Senior Care Partners

Archive for June, 2010

Knowing Some Common Symptoms of Menopause:

Some warning signs of menopause are headaches and fatigue, loss of tolerance, hot flashes, excessive bleeding above the normal period, or next to nothing for several days. You may experience some unpredictable days about yourself, you sometimes becomes very emotional, you are either crying, or easily snap at anyone, you are just not balance. The physical changes in the body has to do with a decrease in sexual desire, skin dryness, vaginal dryness, excess perspiration, changes in your body temperature, craving for sweets, onset of high blood pressure and some drowsiness. Your sleep could get affected from either being too hot or just plain not able to fall asleep. Be careful not to complain about being hot around others since they could readily diagnose whats going on with you.

If you are married there are days you would rather being alone, your desire for companionship just flap, but thank goodness if you have an understanding husband to support you at such a time. All of these symptoms are manageable when you understand their cause, of all these symptoms mentioned, the most deadly of them all is the onset of high blood pressure, you just don’t want to play around with that, if neglected it can lead on a stroke before you know it. Talking to your mother could answer some of your questions as well, and it is quite likely that if she went through menopause at an early time in her life or at a later stage the same may be for you following a generic pattern.

Menopause Is A Must and Manageable:

Some women use hormone therapy as a measure to manage their imbalance. Most physicians will recommend the treatment but it all depends upon the individual woman who wants to take it, it is not a must. Adequate rest and a calm disposition is one of the best therapy. If a woman lives in a miserable unpleasant environment during that time, it will contribute to her misery and hardship. Some good simple everyday remedies to take are, Vitamins E and calcium supplement, eating soy products, and Korean ginseng tea a good herb tea, acupuncture and non-alcohol beverages. Avoid arguments which could escalate, avoid sorry for yourself, remember that moods and emotions are affected by hormone changes, when you know this you can work on your emotions the way you handle things.

Learn about the symptoms: You can learn about the symptoms before the onset of them, every woman does not have the exact same experience, however generic pattern tends to follow a mother daughter in timing. Over the years women have been sharing their first hand experiences to their physicians and in writing so as to benefit others. Mothers also who have good relationship with their daughter inform them of their time and how they remedy the experience. The severity of difficulties shared by some women does not apply to all even though the experience is a common one. Psychologically each woman will react differently according to her lifestyle and sexual practices.

There is hardly any possible way one may become familiar with the stages of menopause before it actually happen. The support system provided is simply to educate and help to eliminate fears from what is natural. Since time and women one of the most common remedies for hot flashes is the common use of a fan; even the celebrities would not dress and leave home without their fan, it may appear to be style but if you look closely at the actresses who carried a fan you would notice they fell among the women who would fall in their 40s up.

Among the numerous common symptoms of menopause there is, every woman have manage them. You will outlive all of the inconveniences of menopause and will have conquered both the menstrual and the menopausal cycles in the end.

Aging of the skin occurs due to the decrease of hormones that naturally occur in the body. As the body ages the hormones decrease and this causes the skin to wrinkle and sag. The best way to combat this is to give the body a little help. This can be done by hormone replacement treatments and therapy. Hormone therapies can replace the elastin and collagen hormone levels in the body and this will cause the skin to plump back up thereby removing wrinkles. Anti-aging skin care hormone treatments and therapies are slowly becoming the norm in today’s society.

Hormone therapies along with facials and skin treatment can rejuvenate the body’s ability to reduce wrinkles and form younger and smoother skin. Hormones naturally stimulate cells to rejuvenate the skin and cause it to build up the fat to make the skin full again. Anti-aging skincare with hormone treatments and therapy can be safe by using only bio-identical natural hormones. These hormones are naturally made similar to the ones the body makes naturally.

As the body ages it loses its ability to produce natural hormones like thyroid, HGH (Human Growth Hormone), estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The body cannot stay plump and wrinkle free without these hormones. Proper diet and exercise in conjunction with hormone treatments or therapy is the recommended journey to take to achieve supple, soft beautiful skin.

