Swollen Tongue

Swollen Tongue Tongue is an essential part of your body which is largely used in digestion of food particles. Tongue is a muscular organ that helps one to speak properly. Any swelling on the tongue can affect the way you eat or speak. Number of factors can affect the tongue causing inflammation and swelling. Tongue inflammation is medically described as smooth tongue or glassodynia. The tongue changes its normal color and become red and swollen. Swollen tongue can be caused due to vitamin B12 deficiency, side effect of medications and due to acromegaly or gigantism. It can be treated if the underlying causes are known.

Causes :

Various factors can cause tongue inflammation or swollen tongue. ACE inhibitors drugs given for hypertension can cause swollen tongue. These medications are given for inhibiting the angiotensin enzyme and this can cause inflammation of the tongue called angioneurotic edema. People taking ACE inhibitors will develop swelling on their face and tongue due to adverse reaction. However not all the people taking this drug would develop inflammation but only some people are affected.

Angioneurotic edema can also occur as allergic reaction of other medications causing swollen tongue. Eating too hot and spicy foods can also affect the soft lining of the tongue causing inflammation. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause inflammation of the tongue. Candida infection can cause fever and thrush leading to swollen tongue. Certain conditions like dehydration can cause dry mouth which may lead to tongue inflammation.

Certain illness like hypothyroidism (less secretion of thyroid hormone) can cause swollen tongue. Anemia, Kawasaki disease and strep infection can also affect your tongue. Sometimes people can develop swollen tongue due to allergic reaction caused by wearing dentures, dental procedures, mouthwash, and medications. Any abnormality in the functions of salivary gland can affect the tongue causing inflammation.

Swollen tongue can also be formed as a result of injury or infection inside the oral cavity. Certain skin problems like syphilis, oral lichen planus and bullous pemphigoid can affect the tongue causing swelling. Eating hot and spicy foods and consumption of alcohol can also cause tongue irritation leading to swollen tongue.

Symptoms :

Some of the common signs of tongue inflammation are ulcerous growth on the tongue, change in normal color, tender tongue, and swelling of tongue, burning pain on the tongue and loss of taste and problems in eating/swallowing and even speaking. In severe cases inflammation of tongue can affect the normal breathing pattern.

Diagnosis :

Mere physical examination of the tongue is enough to detect swollen tongue. Your doctor will check the condition of the tongue looking for sores and change in color. For some people there can be small papules or lesions on the tongue indicating ulcers. He would collect complete medical history of the patient including the list of medications and habits etc. In case he suspects vitamin deficiency he would order for blood test. For confirming skin infection, your doctor may do a biopsy on the tongue by collecting small tissue sample from your tongue and testing it on the laboratory.

Treatment :

The plan of treatment varies according to the root cause of tongue inflammation. The main objective of the treatment is to reduce swelling and give relief from the symptoms. Anti-inflammatory drugs like histamines and pain killers like ibuprofen are given for first hand relief. In case of fungal/yeast infections, antimicrobial drugs are prescribed. He would also advise you to take vitamin B12 supplements.

Lifestyle Changes :

You need to quit smoking and drinking if you develop swollen tongue. Inflammation of the tongue can be a sign to tell that something is wrong inside. Practicing good oral hygiene is necessary. Brushing your teeth after every meal can help in reducing the infection largely. Go for routine dental checkups.

Cholelithiasis

Cholelithiasis Gallbladder stones are known as cholelithiasis in medical terms. During the process of digestion several chemical reactions takes place and enzymes are secreted to break down the food particles. Sometime these digestive fluids get hardened to form stones that get accumulated in the gallbladder. Gallbladder is a small organ found on the right upper portion of the stomach just below the liver. It also secretes an enzyme (bile) that helps in digestion and gets discharged into the small intestine.

Gallstones are formed if the bile (digestive enzyme) contains high cholesterol or it contains high content of bilirubin. These stones vary in size and shape. For some people there can be only one stone and for others number of stones can be formed. Choleolithiasis can be effectively treated by removing gallbladder surgically (for severe cases) or by taking medications to destroy gallstones.

