Archive for August, 2010

Complications Of Polimialgia Reumatica

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Both the inflammatory rheumatic diseases polimialgia reumatica and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are often overlapping conditions with undiscovered causative factors. There are some clinical indicators that are common to both conditions and they typically occur in adults over the age of fifty years. As far as the incidence of both disorders in America and England it is estimated that GCA occurs approximately 200 cases per 1 million people. For polimialgia reumatica depending on the country of choice the annual incidence can be anywhere from 120 – 1120 per million.

Polimialgia reumatica can prove harder to diagnose than giant cell arteritis. For gca a common symptom is a non typical headache that has a distinctly painful feel to it. This often goes in combination with elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and high C-reactive protein levels on blood testing. A terrible consequence of gca is visual loss which occurs in under twenty percent of cases and is why this disorder is called a rheumatologic emergency. There can be other associated symptoms such as numbness in the jaw or mouth which is a consequence of less blood to the head because of the inflamed arteries. With further testing it is often revealed that fifty percent of GCA sufferes have inflammation of the main arteries throughout the body

Polimialgia reumatica on the other hand presents with stiffness and aching of the neck, shoulders and hips. Associated with this by one third of patients is weight loss, fever and mental disturbances like depression. There may be no known cause for the onset. The symptoms may appear almost overnight or develop over a period of a few days. Although pain and stiffness may feel like they are originating in the joints or bones, that is not the case. Polimialgia reumatica only affects the muscles or the muscle attachment to the bone called the tendon. It is usually present on both sides of the body. Often a final diagnosis may take some time as other conditions such as neurological, hormonal and endocrine are ruled out.

Polimialgia reumatica and GCA are both commonly treated with corticosteroids. With the desired treatment regime achieving as low a dose as possible as soon as can be done. Because of the fear of drug toxicity it is desirable to achieve the lowest dose that will still provide maximum symptomatic relief. At this present time there is no best method to achieve this other than a little experimentation on the patient. It is common for a high or medium dose to be initially given then see how the patient responds then lower the dose and continue to carefully monitor the patient.

About half of polimialgia reumatica sufferers and 1/3rd of GCA sufferers will have a reappearance of their symptoms within the first year of treatment when their medication is lowered. This is associated with lowering medication below seven and a half mg per day.

As a adjunct to pharmaceutical treatment for Polimialgia reumatica there can be some benefit in changing lifestyle, adjusting dietary habits and adding nutritional supplements. Stress or anxiety can activate some pro-inflammatory conditions within the body, so learning to increase relaxation in your life can be beneficial. Decreased take away or processed foods and supplying your body with more key vitamins and minerals can only serve to help your body during the healing process. There are a few supplements that have been shown to help with inflammation and decreasing that in the body.

More information on how to fix polymyalgia symptoms is available from Peter Alexis’ website which is full of tips and help on polymyalgia treatment.

Older Persons And Walking Around

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Yesterday, I was touring a couple of assisted living facilities in our area in hopes of finding a nice facility that hosted overnight respite care. When you are looking after someone for long periods of time, it is more than important to find a nursing care center that can bring someone over for just a night. It’s hard to get a lot of sleep when you give care.

I visited a facility and was asking a lot of different questions to the team leader. My father is quite the elder and has frequent problems, and one of the things they talked about was wandering. Wandering is something common, and she asked me, “has he ever walked somewhere strangely?”. “No”, I said “and if he did, he wouldn’t get farther than the front steps because he is very unstable on his feet.”

“Oh, do not be too sure” she said. The topic of wandering brought up a story that was about a woman who had a mental disability and was gone for plenty of hours. She wandered away. This woman was aged, was stooped over, and used a walker whenever she walked due to deterioration of her legs. Traversing even somewhere as simple as a hallway or staircase would take a long time. .

When she went missing, her walker was found located in her room. No stone was left unturned as the police department was called, the complex was put on lockdown, and everyone called the families involved to aid in the search. She couldn’t have gone outside the perimeters because she hadn’t been missing that long, her walker was in the building and she wasn’t able to walk without it…or so they thought.

The woman was found 3 miles away from the facility! This was indeed a mystery and a miracle in the same sense. Since her brain and mind was in control, she was able to discard the walker and proceed as normal. If you could witness the walk that she walked and how her balance came back, you would be amazed. Her family was amazed!

Can your brain triumph over your body’s potential?

Now I started to think about my father and what could happen if he wandered away from caregivers. I think that everyone should rethink this possibility. Never again will I think the same way in this case. This is a excellent reminder that ANY patient with dementia has the capability to wander and that we need to take precautions before it happens. There are many studies that show a majority of Alzheimer’s patients will wander away. This is an astounding figure.

