The human brain can perform all its functions with the proper supply of oxygen and nutrients provided by a network of blood vessels. In a scenario wherein damage occurs to one of these blood vessels, then the entire anatomy of the brain can get affected. A stroke is a cerebrovascular occurrence that leads to rupturing of the blood vessels. It can also cause a blockage in the supply of blood to the brain. The extent of damage done by a stroke should be tested at the nearest MRI centre. Symptoms The most effective way to tackle a stroke’s impact on the brain is to gain knowledge about its signs and symptoms. This can help in saving a patient’s life. Numbness in the arms, legs, and face is a common indicator of a stroke. Along with this, slurred speech, loss of motor skills, paralysis on one side of the body, loss of balance, and mental confusion are other accompanying symptoms. A stroke can also cause vision problems in the patient such as blurriness, double vision or even complete loss of eyesight. Types Three known types of strokes occur in human beings. The first is a transient ischemic attack or TIA caused a temporary blood clot in the brain. It can last for a few minutes or hours depending on the blockage. An ischemic stroke occurs when plaque causes blockage in one of the arteries in the brain. Unlike these two types of stroke, a haemorrhagic stroke is caused due to a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. This may generally happen due to high blood pressure of the patient or an aneurysm. Treatment For the proper identification and diagnosis of a stroke, a series of tests are required. MRI, CT Scan, complete blood count, blood sugar test, EKG, and cerebral angiogram are conducted on the patient immediately. With the help of these tests, a neurologist can evaluate the overall damage. Anti-coagulants along with other medications related to the type of stroke are prescribed. In some cases, stents, coiling, and other surgical procedures are performed to repair the blood vessel. Patients who have suffered a stroke are suggested to get an MRI scan to monitor brain activity. Cost of this image testing at a reputed pathology lab can be found on the internet.
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Cancer is abnormal cell growth with the potential to either invade or spread to the diverse parts of the body. If doctors suspect that their patients have cancer, they would, typically, prescribe a few blood tests or other laboratory tests, such as a biopsy of a suspicious area and analysis of the urine, to help guide the diagnosis. Apart from blood cancer, blood checkups and tests typically cannot convey whether a person is suffering from cancer or some other noncancerous condition but can clue the doctors on what is going on inside the body of the patients. What do doctors look for in blood tests? Simply because a doctor has prescribed a cancer blood test would not mean that the diagnosis has been made and the patient is suffering from the condition. Samples of blood tests might show cancer cells, proteins or even some other type of substance made by cancer. Such tests can provide the doctors with an insight into how well the organs of a person are functioning, and whether they have been affected by cancer or not. A few common examples of blood tests that are used to diagnose cancer include:
Cancer tests must be interpreted in an extremely careful manner as multiple factors might influence their outcomes, including what people eat and the variations in their body. Type 2 diabetes is very common, and its prevention is vital for both men and women. Individuals are at bigger risks of developing it especially if they have obesity, a family history or suffer from prediabetes conditions. Lifestyle choices are another factor responsible for type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is recommended to make some significant lifestyle changes to improve or even reverse this medical condition. People who have higher chances of growing diabetes should have an hba1c blood test on regular intervals to keep a tab on their blood sugar level and balance the same. Let us take a glance at the following lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes. Physical activity Keeping body active by doing exercises and workouts is an effective way to keep the symptoms at bay. Moderate physical exercises on a daily basis can help individuals manage their weight, improve cholesterol, maintain blood pressure, and decrease blood glucose levels. Physical activity will also aid in increasing sensitiveness to insulin, helping to keep blood sugar level in a balanced range. Joining a fitness program that involves resistance training and aerobic exercises are helpful in controlling diabetes. Weight Management Being overweight can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Weight loss can alter insulin sensitivity and delay or even stop the progress of type 2 diabetes. Reducing weight can also aid people to improve blood sugar control, helping them to keep type 2 diabetes away. Eating healthily and a balanced diet It is recommended to cut down the fat percentage from daily diet, especially trans and saturated fat. Reducing salt intake, sugar, oil, and high-calorie diet is quite beneficial for diabetic individuals. Adding fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, and nuts can do wonders. Also, fiber and whole grains help reduce the risk of diabetes by maintaining the blood sugar level. So, including fiber-based foods in diet is a healthy choice. Avoiding smoking and alcohol intake Remember, people who smoke are at higher risks of developing diabetes as compared to non-smokers. Thus, individuals having this bad habit must quit smoking now, as it can do great harm and play havoc with health. Also, too much alcohol