Monthly Archives: August 2017

Symptoms of Gasteoparesis

August 30 in Health by admin | No Comments

Image is from dLife

Otherwise termed as delayed gastric emptying, gastroparesis is a medical condition characterized by a partial paralysis of the stomach. This paralysis leads to the food remaining in the stomach for periods longer than normal. In normal circumstances, the stomach moves food down the duodenum by contracting to push its content down the gut a process controlled by the vagus nerve. When this nerve is damaged, it is possible for gastroparesis to occur as the muscles of the stomach and small intestines shall not be carrying out their duties in the right manner.

Signs and symptoms

The key symptoms of gastroparesis are nausea and vomiting. Vomiting often occurs after meals. Sometimes, however, especially in severe gastroparesis, you may vomit even before taking in any food or fluids into the stomach. The cause of this is usually the accumulation of secretions inside the stomach. Since the stomach lacks the grinding action with this condition, the foods that you vomit will be in big chunks, and you can easily identify them.
At other times, you may experience bloating which may sometimes be accompanied by abdominal distension. Again, you will notice that you get full quicker than the normal way a factor that could lead to weight loss.
Abdominal pain is also another key symptom that you may present with if you have gastroparesis. The cause of the pain is however not clear.
Poor blood sugar control is another symptom of the condition
Heartburn too may accompany the condition.

Worth noting

Other than the sign and symptoms of gastroparesis, it is important to appreciate the diagnosis and the treatment.

Diagnosis

There are many methods of diagnosing gastroparesis. The most typical of the methods is the gastric emptying study. This study measures the emptying of food from the stomach. Here, you eat food which has a small radioactive material in it. A scanner is then put on the region around the stomach for some time to monitor the amount of radioactivity that would be taking place inside the stomach. For patients with gastroparesis, the food usually takes a relatively long time to get into the small intestines compared to a normal individual.

Another method of diagnosis is anthro-duodenal motility study. This study is however considered experimental and cannot be used in some patients. It basically measures the pressure that results from the contraction of the muscles of the small intestines and the stomach.

Treatment

There is a whole list of treatment of gastroparesis including diet, medication, as well as procedures which facilitate emptying of the stomach. The treatments have myriad end goals which include providing a diet with foods that are emptied easily, controlling the conditions which are known to aggravate gastroparesis, relieve the symptoms as well as maintaining adequate nutrition.

On a diet, emptying occurs faster when there is not much food in the stomach, and as such, it is urged that you take smaller portions though at shorter intervals. Besides, softer foods tend to require less grinding. It is important to note that fats trigger the body to release certain hormones that are an impediment to stomach emptying. As such, you should look to the direction of foods with low-fat content. Also, diets not so rich in fiber are recommended. Fiber is known to be responsible for the formation of bezoars as well as critical in slowing down the process of stomach emptying.

The above are some of the symptoms of gastroparesis together with its diagnosis and treatment. A comprehensive appreciation of the condition will take you a long way in managing it.

Tagged anthro-duodenal motility, body, contraction, diet, duodenum, fats, Fiber, food, gastric, Gastroparesis, hormones, intestines, low-fat, medication, muscles, nausea, nerve, nutrition, paralysis, portions, pressure, release, small intestines, stomach, treatment, vagus nerve, vomiting

What is Psoriasis?

August 29 in Health by admin | No Comments

766x415_10_Tips_for_Taking_the_Unpredictability_Out_of_Psoriasis

Image is from healthline.com

Psoriasis is a skin inflammation caused when your body has an overactive immune system.

This skin inflammation can present itself in the form of red patches of skin. These patches can be itchy, scaly, and silvery in appearance. These red patches can be intensely itchy. Those individuals diagnosed with psoriasis arthritis experience joint swelling, pain, and stiffness.

If your doctor diagnoses you with a skin condition called “Psoriasis,” you may have one of the five types of psoriasis such as plaque, guttate, inverse, or pustular Erythrodermic. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis that affects upwards of 80 to 90 percent of the American populace.