You can do lots of things to prevent this type of incident from occurring. You can set psuedo-traps to protect the disabled from hurting themselves or leaving a place where they are safe and sound. Chimes can be attached to doorknobs to alert caregivers if someone is getting away. Similar to a crime scene right out of a detective television series, caution tape can be strung from windows, doors, and any other opening to prevent escapes and/or wandering.

Just in case an aging parent or loved one does wander, be sure to have a recent photo handy and if 911 is not available in your area (or you use an Internet-based phone service), be sure to have your local police and fire department numbers handy.

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Help At The Touch Of A Button With The Freedom Alert Home Medical Alert System

Friday, August 27th, 2010

The Freedom Alert is one of the most popular home medical alert systems available: affordable and easy to use, it provides much-needed security and peace of mind to seniors who live alone…and their families.

The Freedom Alert differs from other equipment-only home medical alert systems, in that it allows the senior and his/her family the flexibility to choose who will be contacted if there is an emergency. While calls can go directly to 911, they don’t have to: up to 4 phone numbers can be pre-programmed in advance. Choose family, friends, neighbors, or emergency personnel if you wish, and when the senior presses the alert button, the system than calls each one in the designated order, until it reaches a “live” person. At that point, the elderly person can explain the problem and the contacted person can arrange for help.

The Freedom Alert uses a 2-way voice speakerphone pendant so that the senior can talk directly to the person on the other end if there is a problem. This system means there is no need for a monitoring station, so there are no monthly fees or lengthy contracts.

The Freedom Alert pendant can be comfortably worn in one of several ways: as a lanyard, wrist strap, or belt clip. It is also waterproof so the senior can wear it in the shower where falls often occur.

Important to think about with any home medical alert system, is the battery life, as the system is only useful if it is working. The Freedom Alert comes with an emergency back up batter for the base station, while with many others you have to buy this separately. Plus, it comes with rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries, and the system makes it easy to check if the battery is fully charged.

The Freedom Alert home medical alert system can provide help for your aging parents simply, and affordably. With just the push of a button, someone is always there to assist the senior if you can’t. Most elderly would like to live in the comfort of their home, independently, for as long as they can, and the Freedom Alert can make this possible.

Worrying about the security of elderly family members may keep you up at night, but a response system can provide you peace of mind, and help for your elderly loved one. Before you decide, find out about the various home medical alert systems that are available, and see if Freedom Alert is the best choice for your family member.

Education For Ear Health Professionals

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Ears ringing is a hearing problem that is perceived in one ear, both ears, or in your head. Thousands of men and also women suffer from ringing ears and describe it as a constant ringing noise in the ears. It can be perceived as loud noises, whistling, humming, ticking, or even common noises that are heard everyday. The way ear noise makes you feel is never very good, and you could have lots of difficulties in the long run. You do not always have to settle for medicines and also pill to get rid of your buzzing in the ears. Look towards the natural.

Folks with hearing aids also feel the conflict with their hearing aid. The difficulties can keep on snowballing. Living a better life will take many of the complications that noise in the ears can cause out of your life. Try exercising and also using different workout routines to make you body feel like the temple it is. Everything that you do is involved with the well-being of your body, so ensure that you are taking care of what ails you.

Noise in the ears can thrive if you aren’t getting all of the nutrition that you need, such as B12. Eating more animal products such as milk, eggs, meat, and fish have been effective natural treatments. There’s lots of natural treatments available from stores and pharmacies that may aid in the ringing relief. The ringing can be caused by poor circulation and ginko biloba does a very good job of improving circulation, successfully getting rid of the noise. You have nothing to lose by trying to get rid of ear noise, and also it could be faster than you would imagine.

While medical professionals might perpetually caution patients about the importance of brushing their teeth, eating healthy foods, and exercising, sometimes other parts of the human body get left off the list. If you are wondering why your ears are causing so much strife and issues, then you now understand how complex they are.

Lots of most people nowadays have hearing ailments, yet the exponential increase in the cases has not yet brought more folks in for help. With the noise level of cities rising and innovations in electronics making everything from concert audio to headphones louder than ever before, it makes sense to think twice about your hearing these days.

You are not hindered by the lack of specific knowledge about ears and hearing. Everyone can learn. There are more than enough simple steps you can take to protect your hearing without spending a ton of money or completely changing your lifestyle. Your initial success with your new hearing begins with the first effort. Take this rejuvenating approach to life and also watch the power come to you! Read this information and do not be shy to ask for more help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to succeed!