intake may cause extra weight gain and increase triglyceride and blood pressure. Keeping a check on alcohol intake can help people avoid type 2 diabetes. Sleeping well Chronic sleep deprivation can also boost the risk of obesity and diabetes. One needs to take at least 7-8 hours of sleep daily and if they have a constant problem of not sleeping well, it is recommended to see a doctor right away. One can even practice meditation and yoga to avoid stress and get better sleep. Controlling blood pressure High blood pressure can further worsen diabetes. With regular workout and healthy diet, one can keep their blood pressure under check. In case these things are not making much of a difference, consulting a doctor is highly recommended to avoid any further health complications. Seeing a doctor regularly Individuals need to visit a doctor for regular blood glucose screening in case they are overweight, above 45 years of age, have an inactive lifestyle, or a family history of diabetes. One needs to go for glucose screening every three years if they are above 45 years of age. In addition to the above-mentioned tips, it is also vital for people to go for a regular check-up and get hba1c blood test done to keep a tab on their blood sugar level. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are a distinct group of tests that help in measuring how well the lungs of a person work. This largely includes how well people can breathe, as well as how effectively their lungs can bring oxygen to the rest of their body. Doctors usually may recommend their patients to go for a PFT test, if:
In case people are already suffering from a medical condition that affects their lungs, doctors may recommend them to go for Pulmonary function tests to see if the condition is progressing or it is adequately responding to the relevant treatment. PFTs can help the doctors to diagnose:
Preparing for pulmonary function tests If the patients are on medications that open their airways (like medicines used for chronic bronchitis or asthma) the doctors may ask them to stop taking them prior to going for the test. Pain medicines might also affect the results of the tests. Therefore, it is crucial that people inform their doctors about any prescription or over-the-counter pain medications they are taking before going for the test. People should also avoid eating a large meal before going for such tests, as a full stomach can often prevent the lungs from properly inhaling. People must also avoid having food and drinks that feature too much caffeine before taking PFTs. Caffeine may cause the airways of a person to open more, which would ultimately affect the result of the test. People can visit any good pathology lab to take a pulmonary function test. At these labs, people can also take their complete blood count test, blood sugar test, and various other blood tests. The health of a human being is dependent on the blood flowing through her/his body. This is because it is responsible for transporting essential nutrients and oxygen to all the organs. Along with this, its contribution in removing toxins from the body is also essential. So, if an individual contracts a rare blood condition, then the overall health gets affected as well. Mentioned below are three blood-related disorders found in human beings: 1. Aplastic Anaemia One of the most dangerous forms of anaemia is known as aplastic anaemia. In this condition, the body is unable to produce new blood cells. Due to the lack of RBCs, WBCs, and platelets, an individual is more prone to infections as the immune system is compromised. The most common systems of this blood disorder are fatigue, irregular heart rate, shortness of breath, skin rashes, headaches and the like. Exposure to radiation and chemicals are considered to be the major causes of aplastic anaemia. 2. Hairy Cell Leukaemia This blood cancer causes excessive production of lymphocytes or B cells in the bone marrow of an individual. Along with this, the B cells tend to develop an abnormal “hairy” texture as well. Since there is over production of leukaemia cells, the number of RBCs, platelets, and healthy WBCs are significantly reduced. While some patients do not exhibit any symptoms, others complain of easy bruising, fatigue, recurring infections, weakness, etc. There aren’t any known causes of this type of leukaemia. As this cancer progresses slowly in the body, the chances of developing a second cancer are high. 3. Factor XIII Deficiency This genetic blood condition is caused to the deficiency of Factor 13 that is responsible for proper blood clotting in the human body. This can cause uncontrollable bleeding in patients who suffer from this rare deficiency; thus, they have to extra careful of not cutting or hurting themselves by accident. Moreover, the chances of internal bleeding especially increase in patients with Factor 13 deficiency that can be fatal for them. Recurrent and unstable bleeds in the mouth, nose, and muscles are commonly experienced by patients with this condition. For a proper diagnosis of rare conditions, it is important to get pathology blood test done under the guidance of a haematologist. Tuberculosis or TB is an infective disease that affects the lungs. TB spreads through the air from one patient to another. When a person, suffering from TB, laughs, coughs, or sneezes, people in their surroundings may breathe in TB bacteria. TB can affect diverse age groups all over the world. However, it generally affects young adults and individuals. A TB test is done to find out the severity of the condition. Types According to doctors, there are two types of TB infections – active and latent. Active TB - In this condition, bacteria causes signs and symptoms and can be spread to others. Latent TB - In latent tuberculosis, the bacteria stay in the body in a latent state. The condition is not contagious and causes no signs, however, they can be active if untreated. Early warning signs of TB The common early warning signs of tuberculosis may include the following:
