Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sarcoidosis - Common Signs and Symptoms of Sarcoidosis

Do You or Someone You Know Have Sarcoidosis - What are the mos common symptoms of sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis symptoms are many, and to diagnose sarcoid can be a real issue which is often why sarcoidosis is often misdiagnosed. In the following article we will attempt to cover some of the more common symptoms of sarcoidosis, hopefully enough to allow you to make an informed decision as to whether to visit your doctor.

Before we continue with the list of sarcoidosis symptoms I would like to point out that the following article is intended only as being informative, if you believe that you may be suffering with sarcoidosis or any other medical condition it is very important for you to visit your doctor at the earliest point in order to receive a firm diagnosis.

Early common Sarcoidosis symptoms are as follows:

Shortness of breath which is medically referred to as dyspneaInflammation in the eye or other eye related problemsPersistent and often dry cough, which suffers may find difficult to shake offSkin rash, which may consist of red tender areas or lumpsChronic fatigue or a felling of physical or mental exhaustion

The list of possible sarcoidosis symptoms above may help those with a niggling feeling that something is wrong decide on further examination, it should be noted that most of the listed sarcoid symptoms may not have anything to do with sarcoidosis at all and may in fact be symptoms of another disease or illness, many of which either overlap or have very similar manifestations.

As mentioned above Sarcoidosis is an exceptionally difficult condition to diagnose, this can be for a number of reasons, however one of the biggest reasons sarcoidosis often goes unchecked is because the condition is usually asymptomatic. The term 'Asymptomatic' is used to describe a condition which displays no obvious signs that the person has the disease.

Other common symptoms of sarcoidosis are as follows:

The following symptoms of Sarcoidosis are often attributed to 'lymphadenopathy' which is swollen or inflamed lymph nodes.

Respiratory complicationsChest painNasal congestionWheezing when breathing

These particular symptoms are common in as many as 90% of sarcoidosis sufferers. Abnormalities such as lymphadenopathy will normally show up on X-ray or through the use of CT scanning. If you are worried that you may have symptoms of sarcoidosis you should seek expert medical advice.

The sarcoidosis symptoms listed here are just a quick look at some of the most common signs of the condition, however I must stress this is just a quick glance at the condition, symptoms of sarcoidosis are often different from patient to patient and vary greatly.

Read More About Sarcoidosis Signs & Symptoms:


Source

The Dietary Skills for People to Prevent Colorectal Cancer

Nowadays, more and more people have been troubled by the colorectal cancer. The incidence of the disease has been constantly increased. In order to maintain the physical health, it is necessary for people to positively prevent the cancer. According to the research, the increasing intake of dietary fibers can effectively decrease the incidence of the disease. In Africa, only few people get the colorectal cancer, as the content of vegetarian fibers contained in their diet is rather high. If people always eat the foods containing high fat and high protein, the wastes can not be removed from the human body in time. In order to shorten the contact time between toxic substances and the intestinal wall, people should choose the diet containing relatively high content of vegetarian fibers so as to decrease the risks of getting colorectal cancer.

What's more, the research in Britain has studied the relationship between the dietary habit and cancer in 12 countries. The result shows that the rate of getting cancer can be greatly decreased if people usually take starch foods. The starch foods can resist the intestinal cancer by two ways. First, after the starch enters the intestines, the intestinal bacteria will be seriously propagated to accelerate the defecation and remove the toxins. Second, starch can produce a large amount of butyrate inside the human body to restrain the formation of carcinogenic cells. For example, the potato starch can produce a kind of fatty acid during the digestion inside the stomach and intestines, which can not only eliminate the toxins but also resist cancer inside the human body.

In order to effectively prevent the cancer, people should positively adjust their diet. The nutrients like vitamins, calcium and selenium can play an important role in preventing malignant tumors. It is necessary for people to increase the intake of fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy products, lean meat, sea food, fish and eggs so as to prevent the lack of vitamins, folic acid and mineral substances inside their bodies. In everyday life, people should adhere to a kind of diverse diet and accept coarse foods moderately. The fried foods should be avoided as far as possible. The intake of plant oil should be controlled within 20 to 30 grams strictly each day. At the same time, they should quit some bad habits, such as smoking and drinking. In addition, people should form good life habits and keep adequate sleep in spare time.

Alice white green is the freelance writer for e-commerce website in the chemistry. LookChem.com is just a place for you to Look for Chemicals! Our LookChem provide the most convenient conditions for the international buyers and let these leads benefit all the business person.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_White_Green


Source

Saturday, March 19, 2011

How Swine Flu Is Transmitted, Symptoms, Risks and Treatments

Swine flu signs and symptoms are similar to the pains with the standard flu virus. H1n1 virus (Swine Flu) is transmittable and is also considered to be spread from one person to another in the same manner as seasonal influenza along with other common respiratory infections spread. The viruses aren't spread by food. With regards to close contact ( inside a metre) with the infected person while they are talking, coughing or sneezing puts you susceptible to becoming infected.

Facts

Swine flu can be highly contagious, relatively far more infectious than seasonal influenza. H1n1 virus is shown to be fatal, having caused over 200 deaths thus far. The H1n1 virus pandemic, has been within the focus given it began in Mexico at the beginning of '09. H1n1 virus has now been confirmed in all of the Australian states and territories. Regular swine flu is often a contagious respiratory disease, the result of a type A influenza virus that is affecting pigs. Like seasonal flu, h1n1 virus in humans will vary in severity from moderate to severe. Throughout the world, nearly 22,000 cases of h1n1 virus ended up being validated by 5 June 2009. Another theory regarding the source of H1n1 virus could be factory farming.

How Is Swine Flu Transmitted?

In the same way swine flu seems to be easily transmitted, previous influenza pandemics happen to be a lot more transmittable than seasonal influenza. Early studies shows that swine Influenza is transmitted largely by droplet spread (when an infected person coughs). Other swine influenza viruses have occasionally been transmitted from pigs to humans, but one person to another spread hasn't occurred.

Who is At Risk And Symptoms

There exists a ongoing focus on people from high-risk groupings that have flu like symptoms, expecting mothers, individuals with respiratory condition (for example asthma), cardiovascular disease, having diabetes, renal illness, weight problems and immunosuppression. Individuals with current health issues might be vulnerable to these conditions getting worse should they acquire swine influenza. Some people categorized themselves at high-risk of flu and for that reason presumed it was vitally important to become vaccinated, whereas others expressed a duty to get vaccinated owing to work commitments.
?
What Treatments Are Available

Presently five days of antiviral treatment with Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza? (zanamivir) has been advised for confirmed, probable or assumed instances of Swine flu. We invest billions of dollars internationally for the monitoring, control, treatment and protection against influenza Presently most people suffering from flu signs and symptoms are making a complete recovery without having treatment. The moment Homeland Security announced a health crisis, 25% about twelve million amounts of Tamiflu and Relenza treatment courses were released from the nation's stockpile If your son or daughter is ill with flu virus or swine flu, they should remain in your home and have absolutely nominal contact with others inside your home. For h1n1 virus, the time of isolation necessary for employees and clients who may have the condition or where it can be assumed that they might have the disease, is 7 days.

Best Regards


Source

Polymyalgia - Important Facts That You Should Be Aware Of

Polymyalgia rheumatica in simple terms is an inflammation of the muscles which occurs mainly in the over fifties, women in particular.

It may come on gradually, or so suddenly that the sufferer is immobilised and in severe pain in a matter of seconds. When a G. P. is consulted and the symptoms have been described, before any intensive testing is done there is usually the simple question asked of the patient, 'Are you having trouble getting in and out of bed? and if the answer is 'yes' it almost always follows that they have got polymyalgia rheumatica.

The pain is invariably of the hips, thighs, shoulders and neck muscles. What causes polymyalgia rheumatica is not known. but it is thought that it might be connected with systemic lupus, temporal arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and in some instances cancer. However it is known generally as a form of rheumatism that affects the muscles of older people.

It has been said that a person will only suffer from the one attack after being given the correct treatment, but one elderly woman I have come across has had the illness three times with gaps of one to two years between attacks.

The tests most used to diagnose that polymyalgia rheumatica is present in a person are ESR tests which show the level of inflammation in the muscles of the patient. Once this kind of test has confirmed that polymyalgia rheumatica is present, a corticosteroid drug, prednisolone, is invariably prescribed.

In cases that I have known, the pain which is acute, has disappeared after taking the first dosage of prednisolone, but the down side of the treatment is that taking the patient off this drug which can be dangerous if done too fast. This can take up to eighteen months or more.

It should be noted that if it is found that polymyalgia rheumatica is shown to be connected with temporal arthritis in a patient, which can cause blindness if not treated promptly. a biopsy will be performed when a small sample of tissue will be taken for analysis from one of the arteries in the scalp.


Source

Friday, March 18, 2011

Caisson Disease Also Known As Acute Decompression Sickness Or Compressed Air Illness

Caisson disease is a disorder which occurs in divers who have been brought to the surface rapidly without conforming to the safety precautions. Some workmen are particularly susceptible. Nitrogen being more lipid soluble, more bubbles are formed in the nervous tissue and hence neurological symptoms predominate. The spinal cord is most commonly affected, the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres are affected to a lesser extent. Autopsy shows hemorrhages in the white matter and micro infarcts. Other tissues involved include the joints, skin and lungs.

Clinical features: Symptoms start within three hours of surfacing, but rarely they may be delayed by several hours. Mild cases show pains and cutaneous lesions. In the severe types neurological and pulmonary lesions are prominent. An apparently mild case may rapidly become severe and hence the initial presentation may be misleading. Early cutaneous manifestations include pruritis, erythematous skin lesions and cyanotic patches, and these should alert the physician of the impending disease. The commonest presenting symptom is joint pain (bends) felt over the knees, shoulder, hips and elbows.

