Archive for September, 2009

Sep 28 2009

What Is Scleroderma?

Published by Andy under Scleroderma

What Are The Symptoms Of Scleroderma?

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease, whereby hardening, or sclerosis, of the tissue occurs, most commonly in the skin, but also taking place in other organs. Being an autoimmune disease, it occurs when the body’s tissues are being attacked by its own immune system. The most visible sign of scleroderma is the formation of scar tissue in the skin, or in the affected area, which leads to that area being much firmer and thicker. When scleroderma occurs in different parts of the body all at the same time, it is often referred to as, systematic sclerosis.

Systematic sclerosis can be fatal, as it could result in kidney, heart, intestinal or lung damage. The other form of sclerosis, which is known as morphea, is not usually fatal, but has been known to leave its victims crippled.

What Causes It?

As of now, there is no known cause for scleroderma. Some say that it is all to do with the genes, while others say that it is more environmental than genetic. Since genes are considered to play a major role in the disease, it would not be unusual to find relatives of a scleroderma patient being affected by the disease at a later date. Scleroderma also tends to affect females, rather than males.

Although there is no definite cause of scleroderma, there are various theories that can be relied on, for the treatment of scleroderma. Every treatment for scleroderma, is patient specific and is only made to alleviate a patient from pain, cure the hardening skin, or ease other precise symptoms. Hardening of the skin has been treated very successfully in the past, with the use of PUVA (Psoralen and UVA treatment), d-penicllamine and cyclosporine.

How Do You Know You Have It?

Symptoms of scleroderma are rather unique and you would know immediately if you had it. If you have scar tissue coupled with pain on parts of your skin, most commonly the knees and elbows, then it is mostly likely that you have scleroderma. Take note, that this does not develop immediately, but rather over a period of time.

If you show any symptoms of Scleroderma, then you should see your doctor immediately, in order to get  a proper diagnosis. That conclusion will be based on the clinical findings of the illness. More than likely, your doctor will have you undergo a blood test to see how your antibodies are affecting you. Other tests, will probably include gastrointestinal tests, to monitor your bowel movements, lung function testing, x-rays, and tests on your heart.

Scleroderma Treatment

Since scleroderma has no known cause, treatment for it, is aimed towards relieving a patient of specific symptoms, rather than an attempt to entirely alleviate the patient of scleroderma.

Since scleroderma is an autoimmune disease, some of the most common approaches for treating it, would involve the use of immunosuppressive agents such as azathioprene, mycophenolate and methotrexate. As for patients whose lungs are affected, they could benefit from oxygen therapy, which could relieve them from shortness of breath and increase blood oxygen levels, of which they are most likely deprived of.

No responses yet

Sep 27 2009

Helpful Hints That Will Help You Cope With Diabetes

Published by Andy under Diabetes

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, then you know how devastating the news can be. You will feel upset and you will also feel as if you have completely lost control of your life. This is a natural reaction from people that have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Living with diabetes is hard, because, as yet there is no cure for the disease. However, you can effectively manage it, in order to live a more normal and full life. The key to treating diabetes is, by effectively managing your blood sugar levels. You would also be advised to follow certain guidelines, so as to make your life as a diabetic easier.

The first thing that you need to do in order to manage diabetes is to find out as much as you can about the disease. You can’t fight it, if you don’t know what you’re fighting! So, by knowing all about the disease, you will be able to work out how best to manage and treat it.

You also need to eat regularly. You really need to have three meals a day and also a snack after each meal. This will help regulate your blood sugar levels and prevent you from experiencing hypoglycemia ,or low blood sugar level. Skipping meals, can lead to unpleasant symptoms associated with hypoglycemia and can if you’re not careful lead to diabetic coma.

If you go somewhere, always carry something sweet with you. This will allow you to correct low blood sugar levels. An example of a snack would be fruit juice, raisins, soda, and hard sweets. These foods will be able to correct low blood sugar, but all these things should be taken in small amounts.

You know that you are a diabetic, but do other people know this? If you go somewhere where nobody  knows that you are diabetic, you should have something to tell them that you are, just in case you get involved in an accident or you end up going into a  diabetic coma. Wear a medic alert bracelet that states that you are diabetic. This will inform people and medical professionals about your condition, which could potentially save your life.

