7 complications of Dengue that you ought to know.

Dengue.

        Dengue fever is a serious condition that needs adequate medical attention. Most people suffering from dengue have better chances of survival if they can reach out and get a timely treatment. However, at times it can lead to complications that can be fatal. ‘Dengue complications are often termed dengue shock syndrome and is also associated with high mortality rate. Dengue shock syndrome can lead to vascular permeability, dehydration, myocardial dysfunction contributing to development of shock with even multiorgan failure,’ says Dr Subhash Sonawala, consultant general physician, Kohinoor Hospital, Mumbai.  The onset of shock in dengue can be dramatic, and its progression relentless. Here is what can happen to you if dengue fever progresses to dengue shock syndrome:

 

Severe pain in the abdomen:  

                 Abdominal pain is one of the very common symptoms of dengue along with high fever and headaches. ‘But severe abdominal pain can indicate that something has gone wrong in the system, like a hemorrhage in the abdomen. This is also a severe complicated state,’ informs Dr Sonawala. Severe abdominal pain with high dengue fever is suggestive of dengue hemorrhagic fever too. 

Myalgia:  

                 Severe muscle pain along with pain in the joints with high fever is indicative of myalgia which suggests that the dengue fever has progressed from a mild to a severe state.

Fluid accumulation in the liver:  

                This isn’t a common occurrence but accumulation of fluid in the liver is a matter of concern. ‘This can lead to liver complications along with dengue and can also lead to liver failure if not treated on time,’ says Dr Sonawala.

Hemorrhages: 

              ‘Internal bleeding is also a part of dengue shock syndrome. Some patients suffering from dengue can also progress to a condition called dengue hemorrhagic fever. There can be internal bleeding in the system with high fever, joint and muscle pain,’ informs Dr Sonawala.

Nausea:  

                Loss of appetite and nausea is common during dengue. But if there is severe nausea leading to dehydration it can lead to deteriorating health and other complications too.

Fluid accumulation in the chest: 

               Along with cough and breathlessness if there is fluid accumulation in the chest leading to respiratory distress it could lead to other health complications along with high dengue fever.

Headache: 

                  This is tricky as headache is a common symptom that comes along with any fever. But unbearable pain could lead to other complications of dengue like be indicative of dengue hemorrhagic fever with a chance of also having brain hemorrhage.

Source by: ( http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/world-health-day-2014-7-complications-of-dengue-that-you-ought-to-know/ )

Docters said: Parkinson’s Being Diagnosed in People Aged Under 40 year.

          Parkinson’s, until now considered a disease of the old, is now affecting youngsters too. Called the Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD), it strikes people below the age of 40 and even 20-year-olds, said Dr Satish Chandra, Director, NIMHANS.

Dr GM Wali, a neurologist from North Karnataka, agrees that Parkinson’s is growing among youngsters, especially in India. “If in the West, the prevalence rate is 10-12 per cent, then in India the number could be up to 20 per cent,” he said.

The reasons, experts say, are varied. “Apart from genetic factors, infections, toxic materials like manganese and soil and water pollutants catalyse YOPD,” Dr Chandra said.

Others hold the practice of consanguineous marriages in India as a factor triggering the disease.

“While the urban population may be at a higher risk due to exposure to various smokes, chemicals and foods, low awareness and non-availability of medical facilities make the rural population vulnerable,” Dr Wali said.

Parkinson’s is a neuro-degenerative disease usually affecting people above 50. Symptoms include tremors, muscle rigidity and trouble with balance. The disease, as it progresses, also impairs speech and slows down thought processes.

Younger patients have slightly different symptoms. “There is a different manifestation of rigidity and slowness in these patients. These symptoms are more frequent than tremors,” Dr Chandra said.

Now, doctors are pressing for more awareness campaigns about the disease and also for support groups to be set up to help patients.

world Parkinson’s Day today

Basal Ganglia Society, with support from BGS Global Hospital, will organise a talk on recent research on controlling Parkinson’s, new treatments, and provide information to patients, their families and caregivers, on Friday as part of World Parkinson’s Day.

