Monday, February 27, 2012

Bladder condition-Interstitial cystitis

Millions of Americans suffer from a bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis. Most of them are women. According to a new study of this disorder, fewer than 10% of women with symptoms of interstitial cystitis are actually diagnosed with the disorder, even though it severely affects their lives. Without a proper diagnosis, women with interstitial cystitis are missing out on treatments that might bring them some relief.

The etiology of interstitial cystitis is unclear. The lesions reflectes in vascular, lymphatic obstruction, bladder fibrosis. It is caused by pelvic surgery or infection leading to lymphatic obstruction within the bladder wall and embolic vasculitis. Or it caused by persistent spasm of small arteries due to the vasculitis. Infection, bacteria, virus or fungus infection stimulation produce the disease. 

Bladder pain syndrome or interstitial cystitis is a poorly understood condition that can cause serious disability. We provide the first population based symptom prevalence estimate to our knowledge among United States adult females.

Materials and Methods from the American Urology Association's Study
We developed and validated 2 case definitions to identify bladder pain syndrome or interstitial cystitis symptoms. Beginning in August 2007 we telephoned United States households, seeking adult women with bladder symptoms or a bladder pain syndrome a interstitial cystitis diagnosis. Second stage screening identified those subjects who met case definition criteria. Each completed a 60-minute interview on the severity and impact of bladder symptoms, health care seeking and demographics. Data collection ended in April 2009. Using population and nonresponse weights we calculated prevalence estimates based on definitions spanning a range of sensitivity and specificity. We used United States Census counts to estimate the number of affected women in 2006. The random sample included 146,231 households, of which 131,691 included an adult female. Of these households 32,474 reported an adult female with bladder symptoms or diagnosis, of which 12,752 completed the questionnaire.

Results
Based on the high sensitivity definition 6.53% (95% CI 6.28, 6.79) of women met symptom criteria. Based on the high specificity definition 2.70% (95% CI 2.53, 2.86) of women met the criteria. These percentages translated into 3.3 to 7.9 million United States women 18 years old or older with bladder pain syndrome or interstitial cystitis symptoms. Symptom severity and impact were comparable to those of adult women with established diagnoses. However, only 9.7% of the women reported being assigned a bladder pain syndrome or interstitial cystitis diagnosis.

Connected Problems to ADHD

Identifying whether an individual has an ADHD is a very difficult diagnosis. The disorder can be wrongly diagnosed and associated with other attention and hyperactivity problems. Seven out of ten children with ADHD have are having other problems related with the disorder. There are various disorders and health problems that are both directly and indirectly associated with ADHD.

One of those is the Oppositional Defiant Disorder or ODD and Conduct Disorder or CD. Thirty five out of one hundred children diagnosed with ADHD are also experiencing Oppositional Defiant Disorder. ODD is usually described by stubbornness, high and too much temper, disobedience and insolence. CD is also similarly indicated by ODD's symptoms but is more aggressive and violent. Children having conduct disorder are more prone in having troublesome situations with their friends, at home and in school. Both oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder are usually diagnosed together with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

Take care of your outer body with Dermatology Treatment

Relating to your sensitive skin, dermatologists brand-new covered. Of your house dealing with or recuperating from a heavy epidermis problem or hiding an unsightly rash or expansion, these medical doctors and surgeons is designed for the whole thing. Dermatology may be a tricky and concerned medical-related specialty given that it handles an array of afflictions that can come in numerous measurements, shapes and colors. 

Relating to going through challenges referring to human skin, choosing sharp that there is hardly two situations of also the same exact affliction that will be identically identical. That is why; dermatologists are as well-trained and well-versed overall sectors of their specialty each and every the medical community, so they can probably manage around you even recognize. Dermatology, as it would be defined, may be a specialty around the industry of medicine that are responsible for healing our skin along with its diverse issues, disorders and problems. It's different given that it will require both equally medical-related and surgical components and likewise covers zones regarding our skin, as well as hair and nails. 

A result of the far-reaching character from the scope, dermatology won't be able to certainly be digested towards a solitary, exact specialty. As a substitute, choosing based on subgroups comprise all around area. Except for pediatric dermatology, that is certainly defined solely when the traditional techniques within the area performed only on young people - who regularly deal with their own unique issues - the serious subgroups within the subject are defined fairly in particular. 

