Archive for the ‘health’ Category

Understanding Morgellons Disease   no comments

Posted at 3:20 am in Diseases,health

Morgellons Disease is also named Morgellons Syndrome because there’s no defined pathology or diagnostic pathway for decoding and curing this condition. Morgellons Disease is basically a complex condition with the skin, i.e. a dermatological well being problem, and resemblance in appearance to scabies infestation with the skin with mites.

Morgellons Disease induces a wide range of symptoms, doing it extremely hard to identify this condition. Morgellons Disease Symptoms are normally a combination of numerous skin-related symptoms, including the development of fibrous bands on the skin and chronic skin lesions.

However, one of the most normal of morgellons disease symptoms may be the feeling of ‘biting’ on the skin. Numerous patients refer to this as a feeling of ‘insects crawling on the skin’. A additional right definition for ones same is a sensation of biting or pinching along the skin.

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Written by bogart on February 25th, 2011

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Signs And Symptoms Of Syphilis   no comments

Posted at 3:29 am in Diseases,health

Before knowing the symptoms of syphilis, one should have a basic idea of what this disease is? It is basically a sexually transmitted disease which is caused by bacteria named spirochaete bacterium known as Treponema pallidum and can affect people of both sexes. It has gained a reputation or more appropriately it is notorious of being “the great imitator” because most of the syphilis symptoms resemble the symptoms of other diseases. This is the reason why diagnosing this disease is so difficult. It is also contagious and can pass through intimate sexual contact. Women who are expecting may pass on the infection to the yet-to-be-born child.

The syphilis may pass through 3 distinct stages. There are possibilities that not all 3 of these stages may be observed, one after the other. The phases are listed below and along with them; the syphilis symptoms are listed too:

1)Primary stage- It usually starts with a sore at the site of the infection. This sore is popularly called shanker. It is in the form of a lesion which may appear on the male or the female genitals although all parts of the body are equally at risk. Any person who touches the infection lesion may end up with an infection. It can develop after a month after the first appearance and heals after 1 week. Though the sores may vanish, the disease does not.

2)Secondary stage- The secondary phase develops after a month after the first appearance of chancre. The phase has numerous symptoms, which is the reason why syphilis has the, unflattering name of “the great pretender”. Due to this reason, this phase may go without treatment. These are the most frequently reported symptoms of the phase:

Joint fever

Muscle aches

Fever

Flu-like symptoms

Headache

Whole body rash

Patchy hair loss

Decreased appetite

Swollen lymph nodes

3)Latent phase- This phase is characterized by relapse of the secondary phase of the syphilis. After two years of the latent phase one may not have symptoms and may be completely cured. However one can still transmit infection through blood transfusion. One third people will progress from latent syphilis to tertiary one. During this phase, parts of the body such as brain, skin, bones and the heart are at risk.

4)Tertiary Syphilis- The syphilis symptoms of this stage depends on which part of the body the infection spreads to. For instance, it may spread to nerves, eyes, brain, bones, blood vessels or skin. It can cause the following symptoms:

Dementia

Stroke

numbness

loss of coordination

blindness

paralysis

deafness

skin rashes

heart diseases

As soon as the symptoms of syphilis are observed, one is required to visit their physician. He/she will check for signs of the disease such as skin rashes or chancre. A blood sample will be taken and that is analyzed. The treatment and the prescription depends on the stage of the disease.

Visit here for more information on: Herpes Simplex 1.

Symptoms Of Rheumatic Fever   no comments

Posted at 4:14 am in health

Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease that usually occurs after a group A streptococcal throat infection. It usually causes inflammatory lesions in connective tissues especially in the heart, blood vessels, joints and so on. The disease has been known since 1500s but the relation between rheumatic fever symptom and throat infection was not discovered till the 1880s. Mostly, it was thought to be associated with scarlet fever, in the 1900s. During that time, penicillin was not invented, so most of the children dies due to this disease. It has many symptoms and can attack almost any part of the body such as the skin, joints, heart and brain. It is also observed that the fever is repetitive in middle aged people (those who are 20-40 years).

