Sunday, January 19, 2014

Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain Chronic pain as the name suggests is the pain that is experienced long term more often for weeks, months and even years. Chronic pain is one that persists even after the injury or illness that has created it has healed. The pain signals in the brain/nervous system remains active for long-term. Chronic pain can cause several emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, and anger and sometimes fear. These factors can disturb the affected person to such an extent that it may take more than normal period for him/her to return to normalcy.


Chronic Pain .Vs. Acute Pain :


Acute pain is experienced suddenly and is felt as sharp staggering pain. Often acute pain is considered as a warning signal for the underlying disease that needs immediate medical treatment. Some of the examples of acute pain are broken bones or fracture, pain caused during or after dental procedures, pain felt after surgery and pain felt during labor. Acute pain does not lasts longer but chronic pain can be felt for weeks or even months together. Acute pain will disappear if the underlying medical cause or injury is treated or healed but chronic pain will not disappear even after the cause is treated. Some of the common types of chronic pain are arthritis pain, headache, low back pain and cancer pain.


For some people chronic pain would have originated after trauma or physical injury to the body part and it often continues as ongoing cause. But in some cases chronic pain can be felt without any apparent cause. Chronic pain can range from mild to sharp pain disrupting the daily routine of the affected person. It is common in both sexes and is more common in elderly adults. Chronic pain is a symptom of aging process and older adults would have more types of medical issues like diabetes or arthritis than normal adults.


Causes :


The exact cause of chronic pain is still not known. Many times, chronic pain will continue to exists even after the underlying medical problem is treated. Some parts of nerve signals continue to remain active sending pain signals continuously to the body. For some people, the underlying nerves can get damaged causing the chronic pain.


Symptoms :


Some of the common signals of chronic pain are shooting or burning pain in some parts of the body. Some people may feel it as electrical pain or staggering pain. It might cause discomfort for the affected person and there may be muscle stiffness or tightness in the concerned area of the body. Chronic pain will not go away after the injury or trauma is treated and healed.


Chronic pain often causes fatigue and impatience for the affected person. In many people with arthritis pain sleeplessness is the main problem. The pain will not allow them to sleep properly during the night. Other common symptoms of chronic pain are withdrawal from normal activity, lack of motivation, depression, anxiety, mood changes like hopelessness and irrational fear. Sometimes it can cause weakness in your immune system giving way for infection and frequent illness.


Chronic pain can affect any part of the body like the muscles, joints and bones. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are some common types of chronic pain affecting the bones, tendons and joints. It can affect the nervous system causing intense nerve pain and it happens when there is excess of pressure on the nerves thereby damaging them. Diabetes and shingles can cause such nerve pain. In some cases, chronic pain can affect the internal organs like stomach and intestine which is felt once the person is diagnosed with stomach ulcer or inflammatory bowel disease. In rare cases, chronic pain can affect more than one organ in the same person.


Who are at risk?


Chronic pain can occur at any age and is common for men and women. But elderly adults are more prone to get chronic pain due to underlying illness like diabetes or arthritis or weakened immunity. Certain health problems like shingles, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety disorders and weak immune system can trigger chronic pain. People who have undergone previous surgery like back surgery, limb amputation etc are more prone to develop chronic pain.


Medical conditions like post-therapeutic neuralgia are very difficult to treat. People with sedentary lifestyle and those with smoking or drinking habit can develop chronic pain easily in old age. Women who are having stressful relations and those working in stressful atmosphere or facing constant sexual abuse can develop chronic pain.


Diagnoses :


Your doctor will examine the body by doing a physical exam at the doctor’s office. He may ask about your past illness/injury and the list of medications you are using at present. He may request for blood test, X-rays and test for diagnosing nervous problem. But in most of the cases, the test report will be negative indicating there is no underlying problem. Diagnostic tests like CT or MRI scan, angiogram test, electromyogram and nerve tests can be done to rule out any anomalies in nervous system.


He would check your mood changes and request for complete mental health assessment, if necessary. It is often difficult to diagnose the underlying cause for chronic pain. However the pain is very much real and affects the person’s health.


