Posts

Showing posts from July, 2019

How the Monofilament Foot Test Works: A Patient's Step-by-Step Guide

Image
The monofilament foot test is one of the simplest checks in diabetes care, and one of the most useful. It takes a few minutes, involves no needles, and tells your doctor whether your feet can still feel the kind of pressure that warns you about an injury. This guide explains what happens during the test, how to prepare, and what the result means. Quick answer: A thin nylon filament is pressed against a few spots on the sole of each foot until it bends, while you keep your eyes closed and say when you feel it. If you can't feel it at some spots, you may have lost "protective sensation", which raises the risk of unnoticed foot injuries. The American Diabetes Association recommends this test at least once a year for everyone with diabetes. Key takeaways ✅ The test is painless, quick and needs no preparation beyond clean feet. ✅ It checks protective sensation, the feeling that alerts you to stones, blisters and cuts. ✅ Everyone with diabetes should have it at l...

Acid Reflux and GERD: Symptoms, Chest Pain, Foods to Avoid and Treatment

Acid reflux happens when stomach contents flow back up into the food pipe (oesophagus), causing a burning feeling behind the breastbone. When it happens often, at least twice a week, or causes damage, it is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) . Reflux can cause chest pain that feels frighteningly like a heart problem, so this guide explains how to tell the difference, which foods and habits make it worse, and how it is treated. Quick answer: The main symptoms of GERD are heartburn (burning chest pain after meals or when lying down) and regurgitation of sour fluid into the mouth. Smaller meals, not eating for 2 to 3 hours before bed, raising the head of the bed, losing excess weight, and cutting down on fried and spicy food, tea, coffee, alcohol and smoking help most people. Medicines such as antacids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) relieve symptoms. Never assume chest pain is acidity without ruling out the heart , especially if you are over 40, diabetic, a smoker, or t...

Anemia: Symptoms, Hemoglobin Levels, Causes and Treatment

Anemia means your blood has too little hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. It is one of the most common health problems in India: the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) found anemia in about 57% of women aged 15 to 49 and 67% of children under five. The good news is that most anemia is easy to test for and, once the cause is found, very treatable. Quick answer: Anemia is diagnosed with a simple blood test. For adults, hemoglobin below 13 g/dL in men and below 12 g/dL in non-pregnant women counts as anemia. Common symptoms are tiredness, breathlessness on exertion, pale skin and dizziness. Iron deficiency is the most frequent cause, but vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, blood loss, infections such as malaria, and inherited conditions like thalassemia and sickle cell disease can also cause it, so the cause should be confirmed before treatment. Key takeaways ✅ A complete blood count (CBC) is the first test, and it is inex...