Types :

There are 2 common types of cholelithiasis :

If gallstones are formed due to excess of cholesterol in the enzyme bile it is known as cholesterol stone.

If gallstones are formed due to excess of bilirubin (breaking up of RBC causes this waste product) it is known as pigment stone.

Symptoms :

Choleolithiasis do not produce any symptoms most of the time. It causes sudden pain in the abdomen only if the gallstone strikes with a duct causing a blockage. There can be sharp and sudden pain in the upper right portion of the stomach, or in the center of the abdomen beneath the breastbone. It can also cause intense pain in the right shoulder or shoulder blades.

For some people it can cause fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, tenderness in the abdomen, black colored stools and change in skin color (yellowish skin). For serious cases it can cause high fever, intense abdominal pain, bloated sensation and abdominal swelling. In that case emergency medical help is to be taken.

Causes :

The main cause of cholelithiasis is excess of cholesterol formation in the gallbladder. These particles get hard to form stone like substance that gets accumulated in various sizes and shapes. Choleolithiasis is caused when the bile contains excess of bilirubin in the gallbladder. Gallstones are formed due to blood disorders, and biliary tract infections. Sometimes gallbladder may not function properly to eliminate the substances inside. Gradually bile gets piled up and becomes hard to form gallstones.

Who are at risk?

Women are more prone to develop cholelithiasis than males (for reasons unknown). Old age, having high cholesterol in daily diet, fat diet, being obese and belonging to certain ethnic race like American Indian, Mexican American also makes one prone to gallstone formation. Pregnancy also increases the risk of developing gallstones since gallbladder is pushed inside and it may not be able to empty the contents properly. Having a history of cholelithiasis, having diabetes, taking cholesterol reducing drugs for extended period and taking estrogen supplement poses risk for developing choleolithiasis.

Complications :

Gallstones can cause serious complications if the stone gets clogged in the gallbladder neck. Sometimes many stones can block the tubes such that no liquids can flow freely from the gallbladder into the intestine. For some people gallstones can enter into the pancreatic duct blocking its flow causing inflammation of pancreas which requires urgent medical care. In rare cases gallstones can lead to gallbladder cancer causing life threatening problem.

Diagnosis :

Ultrasound of the abdomen is done to detect the presence of gallstones. It would give exactly the number of gallstones and its position in the gallbladder. Your doctor can also use dye test for checking the bile ducts if any stone is blocking its way. Imaging tests like CT, MRI scanning may also be done for getting a clear picture. In addition he may request for blood test to rule out any infection or jaundice in the liver.

Treatment :

Gallstones that do not cause any pain or discomfort require no treatment. For people with moderate or severe symptoms of abdominal pain treatment is given based on the intensity of pain and the patient’s age and health condition. Cholecystectomy is done for removing gallbladder if there are many gallstones. During this surgery, the surgeon will remove the entire gallbladder (a small pouch found on the upper part of the stomach) so that the bile would flow directly into the small intestine.

Removal of gallbladder does not cause any serious problem in life since it is not needed for the process of digestion. For mild symptoms the patient will be given oral medications to dissolve gallstones. However only mild symptoms can be managed by this option and the person has to take drugs for years together for getting the stones dissolved.

Prevention :

You cannot do anything to prevent cholelithiasis but you can take precautionary steps to reduce the risk of developing it. If you are obese take steps to reduce your weight. Do not skip breakfast or meals which can actually make conditions worse. Take steps to maintain healthy weight. Do not consume high cholesterol diet.

Duodenitis

Duodenitis Duodenum is part that lies in the upper portion of small intestine that connects stomach with the intestine. Any inflammation on the duodenum is medically known as duodenitis. It can cause severe abdominal pain and bleeding of intestine. The symptoms of this disease can vary from mild to severe. The major cause of duodenitis is a type of bacteria by name H Pylori. If left untreated bacterial infection can lead to ulcer formation. Some other causes are side effects of certain medications and over consumption of alcohol. Duodenitis can be treated with antibiotics if H pylori bacterium is the cause of infection.

