Hemodialysis mimics the kidney’s function in cleaning and filtering wastes products and excessive fluid from the blood.

1.MYTH: Survival is few months on dialysis
FACT: Average survival on dialysis is in years if not decades but you need to do three things to get full benefit of this therapy
a)Regular three times in a week dialysis
b) Dialysis in good quality centers
c) Dialysis under the supervision of a nephrologist (kidney specialist)

2. MYTH: Dialysis if once initiated continues for lifelong
FACT: The need for dialysis depends upon the cause of kidney failure.

If your kidneys are affected with a reversible cause like infection, stones or drugs then the dialysis requirement is TEMPORARY until the underlying cause is treated

In cases when the kidney disease has been of long standing duration and now has progressed to end stage, then the dialysis requirement is for a long time

3. MYTH: Dialysis is painful
FACT: The only pain you feel during dialysis is a needle prick to start the dialysis. Thereafter there is no pain during dialysis

4. MYTH: Our patient is too weak to tolerate dialysis
FACT: With the current state of the art new dialysis machines and technology this therapy can be done in all the patients irrespective of age and underlying medical conditions

5. MYTH: Dialysis causes weakness
FACT: Patients on regular, good quality & supervised dialysis feel much more energetic than before. In fact there is a visible increase in appetite and general well being

6. MYTH: Getting dialysis only when feeling unwell is appropriate
FACT: Waiting for complications to occur and then getting dialysis is like putting out fire in your house after it has spread rather than controlling it in the beginning.
In fact this way you spend more for the treatment of the complications then you would have spent on regular dialysis. More over you also have to suffer from the ill effects of this complication

7. MYTH: There are a lot of eating restrictions on dialysis
FACT: There are only a few restrictions after initiation of dialysis as per your medical condition
(It’s mostly moderate fluid &citrus fruits restriction)

8. MYTH: Two times a week dialysis is sufficient
FACT: The worldwide recommendation is for ATLEAST three times a week dialysis.
People who get three times a week dialysis live almost two to three times as long as those who get two times a week dialysis as they have much less complications

9. MYTH: Once on dialysis you need not get any tests done
FACT: You need to monitor all vital parameters at least once a month, which will help you to minimize complications.

10. MYTH: Getting dialysis under nephrologists is expensive
FACT: If a nephrologists is taking care of the patient, you tend to spend less in the long run as the chances of developing complications are much lower. You save a lot of money from avoidable complications and thus frequent hospitalizations. Moreover the quality of dialysis and supportive care is of a much higher standard.

http://www.spshospitals.com/nephrology-department-key-treatments.html

Worldwide breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women. It affects 12% of women worldwide. Cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a swelling, change in breast shape, dimpling of skin, fluid discharge from nipple or a red scaly patch on the skin. Can also present as a spread disease as swellings in armpits or neck, bone pains, shortness of breath or jaundice. Some breast cancers presents atypically as inflammation or eczema this can delay the diagnosis. Hence all breast lesions warrant early surgical or oncology consult.

There are various risk factors, like female sex, alcohol, and smoking, lack of exercise, hormonal replacement therapy during menopause, early first menstruation, having children late or not at all, older age, no breastfeeding and family history. If some first degree relative have the disease then chances to get it are double than general population.

Cancer can develop from breast ducts which are called as Ductal carcinoma and which develops from lobules is called as lobular carcinoma. Diagnosis is confirmed by doing mammography and taking a sample of cells by needle or by a small cut called as biopsy. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, further tests are done to determine if cancer is spread beyond the breast and which treatments it may respond to.

It is very important to understand that not all breast swellings are cancers, only fewer than 20% of all breast swellings are cancerous.

Microscopically cancers can be low grade, intermediate grade or high grade. High grade cancers carries worse outcome. Grossly it is staged clinically according to its size, spread to lymph nodes in armpits and distant spread to other organs. Early stage cancers have better prognosis than late stage cancers. To stage and detect spread some radiological tests like PET scan or MRI are done.