The kind of psoriasis you have determines the type of treatment the doctor says is the correct treatment for you.

Where Does Psoriasis Commonly Attack the Skin?

Psoriasis commonly attacks skin areas that you do not usually cover with clothing such as,

Scalp
Neck
Elbows
Knees
Lower Back

These areas of skin inflammation frequently come under the scrutiny of other people who simply do not know about psoriasis.

Your primary doctor can give you the diagnosis of psoriasis, but may refer you to a dermatologist so you can have the benefit of the most current and up-to-date treatment options.

Your particular type of psoriasis demands a specific kind of therapy, and this is up to your doctor. Your responsibility is to follow your treatment plan and report back to your doctor any improvements, increased skin problems, and noted treatment side effects.

Other People Can Be Cruel

If you have psoriasis, you may have experienced strange looks from people who are uneducated in your diagnosis. Many people think that you have something contagious, not getting too close for fear of catching your skin condition. Constantly educate those less informed individuals and never let someone’s lack of knowledge impact your life.

Some Treatment Option Available

Your doctor will take a history from you to help determine why this problem arose. The doctor may pinpoint certain triggers such as stress, insomnia, or diet. Triggers demand an individual treatment as much as the diagnosis itself.

Your doctor may recommend that you use a particular skin moisturizer to decrease skin dryness and irritation. These moisturizers can be over-the-counter or require a prescription. Many doctors find that the use of steroid creams like a cortisone cream helps to reduce the appearance of psoriasis.

Some simple treatments like vitamin D creams or some topical contribute to lessening the rate of inflammation by reducing skin cell growth.

Scalp psoriasis may require a special hair cream or shampoo. Light therapy is a proven effective treatment for some people when used on inflamed skin areas. Doctors frequently combine known and effective treatments together.

What you need to remember is that everyone reacts differently to the diagnosis of psoriasis and the treatment options available. The length of time it takes to see improvements also varies because everyone’s body is different

In Conclusion

If you have psoriasis, no matter what type, you know that it can cause you mental anguish, anxiety, stress, depression, low self-esteem, time off from work, and isolation. And, unfortunately, there is no cure for psoriasis, but you can keep this skin condition at bay by working with your doctor to find the most effective treatment for your body.

Also, not following your appointed treatment regimen can cause secondary infections, health problems, and escalating health care costs.

It is vital to follow your doctor’s orders so that you can see a decrease in your skin problems. You can live a healthy life, enjoying your life to the fullest with your psoriasis diagnosis.

Tagged awareness, awareness month, blood, blood cells, cells, chronic, cortisone cream, dermatological, dermatological reaction, dermatologist, diabetes, diet, elbows, environmental factors, factors, flare ups, general practitioner, genetic predisposition, healthy cell, heart disease, inflamed skin areas, inflammatory, inflammatory skin, insomnia, inverse psoriasis, knees, liver, liver issue, lower back, medical attention, moisturizers, neck, plaque psoriasis, premier, premier lab, premier lab services, premier medical lab service, Psoriasis, psoriasis arthritis, Psoriasis Awareness Month, psoriasis vulgaris, pustular psoriasis, red, reducing skin cell growth, rheumatologist, scalp, scaly rash, side effects, skin contact, skin disease, Skin inflammation, skin moisture, skin problems, steroid creams, stress, vitamin D creams, white, white blood cells

What Are Vaccines?

August 24 in Health by admin | No Comments

When you hear the word “Vaccine,” you may get this word confused with two other words, “Vaccinations” and ” Immunizations.”

This article will explain simply and exactly what a “Vaccine” is and is not. First of all, a vaccine is administered one of three ways by needle injection, orally by mouth, or by a nasal spray, depending upon the vaccine administered.

There are different kinds of vaccines on the medical marketplace today. All vaccines contain a weakened organism or a killed organism. The vaccine’s purpose is to produce in your body a certain level of immunity against the organism of which its contents are made. Each vaccine’s purpose is to offer you protection against certain diseases or at least minimize the effects of the illness on your body.