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Natural Skin Care Recommendations

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Good skin care is essential to graceful aging. Usually your skin will get dry and hard when you grow older, the opposite of that of a baby. A lack of lotions, different harsh chemicals, and many things in nature make your skin deteriorate over a decent amount of time. You won’t have that beautiful skin forever. As you age you get wrinkly and resemble a prune. No offense to the elderly! It is always important to take care of your body, and even more important to take care of your skin.

Before good skin care can be attempted, it is important to have a thorough understanding of how the skin operates. Skin consists of three layers. Tissue of the subcutaneous type make up layer one. You can find fatty cells in the subcutaneous level that maintain a good overall temperature of your body. The middle layer is the dermis. Located in the dermis are tissues that connect everything together. The epidermis is the skin that lays on the outside. You touch with this. The bad stuff is kept out by the dermis, making sure your body and inner workings are just fine. Skin cells that have reached the top of your epidermis flake off; you may have seen this if you coarsely wash yourself. Those cells were once at the bottom of the epidermis. Your outer skin layer gets thinner and thinner as you grow older. Your skin is soft and moist due to collagen, and the lack thereof will make you not as elastic. This causes the skin to sag and wrinkle. Dry skin is a problem since you don’t have as many sweat glands at your disposal while aging. Many of the other layers that make up your skin become smaller and more brittle over time as well, that also makes skin quality go down. UVA and UVB radiation from sunlight thin the epidermis even more. In your dermis, the collagen reacts to the radiation, consequently cause more breakdown of the skin layers.

Good skin care requires cleansing and moisturizing. Cleansing is essential to remove dirt and dead skin cells. No more blackheads and bumps on your forehead and back. If you clean too much or use the wrong soap, it could make your skin dry. Much like a duck has oil that waterproofs it, the oil in our skin helps keep our skin moist. Lotions and moisturizers are used daily by many people to bring back the hydration and other minerals to your skin. Special liquid cleaners are recommended over using traditional bar soap. The liquid soap has moisturizers and other additives that help protect your skin. There are many different cleansers on the market, so you may have to pick and choose your favorite out of the bunch.

There are vitamins like vitamin E that help the elasticity of the skin. With use you will see improvements. The type of moisturizer used is important as well. A heavier moisturizer should be used at night while a thinner, lighter moisturizer is recommended for daytime use.

You won’t get great skin by doing nothing. You can’t miss a day of treating and cleaning and making sure everything is nice and smooth. Avoiding exposure to the sun and tanning is ideal to prevent the harmful effects of radiation. Having a high SPF lotion or sunscreen will be of high value to you. Don’t even think about smoking if you plan on being healthy. If you eat bad food expect to have bad skin. Having lots of good water in your system makes sure that your body has the fluids necessary. Water helps the body function better. Staying hydrated means that your pores will receive a good cleaning too. You never can have enough water in your system, that’s why your skin will get extra moist.

As you age, it will be a good idea to take a close look at your skin. You will grow old very smoothly if you take care of your skin.

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Life Doesn’t Go Downhill When You Reach Middle Age

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

You will be amazed to discover that life doesn’t end after middle age any more. In fact the studies are indicated that the reverse is true. When you get to that age, scientists say, you may actually be happier than when you were younger. It’s incredible, but it’s true.

A particular survey took a look at more than 300,000 people in the United State and took a look at some specific factors, for example, marriage, children, employment and the like. What came out the other end of the study was that well-being, or at least one’s determination of it, varies depending on the person’s age.

While things like worries tended to remain the same regardless of age, other qualities changes wildly over time. Stress and anger in particular went down over time.

Sadness and happiness were also compared. One, sadness, seemed to go down after the age of 50, while happiness did the opposite. The reverse was true of the reverse situation.

The ladies had a slightly different experience. That went from higher stress levels and worries and sadness, but they also went to the happier place after the age of 50. The patterns tended to be equal across the genders which makes the genders equal no matter what the people have to say.

There may be a reason for all the happiness and change, according to the scientists that they say. They also emphasized the amount of overall happiness going up over time.

One thing they thought was that old folks have a better time of controlling their emotions, at least until a certain point. They may better understand their feelings and have more experience with being grown up.

You may have regrets, but some people think that the end is happiness and pie. And that is why the old folks know how to keep sane and safe. So the achievement has been reached and they are all to be known.

Naturally, something needs to be done more to make the study accurate. But life doesn’t end at 50.