Treatment :


Over the counter medications like Ibuprofen, aspirin and acetaminophen may give you some relief from pain. Often chronic pain has no cure and the affected person has to manage to live with it. Eating healthy foods and practicing regular exercise will help you in reducing chronic pain. You can also try alternate therapies like acupuncture or yoga therapy. For some people mild chronic pain can be managed with OTC medications and mild exercises. But severe type of chronic pain gives great discomfort and disrupts one from carrying out daily activities. It would also cause great mental health problems like depression and anxiety. The person may not get quality sleep at night thereby causing irritation and fatigue. The entire outlook of life will change and it might disturb your relationships as well.


It is very much necessary for the person with chronic pain to take continuous treatment to prevent him/her from disability to work. Prolonged pain can interfere with your routine work causing disability. You have to get help from pain management clinic wherein you can find team of doctors like a neurologist, psychiatrist and anesthesiologist, treating you for managing the pain. It is certainly a challenging task for the doctor to treat anyone with chronic pain. He would have to consider several combinations of treatment for the same person to get real relief. Treatment will definitely improve the quality of your life if not give you complete relief from the pain.


The aim of the treatment is to decrease the intensity of your pain and improve your ability to function. Your doctor would give medications or therapies to get quality sleep and to reduce stress. Treatment varies with what kind of chronic pain you have and how severe it has affected your life. Many people get addicted with Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for managing chronic pain. But it is not advisable to take these drugs for long term without consulting your doctor.


Psychotherapy can bring relief and improve your emotional strength for managing chronic pain. You can get help from a counselor for overcoming depression/anxiety and addiction with alcohol. CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) is very useful in handling many mental health problems. Some doctors use nerve block injections for giving relief from severe nerve pain. Surgery is the last choice for chronic pain and it depends on the individual’s health condition and intensity of the pain.


Intrathecal drug delivery is done using small tubing inserted into the spinal cord which would release small amounts of drug whenever the person feels pain in the area. Spinal cord stimulation is a process in which electrical current is used for treating chronic pain. Radiofrequency ablation is another procedure through which the pain causing nerves are numbed thereby giving relief from chronic pain.


Prevention :


You cannot prevent from getting chronic pain. But you can always try your best to stay in good health both physically and mentally. Eat balanced diet, sleep well and do exercise regularly.


Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD is the abbreviated form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It includes various types of lung related diseases like emphysema, chronic airway disease and chronic bronchitis. An individual affected with COPD will have breathing difficulty due to the obstruction in the airway passage. He/she would have frequent chest infections, persistent cough and breathlessness. Smoking is the main cause for developing COPD apart from environmental factors. The symptoms of the disease can be managed by medications and other mode of treatments but the damage done to the lung through smoking cannot be reversed.


How Does it Happen?


When a person smokes he inhales the tobacco packed fumes. He would persistently increase the smoking period by getting on to the habit. This in turn causes inflammation of the lungs leading to scarring of tissues. The smoke would irritate the soft lining of the lungs and if it continues for long-term it results in scarring. More amounts of mucus are secreted from the lungs and the soft air sac of the lungs gets damaged. This would lead to emphysema causing symptoms of persistent cough, breathlessness and frequent lung infections.


Symptoms :


Initially there may not be any symptoms at all, but once significant lung damage has occurred many symptoms would appear. Persistent cough, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing, excess of mucus secretion and frequent respiratory infections are some of the symptoms of COPD. The first thing you would do in the morning is to expel mucus that has secreted overnight in your throat.


The color of the mucus can be plain white, yellow or greenish yellow. For some people, it can cause cyanosis leading to bluish fingernails or lips. In final stages the disease can cause sudden weight loss. Exacerbation is the period in which the symptoms can go worse and may continue for weeks or even months together.


Causes :


Smoking is the main cause for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It can be either active or passive smoking. It need not necessarily be cigarette smoking alone but it can happen to women who are exposed to fuel smoke or cooking smoke. The air sacs present in your lungs would gradually lose its elasticity thereby trapping some particles of air inside.


