DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Before its too late

Cervical cancer is the second most deadly disease, from which the women of developing countries suffer a lot. Commonly, this cancer mostly occurs between the ages of 35 to 50 years cells at the cervix, or the Pap Smear ReDr Nowsheen Sharmin Purabi n port is negative, but there is a suspicion
The part of the female reproductive organ that holds the baby is called uterus. In the lower part of uterus, there is a narrow pasWOMENS sage of one inch in HEALTH length. This is called cervix of the uterus. The cancer in this part is called as cancer on cervix, or cervical cancer. about cancer cell at the cervix.

QUIcK TIPS

Frostbite

Where can you get the medical facilities?

You can get the medical services at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, District and Central Hospitals, Upazilla Health Complex, various Medical College Hospitals and Cancer Institute.

Treatment Whose are at the risk?

Any woman of urban or rural area can develop this cervical cancer. But the women of low socioeconomic status are at higher risk. The incidence of cervical cancer is more among the women who cannot maintain the proper hygiene of their reproductive organs, those who got married at an early age or those used to sexual intercourse from an early age, and the women with frequent child birth. The women whose husbands have more than one female partner and those women who have more than one male physical partner are also at risk of cervical cancer. Besides that, infection by Human Papilloma virus (HPV) type 16, 18, 31 and 45 and Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 are responsible for 80% cases of cervical cancer. HPV type 16 itself is responsible in 50% cases. Most of the women, in their lifetime are attacked by HPV more than once. The formation of cancer from the virus infection can take from two years to twenty years. If the cancer is identified at early stage, and if proper treatment is done, in that case the possibility of getting cured is 90 among 100 women. The rate of success gradually decreases in the later stages. The treatment is done through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy according to the stage of cancer.

Prevention
The good news is, one of the main reasons for this cervical cancer, Human Papillomavirus Type 16 and 18, against them effective vaccine is invented. Like other countries of the world, this vaccine is also available in Bangladesh. Any female from nine years and onwards can take this vaccine. But it will be more effective if taken before marriage. Unfortunately, women of our country know very little about cervical cancer and its symptoms due to lack of consciousness. When this cancer shows the symptoms, the patient feels embarrassed and doesnt disclose it to anybody. And she goes to doctor when she cannot bear the pain any longer. But the cancer may spread widely by that time. l Dr. Nowsheen Sharmin Purabi is Gynaecologist. She can be reached at dr.purabi@yahoo.com. Website: www.drpurabi.com. Facebook URL: DrPurabisHelpDesk

between periods, bleeding after sexual intercourse. After stopping menstruation at certain age, the cycle can start again. She may feel pain on her waist and on her thigh.

Very easy method of diagnosis

Two easy methods are used for the detection of cervical cancer at an early stage, VIA and Pap Smear. In the VIA method, with the help of bright light, the cervix is examined after applying some medicine. In case of VIA positive, the pres-

Symptoms of the cervical cancer

At primary stage, the cervical cancer may display no symptom at all. But there can be bad smelling vaginal discharge with blood. Menstruation can be irregular. There can be bleeding in

ence of cancer cells is confirmed after Colposcopy and Biopsy. And in case of VIA negative, she is then assured that she does not have cervical cancer. She is also advised to take VIA again after three years. Another method for the detection of cervical cancer at early stage is called Pap Smear. In this method, some fluid from the womb is collected, and examined if there is any cancer cell or not. If the first report is negative, that there is no cancer cell, then the patient is advised to take the second test after

one year. If that report is also negative, the patient is then advised to take a Pap Smear in between the next year to three years afterward. If the Pap Smear detects any cancer, or if there is uncertainty or doubt about the report, Colposcopy and Biopsy should be done by any skilled professional. Colposcopy is another method based on microscope by which the cells of vagina, its external part, and the cells of cervix can be examined. Colposcopy is suitable for those women, whose Pap Smear report says that there are cancer

When exposed to very cold temperatures, skin and underlying tissues may freeze, resulting in frostbite. Areas most likely to be affected by frostbite are your hands, feet, nose and ears. If your skin looks white or grayishyellow, is very cold and has a hard or waxy feel, you may have frostbite. Your skin may also itch, burn or feel numb. Severe or deep frostbite can cause blistering and hardening. As the area thaws, the flesh becomes red and painful. Gradually warming the affected skin is the key to treat frostbite. To do so:

HEAltH NEws

Duck or chicken eggs, which is better?