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Look At The Following Before Venturing Right Into A Discount Pharmacy

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Many pharmacies nowadays are raising prices to cope up with the rising costs and some have even closed shops. If you are struggling to get n top of the medicines and items that you need, you can look to a Discount Pharmacy for extra help and money saving options. Read more and see for yourself!

You will need to do a local search in order to locate these pharmacies. Look within your Canadian town and be sure to look for the discount shops that will help enable you to get everything that you require. If you cannot find what you are looking for within your local search, you can move onto another outlet.

Take advantage of the wonderful tools the internet has to offer. By simply using the internet, you are going to be able to find online Canadian pharmacies that are going to have everything that you are looking for. A basic internet search is a great way to get started and get plugged in with great prices.

The online pharmacy option that you have chosen should have the right number of online ordering method that you need.These options are simply going to make purchasing experience that you seek better. For one, you can do your purchase right in the comfort of your home! You can do it all from your computer!

A credit card is going to be needed with a major credit card symbol stamped on the front. This is going to be the best way to pay for your items and check out in a small amount of time. You do not need to waste time with electronic checking, simply because it can take extra time to process and clear.

Remember, you will need to pay some sort of delivery costs if you want to get the very best deal. There are sites that offer free shipping and delivery when you buy a certain amount of products. It pays to spend a little extra so see what you can do to enjoy the extra savings!

Today is the best time to search for a Discount Pharmacy. Use a search engine online and see what you can come up with on the top search pages. You might be surprised at what you are going to find.

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10 Easy Tips For Arthritis Pain Relief

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Think you can’t stop that Arthritis pain? Great news! You can act now. Get 10 super easy and effective arthritis pain relief tips from arthritis experts and make your life with arthritis a little easier now.

Protect your joints. Don’t keep your joints in the same position for a prolonged period of time. Balance your rest and work throughout the day. Use the strongest joints available for the job.

Stretch it. Stretching should be part of every arthritis patient’s daily routine. A good stretch helps prevent injuries by warming up muscles and tendons which are more limber and less likely to tear. Spend at least 10 minutes each day stretching, and work each major muscle group.

Cool it down. Stop physical activity. Rest in a cool/shaded environment. Spray with a mist of cool water or wrap an ice pack or cold compress in a towel and apply it to reduce arthritis pain and swelling.

Get moving. Exercise can help reduce joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility and muscle strength. It can also help with weight control, stress management, and make you feel better overall. The Arthritis Foundation also offers water exercise and other classes.

Get a massage. Massage therapy can relieve your pain, soothe stiff sore muscles, reduce inflammation and swelling. Make sure you use oil or cream on your fingers to make it mroe gentle. Work the area for five to ten minutes a day if possible.

Keep your weight in balance. Being overweight, even just moderately, impacts weightbearing joints and can increase the pain of arthritis. Studies have indicated that losing extra weight lowers the risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee. Losing weight can help slow the progression of arthritis too.

Get a diagnosis. If you are experiencing symptoms like pain, stiffness, swelling for more than 1 weeks, you should consider seeing your doctor and getting a diagnosis. Remember that there are more than 100 types of arthritis. It is important to get the specific diagnosis for the type of arthritis you have.

Take your medication the right way. Don’t stop taking your medication just because you feel it is not working. Check with your doctor first. You need to understand that it may take several days to several months for a medication to become effective.

Look out for new options. Recently FDA has approved some new drugs for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritis diseases. If feel that the current medication doesn’t work well, check with your doctor about possible new options.

Keep educating yourself. It is important to learn something new about arthritis. Find some good websites online and subscribe to their newsletter if they have it. Join one of two active online arthritis communities like forums or bulletin board. Never hesitate to see your doctors and ask questions.

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Deadly Effects Of Acetaminophen With Overuse

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

The Food And Drug Administration was alarmed by the significant number of acetaminophen risks due to uncontrolled usage back in the year 2009, and took steps to regulate the drug. Known deadly effects of acetaminophen are usually connected to liver damage, and this was enough to take action by lowering the recommended dosage and requiring that manufacturers add the risks of misuse onto the box labels.

Acetaminophen was developed as a pain reliever and has been considered one of the safest in the painkiller medicine market. However, there have been adverse effects when people, under the assumption that it is safe, take it beyond the maximum required dosage much too frequently.

Paracetamol, a generic name for acetaminophen that has been widely accepted in many households, has always been the first solution for fever and pain, especially with children. The over dosage of this, however, may not be easily detected, and many households have placed themselves at risk by self medicating first and foremost with paracetamol without physician consult.