Regularly visiting your physician is also recommended. By doing so, your doctor will be able to regularly monitor your condition and help you manage diabetes. Always keep in mind that you shouldn’t take any chances when it comes to your health.

Exercise is also very important if you are diabetic. You need to do regular, but fairly moderate exercise. Try walking for 30 minutes every day. This will help regulate your blood sugar levels and also keep your heart healthy. In addition to this, you need to choose an exercise that is not hard on your feet. Getting cuts, blisters and foot infections can spell trouble. Go for gentle walking, swimming, or cycling. The last thing you want as a diabetic, is to get your feet injured. If you do, you may become a perfect candidate for amputation.

 Lastly, know the symptoms of blood sugar fluctuations. Watch out for excessive thirst, extreme hunger, sudden weight loss, frequent urination, moodiness, and nausea, gum and bladder infections. Blurred vision and itching and tingling sensations on the hands and feet are also signs that you should watch out for.

These are some of the helpful hints that you should remember if you, or someone you know, is diabetic. By following these tips, you can be sure that managing diabetes will be a lot easier.

One response so far

Sep 25 2009

How Different Foods Can Affect Your Sleep Patterns

Published by Andy under Sleeping Disorders

People who are busy with their work are usually the ones who are having problems with sleep. This is because the exhaustion together with their hectic schedule, prevents them from getting proper sleep on a daily basis. If you are having trouble sleeping, due to too much work, the time has come to reflect what might be causing this and address the problem properly.

One of the things that stops people from getting proper sleep, is the type of food that they eat. This is because, these foods might contain ingredients and other properties that can really affect the person’s chemical balance. If you think that the foods that you are eating are affecting  your sleeping patterns, try assessing your food intake for a day.

What you can do, is list down all the food and drink that you have consumed during the day and make an assessment at the end of it. In this way, you can track down which different  foods and drinks are affecting your sleeping habits, especially at night. The following, are just a few examples of some of the foods that might cause problematic and uncomfortable sleeping patterns during the night.

1. Too much food intake. This is considered as the major reason, as to why many people—especially those who haven’t had sleeping problems before—are having a hard time sleeping all of a sudden. Experts say, that if a person has overeaten, the tendency is that the stomach will have a much harder time digesting it. Too much food, may also affect  the workings of the digestive system and may even cause clinical conditions, such as ulcers, if done regularly.

2. Foods that contain too much fat. Experts say, that people eating foods that have too much fat, are prone to not sleeping well at night, because it creates a lot of work for the stomach. If you want to get better sleep, you should cut down on foods that are too rich or fatty, so there will be less work for the stomach to do, especially during the night.

3. Too much spicy or acidic foods. These foods can greatly affect your sleeping habits especially at night time. If you eat too much spicy food, especially at night, it can lead to trouble with your stomach and even heartburn, which makes it harder for you to lie down and get a proper night’s sleep.

4. Too much alcohol intake. Some people say that alcohol may help you to get better sleep, but on the contrary, it doesn’t, especially if you have consumed too much of it.

5. Foods that contain caffeine. These are another source of peril for people who are having trouble sleeping. If you are prone to not sleeping, it is best to avoid foods, as well as drinks that have high caffeine content such as coffee, chocolates, sodas that are caffeinated and tea. To get better sleep, it is best not to consume these for a while. Or, if you really cannot do without these, try minimizing your consumption, even for a couple of days. Once you get your sleeping pattern back, you may go back to consuming these, but only in small quantities, so you don’t go back to having sleeping problems again.

No responses yet

Sep 21 2009

Exercise Tips To Help You Properly and Effectively Manage Diabetes

Published by Andy under Diabetes

Exercising is one of the keys to having a healthy body. It doesn’t only make you look better, but it will also help you feel a lot better. If you don’t exercise, then you will eventually risk getting diseases that can really affect your life. Inactivity can lead to heart related diseases and it can also lead to diabetes.

First of all, type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease of lifestyle that many people are experiencing today. This disease is affected by a lot of factors, such as your weight and your activity levels. These two things are in your complete control and you need to do the right thing in order for you to effectively manage the disease.