Are Vaccines Safe?

Even since vaccines were born, there has been a controversy within the medical community and individuals alike as to the necessity and safety of certain vaccines. Many people do not believe the worth of these vaccines, while much more people know that vaccines lessen all kinds of disease processes and save lives.

For you to understand the risks and benefits of any vaccine that is offered to you, you must that the responsibility of delving deeper into any information available and weigh the pros and cons to make an informed decision as to whether you or your family should take any vaccine. Discover how the medical community monitors and makes any vaccine safe, providing many more benefits to you.

Vaccines,

Prevent serious diseases, for example, polio, chicken pox, and German measles
Increases your immunity
Protect you and all those around you from spreading diseases
Eliminated certain diseases
Prevents disease outbreaks which in turn protect those who cannot be vaccinated for one reason or another
Decrease in deaths from different diseases

How Long Do Vaccines Last?

Some vaccines are given yearly such as the flu vaccine
Some vaccines have an active age limit such as five to ten years such as the tetanus vaccine
Some vaccines given as a child require a follow-up booster injection after several years.
Some vaccines that are given to you as a child remain in your system, protecting you for life

Side Effects

As with everything else in life you are unique. The way in which you may react to anything is unlike your neighbor. Individuals respond differently to vaccination.

For example, when receiving the flu vaccination, you may have no side effects. Another person may complain of generalized ill feelings. Someone else may complain of some flu symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

None of these side effects are long-lasting and are short-lived causing a bit of inconvenience.

In Conclusion

Making an informed decision regarding vaccinations is vital to you and your children’s health and well-being.

Research shows that some of the diseases that were called “Eliminated” due to this prevention process are now starting to rear their ugly heads.

This surge in some rarely seen diseases is because many people feel that vaccinations are not necessary or important in this day and age. People are refusing any protection that vaccinations offer them. Many parents are refusing to have their children vaccinated with routine childhood vaccinations due to possible side effects.

Each state has certain requirements as to what protection they require children and adults have as a resident of that state. Check with your state regarding the rules and regulations regarding vaccinations.

When traveling abroad, certain vaccinations are required before you can enter your chosen country. You must present documentation that you are protected by certain disease processes prevalent in that country.

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Proper Care of Contact Lenses

August 23 in Health by admin | No Comments

Image is from 1800contacts.com

Contact lenses can be incredibly convenient if you are someone who needs corrective lenses but hates having to worry about having glasses or sunglasses on hand. You simply put the contacts into your eyes at the beginning of the day and you can remove them whenever you wish; often at the end of the day before you head to bed. Millions of people use contacts as a way to improve their vision but there are some risks involved with wearing contacts whether it be once in awhile for a special event or every single day. Infection is just one problem that you can develop.

Causes of Contact Lens Issues

There are a number of reasons people will develop an infection or have problems with their contacts. It can be as simple as not washing your hands properly before touching your lenses or you may be using the wrong type of lens. Many people use extended wear lenses that can be left in the eye for days at a time (you do not need to remove them at the end of the day each day). The eye can become quite damaged this way and not a lot of doctors recommend this type of product. Some people have dry eye issues and when you place a contact on the surface of the eye, you can damage the eye. It can take time and diligence to correct this problem.

How To Prevent A Problem

When you obtain contact lenses for the first time it is likely that you eye care professional will spend some time with you, educating you on how to properly care for not only your lenses but also your eyes. You will learn how to properly clean your lenses using a rub and rinse process and you will learn about cleaning the lens case that you will be using. Properly inspecting your lens before placing it into your eye each day can prevent a corneal scratch or infection. Some other tips include:

-Washing your hands anytime you need to remove your lens or put them back in.
-Dry your hand on a lint free towel. You don’t want to introduce fabric fibers to your eyes or your lenses.
-Try not to come into direct contact with water while wearing your lenses. Plain water can dry out contact lenses, which is why you need to use specially formulated contact solution.
-Saline solution should never be used to clean your lenses. Storage in saline is fine, but there are special formulations for different uses.
-Clean your lens case each time you remove your lenses and leave it open to air dry for the duration of the day while you are wearing your lenses.
-Do not reuse solution in your contact lens case. Dump the used solution each day and refill it when you are going to be taking out your lenses.
-If you haven’t used your lenses in a number of days, you may want to clean them an additional time before using them.