Screening: as per present research, breast cancer screening at any age does not appear to be beneficial, but patient should be vigilant about any swelling in the breast and should get thoroughly evaluated by a qualified doctor.

Treatment: usually treated with surgery, which may be followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. A multidisciplinary approach is preferable. Treatment varies with stage and age of the patient. After the chemotherapy, hormonal blocking medications in receptors positive patients. Dr. Navdeep Singh, renowned medical oncologist of SPS hospitals, Ludhiana said that prognosis in cancer of breast has improved in the last decade. As there are better investigations which can detect the disease at the earlier stage and newer improved medications and surgical intervention can almost cure the disease. As per his expert opinion, Rays of optimism are on the rise in the treatment. Newer drugs like monoclonal antibodies and immune modulating treatments have improved the outcomes in advanced disease.

Surgery can be of breast conserving or radical type, where whole breast is removed along with lumpy nodes from the armpit.

Even non operable breast cancers can be down staged and made operable with the help of Neoadjuvant therapy.

Emotional impact of cancer is severe which is tackled effectively with the cancer support groups.

Prevention: Risk can be reduced by maintaining a healthy weight, saying no to alcohol, being physically active, breastfeeding their children. Diet changes can be useful like eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding oily and saturated diets.

Increasing vigilance for the doubtful breast swellings. These simple measures can prevent up to 40 % of breast cancers. Marine Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and Soya based foods may reduce the risk.

As we celebrate World Heart Day on September 29th, we tend to associate it with a day related with creating awareness regarding heart diseases in adults. But what we must also remind ourselves is that children, much like adults, too suffer from a wide variety of heart diseases. In fact 8-10 out of a 1000 babies are born with some form of congenital heart disease amounting to almost 2 lakh children being born every year in our country. Upto 50% of these babies are critical requiring intervention in the first year itself, but regretfully just 10% are fortunate to avail of pediatric cardiac facilities. In fact children’s heart disease accounts for 10% of all infant mortality in India

The paucity of hospitals having dedicated pediatric cardiology services can be judged by an AIIMS status report where they mention that just about such institutes are equipped with such facilities while requirement is of around 200 to manage such a huge load of patients. The existing infrastructure in the government structure is stretched beyond limits while private institutes having the required therapeutic modalities are unable to cater to a vast majority of these unfortunate children because the cost of quality treatment is beyond reach for many parents. All together these statistics should prove to be an eye opener to the authorities concerned as the sheer discrepancy between the volume of patients and available facilities is appalling.

A common misconception is that these children either do not survive or even if they do so, they are likely to live with a major disability for the rest of their lives. On the contrary, with current modalities of treatment, a majority of these children have a good survival rate and an excellent quality of life.

Heart diseases in children are very different from heart diseases in adults. That is why their clinical presentation, course and outcomes vary immensely. Signs and symptoms may sometimes be so subtle that it may require a high index of suspicion from both the parents and the doctor.

But frequently, it is the alert parents who note certain symptoms and bring them to the attention of the child specialist. They may have noticed that their baby is a poor feeder who tires easily and sweats profusely while breast feeding. The baby suckles for a while but may soon unlatch itself from the breast and gasps for breath, typically referred to as the ‘suck-rest-suck cycle’. The child may also have poor weight gain with respect to children of similar age. Children may also present with frequent chest infections or pneumonia requiring repeated hospital admissions. Occasionally an older child may complain of an abnormal perception of heart beat or the parents note that their child’s heart beat seems fast. The child may also appear lethargic and tire easily during play activity. Some observant parents may even bring to the notice of doctors that the skin or nails of their child appear blue.

