World Hypertension Day 2019: Know about High Blood Pressure | KDAH Blog

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. This means that the blood applies too much force against the walls of the blood vessels. Medical guidelines define hypertension as blood pressure higher than 130 over 80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

Important facts about high blood pressure:

• High blood pressure may be linked to a higher risk of dementia.
• Young people can have high blood pressure, too.
• 1 in 5 adults are unaware of their high blood pressure.
• Women face pregnancy complications due to high blood pressure.

Risk factors

A number of risk factors increase the chances of having hypertension.

• Age: Hypertension is more common in people aged over 60 years.
• Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups are more prone to hypertension.
• Size and weight: Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor.
• Alcohol and tobacco use: Consuming large amounts of alcohol regularly can increase a person’s blood pressure, as can smoking tobacco.
• Existing health conditions: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and high cholesterol levels can lead to hypertension, especially as people get older.
• Hereditary factors: A family history of high blood pressure and poorly managed stress can also contribute.

Signs

Blood pressure can be measured by a sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure monitor. Having high blood pressure for a short time can be a normal response to many situations like stress or intense exercise. For this reason, a diagnosis of hypertension normally requires several readings that show high blood pressure over time.

Symptoms

A person with hypertension may not notice any symptoms, and it is often called the “silent killer.” Regularly checking your blood pressure is vital, as there will usually be no symptoms to make you aware of the condition.

It is maintained that high blood pressure causes sweating, anxiety, sleeping problems, and blushing. If blood pressure reaches the level of a hypertensive crisis, a person may experience headaches and nosebleeds.

Complications

Hypertension and heart disease are global health concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that the growth of the processed food industry has impacted the amount of salt in diets worldwide, and that this plays a role in hypertension.

Long-term hypertension can cause complications through atherosclerosis, where the formation of plaque results in the narrowing of blood vessels. This makes hypertension worse, as the heart must pump harder to deliver blood to the body.

Hypertension-related atherosclerosis can lead to:

• Heart failure and heart attacks.
• An aneurysm, or an abnormal bulge in the wall of an artery that can burst, causing severe bleeding and, in some cases, death.
• Kidney failure.
• Stroke.
• Amputation.
• Hypertensive retinopathies in the eye, which can lead to blindness.

Hypertension in India:

According to data from the National Health Profile (NHP) 2018, more people were diagnosed with hypertension than diabetes in India in 2017. The prevalence of hypertension among 18-25 years-old was higher than that estimated by the World Health Organization and in fact than any other country in the world.

Prevent Hypertension:

Your age, along with a family history of hypertension and ethnicity are among the hypertension risk factors that are out of your control. To avoid a hypertension diagnosis, make these healthy lifestyle choices:

1. Maintain a healthy weight. When it comes to hypertension prevention, your weight is crucial. Obesity increases your chances of getting hypertension.
2. Eat a balanced diet. Consider following the DASH diet which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy foods — and moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts which are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium.
3. Cut back on salt. For many people, eating a low-sodium diet can help keep blood pressure normal. The higher the sodium intake, the higher the blood pressure.
4. Exercise regularly. Get moving to prevent hypertension. Physical activity is crucial. The more exercise you get, the better, but even a little bit can help control blood pressure. Moderate exercise for about 30 minutes three times a week is a good start.
5. Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to high blood pressure. For women, that means no more than one drink a day, and for men, no more than two.
6. Monitor your blood pressure. Make sure that you have your blood pressure measured regularly, either at your doctor’s office or at home.
7. Avoid stress. Learn to manage your stress better to help control your blood pressure control.
8. Smoking can raise blood pressure. Giving up smoking reduces the risk of hypertension, heart conditions, and other health issues.

Take a look at your lifestyle habits and decide where you can make changes to help prevent hypertension. Adopting these lifestyle changes can help prevent high blood pressure if your blood pressure is currently under control or lead to lower blood pressure if your numbers are already elevated.

Consult doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital to manage Hypertension better. Please find below website link for more details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/internalmedicine/hypertension.html

Tips to Stay Healthy While Traveling with your Family this Summer | KDAH Blog

Are you travelling this summer with your family?

Whether travelling as a couple, with children or with elderly parents make sure you are prepared for the destination you are travelling. A few precautions and extra care before travel can make your holiday better.

Here are few general travel tips

1. Be proactive – Think about health in advance of your trip. If you have a chronic health problem, get a check-up before you leave. And find out as much as you can in advance about destination-specific health risks.