Keep in mind, there are different types of lenses and each variation has its own method of being taken care of. Some lenses are designed to be worn once and then thrown away while others are long term lenses that are not thrown away unless they are damaged or defective. Follow your eye care professional’s advice and take care of your lenses how you were told to do so. If you have any questions or your contact lenses are no longer feeling comfortable like they normally do, seek attention from a doctor before continuing to wear your lenses.

Tagged activities, astigmatism, August, Bi-Weekly, checkups, Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, child’s eyes examined, color blindness, Colored Lenses, Contact Lens, contact lenses, contacts, Daily Lenses, developmental delays, eye doctor, Eye Safety, Eye surgery, eye test, eyeglass, eyes, eyewear, Glasses, Headaches, healthy, infection, learning disabilities, Monthly, physical, premier, premier lab, premier lab services, premier medical, premier medical lab service, prescription, Proper Vision, protective eyewear, refractive errors, strabismus, vision, vision disturbances, watery, Yearly Lenses

Importance of Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

August 22 in Health by admin | No Comments

Image result for children’s eye health and safety month 2017

Image is from Specialty Eye Institute

Not many people are aware it exists, but August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. This is an important month because nationally, information is promoted that explains just how important it is to pay attention to a child’s eye health. Most people just wait for their child to come home from school with a note from their teacher explaining their child failed the school’s eye test and needs to obtain glasses. When really, there are a number of different conditions that can occur to the eye as a child develops and it is important to make sure regular checkups are scheduled either with an eye doctor or a pediatrician to ensure optimal eye health is being achieved.

Proper Vision

Not being able to see the chalkboard or smart board in school can make for a challenging school year, but more importantly, vision should be checked to rule out other issues that could be going on. For example, many developmental delays and learning disabilities can be due to vision disturbances rather than brain development. A simple pair of glasses can sometimes be the fix that is needed and this is much simpler than needing additional tutoring or separate class instruction. There are some signs that parents can watch out for that indicate vision issues may be present and this includes:

-The child squints when trying to focus on something far away like the television or the road ahead while in the car.
-The child squints when trying to read a book or something that is close to them.
-The eyes seem very bloodshot or irritated after the course of a normal day.
-Eyes may appear watery.
-Headaches are very common amongst children who are having trouble seeing. –They can occur from squinting or simply from trying to focus on something that is giving them problems.
-One or both eyes may appear crossed.

Eye Safety

In addition to making sure your child’s eyes are healthy and strong, making sure the eyes themselves are safe is also very important. When a child is playing sports or doing certain activities, protective eyewear can be beneficial to protect the eyes from harm. Physical injury to this very sensitive part of the body can be very hard to correct and can often lead to lifelong problems with one or both eyes. Eye surgery is not something you want your child to have to undergo. Physical injury to the eyes can occur not just during sports of activity but even during play at home. A small child can greatly damage the eye by tripping or falling while improperly holding an object as they move along. This is especially true with small toddlers who are just learning to navigate their way around and like to toddle around with their toys. While accidents happen, you want to prevent these situations from occurring as best as you can.

Eighty percent of education occurs by way of sight. With the new school year rapidly approaching, now is the time to ensure that your child’s eyes and healthy, safe and ready to be used for reading, learning and absorbing information. Don’t forget that once school starts, illnesses are usually on the rise and conditions such as pink eye are often running rampant. You want to make sure your child knows the importance of washing their hands and not touching their eyes. If you suspect there is an eye problem of any sort, you will want to make an appointment to have your child’s eyes examined. Infection can be present as well as refractive errors, astigmatism, strabismus and even color blindness.