Anti-aging skincare hormone treatments and therapies are wonderful if they are done properly by a professional who is aware of the individual’s health criteria as well as their body’s ability to withstand the hormone replacements. Many people choose to reduce wrinkles and sagging with plastic surgery or fillers that can fill the face with chemicals that plump the skin up. A natural alternative to any procedure is always safer and less stressful on the body.

Any procedure that is introducing any type of substance into the body should be monitored and administered by a physician. Research should be done thoroughly to determine which doctor will be best suited to perform this procedure safely and with minimal risk.

There are several physical disorders which disturb the balance of a human body. People run for treatment of these disorders and unfortunately they face a fair percentage of disappointment. The world is so beautiful and when there is a slight hindrance to view this world, then you feel irritated. Glaucoma is a state where a person feels partial or complete blindness and is one of the unfortunate disorders related to eyes. The main reason of this disorder is related to hypertension within the eye area, which results in partial and at times complete blindness. People who suffer from far sighted vision are more likely to get this disorder.

There are indications of glaucoma based on which you can confirm your state with the eye specialist. The appearance of colored rings in or around any object of target vision is the first and in fact the most appropriate signs of glaucoma. This is often accompanied by pain near brow and cheek areas. The gradual increase of pain and colored vision leads to complete blindness, if not treated on time.

Experts believe that stress on the eyes and exposing the eyes under bad light conditions frequently, are primarily responsible for the occurrence of this problem. The deficiency of salts in the body may also result in this disorder because that somehow leads to the accumulation of fluids in the eye tissues. This fluid disturbs the position of iris and you feel acute pain at times. You should make sure that salt intake and retention of salts are appropriate in your body and you can very well avoid Glaucoma.

The easiest option, which people resort to, is surgery. It removes the fluid from the concerned areas but, this is not a permanent and guaranteed solution. There are cases and surveys, which shows the condition getting back to square one at times. The patient suffering from this disorder should get a complete and a natural solution because in the end it’s the matter of vision. Natural treatments starts with a routine and you have to strictly follow the routine and make sure you don’t miss any details. The diet intake for the patient is strictly maintained which is fresh fruits and vegetables for a week. Fruits like oranges, apples, pine apples and grapes should be on the diet chart.

An enema is suggested on a daily basis to make sure that the bowel movement is clear. This process goes hand in hand with the eye exercises which strengthen the eye muscles. These exercises should be done under the guidance of an expert. Tea, tobacco, coffee and beer should be avoided to make sure that there is no counter effect. Foods rich in vitamin C should be high on menu and fresh vegetables are always encouraged. Nutrient rich in vitamin b complex and calcium also have proved useful in relieving the intraocular pressure. Give your eyes a rest from the computer and reading for every 20 minutes. You should make sure that there is no emotional stress on the patient because that may lead to adverse situation. Ensure that extra care is taken and avoid excessive burden on brain as well. The natural process is time consuming but the solution is always permanent.

Just as it is possible for a baby to have a yeast infection, so is it possible for yeast infection symptom in man to exist. Many people are under the impression that only women can experience a yeast infection in their genital region. Although it is true that women are far more likely to develop these yeast infections, thinking a man cannot develop a genital yeast infection is a misconception that needs to be dispelled.

Men, like women have candida present in their gut. A candida overgrowth, better known as candidasis, is simply the fancy way of saying yeast infection. For instance, oral thrush, and many skin rashes and infections such as athlete’s foot are all forms of yeast infections that are linked to candida. Thus, genital yeast infections are an infection caused by candida overgrowth and other contributing factors.

