Artemis Hospital explains major symptoms of asthma

Shortness of breath, chest tightness and wheezing are the major symptoms of asthma. Other symptoms which point towards this respiratory disease are:

1. Recurrent bronchitis
2. Persistent cough
3. Trouble in sleeping

If suffering from recurrent respiratory problem or having doubts about getting frequent attacks of shortness of breath one should always consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Investigations for asthma

1. Medical examination
2. Family history
3. Lung function test
4. If diagnosed with asthma get advised on how to manage and control it, as according to national heart, lung and blood institute, there is no cure for it.

There are various triggers which aggravate the symptoms of asthma such as,

         - Certain allergens like pollen, dust
         - Exercise
         - Smoke, pollution, chemicals
         - Respiratory infections
A doctor may help you find out the triggers and advice on how to avoid them or deal with them to reduce the symptoms. There are certain medications which can control the symptoms of asthma, but if you know the cause of it a lot of trouble can be avoided.

If you are looking for any respiratory health treatment, read here. Artemis Hospital Gurgaon

Dr Manjinder Sandhu explain signs of heart attack, you shouldn't ignore

Dr Manjinder Sandhu, Medical Director & Director Cardiology, at Artemis Hospitals Gurgaon explains 8 early heart attack signs you shouldn't ignore.

Symptoms explain by Artemis Hospital :

Pain or uneasiness in the chest --- Discomfort in the chest is apparently the most common sign that something is wrong with the heart's functioning. The signs mainly show in the form of a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing in the centre of your chest. Also known as angina, this pain is often accompanied by palpitations (feeling like your heart is beating too fast or irregularly). 

Pain that spreads to the arm --- Experiencing constant pain that starts from the chest and spreads to the arm is yet another common symptom of an impending heart attack. 

Difficulty in breathing while sleeping --- Snoring a little while sleeping is considered to be normal. However, problem escalates when a person has major difficulty in breathing while sleeping. It has a direct relationship with extra stress being put on the heart, says Dr Manjinder Sandhu. 

Dizziness and fatigue --- A feeling of dizziness and fatigue experienced quite often can turn out to be major cause of concern. It is a common sign of a heart problem that your body keeps sending, which you must not ignore. 

Profuse sweating --- Breaking out in heavy sweat without any physical activity is often a sign of a looming heart problem. 

Persistent cough --- Though, in majority of the cases, coughing is not a sign of heart problem. However, persistent cough accompanied with pink/white mucus indicates that you need to pay attention to your heart’s health. The experienced medics at Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon believe that this mainly happens when the heart forces blood back into the lungs. 

Swelling in ankles, feet and hands --- Swollen ankles, feet and hands often indicate a heart problem. This usually occurs when your heart is not able to pump blood effectively. Don't ignore it! 

Jaw/throat pain --- Discomfort or pain arising at the centre of chest that spreads up to the throat or jaw can also be a symptom of a heart problem.

The severity of heart problems makes it important to keep a check on these symptoms. It is equally important to know that a healthy heart always stays in a healthy body.

Breast Cancer - Signs That Help You Spot It!

Dr Nidhi Garg, Oncologist at Artemis Hospital talks about Breast cancer,  is an abnormal growth of cells in the tissues of the breast. Mainly it occurs in females but less than 1% of all the breast cancer cases develop in males. Commonly breast cancers start in the milk ducts. A small number start in the milk sacs or lobules. It can spread to the lymph nodes and to the other parts of the body such as bones, liver, lungs and to the brain.

With more reliable early detection methods along with the trend towards less invasive surgery, there is hope that even more women with breast cancer will be treated successfully and will go on to resume their normal lives.

Signs & Symptoms of Breast Cancer ---

·         It is painless, especially, during the early stage. Watch out for the following changes in the breast:

·         A persistent lump or thickening in the breast or in the axilla. 

·         A change in the size or shape of the breast. 

·         A change in the colour or appearance of the skin of the breast such as redness, puckering or dimpling. 

·         Bloody discharge from the nipple. 

·         A change in the nipple or areola such as scaliness, persistent rash or nipple retraction (nipple pulled into the breast).

·         Consult a doctor immediately if you notice any of these changes.

Risk Factors ---

·         Being a woman puts you at risk of getting breast cancer. There are certain factors that increase the risk of breast cancer. Some of them have been listed below:

·         The risk increases with age; most cases of breast cancer develop after the age of 50 

·         Genetic alterations in certain genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 

·         Family history of breast cancer 

Being overweight 

ü  Early menarche (onset of menstruation before the age of 12) 

ü  Late menopause (after the age of 55) 

ü  Never had children 

ü  Late childbearing 

ü  No breast feeding 

Excessive consumption of alcohol 

ü  Use of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) for a long period of time

ü  However, most women who have breast cancer have none of the above risk factors. Likewise, not having any of these risk factors does not mean that you will not get breast cancer.

    

Early Detection and Screening

More treatment options are available when breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage and hence the chances of recovery is also higher. So regular breast screening is important for early detection even if there are no symptoms. Following are the ways of screening:

Breast Self-Examination (BSE): Perform BSE once a month about a week after your menses are over. If you no longer menstruate, choose a date each month which is easy to remember e.g. your date of birth or anniversary.

Clinical Breast Examination: Get a breast specialist to examine your breast once a year if you are 40 years and above.

Mammogram: Go for a screening mammogram once a year if you are 40 to 49 years old and once every two years if you are 50 years and above even if you do not have any symptom. It is not recommended for younger women (less than 40 years of age) as they have dense breasts, making it difficult for small changes to be detected on a mammogram. So ultrasonography of the breasts is advisable to them.

Types of Breast cancer you must know ---

Non-Invasive Breast cancer: These are confined to the ducts within the breasts. They are known as Ductalcarcinoma in-situ (DCIS).

Invasive Breast cancer: It occurs when cancer cells spread beyond the ducts or lobules. Cancer cells first spread to the surrounding breast tissue and subsequently to the lymph nodes in the armpit (Axillary lymph nodes). These cells can also travel to the other parts of the body such as bones, liver, lungs or brain and hence known as metastatic breast cancer.

Making A Diagnosis 

If you notice any unusual changes in your breasts, you should see a doctor immediately. He will examine you clinically and may ask you to undergo some tests so that a definitive diagnosis can be made. Further, the staging work up is done to find out the stage of the disease and management accordingly.

Treatment options 
Treatment of breast cancer may include various methods such as surgery with or without breast reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. Treatment options offered, depend upon the number of factors such as the stage of cancer and likelihood of cure, your general health and your preference. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an oncologist.