Tagged activities, astigmatism, August, checkups, Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, child’s eyes examined, color blindness, developmental delays, Eye Safety, Eye surgery, eye test, eyes, eyewear, Headaches, healthy, infection, learning disabilities, physical, premier, premier lab, premier lab services, premier medical, premier medical lab service, Proper Vision, protective eyewear, refractive errors, strabismus, vision, vision disturbances, watery

What to know about Contact Lens

August 17 in Health by admin | No Comments

Frisco-Texas-eye-contacts

Millions of people have trouble with their vision. Some cannot see far away and some cannot see close up. Many of these people don’t like the idea of wearing eyeglasses to correct their vision, therefore, they choose to wear contact lenses. If you are considering getting contacts, there are a few things that you should know.

You Still Need Your Glasses

Just because you are going to be getting contact lenses, it doesn’t mean that you can get rid of your glasses. When you take your contacts out, you will need to have your glasses. If you develop an eye infection, you won’t be able to wear your contact lenses, therefore, you will need to have your glasses for backup. When you visit your eye doctor each year, you should bring your glasses to have the prescription checked.

You Need To Be Fit For Contacts

Contact lenses come in a variety of sizes, based on the size of your eye. Many people believe that they can just use their eyeglass prescription to order contacts, however, that is not the case. Your eye doctor would take measurements to determine which size contacts would best fit on your eyes.

There Are Different Types Of Contact Lenses To Choose From

Most people know that there are different brands of contacts, but what you may not know is that there are a few different types of contacts to choose from as well.

Daily Lenses: Daily contact lenses are worn for just one day and then they would be thrown away and replaced with a fresh pair.
Bi-Weekly: Bi-weekly lenses would be thrown away every two weeks and replaced with a new pair.
Monthly: Monthly lenses are one of the most common types. They can be worn for a month straight before you need to replace them with a new pair.
Yearly Lenses: Years ago, yearly lenses were the only lenses that were available. Today, they are not very popular because they are expensive. If the lens gets torn, it would cost you a lot of money to replace the torn lens.
Colored Lenses: If you want to change the color of your eyes, you can get colored lenses. Colored lenses come in daily, bi-weekly, monthly, and yearly lenses. You can also get colored lenses without a prescription if you don’t need any vision correction.

A Contact Lens Check Every Six Months Is Recommended

Because your contact lenses fit right over your eye, most eye doctors suggest that you go in for a check every six months. During this check, the doctor would check the prescription, the size, the health of your eyes, and answer any questions that you might have regarding your contact lenses.

You Need a New Prescription Every Year

Some people order their contacts through their eye doctor and some order them online. However you choose to order, you should understand that you need a new prescription each year to get new contacts, even if your vision has not changed. This is a policy of almost all contact lens distributors.

Cleaning Your Lenses

Each night, you need to take out your lenses and soak them in contact lens solution, unless you are wearing long wearing contacts. This is important to get any debris off of the lens that can be harmful to your eyes. Before you put your lenses in each day, you should wipe them clean with your finger and contact lens solution.

There is more to know about wearing contact lenses than most people think. To keep your eyes healthy, you should understand the care involved when wearing them.

Tagged Bi-Weekly, Colored Lenses, Contact Lens, contact lenses, contacts, Daily Lenses, eye doctor, eyeglass, eyes, Glasses, Monthly, premier, premier lab, premier lab services, premier medical, premier medical lab service, prescription, vision, Yearly Lenses

Different Types of Immunizations

August 16 in Health by admin | No Comments

Immunizations have helped safeguard young and old from potentially life-threatening diseases and the spread of harmful viruses for decades. Thousands of fatalities occur each year from infections that could have been prevented by vaccination. How can you stop the spread of intrusive and life-altering diseases from infiltrating your livelihood? Identifying the various diseases that strike frequently will ensure you know what to do next to keep infections from wreaking havoc on your peace of mind. And knowing what different types of immunizations are available can help you know what to expect.