Exercise does help diabetes. It can reduce your body’s insulin requirements in many ways. The first is that exercise will be able to increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin. What this means is that the cells in your body will be able to better absorb insulin. Exercising can also help enhance the use of blood glucose in your body.

What this means is that it will be able to lower the blood glucose levels in your body, which can possibly reduce the amount of medication you need in order to treat and manage the disease. If you have type 2 diabetes, exercising regularly can even eliminate the need for constant medication, especially if you accompany exercise with a healthy eating plan.

You also need to keep in mind that diabetics have higher risks of high blood pressure and acquiring heart related disease as well as stroke. This is why it is more important for you to exercise now in order for you to reduce the risk of heart related diseases.

Through exercise, you will also be able to improve circulation, especially in the legs and arms. This is where people suffering from diabetes usually have problems and with exercise, it will be able to help.

You also need to keep in mind that stress can raise blood glucose levels. And, everyone knows for a fact that exercising helps reduce stress levels. So, if you want to keep your blood glucose levels from spiking, you have to reduce stress through exercise.

Lastly, one great benefit of exercise for diabetics is that it will be able to significantly improve the quality of life.

The next step is to find out which are the right exercises for diabetics. You need to remember that the best exercises for diabetics are cardiovascular and aerobic exercises. However, you need to choose an exercise that is not hard on the feet as injuring the feet may lead to more serious problems especially for diabetics.

So, go for gentle walking, swimming and cycling. These exercises will be able to work your heart and circulatory system. You can also try playing racket sports, such as tennis. Just make sure that you wear proper fitting shoes in order to prevent injuries on the feet.

Before you start exercising, it is wise to consult your doctor about it first. This way, you will be able to know what kind of exercise you should do and for how long each day.

These are the things that you need to remember about being diabetic and the importance of exercising. Through exercise, you will be able to manage the disease effectively and let you live a full and normal life.

2 responses so far

Sep 21 2009

Sleep Apnea – The Key Points

Published by Andy under Sleeping Disorders

Sleep apnea is usually considered as chronic or ongoing. It is a condition that often leads to disrupted sleep and could happen to a person for  three or more nights every single week. The affected person often suddenly moves out of deep sleep and goes into a very light sleep, as breathing pauses or becomes very shallow. It is also observed, that when the person resumes normal breathing after a sleep apnea attack, they create a loud choking sound or snort.

It could result in poor quality sleep, making the person tired and restless all day. The condition has been identified by experts, as among the main causes of inevitable and excessive daytime sleepiness. Contrary to what others usually think, sleep apnea is not normal. It could be very risky. If you are diagnosed with the condition, it would be wise and best if you temporality gave up daytime driving and operating heavy machinery at work.

In many cases, the sleep disorder is undiagnosed. It is because doctors are not able to detect the problem during routine clinic visits. No form of blood, urine, or stool test can point out the presence of the problem. It is best if you could discover the condition on your own. You could ask your bed partner or roommates about the snore and noise you make during your sleeping hours. You could take it from there.

It is estimated that in the United States alone, over 12 million of the adult population could be experiencing obstructive sleep apnea. It is also noted, that about half of such people have one common condition: they are overweight. Thus, many researchers and experts could not help themselves but  to associate or link sleep apnea with excessive weight problem or obesity. This makes the condition a risk factor, for any person to develop or suffer from sleep apnea. 

Race could also be a factor in the occurrence of sleep apnea. Studies highlight that Pacific Islanders, African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to have sleep apnea. In the same line, it has been found that Caucasians are less likely to suffer from it. The sleeping disorder could also be hereditary. That means that if someone in your immediate family has a history of sleep apnea, chances are higher that you would also develop the problem.

There are several types of sleep apnea. The most common of such is obstructive sleep apnea. It is noted that when the condition happens, the airway collapses or gets blocked during sleep. This blockage may lead to breathing pauses or shallow breathing. Loud snoring is produced when air squeezes past this blockage.