More serious features are retrosternal pain (chokes) and neurologic manifestations. Tachypnoea, hypotension and shock may follow the onset of chest pain and the patient may die in coma. The neurologic symptoms include parasthesiae, girdle pains, varying degrees of motor and sensory deficits, headache blurring of vision, diplopia, papillary abnormalities, dysarthria, and vestibular dysfunction characterized by vertigo, nystagmus, nausea and vomiting (staggers).

Diagnosis: The condition is likely to be missed by the unwary physician. History, the circumstance of the case and the physical manifestations should suggest the possibility of decompression sickness. Delay in onset of symptoms should not go against the diagnosis if other features are suggestive.

Course and prognosis: The course is unpredictable sine mild cases may rapidly become serious and die. Prognosis depends upon the promptness and adequacy of recompression and graded decompression. This measure should be instituted without delay even in hopeless cases. Many a time, the recovery is remarkable. Neurological deficits tend to persist if treatment is delayed. Early recompression can prevent the development of neurological lesions. In fairly suggestive cases, valuable time should not be wasted by undertaking detailed clinical examination before recompression.

Treatment: Specific treatment is to institute immediate recompression in a pressure chamber as an emergency measure. Respiratory depressants like morphine should be avoided. The pressure equivalent and the duration of recompression have to be decided by personnel trained in recompression techniques. Usually, a pressure of 2.8 atmospheres (283.7 KPa) is beneficial. Hyperbaric oxygen helps in improving oxygenation of ischemic tissues.

In patients with neurological deficits, shock, or cerebral edema, corticosteroids are beneficial. Low molecular weight dextran (dextran 40) helps in reducing vascular sludging. Infusion of appropriate fluids helps in restoring blood volume, improve the circulatory state, and mobilize trapped bubbles. After suitable recompression, the patient should be carefully decompressed, allowing sufficient periods at each stages to prevent recurrence of bubble formation. Susceptible persons should refrain from diving till recovery is complete.


Source

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Antibiotics Could Aggravate Yeast Infections

Yeast is present in all of us and is usually kept in check by our natural bacteria. If, however, the good bacteria are killed off, the yeast may grow into an infection with startling rapidity. And killing bacteria is exactly what antibiotics do!

Antibiotics are indiscriminate killers. They kill off both good and bad bacteria. This is why some doctors prescribe probiotics whenever the prescribe antibiotics. It is not always enough though. It is better to avoid antibiotics all together if you can.

It has been found that people who turn to antibiotics at the slightest excuse often begin to suffer from increasingly frequent bouts of yeast infection (which they often combat with, yes, antibiotics). This is because they are never off antibiotics long enough for their bodies immune system to recover.

A better way of stopping infections of all descriptions is to live a healthy lifestyle and eat a healthy diet. This boosts your natural defences so that your body can take care of itself. Eat food, especially raw food, that is high in natural vitamins and minerals and make sure you drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. The water helps your body flush out toxins and the vitamins and minerals are used in the production of good bacteria and regeneration of cells.

Living and eating healthy is much better for you than taking antibiotics at the slightest sign of a cold. Allow your immune system to do what it was designed to do: protect you from infection!


Source

How Lifestyle Affects Macular Disease

Age related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) affects the older populations, as there are a tendency because of it to happen mostly in whites and females. Sometimes, the ARMD can be a side effect some drugs as well as it is hereditary.

There are other factors associated with ARMD, and new evidence linked lifestyle and habits as causes of ARMD that adds about the possible reasons. Some scientists even suggested that over-exposure to sunlight can be a cause for growth and development of ARMD.

Aging

It's reported from the Canadian Medical Association Journal that advanced AMD increases from fewer than 1 percent for all in the 60s and increase to more than 15 percent for individuals who reach their 90s. In the us, ARMD affects over 1.75 million people that year 2004, and likely to increase to almost 3 million by year 2020.

Obesity & Sedentary Lifestyle

A survey in June 2003 in Archives of Ophthalmology says individuals who are overweight face double the risks of developing macular disease than these with normal bodyweight. Those who performed activities rigorously not less than three times weekly will reduce their likelihood of developing advanced ARMD than these who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Blood pressure levels

Surely we can't dismiss the fact most folks who lead a sedentary lifestyle includes a high risk of besides obesity, but in addition high blood pressure. Hypertension has been said to be a source of ARMD, and the Investigative Ophthalmology and vision Science reported the outcome of an European study to back up this view in September 2003.

Genetic Inheritance

Yes, studies found out that there are several genes that could determine the roll-out of macular disease. Studies of identical and fraternal twins may demonstrate that macular degeneration might be caused by inherited genetics as well as determine how bad it might be.

Smoking

Smoking is considered a reason for a lot of health problems, including macular degeneration. You are able to to be a major ARMD risk factor in fact it is said that smoking is related to 25 percent of ARMD that creates severe vision loss. This became reported within the British Journal of Opthalmology in year 2006.

Lighter Eye Color

Some people theorised that macular degeneration is a lot more popular among people that have lighter eye colors. This might be because macular degeneration might be more profound in Caucasians with ligher skin color and the color of eyes. However, a 2006 report from the British Journal or Opthalmology revealed no relation between lighter skin and eye colors to ARMD. Perhaps there ought to be more studies with better tests solutions to examine whether there's or there's no association between these factors and macular degeneration.

Drug Unwanted side effects

It is said that uncomfortable side effects from some drugs could cause macular degeneration, such as the anti-malarial drug Aralen and anti-psychotic drug Phenothiazine.

There are lots of inconsistencies with regards to the results and findings in the risks factors of macular degeneration. This can be acknowledged with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and also the only consistency possibly the relationship of aging and smoking to the disease.


Source

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Get Rid of Kidney Stones Naturally

What are kidney stones and how to prevent them?

Kidney stones are basically the accumulation of calcium and or protein deposits in your kidneys that increase overtime making it a shape of small stone. Usually kidney stones are caused by lack of water intake, imbalanced diet, and lack of exercise too. When ignored, they keep on increasing causing a gradual rise in pain in your kidneys making you uncomfortable wherever you are. Well, there is no need to worry much since we examine in this article how to prevent kidney stones in a natural way.

We know assume by reading this article that you might be suffering from kidney stones and wondering how to pass them through urine. There are some basic tips on how to pass them. Just stick to this article and you will be answering this question by yourself right away:

1. Increase fluid intake - Drink plentiful of water. At least 8 to 10 glasses a day have to be consumed even if you don't feel thirsty at all. I know it is difficult but remember you got to sacrifice something in order to get something good in return. Consuming distilled water not only reduces the concentration of your urine, but also dilutes it. The more you drink water, the more urine would pass through and help in washing away the components responsible for causing kidney stones. Along with water, try consuming fresh juices like pomegranate juice, orange juice and lemonades. All of these contain natural citric acids that prevent any formation of stones and dilutes any formed stones already present in the kidneys. Stones are composed of different minerals and elements such as oxalate, calcium, magnesium, uric acid, and phosphates etc. avoid consuming regular water because many people when asking how to pass kidney stones just don't think of the regular metals and impurities contained in the regular water that would lead to further worsening of the conditions.

2. Cleansing your kidneys - In order to get rid of these stones one good way is to cleanse your kidneys. Cleansing the kidneys is a great way to remove toxins and impurities including the dilution of harmful stones in your kidneys.

3. Eat right - Avoid excessive intake of spinach, strawberries, blackberries, nuts, chocolates, squash, cocoa, tea, meat, fish & poultry chicken. This diet is high in oxalate components, which in turn causes the formation of uric acid stones. Avoid salt intake whenever wherever possible, and increase your fiber intake like oatmeal which helps in diluting these stones to pass naturally via urine.

4. Do some exercise - You might be wondering that you are here on to know more about kidney stones and we are telling you to do exercise? Doesn't it sound absurd? Well, on the face of logic it might, but the whole idea behind exercising is for the stone to get moving through the urinary system slowly & gradually. Having a bed rest all day long really does no benefit in passing kidney stones.

5. Consume natural home remedy and avoid medicine intake - There are various safe and easy ways to make natural home remedies that help in passing them. A good way of finding a natural remedy is to visit a homeopathic or herbal store in your local area. Avoid medicine intake as much as you can. Although slow and steady, success comes to those who are patient enough to wait for it. Avoid using medicine since there is really no need of medicine in order to get rid of the stones, and all can be done safely at home with the natural remedies.

Above mentioned were some of the basic ways on how to prevent kidney stones. Make sure you follow the guidelines carefully and do not forget for a regular medical checkup at least once a week from a good doctor. This way the doctor would be more updated with your condition and would keep on advising you accordingly.

Yasir Saeed is an experienced full time freelance article writer, content writer, blog poster, search engine optimizer and a web designer. He writes about various niches and helps people to live their lives in a much better and comfortable manner.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yasir_Saeed


Source

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Spot the Differences Between Swine Flu and Common Flu

Sneezing and nausea any time in winter can create panic in people. The 2009 swine flu pandemic clearly showed that people need to learn more about the difference between swine flu and the common flu in order to start with a proper treatment, quickly. To find out the differences between the 'novel' H1N1 infection and common influenza, you probably have to look beyond the common symptoms. Experts believe that a virology test is the most convincing way to distinguish the two conditions. But if you don't have immediate access to a lab, take a look at the symptoms list first.

Common flu symptoms

Symptoms of common flu are usually more severe than those of common cold. Common influenza usually begins with a sore throat and is accompanied by fever and chills. You are likely to have severe headache and body aches too. Nasal congestion, runny nose and cough are common symptoms of any flu infection. Common flu can be caused by hundreds of different viral strains, while swine influenza is caused by a 'novel' viral type.