TB Test There are two kinds of tests for tuberculosis infection including TB blood test and TB skin test. The doctor needs to decide which TB tests to use as per the conditions and signs of the patient. TB blood test In this test, the health care provider will draw an individual’s blood and send it to the diagnostic center for analysis and results. The test is for those who have received the TB vaccine BCG or Bacillus Calmette–Guérin. TB skin test TB skin test or also known as the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) is performed by injecting a little quantity of fluid (tuberculin) into the skin of the arm. The skin test for checking tuberculosis is a preferred test for kids under 5 years of age. When a person is diagnosed with TB, he or she should complete the course of treatment fully, even if the signs are gone. If a person experiences some signs of tuberculosis, he or she must undergo a TB test at the starting phase. A CT scan is essentially conducted to check the internal functioning the body. With the help of X-ray images, a radiologist is able to analyse the organs in the most detailed manner. Thus, this highly successful and sophisticated image testing method is advised to resolve prolonging medical issues faced by the patient. Find out about four possible reasons why someone might have to take this test:
While there are many pathologies offering CT scans in India, one can be chosen on the basis of CT scan cost and other facilities offered. Dengue is one of the most dangerous and life-threatening diseases. This fever is also known as breakbone fever, which is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Dengue is mainly caused by four different viruses and spread by Aedes mosquito. It can lead to a severe flu-like illness. One can typically notice the symptoms of dengue within three in fourteen days after being infected by the dengue virus. Symptoms Some of the common symptoms of dengue are high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, skin rashes, etc. Severely infected people may experience aching muscles and joints, body rash, high fever, intense headache, pain in eyes, vomiting and nausea, etc. People who are suffering from dengue hemorrhagic fever may experience even severe symptoms like bleeding from the mouth, gums or nose, clammy skin, damage to lymph and blood vessels, internal bleeding, low platelet count, weak pulse, fatal DHF, etc. Some of the symptoms of dengue are same as those of malaria and typhoid. Confusion between the two and failure to diagnose and treat dengue properly can even result in death. Generally, people who have high fever and are experiencing vomiting and nausea are recommended to go for a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment/Prevention For prevent dengue, dengue fever vaccines are designed, which prevent the spread of dengue virus from an infected person to others through mosquitoes or other means. Currently, five dengue vaccines are under development and only one of them has been approved, which is being used in Mexico and Brazil. As no proper vaccine is still available in the Indian market, prevention using other methods is recommended for avoiding dengue infection. One should use mosquito repellents, mosquito traps, and nets which are treated with insecticides. The doors and windows should have structural barriers like screens or nettings. Apart from these, one should avoid using heavily scented soaps and perfumes as these things attract mosquitos. Other than this, one should avoid staying outside during dawn, dusk, or early evening. The Aedes mosquito breeds in clean, stagnant water. One should therefore not allow water to stagnate at their homes and avoid exposure to such water outside home. HIV signs and symptoms vary from person to person. However, the first sign of disease normally appears within a month. This is the time when it becomes important to identify if HIV is the major cause of why you feel low. The viral load at this time is very high that can increase the risk of passing it on. Going through an HIV test is the only way to recognize this problem and get the proper treatment. Symptoms of HIV include: Fever Fever accompanied by some other symptoms such as sore throat and fatigue is a major sign of HIV. At this initial stage, the virus is moving into the blood flow with a chance to grow in large numbers. Swollen lymph nodes This can be the earliest symptoms of HIV. As a part of the body’s immune system, lymph nodes protect your blood by preventing viruses and bacteria. Many of lymph nodes are located in neck, groin, and armpit, and they get inflamed due to infections. Mood changes Often, HIV condition can cause changes in mood or neurological disorders, especially in women. These mood changes may include sadness and depression, sometimes memory loss and stress. Weight loss People who are already suffering from HIV and not getting proper treatment can suffer from digestive system problems, nausea, appetite loss, and diarrhea. These conditions can cause people to lose weight faster. Sore throat and cough Symptoms like runny nose or congestion, sneezing, coughing and sore throat usually appear around 3 to 6 weeks after catching the HIV condition and last for a week or a month. Skin rashes HIV may cause skin rashes and some changes like unusual spots on the skin. These spots may appear on nose, eyelids, or inside the mouth. With all the aforementioned symptoms, HIV testing is crucial for individuals to ensure correct diagnosis. Today, most pathology labs offer routine health checkup plan with HIV test at a reasonable cost. |