Have you heard of a disease called the Lymes Disease?

If not this is a good time to learn about it.

The month of May is associated with awareness of a few common and not so common diseases that afflict us, namely Hepatitis, Asthma, Dystonia, Lupus, CFS, Brain Injury, Multiple Sclerosis and Lymes Disease.

AWARENESS helps gain knowledge and understanding and increases our alertness and responsiveness in approaching an illness in an educated manner and seeking medical help.

LYMES DISEASE

A disorder caused by a tick bite.

Most people who get Lyme’s disease do not become seriously ill. It is named after Lyme, Connecticut, USA, where it was first described.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Stage 1:

• A rash that starts as a small red spot. The spot expands and becomes round or oval in shape with a clear center. It resembles a bulls-eye.
• Mild flu-like symptoms may occur (fever, headache, stiff neck, fatigue, muscle and joint pain).

Stage 2:

• Rash develops in other places of the body.
• Single-joint pain or body pain.
• Central nervous system symptoms that may range from headache to loss of consciousness.

Stage 3: (may occur months to years after first stage):

• The nerves, joints, heart, and brain may be seriously affected, causing a number of new symptoms.

CAUSES

An infection transmitted by an infected deer tick bite. The rash may occur 3 to 30 days after the tick bite.

The infection does not spread from one person to another.

RISK INCREASES WITH

Work, play, or recreational activities in places like grassy, brushy, or wooded areas which are high risk for ticks.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

• Wear protective clothing with tight collars and cuffs.
• Use effective insect repellents when visiting areas with ticks.
• Check skin carefully and remove ticks if any. If the tick is removed from the skin within 36 hours, there is usually no infection.
• No vaccine is currently available.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The severity differs from one person to another. Mild cases clear up on their own without treatment. Most other cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics. In a few cases, symptoms may not respond to antibiotics. Additional treatment may or may not help.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

• Various degrees of persistent joint or nervous system pain, fatigue, memory problems
• Rarely, death may occur.

DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

• A physical examination and medical tests that may include blood studies to confirm the diagnosis.
• Early treatment with antibiotic drugs to prevent symptoms from getting worse.
• Crutches may be used to to keep weight off affected joints, if necessary.

·         Warm baths or showers, or the use of heating pads to relieve joint pain.

MEDICATIONS

• An oral antibiotic for 14 to 21 days for early stage of the disease.
• Antibiotics given through a vein (IV) for later stages.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Steroid drugs to reduce the inflammatory response in the heart or central nervous system.

ACTIVITY

Bed rest until symptoms get better. Gradual resumption of normal activities.

DIET

No special diet.

WORLD MALARIA DAY - 1st MAY.

 Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which when transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells.Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite. If left untreated, malaria can quickly become life-threatening by disrupting the blood supply to vital organs. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines.



WHAT IS MALARIA?· Malaria a disease of "High fever" is caused by the infection of a tiny organism known as the       Malarial parasite.  · A single-celled parasite known as a sporozoan causes malaria.
· Characteristic signs of malaria infection are fever and flu-like symptoms, including headaches and muscle or joint pain. These usually begin after an incubation period of 10 to 14 days after the infective bite, during which the malaria parasite first inhabits the liver and then quietly multiplies in the blood.·All mosquitoes are not capable of transmitting malaria. 

SYMPTOM OF MALARIA

A typical attack of malaria comprises of three distinct stages.

1.COLDSTAGE:Begins with a feeling of cold, accompanied by shivering and headache. The patient covers himself with blankets. Fingers and lips become bluish with dry skin.  Hairs on skin are raised.  Each spell may continue for 15 minutes to 1 hour.2.HOTSTAGE:The fever rises very high so the patient feels burning heat.  He takes off the covers.   He also feels intense headache with nausea and vomiting.  This stage lasts from 2-6 hours.  Pulse is heavy and pounding, feels intense thirst.3.SWEATINGSTAGE: In this stage, fever comes down with profuse sweating.  Patient normally goes into deep sleep. On waking he feels weak.  This stage lasts 2-4 hours.HOW TO TREAT MALARIA ?·         According to National Anti Malaria Programme, all fever cases should be considered as Malarial cases unless otherwise diagnosed by medical person.
·         Light microscopy of thick and thin stained blood smears remains the standard method for diagnosing malaria.
·         Drugs to treat malaria are available in all Hospitals, Dispensaries, Primary Health Centres and Sub-centres throughout the country.
·         Malaria can be cured through proper treatment. 
  

Awareness on Hemophilia

What do you do when you cut yourself accidently while chopping vegetables, hurt your toe while playing football/cricket at school or nick your chin while shaving? Most people would apply a little pressure if the cut is small and let it heal on its own, or clean the area and cover it with cotton if the cut is a little deep.

Can you imagine a situation where the bleeding does not stop from this seemingly uneventful cut or nick?

Haemophilia/Hemophilia is a genetic bleeding disorder that is life threatening.