Source by: ( http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/Parkinson%E2%80%99s-Being-Diagnosed-in-People-Aged-Under-40-Docs/2014/04/11/article2162134.ece#.U0g8XKIr_Fx )

All about Cancer.

Definitions:

                       There is no one definition that describes all cancers. They are a large family of diseases which form a subset of neoplasms, which show features suggestive of malignancy. A neoplasm or tumor is a group of cells that have undergone unregulated growth, and will often form a mass or lump, but may be distributed diffusely.

 

Six characteristics of malignancies have been proposed: sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality, inducing angiogenesis, and activating invasion and metastasis. The progression from normal cells to cells that can form a discernible mass to outright cancer involves multiple steps.

Signs and symptoms:

                                      When cancer begins, it invariably produces no symptoms. Signs and symptoms only appear as the mass continues to grow or ulcerates. The findings that result depend on the type and location of the cancer. Few symptoms are specific, with many of them also frequently occurring in individuals who have other conditions. Cancer is the new "great imitator". Thus it is not uncommon for people diagnosed with cancer to have been treated for other diseases to which it was assumed their symptoms were due

Local effects:

                          Local symptoms may occur due to the mass of the tumor or its ulceration. For example, mass effects from lung cancer can cause blockage of the bronchus resulting in cough or pneumonia; esophageal cancer can cause narrowing of the esophagus, making it difficult or painful to swallow; and colorectal cancer may lead to narrowing or blockages in the bowel, resulting in changes in bowel habits. Masses in breasts or testicles may be easily felt. Ulceration can cause bleeding which, if it occurs in the lung, will lead to coughing up blood, in the bowels to anemia or rectal bleeding, in the bladder to blood in the urine, and in the uterus to vaginal bleeding. Although localized pain may occur in advanced cancer, the initial swelling is usually painless. Some cancers can cause build up of fluid within the chest or abdomen.

 

Causes:

                 Cancers are primarily an environmental disease with 90–95% of cases attributed to environmental factors and 5–10% due to genetics. Environmental, as used by cancer researchers, means any cause that is not inherited genetically, not merely pollution. Common environmental factors that contribute to cancer death include tobacco (25–30%), diet and obesity (30–35%), infections (15–20%), radiation (both ionizing and non-ionizing, up to 10%), stress, lack of physical activity, and environmental pollutants.

It is nearly impossible to prove what caused a cancer in any individual, because most cancers have multiple possible causes. For example, if a person who uses tobacco heavily develops lung cancer, then it was probably caused by the tobacco use, but since everyone has a small chance of developing lung cancer as a result of air pollution or radiation, then there is a small chance that the cancer developed because of air pollution or radiation

 

Chemicals:

              Particular substances have been linked to specific types of cancer. Tobacco smoking is associated with many forms of cancer, and causes 90% of lung cancer.

Many mutagens are also carcinogens, but some carcinogens are not mutagens. Alcohol is an example of a chemical carcinogen that is not a mutagen. In Western Europe 10% of cancers in males and 3% of cancers in females are attributed to alcohol.

Decades of research has demonstrated the link between tobacco use and cancer in the lung, larynx, head, neck, stomach, bladder, kidney, esophagus and pancreas. Tobacco smoke contains over fifty known carcinogens, including nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Tobacco is responsible for about one in three of all cancer deaths in the developed world, and about one in five worldwide. Lung cancer death rates in the United States have mirrored smoking patterns, with increases in smoking followed by dramatic increases in lung cancer death rates and, more recently, decreases in smoking rates since the 1950s followed by decreases in lung cancer death rates in men since 1990. However, the numbers of smokers worldwide is still rising, leading to what some organizations have described as the tobacco epidemic.