The obstructive type of sleep apnea is often manifested by overweight people, though experts warn that it could also affect anyone. Central sleep apnea is less common. This type is caused by slight malfunction of the brain, specifically the signals sent normally to muscles in the throat, mouth, or airway passages for breathing.

Available treatment could help improve overall health and quality I
of sleep. Basic options available to treat sleep apnea are mouthpieces, breathing devices, lifestyle adjustments, and surgical operations. You  always have the option to choose which treatment to take based on your comfort, budget, and preference.

2 responses so far

Sep 21 2009

Creating A Diet To Combat Acid Reflux

Published by Andy under Acid Reflux

By taking the time to create a diet to combat your acid reflux, you are going to be making your life much easier. If, like me, you are one of the millions of acid reflux sufferers, you should be aware that learning about and creating a proper diet for acid reflux, is the only way to keep the condition under control and prevent a resurgence, or even worsening of the condition.

When it comes to creating a diet for yourself, there are a few things in particular that you should be aware of.

Bad Foods

Basically all food can be categorized into two separate groups when you are an acid reflux sufferer: bad foods and good foods. It is important to recognize which is which, because by making the simple lifestyle change of choosing to eat the right foods, you will see how significant an effect it will have on your acid reflux condition and how much better you are going to feel overall.

There are quite a few different foods that you want to avoid when you are an acid reflux sufferer. Dairy foods, foods containing a lot of fat, for example pastry and fatty meats like mince, spicy food like curry or chilli, carbonated and caffeinated drinks are typically very aggravating to an acid reflux condition, so limiting your intake of these, would be very advisable. 

Good Foods

Just as importantly, you need to make sure that you know what the good foods are. Those that you should be including in your acid reflux diet. Don’t worry because there are lots of these as well, so you never have to worry about your diet being bland or boring.

Fruit and vegetables are always great, especially the leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach. These are not only good for your acid reflux condition but, they will also help to calm the acid in your stomach and make sure that your condition is not aggravated. White meat like chicken, is a much better alternative to red meat and fresh fish is usually fine, however I’d steer clear of tinned fish, as I normally find that tinned tuna sets mine off in no time. Drinking plenty of water also helps to neutralise the acid in your stomach.

These are all good tips, but if you want to have the most success with your acid reflux condition, the best thing that you can do without a doubt is work with a nutritionist. They are not only going to be able to ensure that you are eating all the right things, but also make sure that the diet is personalized to your needs, because there will be certain food preferences that you will have.

4 responses so far

Sep 21 2009

What Are Eccrine Sweat Glands And What Is Their Purpose?

Published by Andy under Excessive Sweating

The eccrine sweat glands start forming in the body very early on and in fact will begin developing as early as when gestation is only in its fourth month. The development of the eccrine sweat gland, starts in the form of a down growth of the epidermis, known as the eccrine germ. Eccrine sweat glands then start appearing in the palms as well as soles and then begin to appear on the rest of the body, though not on the nail beds, lips, labia minora, glans penis or foreskin.

The highest concentration of eccrine sweat glands, are in the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the armpits. After they have developed completely, the eccrine sweat glands, will be found all over the body, though mostly in the hands and feet as well as on the forehead. Typically, these glands consist of certain ducts and their main function is to control the body’s temperature, as well as to provide emotional responses to any kind of psychological stimulation.

Sweat from the eccrine sweat glands is generally clear colored, though watery and also of a neutral solution. This sweat is made up of sodium, water, ammonia, potassium lactate, urea, various amino acids, organic compounds, proteolytic enzymes and heavy metals. The eccrine sweat glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system and are generally activated in order to prepare the human body to deal with emergencies, as well as to perform physical activities.

The eccrine sweat glands are also regulated by hormones, as well as by physical activity and temperature and emotional stimulation also have an effect on these glands. The composition of the eccrine sweat gland, consist of  three portions, a spiral duct known as acrosyringium, a coiled and straight intracutaneous duct and a coiled  secretory gland.

In regard to swollen sweat glands, it should be said that in most cases these swellings are nothing to be concerned about, as the reason for the swelling could be quite simply that you have a cold or a sore throat. It is only when the condition is more serious, as is the case when the glands become enlarged and tender that you will need to become worried by the condition.

8 responses so far

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