Dr. Naveen Varghese

Kidney stone disease, also known as nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, is when a solid piece of material (kidney stone) develops in the urinary tract. Kidney stones typically form in the kidney and leave the body in the urine stream. A small stone may pass without causing symptoms. If a stone grows to more than 5 millimeters (0.2 in), it can cause blockage of the ureter, resulting in severe pain in the lower back or abdomen. A stone can also cause blood in the urine, vomiting, or painful urination. About half of people who have had a kidney stone will have another…

In 2013, approximately 6.9 million people had an ischemic stroke, and 3.4 million people had a hemorrhagic stroke. In 2015, there were about 42.4 million people who had previously had a stroke and were still alive. Between 1990 and 2010 the number of strokes that occurred each year decreased by approximately 10% in the developed world and increased by 10% in the developing world. In 2015, stroke was the second most frequent cause of death after coronary artery disease, accounting for 6.3 million deaths (11% of the total). In the 1970s, World Health Organization defined stroke as a “neurological…

The term Spondylosis is used to signify deteriorating changes in the intervertebral discs. Cervical spondylosis is a condition that happens due to degeneration of the discs in the cervical region and such changes in the lumbar region cause lumbar spondylosis. IVDP is defined as intervertebral disc prolapse which occurs due to improper postures, trauma, and degeneration. The frequency of these conditions is growing at an alarming rate particularly among people working with computers and those who are having sedentary jobs. Individuals with cervical spondylosis will have pain and numbness in the neck and arm in variable intensities. Low back…

Gout is a common type of arthritis caused by excess uric acid in the bloodstream which results in intense pain, swelling, and stiffness in joints particularly it affects the joint in the big toe. The symptoms of gout are due to the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints and the body’s response to them. Gout attacks often occur without warning in the middle of the night. Most gout cases are treated with specific medications. Symptoms The signs and symptoms of gout almost always occur suddenly, and often at night. Other commonly affected joints include the ankles, knees, elbows,…

What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all the cells in your body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is also found in foods from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat, and cheese. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances in the blood to form plaque. Plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries. This buildup of plaque is known as atherosclerosis. It can lead to…

The term diabetes was probably coined by Apollonius of Memphis around 250 BC. Diabetes is first recorded in English, in the form diabete, in a medical text written around 1425. It was in 1675 that Thomas Willis added the word “‘mellitus’” to the word diabetes. This was because of the sweet taste of the urine. Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been described as a ‘silent’ epidemic. Its presentation can either be a slow onset and asymptomatic progression leading to secondary complications, or rapidly emerging symptoms leading to complications and/or coma. The projection is that by year 2030, an estimated 366-438million (i.e.,…

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment. The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall on floors or surfaces. You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within close proximity of someone who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then your eyes, nose or mouth.…