How to Fight these:

Receiving vaccinations for any of the detrimental diseases listed below protects those most vulnerable to succumbing to infectious illnesses such as children, the elderly and those who suffer from weak immune systems.

Influenza
Hepatitis A and B
Diptheria
Polio
Measles
Pneumococcal
Mumps
Rubella
Chicken Pox
Pertussis( known as a whooping cough)
Tetanus
Meningococcal
Hib
HPV

Types of Immunizations/Vaccines

The Inactivated or Killed- This type is administered to prevent afflictions such as influenza, cholera, bubonic plague, and polio. Created from small pieces of bacterium or virus or protein.
Live Virus or Attenuated- Applied to prevent yellow fever, measles, rubella, tuberculosis, and the mumps the live virus uses a weakened or modified form of the virus to trigger a better immunity response.
Toxoids- Carrying a toxin or chemical created by viruses, these immunizations make you immune to the detrimental effects of diseases rather than the virus itself.
Biosynthetic- Synthetic man-made substances found in this immunization type are very similar to portions of a bacteria or viruses. This vaccine prevents Hib viruses otherwise called the Haemophilus influenza type B.

Prevention with a Purpose

Why make sure vaccines or immunizations are up-to-date? Here are a few reasons that make sense to those who are trying to achieve a higher quality of living:

Vaccines are cost-effective. Millions of adults go to work every day, a virus can trigger illness that lasts weeks, and cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars in lost wages. Immunizations are the affordable way to prevent such untimely occurrences from happening.
Even the young and healthy can get sick. Ensure you stay that way with vaccines that protect your best interests.
Convenience is the bread and butter of society today. Vaccinations play to the need for convenient and logical solutions to any number of inevitable outcomes.
Stop the less serious curable illnesses before-hand to lower the likelihood of getting incurable diseases like cancer later on. Hepatitis B and HPV are some of the leading causes of cancer. How do you keep deadly infections away? You get vaccinated.

Whatever type of immunization you or your family is considering, being informed allows you to make the best decisions for your life. Something as common as the flu can infiltrate your household. How you take action to prevent disaster from striking in the form of debilitating illness could change the outcome of your future. Find out how you can live better and longer when you decide that prevention is the practical answer to unwelcome disease.

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Benefits of Breastfeeding

August 15 in Health by admin | No Comments

Some mothers decide to breastfeed their babies when they are born while others would rather not embark on this journey. The topic of breastfeeding tends to be a pretty sensitive one as there is a big divide amongst women who breastfeed and those who do not. While there are plenty of benefits to both mom and baby when it comes to breastfeeding, it is not for everyone and that’s ok too. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a mother breastfeeds her baby for the first year of life and there are many benefits of doing so.

Nutrition Basics
Breast milk is made up of all the right amounts of vitamins, fat and protein that a baby needs to thrive. This milk comes in a much more safe and natural form whereas store bought formula can be based off of not so great ingredients such as corn syrup solids and sugar. Not to mention that there is a perfect form of antibodies that help a baby develop a really strong immune system. This can be beneficial in helping fight off bacterial and viral based illnesses.

Development
Breastfeeding benefits are not just nutritionally based. There have been studies that show children who were breastfed for at least the first six months of like had higher IQ scores than those that were fed solely from formula. This isn’t just due to nutrition but also thanks to the physical contact a baby receives while they are nursing. Eye contact, skin to skin contact and being held can all help a child’s emotional and intellectual development. Babies that are breastfed are at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome as well.

Immune Support
The benefits of breastfeeding occur during the period of time that a baby nurses but these benefits can often last a lifetime. Breastfeeding has been proven to reduce a lifetime risk of allergies and asthma. There is a decrease in ear infections, illness and stomach upset when breastfeeding takes place. More research will be done in the future to determine other benefits, but it is suspected that breastfeeding can reduce a number of cancers, diabetes and also obesity later on in life.