Symptoms :

Signs of duodenitis vary from one person to another depending on the intensity of infection. Some of the common symptoms include stomach pain, bloating sensation (fullness), gas formation, loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. In rare cases there can be bloody discharge in the stool (black colored stool) with sharp abdominal pain. In that case emergency intervention is needed.

Causes :

H pylori bacterium is the common cause of duodenitis. Hepatitis infection and gastritis can also cause inflammation f the duodenum. Some people who are taking non-steroids for extended period of time can develop inflammation on the duodenum. Sometimes, Crohn’s disease and undergoing radiation therapy for stomach cancer can cause infection of the duodenum.

Since the duodenum lies very close to the stomach some of the digested food particles and gastric juices can enter into it causing irritation and inflammation. Being very close to stomach, all the food that you eat would pass into the small intestine through duodenum. This makes it more prone to irritation and infection.

Who are at risk?

People who are taking NSAID’s for prolonged period, people with Crohn’s disease, people who are consuming excess of alcohol, people who are taking radiation therapy, people who are overly stressed and people who use tobacco in many forms are prone to develop duodenitis. In severe cases, duodenal ulcer can cause internal bleeding leading to life threatening complication.

Diagnosis :

Your doctor will look for the above symptoms of abdominal pain. He can order for imaging tests of CT scan of the stomach, ultrasound scan and if required he may do a biopsy by cutting small tissue sample from the stomach portion and testing it for infection. In addition, he would ask for blood test, urine analysis and stool analysis.

Treatment :

If duodenitis is caused by H pylori your doctor would prescribe antibiotics for two weeks or even more. Some of the common antibiotics given are clarithromycin, amoxicillin, metronidazole and tetracycline. For some patients, he may prescribe proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, lanzoprazole, pantoprazole and rabeprazole. Histamine H2 antagonists like tagamet, pepcid and zantac are also given. To control excess of vomiting/nausea you can use electrolyte available over the counter. In case the symptoms occur due to prolonged use of medications, your doctor would reduce the dosage or prescribe alternate drugs for other illnesses.

What Is Lupus Disease

What Is Lupus Disease
Lupus is an auto immune disease which affects different organs of the body, joints, skins and internal organs also. This disease is found in both males and female but according to the stats lupus disease is mostly found in females. This is a hereditary disease and it is carried from parents, in special cases lupus disease has nothing to so with family. The normal age group for this disease is from eight to fifty years. Lupus disease is mostly found in Asian and African American peoples.

The main disorder of this disease is that the antibodies starts attacking and destroying the healthy body cells. Most of the lupus disease patients are having this disease because of their family history, but some cases have no family involved in the disease. Certain drugs are also responsible for the lupus disease. Other symptoms are also being related to the lupus disease but only in theory there is still no practical evidence for that.

Symptoms of this disease are very acute, and lupus disease causes extreme pain in joints and other parts of the body. Lupus is well known for causing arthritis in the hands. Patients suffer from rashes on the skin and they also form bruises and painful nodules. Major kidney problems occurs which can even lead to dialysis. In the nervous system part it can cause psychosis, dysfunction and mild headaches. Pulmonary embolism can have blood clots. Chest pain can occur because of heart problem. Heart problem can even create endocarditis and myocarditis. Lupus disease causes several problems in heart and nervous system. Lupus disease causes serious damage to the body regarding internal organs and other body parts. As lupus destroys the healthy cells it is very difficult to predict a perfect area where lupus disease occurs as it can attack any working cell.

There is no permanent cure of the disease and so only the symptoms of the lupus disease can be cured. For different symptoms there are different symptomatic cures, for example pain in joints can be treated by external lotions and anti inflammatory drugs, problems in nervous system can be treated accordingly. The perfect cure of the disease is not at all possible so symptoms are minutely observed and then on that basis medicines are given to the patient. The patients of lupus disease are instructed to live a healthy life style with balanced diet and some daily exercise, exercise helps the body to fight against this disease.

What Is Kidney Disease?

What Is Kidney Disease?
The kidneys are known be vital body organs which are responsible for performing several important life-sustaining functions in the body. Principally, the kidneys cleanse the body by removing waste and excess fluids, maintaining salt and mineral balance in the blood, and also helping to regulate blood pressure.