Cancer related to one's occupation is believed to represent between 2–20% of all cases. Every year, at least 200,000 people die worldwide from cancer related to their workplace. Most cancer deaths caused by occupational risk factors occur in the developed world. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 cancer deaths and 40,000 new cases of cancer each year in the U.S. are attributable to occupation. Millions of workers run the risk of developing cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma from inhaling asbestos fibers and tobacco smoke, or leukemia from exposure to benzene at their workplaces.

Diagnosis:

                 Most cancers are initially recognized either because of the appearance of signs or symptoms or through screening. Neither of these lead to a definitive diagnosis, which requires the examination of a tissue sample by a pathologist. People with suspected cancer are investigated with medical tests. These commonly include blood tests, X-rays, CT scans and endoscopy.

Most people are distressed to learn that they have cancer. They may become extremely anxious and depressed. The risk of suicide in people with cancer is approximately double the normal risk.

Management:

                    Many treatment options for cancer exist with the primary ones including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and palliative care. Which treatments are used depends upon the type, location and grade of the cancer as well as the person's health and wishes.

Chemotherapy:

             Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with one or more cytotoxic anti-neoplastic drugs (chemotherapeutic agents) as part of a standardized regimen. The term encompasses any of a large variety of different anticancer drugs, which are divided into broad categories such as alkylating agents and antimetabolites. Traditional chemotherapeutic agents act by killing cells that divide rapidly, one of the main properties of most cancer cells.

Targeted therapy is a form of chemotherapy which target specific molecular differences between cancer and normal cells. The first targeted therapies to be developed blocked the estrogen receptor molecule, inhibiting the growth of breast cancer. Another common example is the class of Bcr-Abl inhibitors, which are used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Currently, there are targeted therapies for breast cancer, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, prostate cancer, melanoma and other cancers.

The efficacy of chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer and the stage. In combination with surgery, chemotherapy has proven useful in a number of different cancer types including: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, osteogenic sarcoma, testicular cancer, ovarian cancer, and certain lung cancers. The overall effectiveness ranges from being curative for some cancers, such as some leukemias, to being ineffective, such as in some brain tumors, to being needless in others, like most non-melanoma skin cancers. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is often limited by toxicity to other tissues in the body. Even when it is impossible for chemotherapy to provide a permanent cure, chemotherapy may be useful to reduce symptoms like pain or to reduce the size of an inoperable tumor in the hope that surgery will be possible in the future.


Source by: (  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer )

Homoeopathy Ramedies and preparation, Dilutions, Dilution debate

Remedies and treatment:

                                    Homeopathic remedy Rhus toxicodendron, derived from poison ivy.
a preparation made from D dilutions of dangerous materials like botulism, E-coli, thymus gland of unspecified origin, pneumonia, pseudomona, proteus, salmonella, scarlet fever, staph, strep and tuberculosis bacteria. Ethanol is listed as being redundantly diluted in alcohol.

Homeopathic practitioners rely on two types of reference when prescribing remedies: materia medica and repertories. A homeopathic materia medica is a collection of "drug pictures", organised alphabetically by "remedy," that describes the symptom patterns associated with individual remedies. A homeopathic repertory is an index of disease symptoms that lists remedies associated with specific symptoms.

Homeopathy uses many animal, plant, mineral, and synthetic substances in its remedies. Examples include arsenicum album (arsenic oxide), natrum muriaticum (sodium chloride or table salt), Lachesis muta (the venom of the bushmaster snake), opium, and thyroidinum (thyroid hormone). Homeopaths also use treatments called "nosodes" made from diseased or pathological products such as fecal, urinary, and respiratory discharges, blood, and tissue. Homeopathic remedies prepared from healthy specimens are called "sarcodes".

Homoeopathy Ramedies and preparation, Dilutions, Dilution debate

Homoeopathy Ramedies and preparation, Dilutions, Dilution debate

                               Some modern homeopaths have considered more esoteric bases for remedies, known as "imponderables" because they do not originate from a substance, but from electromagnetic energy presumed to have been "captured" by alcohol or lactose. Examples include X-rays and sunlight. Today, about 3,000 different remedies are commonly used in homeopathy. Some homeopaths also use techniques that are regarded by other practitioners as controversial. These include "paper remedies", where the substance and dilution are written on pieces of paper and either pinned to the patients' clothing, put in their pockets, or placed under glasses of water that are then given to the patients, as well as the use of radionics to prepare remedies. Such practices have been strongly criticised by classical homeopaths as unfounded, speculative, and verging upon magic and superstition.

