Vaginal Discharge

Normal vaginal discharge is usually white, Curdy, odorless. It does not cause itching, burning, or other discomfort. It consists of cervical and vaginal secretions, epithelial cells, water, electrolytes and normal vaginal bacteria such as lactobacilli, G. Vaginalis, bacteroides.

The possible causes, diagnosis and treatment of abnormal vaginal discharge are

CANDIDIASIS

Itching
Yeasty smell of discharge
White, curdy discharge
pH < 4.5
Confirmed by microscopy and culture

BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS

No itching
Non-offensive, but whitish or yellow discharge
pH 4.5 - 7.0
Confirmed by  microscopy

TRICHOMONIASIS

Itching present
Discharge may be offensive
Discharge is thin and homogeneous
pH 4.5 - 7.0
Confirmed by microscopy and culture

CERVICITIS

No itching
No smell
Discharge is clear, but mucoid
pH < 4.5
Confirmed by microscopy

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Does Wiping From Back to Front After Toilet Really Cause Urinary Tract Infections?

Your urinary tract is the system that makes urine and carries it
out of your body.
When germs get into this system, they can cause an infection
called UTI.

The germs get inside your urethra and travel up into your
bladder and kidneys and cause the infections.
Women tend to get more bladder infections than men. This is
because women have shorter urethra, so it is easier for the
germs to move up to their bladders.

You may be more likely to get the infection if


* wipe from back to front after passing stool especially for females.
* Have anal sex and vaginal sex with the same condom or without condom.
* You do not drink enough fluids
* You have diabetes
* You are pregnant.

Symptoms

* Pain or burning when you urinate.
* Urge to urinate, but not much urine comes out when you do.
* Your belly may be tender or heavy.
* Your urine may be cloudy or smells bad.
* Pain on one side of your back under your ribs.
* Fever and chills.
* Nausea and vomiting.

You can help prevent these infections by

* Drinking lots of water every day.
* Urinating often. Do not try to hold it.
* If you are a woman, urinate right after having sex.
* Clean your anus from front to back.
* Practice good personal hygiene.

How to diagnose urinary tract infection

* urinalysis and/or urine culture. A sample of urine is
examined under a microscope by looking for indications of
infection.

If you are having fevers and symptoms of a UTI, or persistent
symptoms despite therapy, then medical attention is advised.
You may need further tests, such as an ultrasound or CT
scan , to assess the urinary tract.

How it is treated

Antibiotics will be prescribed by your doctor.

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Do You Hold Urine For Too Long?

 
Urine is stored in the bladder.

  
There are potential health consequences of making “holding it” a habit. For example, research has found that women who regularly hold off on urinating when they feel the urge may get more urinary tract infections (UTIs). Sometimes bacteria get into the bladder. Urinating often eliminates the bacteria. But holding them in the bladder allows them to multiply. They multiply really fast: One bacterium can become millions of bacteria over several hours. So if you are prone to UTIs, urinate as soon as you get the urge. 

An average bladder has the capacity to hold about 15 ounces of liquid (eight glasses of water, for example, is roughly 64 ounces. Holding on to urine causes a stretch on your bladder.  When this occurs for a long time, the muscles of the bladder weaken and you may get a condition known as Urine Incontinence.  It’s much more likely that the urge to go will eventually just take over, and you will urinate whether you want to or not In this condition, you will have little control over urination. You could wet yourself unknowingly!
 

When your bladder is overfull, urine can retrograde or flow backwards into the ureters, potentially destroying them.
 
Some researches say keeping urine for long  can also cause your Blood Urea Nitrogen to elevate, resulting in metabolic acidosis or electrolyte imbalance.

While we still advise you to take in more water, we add that you pay attention to signals to empty the bladder to prevent kidney and bladder dysfunctions.

A 'normal' urination rate is eight to 10 times a day,

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Anthrax

It is is an acute bacterial disease affecting the skin but may involve the lungs and the intestinal tract.
It is cause by Bacillus anthrancis. Its incubation period is 1 to 7days through some say 2 to 5days.

It is transmitted
1. Through the skin by contact with tissues of animals dying of the disease or contact with contaminated hair, wool, hide and soil. This is how cutaneous anthrax is transmitted.
2. Through inhalation of spores of the organism. That is inhalation anthrax.
3. Ingestion of contaminated undercooked meat of infected animals. That is also gastro intestinal anthrax transmission.
4. The infection can also be spread from infected person to uninfected through contact with the pustules.

Signs and symptoms.

Cutaneous
1. Itching of affected exposed skin surface occurs and papule appears at the site. It is like a bump like mosquito bite.
2. Within few days, this papule turns into a painless open sore.
3. If left untreated, it can lead to septicemia and death.

Inhalationa anthrax
1. Acute symptoms of common respiratory tract infection like influenza.
2. 3 to 5days later the symptoms become acute with fever, severe pneumonia with difficulty in breathing, shock and results in death if left untreated.

Gastro intestinal
1. Loss of appetite.
2. Nausea and vomiting.
3. Fever
It may progress to vomiting of blood and severe bloody diarrhoea.

Laboratory diagnosis include microscopy and culture.

Prevention and control
1. Prevent contacts with lesions
2. Prompt isolation and treatment of suspected animals.
3. Vaccination of animals annually.
4. Proper cooking of meat before eating.
5. Thorough washing and disinfection of hair, wools or hides.
6. Consumption of dead animals should be avoided!
7. All animals should be examined before and after slaughtering.

Treatment

Your health care provider may prescribe any or combination of some of these;
1. Penicillin
2. Doxycycline/tetracycline
3. Ciprofloxacin
4. Co-trimoxazole
5. Chloramphenicol and others.

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Shigellosis (Dysentry)

This is a disease caused by the Shigella bacteria.
The Shigella invades your digestive tract and attacks the lining of your intestines by releasing toxins. This causes intestinal ulcer, bloody diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

Shigellosis is very contagious. It easily spreads from person to person through faeco-oral means (when you ingest the bacteria in stool-contaminated food and water).

Signs and symptoms:
-Bloody diarrhoeal stool
-Abdominal cramps
-Vomitting
-Nausea
-fever
-loss of appetite

The condition is common in children.

If not treated, it can result in kidney failure, skin rashes and 
arthritis.

Most cases of shigellosis do not require treatment, as it resolves in less than a week.

To treat, give antibiotics and rehydrate.

There is only one way from preventing dysentry: WASH YOUR HANDS WITH CLEAN RUNNING WATER AND SOAP.
 

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Acute Cystitis

Acute Cystitis

It is a sudden inflammation of the bladder which is common in women. Women are at risk than men because, their urethra is short and closer to the anus.
It is mostly spread through sexual intercourse or when using a diaphragm for birth control.
Organisms that transmit it are E. Coli, klebsiella, protens, enterococci, gonococcus and staphylocuccussaprophyticus.

OTHER RISK FACTORS

1.When a catheter is inserted.
2. When the bladder or urethra is blocked.
3. Diabetic patient.
4. Pregnancy.
5. Menopause
6. Loss of bowel control.

SYMPTOMS

1.Pain during urination.
2. Haematuria (blood in urine).
3. Cloudy and foul smelling urine.
4. Frequency and urge to urinate.
5. Low back pain.
6. Fever.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

1. Empty your bladder before and after sexual intercourse.
2. Personal hygiene and proper cleaning after defecation.
3. Antibiotics.
4. Women with recurrent bladder infection can be prevented by given a single dose of antibiotics after sexual intercourse.
All patients with bladder infection should drink plenty of water.

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