when uterus falls...

Uterine prolapse remains a significant cause of morbidity and impairment of quality of life. Uterine prolapse can be triggered by difficult, prolonged labor, and delivery,frequent pregnancies, inadequate obstetric care, and carrying heavy weight.
Birth of large babies are the main causes of muscle weakness leading to uterine prolapse.Loss of muscle tone associated with aging and reduced amounts of hormones estrogen after menopause also contribute to uterine prolapse. Although numerous risk factors are involved, high-impact occupational or recreational activities and increasing age are most often implicated. A smoker's cough is prone to make a woman more likely to develop a prolapse, as is being overweight.
Uterine prolapse can lead to significant emotional, physical and sexual complications. Countries where fertility is high and women carry heavy loads on their backs,one out of ten women are estimated to suffer from the condition. Uterine prolapse can limit a woman’s mobility, making her physically incapable to perform routine household chores or reluctant to have sex. Many women who suffer from it are deserted by their husbands and becomes pariah in their own communities.
Sometimes called, a ‘fallen womb’, uterine prolapse is an invigorating condition in which the weakening of supporting pelvic connective tissue and the muscles allows the uterus to descend into the vaginal canal. The bladder or rectum may be pulled downward along with the uterus,causing bladder and bowel control problems.This can add to a marked reduction in the quality of life.
The substantial psychosocial consequences of urinary incontinence stress the need for more public health and medical attention. Mild cases of uterine prolapse sometimes don't cause any symptoms.However, most women do have symptoms,the most common being a sensation of'something coming down below. Leakage of urine, which can be worse with heavy lifting, coughing, laughing or sneezing.Moist discharge that soils your undergarments often. A prolapse that is more advanced can cause chronic back pains, painful sexual intercourse and urinary incontinence. In severe cases of uterine prolapse, you may develop sores in your vagina where the fallen uterus rubs against your thin skin lining your vaginal walls.Bulge of moist pink tissue from the vagina is exposed outside of your body and may be irritated and cause itching or small sores that can bleed.Infection is a possibility.

The best option is to prevent the prolapse in the first place. Performing pelvic floor exercises on a daily basis to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor is recommended. These can be done anywhere and at any time by simply tightening the pelvic floor muscles, as if trying to stop the urine flow.
Although Some women find relief by doing special control exercises (Kegels) to strengthen pelvic muscles,or by taking hormones or by using a pessary to hold the uterus in place.
Once the prolapse is established, it is much more difficult to control symptoms with exercises.
Advanced, severe or complete prolapse usually requires pessary support or surgical treatment.As an option, women with uterine prolapse are opting for the placement of mesh or uterine devices to support the uterus. Because these alternative forms of treatment allow for future pregnancies, they are feasible options to women with uterine prolapse of child bearing age. When not of child bearing age, and when symptoms are significant, a hysterectomy may be the only viable option in treating uterine prolapse and remedy the associated complications.
The primary management of severe uterine prolapse is surgical. A hysterectomy is recommended in more serious cases of uterine prolapse. The procedure that is chosen depends on the woman's age, severity of the symptoms, medical history, desire for future fertility and desire to be able to have sex. The goals are to restore normal anatomy, relieve symptoms, restore normal bowel and bladder function, and restore the ability to have sex.Educating women concerning the possible complications involved with hysterectomy may ease patients' preoperative anxiety and ultimately improve outcomes.
Elderly women or those who don't want to or are unfit to undergo surgical repair may be content to have a ring pessary inserted. It will keep the uterus and the bladder in place without them being able to feel it. The ring is usually changed or removed and washed and replaced every four to six months.
The major problem about prolapse is primarily due to the lack of awareness. Vaginal prolapse cannot be prevented in every case.However, you may be able to decrease your risk of uterine prolapse if you perform Kegel exercises regularly, avoid heavy lifting, and maintain a healthy weight.

collected by,sanjana

MPs issue maternal deaths warning

Up to one million pregnant women worldwide die each year from largely avoidable causes, MPs have warned.
A Commons international development committee report said there was a lack of political will to improve maternal health in developing countries.It warned that for every woman who dies in childbirth in the UK, up to 1,000 die in the poorest countries.....read more

1 Billion Tobacco Deaths This Century?

Massive Death Toll Possible Unless "Urgent Action" Is Taken, Agency Warns...read more

Daytime nap boosts memory skills

A day time nap does not hamper sleep at night; instead it boosts a person's declarative memory performance. ...read more

The new G-spot

Urban Indian women have new playmates-gigolos
I saw him from a distance. Beefcake in a tight T-shirt, he lounged outside a cafe in Juhu, Mumbai, waiting for me. As I moved closer to greet him, the strong fragrance of his perfume made me dizzy.....for more News visit:
http://week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/theWeekContent.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&sectionName=COVER%20STORY&programId=1073755753&BV_ID=@@@&contentId=3522188

Sedentary life 'speeds up ageing'

Leading a sedentary lifestyle may make us genetically old before our time,study suggests.A study of twins found those who were physically active during their leisure time appeared biologically younger than their sedentary peer....read more,

Mobiles linked to disturbed sleep.

