by Medical Health Article | Sep 1, 2013 | Conditions
Autoimmune disease is a fairly common disease that can occur in men and women of all ages; about 23.5 million people across the United States. Your immune system protects your body from all sorts of infection and disease, it is basically your bodies support system. But, autoimmune disease is a condition when your immune system does the exact opposite, it mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in your body, most often destroying it in the process.
A healthy body’s immune system contains white blood cells that fight off antigens, or harmful substances. Some examples of antigens include cancer, bacteria, viruses, and other toxins. The immune systems fights off these antigens by producing antibodies which help to prevent the body from becoming sick and damaged. What causes autoimmune disease is when your immune system can no longer tell the difference between your healthy body tissue and any antigens that may enter your body, therefore your body tissue starts to become destroyed. The most commonly affected tissues are the skin, blood vessels, muscles, red blood cells, and joints. The effected tissue can face deconstruction, abnormal growth and changes in function.
There are several kinds of autoimmune disorders, some examples include:-Addison’s Disease-Celiac Disease-Type 1 Diabetes-Graves Disease-Several forms of Arthritis-Multiple Sclerosis
The cause of this occurrence is unfortunately unknown. Some theories suggest that some bacteria, drugs or viruses may cause the miss-communication with your body but it has not been proven to be true. With that being said, that means there is no preventive measures that be taken to avoid this disease.
There are several symptoms that may arise if you are suffering from an autoimmune disorder. Three of the most common symptoms are fever, a general sick feeling and fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor where they can test you with a physical exam, antinuclear antibody tests, auto-antibody tests, and CBC.
Treatment all depends on the area of the infection. If it is effecting the blood you may need a blood transfusion, insulin and vitamin supplements may be needed to reproduce what the body is lacking, and medications such as corticosteroids and non-steroid drugs such as tacrolimus, sirolimus and azathioprine.
Unfortunately most autoimmune disease are considered to be chronic and incurable, some can lead to death and some to disability but with recent advancements researches have found that the disease can be controlled with proper treatment and follow ups.
by Medical Health Article | Aug 21, 2013 | Conditions
Broncho pulmonary dysplasia is a disease that affects’ the lungs and attacks newborn infants. The babies who are most affected are those who are born prematurely or those who are put in breathing machine. These are the children who have received a high amount of oxygen for a long time. The infant’s lung does not fully develop and they are unable to make enough surfactant. The surfactant is a liquid that is found in the lung and assists in keeping them open for air to enter.
Infants who suffer these respiratory disorders get less oxygen in their bodies. If the babies are not treated well this may lead to damage of the brain and other vital body organs. However, babies are treated by replacing surfactant and they may also need oxygen remedy. The situation may change after few days but if it gets worse breathing support machine is used. Those babies who are born prematurely and still need oxygen even when they get to their original time are diagnosed with broncho pulmonary dysplasia.
Signs of Disease
Some of the signs of this disease are coughing fast breathing and shortness of breathing. Some of the tests which are carried to ascertain the disease are chest x-ray, pulmonary working test, and chest ct scans. Children with this disease are fed using tubes which are placed in the stomach. They are also fed with an extra amount of calories to enhance breathing effort. The treatment of this infection may take a long time and infants are hospitalized for a long period.
Preventive Measures
Some of the following measures are important to a baby recovering from this disease. Prevent your baby from being infected colds and other breathing related infections. This can be avoided by ensuring that anybody who touches the baby washes their hand with warm water. Ensure people with a cold or having other related infections do not come into contact with the child. Avoid smoking in a place near the baby as smoke increases the risk of infection. It is also safe to avoid taking your child in crowded places.
Proper feeding to the child and observing a high level of hygiene is very important to babies with this problem. The child will need a diet with a good supply of energy. The diet should include a good supply of vitamins, fats, protein, and carbohydrates. Parent of these children should seek regular medical advice from the doctors. It is also important to give emotional support to parents with children affected by this disease. This is because the child may take a long time to recover. However, this disease is curable and the baby can recover.
by Medical Health Article | Jul 7, 2013 | Conditions
If you face into a body-sized mirror and notice your body appear slightly twisted and laterally deviated, it makes you think you have an abnormal, misaligned figure. It’s actually a condition known as scoliosis.
What is Scoliosis?
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Scoliosis is an abnormal hereditary condition in which a spine curves into either side. Normally, a human’s spine appears straight when viewed from the back. In Scoliosis, a spine may show bending into either left or right side in a C-shape or S-shape form.
Scoliosis is actually categorized into different types according to the location of a spinal curve. A spinal curve that appears on the upper back is called Cervical Spine Scoliosis. If it appears on the middle part, it’s known as Thoracic Spine Scoliosis. And if the curve is seen at the lower back, it’s called Lumbar Spine Scoliosis.
According to statistics, 2% of women are generally affected with scoliosis while 0.5% of men develop this condition.
Signs and Symptoms
To help you determine whether you have are on the onset of developing scoliosis, it’s good to lookout for the following signs and symptoms:
- Waistline on one side is not even on the other side
- Shoulders are not leveled and are not on the same height
- One hip is higher and noticeably prominent than the other side
- Head appears off the center over the body
- One side of the rib cage at the back obviously curves than the other side
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Back pain
Causes of Scoliosis
The cause as of why scoliosis appears to men and women is unknown. However, it might be because of two types of scoliosis that are commonly seen in boys and girls developing this condition: nonstructural scoliosis and structural scoliosis.