Benefits For Mom
In addition to breastfeeding being beneficial for the baby that is receiving the mother’s milk, nursing can also benefit the mother as well. With all of those extra calories being given to the baby, those post partum pounds can be shed quite fast. Oxytocin is a hormone that is released during the nursing process and the uterus reacts by shrinking faster than normal. As for long term benefits, breastfeeding can decrease the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer throughout the rest of the mother’s life, not just the months where breastfeeding occurs.

The benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh the benefits of formula feeding is nursing is something you can accomplish. It’s not an easy journey to embark on but it is worth the work that you put into it. Utilizing the services of a trusted and reputable lactation consultant can help you address any issues that might be going on whether it be an issue with latching, staying latched or milk production. It is important to remember that only you can decide what is best for your baby. You may want to enlist the help of your medical professional as well when determining what is best for you and baby. Certain prescription medications can be harmful to a baby if passed through the breast milk, so always check with your doctor regarding this fact as well.

Tagged American Academy of Pediatrics, antibodies, baby, baby needs, bacterial, being held, beneficial, Breast, breast cancer, breast milk, breastfeed, breastfeeding, cancers, care, child, child development, children, corn syrup solids, development, diabetes, Ear infections, emotional, Eye contact, fat, fats, fight off, formula, formulas, health Benefits, health care, higher IQ, higher IQ scores, illness, immune support, immune systems, infant, ingredients, intellectual development, mother, mother's milk, National Breastfeeding Month, nursing, nutritionally, obesity, ovarian cancer, Oxytocin, pregnancy, protein, proteins, skin to skin contact, Stomach upset, strong immune system, sugar, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Viral, viral based illnesses, vitamins, women

Symptoms & Treatment of Psoriasis

August 10 in Health by admin | No Comments

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that can occur in any age demographic, gender or race. The most common form of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis and people who suffer from this condition tend to have other health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Often enhanced or irritated by environmental factors, psoriasis is genetic and can be passed on to future generations. There are a number of different forms of this condition that cause different symptoms and include psoriasis vulgaris, inverse psoriasis, pustular psoriasis and more. The most common symptom however, tends to be the red, scaly rash that people are most familiar with.

What Are The Symptoms

Psoriasis prevents itself as a scaly looking rash that forms in patches most of the time. It tends to be very red and very itchy. The most common places that people will have outbreaks of psoriasis include on the scalp of the hear, the knees and the elbows. Though, these patches can present themselves just about anywhere on the body. The rash itself is not contagious and cannot be passed to others. Though many people feel embarrassed by their psoriasis and try to hide it, the stress of this condition will only make the problem worse. You can however, go into remission and be symptom free for a long duration of time if you are properly taking care of yourself and your skin. There is a form of psoriasis arthritis that affects not only the skin but it also has an affect on the body’s joints, causing pain and stiffness. This is something a rheumatologist can assist with and help treat.

Treatment

Something to keep in mind is that if you have been diagnosed with a form of psoriasis (as much as 3 percent of the population has been diagnosed), this condition can not be cured. Yes, remission can be achieved and maintained but this is not a curable condition. New therapies and drugs are constantly being developed to help manage psoriasis and with the help of medication, many patients can remain symptom free. Not all medical professionals are highly knowledgeable on this condition. You should make sure you seek out a professional in your area that is well versed in psoriasis treatment. Typically this will be a rheumatologist or a dermatologist while a general practitioner can ensure you are taking your medication properly and managing any other health conditions you have. Many people who suffer from certain forms of psoriasis tend to develop liver issues at some point in their lives so this is something your doctor can watch out for over time.

Risk Factors

The actual cause of psoriasis is still unknown but there are some factors that contribute to the development of this condition including genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Many medical professionals believe that this condition can be a result of an immune system disturbance. When white blood cells target healthy cells rather than targeting foreign substances, this can cause a dermatological reaction. Psoriasis is basically an inflammation of the skin and anything that can increase inflammation in the body can cause a problem in theory.

