One of the common questions your pediatrician may ask after your son’s birth is whether you want your child to be circumcised or not. There is a lot of debate about the benefits of circumcision in recent years. The general agreement of healthcare providers is that there are much more benefits of circumcision than risks.

Circumcision is a simple procedure that involves the surgical removal of the foreskin present on the tip of the penis. It is usually done in the first week after the baby’s birth in the circumcision clinic.

What are these benefits, and why should circumcision be done after birth? What is the procedure of circumcision for infants?

If you are considering circumcising your infant, keep reading to find the answers to these questions.

Benefits of Circumcision:

Many people circumcise their infants for religious and cultural purposes, and some do it for health benefits.

The following are some benefits of circumcision:

•       Prevention of Penile Cancer
•       Prevention of urinary tract infections
•       Minimum risk of developing penis swelling and infection
•       Minimum risk of developing sexually transmitted diseases
•       Minimum risk of developing cervical cancer in female spouse

Prevention of urinary tract infections is a widely known benefit for infants.

Why should you circumcise your child?

Generally, a person can go for circumcision at any age in his life. But, healthcare providers recommend that parents circumcise their baby boys in the initial days of their birth.

There are some benefits of circumcising the child immediately after birth:

•       Newborn babies can overcome circumcision pain more easily than adults or older children.
•       Newborn circumcision is a low-risk procedure.
•       Older children will get uncomfortable with the surgical process and will be afraid of it.
•       If a child’s health condition can cause urinary tract infections in infants, doctors will recommend circumcision.

Circumcision is an optional surgery and a lot of people do not go for it. But, having this surgery will protect your child from a lot of diseases in life.

When should you not circumcise your child?

There are certain medical conditions in which your doctor will not circumcise your child. 

These medical conditions are:

•       If the child has hypospadias in which a urinary opening is developed along the shaft of the penis, doctors don’t go for circumcision. In it, the doctor uses the foreskin as part of reconstruction surgery.
•       The baby is born prematurely.
•       The baby has some health issues.

Circumcision Procedure:

Following are the circumcision steps that will tell you about the whole procedure:

•       All the clothing of your child will be removed.
•       The baby will be most probably placed in a restraining device so that he doesn’t wiggle around during the procedure.
•       The practitioner may give your child a pacifier dipped in sugar water. It will soothe him.
•       Practitioners may give your child 1 to 2 types of local anesthesia. They may inject an anesthetic, or apply a topical cream to numb the penis.
•       In a few cases, the healthcare provider may place a surgical drape over the baby. In it, only the penis will be exposed.
•       Now, the healthcare provider may attach a clamp (Gomco or Mogen Clamp) or ring to the penis (Plastibell Device).
•       The healthcare provider will use surgical tools to remove the penis’s skin, exposing the end of the penis.
•       In the end, the doctor will add ointment to the penis and cover it with loose gauze.

The whole process will take less than 15 minutes, and the baby can return to the parents after some observations.

Child’s Care after Circumcision:

Baby’s penis will take 7-10 days to heal properly. During this time, you should take care of your baby’s penis so that it can heal properly.

You should clean the area with warm water after a bowel movement, avoid using baby wipes, and rub the area aggressively. Let the area get dry, and then apply Vaseline to it.

You should change the dressing every time you change the diaper. Keep the diaper a bit loose so that the penis can heal.

Doctors may recommend some topical creams or infant pain medications. Increased breastfeeding can also soothe your infant.

Medical Conditions to Call the Doctor:

It is normal to see a spot of bleeding on a diaper or a yellowish discharge. Some swelling and a clear crust on the penis for a few days are also normal. But, if there is severe bleeding or more swallowing, you should call the doctor.

If a quarter of the pamper is full of blood, call your practitioner. If you observe ongoing bleeding, put firm pressure with a washcloth on the area for several minutes.  If the bleeding doesn’t stop, visit the emergency room.

If the baby gets a fever, doesn’t urinate in the first 6-8 hours after surgery, or the plastic bell (if used) doesn’t fall off after 10-12 days, call the doctor.

Key Takeaways:

Circumcising your infant has its health benefits. If it takes place in a well-equipped circumcision clinic, there is minimum risk in it. Infants can easily pass this stage with proper care and advice from an expert practitioner.

Chest discomfort is often believed to indicate a heart attack by a large portion of the general population. However, it is not always the case. Heart problems are the most common cause of chest discomfort; hence, patients seek emergency treatment as soon as possible when experiencing such symptoms. However, there are a lot of other things that might go wrong to cause chest discomfort. Read on for the truth behind three common beliefs regarding chest pain Port Saint Lucie and advice on what to do if you are experiencing it.