Sunday, February 26, 2012

How Hypothyroidism Causes Weight Gain

What is Hypothyroidism?

The thyroid gland is responsible for the release of the hormones controlling our metabolism.  When the thyroid gland does not function as it is supposed to be, there becomes a hormonal imbalance.  It can be due to a deficiency or an excess of hormone production.

Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone, thus, causing imbalance.  On the other hand, hyperthyroidism, from the word itself, is when the thyroid gland excretes more than enough thyroid hormone, thus, still causing imbalance.  It has been always been said that too little or too much of something is not in any way good for our body.

Most Common Causes

Here are some of the most common causes for hypothyroidism:

1. Iodine deficiency – This has been cited to be the most common culprit for causing hypothyroidism.

2. Thyroid gland inflammation – Inflammation damages the thyroid cells, thus, interfering with its natural capacity of hormone production.

3. Hashimoto's thyroiditis – An autoimmune disease where one's own immune system attacks the thyroid gland.  This results to inflammation, damaging the thyroid cells and interfering with the thyroid's functions that later leads to an underactive thyroid gland.

Which Treatment Has Better Effect for Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic Nephropathy is a complication of DMIP which is caused by Diabetes. Renal function can by reversed by proper treatment in the early stage of Diabetic Nephropathy. If Diabetic Nephropathy develop into Renal Failure or Uremia, this treatment will spend more time, money, and worst of all, the disease can't be cured. Therefore, it is very important to choose a proper treatment in the early stage of Diabetic Nephropathy.

Firstly, we need to understand the stages of Diabetic Nephropathy. That is because different stage has different treatment.

1. Glomerular filtration stage: it is featured by increasing glomerular filtration rate and enlarging the size of kidney. These changes accompany with high blood sugar. With the help of insulin treatment, the disease can be reversed in this stage, but can't recover completely.

2. Kidney damage stage without any symptoms: this stage is featured by normal proteinuria discharge rate and changed glomerular structure.

3. The early stage of Diabetic Nephropathy: the discharge rate of albumin is 20--200g/ min, patients present a slightly increased blood pressure and glomerulus begin to necrosis.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Lasik Procedure in laser Eye Centers

If you want to depend less on contact lenses or glasses then you must visit laser eye centers. They perform procedures such as Lasik eye surgery, short for Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, on patients with eye problems. The whole procedure involves using a laser beam on the eye that doesn't have 20/20 vision. The process takes shorter than a minute per eye and there is not a long recovery period (only a day). The short surgical procedure is painless and you will be able to get back to your daily routine in not time.
Protocols of  laser eye centers

Most laser eye centers follow the same protocol when doing the Lasik procedure. This is:

1.    The medical professional will use a device known as microkeratome to glide across the first top two layers of the cornea. A flap is created that resembles a hinge.
2.    The medical professional will now have complete access to the third layer scientifically known as the stoma of the cornea. The laser will then change the shape of the cornea by the simple effect that it has on the third layer.

Factors to consider while choosing the Calgary laser eye centers

It is not surprising to see huge price difference at different Calgary laser eye centers in the same area for performing Lasik surgery. The expenses and package for laser eye surgery usually differ due to many factors. You cannot expect the same pricing if an experienced surgeon performs the surgery with that of young surgeon who has just passed the exam. Similarly the facilities available in particular clinic may not be there in another place and this may cause price difference. The equipments used during the surgery and the quality of the system used for operation will make huge difference in pricings. Further, post operative care given at one place may not be the same in other center.

This article tells you about various factors you should consider before you opt for laser surgery.
First you have to find the reputed Calgary laser eye center for taking treatment. It is necessary that you should do homework for locating the best clinic in your area.

Check whether the surgeons available in the clinic are quite experienced in handling clients like you. A surgeon who has extensive experience may charge you more fees when compared with amateur surgeon. But you cannot compromise with eye-care and hence it is wise to choose an experienced surgeon.

