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:


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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


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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.
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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


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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.


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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.


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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!


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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.


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