2. Pack a travel health kit – Expect the unexpected, always travel with a travel health kit equipped with the most basic medications.

3. Wash your hands – Good hygiene is the first line of defence against any viral or bacterial ailment, be it the common cold or any other infection. Especially wash your hands before and after meal times.

4. Drink and eat sensibly – Traveller’s diarrhoea is the most common ailment that hampers many vacations. Make sure you eat and drink at hygienic places. Always have hot food when in doubt.

5. Make exercise a priority – You always have ample time to exercise on a vacation, it is your choice to make it a part of your agenda.

Travelling with elders

Are you a group of senior citizens travelling this vacation? Here are a few health tips to keep in mind:

1. Book for accessibility – Make comfort a top priority. Choose to book direct flights, check for elevators, wheelchairs, and ramps before booking hotel accommodation too.

2. Plan small itineraries – Skip long hours of sight-seeing and plan small excursions physically possible.

3. Pack light – Depending on the weather of your destination pack as light as you can. Make sure you carry only small bag packs for day excursions too.

4. Choose comfortable shoes – One thing you absolutely need to pack is a pair of good, sturdy walking shoes—especially if you plan to do any sightseeing on foot.

5. Carry a few accessories – Here are a few things which will make your trip more comfortable and prepare you for any health conditions:

• travel-sized heat and cold packs.
• an inflatable neck pillow, and seat cushion for long car, train, or airplane rides.
• Extra pair of specs if needed.
• a knee sleeve or elastic bandage to support and cushion sore knees.

6. Stock your medicines – Make sure you carry all your medicines in sufficient quantities. Bring along a prescription, as well as your doctor’s phone number, in case you do run out. Keep the medicines with you instead of in your bags where they could get lost.

7. Keep moving – During long airplane and car trips, try to get up and walk around for a few minutes at least once an hour to keep your joints moving. Staying active will prevent soreness and will maintain blood flow.

Travelling with children

Are you travelling with children this summer? Here are a few health tips to follow:

• Beat the heat – There are three easy things you need to remember about keeping children safe when it’s hot: Apply sunscreen regularly, give them plenty of drinks, and offer healthy, hydrating snacks.
• Be prepared for insect bites – If you are spending time on your summer vacation hiking or camping, you’re likely to encounter them. Use an insect repellent before stepping outdoors and wear full sleeved clothes.
• Watch out around water – Whether you are near a beach or a hotel swimming pool your kids need constant supervision at all times.
• Clean hands – While you’re travelling, make sure your children wash their hands with soap before eating whenever you can. Hand sanitizer or a pack of antibacterial wipes will work if the water is not available.
• Carry light snacks – Carry some high-calorie dry snacks like nuts, energy bars or fruits for your kids to snack during travel times
• Keep a well-stocked first aid kit – Be prepared for minor problems by packing a portable kit that includes over-the-counter pain medicine, antiseptic cream, a cold pack, tweezers, and bandages. If your child has any allergies or asthma, carry the medications. Keep your pediatrician’s phone number handy at all times.
• Boiled water – Water is the first thing that causes stomach infections. Make sure you offer your children only boiled clean drinking water at all times.
• Vaccines – Does your child need any preventive vaccinations? Consult our Travel Clinic.

Whether it is advice on vaccination, country-specific precautions or advice on your health conditions, we highly recommend an appointment with experts at our Travel Clinic. The Travel clinic at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital offers comprehensive travel advice to make sure your trip is happy and healthy.

Best Pancreatic Cancer Treatment in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

The pancreas is a gland about 6 inches long, shaped like a thin pear. It lies between the stomach and the spine. It has two main jobs in the body—to make juices that help digest (break down) food and to make hormones, such as insulin and glucagon, that helps control blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas.

Tumours which are locally advance may need vascular resection and multi-organ resection (both of which are being performed at Kokilaben Hospital).

Top Tips

• Avoid smoking, a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat a low-fat diet.
• Exercise regularly.

Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. At Kokilaben hospital, we are providing treatment like surgery, radiation therapy & Chemotherapy for pancreatic Cancer.

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_cancer/pancreaticcancer.html

Best Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

Soft tissue sarcoma is cancer that can start anywhere in the body, typically muscles, blood vessels, nerves, fat, joints and tissues. Soft tissue sarcomas comprise 2 per cent of all cancers. More than 30 different types of sarcomas have been identified and are usually named according to the type of tissue they start in, like liposarcomas for fat tumours, rhabdomyosarcomas for muscle tumours, angiosarcomas for blood vessel tumours, etc.