Mallory-Weis Syndrome

The Mallory-Weis syndrome is a severe problem caused to the mucous membrane in the gastrointestinal junction. The mucous membrane is a small lining where the esophagus connects the stomach. The problem occurs when the mucous membrane tears and causes severe bleeding. The problem can occur in both adults as well as children.

Causes of Mallory-Weis Syndrome:

The main cause of Mallory-Weis syndrome is the injury caused to the mucous membrane. Following are some of the other causes of Mallory-Weis syndrome:

Excessive drinking of alcohol

Unhygienic diet and eating disorders

Drug interactions

Side-effects of several medications

Increase in abdominal pressure usually caused due to lifting heavy weights

Complications of endoscopy

Colorectal cancer

Ulcerative colitis

Crohn's disease

Colon polyps

Hiatus hernia

The prolonged vomiting, severe coughing, retching, intestinal infections, stomach cancers, stomach ulcers, anal fissures, and the blood vessel abnormalities are some of the other common causes of Mallory-Weis syndrome.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Discovering What Causes Adhd In Children - Are We Closer To Understanding?

When it comes to the issue of what causes adhd in children there is always a lot of seemingly conflicting information. Some experts insist that treatment can only be effective when it incorporates ADHD stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, and behavioral therapy. A smaller group of experts, although the group is growing, insist that drugs should never be considered as anything but a last resort once all other alternative treatments have been attempted.

The conflicting information continues throughout all areas when it comes to ADHD, including what the possible causes of the disorder may be. This is very unfortunate given the fact that ADHD is one of the most researched of childhood disorders. It would seem that we actually know more about what does not cause the disorder than we do about what does cause it. When all is said and done the only real conclusion one can come to is that we really do not know what causes ADHD.

Brain injury was sometimes listed as a possible reason for a child to develop ADHD. Nowadays, thanks to research, it would appear that brain damage caused through disease or trauma can result in ADHD-like symptoms, namely:

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Few ideas for you before You Ask a Medical Question Online

The internet has made it easy to gain knowledge on various diseases and health problems by asking medical questions online. This helps the people to understand the exact problem they are facing and also get to know what precautions and treatments, they must undertake to overcome these problems. The medical questions and answers help us understand various diseases, their causes and symptoms. However, there are various risks in asking medical questions online. Following are some of the risk factors in asking the questions online:

Whether the answer given to the question is reliable

Is the question answered by an medical specialist

Is the website reliable and good

Is your identity secured

What kind of information are they providing

Asking medical question online is a good option as well as a risky factor. Many a times, you are provided with wrong information which creates confusions and can lead to severe medical casualties. Thus, one must take proper precautions before asking any medical questions online. Following are some of the tips that will help you to ask a medical question online:

Website: Take a look at the website you are referring. The website must be a medical website with a lot of informative pages inside it. The website must also have an average number of people visiting it and asking their questions over there. This will help you understand that it is not a fake website and can provide you with reliable answers.

Information: Take a thorough look at the entire information they are providing. The information may vary from various health topics like general illness, women problems, cancer, etc. Find if they are providing information to the problem you are facing and then feel free to ask the question.

Medical Specialist: Go through the website and check for the people who are answering the question. Check whether they are medical specialist or just common people answering them. Always prefer websites where the questions are answered by medical specialists. They provide you with accurate and reliable information avoiding any confusion.

Verify: After you ask the medical question and receive the answer, always try to verify it. Search for information available on different reliable websites and compare it with the answer you received. If you find the information common then undergo immediate medical checkups and treatments.

The above tips will help you in asking a medical questions online. It will also help you to get a reliable answer and avoid any confusion.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Dandruff (also called scurf and historicaly termed Pityriasis capitis ): symptoms, cause, treatment,