Depending on the type of flu virus, the symptoms may go away in 2-5 days, or may last for about a week. But if the symptoms don't go away and you experience shortness of breath, inform your doctor right away for diagnosis of pneumonia, a common post-flu complication experienced by people with heart or respiratory conditions.

Swine flu symptoms

It is difficult to distinguish common flu and swine flu by looking at their symptoms. Perhaps the only difference you can tell from the symptoms is that the patients suffering from swine flu may experience vomiting and diarrhoea, which the common flu patients are unlikely to suffer from.

Spotting the key differences
Virus - Swine flu is caused by a new strain of influenza virus type A. Common flu, on the other hand, can be caused by all 3 influenza viral types.Treatment - Swine flu treatment is usually more challenging as compared to the common flu treatment because until 2009, humans were never infected with the 'novel' viral type that causes swine flu.Resistance - Like avian bird flu, swine flu too, is difficult to prevent. The H1N1 virus can infect healthy individuals with strong immunity. Viruses that cause regular flu often target people with compromised immune systems.

How can you safeguard yourself against flu

Taking annual flu vaccines is one of the most reliable ways to keep flu at bay. Following the outbreak of swine influenza in 2009, an H1N1 vaccine was developed to vaccinate people who could possibly have been infected with the H1N1 virus. If you get exposed to an environment that may pose the threat of flu transmission, talk to your doctor immediately for preventive treatment. You may be asked to take Tamiflu oseltamivir, a prescription anti-flu medicine which is known for its efficacy in preventing and treating nearly all flu types. This medicine can give you relief from flu symptoms 30% faster than patients who are not taking it. But to ensure quick recovery, you need to take it within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.


Source

How and Why Chest Breathing Promotes Chronic Diseases

Chest breathing is a pathology since we should use the diaphragm for breathing at rest. The diaphragm is a bent dome-shaped muscle mass isolating one's lungs from the abdominal organs. It does about eighty percent of the job connected with the breathing process. Commonly, any time one's diaphragm moves down, the lungs increase in size whilst your abdominal area forces out. While one's diaphragm moves up, your abdomen goes in, and your lung's area is loosened up.

Diaphragmatic inhaling and exhaling are very important for our wellbeing. Additionally, tummy breathing is essential for elimination and curing of serious illnesses.

Chest breathing reduces oxygen delivery to body cells

To start with, your diaphragm helps you to manage economical O2 transportation and (partial) CO2 removal. Be aware that, whilst most modern-day individuals believe in the deep breathing fantasy ("our automatic breathing should be deep for better oxygenation") along with toxic effects of CO2, health science have realized a large number of health benefits due to CO2. While standard inhalation during rest has tiny tidal quantity (only about 500-550 ml for just one inhale for a 70-kg person), it provides excellent oxygenation of the hemoglobin cells in the arterial bloodstream (as much as 98-99%). This is possible as a result of diaphragmatic breathing.

In comparison, costal or chest breathing is often larger in volume and also deeper (up to 12-18 L/min for minute air flow, 700-900 mL for tidal amount, and 18-25 breaths/minute for breathing frequency in cases of mild heart problems, diabetes, asthma and so forth), but blood vessels have reduced O2 quantities as a result of the inhomogeneous gas exchange: lower areas of the lungs doesn't receive fresh air supply in the course of upper body breathing.

Furthermore, diminished oxygen transportation to body tissues will certainly enhance every long-term ailment. In truth, consider medical facts related to the role of oxygen in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases.

A good number of released experiments have confirmed that cell hypoxia is the main factor that encourages cancer tumors. Heart problems and angina agony are dependant and possible only when we have low amount of O2 inside the heart muscle tissues. Diabetes, cystic fibrosis, asthma, bronchitis, osteoporosis, GI illnesses, and mental health problems, they're all associated with lower amount of O2 within the brain or other body organs.

When these diseases turn out to be critical and individuals are hospitalized or even in critical treatment caused by episodes or serious exacerbations, emergency experts generally provide their patients with 100 % pure O2 in order to save lives of individuals. The reason is the same: for all these health problems, oxygen quantities inside body tissues becomes dangerously reduced.

For that reason, upper body breathing promotes long-term illnesses caused by diminished oxygen supply to body organs.

Chest breathing promotes lymphatic stagnation in visceral organs

Second, diaphragmatic breathing contributes to natural massage of the lymphatic nodes found just beneath the diaphragm. The lymphatic system, it is also called the sewage system of the human body, doesn't possess a pump to move its fluid. How it work?

The lymph nodes can be found within those areas of one's body where normal compression is naturally developed. For instance, we've got significant number of lymph nodes on our neck. Daily, most of us do a huge number of left-right movements with our head. Consequently, the lymphatic liquid will be pressed away from the lymph nodes. How? This happens due to valves which allow only one-directional flow of the lymph. Likewise, we've got plenty of lymph nodes under armpits and surrounding locations. If we move our arms, the lymph nodes get normal massage to clear out unwanted substances. Next area is inside the groin region. This is yet another group of lymph nodes which can be massaged by way of activities of our hip and legs, when we walk. There are actually no lymph nodes throughout all those sites within the body which do not experience natural compression or massage.

Nevertheless, the lymph nodes from your stomach, kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, both colons, along with internal organs can be found just below your diaphragm.

or that reason, mother nature wants you to be able to inhale and exhale when using the diaphragm all the time. When we have upper body breathing, we promote inner pollution along with deposition of waste products from internal organs. Consequently, it's not a big surprise that seriously ill individuals sometimes perish from multiple organ failure which can be caused by lymphatic pollution.

Modern people, chest breathing and breathing patterns

An ability to have diaphragmatic breathing 24/7 is linked with the body oxygen level. Most contemporary men and women have got about 20-25 seconds of oxygen in the entire body. (To measure body oxygen level, perform a stress-free breath holding test done after standard exhale and only until the primary stress.) Why? This is because their breathing is approximately 2 times greater compared to the health-care norm. Hyperventilation reduces oxygen availability in tissues.

In the past the situation was different. Indeed, a hundred years ago people had about two times more body oxygen because their breathing had been slower and lighter.

Overbreathing cuts down CO2 concentration in all muscle tissues, such as the diaphragm. Given that carbon dioxide is a relaxant of all smooth muscle cells of the human body, hyperventilation results in a condition of spasm inside the diaphragm. Moreover, deep breathing, in addition, predisposes us to slouching caused by strain round the shoulder blades, neck, along with other muscles in the top section of the body.

In the sick people, these problems are even worse. Their breathing is heavier during rest and they've got much less O2 and CO2 in body cells. Hence, virtually all of them are chest breathers.

Diaphrgmatic breathing 24/7 is one of the free online Modules of the Learning the Buteyko Breathing Technique.

Ineffective breathing pattern is the most common clinical finding in people with chronic diseases.

Dr. Artour Rakhimov is a health educator. He is the author of books and the educational website NormalBreathing.com that has hundreds of medical quotes, graphs, references, charts, tables, results of trials, analysis of respiratory techniques, free breathing exercises, manuals, lifestyle modules and other resources.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Artour_Rakhimov

Artour Rakhimov - EzineArticles Expert Author

Source

Monday, March 14, 2011

Symptoms And Facts About Influenza

Flu, or more officially, influenza, is a viral disease which normally happens in the winter but could also occur in the summer due to drinking cold water. This type of disease can be very contagious, and it may become a problem if a large number of people contract it. Influenza is a viral disease, which means it can be spread between many different people easily. Have you heard of the influenza epidemic of 1918? During the epidemic life nearly stopped in American society because nobody knew how to control influenza. Its symptoms appear suddenly and it has some symptoms which are similar to the common cold.

A number of symptoms that are common to the flu are sneezing, runny nose, headache, earaches and sometime chills. Most often, influenza lasts around seven days. This illness is very common now and scientists do know how to keep it from getting as bad as it did in 1918. The reason why influenza is not a problem anymore is because of the creation of vaccines. In 1918 there was no technology that was strong enough to detect a virus and with modern developments, we not only can spot a virus, we can cure it as well. There is a flu shot given to most infants and children to help prevent influenza and because of this shot, many lives have been saved.

If an infant were to contract it, then there is a much higher risk of death. The infants' immune systems aren't as strong as adults', and thus, they have a much higher risk of death due to the fact that their immune systems can't fight it off. If you find that your child is displaying some of the symptoms listed above, then bring your child to a medical specialist as soon as possible. It can become complicated if the flue appears in young children because it leads to cough and other respiratory disorders in small children. So an eye must be kept out for the possibility of the child catching the flu. Listed below are some general facts that you should be aware of.

? Once you reach 65 years of age, never forget to take the flu shot in autumn. If you have asthma, heart disease, or diabetes then contracting the flu can cause you serious problem so don't be negligent to this small disease.

? Make sure you perform daily exercises and constantly eat a good balanced diet. If you keep your body healthy, then you also help your immune system. If your immune system is healthy, then you will be to more successfully fend off the flu and fight it in the event that you do contract it.

? Wash your hands with a hygienic soap. Use of antibacterial soap may lessen the chances of flu. Try to avoid touching your nose or mouth if possible.


Source

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema And Some Other Diseases Due To High Altitude

This is a more serious complication compared to AMS. Young subjects in apparently good health are more affected. It may manifest in newcomers and also in subjects acclimatized to high altitudes, if they ascend the height rapidly after periods of stay at lower altitudes. Altitudes above 2500 m can be harmful, but most of the cases occur at heights of 3050 to 4550 m. Heavy meal, physical exertion and too-rapid an ascent precipitate the condition. Symptoms start within 6 to 48 hours of reaching the station.