Many medications use acetaminophen as an added ingredient in their formulations in order to achieve maximum effect in symptomatic relief, especially for pain and fever during times of cold and cough. People are unaware that they may have already introduced acetaminophen into their system by taking one type of medication for a common cold, and then they decide to take acetaminophen in a concentrated dosage form for a migraine headache, for example. Unwittingly, they have overdosed the acetaminophen and this could lead to bigger and more lethal complications.

The main effect that over dosage of acetaminophen can have is on the liver, and this is caused when compounds (metabolites) in the chemical structure tend to overwhelm the pathways of gluthathione in the liver. This essential antioxidant, glutathione, is needed for protection of cells from things like free radicals and peroxide toxins that can make it to the liver due to bad lifestyle eating habits and alcohol intake.

Deterioration or degeneration of cell structures as a result of low levels of glutathione due to the weakening of production can then result in physically manifested symptoms, causing a person to literally waste away gradually. Such examples of cell deterioration can be seen in AIDS and cancer patients whose diseases are at the cellular level of severity, and have complicated treatment methods in order to simply lengthen the life span with no real guarantees for a reversal of the condition.

However, in many scientific communities, it is believed that glutathione can actually stop or reverse the degeneration of cells, as long as one can raise the level of the presence of glutathione in the body. This, however, may be very difficult to achieve, and although there are supplements that do contribute to glutathione or antioxidant level upgrades, this may not be enough in terms of concentration to really treat symptomatic patients.

The liver is the first to be affected by excess acetaminophen dosage, as this drug works directly with this organ in an attempt to address symptomatic issues as soon as possible. This is the reason that damage occurs here first and foremost when the drug is not taken at the recommended controlled levels.

There is no way of telling an individual how to live his or her life in order to stay safe from unhealthy habits, and the intake of excess acetaminophen doses to self medicate a certain condition simply adds to the bigger picture. The intake of excessive alcohol as well as other medications already containing acetaminophen can have drastic effects on an individual who decides to take matters into his own hands and starts to take paracetamol for some other reason without medical supervision.

Liver damage can be a serious and dangerously deadly condition and it takes a professional to determine if an individual is on the road towards a bad liver problem. Signs and symptoms are yellow in the whites of the eyes, pain in the right upper abdominal area, dark urine color, and pale stools. Be sure to consult a health professional if these symptoms are frequent and if there is a history of acetaminophen or excessive intake of different types of medications.

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Promising Research On Alzheimer’s Fruit Flies

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

If you have a senior loved one you probably have already given a thought or two to Alzheimer’s disease. If you are not already going through it with a loved one you know someone who is. Whether its the early onset stage of the disease with mild confusion and memory loss or late stage form causing patients to lose there ability to speak and recognize family members, Alzheimer’s is a sad and devastating disease.

Researchers have long known that amyloid precursor protein (APP) is at the heart of Alzheimer’s. Excessive amounts of this protein are produced and clog up the brain, reducing its cognitive abilities. While you would never think of such a thing, apparently male fruit flies are also susceptible to APP mutation as well. Researchers monitor fruit fly mating behavior to observe the affects. Normally, when a male pursues a female and attempts to mate with her, she will often accept his advances and will encourage him and mate. But many times the female is not receptive and will aggressively reject the males advances. Healthy males will remember the rebuff for several hours and will not attempt courtship again during this time.

The males with the APP mutation did not behave in this normal manor. They seemed to lose their ability to remember that the female had already rejected them and they attempted to mate almost immediately. Remarkably, researchers were able to restore the males ability to remember and after treatment the males when back to a more normal behavior of waiting several hours after a rejection. What was the treatment? There were two therapies actually. The first was the same lithium drug that is currently FDA approved to treat humans. The second therapy was a genetic manipulation of the fly’s to reduce their mGluR uptake. mGluR is a chemical associated with the hippocampus and is on the surface of neurons.

The most common genetically inherited disease among humans to cause cognitive disfunction is something called Fragile X. It is known to cause autism. Male fruit flies also suffer from this disease and seem to lose the ability to mate and also have memory loss. When treated with the same two therapies that the APP males received, both memory and mating ability was restored. Prior to this work, there was no known connection between these two diseases.

Of course this work is in its early stages and there is no guarantee that the treatments will translate well to humans. But the work is encouraging for a couple of reasons. For one the connection between Fragile X and Alzheimer’s is a new one and possibly can open up a whole new direction for researchers to pursue that could be beneficial for both diseases. Also the work shows that therapies can reverse the symptoms of the disease. Eventually there will be a treatment for Alzheimer’s its just a question of when.

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