Children’s heart diseases include a wide array of conditions. One of the most common ones encountered are holes in the heart (Atrial and Ventricular septal defects) and extra connections outside the heart (Patent ductus arteriosus). Other diseases may be narrowed valves of the major arteries of the heart (Aortic and Pulmonary stenosis) or obstruction to the flow of blood in the major artery supplying blood to the body (Coarctation of Aorta).

With recent advancements in many of these conditions can now be completely cured without surgery. Button like devices is now widely used to close these holes and extra connections. Balloons and or stents are also used to relieved obstructions in the path of blood flow. These procedures obviate the need for prolonged hospital stay and potential ugly scars on the chest.

There are also certain other conditions called cyanotic heart diseases commonly known as blue babies (Tetralogy of Fallot’s, Transposition of Great arteries etc.). In these conditions there are major structural anomalies in the child’s heart which can only be corrected by surgery. Early diagnosis and management is imperative in most of these cases.

Besides this, some children also suffer from an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) varying from a very fast heart rate (200-300 per minute) to a complete heart block. Others may present with sudden loss of consciousness (syncope), diseases of the heart valves (eg. Rheumatic Heart Disease), Pulmonary Hypertension (high lung pressures), Kawasaki’s disease (disease affecting the arteries of the heart), Myocarditis (disease affecting the heart muscles), Cardiomyopathies etc.

Exciting advancements in the field of Fetal Echocardiography are helping us in early detection of heart diseases in the unborn baby while it is still in the mother’s womb. This proves invaluable for planning the delivery to take place in an institute where the newborn can be immediately be provided the requisite cardiac care.

Taking care of these children requires a team of highly specialized and dedicated professionals constituting a pediatric cardiac unit. This includes a Pediatric Cardiologist, Pediatric Cardiac surgeon, Pediatric Cardiac Anaesthetist, Pediatric Intensivist and highly trained nursing staff etc.

Unfortunately, as highlighted earlier, there is a gross insufficiency in the number of medical professionals with the required expertise and hospitals equipped with adequate facilities to take care of these children. Hapless parents of children with heart diseases have long been forced to seek succor in distant parts of the country. This is not always possible because many critically ill babies may not survive the perils of transportation. It is in this light that an efforts need to be made by to bring modern yet affordable facilities to the door step of the people of this geographical region.

Existing government schemes need to be better utilized and assistance from NGOs and philanthropists will go a long way in providing relief to the desperate parents.

With increase in high risk pregnancies and survival of smaller babies, patient burden is likely to increase in the future. Fortunately timely detection and newer modalities at our disposal have made successful treatment a reality. There is no greater satisfaction to see these so called “incurable children” leading normal lives and the smiles on the faces of their parents says it all.

http://www.spshospitals.com/

Ludhiana, Punjab: A team of doctors at SPS Hospitals have performed a complex cardiac procedure on a 9 year child from Pakistan.

The child was suffering from a major congenital heart problem also known as “blue babies” since birth. He had a three chambered heart whereas a normal heart has four chambers for pumping blood. As a result he was having breathlessness even when carrying out simple daily activities or when playing with his friends, along with bluishness of the body and poor weight gain.

This being a complex heart disease, multiple and staged corrective surgeries are required whereby a bypass is created by connecting major blood vessels to the lungs and decreasing the load of the heart.

A detailed clinical and cardiac evaluation including echocardiography followed by angiography and catheterisation study was performed by Dr Navdeep Singh, Interventional Paediatric Cardiologist at SPS Hospitals. This helped in documenting the detailed anatomy and pressures of the heart for assessing the feasibility of the operation. Following this, the child was taken up for Fontan completion surgery.

This complicated procedure was accomplished successfully by a joint team of doctors from SPS hospitals, Ludhiana and Artemis Hospital, Gorgon. It comprised of Dr Navdeep Singh (Interventional Paediatric Cardiologist), Dr KC Mukherjee, (Chief Cardiac Surgeon), Dr Anupam Shrivastav (Cardiac Anaesthetist) and Dr Vikas Bansal and Dr Mehak Bansal (Paediatric Intensivists) from SPS Hospitals. The Artemis team was led by Dr Aseem Shrivastava and Dr Sandeep Kumar. Dr Aseem Shrivastava is a renowned Pediatric Cardiac surgeon who is an expert in carrying out these intricate and relatively uncommon surgeries in children.