Though, pulmonary hypertension is invariably found as a consequence of hypoxia, only a small proportion of subjects develop acute pulmonary edema which tends to be patchy. The reason for the edema is not clear. Autopsy studies have revealed dilatation of pulmonary arteries and arterioles, congestion of capillaries, intravascular thrombi, perivascular hemorrhages, and alveolar edema. Cases of long duration may show hyaline membrane in the alveoli.

Clinical features: Many cases follow acute mountain sickness, but in some, pulmonary edema develops abruptly. Early symptoms are cough, tachypnea, dyspnea and chest pain. These are soon followed by hemoptysis, cyanosis, frothy expectoration, and intense chest discomfort. Oliguria may develop.

The course is variable. In some, the pulmonary edema worsens while in others, it may become subacute and persist for a few days. In severe cases, right sided heart failure may follow and this may precede death. Radiographic abnormalities include prominence of the pulmonary arteries, patchy edema which is more prominent in the upper and mid-zones and more marked on the right side. Electrocardiogram reveals acute right ventricular strain due to pulmonary hypertension.

Diagnosis: High altitude pulmonary edema should be anticipated in healthy subjects who develop vague cerebral and respiratory symptoms on reaching high altitudes. Early recognition and treatment are necessary to avoid rapid deterioration and death. Acute mountain sickness, respiratory infections, Cardiac failure, and malingering have to be differentiated from this condition.

Treatment: The patient should be hospitalized and administered oxygen. If oxygen is not available, the patient should be evacuated to a lower camp. Morphine, 15 mg and furosemide 40 mg should be given intravenously. In the majority of cases, there are enough to tide over an attack. Persistence of pulmonary edema is an indication for repeating furosemide. Physiological venesection by applying tourniquets proximately to the limbs, helps in reducing pulmonary edema. Precipitating factors such as respiratory infection have to be looked for and treated appropriately.

Prevention: proper training and conditioning for 1-2 weeks should be undertaken before reaching high altitudes. On reaching high altitudes all unacclimatized persons should avoid physical exertion for 48-72 hours. Furosemide 40 mg given orally daily for 2-3 days prevents the onset of acute pulmonary edema.

High altitude cerebral edema

This disorder is less common than pulmonary edema. Cerebral edema may follow acute mountain sickness several hours after reaching the high altitude. Pathological lesions consist of dilatation of cerebral vessels, cerebral edema and patchy hemorrhages. Early clinical features consist of lethargy, insomnia, dreamy state and irritability. Severe cases develop intense headache, confusion and coma before reaching the fatal end. Cheyne-stokes respiration may develop.

Treatment: The patient should be administered pure oxygen and evacuated to a lower camp. Dexamethasone given intravenously or intramuscularly in a dose of 4-8 mg gives relief.

Chronic mountain sickness-Monge's disease, chronic soroche, high altitude disease

Some persons living at high altitudes lose their acclimatization and develop symptoms. Most of such reports have come from South America. Males are affected more than females. The mechanism is not fully understood. Features are those of alveolar hypoventilation. Palliative measures are only of temporary benefit. Therefore it is advisable to remove affected individuals to low altitudes. The whole picture reverts tp normal on reaching low altitudes.


Source

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Oxidative Stress: The Bio-Mechanics Smoking Gun

Definition

Oxidative Stress is the medical equivalent of the Sword of Damocles. On the one hand, its free radicals are essential for normal metabolism. On the other hand, it has been implicated in such catastrophic and degenerative diseases as: stroke, myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, diabetes, circulatory shock, chronic inflammatory diseases, cancer, asthma, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidative stress is generally defined as an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants. Evidence suggests that that oxidative stress can lead to cell and tissue injury. All diseases involve free radicals. A critical high wire balancing act between oxidants and antioxidants must be maintained to insure health in the aging process.

Research

Enormous strides have been made lately, in the research and forensic analysis of oxidative stress. Of particular importance, is the discovery of peroxynitrite--the most rapid non-enzymatic reactions in all of biology. Its (NO) free radical generated Nitric oxide properties, has a critical involvement in a host of pathologies, such as: vasodilation, neuro signaling, and inflammation. (NO) is present and acts as a signaling device in every critical cellular function and is a crucial pathogenic mechanism in overwhelming oxidative injury such as cellular necrosis. However encouraging these recent discoveries are, there is still much to be learned about the effects of peroxynitrite and its oxidant properties as to whether cells activate the repair processes or die.

There is a general consensus that lowering oxidative stress can have some positive health benefits. Overproducing free radicals can radically overwhelm the immune system initiating oxidative injury and disease....some of which have already been mentioned and listed. The discovery of micronutrients that play a role in modulation of redox cell signaling provides an important foundation and link between diet and health.

Conclusion

Oxidative stress is a key factor in health and disease. Understanding its bio-mechanics will go a long way in eradicating some of modern society's most devastating pathologies.


Source

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Conditions That A Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon Treats

Pediatric orthopedic surgeons are mainly specialized in all aspects of musculoskeletal care for infants, children and adolescents. These surgeons are specialized in both the surgical and nonsurgical aspects for various conditions such as musculoskeletal diseases, skeletal deformities and other traumatic injuries.

List of diseases treated by pediatric orthopedics include:

? Metabolic disorders
? Spina bifida
? Scoliosis
? Spinal deformity
? Cerebral palsy
? Congenital foot and hip deformities
? Traumatic injuries
? Common hip problems in the older adults
? Metachromatic leukodystrophy
? Intoeing, outtoeing, bowlegs, knock-knees and leg-length discrepancy

Here are the conditions that can be treated by a orthopedic surgeon in detail:

Most of the times, children are at risk for falls and sometimes for injuries caused by chemicals, fire, animal bites and unfortunately sometimes by violence. Sometimes, young children also suffer from injuries and lead to bodily injury, traumatic brain injury, and also death of adolescents. These conditions can be effectively treated by an orthopedic surgeon.

Cerebral palsy is a condition that can affect infants, children and adolescents. Pediatric orthopedics use comprehensive, pro-active and individualized approach to treat this condition in children. Finding a good orthopedic surgeon can help children with cerebral palsy to achieve maximum physical, intellectual and emotional development. Also, these surgeons educate the affected individuals and parents about this condition.

Spina bifida is a condition in which there is an abnormal development of the back bones, spinal cord, surrounding nerves and also the fluid filled sac that surrounds the spinal cord. A pediatric orthopedic surgeon can effectively perform pediatric spina bifida surgery to help manage the problems. But the surgery may or may not restore muscle function or sensation to the normal state.

Scoliosis is termed as a lateral curvature of the spine. In many cases the cause is not known, which means why the curvature occurs. Most of the scoliosis can be seen between the ages of 10 and 14. Though it occurs equally in boys and girls, girls are more likely to get the condition. A pediatric orthopedic surgeon can better address your child's condition.


Source

Chronic Sinusitis Treatment - Options From Around The Web

As I have recently discovered, chronic sinusitis treatment options are many and varied. After much digging, I wanted to share some of the treatment tips that I had read about while browsing the web. I can not vouch for most of these, so do your own digging before you actually try any of them out!

Water.

Let's start with a nice simple one. Water! Drinking plenty of fresh water each day is always a positive thing to do. And if it can help your condition a little? All the better.

Pineapple?

I've read that there is an enzyme within pineapples that are anti-inflammatory, named "bromelain." As one of the symptoms of chronic sinusitis is swelling in and around the nasal passages, perhaps there would be benefit in eating pineapples and drinking pineapple juice? If this would indeed reduce the swelling, you'll soon know!

Avoid Alcohol.

I'm told that alcohol can induce further swelling in the nasal passages and sinuses. So if you find your condition is worse after a few drinks, you now know why. It might be a good idea to stick to soft drinks until you clear up the sinusitis.

Cleaning The Nasal Passages.

To help you breathe easier, you can always take steps to clean your nasal passages. This is something you could do once or twice a day, depending on the severity of your condition. You can use a saline solution for this, which you'll easily find at any pharmacy. Alternatively there are home-made solutions that a quick online search will confirm.

Another effective way to help clear your sinuses, and open up the channels (as it were) is by steaming. If you pour boiling water into a bowl and hold your face above it, the steam that rises can be very soothing. Pop a towel over your head so that you trap the steam around your face, and gently breathe in, allowing the steam to enter and work its magic in your nasal passage and sinuses. I recommend a couple of minutes, then have a break...and repeat a few more times. Be sure you don't get too close to the hot water! If you find it too hot, adjust your towel so that you have more of the air around you. Or don't use a towel at all until the water has dropped a few degrees.

Rubbing Your Feet?

Now this one sounds odd! The theory is that rubbing your feet will enhance your blood flow around your body. This is said to help decrease the swelling and build-up, so much so that you should find you can breathe more easily. Perhaps you should try this for yourself! Try rubbing your feet about twice daily and see what you think.

Apple Cider Vinegar.

I've read that inhaling apple cider vinegar can open up the sinuses. But I also read that over doing this may damage the mucus membrane. So do keep that in mind!

Educate Yourself Before Trying Any Chronic Sinusitis Treatment Remedies!

I think it is a great idea to keep an open mind and do your own research before trying any treatments you read on the net. That said, you'll find they are mostly innocent enough, and that the worse that could happen is that the treatment doesn't provide you the relief you hoped!


Source

Friday, March 11, 2011

Scoliosis - Treatment and Epigenetics

The recent scoliosis genetic testing break-through has opened up an entirely new debate on whether the actual genetic risk for the condition can be reduced by the reduction of environmental factors that contribute to the cause and progression of the curvature. This is possible due to the recent (and ever growing) understanding of epigenetics.

So what in the heck are "epigenetics".....I didn't know either until recently, but here is the concept in a nutshell.