The only way to prevent some soft tissue sarcomas is to keep a check on all the risk factors. Most sarcomas, however, develop in people with no known risk factors, so there is no way known at this time to prevent most cases. For people receiving radiation therapy, there is usually little choice. However, if you have risk factors, it’s a good idea to discuss them with your healthcare provider and get a proper evaluation.

We at Kokilaben Hospital are using Brachytherapy as a preferred radiation modality for the management of these tumours. Brachytherapy involves placing the radiation catheters during surgery and giving radiation through these catheters, helps in reducing the treatment time of radiation from 30 days to 6 days, lesser radiation to surrounding structures and a better function.

A sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops from certain tissues, like bone or muscle. At Kokilaben Hospital, we are providing surgery, radiation & Chemotherapy treatment for tumors.

To get more information visit here: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_cancer/softtissuesarcoma.html

Top Hospital for Stem Cell & Bone Marrow transplants in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

The Bone Marrow Transplant unit is dedicated to providing outstanding care and support to paediatric patients who can be helped by transplantation therapy. The program provides transplant as a treatment option for a variety of acquired and congenital disorders of children and young adults including acute and chronic blood conditions like haematopoietic malignancies, anaemias, and bleeding disorders; and inherited immune deficiency syndromes and metabolic diseases. At Kokilaben Hospital the expert team specializes in performing allogeneic and autologous bone marrow, peripheral stem cell and umbilical cord blood transplants and provides the best possible care to the patients.

The Bone Marrow Transplant unit has HEPA filters that provide air free of microorganisms within the unit. The plan of the unit is designed to provide the maximum care and prevention of infections.

A Bone Marrow Transplant Unit in Kokilaben Hospital provides top stem cell transplanttreatment option for conditions like blood cancers, bleeding disorders, and metabolic diseases.

Top Lung Cancer Treatment Hospital in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. It most often occurs in people who smoke. As lung cancer grows, abnormal cells can form tumours and interfere with the functioning of the lung, which provides oxygen to the body via blood.

Warning Signs

The associated symptoms of lung cancer include:

• Persistent cough
• Blood in sputum (spit or phlegm)
• Shortness of breath—either on exertion or at rest
• Chest pain
• Change in voice

Risk Factor 

• Tobacco smoking (causes 60-65 per cent of lung cancers)
• Exposure to second-hand or passive smoking
• Exposure to radon gas, asbestos, and other carcinogens
• Family history of lung cancer

50 per cent of surgeries for lung cancer at Kokilaben Hospital are done using Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS). VATS is a keyhole surgery that reduces postoperative pain, aids in early recovery, avoid prominent scars and reduces the length of hospital stay.

Kokilaben Hospital is the Top Lung Cancer Treatment Hospital in Mumbai, India providing the best treatment, combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy for Lung cancer with the latest technology. It has a dedicated team of lung cancer surgeons.

For More Information Visit: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_cancer/lungcancer.html

Top Hospital for Robotic Surgery in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

Kokilaben Hospital started Centre for Robotic Surgery in 2012 and within short span have completed more than 1800 surgeries. In continuation with the momentum, we present our second cutting edge Robot da Vinci Xi- the next frontier for minimally invasive surgery.

The Centre beside Minimally-Invasive Surgery (MIS) offers Robotic Surgery, a breakthrough surgical technique which is an effective, minimally-invasive alternative to both open and laparoscopic surgery.

With the da Vinci Surgical System (Robot), surgeons are now able to offer a minimally-invasive option for complex surgical procedures as well. Robotic Surgery, computer-assisted surgery, and robotically-assisted surgery are terms for technological developments that use robotic systems to aid in surgical procedures. Robotic Surgery was developed to overcome both the limitations of MIS and enhance the capabilities of surgeons performing open surgery.

Kokilaben Hospital is the top hospital for robotic surgery in Mumbai, India which offers the da Vinci Surgical System (Robot) a computer-assisted surgery and robotically-assisted surgery.

For More Information Visit: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_roboticsurgery.html

Top Heart Hospital in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

The Centre also provides an all-inclusive programme for the management of heart disease from newborns to adults including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. In addition, this centre has special programmes that offer minimally-invasive valve replacement, i.e., key-hole surgery, beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting and awake cardiac surgery.