There are numerous causes of this disease. Sore throat or strep throat is one of the main cause and is mainly because of the A streptococcus bacteria. There is an established pattern and it is observed that rheumatic fever generally accompanies scarlet fever and a sore throat. It never usually occurs due to infections in other parts of the body. It is usually essential to treat sore throat with antibiotics to avoid this fever. What makes it a little dangerous, is there are no exact causes of this fever.

What are the symptoms of this almost-eradicated disease? There can be inflammatory sensation in the joints, central nervous system and the heart and these signs are pretty good indications of a person suffering from a case of rheumatic fever. It has also been noted that the signs vary from person to person. Some of the other symptoms are listed as below:

Chest pain

Fever

Shortness of breath

Joint pain

Nodules below skin

Tenderness in skin

Rash on skin

Inflammation of the heart

Jerky movements

Weight loss

Fatigue

Although it is a serious ailment, there is cure for it too. There are no actual cure for this disease, but some medicaton is usually provided to reduce the sensation of inflammation. The streptococcal infection can be prevented by providing penicillin to the patient. To combat the fever, aspirin is usually given to reduce the fever. To reduce the swelling and the joint pains, corticosteroids is given. The best and the most reliable treatment is, bed rest. It usually helps the patients to heal and of course, the intke of fluids is a must. The patient must have around 6-8 glasses of water to have the energy to fight the disease.

The fever has numerous complications too. Due to initial attack, some people may take a turn for the worse such as rheumatic heart disease which causes problems in heart due to the fever, sydenham chorea which give rise to spasms in the body, endocarditis which deal with endocardium, Arrhythmias which is a disorder in the heart rhythm and so on. There is no said way of preventing this fever. Most doctors do not know how to reduce the speed of the damage to the valves of the heart. Thus, before the disease gets too severe, it is best to start the treatment as soon as possible.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Overview And Diagnosis   no comments

Posted at 4:00 am in Diseases,health

Pseudo means false. Applying logic, the name means a false brain tumor. It is mainly caused in the skull due to poor absorption or the buildup of cerebrospinal fluid. Women between the age-group of 20 and 50 suffer from this disease. There are numerous symptoms to this disorder. The major symptoms and signs are listed below:

Ringing in the ears that is in co-ordination with one’s heartbeat

Blurred or dimmed vision

Moderate to severe headache that originate behind the patient’s eyes. This condition is aggravated with eye treatment

Small episodes of blindness

Nausea, dizziness and vomiting

Double vision which is also known as diplopia

Difficulty in side vision

Neck, shoulder or back pain

Seeing light flashes which is also known as photopsia

The usual causes of pseudotumor cerebri are still shrouded in mystery, but it is suspected to be linked with excess of cerebrospinal fluid which is present in your skull. The spinal cord and the spinal cord is surrounded by this fluid, it acts like a cushion to protect important tissues from harm. The fluid is usually produced in the brain but is absorbed in the bloodstream. The possibility of the pseudotumor cerebri may be due to an increased intracranial pressure and this may be responsible for the absorption process that takes place. This happens when there is an increase in intracranial pressure, which may happen when the contents of the skull extends their capacity.

The following factors listed below have been associated with this disease:

Medication- Oral contraceptives, growth hormones, discontinuation with steroids, tetracycline and an excess intake of Vitamin A

Obesity- It occurs mostly in 1 in 100,000 people. Women who are under the age of 44 and are obese are more likely to suffer from this disorder.

Health problem- The diseases which are mostly linked to pseudotumor cerebri are Head Injury, Kidney disease, Lupus, Addison’s disease, Mononucleosis, Lyme disease, Polycystic ovary syndrome, underactive parathyroid glands, sleep apnea and so on.