While psoriasis may be an unsightly condition to have to deal with, it is very common and at this point, many people have heard of the condition making it quite accepted amongst the population. No person with psoriasis should feel self conscious with themselves during a flare up but the problem may signal something else going on and medical attention should be acquired during a flare up. A trusted medical professional can help you determine is a medication would be beneficial.

Tagged awareness, awareness month, blood, blood cells, cells, chronic, dermatological, dermatological reaction, dermatologist, diabetes, environmental factors, factors, flare ups, general practitioner, genetic predisposition, healthy cell, heart disease, inflammatory, inflammatory skin, inverse psoriasis, liver, liver issue, medical attention, plaque psoriasis, premier, premier lab, premier lab services, premier medical lab service, Psoriasis, psoriasis arthritis, Psoriasis Awareness Month, psoriasis vulgaris, pustular psoriasis, red, rheumatologist, scaly rash, skin disease, white, white blood cells

Importance of National Health Center Week

August 9 in Health by admin | No Comments

Image is from North Carolina Community Health Center Association

More Healthy Communities

One of the most important things for proper health in a given community is education. People must know which activities are healthy, and which can be potentially harmful. According to the National Health Center Week (NHCW) 2017 website, more than 25 million in the United States are served by health centers. The site goes on to point out that throughout the fifty states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and outlying U.S. territories, there are some 9,000 sites of delivery. That is quite a few options.

Now there are a little over 19,000 incorporated places in the United States, which means almost every other town or city has some kind of health center–statistically. Though many Americans aren’t aware of the available services which can be attained at a health center, it should be no surprise that a large number of U.S. citizens rely on health center services to survive.

Crunching Numbers

You may not have thought about this, but what an economic indicator! An ill community won’t be able to labor at the same quality as a healthy one. Furthermore, if the illness besetting a given community has a communicable quality, passerby could spread infection. Think about catching a cold and being knocked out for a week. You would work, but can’t. If you averaged $100 a day, you’re out at least $500. The business is out at least three times that; because if you’re making $100 a day, be assured whomever you’ve allied with in an employment capacity is making thrice that.

If a local health center can cut illness down ten percent, it’s likely that a 30% or higher economic stimulation feeds the community hosting the health center. When you consider that health centers in the U.S. provide for all individuals, regardless of economic or insurance affiliation, the picture becomes even more clear.

Communal Economic Energy

Another thing to consider is longevity of service. If you go onto the NHCW website, you’ll find health centers in the United States have been serving the country some fifty years. That’s half a century, and worth a whole lot of accolade.

For those attending NHCW events, there are quite a few very interesting features worth considering, too. Technology expands at a predictable, regular pace. This means medical solutions available to all through a health center are often paraded past the public during NHCW events. There are some truly innovative services designed to provide for the community, and worth exploring. Also, each health center presents itself to the community in its own, unique way.

The healthier a community, the more productive that community is. Greater production leads to greater economic growth, which leads to better jobs. Better jobs mean more economic growth for a given community. A good health center acts almost like an economic mitochondrial fulcrum–if you want to wax medical. The mitochondria is basically the energy center of a given cellular structure. A fulcrum is the “support” around which a given lever “pivots”.

Explore Local Options

Health generally acts in this capacity: the economy can positively pivot when good health silhouettes a community. But not everyone can afford top-tier health solutions. Especially when you consider low-income families and single mothers, health center solutions are integral to proper community functionality.

As NHCW approaches, it makes sense to take a moment for appreciation and reflection. For the last fifty years, these areas of medical care have helped keep America’s economic engine functioning. Additionally, there are many services you may not have realized were available. Be sure and look into your community’s NHCW events. You may just learn something that changes your life.

Tagged awareness, health, health center, healthy, ill, illness, immune system, medical, National Health Center Week, NHCW, premier, premier lab, premier lab services, premier medical, premier medical lab service, sick, sickness