Top Heart Hospital in India, Kokilaben Hospital Offers Hi-tech Cardiology Services For Heart Treatment like Angioplasty, Angiography, Bypass Surgery and Many More.

For More Information Visit: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_cardiacsciences.html

Best Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai, India – Kokilaben Hospital

Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai is one of the Best Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai, India. It is a complete unit consisting of expert doctors specially trained, ICUs and other high-tech infrastructure and equipment necessary for such complex procedures. Our experienced team of surgeons, technicians, and nurses provides the best medical services for any life-threatening circumstances for serious injury or any medical emergency.

Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute (KDAH) has set a high benchmark for healthcare with its focus on excellence in diagnostic facilities, clinical services, and research activities. KDAH is a 750 bedded hospital having JCI and NABH accreditation.

For More Information Visit Here: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/

Tips to Stay Healthy in Summer | KDAH Blog

Summer is here! A change of season calls for a change in routine, a revamped diet, and of course, a new exercise regimen that suits the weather. The onset of warm weather can make your body more vulnerable to different types of diseases and certain health guidelines must be followed to ensure a healthy summer.

Here are a few tips to stay healthy this summer

1. Eat healthy and light

Eat light, small, frequent meals. Heavy meals with large amounts of carbohydrates and fats give rise to a lot of heat in the body. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables that have high water content – such as oranges, watermelon, tomatoes, etc.

2. Treat your eyes well

Protect your vision from the harsh sunlight at work and at play, wear protective eyewear. When outdoors, wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of ultraviolet rays.

3. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine

Alcohol, fizzy drinks and coffee all can leave you dehydrated quickly. If at all possible, try to reduce the amount of these favourite beverages, especially during hot weather. Plain or flavoured water is a good substitute.

4. Drink plenty of water

Heat and sweat in the summer months can leave your body dehydrated, causing unwanted health outcomes such as fever and chills. Keep yourself well hydrated by drinking at least 2 to 3 litres of water every day.

5. Stay indoors

Restrict outdoor activities to the cooler parts of the day – early mornings before 11. am or late evenings after 5.00 pm.

6. Avoid outside food

Roadside food can be contaminated and may lead to foodborne illnesses. Also in the summer heat if food is not stored properly it may get spoilt and lead to a stomach infection.

Summer Travels

Are you and your family travelling in summer? If you plan to travel within India than you must take a few precautions to keep you safe from the summer heat.

Here are a few tips:

Accessorize right

Wear light colours and natural fabrics like cotton and linen. When you are outside, use proper covering for your mouth, nose and ears to shield yourself from the hot winds, which can cause dehydration. Use a hat or an umbrella for shade and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Wear sunscreen

Apply a good waterproof sunscreen to all exposed parts of your body and reapply it every three to four hours to ensure that your skin remains protected.

Adopt an appropriate skin care routine

Summer can wreak havoc on your skin if proper care is not taken. Excessive oil and sweat can cause troublesome irritation, rashes, prickly heat, and exacerbation of acne. Wash your face often or use tissues to wipe a sweaty face to avoid acne. Use natural face packs with aloe vera gel or sandalwood powder to soothe the skin.

Common Summer Diseases

Summer brings in a host of health problems that range from simple ones like a headache, skin rashes, sunburns, etc. to severe ones like measles, jaundice, and more. You must take necessary preventive measures against summer diseases. Here are a few tips:

Sunburn

Some of the symptoms of sunburn include red or reddish skin, mild dizziness and fatigue. To protect yourself from sunburn, apply a sunscreen lotion on the exposed areas of your body 20 minutes before heading out in the sun.

Heat stroke

Heat stroke is another common summer disease, which if left untreated can be fatal. Some of the symptoms of heat strokes include difficulty in breathing, rapid pulse, high body temperature, confusion etc. Avoid stepping out in peak afternoons.

Prickly heat

Prickly heat refers to red rashes that occur due to an excess of humidity and heat. Prickly heat may be caused by clogging of the sweat glands. You can relieve prickly heat by applying prickly heat powder on areas that show signs of prickly heat.

Food poisoning

Owing to excessive heat in summer, the food can spoil quickly. To prevent the risk of food poisoning, put the leftover food inside the refrigerator. Food must be well-cooked to ensure that it doesn’t get spoiled.

Diarrhoea

Because food gets spoilt quickly, diarrhoea is common in summer. Eating contaminated food and unsafe drinking habits can lead to diarrhoea. To keep away from diarrhoea, make sure that you drink water only after boiling it and wash vegetables thoroughly before and after slicing them.