Preparation:

                     Mortar and pestle used for grinding insoluble solids, including quartz and oyster shells, into homeopathic remedies

Homoeopathy Ramedies and preparation, Dilutions, Dilution debate

                     In producing remedies for diseases, homeopaths use a process called "dynamisation" or "potentisation", whereby a substance is diluted with alcohol or distilled water and then vigorously shaken by 10 hard strikes against an elastic body in a process homeopaths call "succussion". Hahnemann advocated using substances that produce symptoms like those of the disease being treated, but found that undiluted doses intensified the symptoms and exacerbated the condition, sometimes causing dangerous toxic reactions. He therefore specified that the substances be diluted, due to his belief that succussion activated the "vital energy" of the diluted substance and made it stronger. To facilitate succussion, Hahnemann had a saddle-maker construct a special wooden striking board covered in leather on one side and stuffed with horsehair. Insoluble solids, such as quartz and oyster shell, are diluted by grinding them with lactose ("trituration").

Dilutions:

                Three logarithmic potency scales are in regular use in homeopathy. Hahnemann created the "centesimal" or "C scale", diluting a substance by a factor of 100 at each stage. The centesimal scale was favored by Hahnemann for most of his life. A 2C dilution requires a substance to be diluted to one part in 100, and then some of that diluted solution diluted by a further factor of 100. This works out to one part of the original substance in 10,000 parts of the solution. A 6C dilution repeats this process six times, ending up with the original substance diluted by a factor of 100−6=10−12 (one part in one trillion or 1/1,000,000,000,000). Higher dilutions follow the same pattern. In homeopathy, a solution that is more dilute is described as having a higher potency, and more dilute substances are considered by homeopaths to be stronger and deeper-acting remedies. The end product is often so diluted as to be indistinguishable from the dilutant (pure water, sugar or alcohol). There is also a decimal potency scale (notated as "X" or "D") in which the remedy is diluted by a factor of 10 at each stage.

Homoeopathy Ramedies and preparation, Dilutions, Dilution debate

Homoeopathy Ramedies and preparation, Dilutions, Dilution debate

                     Hahnemann advocated 30C dilutions for most purposes (that is, dilution by a factor of 1060). In Hahnemann's time, it was reasonable to assume the remedies could be diluted indefinitely, as the concept of the atom or molecule as the smallest possible unit of a chemical substance was just beginning to be recognized. The greatest dilution reasonably likely to contain even one molecule of the original substance is 12C.

This bottle contains arnica montana (wolf's bane) D6, i.e. the nominal dilution is one part in a million (10-6). 

Critics and advocates of homeopathy alike commonly attempt to illustrate the dilutions involved in homeopathy with analogies. Hahnemann is reported to have joked that a suitable procedure to deal with an epidemic would be to empty a bottle of poison into Lake Geneva, if it could be succussed 60 times. Another example given by a critic of homeopathy states that a 12C solution is equivalent to a "pinch of salt in both the North and South Atlantic Oceans", which is approximately correct. One-third of a drop of some original substance diluted into all the water on earth would produce a remedy with a concentration of about 13C. A popular homeopathic treatment for the flu is a 200C dilution of duck liver, marketed under the name oscillococcinum. As there are only about 1080 atoms in the entire observable universe, a dilution of one molecule in the observable universe would be about 40C. Oscillococcinum would thus require 10320 more universes to simply have one molecule in the final substance. The high dilutions characteristically used are often considered to be the most controversial and implausible aspect of homeopathy. 