After the surgery, the child was shifted immediately to the Pediatric Intensive Care unit. The post-op period was relatively uneventful and potential life threatening complications were managed swiftly and efficiently. Presently, the symptoms of the child have improved dramatically and he should be able to resume his routine activities and lead a normal life on return to his country.

This endeavour was supported by Mr. Balbir Singh and his charitable organisation “Have a Heart Foundation” which helped by sponsoring a part of the treatment cost.

Almost 1 out of a 100 babies are born with some form of congenital heart disease which amounts to about 2 lakh children being born every year in our country. Up to 50% of these babies are critical requiring urgent intervention in the first year itself. Children’s heart disease accounts for 10% of all infant mortality in India.

Very few centers exist in our part of the country which are equipped to look after these children. It requires a team of dedicated professionals trained in various aspects of pediatric cardiology to take care of these unfortunate yet many times totally treatable conditions.
Several such complex cardiac interventions in children have been carried out successfully in SPS hospitals in the past as well and it is hoped that with these patients going back to Pakistan in good health, it will facilitate people to people contact and help in improving our relationship with our neighbours.

SPS Hospitals has been setting standards since its inception in 2005.The modern state of the art 350 bedded hospital has the most eminent panel of medical professionals many of whom are leaders in their respective fields, a well-trained paramedical staff and the most skilled & caring nursing professionals Backing them is the best healthcare infrastructure and the latest state of the art equipment supported by cutting edge technology.

http://www.spshospitals.com/

Thank you for views and comments, for more detail about plastic surgery please visit our website page about Plastic, Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery : http://www.spshospitals.com/plastic-reconstructive-and-cosmetic-surgery-clinic-introduction.html

The Dept. of Plastic & Microvascular Surgery, S.P.S. Hospitals Ludhiana observed Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Awareness Week from 18th till 23rd July 2016 on the occasion of World Plastic Surgery Day falling on 15th July 2016.

Dr. Ashish Gupta, Senior Consultant & Head, said that with the rising cost of surgical treatment many patients are denied quality and specialist care. We took the initiative of making care affordable at lower costs. Over 157 patients availed the facility of affordable plastic surgery in the form of discounted consultations and 25 patients underwent discounted surgeries during the week.

Dr Sundeep Kaur, Consultant Plastic Surgeon said that this exercise was done to bring awareness amongst the people about the various types of surgeries done by a plastic surgeon like hand injuries, facial trauma, burns, birth defects and all types of cosmetic surgeries like tummy tuck, liposuction, scar revision, rhinoplasties.

Mr Abhijit Singh, Project Leader Strategic Initiatives said that SPS Hospitals conducted People Connect Programmes in the form of Awareness talks in Industries, ladies clubs and for the patient attendants visiting the hospital by the plastic surgery team.

Acne is the most common and troublesome skin problem. It is found in 80% of the teenagers, as well as in many adults. Acne consists of oily skin, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, large pores and in severe cases cysts, nodules and scars.

The primary cause of acne is overactive oil glands, which are influenced by genetics, hormones, weather, stress, cosmetics and diet. Though stress alone is the biggest factor in aggravating acne. Diet plays a major role in acne manifestation, rather than food it is the genetic predisposition responsible for the flare ups. Till a few years back diet was really not considered to play a major role in aetiopathogenesis. Studies conducted in the last decade have established a role in acne. Whereas diet rich in nutrients and anti oxidants has helped in stopping acne, at the same food with high glycemic index and dairy and dairy products have been observed to lead to flare ups.