Skin Rashes

During summers, skin rash is a common skin problem amid children and adults. This typically happens when an individual sweats too much. Bathe often, change your clothes often and avoid wearing tight clothes.

Chickenpox

Chickenpox makes one of the most common summer diseases. It starts in the form of fluid-filled, red and small rashes accompanied by high fever. This is common in children and in people with low immunity and is highly contagious.

Measles

Measles is yet another common summer disease. The paramyxovirus which causes measles breeds faster during the summers. Its initial symptoms are cough, high fever, sore throat, and reddening in eyes. At a later stage, the tiny white spots and measles rash appear all over the body.

Jaundice

Jaundice is a common water-borne disease. It can be a result of Hepatitis A and is mainly caused due to the consumption of contaminated food and water. If not treated on time, this disease can affect the functionality of the liver leading to overproduction of bile.

Typhoid

Typhoid is passed through the oral-faecal route to healthy individuals. The contaminated food and water sources become the breeding ground for the bacteria. Visible symptoms of typhoid are a weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, pain in the abdomen, high fever.

Mumps

Of all summer diseases, mumps is another extremely contagious viral disease and affects children. It is contagious in nature and gets transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Some of the visible symptoms include swelled salivary gland, muscle ache, fever, headache, loss of appetite and weakness.

The primary reason behind the outbreak of diseases in summer is the presence of favourable weather conditions for bacteria, virus and other parasites to breed. Take prevention steps and protect your and your family’s health in summer. Please consult doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital for any summer ailments. Please find website link below:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/

Facts, Causes & Symptoms about Seizures and Epilepsy | KDAH Blog

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder in which the normal chemical and electrical activities between nerve cells in the brain (neurons) become disturbed. This disturbance causes the neurons to fire abnormally, causing seizures. In a seizure, many neurons fire at the same time, much faster than usual — up to 500 times a second.

People often think of epileptic seizures as causing muscle spasms or loss of consciousness, but some seizures can instead cause sudden emotions, sensations, or behaviours that may seem inappropriate and may not be initially recognized as caused by epilepsy.

What happens in a seizure?

Some people with epilepsy stare off into space or make strange sounds during a seizure. Some people may undress, laugh, or walk in circles. Depending on the part of the brain affected and the severity of the disturbance in the brain, epileptic seizures can range from relatively benign events that happen rarely to recurrent, disabling, life-threatening emergencies. Regardless of the seizure type, a person generally must have had at least two “unprovoked” seizures at least 24 hours apart to be diagnosed with epilepsy. Unprovoked means the seizures have no other known medical cause apart from Epilepsy.

Epilepsy symptoms

The main symptom of epilepsy is repeated seizures. Here are a few symptoms which need medical attention:

• a convulsion with no fever.
• short spells of a blackout, or confused memory.
• intermittent fainting spells.
• for a short period, the person is unresponsive to instructions or questions.
• the person becomes stiff, suddenly, for no apparent reason.
• the person suddenly falls for no clear reason.
• for a short time the person seems dazed and unable to communicate.
• repetitive movements that seem inappropriate.
• the person becomes fearful, angry or may panic without reason.
• peculiar changes in senses, such as smell, touch, and sound.
• the arms, legs, or body jerk, in babies these will appear as a cluster of rapid jerking movements.

Seizure Triggers:

Here are some of the seizure triggers that are commonly reported by people with epilepsy:

• Stress.
• Alcohol and recreational drugs.
• Not taking epilepsy medicine as prescribed.
• Feeling tired and not sleeping well.
• Flashing or flickering lights.
• Monthly periods.
• Missing meals.
• Track your triggers and avid these situations to avoid seizures.

Causes of Epilepsy

For up to 60 percent of people with epilepsy, the cause is not known, even with a complete medical evaluation. For the rest, here are a few major reasons that may cause Epilepsy:

• Genetic mutations.
• Structural changes in the brain due to trauma, infection or stroke.
• Birth defect.
• Infections of the central nervous system.

Few Epilepsy Facts:

• Epilepsy is a neurological disorder.
• Primary symptoms commonly include seizures.
• Seizures have a range of severity depending on the individual.
• Treatments include anti-seizure medications.

Someone around you suffering an Epileptic seizure?

Some Do’s:

• Move any objects, such as furniture, away from them so that they don’t hurt themselves.
• Put something soft under their head to stop it hitting the ground.
• Call emergency medical help if needed.
• Try to stop other people crowding around.
• Stay with them until they have fully recovered.