There are a number of tests that are carried out to diagnose this fake tumor. Some of these exams are listed as below:

1)Eye Exam- If the doctor suspects pseudotumor cerebri, he will look for a distinctive kind of swelling, which is known as papilledema in the rear of the eye. The patient may need to undergo various eye tests to see if there are any blind spots in her vision.

2)Spinal tap (lumbar puncture)- A lumbar puncture-which involves placing a needle between two vertebrae in the lower back which helps to decide how high the pressure is inside the skull.

3)Brain imaging- MRI or CT scans can rule out other problems that can cause similar symptoms such as blood clots and brain tumors.

There are treatments for this disorder too. The medications start with trying to control the symptoms. Weight loss is recommended for obese individuals. If th eye-sight gets worse, there are surgeries to reduce the pressure around the optic nerve.

Visit here for more information on: Symptoms Of Brain Tumor.

Diagnosis Of Diabetes   no comments

Posted at 11:39 pm in health

When diagonising diabetes, physicians depend primarily on the results of the particular glucose tests. This is a part of the information which helps to determine if the diabetes is Type 1 or Type 2. Doctors take the physical examination, the history and the presence or the absence of symptoms. People who are very ill have some temporary problems with an increase in sugar levels, which will return to normalcy as soon as the illness has passed. The medication can also change the blood glucose levels such as diuretics like water pills and some steroids. There are mainly two tests to measure the blood sugar problems are the direct measurement of glucose levels present in the blood during a fast that lasts over a night.

Diagnosing diabetes is important not only for a person’s long term health, but also, to be positive that one does not suffer the after effects of the disease such as amputation and blindness. Although there is no said method of curing diabetes but with the help of a correct lifestyle and appropriate medical treatment one can bring the condition under control. There are two kinds of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. The former type is mostly common amongst youngsters and is mostly hereditary. The latteris on its way to being an epidemic since it is mostly caused by poor food choices which inevitably lead to obesity which is a setting stone for diabetes. Type 2 is close to being an epidemic with the alarming rate of obesity among people.

According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) in the year 2007, 7.8%of the population, or more precisely 23.6 million people have diabetes, both undiagnosed or diagnosed. There are multiple tests one can undergo for diagnosing diabetes. They are listed as below:

1)Oral Glucose Tolerance Test- This test is usually meant for expecting women and is used for diagnosing diabetes who have gestational diabetes. There are specific instructions that need to be followed before the test. Before three days, the doctor recommends special instructions for exercise, medication and eating. The duration of the test lasts upto 4 hours and the patient os required to be absolutely still as activity may hamper with the accuracy of the results.

2)Fasting Plasma Glucose Test- The test is taken after fasting for 8 hours. The test involves drawing blood for analysis. This test is easy because it costs less and is more convenient as compared to other tests.

3)Glucose Tolerance Diagnostic Test- This test is an advanced version of the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. In this, the patient requires to fast before hand and provide a baseline blood sample upon reaching the testing institute. Following that, a glucose drink is administered. After that, another sample of blood is taken after maybe threee hours of the glucose consumption. At times, the draw may also occur within half an hour of the glucose consumption.

The main cause in diabetes is the insulin. It can either too much or too little of insulin. To know the relation between diabetes and insulin it is important to understand the role of insulin and glucose. Glucose is the source of fuel and the insulin is created by the pancreas and its major role is to separate the glucose from the bloodstream and divert it towards muscle, liver cells and fat.

Read here for more information on: What Causes Diabetes.

Symptoms Of Cellulitis Infection   no comments

Posted at 3:09 am in Diseases,health

Cellulitis is primarily an infection caused by the bacteria. It can cause damage to the connective tissue beneath the skin, and in more unusual cases spread to the lymph nodes. Bacteria can get easily enter the skin through cuts, laceration or scrapes. This disease usually affects the legs, but at times may also affect the face, scalp and arms. The easy way to stop is by taking antibiotics. However, in some cases, the cellulitis may lead to unforeseen complications. At times, it may also be life-threatening.