What are the other causes aside from candida? Unlike oral thrush yeast infection symptom in man – often caused by HIV – A yeast infection that affects the genital region, known as a penile yeast infection, can be caused by different factors. Some of these factors may include the following -

Sexual transmission – If a man has unprotected sex with a woman, who has a vaginal yeast infection, candida can be transmitted from her to him through direct contact, just like a sexually transmitted disease. Although this isn’t entirely a common occurrence, it can and does happen more frequently than one would think.

Antibiotics – It is really uncommon for a penile yeast infection symptom in man to develop from antibiotics, but it is not impossible. Antibiotics are considered candida friendly because they destroy good bacteria and bad bacteria, creating an imbalance in gut flora which can result in candida overgrowth and lead to infection.

Diabetes – Men who have diabetes are at a greater risk of developing yeast infections due to the fact that they have elevated sugar levels in their urine.

What are the symptoms? The following are some of the penile yeast infection symptom in man to look for:

o Irritation and soreness present in the head of the penis, often accompanied by itchiness.

o The head of the penis may appear red and develop small blisters

o Presence of discharge that appears thick and white

o Little red itchy bumps may appear on the penis shaft or surrounding genital area if a yeast infection is left untreated.

If a man is experiencing these symptoms, it is important that he visit his doctor to receive a proper diagnosis. There are two main reasons why a professional diagnosis is important -

1. If a man does not treat a yeast infection, he can pass it back to his partner, and she can continue to pass it back to him. Both sexual partners should be treated to eradicate the threat of infection.

2. Although a man may think he is suffering a yeast infection, in actuality his symptoms may be the cause of an entirely different medical condition- genital herpes. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that is characterized by little itchy bumps, and is a chronic disease that can not be treated with the same remedies as a yeast infection.

Hence, always have symptoms investigated by a health care provider to be sure, and refrain from self-diagnosis.

How is a penile yeast infection symptom in man treated? In most cases it is treated with the same topical cream prescribed to women with vaginal yeast infections. These creams are available without a doctor’s prescription at your local pharmacy. Just remember, that if you’ve never experienced a penile yeast infection before, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor, get checked out, and take his treatment advice to experience effective relief.

Eye laser treatment goes by several different names. It is known as LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomiluesis), LTK (laser-thermokeratoplasty), keratectomy or PRK (photorefractive keratotomy). Using these procedures, a physician can correct a number of vision defects.

Astigmatism is a defect that causes vision to be significantly blurred because of decreased visual acuity. This is very difficult to correct using the traditional lenses found in glasses or contacts, but it can be corrected by eye laser treatment. A procedure such as LASIK can help smooth the cornea, creating a spherical shape, which improves vision.

With myopia, or nearsightedness, the cornea is too steep. This condition can cause eyestrain and headaches because the person is often squinting to see objects in the distance. Eye laser treatment can help correct this refractive error by flattening the cornea. On the other hand, hyperopia, or farsightedness, means that a person can clearly see objects at a distance, but will oftentimes have trouble deciphering letters in a book they are reading. Surgical procedures using lasers can alter the shape of the cornea, thereby increasing the person’s ability to see objects that are close up such as books and magazines.

Glaucoma is a loss of vision from optic nerve damage. Intraocular pressure is thought to play a part in this damage. Eye laser treatment can help by creating scars in the eye’s drainage system, which can reduce pressure.

Diabetic retinopathy can lead to PDR (proliferative diabetic retinopathy) which can cause loss of vision, neovascular glaucoma and retinal detachment. PDR occurs in patients with diabetes. This can be treated with a form of surgery called PRP (pan retinal photocoagulation).

These procedures are done while the patient is awake. The patient is given some medication to help calm and relax them. Drops are placed to help numb the area. The patient then lies back in a chair and a lid speculum is placed to hold the eyelid open. During the procedure, the patient may experience slight pressure and discomfort, but it should not be painful. The exact procedure the physician uses will depend on the type and degree of vision defect being treated. When this is finished, there will be a shield placed over the eyelid to prevent injury.