When confronted with the question, 'what is kidney disease?' one can simply respond that it is failure of the kidneys to perform the functions that they are meant to perform. This means that consequently, waste products and fluid can build up in the body, leading to swelling of the hands, feet, difficulties in breathing and more commonly, problems with passing urine. This condition, if left untreated, may result in the kidneys failing and stopping to functioning completely. This is a serious, and could be a potentially fatal situation.

To understand properly what kidney disease is, it is necessary to understand the functions and importance of the kidneys as one of the organs of the body. Basically, the kidneys serve to filter off waste products from the blood. This is achieved through an intricate and complex process that the kidneys perform. Due to the nature of the kidney functions, they are constantly removing toxic substances from the body to maintain a balance in the body system. As a result, the kidney is also one of the most susceptible organs to infection in the body system due to constant contact with waste and poisonous substances.

The quicker the filtration of blood in the kidneys, the better their functioning. In understanding what kidney disease is, the basic fact to recall is that with a poor performing kidney, the rate of blood filtration is lower. Likewise, a healthy well functioning kidney is able to filter waste substances from the system at a faster rate.

A healthy kidney is able to maintain the body's balance of water and mineral concentration. These minerals include magnesium, potassium, sodium and phosphorous, which are contained in the blood, and must be maintained at certain levels for optimum body system functioning. Or else, they have the potential to turn into poison, and harm the body. Kidney disease or kidney failure can be caused by reduction of blood flow to the kidneys, kidney damage due to infection, or damage as a result of toxins or certain drugs. This may also be a result of lack of sufficient fluids and infection.

UNderstanding The Causes Of Worms

UNderstanding The Causes Of Worms
Parasitic diseases are much more widespread than many people realize. These diseases

affect not only impoverished peoples in remote countries but they also can be important

health problems for rich and poor throughout the world, including the United States.

As with other parasitic diseases, roundworm infections are more common in warm climates

than in cooler, temperate areas of the world. Many roundworm parasitic diseases result

from human carelessness and a lack of appropriate personal hygiene and sanitation

measures. Thus, the best solution to the problem rests in preventing these infections

rather than in curing them.

Roundworms, or nematodes, are a group of invertebrates (animals having no backbone)

with long, round bodies. They range in size from those plainly visible to the naked eye to

those several hundredths of an inch long and visible only under a microscope. Most

roundworms or their eggs are found in the soil and can be picked up on the hands and

transferred to the mouth or can enter through the skin. With the exception of Trichinella

spiralis, which causes trichinosis, mature roundworms eventually end up or reside in the

intestine and cause a variety of health problems.

Nematodes are the most numerous multicellular animals on earth. A handful of soil will

contain thousands of the microscopic worms, many of them parasites of insects, plants or

animals. Free-living species are abundant, including nematodes that feed on bacteria,

fungi, and other nematodes, yet the vast majority of species encountered are poorly

understood biologically. There are nearly 20,000 described species classified in the

phylum Nemata.

Nematodes are structurally simple organisms. Adult nematodes are comprised of

approximately 1,000 somatic cells, and potentially hundreds of cells associated with the

reproductive system . Nematodes have been characterized as a tube within a tube ;

referring to the alimentary canal which extends from the mouth on the anterior end, to the

anus located near the tail. Nematodes possess digestive , nervous, excretory, and

reproductive systems, but lack a discrete circulatory or respiratory system. In size they

range from 0.3 mm to over 8 meters.

Most nematodes feed on bacteria, fungi, and other soil organisms. Others are parasitic,

obtaining their food from animals (such as the dog heartworm), humans (such as the pinworm)

, and plants.

Some of the most common parasitic roundworms in humans are: Enterobius vermicularis,

the pinworm that causes enterobiasis; Ascaris lumbridoides, the large intestinal roundworm

that causes ascariasis; Necator and Ancylostoma, two types of hookworms cause

ancylostomiasis; Trichuris trichiura, the whipworm that causes trichuriasis; Strongyloides

stercoralis that causes strongyloidiasis; and Trichonella spirae that causes trichinosis.