The first basis of observations was population based and migration studies and later randomized controlled trials established the role of diet in acne presentation. It was observed that teenagers who had more than 3 servings of milk per day had more severe acne in comparison to individuals with lesser intake of dairy and dairy products. It has been hypothesized that the hormones and insulin like growth factors found in milk are the causative agents for acne. Reversal of acne was noticed when the intake of milk was decreased.

Chocolates have often been blamed for pimples, teenagers often report of an acne flare up after intake of chocolates. Though cocoa by itself is not known to increase pimples, rather it's the milk in the chocolates which is responsible.

Food with high glycemic index was also observed to increase the appearance of pimples. When people were shifted to a low glycemic index diet, lead to reversal of acne and loss of weight. The weight loss in itself leads to a better hormonal status and better insulin sensitivity. For better acne control avoid food with high glycemic index. Avoid all kinds of bread and biscuits, all food cooked with starch and maida, sweetened beverages (even the energy drinks).

Iodises/Iodine found in food and medicines can aggravate acne. Excess iodine is secreted through oil glands and this in turn irritates the pores, leading to pimples. That's the reason many people complain of an acne flare up after intake of pickles. It's not the pickle to blame but the iodine in the salt. Certain fresh fruits and vegetables naturally have high iodine, even milk surprisingly is a hidden source of iodine. Certain places have high iodine content in the ground water and this explains the increase in pimples when people move to a new place.

There has been no co relation between diet high in fat and fatty acids, rather certain fatty acids like omega 3 fatty acids help treat acne.


If you feel that certain kinds of food aggravate your acne, you can stop the intake of the particular food and see if it benefits you, then it's better to avoid the offending food. For better acne control have plenty of seasonal and fresh fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water. Follow a stress free, healthy and positive lifestyle.

Dr Jastinder K Gill
Senior Dermatologist and Cosmetologist
SPS Hospitals
Ludhiana India

The Dept. of Plastic & Microvascular Surgery, S.P.S. Hospitals Ludhiana observed Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Awareness Week from 18th till 23rd July 2016 on the occasion of World Plastic Surgery Day falling on 15th July 2016.

Dr. Ashish Gupta, Senior Consultant & Head, said that with the rising cost of surgical treatment many patients are denied quality and specialist care. We took the initiative of making care affordable at lower costs. Over 157 patients availed the facility of affordable plastic surgery in the form of discounted consultations and 25 patients underwent discounted surgeries during the week.

Dr Sundeep Kaur, Consultant Plastic Surgeon said that this exercise was done to bring awareness amongst the people about the various types of surgeries done by a plastic surgeon like hand injuries, facial trauma, burns, birth defects and all types of cosmetic surgeries like tummy tuck, liposuction, scar revision, rhinoplasties.

Mr Abhijit Singh, Project Leader Strategic Initiatives said that SPS Hospitals conducted People Connect Programmes in the form of Awareness talks in Industries, ladies clubs and for the patient attendants visiting the hospital by the plastic surgery team.

http://www.spshospitals.com/plastic-reconstructive-and-cosmetic-surgery-clinic-introduction.html

[b]Ludhiana, August 20 2016: [/b]The team at SPS Hospitals, Ludhiana has successfully performed its first liver transplant surgery. Under the stewardship of Dr. Subash Gupta, Director, Centre for Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, led by Dr. Arindam Ghosh, Senior Consultant, Liver Transplant & G.I. Surgery & Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi, Senior Consultant & Head, Department of Gastroenterology. As a team they have successfully given a new lease of life to a patient suffering from end stage liver disease, due to chronic HCV infection.

Dr. Gupta is one of the world’s leading Liver Transplant surgeons and a proud recipient of the Dr. B C Roy award. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Subash Gupta added “Our endeavour has been to offer a comprehensive program that takes care of all liver diseases from babies to the geriatric age group. Thought our foray into Ludhiana, we wish to establish a liver transplant program of repute to serve the people of this region and beyond”.