Dandruff can present as a variety of conditions such as dandruff, thick scales on the scalp, redness on the face or in the armpits, or raw, red patches below the breasts. Dandruff can happen at any age but is most commonly found in people between the ages of 12 and 80. It is a natural and harmless scalp condition in which the shedding of dead skin cells occurs at an unusually fast rate. Because of the oily skin often associated with this condition, these cells clump together and flake off as dandruff. Everyone loses skin cells in this way, but with dandruff the whole process is faster, so a greater number of cells are shed. With dandruff, this whole process of skin renewal (or skin turnover) speeds up, so a greater number of dead cells are being shed. Dandruff is not contagious and usually not serious. It is most severe during the winter and mildest during the summer. Dandruff scales usually occur as small, round, white-to-gray patches on top of the head. Mild cases of dandruff may need nothing more than daily shampooing with a gentle cleanser. This condition can appear at any time from infancy to old age, and can come and go more or less at random. Dandruff is easy to diagnose. The condition is characterized by the appearance of white flakes on the hair or on the shoulders and collar. Dandruff is believed to be associated with an overgrowth of a fungus commonly found on the skin and scalp, called Pityrosporum ovale. Others believe factors such as stress, weather, oily skin, diet or hormones cause dandruff. Sometimes dandruff is caused by a naturally occurring yeast fungus called Pityrosporum ovale. Some people have more of this fungus than others, causing flaky scalp. Some people say their dandruff gets worse when they are stress, anxiety and tension. The best way to control dandruff is to know how to prevent dandruff and use a shampoo that contains a medication.

Causes of Dandruff

The common causes and risk factor's of Dandruff include the following:

A naturally occurring yeast fungus called Pityrosporum ovale.

Excessive use of hair sprays and gels.

Development of a toxic condition mainly due to taking of wrong foods.

Excessive consumption of sugar, fat, starch.

Others believe factors such as stress, weather, oily skin, diet or hormones.

Certain illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease.

Infrequent shampooing of the hair or inadequate rinsing of the scalp and hair.

Symptoms of Dandruff

Some sign and symptoms related to Dandruff are as follows:

Dry, scaly skin .

Itching.

White flakes on the hair or clothing.

A rash on another part of the body.

Redness is a visible signal of inflammation of the scalp.

Dry or greasy hair.

Treatment of Dandruff

Here is list of the methods for treating Dandruff:

If you have only a mild case of dandruff, shampooing your hair with a regular shampoo daily or twice a day will usually do the trick.

In severe cases dermatologists will prescribe a special ointment or lotion to treat the problem.

A diet that provides enough zinc, B vitamins and essential fatty acid may help prevent dandruff.

Lather and rinse twice when using anti-dandruff shampoos, the first time cycle will clean your scalp, the second cycle will medicate it.

For more stubborn dandruff or seborrhoeic eczema, selenium, zinc in coconut oil or salicylic acid can be successful.

Coal tar, a byproduct of the coal manufacturing process, helps conditions such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis by slowing cell turnover.

A low strength corticosteroid cream or lotion may also be applied to the affected areas of skin.

Know The Symptoms of Gerd and Treatment

Gastro esophageal reflux disease or GERD is a medical digestive condition in which the liquid content in the stomach is forced back into the esophagus. This is a reflux situation caused due to the improper functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). When foods are consumed, the LES is stated to close the failure of which can result in such acid reflux. Hence in such cases the acid produced in the stomach enters the esophagus causing disruption in the normal digestive process. The acid can inflame the esophageal lining which can cause gastro esophageal reflux disease. Hence, it is important to understand gerd symptoms which helps in treating the condition immediately.

What causes GERD?

Our stomach produces a kind of fluid known as gastric acid which is formed in the stomach and helps in digestion of food. This acid pays a pivotal role in digesting proteins by activating the enzymes which assist in digestion. It assists in ingesting proteins so that the digestive system can break down the long chain of amino acids. The formation of GERD or acid reflux is caused due to various reasons. The most common reason is due to the improper function of the LES. Studies conducted on several patients state that the irregular contraction and abnormal relaxation of the LES causes acid to flow into the esophagus. When there are more than two such refluxes in a week, it leads to severe gerd symptoms which are caused both to adults and children alike.

Common GERD symptoms

Realizing the symptoms of acid reflux is not tough. However, such symptoms can get really worse due to complications formed thereafter. Some of the most common symptoms of acid reflux disease are:

• Inflammation of the area behind the ribcage or heat generation in heart after meals can stay up to several hours. Thus inflammation of this kind can move up to other parts of the abdomen like the stomach and even throat.

Friday, February 3, 2012

A Heart Healthy Meal: What's in it?