There are various bacteria that are responsible for this disease. Staphylococcus and the Streptococcus and other smaller forms of bacteria such as haemophilus influenzae, pneumococcus and the clostridium are also responsible for causing cellulitis infection. At times, abrasion present in the skin may also cause an infection. Sometimes it does not even require an injured site. It may develop over a smooth patch of skin that had been the site of a previous infection such as athlete’s foot or eczema. Or, if there are tattooing, skin rashes, insect or animal bites. AIDS, radiation and diabetes are also known to have caused this disease.

The other bacterium which is responsible for the spread of cellulitis infection is staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also known as staph. Once the bacteria or the pathogen enters, it makes its way deeper into lymph nodes and the blood stream and makes its way throughout the body. This can lead to sweating, bouts of cold and cough, high fever and so on. There are numerous risk factors for this disease such as injury or trauma with a break in skin surface, cracks or peeling skin between toes, insect bites or stings, ulcers from diabetes, or blockage in blood.

Symptoms of cellulitis infection are manifold. Some of them are pain or tenderness in the area with sores or rash. The signs of infection include fatigue, general ill feeling, chills, shaking, warm skin sweating, muscle pain. The skin sore or the rash grows quickly within 24 hours, comes on suddenly and usually has sharp borders. There are other signs such as hair loss at the site of the infection, nausea and vomiting and joint swiftness which is caused by swelling over the joint. The area that is affected looks red and has warmth over the redness and has tight, glossy and stretched appearance of the skin.

How does one diagnose this disease appropriately? During the recommended physical examination the doctor may find swelling and drainage if the infection is around a skin wound, swollen glands and redness warmth and there may be swelling. The tests that are used are a complete blood count also known as CBC and blood culture.

The disease may not be serious, but the person may require a hospital stay if one is very sick such as persistent high blood pressure, nausea and vomiting and very high temperature. It is brought under control with close follow up and oral antibiotics. The treatment focuses on preventing complications and controlling the infection.

Read here for more information on: Herpes Simplex 1.

Symptoms – About Brain Tumors   no comments

Posted at 3:00 am in Diseases,health

Brain tumor is a disease in the brin where cancer cells may develop in the brain tissue. The cancer cells may grow to form a mass of cancer tissues which is also known as a tumor. This tumor interferes with brain tissue functions such as sensation, memory, muscle control or other usual body functions. Tumors that primarily comprise of cancer cells are called malignant tumors and the ones that are composed of of benign tumors. The cancer cells that develop from brain tissues are called primary brain tumors. The numbers prove that the disease is not rare and is likely to have chances of developing in approximately 20,000 people every year. There are usually two types of brain cancer. The primary brain cancer starts in the brain whereas the metastatic brain cancer starts in the body and moves to the brain. Tumors can either be malignant with cancer cells that can grow quickly or benign with no cancer cells.

The primary brain cancer hardly spreads beyond the central nervous system. Death may occur from uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of the skull. The metastatic brain cancer indicates that the disease is advanced and has a poor prognosis. These tumors are made of cancerous cells from a tumor which is present somewhere in the body. The cells are spread to the brain from another tumor in a process called metastasis.

There are various symptoms of brain tumor. They may damage neurological pathways and may compress and invade brain tissue. The symptom develop over a period of time and the traits of the symptoms differ depending on the actual size and the place where the tumor is located. The disease is not very painful in the beginning. However as the size increases, the person may experience slight discomfort in the beginning and then later extreme pain as the cancer corrodes the other structures in the body. There are a few telltale signs that tell that there is something wrong with the body. But before jumping to conclusion, one nees to visit the doctor to be diagnosed correctly. For instance, signs such as rapid breathing rate, abnormal breathing and fever may be pneumonia.