Nonstructural scoliosis is a type of scoliosis in which there is lateral curvature in the spine without signs of rotation of the vertebrae. It develops if a person experienced a muscle contraction or if his or her leg’s length is not similar to the other leg.
In a structural scoliosis, both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebrae are obvious. This type is caused by injuries, tissue disorders, metabolic diseases, tumors, infections and rheumatic diseases.
Treatment
Treatment of scoliosis depends on the type and severity of the spine’s curvature. If you develop this condition, your treatment options would be the following:
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Bracing
- Surgery
by Medical Health Article | Jun 1, 2013 | Conditions
The big C strikes fear upon the hearts of many. We all have a relative or someone we know who succumbed to this terrifying disease. Here we’ve outlined the top seven signs of cancer for both men and women that are commonly ignored.
7. Bloating
A lot of women ignore this sign of ovarian cancer, thinking that it’s just the hormones wreaking havoc again. Bloating is such a common thing for a woman that’s why it’s usually ignored. If bloating accompanies pain, blood in one’s stool, and other sudden and unexplained changes like weight loss and constant fatigue, go to your physician immediately.
6. Skin Changes
Moles that change in appearance for no apparent reason are one sign of skin cancer. If you have a family history of skin cancer, it’s best to have a regular screening of your moles to prevent this very deadly disease.
5. Erectile Dysfunction
A lot of men have erectile dysfunction. But not everyone “has the balls” to have this checked out by a doctor. This could potentially be a sign of cancer that’s why any symptoms of erectile dysfunction shouldn’t be ignored.
4. Weight Loss
Both men and women could attribute sudden weight loss to stress. This is a classic sign/symptom of cancer and if you or anyone you know is suddenly losing weight for no apparent reason, a visit to a doctor should be in order.
3. Nail Changes
Weird nail changes like brown spots or enlargement of the ends of one’s fingers could point to two cancers mainly skin and lung cancer. There’s a lot to be said about the health of one’s nails so it’s important to keep track of sudden changes. Women are advised to wear clear nail polish.
2. Swollen or Even Painless Lumps
Both men and women with swollen lumps (lymph nodes or whatnot) should have it checked immediately. It could point to leukemia, thyroid, or even breast cancer.
1. Excessive sleeping and fatigue
Excessive sleeping and fatigue could point to a lot of things. It could possibly be due to an uncomfortable mattress or it could point to snoring, hence the low sleep quality. But sometimes, excessive sleeping and fatigue that doesn’t go away despite one’s best efforts could point to different kinds of cancer. If you have problems staying awake throughout the day, are losing weight, and have other “weird” symptoms, it is best to go through a series of tests to rule out the possibility of cancer.
by Medical Health Article | May 20, 2013 | Conditions
What is it?
Congenital heart disease includes all sorts of abnormalities of the cardiovascular structure that develops before birth. It is such a common disease that an estimated 1 child with this problem is born every 15 minutes. It is one of the most common birth defects so even though some parents feel hopeless, at the end of the day, there will always be an equivalent treatment to help a child cope with congenital heart disease.
Causes
Scientists are in agreement that there is no clear-cut way of knowing what caused the problem. It could be due to anti-seizure medications that were taken while a woman was pregnant or it could simply be due to genetics. The usual culprit of drugs and alcohol intake while pregnant are usually to blame for congenital heart problems as well. A few diseases like rubella, diabetes, and lupus are also thought of as possible causes of heart disease even before birth.
Symptoms
Some people with a congenital heart defect will go on to live normal lives before even discovering that they have a problem. For adults, swelling, fatigue after minimal physical exertion, shortness of breath, and a bluish tint are all symptoms of an underlying problem. As for newborn babies, a heart murmur is usually thought of as a symptom of a heart defect.
by Medical Health Article | May 17, 2013 | Conditions
Asthma attacks are such a common occurrence that an estimated 1 in every 11 children has this disease. For those who were already diagnosed with asthma early on, they would know what to do in case of an attack. But for those who are yet to be diagnosed with adult onset asthma, an “attack” is such a frightening experience that could make even the calmest person panic.
It could be mistaken for a number of things including an anxiety attack. If you’re experiencing any or all of these things, there’s a high chance that you’re having an asthma attack:
- Coughing and wheezing
- Increased tiredness
- Breathing problems
- Sneezing
- Scratchy throat that needs to be cleared all the time
- Sleeping difficulties resulting in dark circles under the eyes
- Headaches, fever, restlessness
- Feelings of crankiness/mood swings
- Changes in skin color
What are Common Triggers?
The most common triggers include but are not limited to the following:
- Second hand smoke
- Animal dander
- Stress
- Dust/dust mites
- Food or medicine allergies
- Pollen
However, asthma is a complicated problem wherein the airways swell and fill with mucus, hence the breathing difficulties. Avoiding the abovementioned triggers is a great way of avoiding an attack but at the end of the day, if you suspect asthma or you have long been a sufferer, go to a physician and have regular checkups as asthma triggers and symptoms change overtime.
What to Do In Case of An Asthma Attack?
The first thing you have to do is to relax. This is easier said than done especially if it’s your first time experiencing an attack. If you have an inhaler with you, take 2 puffs and sit in an upright position. If you don’t have an inhaler or you see no improvement after taking additional puffs, go to a hospital immediately.