In persons with Hemophilia blood does not clot or coagulate normally due to a deficiency or the absence of clotting Proteins or Factors. Bleeding can be both external and internal even with minor injuries. The disease is incurable in nature and very expensive in terms of medication and care. Prolonged and recurrent bleeding can lead to permanent disabilities and bleeding from sensitive organs can lead even to death.

The blood coagulation mechanism is a process which transforms the blood from a liquid into a solid, and involves several different clotting factors. The mechanism generates fibrin which when activated, together with the platelet plug, stops the bleeding.

When coagulation factors are missing or deficient the blood does not clot properly and bleeding continues.

Patients with Hemophilia A or B have an X- linked genetic defect which results in a deficiency in one of the blood clotting factors VIII or IX.

Causes of Hemophilia

Persons with Hemophilia are born with it. It is caused by a fault in one of the genes that determine how the body makes blood clotting factor VIII or IX. These genes are located on the X chromosome.

Symptoms of Hemophilia

Hemophilia symptoms vary, depending on the degree of blood clotting factor (coagulation factor) deficiency and they also depend on the nature of any injury.

Three levels of hemophilia are recognized, according to the level of clotting factor amounts in the blood. Mild hemophilia may not have any symptoms until an event occurs which wounds the skin or tissue, such as a dental procedure or surgery, and results in prolonged bleeding. Those with inherited moderate hemophilia will be noticeable early on. The

Types of Hemophilia

There  are two main types of hemophilia - Hemophilia A (due to factor VIII deficiency) and Hemophilia B (due to factor IX deficiency). They are clinically almost identical and are associated with spontaneous bleeding into joints and muscles and internal or external bleeding after injury or surgery. Acquired Hemophilia does not have a genetic history, the person develops this when the antibodies present in his/her body attack the clotting factors thereby preventing the mechanism from functioning properly. Patients here can be both male and female and the pattern of bleeding here is markedly different. This disorder is particularly associated with old age and sometimes complicates pregnancy.

Prenatal Testing : A pregnant women with a history of hemophilia is given a gene test during pregnancy, whereby a sample of placenta is removed from the uterus and tested for hemophilia, this test is called Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS). Alternately if the child is suspected to have hemophilia, a simple blood test can determine whether the child/patient has hemophilia A/B and how severe the condition is? 

Treatment of Hemophilia

Persons with Hemophilia and their family will require genetic counseling under the expert guidance of a Hematologist.

Ageing and continuing good health

April 7th is World Health Day. The theme for World health day this year is Ageing and good health. 

Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of sick. Although we all prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as the citizens of the other place. -- Susan Sontag 

Thankfully, with the evolution in medical technology, recourse to advanced medical and holistic treatments and general awareness to good health, the longevity of man has extended.

The World Health Organization is celebrating the world health day this year by focusing on ageing and continuing good health.

Life expectancy is going up in most countries, meaning more and more people live longer and enter an age when they may need health care. Meanwhile birth rates are generally falling. Countries and health care systems will need to find innovative and sustainable ways to cope with the demographic shift.

 And with the extension in the life span of man, society has an added responsibility of ensuring that the first citizens of our world are given the best of facilities both psychosocially and medically.

Ageing increase the risk of some diseases and conditions but good nutrition, exercise and positive attitude can help keep one mentally and physically active .

Being Prepared

Learning how to manage conditions like menopause, arthritis, osteoporosis and depression will help you prepare for the future and face the conditions in a more positive frame of mind.

Staying active:

Regular exercise be it walking, gardening, cycling, swimming etc. will not only boost your physical and mental health, but will also improve muscle mass and bone strength.

Balanced Eating:

A balanced diet that includes adequate nutrients, fibre and water is necessary for a healthy body of any age. Good nutrition and weight management is impartial to age.

Healthy Ageing:

Ageing  affects the muscles, bones, joints and skin as well as the mind.

Keeping mentally and physically fit is the key to a stress free life.

Enjoying good health in old age is something that we all wish for and typically like in all other strata’s in life the foundation should start early and be laid strongly. Sadly for many people this often turns out not to be the case, as various chronic age-related illnesses affect the wellbeing of so many of us.

Remembering that older persons play a crucial role in their communities - they engage in paid or volunteering work, transmit experience and knowledge, and help their families with caring responsibilities can help preserve their pride in themselves and make their upkeep both a pleasant and valuable experience for both the generations. These contributions can only be ensured if they enjoy good health and if societies address their needs.

Save your head, wear a helmet!

If you bury your head in the sand, you might end up losing it for good.

India heads the list of nations that loses its bread-earners to gory accidents everyday.

By ignoring the glaringly obvious fact that prevention is without doubt better than cure, we are not only endangering our lives but also the lives of our loved ones.

If by wearing a helmet, we can save our head and thereby our life,

we are paying a small price.

Prevention now comes with a new name HELMET.

Everyday, men, women and children suffer head injuries. A trip or fall, a car accident, a sports injury – these everyday injuries can range in severity from concussion to coma. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be fatal or, in survivors, can produce persistent problems that significantly affect the livelihood and well-being of millions around the globe.

Helmets are the most common protective gear.