1. The human body has trillions of cells, each of which as a nucleus (command center). In each nucleus, DNA is tightly coiled around proteins called "histones" that serve as a support structures for the genes

2. Gene contain the codes for cells to produce various proteins and Darwin tells us that it takes many generations to "rewrite" this basic genetic code.

3. Various chemicals called "epigenetic marks" sit atop genes and offer basic instructions to them (basically they serve as an on or off switch)

4. All cell types contain the exact same DNA. Epigenetic markers silence certain gene sequences and active others. If the marks don't work properly, cancer or cell death is possible.

5. (This is the really cool part) Stressors like a fatty diet can activate epigenetic markers, modifying histones, or adding methyl groups to DNA strands. These changes can turn genes on and off and/or may affect what gets passed down to your offspring.

6. If you over-stimulate gene for a certain condition (Scoliosis for example), you kids can inherit these over-activated sequences. That could mean a lifetime of battling unfavorable gene expression.

This means you don't have to be a victim of your genetics AND environmental factors can ultimately change both factors in this condition (genetic and environmental factors), but that isn't the biggest point to this post...

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE SCOLIOSIS GENETIC RISK OF YOUR CHILDREN THOUGH ELIMINATING/REDUCING YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL SCOLIOSIS RISK FACTORS NOW!

Further proof that even mild/moderate AIS curvatures need to be treated with a program that reduces/eliminates the environmental factors that cause scoliosis.

In fact they even purposed an equation to explain the phenomenon: Genetics (G)+ Epigenetics (EpiG) + Environmental factors (E) = Phenotype (P) (the curve shape and size)

Basically the epigenetics theory is based on environmental factors being able to influence the "on/off" switch to pre-programmed genetic factors. So if her rehab is changing the environmental factors...well, it's possible. This is why it is critically important that we shift our focus towards treatment strategies that focus on the environmental factors that contribute to the development of scoliosis of the spine and not focus on treating Cobb angles.

There was a recent article on how patients were able to lower their genetic risk for developing prostate cancer by manipulation of environmental factors. The same could probably be true for AIS.

Dr Brian T Dovorany
Dr Clayton J Stitzel


Source

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Has the Missing Link to Dopamine Cell Death in Parkinson's Been Found?

Parkinson's disease results from the as-yet unexplained death of dopamine-producing neurons whose cell bodies live in the upper brainstem region called the substantia nigra. To date there are many factors implicated at initiating this process ranging from genetic aberrations and environmental toxins to stress and even minor head trauma. Somehow these factors lead to the abnormal accumulation of the evil protein, alpha-synuclein thought to disrupt cell function to the point of cell death.

Investigators may have discovered that missing link between exposure and lethal protein accumulation. Scientists at St. Louis University have identified a natural toxic substance produced in the brain called "dopal" that may be the missing link or at least part of the as yet undiscovered process that occurs between exposure to known initiating factors like pesticides, herbicides, manganese and the lethal accumulation of monkey-wrench protein, alpha-synuclein.

According to lead scientist W. Michael Panneton, Ph.D., professor of pharmacological and physiological science at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, "In Parkinson disease, we knew that the death of dopamine cells is responsible for patients' symptoms. But no one knew why the cells are dying."

Dopal, the newly discovered toxic substance seems to cause clumping of alpha-synuclein protein. At the very least, knowing this fact opens up a new window for treatments to prevent disease progression. By the time the classic movement symptoms develop in Parkinson's disease (tremor, rigidity and slowness) as many as 80 percent of dopamine neurons from the tiny brain region from where they originate (substantia nigra) have already died. Any treatment geared towards prevention of further death of that small remaining reserve of dopamine-producing cells would be a boon to the treatment of the disease which now mainly consists of using drugs that either mimic the deficient dopamine, or increase its presence in the brain by various mechanisms.

Dopal is the natural by-product of dopamine breakdown, particularly when acted on by the enzyme class called the monoamine oxidases. The anti-Parkinson's drug rasagiline blocks this breakdown (called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI), to increase the amount of brain dopamine. At least a few studies have suggested it as being effective at slowing the disease progression. If you block these monoamine oxidase enzymes in the brain you may be lowering the amount of dopal being produced so this may be the mechanism for how rasagiline slows Parkinson's disease progression, i.e., by leaving less dopal around, and thus resulting in less lethal clumping of alpha-synuclein protein.

It has also been suggested by other researchers that somehow, the classic environmental toxins thought to induce Parkinson's like pesticides may somehow stimulate the metabolism of dopamine to dopal.

Obviously more research is needed but this does solve at least one important piece in the puzzle as to why dopamine-cells die in Parkinson's disease.

Marshall Davidson, M.D.,aka. "Dopadoc," a physician who battles early-onset (age 44, 2005) Parkinson's disease. He maintains the website "Dopadoc's Parkinson's Journal" at http://www.dopadoc.com/

To quote, "I am a doctor with Parkinson's Disease. I firmly believe that the better a basic knowledge you have of your disease, the more you'll be able to make competent care decisions for yourself and weed out bad doctors and outright quacks. My website aims to provide the lay person with essential information crucial to taking charge of your care. Take a look for yourself and raise your medical IQ. We even have a basic Parkinson's curriculum you can enroll in for free."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marshall_Davidson

Marshall Davidson - EzineArticles Expert Author

Source

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Candida Yeast Diet - Getting Started

Candida yeast is a bacteria that naturally occurs in your gut. Unfortunately, this bacteria feeds on sugars and decaying material in your gut. This means it can easily become overgrown. When Candida becomes overgrown a whole host of problematic symptoms arise. You've probably experienced a few yourself. Fortunately, a Candida yeast diet can turn things around.

When people hear the word 'diet' shivers tend to go up their spine or a groan is involuntarily emitted. Diet implies restriction, right? Yes and no. In many cases, diet simply means paying attention to what you eat. You can still have all the things you love, in moderation.This program isn't terribly restrictive. However, it does require a bit of attention to what you eat and moderation to control your yeast overgrowth.

Here are the Candida diet guidelines.

Generally, for the first two to four weeks you're going to want to eliminate sugary foods and foods that behave like sugar in your body. Once the Candida has been starved (because it relies on the sugar to grow) your normal diet can resume as long as you pay attention to what you're eating.

First two to four weeks:

* Eliminate sugary foods including candy, baked goods, soda, and fruit. This includes white table sugar, brown sugar, raw cane sugar, honey, fructose, and dextrose.

* Eliminate or drastically cut back on starchy carbohydrates including white rice, white flour, and pasta. You can have 100% whole grain products.

* Eliminate dairy except for natural, unsweetened yogurt, and cottage cheese.

* Avoid yeast and fungus. This included mushrooms, soy sauce, alcohol and other fermented items.

* Avoid stimulants including caffeine. Eating or drinking stimulants causes your adrenal glands to release stored sugar into the body and thus provides food for that Candida yeast we're trying to eliminate.

* Eat balanced meals with whole grains, lots of fiber, vegetables and lean meats. Once you start getting your energy back, you're having regular bowel movements and your symptoms have vanished, you can begin to ease back into your regular diet.

It's still essential to avoid sugary foods and to take great care to eat the other previously eliminated foods in moderation. If you experience a relapse of Candida yeast overgrowth, take note of what you've been eating.

The Candida yeast diet isn't difficult and it's a very healthy way to live your life. If you struggle with chronic Candida overgrowth and experience recurring symptoms, you may find it becomes your way of life.

The Candida diet provides a healthy way of life, full of delicious foods. And it means you'll be free from the troublesome symptoms and health complications caused by Candida overgrowth.


Source

Are Blood Clots in the Legs Dangerous?

Blood clots. Just the words can make many people nervous. We have all been so well educated about the dangers of blood clots in the leg veins that our minds often times go straight to this conclusion with any little ache or pain that we experience from the waist down.

Don't get me wrong here, some blood clots that form in the leg are a serious matter, even life threatening.But this is not always the case. In fact there are many types of clots that pose little or no threat to life and limb. In this article I will break down the differences in these leg vein clot types and help you understand when you should be more concerned.

To understand the differences in leg clots we need to first understand the 2 different vein systems that exist in the legs. You see we have a deep vein system (the large veins located near the bones of the legs) and a superficial system (located near the skin of the leg). The deep vein system is a large set of veins that perform most of the work of moving blood up and out of the leg. These veins are relatively straight with few curves or branches and blood flow up the leg is relatively fast. The superficial vein system is much smaller and has numerous turns, branches, valves, and moves blood relatively slower up the leg. The deep veins are also completely surrounded by strong muscles where as the superficial veins are only supported by skin and soft tissues on one side.Make sense?

OK, now let's look at what happens when a clot forms in each of these two vein systems.

Blood clots that form in the superficial system are the easiest for you to identify. They are usually abruptly painful, may turn very red or pink, and are firm or hard to touch. The redness can be so bad that people will think they have developed an infection. This usually will last anywhere from 3-7 days before cooling down and slowly getting better over the course of a couple of weeks. These types of blood clots, while painful, are not the kind that can "break loose" and float up to your lungs causing a life threatening condition known as pulmonary embolism. They do hurt and swell, but this is the worst of it. However, if you suspect that you have this particular type of clot you should see your medical provider as soon as possible to find out for sure and start early treatment (which usually consists of heat to the area and ibuprofen) in order to shorten the length of recovery.

Clots in the deep vein system are a whole other story. These clots have very few barriers (such as junctions or turns) that keep parts of the clot from flying up the vein and landing in the lungs. The risk of the life threatening pulmonary embolism is actually fairly high in this scenario. The symptoms are different too.With a deep vein clot you might experience calf or thigh pain that feels "deep inside". More like an ache.Also we usually see quite a bit of swelling in the ankle and foot on that side. If you encounter this than an urgent evaluation by a medical professional is a must.Identifying the clot early and treatment with blood thinners can protect you against lung clots.