Dr. Arindam Ghosh SPS Hospitals said, “the success of this liver transplant exhibits the high quality, safety, reliability and affordability of our healthcare services. This world class liver transplant program at Ludhiana will not only benefit the people of Punjab but will also cater to the needs of those requiring liver transplants from the neighbouring states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan”.

Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi expressed his concerns regarding accelerated rise in number of patients of chronic liver disease in Punjab. He informed that Hepatitis C, alcoholism and obesity (metabolic syndrome) are three major culprits for liver damage in our state. According to Dr. Malhi, need for awareness among public, regular testing for disease evaluation and early treatment can reverse/ delay the progression of disease. But in advanced cases, the only ray of hope is liver transplantation.
End stage liver disease is a potentially fatal condition in which there is a progressive loss in liver function over a period of months or years. According to Dr. Arindam Ghosh, in such situations the liver is no longer able to work at a level needed for day-to-day life.

According to Dr. Ghosh, with improvement in surgical techniques this operation ensures safety of both the donor and recipient of liver transplant with excellent short and long term outcomes. He further added that liver donation is absolutely safe and remaining liver of donor as well as the liver donated to recipient regenerates to its normal in few weeks and recipient & donor can lead normal life afterwards.

Commenting on the occasion Dr. Ubaid Hamid, Medical Superintendent, said, “we have established the most up to date and state of the art infrastructure geared towards undertaking successful liver transplants with the highest level of clinical excellence and highest standards of patient safety.

Patient Swaran Kaur (name changed) was diagnosed as decompensate chronic liver disease due to Hepatitis C virus infection. She was admitted multiple times due to various complications. Her chances of survival beyond 3 months looked very bleak due to her advanced liver disease. After proper counselling her daughter Jaspreet Kaur (name changed) gave her half of her liver for living donor liver transplant for her mother. Both recipient mother and donor daughter recovered well after surgery.

SPS Hospitals, Ludhiana have started Liver clinic where chronic liver disease patients will be jointly seen by Medical gastroenterology & Hepatology and Liver Transplant Team and will be given state of art world class treatment.

http://www.spshospitals.com/institute-of-liver-transplant.html

The prostate gland is a male reproductive organ that is about the size of a walnut, found at the base of the bladder. The urethra is a thin tube that allows the passage of urine out of the penis. It runs through the prostate gland. Fluid produced by this gland helps to nourish the sperms present in semen. Similar to graying of hair, enlargement of prostate is a natural by-product of getting older.

This enlargement narrows the urethral lumen leading to a variety of symptoms such as poor urine flow, straining, intermittency of urinary stream, sense of incomplete emptying of urine, need to urinate frequently both during day and night and inability to control the desire to pass urine. All these may result in affecting the quality of life of the individual.

However it is important to understand that not all urinary symptoms are due to prostatic enlargement and also, some men have enlarged prostates and yet experience few, if any, symptoms.

Nevertheless, if such symptoms are present in elderly men, seeking consultation with a urologist is warranted, especially if there is complete inability to pass urine, as this condition of urinary retention is a medical emergency. Although most of these enlargements are benign, there are times when the prostate may harbor cancer. On consultation, treating urologist would examine the patient and order some investigations.

The clinical profile of the patient and the result of these investigations would then decide the further management. It is a misconception amongst the common man that all such cases would require surgery. In fact, many patients do well with lifestyle modifications and specific medicines. Surgery is reserved for those who do not respond to such measures. In today's era most of these benign prostates can be managed completely endoscopically (no need for incision) with a short hospital stay of 2-3 days.

In today's era the common "ageing" man should realize the importance of these symptoms and the availability of the minimally invasive treatment.

www.spshospitals.com

Almost 1 out of 100 babies are born with congenital heart diseases which mean near about two Lac children are born every year in India having a cardiac problem. Up to 50% of these babies require an urgent intervention in the first year itself. Children's heart disease accounts for 10% of all infant mortality in India.