1. If you are experiencing chest discomfort, it must be a heart attack.

Your chest houses more than just your heart, including muscles, bones, and nerves. In addition to the lungs and digestive system, this region houses your chest and upper chest. Consequently, it’s safe to say that any of these factors, and more, may indeed trigger chest discomfort.

For example, it is very uncommon for chest discomfort to be misdiagnosed as coming from the stomach or intestines. Inflammation of the cartilage that joins your ribs to your breast bone may also cause significant pain. The discomfort you’re feeling in your chest may result entirely from something else, such as a panic attack, asthma, or pneumonia in your lungs. Often, it is difficult for even the doctor to determine whether the discomfort is cardiac in origin.

In any case, it is always a good idea to be checked out by a professional rather than attempting to diagnose yourself. A diagnosis may not alleviate your symptoms, but at least you will know what is wrong.

2. You can only feel chest discomfort in your chest

That is not the case. This pain might be radiating to other parts of your body. Additional indicators accompany most cases of chest discomfort. Instances of such signs may include:

• Experiencing difficulty breathing
• Perspiring heavily
• Having a general malaise
• Intense pain in the jaw
• Tingling and aching in the left arm

Keep in mind that heartache is often felt from the inside. You can’t make the anguish in your heart feel worse by pushing on its outside. Furthermore, it is rare for heart-related discomfort to worsen when you take a big breath. On the contrary, these sensations point to a problem with your muscles or lungs rather than your heart.

3. Every person experiences chest discomfort caused by the heart in the same way

The causes of chest discomfort might vary from person to person. Pain or symptoms associated with a heart attack could be a little bit distinct or abnormal in women, older adults, and diabetics. For instance, women are more prone than males to have chest discomfort during periods of inactivity, such as sleep or rest.

Additionally, nerve damage in people with diabetes may prevent them from experiencing heart-related discomfort before a heart attack. However, heart-related chest discomfort is more often perceived as pressure than pain. One such analogy is an “elephant on the chest.” This discomfort usually sets in after some physical effort or mental concentration has been required or when the heart is under increased stress and subsides when you relax.

Seek medical attention if your lack of health is new and persistent. Suppose you are experiencing nausea, shortness of breath, and sweating while at rest; in addition to the pressure in your chest, you should go straight to the emergency department.

Heavy bleeding occurs with each cycle, lasting longer than seven days. It is a problem for many women, with 15%-20% of women experiencing heavy bleeding during their lifetime. Lake Mary heavy bleeding can seriously impact the quality of life and sometimes requires medical intervention.

Here are the causes of heavy bleeding

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): This disorder affects women who don’t ovulate regularly and can lead to cysts on the ovaries. A lack of ovulation causes the body to produce more estrogen and testosterone than normal, which leads to irregular periods, acne, and sometimes obesity. Heavy bleeding is one of the symptoms of PCOS.

Endometrial hyperplasia and cancer: This condition happens when tissue that lines the uterus grows too much (hyperplasia), making it thicker than usual, leading to heavy bleeding or even painful periods. Over time, this tissue can become cancerous without proper treatment. See your doctor immediately if you have heavy bleeding or pain during your period, along with other symptoms such as vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, or pressure.

Infertility treatment: If you are having fertility treatment, you may experience heavy bleeding, especially when taking hormones or having an intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about ways to reduce the risk of side effects like heavy bleeding and spotting between periods.

Endometriosis: This condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. This tissue responds to hormones during your period, just like inside your uterus, which can cause heavy bleeding. Endometriosis tends to show up after age 30, but younger women can also have it and not know it until they have symptoms like heavy periods or pain during sex that won’t go away with over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen.

Uterine polyps: Uterine polyps are growths on the inner surface of your uterus that may bleed heavily during your period or randomly throughout your cycle. They usually go away on their own after a few months but sometimes require surgery to remove them permanently if they don’t shrink away on their own.

Uterine fibroids: These growths of muscle cells build up inside the uterus as a woman ages. They can cause abnormal bleeding during menstruation or between periods. Fibroids may also cause pain, especially during intercourse or bowel movements.

Stress: Heavy bleeding is often linked to stress. If you feel stressed or worried about something, your body may respond by releasing hormones that cause vaginal secretions to increase, which can make your period heavier.

Hormonal birth control pills: These medications contain hormones that cause your body to have more frequent or heavier periods. Some women have spotting between periods, but for others, the bleeding becomes much heavier than normal.

There are many causes of heavy bleeding, most commonly low-dose birth control pills or other hormone therapy to regulate the menstrual cycle. Other causes include uterine fibroids, polyps, or sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Some medications can also contribute to heavy bleeding. Unprotected sex can lead to severe complications during your periods, such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, so it is important to use protection if you engage in sex during your period. If you are suffering from severe bleeding Christopher Quinsey, MD can help.