Nematodes that do not infect human intestines are not discussed in this fact sheet.

Pinworms generally find a home in the colon, or large intestine. At night, they come

through the anus to lay their eggs on the surrounding skin outside of it. Sometimes the

worms migrate to other areas of the body, such as the urethra (the tube that takes urine

from the bladder outside the body), vagina, fallopian tubes (tubes connecting the ovaries

with the uterus) or pelvis, causing inflammation. After leaving the colon to lay eggs or

migrate to other parts of the body, the worms usually die, so the infection can be

self-limiting. Often, though, children, and sometimes adults, reinfect themselves.

An itchy anus is the most common symptom of pinworms. It is caused by the adult worm

migrating out through the anus to lay eggs. This usually occurs at night, which is when

the itching will be most intense.

Presently there is no way to prevent pinworms. Treatment is not usually needed, though

parents are often concerned about the pinworms in their children. One dose of a

combination of the drugs mebendazole and pyrantel pamoate is usually given and repeated

again 2 weeks later.

Explaining Wilson's Disease (Hepatolenticular Degeneration)

Explaining Wilson's Disease (Hepatolenticular Degeneration)
Wilson's Disease (Hepatolenticular Degeneration) is a genetic disorder that is fatal

unless detected and treated before serious illness develops from copper poisoning.

Wilson's Disease affects one in thirty thousand people world wide. The genetic defect

causes excessive copper accumulation. Small amounts of copper are essential as vitamins.

Copper is present in most foods, and most people get much more than they need. Healthy

people excrete copper they don't need, but Wilson's Disease patients cannot.

The gene for Wilson's disease (ATP7B) was mapped to chromosome 13. The sequence of the

gene was found to be similar to sections of the gene defective in Menkes disease, another

disease caused by defects in copper transport.

The liver of a person who has Wilson's disease does not release copper into bile as it

should. Bile is a liquid produced by the liver that helps with digestion. As the

intestines absorb copper from food, the copper builds up in the liver and injures liver

tissue. Eventually, the damage causes the liver to release the copper directly into the

bloodstream, which carries the copper throughout the body. The copper buildup leads to

damage in the kidneys, brain, and eyes. If not treated, Wilson's disease can cause severe

brain damage, liver failure, and death.

Symptoms usually appear between the ages of 6 and 20 years, but can begin as late as

age 40. The most characteristic sign is the Kayser-Fleischer ring--a rusty brown ring

around the cornea of the eye that can be seen only through an eye exam. Other signs depend

on whether the damage occurs in the liver, blood, central nervous system, urinary system,

or musculoskeletal system. Many signs would be detected only by a doctor, like swelling of

the liver and spleen; fluid buildup in the lining of the abdomen;

anemia; low platelet and white blood cell count in the blood; high levels of amino acids,

protein, uric acid, and carbohydrates in urine; and softening of the bones. Some symptoms

are more obvious, like jaundice, which appears as yellowing of the eyes and skin; vomiting

blood; speech and language problems; tremors in the arms and hands; and rigid muscles.

The disease is treated with lifelong use of D-penicillamine or trientine hydrochloride,

drugs that help remove copper from tissue. Patients will also need to take vitamin B6 and

follow a low-copper diet, which means avoiding mushrooms, nuts, chocolate, dried fruit,

liver, and shellfish. Taking extra zinc may be helpful in blocking the intestines'

absorption of copper.

Zinc and Vitamin C supplementation increases the excretion of copper. With the use of

oral binders of copper eg penicillamine, Vitamin B6, and multi mineral must be taken to

reduce side effects of this drug. Iron and zinc are also bound by this binder.

The newest FDA-approved drug is zinc acetate (Galzin). Zinc acts by blocking the

absorption of copper in the intestinal tract. This action both depletes accumulated copper

and prevents it reaccumulation. Zinc's effectiveness has been shown by 15 years of

considerable experience overseas. A major advantage of zinc therapy is its lack of side

effects.

The
nutrients mentioned above reflect the major nutritional supplements
that may help the condition. Please do remember however that
nutritional supplementation is an adjunct to medical treatment and in
no way replaces medical treatment.