Some Don’ts:

• Do not restrain (try to hold down) the person.
• Do not place anything between the person’s teeth during a seizure.
• Do not move the person unless they are in danger.
• Do not try to make the person stop convulsing. They have no control over the seizure and are not aware of what is happening at the time.

It is estimated that there are 12 million people with Epilepsy in India. The right diagnosis and treatment can help people with Epilepsy live better. Consult our Centre for Neurosciences for Epilepsy treatment. Please find below link for more details:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/centresofexcellence/centrefor_neurosciences/epilepsy.html

World Tuberculosis Day: Protect Your Family & Friends Against TB | KDAH

World TB Day is observed on 24th March 2019 this year. The theme for this year is “It’s time”. The theme has a very strong message for everyone to take steps to prevent TB, cure TB and make the world TB-free. Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects your lungs. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

TB affects all age groups and all parts of the world. However, it is more prevalent in developing countries. India is the country with the highest burden of TB. The World Health Organisation (WHO) TB statistics for India for 2016 give an estimated incidence figure of 2.79 million cases of TB for India.

Fast facts on Tuberculosis

Here are some key points about tuberculosis:

• The World Health Organization estimates that 9 million people a year get sick with TB, with 3 million of these “missed” by health systems.
• TB is among the top 3 causes of death for women aged 15 to 44.
• TB symptoms may be mild for many months, and people ill with TB can infect up to 10-15 other people through close contact over the course of a year.
• TB is an airborne pathogen, meaning that the bacteria that cause TB can spread through the air from person to person.

Symptoms

Although your body may harbour the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), your immune system usually can prevent you from becoming sick. For this reason, doctors make a distinction between:

• Latent TB: In this condition, you have a TB infection, but the bacteria remain in your body in an inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB, also called inactive TB or TB infection, isn’t contagious. It can turn into active TB, so treatment is important for the person with latent TB and to help control the spread of TB.
• Active TB. This condition makes you sick and in most cases can spread to others. It can occur in the first few weeks after infection with the TB bacteria, or it might occur years later.

Signs and symptoms of active TB include:

• Coughing that lasts three or more weeks.
• Coughing up blood.
• Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Fatigue.
• Fever.
• Night Sweats.
• Chills.
• Loss of appetite.

Many strains of tuberculosis resist the drugs most used to treat the disease. People with active tuberculosis must take several types of medications for many months to eradicate the infection and prevent the development of antibiotic resistance.

Causes

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings.

Although tuberculosis is contagious, it’s not easy to catch. You’re much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live with or work with than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who’ve had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious.

Risk factors

A healthy immune system often successfully fights TB bacteria, but your body can’t mount an effective defence if your resistance is low. Here are a few conditions which increase your risk of TB:

• HIV/AIDS.
• Diabetes.
• Severe kidney disease.
• Certain cancers or their treatment.
• Drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs.
• Malnutrition.
• Very young or advanced age.

Complications

Without treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal. The untreated active disease typically affects your lungs, but it can spread to other parts of your body through your bloodstream. Examples of tuberculosis complications include:

• Spinal pain.
• Joint damage.
• Swelling of the membranes that cover your brain (meningitis).
• Liver or kidney problems.
• Heart disorders.

Protect your family and friends

If you have active TB, keep your germs to yourself. It generally takes a few weeks of treatment with TB medications before you’re not contagious anymore. Follow these tips to help keep your friends and family from getting sick:

• Stay home. Don’t go to work or school or sleep in a room with other people during the first few weeks of treatment for active tuberculosis.
• Ventilate the room. Tuberculosis germs spread more easily in small closed spaces where air doesn’t move.
• Cover your mouth. Use a tissue to cover your mouth anytime you laugh, sneeze or cough. Put the dirty tissue in a bag, seal it and throw it away.
• Wear a mask. Wearing a surgical mask when you’re around other people during the first three weeks of treatment may help lessen the risk of transmission.
• Finish your entire course of medication. This is very important when you stop treatment early or skip doses, TB bacteria have a chance to develop mutations that allow them to survive the most potent TB drugs.

Vaccines

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a vaccine for children for tuberculosis (TB) disease. It is a part of infant immunizations. Make sure your child gets it as a part of his/ her healthcare program.

Are you suffering from severe cough for several weeks? It is time to investigate further and get tested for Tuberculosis. Consult doctors at our Pulmonary medicine department for more details.