The symptoms differ from place to place. Listed below are the different areas in the brain and corresponding symptoms of brain tumor:

Parietal Lobe

Inability to write

Impaired speech

Seizures

Spatial disorders

Lack of recognition

Tumor in the temporal lobe may cause impaired seizures and speeches. Whereas a tumor in the brainstem may have the following symptoms

Difficulty speaking and swallowing

Behavioral and emotional changes

Morning headaches

Drowsiness

Loss of hearing

Muscle weakness on one side of the body

Drooping eyelids, vision loss

Vomiting

Symptoms of brain tumor in meninges (meningioma) do depend on which area of the brain is under pressure. Some include:

Hearing loss

Incontinence

Headache

Seizures

Mental and emotional changes

Prolonged drowsiness

Vision loss

Written by admin on January 21st, 2011

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Acute Bronchitis Symptoms   no comments

Posted at 2:24 am in Diseases,health

The lung is a very vulnerable organ and it is susceptible to various diseases. One of these diseases is acute bronchitis. It is mostly caused by viral infection, which settles in the lungs. It may also be caused by bacterial infection. They may also result in the inflammation of the passages which are known as bronchi and bronchioles. Inflammation and the infection of the bronchi lead to symptoms that can include fever, yellow or white phlegm and shortness of breath. There are numerous complications of this disease such as pneumonia which have serious complications such as death.

acute bronchitis is a pretty common disease which can occur at any time of the year, but usually happens in the colder months. It is usual in old people, young children and infants. It is mostly common in people who are smokers or who have been exposed to air pollution, on a fairly regular basis. Also, people suffering from congestive heart failure, emphysema and lung cancer are also at risk.

The diagnosis of the disease of acute bronchitis is very thorough. It begins with a complete check on the medical history of the patient, which include exposure to lung irritants and smoking history. Physical examination usually involves listening to the sound waves made by a lung, through a stethoscope. A cracking, bubbling or a wheezing sound indicates the presence of bronchitis. A sample of phlegm taken from the patient is tested to detect the presence of bacteria or other germs. People, who have a serious case of this disease, need to undergo an arterial blood gas test. In this test, a sample of blood is taken from an artery to measure different criteria such as effective breathing

The symptoms usually start when a person is suffering from flu or cold. They are usually characterized by excess mucus drainage from the sinuses, a general weak feeling and a burning throat. One may also have a slightly high temperature too. One can experience an uncomfortable feeling in the bronchi or trachea, which is intensified by wheezing or coughing. It is usually a cause for concern when people begin to notice blood in their sputum. The blood is usually caused due to the inflammation in the bronchi walls which are under great pressure when a patient coughs. The main symptoms of this form of bronchitis are listed as below:

Larger volumes of green or bright yellow sputum

A prolonged cough

Symptoms of systemic disease (the whole body is ill)

The pertinent question is what is the treatment for this disease? By following a steady diet pumped with adequate E, C and A. Avoiding exertions are common sense measures. If experience just fever, one should have plenty of bed rest. A doctor should be called when the symptoms remain, longer than usual and if the patient is experiencing shortness of breath or feeling weak. If one follows certain precautions and basic treatment, the disease can be brought under control.

Read here for more information on: Symptoms Of Bronchitis.

Symptoms Of ACL Injuries   no comments

Posted at 2:15 am in Diseases,health

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries or ACL injuries are the over-stretching or rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee. A rupture can either be complete or incomplete. The knee shares certain similarities to a hinge joint and is located at the junction, where the end of the thigh bone (femur) meets the top of the shin bone (tibia). There are 4 major ligaments that connect these two bones. They are listed as follows:

Lateral Collateral ligament- It runs on the outer part of the knee and prevents the knee from bending outward.

Medical Collateral Ligament- runs on the inner side and prevents the knee from bending inwards

Posterior cruciate Ligament- It works with the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). It prevents the tibia from sliding under the femur.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament- It lies in the middle of the knee. It usually stops the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur and provides rotational stability to the knee.

