. With 106 million new cases/year, the consequences of total resistance would be devastating.
Antibiotic resistance is alarming, but what is it, how does it happen and what can be done? Let’s start with a little history and science.
Why should we care about this issue?
Antibiotic drugs have revolutionized medicine and made our modern way of life possible. In addition to their essential role in the clinic, antibiotics are used in a huge array of non-medical applications, from promoting growth in livestock to preserving building materials from contamination to treating blight in orchards. However, overuse threatens their efficacy due to the promotion and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Antibiotics target and inhibit essential cellular processes, retarding growth, and causing cell death. However, if bacteria are exposed to drugs below the dose required to kill all bacteria in a population (the minimum bactericidal concentration or MBC), they can mutate and resist antibiotic treatment via natural selection for resistance-conferring mutations. These genetic mutations can arise from the adoption of a plasmid encoding a resistance gene or by mutation to the bacterial chromosome itself.
The concern around the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria is compounded by the fact that the discovery of new antibiotics is a fleeting rare event. Most classes of antibiotics on the market were discovered in the mid-to-late 20th century. Thus, there is a limited arsenal of drugs to fight resistant bacteria, and bacteria can be resistant to multiple drugs at a time.
Given the importance of antibiotics to modern medicine, and the growing apprehension surrounding the threat of resistance, scientists are studying every aspect of antibiotic resistance.
Are bacteria learning to fight back?
Although it seems like bacteria are in some way ‘learning’ how to fight back against us, the development of antibiotic resistance is an inevitable and natural part of bacterial evolution. Each time a bacterium multiplies, it divides into two and copies its DNA.
Imperfections in this process mean that in a population of millions, billions, or even trillions of multiplying bacterial cells, there are lots of ‘mistakes’, know as mutations, in the DNA of each successive generation.
Owing to the sheer number of variants, over time a tiny proportion of individuals will, by chance, develop a quirk that means they are immune to certain antibiotics. A mutation may, for example, subtly change the structure of a key molecule that the antibiotic targets, rendering it ineffective. Or, it may mean the bacteria start producing a chemical that destroys the antibacterial properties of the drug.
What’s causing the problem?
Antibiotic resistance becomes a big problem when antibiotics are overused. Using an antibiotic destroys a lot of bacteria in a person’s body – both good and bad strains. Antibiotics are found to be used indiscriminately, like taking wrong antibiotics or inappropriate dose and for the inappropriate duration; patients not taking the full course of antibiotics as they stop it soon after feeling better, using antibiotics for viral diseases, etc. These types of misuses lead to the rise of antibiotic resistance. The more often antibiotics are used, the more likely it is that drug-resistant bacteria will come to dominate in any given location. And it’s not just human medicine that helps spread antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics are also given to animals for disease prevention and growth promotion. Such antibiotics expose a large number of animals and thus bacteria, for more extended period, and at lower doses. This leads to the evolution of resistance. Consuming the animals as food or by close contact with such animals, humans get such resistant bacteria. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the hospital, poultry farm, or any other place spread in the environment. These bacteria cause infectious diseases which are difficult to treat.
What you can do to help?
To help fight antibiotic resistance and protect yourself against infection:
Don’t take antibiotics unless you’re certain you need them. An estimated 30% of the millions of prescriptions written each year are not needed. Always ask your doctor if antibiotics will really help. For illnesses caused by viruses — common colds, bronchitis, and many ear and sinus infections — they won’t.
Finish your pills. Take your entire prescription exactly as directed. Do it even if you start feeling better. If you stop before the infection is completely wiped out, those bacteria are more likely to become drug-resistant.
Get vaccinated. Immunizations can protect you against some diseases that are treated with antibiotics. They include tetanus and whooping cough.
Stay safe in the hospital. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are commonly found in hospitals. Make sure your caregivers wash their hands properly. Also, ask how to keep surgical wounds free of infection.
Prevent transmission of pathogen: The patient should maintain proper hygiene and sanitization; hand washing should be promoted, direct contact with the patient should be avoided to prevent the spread of communicable disease.