If you were unfortunate enough to have a clot travel to your lungs then symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough may occur. If this happens in conjunction with deep leg pain, you should get to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible. They will be able to perform an ultrasound evaluation of the leg and study the lungs too. Again, early aggressive treatment can greatly improve the outcome.

Just a quick note on the prevention of blood clots. The best prevention is the regular exercise which will help to promote good blood flow and not allow the blood to clot as readily and the use of compression socks when you are more static. Graded compression socks promote good blood flow when you are not active. This is particularly important during long travel such as plane flights and car rides.

Well, I hope that this helps to clear up the 'scary leg vein blood clot' issue for you. Stay vigilant when it comes to your health and you should be able to make good decisions about when to seek professional medical advice.

Eric Davis PA-C, MPAS is an 8 year specialty trained veteran of the diagnosis and treatment of varicose and spider veins. He is actively practicing in a vein treatment center and has recently written an ebook on the subject of varicose and spider veins. He has special interest in the treatment of leg related issues ranging from cosmetic improvement to ulcers. If you are looking for the latest, most up-to-date information on varicose veins, spider veins, treatments, and more, then visit Eric at http://www.veingame.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Davis

Eric Davis - EzineArticles Expert Author

Source

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Kidney Infection Pain

In order to eliminate waste the bodies main tool is the kidneys. They remove toxins and waste from the body. When there is an increased level of toxins in the body they may have a hard time dealing with the increased level and there can be kidney disease, infection and sometimes failure. It is important to deal with the infection pain early and quickly.

Often when you experience infection pain you will have a hard time determining if its kidney pain or if its back pain.

6 Kidney Infection Symptoms

If you are suffering from infection than you will likely be experiencing some of these symptoms including...

Pain while urinatingTraces of blood in the urineLower back ache which does not change based on your positionFeverChillsVomiting

Kidney infections can be potentially life threatening due to the bacteria that is affecting your kidneys moving into other organs. If the bacteria level is too high and the kidney infection continues to worsen you may experience kidney failure.

Eliminate Kidney Infection Pain

Here are 2 ways to eliminate infection and pain.

1. Drink lots and lots of water

Removing the toxins from your body is the easiest way

2. Minimize toxins in your diet

The fewer toxins you put into your system the less difficulty your kidneys will have with eliminating the remaining toxins. Giving your kidneys a break from the toxins in your diet will significantly help your kidneys quickly recover from a infection.

How to Tell if you Have Back or Kidney Pain


Source

Monday, March 7, 2011

Bowel Cancer Symptoms And Different Therapies

Bowel cancer is difficult to diagnose at an early stage because patients are usually asymptomatic early in the disease process. Screening to detect polys and cancer is important for all those deemed to be at risk and for those over the age of 50. Diagnosis of bowel cancer in the older adult is especially challenging because many of the common changes of aging in the gastrointestinal tract can prevent early detection. For example, constipation, change in bowel patterns and fatigue may be inaccurately attributed to the aging process.

Approximately 50% of patients present with hepatic metastases or develop them during the course of disease. Because the protal vein drains blood supply from the colon, the liver is the most common site of metastasis for advanced disease. Isolated lung or liver metastases may be resected in later stage disease. As the disease progresses, patients may experience bowel obstruction. Widespread metastases to abdomen, lung or liver are often the cause of death.

Most cancers of the bowel are moderately or well-differentiated adenocarcinomas. These cancers usually develop as a result of progressive colonic polyp mutations. Screening for and removal of potentially malignant polyps can prevent development of metastatic disease. TNM staging has been modified to correspond with the Astler coller dukes system. This staging process evaluates the depth of bowel wall penetration by the tumor, lymph node involvement, and presence of distant metastasis. The accuracy of the staging in high risk stage II and III is associated with the number of nodes surgically removed. Staging ranges from stage I to stage IV, with overall survival declining from greater than 90% to less than 10% for stage IV disease.

A complete staging work up includes a physical exam, pathologic tissue review, colonoscopy, and baseline computed tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, complete blood count, chemistry profile and carcinombryonic antigen determination.

For resectable bowel cancer surgery remains the standard treatment. Tumor location, blood supply, and lymph node patterns are the area of cancer determine the extent of resection. Examination of a minimum of 12 lymph nodes is necessary for accurate staging. Laparoscopic advances have allowed the use of minimally invasive surgical procedures of resect bowel cancers without increasing recurrence rates. Early mobility, return of pulmonary function, and decreased ileus and adhesion formation have made this procedure desirable for many patients, especially those with advancing age and comorbid illnesses. Surgical management of bowel cancer involves resection with preservation of anorectal sphincter function, and sexual and urinary function whenever possible.

The role of radiation therapy is not well defined for bowel cancer, but more studies are needed, as completed studies are under powered. Debate over the value of pre or post surgical radiation therapy for bowel cancer continues. Although pre operative and post operative radiotherapy has been shown to reduce local recurrence when compared to surgery alone, neither intervention resulted in a statistically significant improvement in overall survival. Pre operative chemoradiotheraphy doubled the rate of bowel sphincter sparing operations and lowered the rates of local recurrence, acute toxicity, and long term toxicity.


Source

New Evidence That Kidneys Can Be Regenerated

It's sometimes been a controversial claim: that diseased kidneys can be regenerated, and that those facing dialysis or even transplants because of kidney disease may one day be able to have their kidneys healed instead. Some branches of non-traditional or non-Western medicine have actually had good success treating and even regenerating diseased kidneys with carefully crafted herbal treatments. But certainly the Western style of allopathic medicine has often been reluctant to consider the possibility of regeneration and healing, let alone actually embrace the idea.

However, there is now evidence, coming from Western medical research itself, that kidneys can indeed be regenerated. A team working through Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Pittsburgh have discovered stem cells in zebra fish kidneys that can be transplanted into other zebra fish to generate new nephrons.

These nephrons are the filtering structures inside kidneys. In humans, because stem cells disappear around the time of birth, people lose the ability to regenerate these structures. But the information derived from research with the zebra fish suggests that there are indeed ways to regenerate diseased kidneys. The research may suggest different ways than those used in herbal medicine, but these results at least opens a door to considering what hasn't been considered before. Western medical practitioners may now begin to reconsider the claims made by their counterparts practising natural medical treatments.

This work with zebra fish is just one of the ways that stem cell research is revolutionizing the practice of medicine. And even though the research comes from the more Western, allopathic side of the medical equation, there really doesn't need to be an either/or choice about it. With the wellbeing of the person with kidney disease being the goal of all treatment, any insight that improves their health and may eventually lead to a cure can be a welcome development.


Source

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Cholecystitis Symptoms And How The Pain Is Treated

Cholecystitis symptoms typically present as a severe pain felt in the upper right section of the abdomen. Cholecystitis is sometimes referred to as a gallbladder attack as it is due to an inflammation of the gallbladder. This article shares the medical symptoms associated with this condition, what causes it and what you must do to get relief from the pain and avoid serious health complications.

Cholecystitis Symptoms And Causes

Symptoms may include:
Severe pain in the upper right abdomen that may worsens if left untreated or upon breathing deeplyPain in the right shoulder or upper back that radiates from the abdominal areaTenderness over the abdomenFeverChillsNauseaVomitingSweatingBurpingBloating of the abdomenJaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) may develop in some cases

The pain and accompanying symptoms may develop soon after eating a meal high in fat.

The condition is cause by the blockage of the duct leaving the gallbladder. This prevents the transportation of bile from the gallbladder to the small intestine. The blockage can be caused by gallstones (most common), injury (i.e. trauma or surgery), infection or tumor growth. There are factors that can increase your risk of developing this condition such as gallstones, long labor, abdominal trauma and diabetes.

The condition may develop suddenly (acute cholecystitis), or develop slowly over time (chronic cholecystitis). Cholangitis is an inflammation of the duct carrying bile from the gallbladder and liver to the small intestine (common bile duct) and results in similar symptoms.

Cholecystitis Diagnosis And Treatment

This condition requires medical attention and it is important to consult a physician if you observe the aforementioned symptoms especially if they intensified after a meal high in fat. A physical examination including blood tests, ultrasound studies, a CT scan of the abdomen, or a Hepatobiliary Iminodiacetic Acid (HIDA) scan (a scan to track the production and flow of bile) may be required for an accurate diagnosis.

If left untreated, cholecystitis can lead to serious health complications, such as tears in the gallbladder and an infection that spreads to other areas of the abdomen.

Treatment will likely requires a hospital stay. You may be give medications for pain relief and antibiotics to fight bacterial infection. You will likely be refused food or drink but may receive fluids through an IV (intravenous line).

If gallstones are responsible, treatment will often involve surgery to remove the stones or the entire gallbladder (lapraroscopic cholecystectomy). In some cases the treatment will focus on dissolving the gallstones. This may be achieved by medication to dissolve the Gallstones (Ursodiol) or Lithotripsy (using shock waves to shatter the stones into small fragments that can be passed).


Source

How Sugar Harms Your Digestion

Have you ever heard the plop, plop, fizz, fizz commercial jingle? Americans, young and old, are plagued by many self imposed digestive problems. As a result of this, there is a multimillion dollar industry out there reaping the benefits of our excess in food and drink. But, have you ever wondered where the cause is?

How much sugar do you eat? Let's investigate sugar, and its role in digestive problems.

How sugar affects digestion

Junk sugars such as those found in soda pop, cookies, candies and ice cream are called simple carbs because they are composed of simple chains of sugar molecules. This has the tendency to affect the blood sugar more rapidly since they are broken down and absorbed easily. This will then trigger the insulin response to deal with the sudden surge of sugar and subsequently glucose in the bloodstream. This gives the pancreas the extra burden of dealing with the glucose, or sugar; insulin will then released into the blood to carry the glucose into the cell. The sugar will then be used up rapidly, but the body will hit a low in a few hours. At this time other hormones are released when the blood sugar becomes too low. The liver will then deal with this problem by releasing stored sugar, which will then cause the blood sugar level to rise again. What a battle the body faces with dealing with simple sugars!