Dr Sajol Ashfaq n
Metformin, a widely used diabetes drug, may reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer, according to new research. A study of nearly 4000 diabetic men found that those taking metformin when diagnosed with prostate cancer were less likely to die of the cancer or other causes compared to men using other diabetes drugs. We demonstrated that metformin is associated with improved survival among diabetic patients with prostate cancer, said Researcher. Chicken eggs are the most commonly eaten eggs. One of the most common food allergies in infants is eggs. Most of the people MYTH & think chicken eggs are FACT less allergic and more nutritious than duck eggs. Though duck eggs are larger, people prefer chicken eggs. Are chicken eggs better than duck eggs? The answer is no. What most people do not know is that duck eggs are superior to chicken eggs with the same taste and richer smoother consistency. Duck eggs have twice the nutritional value of a chicken egg and stay fresh longer due to their thicker shell up to six weeks at maximum, if you keep them refrigerated. Duck eggs are richer with more Albumin and Omega 3 fatty acid. Omega 3 fatty acid is good for heart, skin and brain. Due to rich albumin content, duck eggs can make cakes and pastries fluffier and richer. Beside this duck eggs are an alkaline producing food, which is a great benefit to cancer patients as cancer cells do not thrive in an alkaline environment. Chicken eggs are an acid food, leaving your body more acidic.

Protect your skin from further exposure If youre outside, warm frostbitten hands by tucking them into your armpits. Protect your face, nose or ears by covering the area with dry, gloved hands. Dont rub the affected area. Get out of the cold Once youre indoors, remove wet clothes. Gradually warm frostbitten areas Put frostbitten hands or feet in warm water 104 to 107.6 F (40 to 42 C). Wrap or cover other areas in a warm blanket. Dont use direct heat, such as a stove, heat lamp, fireplace or heating pad, because these can cause burns before you feel them on your numb skin. Dont walk on frostbitten feet or toes if possible This further damages the tissue.

Metformin may lower risk of prostate cancer death

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Tableware can be dangerous

Melamine, a chemical that sickened and killed babies when it tainted baby formula can also leach off tableware and into food, according to a Taiwan study. The researchers in JAMA Internal Medicine warned that their findings dont prove that melamine is harmful to people in the amounts detected when study participants ate hot soup from melamine bowls. Large doses of melamine, which is used in some types of fertilizer and in resin used to make tableware, killed six babies in China and sent thousands more to hospital with kidney damage in 2008. In high enough quantities, melamine can cause kidney stones and other kidney problems in adults. The researcher of Medical University in Taiwan found that melamine tableware may release
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Duck eggs are quite large compared to chicken eggs. The large size of the duck egg gives it a larger yoke to white ratio than a chicken egg. A 100 gm of duck egg will provide about 185 KCal of energy, compared to 149 KCal of energy provided by a chicken egg. Both types of eggs match each other in terms of carbohydrate and protein content. The mineral content of duck eggs is very similar to chicken eggs. Both contain selenium, manganese, zinc, copper, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. The vitamin con-

tent too is similar, but duck eggs have a higher amount of each one of them, which includes thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and retinol. The only drawback that duck eggs have is the considerably higher cholesterol content, compared to chicken eggs. 100 gm of duck eggs will contain 884 mg of cholesterol, compared to 425 mg in chicken eggs. Thats why people with history of heart disease should stay away from consuming duck eggs or moderate their intake. l

If theres any chance the affected areas will freeze again, dont thaw them If theyre already thawed, wrap them up so that they dont become frozen again. Get emergency medical help If numbness or sustained pain remains during warming or if blisters develop, seek medical attention. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Saaeadat

large amounts of melamine when used to serve high-temperature foods. Anyone who has a choice might as well avoid buying tableware made with melamine, because it does interact with some acidic foods in the microwave.

A recipe of antibiotic juice

Prescription Desk n
Fresh juice could rescue your life. Juice and luxurious vegetables have the strength of rejuvenation that could help the person with various problems of the health. Since it is in the liquid form, juice is easy to be digested and absorbed, so it is good for the person with bad appetite, experience digestion problem or the intestine problems.

Weight loss may help oppose diabetes

Overweight people with pre-diseases can reduce their risk of developing type2 diabetes by losing a significant amount of weight, according to new research. The study found that those who lost 10 percent or more of the body weight had an 85 percent lower risk of developing diabetes within three years, while those who lost 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight had a 54 percent lower risk.

FOOD THERAPY

The antibiotic juice is good for people who suffer from Bronchitis or chronic asthma, influenza, sinusitis, bad microorganisms in the intestines, skin infection, dandruff on the scalp, pimple, gums infection and chronic teeth disease. This juice recipe acts as an antibiotic and strong antiseptic, and when being drank regularly could fight the infection directly. People with chronic illness must drink one glass (300-400ml) everyday.

Ingredients
One carrot, one beet, one apple, Half cm ginger, half cm radishes, 10 cm slice of pineapple, one garlic.

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Preparation

| Compiled by: Dr Mohammad Sayem

Wash all ingredients, cut into small pieces and put them inside juicer or blender, dilute it with glass of water. l

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