The public’s innate desire to make considerable efforts to keep their pearly whites in optimum condition and work hard to maintain their oral health is providing an immense tailwind to the industry. People from all social strata are wanting to elevate their smiles.
Since all of us don’t have a picturesque smile, technological advancements in orthodontics have allowed people with dental problems to overcome troubling issues and gain a beautiful smile that fills them with confidence.
Research shows that the coming year will be filled with exciting in-office and digital dental trends, including new technologies, improved business practices, and new ways to optimize the patient experience — and even Robo-dentists.
Dentistry Trends concerning technology
Dental 3D Printers
3D printers are revolutionizing dentistry and orthodontics by helping to drastically reduce the time and costs associated with the production of custom aligners, tooth replacements, veneers, and crowns. In-house 3D printers also decrease private practices’ dependency on third-party labs and companies that typically design and develop these products.
Laser Dentistry
Laser technology is one of the many dental trends taking the field by storm for various reasons. Its wide array of uses include, but are not limited to, the following: whitening teeth, removing tooth decay, preparing the tooth’s enamel for the filling, reshaping the gums, removing bacteria during a root canal, eradicating lesions.
CAD Technology
Computer-aided technology has helped create designs of teeth that help create customized designs for patients for prosthetic treatments like veneers, bridges, and artificial teeth.
Trends concerning procedures
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is trending in 2020, with more patients than ever seeking natural-looking & white shining teeth. Yellow teeth are a common problem that can make anyone look less than appealing. Cosmetic dentistry has come up with various solutions for teeth whitening that brighten teeth without any prosthetics.
Clear aligners
Brace wearers are welcoming the latest trend in the dental market. This new technique is an effective alternative to wearing uncomfortable wire-and-band braces. Clear aligners are made with durable transparent plastic and are more comfortable. They can be easily cleaned and are quite comfortable to wear. They can be removed to brush and floss the teeth and then inserted back into the mouth to continue their use.
Dental bonding
Dental bonding is quick, easy, and effective in elevating your smile and overall appearance. Many patients have gaps, cracks, and chips in their teeth, making their smile not as attractive as they wish it to be. These are filled with a resin-like material with dental bonding.
Dental Implants
Missing teeth can damage an individual’s smile and change their face, making them look older. Traditionally, implants were considered to be an alternative for older people, but now they are increasingly used by the younger generation to get a perfect smile.
Gum contouring
Gum contouring is a useful procedure for those with an uneven gum line or those whose gums rest too high or low on their teeth. By reshaping your gums, the shape and size of your teeth can be made to look ideal.
Dentistry Trends with respect to Industry
Natural Dental Products
Going green is a popular trend across all industries, especially in personal and professional healthcare. As consumers increasingly opt for more natural products like charcoal toothpaste and bamboo toothbrushes in their personal lives, the incorporation of natural oral hygiene products within your dental practice will be a necessity moving forward.
Dental Group Practices
Individual dental practices are on the decline, and group dental practices are on the rise. Treating patients in an efficient and time-friendly manner is more critical now than ever before. Thus dentists are coming together to form group practices to reap economies of scale to tackle increasing costs and eliminate risk.
Automated Patient Tracking & Management Software
Digital automation technology would help streamline, organize, and reduce daily processes both in and out of the office. Its uses are as follows: Text appointment confirmation notifications, pre-recorded follow-up appointment voicemails, online patient portal creation, scheduled social media posts and digital marketing efforts, in-house form submissions via handheld tablet, digital data collection, and organization via cloud-based storage.
An autoimmune disease is a condition where the immune system starts attacking its own body’s cells. This detrimental effect can lead to various complications and other diseases. The immune system cannot differentiate between foreign cells and its own cells, which leads to this condition. They can either target one organ, in Type 1 diabetes, or target multiple organs, in systemic lupus erythematosus.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis, also known as encephalomyelitis disseminate, is an autoimmune disease that attacks the myelin sheath of the nerve cells in the brain and spine. The myelin sheath is an insulating layer of proteins and fats that protects the axon of the nerve cells. This sheath allows proper electrical impulses to take place quickly and efficiently. It is made by two cells, oligodendrocytes, and Schwann cells.