Dilution debate:

                              Not all homeopaths advocate extremely high dilutions. Remedies at potencies below 4X are considered an important part of homeopathic heritage.
                              

                              Many of the early homeopaths were originally doctors and generally used lower dilutions such as "3X" or "6X", rarely going beyond "12X". The split between lower and higher dilutions followed ideological lines. Those favoring low dilutions stressed pathology and a strong link to conventional medicine, while those favoring high dilutions emphasised vital force, miasms and a spiritual interpretation of disease. Some products with such relatively lower dilutions continue to be sold, but like their counterparts, they have not been conclusively demonstrated to have any effect beyond that of a placebo

Drug proving in HOMOEOPATHY.

Dr. Samuel Hahnemann
( FAther Of  Homoeopathy )

                  A homeopathic proving is the method by which the profile of a homeopathic remedy is determined. At first Hahnemann used undiluted doses for provings, but he later advocated provings with remedies at a 30C dilution, and most modern provings are carried out using ultradilute remedies in which it is highly unlikely that any of the original molecules remain. During the proving process, Hahnemann administered remedies to healthy volunteers, and the resulting symptoms were compiled by observers into a "drug picture". The volunteers were observed for months at a time and made to keep extensive journals detailing all of their symptoms at specific times throughout the day. They were forbidden from consuming coffee, tea, spices, or wine for the duration of the experiment; playing chess was also prohibited because Hahnemann considered it to be "too exciting", though they were allowed to drink beer and encouraged to exercise in moderation. After the experiments were over, Hahnemann made the volunteers take an oath swearing that what they reported in their journals was the truth, at which time he would interrogate them extensively concerning their symptoms.

Drug proving in HOMOEOPATHY.

             Provings have been described as important in the development of the clinical trial, due to their early use of simple control groups, systematic and quantitative procedures, and some of the first application of statistics in medicine. The lengthy records of self-experimentation by homeopaths have occasionally proven useful in the development of modern drugs: For example, evidence that nitroglycerin might be useful as a treatment for angina was discovered by looking through homeopathic provings, though homeopaths themselves never used it for that purpose at that time. The first recorded provings were published by Hahnemann in his 1796 Essay on a New Principle. His Fragmenta de Viribus (1805) contained the results of 27 provings, and his 1810 Materia Medica Pura contained 65. For James Tyler Kent's 1905 Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica, 217 remedies underwent provings and newer substances are continually added to contemporary versions.

Drug proving in HOMOEOPATHY.

Drug proving in HOMOEOPATHY.

           Though the proving process has superficial similarities with clinical trials, it is fundamentally different in that the process is subjective, not blinded, and modern provings are unlikely to use pharmacologically active levels of the substance under proving. As early as 1842, Holmes noted the provings were impossibly vague, and the purported effect was not repeatable among different subjects.

All about Diabetes Type1 and Type2

All about Diabetes Type1 and Type2

All about Diabetes Type1 and Type2

All about Diabetes Type1 and Type2

Every day, two more Australian children and as many as six Australians of all ages develop type 1 diabetes, which makes it one of the most common serious diseases among children. Diabetes is a condition of the endocrine system (the system of glands that delivers hormones).

To use glucose (blood sugar) for energy, the hormone insulin needs to be secreted by the pancreas, a gland located in the abdomen. A person with type 1 diabetes is unable to produce insulin. Treatment involves closely monitoring blood sugar levels, modifying diet and taking daily injections of insulin.

Type 1 diabetes can affect anyone, but is more common in people under 30 years and tends to begin in childhood. Other names for type 1 diabetes have included juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

Approximately one in every ten Australians with diabetes has type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is much more common in Australia than in other countries.

The pancreas and type 1 diabetes

The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. This simple sugar is then transported to each cell via the bloodstream. The pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, which allows the glucose to migrate from the blood into the cells. Once inside a cell, the glucose is ‘burned’, along with oxygen, to produce energy. The pancreas of a person with type 1 diabetes doesn’t make enough insulin to keep blood glucose normal.