Symptoms may initially be subtle but often the parents note that their baby has difficulty in feeding, poor weight gain, breathing difficulty, recurrent chest infections, tires easily during play activity or appears blue. An older child may complain of palpitations or fast heartbeat.

Children's heart diseases include a wide array of conditions. Commonly encountered ones are holes in the heart (ASD, VSD, PDA). Other diseases may be narrowing of heart valves or major arteries (Aortic and Pulmonary stenosis, Coarctation of Aorta) etc. Besides these, some children may appear blue (cyanotic heart diseases).

Children may also have acquired heart problems like abnormal heart rhythm, diseases of the heart valves (RHD) or heart muscles (myocarditis), Kawasaki's disease etc.

With recent advancements, many of these conditions can now be completely cured without surgery using a button like devices to close these holes and extra connections. Balloons and or stents are also used to relieve any obstruction in blood flow. These procedures obviate the need for a prolonged hospital stay and potential ugly scars on the chest. Blue babies usually require surgery for complete correction of the defect.
SPS Hospitals has a complete range of pediatric cardiac diagnostic and Interventional facilities along with surgical backup. Modern cath labs and ICUs with highly trained staff provide complete fetal and pediatric cardiac care for all congenital and acquired heart problems around the clock. The pediatric cardiology team has carried out the several pioneering and complex heart procedures successfully till date.

Timely detection and newer treatment modalities have made successful treatment a reality. There is no greater satisfaction than to see these so called “incurable children” leading normal lives and the smiles on the faces of their parents says it all.

http://www.spshospitals.com/department-of-paediatric-cardiology-and-congenital-heart-diseases.html

Skin is the biggest organ of the body and is exposed to the pollutants in air and water, as well as prone to damage by sun rays. Being one visible part of our body, any problem as on skin has a major effect on the human mind. It draws attention and comments trace other about our skin problem, and this brings down the morale of the patients.

It’s time to educate and spread awareness amongst the people about this skin problem.

PSORIASIS

Psoriasis is a common and chronic skin problem. Psoriasis is seen worldwide affecting 2% of the population. It can manifest at any age, affecting men and women though more common in men and also seen in children, with a genetic predisposition.

Is Psoriasis contagious?

No. Psoriasis is not infectious and cannot be caught from another person and neither can you pass it on to somebody else.

Is there a cure for psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic or we may say lifelong diseases, it comes and goes by itself. There may be disease-free periods for years and then it may just flare up one day. Yes, it can be controlled with medication. Just like any other disease you can take treatment for this problem too.
What are the treatment options?

Aim of all treatments is to improve quality of life. There are different modes of treatment depending on type and severity of psoriasis. In 70% of patients the disease can be managed with local application alone.

With the advance of science, we now have various treatments available which were not there earlier. And, we have many patients who are under treatment and under control.

How can you help your own self?

• Keep immune system healthy by eating well and resting. Do take vitamin supplements as advised by the doctor especially vitamin A, evening primrose oil and essential fatty acids but under doctors guidance.
• Avoid extreme weather conditions; protect your skin from cold and heat.
• Avoid skin injury or trauma and scratching as they aggravate psoriasis.
• Keep skin well moisturized as the skin is dry, use oils and pure coconut or olive oil on the wet body after bath; do not use hot water for bath rather Luke warm water you may need additional emollients.
• Do not rub the skin.
• Keep track of medicine (prescribed for common ailments like fever, cough and cold, antibiotics, pain killers, choloroquin and antihypertensive) that may aggravate your psoriasis.
• Learn some relaxation Techniques for coping with stress.

In the end, we always say follow a healthy lifestyle with positive attitude. Yoga & Medication help you distress and bring positive change in the body.

http://www.spshospitals.com/skin-and-cosmetology-clinic-services-offered.html