This in turn would lead to emphysema and chronic bronchitis thereby blocking the narrow airways and secreting more of mucus. Apart from long-term cigar smoking, genetics can also cause COPD. The children born to parents with this disease are more likely to develop this problem than others. Exposure to organic fumes, irritant fumes and other chemical waste can also cause COPD. When alpha antitrypsin ( a type of protein) gets lowered in your system it may affect the lungs as well as liver leading to COPD.


Who are at risk?


COPD develops normally above 35 years and is considered to be the most common respiratory disorder in many countries. People who are exposed to tobacco smoke such as pipe smokers are at risk. COPD is likely to develop in people with asthma and other lung infections. People whose workplace gives more exposure to chemical fumes are at risk.


In severe cases, COPD may develop into serious respiratory infections like flu or pneumonia. It may also cause heart disease, hypertension (increased blood pressure), and lung cancer. In most of the cases, COPD is not diagnosed properly and most of the smokers assume their cough as casual one.


Diagnoses :


Your doctor would examine your body and look into the medical history. He may order for pulmonary function tests like spirometry to measure the lung performance. He would also request for chest X-ray and/or CT scan of your lungs to check for emphysema and ruling out lung cancer.


Treatment :


COPD can be treated and managed well with effective medications and therapy. The first step of treatment is to stop smoking. Nowadays plenty of rehab centers are available to help you out of smoking habit. In case you are exposed to secondhand smoking then you need to take precautions to stay away from smokers. Bronchodilators are often recommended in the form of inhalers or oral pills for clearing the airway block. It would give good relief from persistent cough and shortness of breath. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, your doctor would prescribe suitable bronchodilators for managing your activities. Some of the effective bronchodilators are Atrovent, Ventolin HFA, Proair HFA, Spiriva, Serevent and Brovana.


Corticosteroid is also prescribed for reducing inflammation in the airway and to prevent exacerbations. Hoarse voice and oral infections can be treated with steroid medications like Flovent and Pulmicort. These medications are inhaled in controlled doses for clearing the airway block and to help breathe easily. For some cases, doctors prescribe combination of both corticosteroid and bronchodilators. Oral steroids if taken for long period can cause side effects like weight gain and osteoporosis.


Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor is given for severe cases of COPD for relaxing the muscles and clearing the airways. In case of severe respiratory infections, antibiotics are prescribed. Lung therapies are given in addition to medications for improving the quality of life of the patient. Oxygen therapy is suggested for patients who have less of oxygen in their blood. Portable units of oxygen machines are available. For some cases, combined therapy of medications and exercises are recommended.


In case of acute exacerbations, symptoms may worsen causing severe infection and even lung failure. Hence taking prompt treatment is necessary. Surgery is done only in case of severe cases of emphysema and if the patient is not responding to any type of treatment. The surgeon would remove the damaged part of lung tissue for improving the functioning of the lungs. In rare cases, lung transplantation is done which carries significant risks.


Home Remedies :


People living with COPD should take effective steps for improving quality of life. They should consult lung therapist for knowing how to breathe efficiently using special techniques. Learning relaxation therapy will prevent shortness of breath. Using humidifiers and drinking plenty of warm water can help in clearing the airways. Doing regular exercise will improve your overall health and also will strengthen the respiratory muscles. Avoid foods that trigger cough and mucus. Eat healthy foods to manage healthy weight. Avoid going to places of smoke-zone and also stay away from areas of air pollution.


Pictures of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease :


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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease


Prevention :


Never smoke in your life to prevent COPD since smoking is the major cause of developing this disease. In case you are smoking for longtime then it is time to find out ways for tobacco cessation to prevent further damage to your lungs. Wear masks that would prevent your lungs from getting exposed to chemical fumes in case you are employed in such fields.


Monday, January 13, 2014

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a condition in which bone muscles and tissues become thin over time. When the body loses the tendency to form new bones this condition develops and as such osteoporosis is the most common bone disease. It is found in people who are above 55 or 60 years. Lack of calcium and phosphate may also trigger this condition in old age, thereby affecting bones. In women, it often occurs during menopause stage when there is reduction in the hormone level. Vitamin D deficiency, thyroid problem and other chronic illness may also cause osteoporosis. Some of the symptoms are low back pain, tenderness in bone joints, and neck pain.The treatment methods of osteoporosis should be effective to control pain and prevent bone decay.