Without insulin, the glucose remains in the bloodstream at high levels. The body recognises the problem and tries to provide the cells with other sources of fuel, such as stored fats. Extensive fat burning can release by-products called ketones, which are dangerous in high amounts.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes include:

    Excessive thirst
    Frequent urination
    Weight loss
    Fatigue
    Visual disturbances, such as blurred vision
    Itching skin, particularly around the genitals
    Nausea and vomiting.


Cause of type 1 diabetes

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown and there is no cure. It is thought that some kind of environmental factor, perhaps a viral infection, makes the immune system attack the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas in people who have a genetic history of diabetes. There is then a long period without symptoms before the insulin-producing cells are destroyed and the blood glucose rises.

Complications of untreated type 1 diabetes

Untreated diabetes can severely damage many systems, organs and tissues of the body. Complications include:

    Kidney damage
    Increased likelihood of infections such as thrush and also more serious infections
    Damage to the eyes (diabetic retinopathy)
    Poor blood circulation in the legs and feet, potentially leading to lower limb amputation
    Damage to the nerves of the feet
    Much higher risk of heart disease and stroke
    Sexual impotence.


Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes

The main diagnostic test for diabetes is taking a blood test to measure glucose, either when you have been fasting or at other times of the day. Diagnostic tests are also done routinely during pregnancy to identify diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes).

Types of diabetes tests

Tests to diagnose diabetes include:

                 Fasting blood glucose test (most common) – blood glucose levels are checked after fasting for between 12 and 14 hours. You can drink water during this time, but should strictly avoid any other beverage. Patients with diabetes may be asked to delay their diabetes medication or insulin dose until the test is completed
                
                 Random blood glucose test – blood glucose levels are checked at various times during the day, and it doesn’t matter when you last ate. Blood glucose levels tend to stay constant in a person who doesn’t have diabetes
    Oral glucose tolerance test – a high-glucose drink is given. Blood samples are checked at regular intervals for two hours.


Immediately after the diabetes test

The fasting blood glucose test will confirm that the person has diabetes if it shows that the level of glucose in their blood is higher than normal when they are fasting.

Sometimes, the test result of the fasting blood glucose test is borderline. If this is the case, a glucose tolerance test may be performed. This test will confirm diabetes if the person’s blood sugar levels stay high for a long time after the tests.

Accuracy of diabetes test results

Depending on the test used, the level of blood glucose can be affected by many factors including:
Eating or drinking .

Taking medications that are known to raise blood sugar levels, such as oral contraceptives, some diuretics (water pills) and corticosteroids.
Physical illness or surgery that may temporarily alter blood sugar levels.


Treatment of type 1 diabetes

There is no cure for type 1 diabetes, but the condition can be successfully managed. Treatment includes:
Taking insulin daily by injections or by insulin pump.
Self-monitoring of blood sugar levels by regularly testing droplets of blood in a glucose meter.
Self-testing of urine with a test strip for high levels of ketones – not routinely, but when problems are suspected
                              Regulating diet so intake is matched to insulin and exercise. Increasing the amount of ‘slow’ carbohydrates in the diet, such as beans and fruit, which take longer to be absorbed by the body Regular exercise Maintaining regular checks for diabetes complications.


Hypoglycaemia

If a person with type 1 diabetes skips a meal, exercises heavily or takes too much insulin, their blood sugar levels will fall. This can lead to a ‘hypo’ (hypoglycaemic reaction). The symptoms include dizziness, sweating, hunger, headache and change in mood. This can be remedied with a quick boost of sugar (such as jellybeans or glucose tablets), then something more substantial such as fruit. A person with type 1 diabetes should have lollies on hand at all times, just in case.

Type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis

Sometimes, the onset of type 1 diabetes can be sudden, and can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis, which is a medical emergency. The symptoms of ketoacidosis are:

    Loss of appetite
    Weight loss
    Vomiting
    Excessive passing of urine
    Altered consciousness
    Coma.

Seek immediate medical advice if these symptoms occur.