During multiple sclerosis, the immune system starts eating away at the myelin sheath. It disrupts the electrical signals to pass effectively from cell-to-cell and causes a range of symptoms, from muscle weakness to paralysis in the legs. It can lead to permanent damage or deterioration of nerve cells. When a nerve fiber is exposed, the impulses can be slower or can stop completely.
Statistics
6.4% of women and 2.7% of men are likely to develop some kind of an autoimmune disease at some point in their lifetime. More than 2.3 million people in the world have multiple sclerosis. In India, almost every 5-10 per 1,00,000 individuals have multiple sclerosis. A study in 2015 stated that the number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis per year had almost doubled.
Causes Multiple Sclerosis
Since it is an autoimmune disease, the exact cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. However, a couple of factors can increase the risk of this disease.
Age: multiple sclerosis is one of the most common disabilities in younger adults. It can develop at any age but is usually seen in adults from the age of 20-40.
Sex: Women have a double or triple higher chance of developing multiple sclerosis than men. This could be due to the role of female hormones.
Inheritance: multiple sclerosis is not hereditary but it can get passed down generations. The risk of siblings or children developing multiple sclerosis is higher.
Infections: a research article conducted in 2014 states that multiple sclerosis can be linked with microbial infections like Chlamydia pneumonia and staphylococcus aureus produced enterotoxins.
Race: Caucasian people, usually of European descent, have the greatest risk of developing multiple sclerosis, whereas people of Asian or African descent, have the least risk.
Vitamin D: People with lower levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
Climate: climate does not cause this disease but it can worsen the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. This is usually temporary.
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are unpredictable and can vary from person to person. Some symptoms of multiple sclerosis include:
Muscle stiffness, pain and spasms of the extremities.
Tingling and numbness in various parts of the body.
Vision problems like double vision, blurred vision and sometimes even loss of vision.
Fatigue and weakness due to nerve deterioration in the spinal cord.
Dizziness and incoordination in balance, often similar to vertigo.
Bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction where patients lose bladder and bowel control.
Cognitive issues like disorientation, shortened attention span and loss in memory.
Emotional health is affected leading to irritability and mood swings.
Diagnosis:
There is no specific test to diagnose multiple sclerosis. However, various other tests can rule out different diseases with similar symptoms to arrive at a conclusion. They are:
Blood test: A blood test can check for specific biomarkers that may be associated with multiple sclerosis.
Spinal tap: A puncture in the lumbar region of the spine can sample the cerebrospinal fluid for any abnormalities in antibodies.
Magnetic resonance imaging: An MRI can detect lesions on the brain and spinal cord which could be an underlying cause of multiple sclerosis.
Evoked potential test: An evoked potential test measures the speed of nerve messages along sensory nerves to the brain and a visual or electrical stimuli test used in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Treatment:
Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
There is no cure for Multiple sclerosis. Treatment is focused on 3 main concerns:
Treatment for attacks
Corticosteroids: they decrease inflammation but have various side effects like fluid retention, mood swings, and an increase in blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
Plasma exchange: exchanging plasma in the blood for albumin is used when the patient doesn’t respond to steroids
Treatment to slow the progression
Treatment in the early stages can lower the relapse rate, slow the formation of new lesions, and reduce the risk of brain atrophy. For primary-progressive MS, ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) is the only FDA-approved disease-modifying therapy. There are various options available for relapses of MS such as Injectables (Interferon beta medication, Glatiamer acetate), oral medication (Dimethyl fumarate, Teriflunomide), or infusion treatments (Natalizumab).
Treatment for symptoms
Physiotherapy: Stretching and strengthening exercises can reduce muscle weakness and improve gait problems.
Muscle relaxants: Relieves muscle stiffness and spasms.
Medications to reduce fatigue and improve mood: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be used for depression and Amantadine can decrease fatigue.
Conclusion:
Living with any chronic illness is not an easy task. The key to combating the ill effects of multiple sclerosis is early detection, right treatment, and therapy. It is important that one continues to move on with their daily tasks as much as possible. Having a positive outlook on life can really help make multiple sclerosis not as intimidating as it is.