The PCL and the ACL cross each other within the knee which forms a cross-like structure and hence called cruciate ligaments. The ACL injuries often occur with other kinds of injuries. Usually, the ACL ruptures with MCL and medical meniscus (one of the shock absorbing cartilages). This injury is prominent amongst skiers and football players. It is more common in women than men. This is mainly because of the difference in anatomy and muscle function. The ruptures may occur due to non-contact or contact. A single injury to the side of the knee during football may result in ACL injuries. There are other causes too. When coming to a quick stop combined with sudden change in the direction while running, landing from a jump, pivoting can also cause injury to the ACL.

There are numerous symptoms of ACL injuries. Some of them are listed as below:

Pain on the outside and back of the knee.

Feeling or hearing a pop in the knee at the time of the injury.

Limited knee movement because of swelling or pain or both.

The knee feeling unstable, giving out or buckling

The knee swelling within the first few hours of the injury. This is usually the sign of internal bleeding. If there is a swelling, it is a sign of serious injury.

Although ACL injuries are serious, it is treatable though. It can be treated through the method of R.I.C.E.R. It is an acronym that stands for R=Rest, I=Ice, C=Compression, E=Elevation and R=referral for appropriate medical treatment. There are two points which are very important:

1.Rest- Once ACL is diagnosed, it is important to give the knee sufficient rest. Any movement can worsen the condition.

2.Ice- The basics of first aid. The application of ice will work wonders to reduce swelling, bleeding and the pain.

There are minor differences in the injury patterns of children and women. Adults usually pull the ligament off the femur bone and children usually tear the ACL with the piece of bone attached.

Stroke Treatments And Therapies   no comments

Posted at 2:20 am in Diseases,health

The brain is a powerful machine. It is also the most important part after the heart. The brain requires constant pumping of glucose and oxygen from the bloodstream. A cerebrovascular accident also known as a stroke, occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain stops. This results in the death of brain cells. There are numerous ways a stroke may occur. Some of these ways are listed as below:

Artery Block

The small arteries that narrow down within the brain causes a lacunar stroke. The blockage of a single tissue affects a tiny area of brain which causes the tissue to die.

There are several vessels which carry blood to the brain. One of them are the arteries. If the arteries responsible for carrying the blood to the brain, harden this may cause a stroke. There are two important components in the arteries- the anterior circulation which controls sensations, motor activity, speech, thought and emotion is in the cartoid arteries. Whereas posterior circulation is chiefly for the areas cerebellum and the brainstem which are controlled by vertebrobasilar arteries. If these are damaged in any way, they may cause a stroke too

Embolism- In extreme cases, blood clots form within the heart and there are million chances for them to break off and block arteries.

There are other causes that might cause a stroke. It is important to know the kind of stroke one has suffered from, so that it is easy to provide the appropriate stroke treatment. For instance, a stroke can be caused by celebral haemorrhage. This is caused when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds into the brain tissues, adjacent to them. This results in loss of blood and oxygen to various parts of the brain.Then there is subarachnoid haemorrhage, in which, the blood acumulates beneath the arachnoid membrane. The symptoms are usually nausea, vomiting, severe headaches and a stiff neck. If not offered the proper stroke treatment this may result in the death of a patient or coma. The third form is a rare condition which is known as vasculitis which results in the inflammation of brain tissues causing them to reduce the blood supply to the brain.

There are different symptoms that show which part of the brain has been affected and which brain tissues have been affected. Once these symptoms manifest themselves, it is recommended to provide the corresponding stroke treatment as soon as possible! There are different treatments available. It is a disorders which requires immediate attention so do the following in case of a stroke:

Calling the emergency number 911. This is the number for the emergency medical transport.

Treatment for acute stroke must be given as soon as possible, since it is a fatal disease

In case somebody is having a stroke, refrain from waiting to see if the symptoms go away.

Do not call the General Physician

Aspirin does not so help. It may be injected later, if needed.

Read here for more additional information on: What Causes A Stroke.

Written by admin on January 20th, 2011

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