The primary goal of a helmet is to protect the wearer's head during impact, although many helmets provide additional protection such as a face shield. They protect your all-important head while you're  riding a bicycle, motorcycle, playing football, hockey, baseball, softball, biking, skateboarding, and inline skating, just to name a few!

Just wearing a helmet on your head will not do, ensure your helmet  fits snugly but comfortably, and if it has a strap — like a bike helmet does — you need to fasten it. Otherwise, it will fall off when you need it most.

Studies have consistently shown that wearing a helmet:

Reduces injury & increases a wearer's chance of surviving a crash

Does not contribute to neck injuries

Does not impair vision or hearing

As with other protective gear, a brightly colored helmet improves the user's visibility.

Unfortunately despite the best of preventive measures fall cannot always be prevented. But fall related injuries can, and must  - to enjoy and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Stop, think before you proceed how precious life is, how unpredictable accidents are, and how, most importantly, we can protect ourselves from a fate worse than death  by simply wearing our helmets every ride, every time.

Women’s Right to Life, Right to Good Health!

Hi there! 21 March is World Human Rights Day. Read on about human rights for women and pass the message. 

Did you know that 1/3  of deaths among women is due to cardiovascular diseases and stroke?

Did you know that 1000 women die every day as a consequence of pregnancy and childbirth?

Did you know that 86% of women with mental health disorders do not receive adequate care?

Did you know that the future of the world lies in how healthy women are and in their health care initiatives?

Women around the world live longer than men due to biological and behavioral  advantages, but longer does not necessarily mean healthier.

The dearth of adequate health care intervention in childhood through adolescence, during the reproductive years and beyond affects women’s health in life later and across generations.

While women and men share many similar health challenges, the genetic differences are such that women require specific attention. For example some conditions or diseases such as osteoarthritis, obesity and depression are more common in women, while others such as pregnancy and menopause are unique to women.

In modern times, women all over the world are donning multifarious caps to meet their aspirations as well as cater to the various demands of the family and society.  This added dimension to the already existing dynamics of the roles a woman dons makes it imperative that women pay particular attention to their health.

Establishing healthy habits at an young age helps women lead an active and healthy life until well into old age. Adhering to nutritious eating habits and an exercise routine is expected. 

Regular health checkups and follow up routines has now become important as women do not want to take their health for granted.

As the prime nurturers of tomorrow’s generation, women have to necessarily stay informed and take care of their health.

Visit www.canrayhealth.com to know more about us. 

Do you know to handle a head injury? 

Mother's Day (UK)

Here is a beautiful poem on Mother.

March 8th, is Mother's Day in UK.

 An excerpt from
Heart of a Mother
by Paula J. Fox

 A mother is born in that very moment

a child becomes her own.

And her heart begins to overflow

with a love she has never known.

Her focus changes instantly

as her heart beats for another.

It will never be the same again.

It's the powerful heart of a mother!

It's a heart of incredible courage

with strength and endurance too.

She fiercely protects and defends her young

in ways only she can do.

She sacrifices "self" to give

her children what they need,

developing their character

to make sure that they succeed.

Just like a lovely gardener

she plants her seeds of love.

Her heart gives lots of sunshine

like blessings from above.

She provides a firm foundation...

a peaceful, loving home

So her children's roots run deep and strong

no matter where they roam.

With a heart that nurtures them along

to grow in the right direction

She allows them freedom to blossom and thrive

under her wise protection.

They're prepared to face the storms of life,

as they learn to stand alone.

She gives them a sense of value and strength

with a confidence of their own.

There's a special beauty in a Mother's love

She's a picture of wisdom and grace

We honor her with gratitude...

No one can take her place!

International Women's Day 2012

The theme of Women's Day 2012 is 'Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty'. On this occasion, CANRAY would like to share with you the link to an excellent feature film made by our dear friend Usha Rajeswari . The film was given a special showing at the Smithsonian Festival in DC in 2010. Brilliant piece of work, very fitting for this day.

World Kidney Day, March 8th, 2012.

We all know that March 8th, is International Women's Day. Little do we know that it is also World Kidney Day. Be aware and spread awareness about how to keep your kidneys healthy.

What is kidney disease?

Kidney disease damages your kidneys, preventing them from cleaning your blood as well as they should.

This damage can cause wastes to build up in your body and lead to other health problems, including heart disease, anemia, and bone disease.

Chronic kidney disease eventually can cause kidney failure if it is not treated.

If you do have the disease, it's important to be diagnosed early. Treatment can slow down the disease, and prevent or delay kidney failure. Because chronic kidney disease often develops slowly and with few symptoms, many people with the condition don't realize they're sick until the disease is advanced and requires dialysis.

Simple Tips for Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy

Steps to help keep your kidneys healthy include the following:

·         Keep blood pressure below 130/80 mm/Hg.

·         Stay in your target cholesterol range.

·         Eat less salt and salt substitutes.

·         Eat healthy foods.

·         Stay physically active.

·         Take your medications as prescribed.

If you have diabetes, take these steps, too:

·         Meet blood sugar targets as often as you can.

·         Have an A1c test at least twice a year, but ideally up to four times a year. An A1c test measures the average level of blood sugar over the past three months.