Using a mobile phone before going to bed could stop you getting a decent night's sleep, research suggests.
Radiation from the handset can cause insomnia, headaches and confusion.It may also cut our amount of deep sleep - interfering with the body's ability to refresh itself.

Calcium pills 'raise heart risk'

calcium supplements may increase the risk of a heart attack in older women, New Zealand research suggests.

visit BBC news/Health for more news,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7187265.stm

Women in Nepal mail condoms to husbands

KATMANDU, Nepal - Women in a Nepal mountain village have been mailing condoms to their husbands working overseas to protect them from sexually transmitted diseases, a news report said Tuesday.

The women of Pang village have been writing their husbands letters urging them not to have sex with others — but they have been enclosing condoms just in case, the Kantipur newspaper reported.

Social workers have been counseling the women about sexually transmitted diseases.

"As I learned that unsafe relations make a person vulnerable to HIV, I sent a condom along with the letters to my husband," one of the village wives, Laxmi Sunar, told the newspaper.

An estimated 3 million people from impoverished Nepal work overseas, most as manual laborers, and send money home to support their families.

courtesy:http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/nepal_condoms_for_husbands.html

Dementia drug instant hit claim

US scientists claim a drug can reverse some of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease - with the first effects seen within 10 minutes.
The Journal of Neuroinflammation reports how the memory of an 81-year-old man improved sharply after etanercept was injected into his spine.

His wife described it as her husband being "put back to where he was".

But UK experts warned that a single success did not prove that the drug would work for every dementia patient.

An ageing population means a substantial increase in the numbers of people suffering Alzheimer's disease.

Some studies have suggested that too much of a body chemical called tumour necrosis factor-alpha may be at least partly to blame for the advance of the condition.

Etanercept, which is licensed for use as a rheumatoid arthritis drug, works to block this body chemical.
click the link for more news,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7179060.stm

Unsafe sex 'triggers' more disease

Complacency over safe sex is being blamed for a dramatic rise in cases of sexually transmitted diseases.

According to government figures diagnoses have hit a 10 year high with rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea in particular rising dramatically since 1995.
click the link for more news,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1070235.stm

Circumcision 'does not curb sex'

Circumcision does not reduce sexual satisfaction and so there should be no reservations about using this method as a way to combat HIV, a study says.

Nearly 5,000 Ugandan men were recruited for the study. Half were circumcised, half had yet to undergo surgery.

There was little difference between the two groups when they were asked to rate performance and satisfaction, the journal BJU International reports.

Some studies suggest circumcision can cut male HIV infection by up to 50%.

There are several reasons why circumcision may protect against the virus.

Specific cells in the foreskin may be potential targets for HIV infection, while the skin under the foreskin may become less sensitive and less likely to bleed - reducing risk of infection - following circumcision.

Mixed picture

But despite this, it is thought there is some reluctance to be circumcised over fears that it may impact upon sexual experience.

Previous studies into circumcision and satisfaction have given a mixed picture.

But researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US say the size of their study and demographic profile of their participants made it one of the most reliable to date.

"Our study clearly shows that being circumcised did not have an adverse effect on the men who underwent the procedure when we compared them with the men who had not yet received surgery," said Professor Ronald Gray, who led the study.

"Other studies already show that being able to reassure men that the procedure won't affect sexual satisfaction or performance makes them much more likely to be circumcised."

Mixed armoury

While there were very slight differences in rates of sexual satisfaction between the two groups, these were not felt to be clinically significant.

Some 98.4% of the circumcised men reported satisfaction, compared to 99.9% in the control group.

In terms of ability to penetrate, 98.6% of the circumcised group reported no problem, compared with 99.4 of the non-circumcised group.

However marginally more circumcised men - 99.4% - reported that they had no pain during intercourse, compared with 98.8% of the other group.

But campaigning charities warned against using circumcision as the main weapon against HIV, noting that it was far from 100% effective.

Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National Aids Trust, said: "There is a fear that people that have been circumcised will feel they are protected from HIV when they are not.

"Condoms remain the best way of preventing HIV through sexual intercourse.

"It should be noted that research into HIV and circumcision has been very limited in its scope.

"We still need further research into new prevention methods from circumcision to microbicides and vaccines."

courtesy:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7174929.stm