What are the long term effects?

Well, we have no shortage of literature on hyperactive children who, after lunch, return to the classroom charged up on the sugary meals that they have just consumed. The problems extend to adults with varying and debilitating ailments.

These extreme shifts in blood sugar are not well tolerated in some people and those susceptible often suffer from extreme mood shifts, or highs and lows due to the blood sugar-insulin release roller coaster. These are factors in mental illnesses such as depression. The picture even becomes more grim.

For example. In the last 35-40 years Americans have increased sugar consumption going from 26 pounds to 135 pounds of sugar per person per year. Before the turn of the 20th century, people consume only 5 lbs. per person per year. Incidentally, we have seen a staggering rise in cardiovascular disease, impaired immunity, asthma, allergies and cancers. - www.mayoclinic.com

Some safer alternatives

Read the label. Get educated on the different names for sugar; "ose" endings are a clue that you are getting a sugar. Some examples are: high fructose corn syrup, lactose, maltose, dextrose. Foods that are high in sugars include bread, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce and microwaveable meals.

Try some alternative and healthier choices such as stevia, agave syrup, fruit concentrate (sugars but slowly digested).

Finally, talk to your nutritionist or your physician. You can also research other viable options. There are scores of literature out there on natural substitutes for sugars. Your body will thank you for it!

Sherl Wilsher is a nurse who is dedicated to writing about natural health and beauty topics. As the numbers of folks is growing who are tired of the adverse effects of chemicals, preservatives and drugs on health, these individuals are looking for sources of reliable information in educating themselves on important health topics.

For more information on health and beauty, please visit: http://www.sherelynne.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherl_Wilsher

Sherl Wilsher - EzineArticles Expert Author

Source

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Several Clinical Forms of Immunodeficiency State

Severe forms of immunodeficiency states are so incompatible with life that they are rarely seen in clinical practice. What are these specific disorders?

They can be classified as:
1. Combined immunodeficiency states,
2. Deficiency of humoral immunity
3. deficiency of cellular immunity
4. Deficiency of phagocytes
5. Deficiency of complement system, and
6. Secondary immunodeficiency states.

Combined immunodeficiency: There is deficiency of both cellular and humoral immunity. This is produced as a result of block of maturation of the stem cells which give rise to immunocytes. Severely affected children are incapable of limiting bacterial, viral and fungal infections and they die in childhood. Severeal subtypes have been described e.g, sex-linked recessive types (thymic type0 and autosomal recessive (Swiss ) types. Relatively benign types are the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (sex-linked) and ataxia telenglectasia (autosomal recessive). In both lymphoreticular malignancies are more common.

Humoral immune deficiency: This may be a selective primary deficiency affecting only one of the G, M or A classes of immunoglobulins. In IgG deficiency, the affected persons suffer from repeated pyogenic infections, especially by encapsulated organisms such as H. Influenza and Streptococcus pyogenes. In IgA deficiency, respiratory and atopic allergies are also common. IgA deficiency, also lowers the resistance to gut commensals leading to malabsorption syndrome. Congenital hypogammaglobulinemia may be sex linked (Bruton type) or autosomal dominant. In these cases, severe depletion of B cells and circulating immunoglobulins are noticed with consequent severe bacterial infections. Incidence of auto-immune diseases such as hemolytic anemia are high in primary agammaglobulinemia. Immunodeficiency with normal quantity of functionally deficient immunoglobulins (Job's syndrome) has been described.

Cellular Immune deficiency: Primary deficiency of T cells leads to sevee viral and monilial infections and affected children usually succumb within the first few years of Life. The lymphocytes of the patients are unable to respond to mitogens in vitro. The thymus may be almost absent (Nezelof's syndrome), or aplastic (Di George syndrome) or in some cases it may be normal, e.g, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

Defect of phagocytosis: Chronic granulomatous disease is a sex linked inherited condition where hydrogen peroxidase is deficient inside the phagocytes, leading to decreased microbial activity. Recurrent suppurative granulomas due to catalase positive and perosxidase negative organisms (Staphylococcus aureus and proteus) are common in this condition. In myeloperoxidase deficiency, infections by peroxidase positive bacteria such as hemophilus are common. In Chediak-Higashi syndrome, the neutrophils show defective degranulation and sluggish motility with consequent pyogenic infections.

Deficiencies in the complement system: Hereditary angioneurotic edema is inherited as an autosomal dominant disease, and is characterized by the absence of the enzyme which normally inhibits the activity of CI esterase which activates the complement cascade reactions leading to liberation of kinins and vaso-active peptides. Recurrent attacks of Edema of skin and mucosa are very common and edema of glottis may sometimes be life threatening. Deficiency of C3 is inherited as an autosomal recessive character. Deficiencies of other complement components, though reported, are very rare. Generally, the clinical conditions mimic immunoglobulin deficiency states.

Secondary immunodeficiency: The transplacental transfer of immunoglobulins takes place mostly in the last few weeks of pregnancy. Premature infants therefore may suffer from mild hypoglobunemia. Secondary defects in lymphocyte functions are seen in many conditions such as burns, malnutrition, leukemias, lymphomas and uremia. In Multiple myeloma, though total immunoglobulins are increased, the biologically active ones are depressed, leading to functional deficiency. Treatment of immunodeficiency states as a whole is unsatisfactory. Immunoglobulin injection (0.25g/Kg/week) may abort recurrent pyogenic infections in hypogammaglobulinemia. Treatment of cell mediated immune deficiency states is still more difficult. Transplantation of thymus and bone marrow are gaining acceptance.


Source

Friday, March 4, 2011

MRSA: Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus, Superbug That Can Kill You and How to Kill It Naturally

What is MRSA? The technical name is Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. What we want to do is become aware of why it is dangerous, what is not working to kill it, and how it can be killed naturally.

What this name means is a strain of the Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria that has become resistant to the antibiotic Methicillin. This is an understatement. Several antibiotics have lost their ability to kill this bug. A few antibiotics such as Bactrim and vancomycin can kill MRSA, at least until it mutates into a resistant form. This bacteria is serious. It can infect bones and other deep tissues to the point of causing death. According to the Center for Disease Control, the number of deaths from MRSA was 17,260 in 2005. Pictures of the sores caused by this stuff are not for the faint-of-heart. Some say it is flesh eating. If you are a sufferer you are most likely feeling pretty panicky about it. Dr. Oz believed it serious enough to report on the Oprah show back in 2009. Even if you are not a sufferer, you may be a carrier it has been estimated that up to 30% of the population have MRSA on their skin or in their nasal passages but remain uninfected. It does not infect everyone.

Why does it not affect everyone who comes into to contact with the bacteria? Not all immune systems are functioning equally and not all bodies have a healthy colonization of microbes. These may seem like far-out ideas to some, but even Louis Pasteur stated that the terrain of the body is more important than the germ in disease. This leads us to our next topic: How would a vitalist treat MRSA naturally?

Because not all people have optimal immune systems and because not all people have optimal colonization of microbes living on their bodies we have clues about treatment. As a natural healer, I have been educated to understand that we must use everything at our disposal to overcome disease, including: nutrition, lifestyle, and herbal aids. Nutrition means, for me, the Mucusless diet. This includes fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and grains with a little fish and fowl thrown in during the week. No dairy, one gallon of distilled water, and no processed flour or sugar products are other important facets of this regimen. A raw food diet would definitely be acceptable in this framework as long as the dairy and water rules are followed. If the foods are heated it should be low heat - 212 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Low heated or raw foods contain the enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional factors that our bodies need. Excessive heat will ruin the food nutritionally. Good lifestyle is also vital. This means adequate rest and exercise with some doses of fresh air and sunshine thrown in. Also vital is good hygiene. This simply means to keep clean and wash hands frequently. These procedures are vital to protect those of us whose immune systems are not up to par.

Garlic is a super antibiotic for this infection. Recently, I was working with a relative to fight this horrendous infection. In this case the disfiguring skin lesions were just heart-breaking. My relative never really felt well for months. After being treated unsuccessfully with antibiotics she finally asked for my help. What a mess! She had an immune system that was functioning poorly, bad nutritional habits, and stressful lifestyle against her. We did address all of these factors but still had a raging systemic MRSA infection with which to deal. It came down to garlic: 4 cloves taken four times daily. Pungent! I tried this and could not keep it down. A friend gave me her formula: mash 2 bananas, 2 TBSP of raw mayo (homemade), and 4 - 6 cloves of minced garlic together and take it. Something in this recipe made it possible for the garlic to be tolerated by the stoma

I warn you: this remedy must be accompanied by the nutrition and lifestyle regimens or it may not work. We must be as aggressive as the disease or the disease will win.

Because this article cannot include everything in its scope you may have some gaps in your knowledge to fill in (I would). Please ask me questions on my web site at Natural Healing With Herbs (http://www.natural-healingwithherbs.com/).

Jim Spalding, Master Herbalist, is a graduate of Dr. John Christopher's School of Natural Healing. This article is intended as an introduction to a healing regimen using herbs and lifestyle changes only. Jim also does public speaking, individual tutorials, and herb walks. More can be learned by making comments and asking questions on his blog site http://natural-healingwithherbs.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Spalding


Source

Getting Aid With Fingernail Problems

Nearly all of us disregard or overlook fingernail problems. We don't usually commit too much emphasis to them in comparison to our face, hair or skin. If we don't give any attention to our fingernails, problems such as nail fungus, will develop and spread quickly. Unfortunately you now have a bigger fingernail problem to contend with.