After eye laser treatment, there may be some itching, burning or irritation. The eyes may water up, but it is very important not you rub them. There may also be some light sensitivity and the eyes may appear bloodshot. A patient may not wear eye makeup for at least two weeks. No contact sports should be performed for at least four weeks, and during this time, an eye-shield should also be worn at night. It will be 8 weeks before the patient is allowed to swim or use a hot tub. If any severe pain is felt, the patient’s physician should be immediately contacted. Post-op visits will be done 1-2 days after the procedure and then regularly until the patient is released from care.

“It’s not lupus, it’s never lupus!” says Gregory House in an episode of the hit television series HOUSE, M.D. – it was a line that made fun of the fact that the diagnostics team that the show often focuses on always brings up lupus as the patient’s possible medical condition, a diagnosis that has been proven wrong time and time again. The line was, of course, an instant sensation among the fans of the show and the fact that there is an actual web page – one that has a YouTube video featuring all the times the team had diagnosed a patient with lupus embedded on it – is proof of that. Since the utterance of that line, “It’s never lupus” has had so many people quoting it and putting it on t-shirts that even people who don’t actually watch the show have come to know it.

One thing that some people have started to wonder about is why the writers of the show favored mentioning lupus over all the other possible illnesses. Is lupus really that common? Or, perhaps, the better question would have to be “Is lupus really that interesting?” After all, the bulk of an episode of HOUSE, M.D. is mainly focused on the unusual conditions of the patients and the diagnostics team’s race against time to figure out what is wrong with the patients so that they may be given the appropriate treatment. Given that little tidbit, it wouldn’t be too hard to imagine that lupus is thrown into the script a lot of times because of all the medical mishap possibilities that the diagnosis could bring up.

Having said that, it should perhaps be pointed out that the writers of HOUSE, M.D. should be considered smart for using lupus as a “throw-away” diagnosis in many cases. Why, you ask? Because the reasoning is nevertheless completely plausible even if the almighty and all-knowing Gregory House proves them wrong in the end. After all, lupus does indeed create so many complications that could explain some of the symptoms that the patients featured on the show display – and the creepy part is that there are real medical cases upon which the cases in HOUSE, M.D. is based (but let’s not get into that).

The point to be made here is that lupus causes so many other health problems that one has to wonder why it DOESN’T become a standard part of the diagnostics process in the really weird and potentially fatal cases that could be encountered in reality. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which in layman’s terms means that the body attacks and destroys its own tissues and cells because it cannot understand the difference between those and the “alien” materials that make us sick. Your joints, your heart, your lungs, your kidneys, your skin and even your brain get attacked by your immune system when you have lupus, and and it is inevitable that at some point – when it gets too much – your body may begin to shut down as well.

Because it is a disease affecting the immune system, some people believe that lupus is a blood disorder (because white blood cells are an essential component of the immune system). This is a mistaken assumption – lupus is not in itself a blood problem; however, lupus CAUSES a number of blood disorders because it attacks blood cells as well; of course, these blood disorders help in determining the approach to treating the lupus. Because of this, blood experts are brought in when a case of lupus is discovered – which is possibly why some people are so sure that lupus is a blood disorder when it in fact only brings about blood problems like too much blood clotting (thrombosis), and low red blood and hemoglobin levels (anemia).

Yes, everyone should be able to understand the irony of our own “anti-sickness” system being an actual cause of sickness – one of the things that makes lupus a very interesting condition to ponder. Whether or not you knew much about it before it was constantly mentioned in HOUSE, M.D. doesn’t matter anymore. In the end, lupus has become part of popular culture’s consciousness and more people have become aware of it.

One last thing: while many people expected that “the condition” that changes in every episode would never be lupus, an episode in the current season ended up with a patient actually HAVING lupus, prompting Gregory House to say “I finally have a case of lupus.” So while some of you may have started to think that in real life, “it’s never lupus”, remember that even in the show that coined the phrase, lupus happens.