If asked, do you think that you could prepare a heart healthy meal for yourself or a loved one? The seemingly obvious answer, for many people, would be probably not. Why draw such a conclusion? Because national statistics show that roughly 27.1 million American adults currently suffer from heart disease – a signal that very few Americans are regularly eating a heart healthy meal.

Not Just A Meal

Wait a minute, you say, preventing heart disease is about more than simply eating the occasional heart healthy meal—right?

The answer to this question is yes. Preventing heart disease is about much more than a heart healthy meal, here and there. It's about living an all around healthy life. The list below illustrates a few simple ways that you can help shield yourself from the heart disease epidemic.

Keep your skin tanning-free

Everyone likes to sit in sun while winter season but there is problem of skin tanning. Although it is normal yet it gives our skin an ugly look. If we keep ourselves safe from tanning then we miss the chance of enjoying sun's rays. But I would like to thank to the modern technology which has provided a perfect solution of sun tan without any damage of skin and we can take the warmth of sun's rays. If you are also suffering from this kind of problem then you can take help from tanning Sydney.

Mostly people use different kinds of spray tans for removing tans from the body but if you want to get the best results then you should read the instructions carefully. There are a lot brands in the market but you have to choose according to your skin so you should make yourself prepare for that. If you are going to use spray tans for the very first time then you should read the instructions given below: -

Before using any tan spray, firstly you should scrubbed your body in right manner and make it very clean. For using spray, you should keep in mind that all parts of your body have been cleaned properly.

You should hydrate your body properly so that it may become ready for applying spray tan.

If you are going to spray for the first time then you should not spray on your whole body but you should try on one part of the body and notice the difference about how your skin before spray was and what its color is after spraying.

 If you are beginner of spray using then you should wear clothes on which parts where you don't want to tan. While rubbing the spray on tan, you should wear rubber gloves, don't use palms of your hands without gloves.

Spray tans Sydney introduces you with different kinds of instruction and guidelines so that no part of your body may get any kind of harms. These are some useful tips for those who are beginners. If you follow the above-given tips then you will get rid of your problem of tanning.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Excellent Guide About How To Deal With Hemorrhoids

Excellent Guide About How To Deal With Hemorrhoids

Some people are extremely embarrassed about their hemorrhoids; they are afraid to speak about it with anybody, and seek medical help. Luckily, much of the pain and signs or symptoms related to hemorrhoids will be relieved if you follow the tips and suggestions in this article with out the need to speak with an experienced health care practitioner.

Steer clear of sitting for long periods of time. Prolonged sitting can irritate hemorrhoids, make them far more inflamed and hold off healing. Try to stand as much as doable, employ a doughnut pillow or lie on your side or stomach to avoid needless pain and to will allow your hemorrhoids to heal in the timely manner.

Reducing the pain associated with hemorrhoids often comes down to positioning. Throughout a bowel movement, particular positions can put more strain around the region and result in a fantastic deal of pain. Experiment with diverse positions, and locate the one that operates the best for you to reduce pain and make movements a lot more more comfortable.

You'll be amazed how many kinds of nonprescription products can quickly relieve your hemorrhoid signs or symptoms! These involve creams, gels, pads, and foams which could soothe pain and minimize itching and inflammation. You could also check out pills, for example Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen that can reduce swelling and inflammation!

Care and exercises for strong feet

Feet are the most used and the most abused part of the human body. The arches of the feet are said to provide flexibility, absorb shocks, and also help in distributing the weight of the body. They also help us in adapting to the various changes like walking, running, jogging etc. Proper care should be taken care of the feet. If this is not done then it leads to injuries, neck and shoulder pain etc. For a human being to maintain a good balance and control of the body it is important to have healthy and strong feet.

People run and jog regularly and those who practice high impact games usually get tired and sometimes even swollen feet. The swollen feet causes usually due to accumulation of fluids in the feet. Proper foot exercise and care helps in healing any feet troubles and also helps in having healthy feet. If the pain or swelling is more, then it is better to take the advice of the doctor. Mentioned below are some exercises to heal the feet and keep them healthy.

Gastroenterologist Care About Your Stomach

Our body is made up of various organs; there is coordination in between all the organs. What ever we eat first goes through our mouth, then through our alimentary canal to our digestive system. If there will be any problem in functioning of any organ in this process will disturb our health because not only eating is important, proper digestion and absorption of nutrition in our body is equivalently important.