In general nails are constructed of water and fat in between protein atoms. There are 3 prevalent classifications which bring about finger nail problems. These are grave illnesses, incidents causing forcible damage or, an encroachment caused by several forms of micro-organism. You can find right away the discoloration, thickening and nail distortion irrespective of the cause.

It gives you more fuss as fungal infection develops with signs and precursors of inflammation getting more prominent. Not given the proper intervention, you could in due course end up losing the nail itself. Forceful damage gives rise to assymetry in nail building. This is so particularly when the nail root is severely affected. A flushed or plum-colored nail may actually be a slash or bruised tissue under the plate

Moreover, some finger nail troubles signify a graver kind of disease. Lack of nutrition is the culprit for those successive furrows called Beau's lines. Cyanosis or insufficiency of oxygen is indicated when fingernails start to even out. They are predominately observed in illnesses involving the heart and the lungs. Carmine- colored straight margins appear on fingernails of people with rheumatoid arthritis or high blood pressure.

But what reason will you come up with if you are neither wounded nor suffering from any disease... yet your nails are having these curious alterations?

Try to investigate those 5 pairs of digits and examine for these crucial indicators.

- A rusty or straw-colored mark at the distal part of your finger nail.

- The presence of milky or dusky spots

- Perplexing compacting of the fingernails.

- Slow aching that is aggrivated during activity

- Gathering remnants underneath the nail

- Pockets containing purulent discharges or secretions

- Soft or flaked finger nails

- Decayed smell

It is extremely likely that you are suffering fungal trouble when you have one or more of these symptoms. Onychomycosis, the medical designation for nail fungus, is a more familiar occurrence than one would care to accommodate. It is plainly defined as fungal invasion onto the nails of the finger. Onychomycosis is an ugly and embarrassing condition. It is known to be trying and persistent to all forms of medication.

In order to make certain of your diagnosis, see your Dermatologist. But where therapeutics is implicated, you can have a lot of options. One can have their own preference among laser treatments, herbal preparations and the usual dosage you buy from the pharmacy.

One thing is plain. Fingernail issues still necessitate to be handled. Top form fingernails are both a beauty credit and a sure indication of physical fitness.


Source

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Truth About Cyberknife Treatment For Acoustic Neuroma

As the world ages, new disease-conditions start to proliferate. Although a lot of experts are equipped with advance knowledge about the human body and the medical science, these latest conditions are getting harder to understand, and one of these is the disease called Acoustic neuroma.

In this article, you will be learning more about this condition and some interventions that are used to prevent and treat it. Particularly, you will know more about the cyberknife treatment for acoustic neuroma. At the end of this article, you are expected to understand the exact indication of this therapy and the possible risk factors or complications that it brings.

What is acoustic neuroma?

It is also medically termed as vestibular schwannoma, and it is a benign tumor that greatly affects the vestibulocochlear cranial nerve. This nerve is responsible for your sense of hearing and balance.

The primary symptom of this condition is hearing loss. Other signs and symptoms are loss of balance, ringing on the ear or tinnitus, vertigo, nausea, increased pressure on the ears, and vomiting. Other people might also suffer from total deafness if the condition worsened.

Before any treatment is instituted, a thorough diagnostic study is performed. The ear doctor will probably opt for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI study to determine the size of the tumor and the extent of damage. Several hearing examinations will also be done, as well as tests of balance control. This condition is not easy to diagnose, and it is more difficult if it developed on elderly individuals, because hearing loss can also be associated as a normal response to aging.

The first line of treatment is usually surgery, using several approaches. The aim of this treatment modality is to remove the tumor, especially if it is already large enough to cause total deafness. Moreover, a large tumor can also affect and alter the functions of other nearby organs.

The advent of cyberknife method

Another intervention is the cyberknife treatment for acoustic neuroma. This uses gamma radiation to incise or remove completely the growing tumor and leaving the site free of potentially harmful tumor cells. There are also different approaches to this kind of therapy, and Image Guidance is one of these. In this approach the procedure is being closely monitored by an X-ray procedure to determine whether the radiation is perfectly directed towards the tumor or not.

Another approach is the Robotic Mounting. It utilizes the robotics technology for a precise execution of the procedure. One advantage of this kind of approach is that the gamma rays are being emitted at different directions towards the tumor, and there is no need to use the X-ray.

As of the present, there are no recorded side effects of both approaches, because the radiation that is being used has a low frequency, which is being tolerated well by the body. However, further studies are being done to determine more the success of these in treating other conditions, and if they can really be risky to one's health.


Source

Understanding Just What Fibromyalgia Is - An Overview

Fibromyalgia is a term that was coined a while ago by doctors. It is a combination of Greek and Latin terminology:

Fibro: fibrous tissue (Latin)Myo: muscle (Greek)Algia: pain (Greek)

This is because fibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread condition that affects your fibrous tissues and muscles, causing pain. While no evidence of inflammation is present, there is a lot of tenderness, aching and stiffness that can be affected by noise, stress and environment. More women than men (80%) are affected with most of them being between 35 and 55-years-old.

The Top Ten Symptoms

The top 10 symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

? Joint and muscle pain and stiffness are the main symptoms

? Most people feel nervous, apprehensive and dejected, which can lead them to become depressed.

? Sleep disturbances - While it may be easy to fall asleep you may wake up several times throughout the night and thus only get a few good hours of sleep. This can leave you feeling fatigued the moment you wake up.

? The inability to concentrate; Forgetfulness - This is sometimes called "fibro fog" and it can make you completely unaware of your surroundings and recent conversations.

? A dry mouth, nose or dry eyes - This is really common. It may even lead you to have raging thirst.

? IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) - This is also quite common with the norm being either diarrhea or constipation.

? Headaches or migraines

? Chronic abdominal pain

? Balance problems, especially when walking (It is highly recommended that fibromyalgia patients use either a cane or a walking stick.)

? A tingling or numb feeling in your fingers and feet that is caused by hypersensitivity to the weather

?Extreme sensitivity to cold or heat that is also caused by changes in the temperature around you

Fibromyalgia Diagnosis

It is difficult to diagnose a person with fibromyalgia because this syndrome doesn't show up in x-rays, scans or blood tests since there is no inflammation involved within your body. So, a diagnosis depends upon a physical exam in which there are 18 trigger (a.k.a. tender) points located throughout your body that whenever light pressure is applied to them the patient will experience pain. In order to be given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, you must feel pain in 11 of the 18 trigger points. You must also have experienced widespread pain for three months or longer.


Source

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Coping With Lupus And Its Effects

The common condition, Lupus, is a major re-occurring disorder recognized due to discomfort in numerous areas of the body. This fits in the category of disorders which includes rheumatism, multiple sclerosis, child diabetes, and also scleroderma.

The most typical kind of lupus is actually systemic lupus erythematosus. It is believed that lupus impacts one out of two thousand individuals, therefore there are actually millions of people globally which are suffering from SLE. Systemic lupus is often a complicated and often confusing ailment which could affect just about any cell structure and potentially an organ within the human body, among them the epidermis, muscle tissue, all bodily joints, blood as well as bloodstream, the lungs, cardiovascular, renal system and also the brain. There are additional forms of lupus that primarily impact the epidermis. Some people acquire drug-induced lupus in reaction to various medicines for the treatment of other disorders. Most of these signs and symptoms vanish once the individual ceases using the prescription medication.

Lupus isn't an infectious disorder. A single person is unable to obtain it via someone who has it, and no precautions need to be taken while being close to an individual who has lupus disease.

Among 10% of instances, a number of prescription medications, including the ones utilized for abnormal heart-beat as well as hypertension, can result in signs and symptoms of SLE. (These indicators generally disappear once the prescription medication is ceased.) This particular result happens to be observed frequently around older individuals and this is normally known as drug-induced lupus. Within the additional 90% involving SLE examples along with just about all cases of DLE, the reason and/or factors behind the condition aren't particularly known.

Despite the fact that previous research involving lupus indicate that it's an autoimmune condition, the results offers very few answers for the many questions behind lupus. The explanation is the fact that the sources of immune system conditions are not adequately comprehended. However, there exists some information in regards to what medical professionals suspect what takes place during the growth of lupus.

Genetics has been suspected to be a reason, despite the fact that it is unknown exactly what part it plays. Many experts have confirmed that an individual that has a close family member which possesses SLE can be somewhat more probable to suffer from the condition (approximately 10%) compared to an individual which doesn't. This probability greatly improves in the event that an individual is the sibling of an identical twin that has SLE. SLE's increased occurrence within many ethnic peoples furthermore indicates that genetics plays a part. Nevertheless, virtually no gene (genetic aspect) has recently been particularly connected to the actual generation regarding lupus.

The very fact which females tend to be more probable to acquire lupus compared to males indicates that bodily hormones can also be related to this particular condition.

A number of environmental impacts are suspected to be an important factor with the oncoming of lupus. It's thought that autoimmune tendencies in certain people could possibly be induced through harmful bacteria, viruses, severe emotional stress, direct sunlight, specific medications, and even food chemicals. However, not every single person will get lupus given that they have been infected with a certain virus, stressed out, from prescription medication, or perhaps consumed a particular type of food.

The specific antibodies active in the autoimmune response are known as "auto-antibodies." These are considered to respond exclusively with the help of specific chemical ingredients within the tissues located in the body, generating inflamed joints as well as harm to internal organs.

The particular indicators and symptoms of lupus range significantly in various people, within many areas of one's body as well as the level of intensity. Typically the discomforts can also appear and disappear, and can even disappear altogether for extended periods of time. Despite the fact that lupus develops considerably more regularly in females compared to males, the implications in men are comparable to those amongst females.


Source