Bisphosphonate are given for controlling and preventing osteoporosis in women. The other medicine called calcitonin is also prescribed as pills or as nasal spray. In some cases, hormone replacement therapy is used in some women. Regular exercise, lifestyle changes and diet management will also help to control osteoporosis. The affected person will be asked to include calcium rich diet like yogurt, cheese and salmon.


Images, Photos, Pics and Pictures of Osteoporosis:


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Scabies Pictures

Scabies Pictures Scabies is a contagious skin disease caused by mite. It attacks men, women and children and spreads by direct contact or sharing of clothes. The mites enter the skin and deposit eggs which on maturing produces itchy rash on the skin. Itching at night, rashes in fingers and sores on the skin are the symptoms of scabies. Usually the eggs will stay on the burrows of the skin for 20 days which is the incubation period.


Treatment for scabies can be obtained over the counter medicines. Creams which contain benzyl benzoate like ispemethrin is prescribed for this skin disease. The topical ointment should be applied on the infected part. Even when the other members of the family do not have symptoms, the cream should be applied, as a precautionary measure. Washing the under garments in hot water will prevent spreading. In severe cases, the doctor will ask you to take oral drugs for killing the mites inside the skin. These creams are very effective and should be rightly followed as prescribed by your doctor.


Pictures of Scabies :


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Mouth Cancer Pictures

Mouth Cancer Pictures Cancer caused in oral cavity or mouth is known as mouth cancer. Very often cancerous growth is observed in lips and tongue. Sometimes it may also be seen in cheeks, gums, and palates. The cells called squamous cell causes mouth cancer which is carcinogenic. It has great chance to spread quickly to other parts, if not treated properly. The major causes for getting oral cancer are smoking, chewing tobacco, increased alcohol intake. Sometimes weakened immunity, poor dental hygiene and HPV infection may also cause mouth cancer. The person affected with this disease will have sore, lump or lesions on the mouth and may have problem in eating and drinking. He may also experience pain and difficulty in swallowing due to throat pain.


The doctor will physically examine the individual for checking the presence of cancerous growth in the mouth. He would also ask the patient to undergo gum biopsy to confirm the disease. For mild forms of mouth cancer, radiation and chemotherapy is done. In severe cases, surgery is the only method to remove tumors in mouth.


Pictures of Mouth Cancer :


Pics, Images, Pictures and Photos of Mouth Cancer
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Mouth Ulcers Pictures

Mouth Ulcers Pictures Mouth ulcers as the name implies are painful blisters or swelling in the mouth. It can occur in any part of the oral cavity like tongue, lips and palate. The first sign that a person would get is a burning sensation in the mouth, followed by appearance of blisters. Mouth ulcer can come as a single blister or sometimes in group as clusters. The growth of ulcer will be of whitish yellow in color having a red circular covering. Normally the mouth ulcers will disappear by itself within a week. Major causes for ulcer formation are food allergy and poor dental hygiene.


Just like mouth sore, the treatment method is very simple. Gargle the mouth with salt water. Apply ice therapy to the affected part of the mouth to get relief from pain and swelling. Sometimes, the underlying disease in kidney and stomach will reflect by the symptoms of mouth ulcer. In case the blisters do not get settle down within a week, you need to consult a doctor, since it can be formed due to other reasons like hormonal imbalance and bowel disease.


Pictures of Mouth Ulcers :


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MRSA Infection Pictures

MRSA Infection Pictures Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is the expansion of MRSA infection, which is caused by bacteria belonging to the group of Staphylococcus. It affects the skin of the person and the underlying tissues causing pus formation. It appears like pus, boils in the hair follicles of the skin and in the form of large abscesses with heavy discharge of pus. It can also affect eyelids causing infection known as sty and impetigo which is infection caused in skin or underlying tissue. The blisters begin as tiny red bumps with itching sensation and later on develop into infectious pus. The infection is contagious and there is every chance for the patient to spread the infection to others by sharing of towels and bath-soaps etc.