The function of the digestive system is to take the food and liquids that we put into our mouths and then either turn these foods and liquids into nutrients or energy needed by the cells of our body, or alternatively turn them into waste products that are then expelled by our body as bowel movements. When something goes wrong with this every day process and some part of the process doesn't work properly, the end result is one kind or another of a digestive system disorders. There are many common digestive system disorders.

The most common digestive system disorders are colon and rectal cancer, stomach cancer, diarrhea, diverticular disease, gas in digestive track, heart burn, hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance stomach and duodenal ulcers. It is said you are not what you eat or drink; you are what you can digest and absorb. The fundamental of human body is like a doughnut with a hole in middle.  How good you are with your health and specifically with stomach determine your energy level, longevity and state of body and mind, as well as your digestion.

If you suffer from indigestion, bloating abdominal pain or drowsiness after meals, or if you often get stomach upsets, diarrhea or constipation that means your digestive system is not happy with the type of treatment and care you are taking of him. The inner skin of your stomach get easily damaged by alcohol, antibiotics, food allergens and pain killers are the main culprit; the result is that the digestive tract become more permeable. To help you from all such problems and ailment people should consider meeting a gastroenterologist. A specialist would be of a great help in certain situation when your digestive health is not at all promising.

Gastroenterology is the study of medical science dealing with digestive system and its disorders. Diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the organs from mouth to anus, along the alimentary canal, are the focus of this specialty. The professional physicians practicing in this field of medicine are called gastroenterologists. There are numbers of good gastroenterologists in metropolis cities such as gastroenterologists in Chennai. There are gastroenterologists in Mumbai who are expert in treating stomach cancer. The gastroenterologists in Bangalore are specialized in treating stomach and duodenal ulcers.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Four Kinds of People Remember Not To Eat Eggs

In a large number of protein-containing foods, eggs can be described as the highest nutritional value of protein, because the content and proportion of amino acids in eggs is closest to the body, and is the most easily digested and absorbed by the body. Eggs are rich in protein, fat, lecithin, while it is a good source that the human body needs vitamins A, D, E, K, B1, and B2. Therefore, the eggs for the people, it is cheap and good nutrition. However, how many grams of protein and cholesterol does an egg contain exactly and which people should not eat eggs?

First, the people have coronary heart disease, HLP, especially hypercholesterolemia. Such patients in daily dietary intake of cholesterol should be controlled at 200 mg or below, if the intake of cholesterol is too high, it can cause atherosclerosis. As the egg yolk are rich in cholesterol, so it is not suitable for patients with high cholesterol to eat egg yolks, but they can eat protein.

People stricken by Parkinson's disease need extra attention

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain that leads to tremors or uncontrollable shaking, difficulty with walking and coordination. It is also known as idiopathic Parkinsonism and primary Parkinsonism and is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The symptoms are caused by the death of dopamine-generating cells in the middle region of the brain. Dopamine is an organic chemical that plays an important part in the physiological roles in most animals. It functions as a neurotransmitter that sends signals to the other cells.

The onset of the disease is obvious from symptoms that are movement-related. Mild tremors, rigidity in movements, uncontrollable slowness of movement and general difficulty with walking and change in normal gait. Tremors may not be evident in almost 30% of the people at the onset of the disease and may develop as the disease progresses. The tremor occurs at rest and disappears with movement and sleep. It may start off with one limb and later progress to the other limb as well. Slowness of movement of Bradykinesia affects fine motor control and tasks like writing, sewing or getting dressed take painfully long time. Rigidity is caused by muscle tone and continued contraction of muscles and may be associated with joint pain. As the disease progresses, rigidity affects the whole body and movement gets greatly restricted. Advanced stages of the disease leads to impaired balance resulting in frequent falls. The falls could result in fractures. The number of falls could increase with the progression of the disease to the advanced stages. Walking may be characterized by rapid shuffling steps. Speech and swallowing disturbances are common along with voice disorders and a masklike expression on the face.