Antibiotics are considered to be the effective treatment for MRSA infection. When the individual gets painful pus on the skin or tissue, one should not delay in visiting the doctor. The course of antibiotic drugs has to be completed in full to destroy the bacterial growth. In case you discontinue the medicines, the bacteria might survive to cause further infection.


Pictures of MRSA Infection :


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Mumps Pictures

Mumps Pictures A painful swelling developed on the lower neck portion is called mumps. It is caused by virus which creates inflammation of salivary glands. The disease is highly contagious and can easily spread from the affected person’s saliva or droplets to others. Mumps very often affects children of age group between 2 to 12. Severe cases of mumps can affect central nervous system and pancreas. Sore throat, fever, headache, swelling of jaw is some of the symptoms of this disease. The virus will be under incubation period for 10-15 days once it enters the body.


Vaccination is the best method to prevent mumps. No exact treatment is available for curing this disease. Applying ice pack on the portion of swelling can reduce pain and inflammation. It is better to give the children soft liquids since they may have difficulty in drinking and swallowing. It is necessary to keep the child hydrated to avoid further complication. Ask the child to gargle the mouth with lukewarm salt water to reduce the intensity of pain and sore throat.


Pictures of Mumps :


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Mouth Sores Pictures

Mouth Sores Pictures Mouth sores are nothing but swelling in the oral cavity with small red blisters or lesions. It can appear in gums, tongue, cheeks and upper roof of the mouth causing irritation and pain. These are also called canker sores or blisters and every one of us may get mouth sores at one point in life. Burning the mouth by eating hot foods and drinks, hurting the mouth with sharp objects accidentally and biting the tongue occasionally may give rise to mouth sores. They are caused by virus called herpes simplex and initially the person may experience tingling sensation in the affected region. Fever, stress and exposure to sun may also cause mouth sores.


Simple home remedies are enough to cure mouth sores. Rinse the mouth with lukewarm salt water several times a day. Treat the mouth sores with the solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Most of the mouth sores will disappear on its own without requiring any treatment. In case if the swelling is severe, then you can buy topical ointments like Blistex for treating mouth sores.


Pictures of Mouth Sores :


Images, Pictures, pics and Photos of Mouth Sores
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Melanoma Pictures

Melanoma Pictures Common form of skin cancer is called melanoma. It is the most dangerous type of cancer which may even prove fatal. Melanin is the pigment found in the skin which is responsible for skin color. When melanin loses its color due to certain changes in cells it may become cancerous moles causing melanoma. Four types of skin cancer are recognized. The individual is at the risk of developing melanoma as he grows old. Again the people who are exposed to sunlight and fair complexion are more prone to skin cancers than others. Changes in the color of the moles are the best symptom to identify melanoma. ABCD tests are done for confirming the presence of illness.


Initial stages of melanoma can be corrected by surgical treatment in which cancer causing tissues are removed. However if the cells have progressed and spread to the internal parts, surgery is not the option. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy is employed for destroying cancerous cells. It is necessary to get yourself checked with the doctor each year to detect the early symptoms of melanoma. Any extraordinary growth or lesions on the skin may turn malignant causing cancer.


Pictures of Melanoma :


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Neck Cancer Pictures

Neck Cancer Pictures The squamous cells which are found as a thin lining in mouth and nose become carcinogenic causing neck cancer. By repeated chewing of tobacco and consumption of alcohol may turn the squamous cells inside the oral cavity into cancer causing cells. Very often neck cancer is caused by these cells and that too it is found only in persons who are in the habit of smoking or drinking. HPV virus may also cause neck cancer which may start in the base of the tongue causing tonsils. A small lump or lesion is seen in the oral cavity along with sore throat. The person may have difficulty in eating and drinking and in some people change in voice may be observed.


Treatment of neck cancer varies with respect to the intensity of the illness and also on the location of tumor. Several types of treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery and combination of one or more treatment are available. After the treatment, the patient will be asked to regular follow up to avoid any possibility of spread of cancer into other parts.


Pictures of Neck Cancer :


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