There could be problems with memory and frustrating moments when the name of a person or place that was very familiar would simply fail to appear. Simple words in the language one is familiar with would be difficult to utter, and attempts at making a decision could prove to be futile. Advanced stages of the disease could result in dementia which is a syndrome affecting memory, attention, language skills, and problem solving. It may take up to 6 months to be detected after onset. Disorientation in relation to time is very common. A person may not know what time, day or moth or year it is. He may not recognize or realize the place he is in and would at times become delirious. This stage is progressive and incurable. Parkinson's is also associated with disturbed sleep, sensory problems and emotional disturbances. It normally strikes the elderly and occurs after the age of 50. There is no known cause other than that it is geriatric or related to old age. There could be cases that have a genetic origin as well. There is inconclusive evidence that exposure to some pesticides could increase the risk and tobacco smokers have a reduced risk. However that is no license to smoke as it has been established that the health hazards from smoking far outweigh benefits, if any.

There is no cure for Parkinson's; the only recourse may be medication, surgery and multidisciplinary management that could offer a bit of relief. Treating motor symptoms associated with this disease used to be a common practice before the advent of modern drugs. However, for people whom drug therapy may not be sufficient, surgery is still a viable option as there have been great improvements in surgical techniques as well. Surgery could consist of deep brain stimulation and lesional. Deep brain stimulation involves implantation of a medical device known as a brain pacemaker which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain whenever required. Rehabilitation by way of physical exercise and physiotherapy can be beneficial and help in improving mobility and flexibility which are vital for recovery.

So You Have Dementia....Now What? (fyi: Alzheimer's is Just a Type of Dementia)

So My Mom or Dad Has Dementia / Alzheimer's Disease, Now What?

  Before you get yourself worked up, make sure you have a reason to be worked up over!  Oh, and before I forget, for the purpose of this article, Alzheimer's and dementia are the same thing, because they are - Alzheimer's is just a type of dementia.  Ok, so here we go...  Even if a doctor tells you your mom or dad has dementia (Alzheimer's is just a type of dementia) it doesn't mean they do.  I've noticed in the past 10 years that doctors are in such a time crunch and are so quick to get patients in and out of their office that they will just put a diagnosis on someone and write a prescription and out the door you go.  The way insurance companies are now is such that the doctors have to see so many patients per day they literally have to allocate a certain number of minute per patient.  It's sad, it's a shame, it's the reason we need healthcare reform of some kind, but it's the way it is for now.    So let's say that your mom or dad is forgetful.  Well, I'm 36 and I'm forgetful.  If mom or dad can't plan simple menus for the week, can't plan their day or week out, manage their finances, miss appointments, forget a LOT of things often, then chances are he or she does have dementia.  Here's what to do, and here's what you can expect.  This is just a quick post, and I will break down each line item into a separate lengthy, white-paper article as soon as I can. WHAT TO DO:

Get them on Aricept, and if the dementia has progressed enough, ask the doctor if they can also be on an Exelon patch, or Namenda as well.   

Get them on 2 to 4 grams of fish oil a day.  Even if they already have dementia, it may slow the progression.  Here is an excerpt from a huge international study about where people in other countries that eat fish more often, and eat red meat less, have lower incidents of dementia: "The study, which included 15,000 people 65 and older in China, India, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic, found that those who ate fish nearly every day were almost 20 percent less likely to develop dementia than those who ate fish just a few days a week. Adults who ate fish a few days a week were almost 20 percent less likely to develop dementia than those who ate no fish at all."There is a gradient effect, so the more fish you eat, the less likely you are to get dementia," said Dr. Emiliano Albanese, a clinical epidemiologist at King's College London and the senior author of the study. "Exactly the opposite is true for meat," he added. "The more meat you eat, the more likely you are to have dementia." Other studies have shown that red meat in particular may be bad for the brain.  Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/health/21fish.html?em   

If they are over age 65, ask for a referral to outpatient physical and occupational therapy.  Many nursing homes have outpatient clinics as well and those nursing homes will give you some idea of how you can slow the progression of dementia.  The main concepts are, they need to be active physically and mentally and be as independent as possible, while maintaining their safety of course.  I'll be writing and article about research that shows activities and examples of activities that can slow the progression of dementia.