Treatment of deep vein thrombosis
Health

Treatment of deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis, caused by the clotting of blood in the blood vessel in the limbs and around the pelvis, can be life-threatening if not detected. However, if detected on time based on certain symptoms, it can be treated easily. The most commonly adopted treatment regimen includes the prevention of further coagulation. This can last anywhere around 90 days for mild cases but longer for more complicated cases. The treatment includes prevention of the growth of the blood cloth and its development in the future. Surgery is the last option and is only recommended when basic treatment proves to be useless. The most common treatment includes the intake of blood thinners. These are nothing but anticoagulant substances to prevent blood clots from growing. The blood thinners also prevent the clots from traveling upwards into the bloodstream towards the lungs or heart. Contrary to popular belief, blood thinners not only dilute the blood but also help prevent it from disintegrating. During the course of the blood-thinning medication, patients need to take blood tests regularly to ensure the quantity consumed is not harmful. Patients have to strictly abide by the regimen prescribed by their doctors. Some patients tend to resort to a higher intake of the thinners to dissolve the clot faster but it will only worsen problems by causing bleeding around the affected area.
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Stages and severity of hemophilia
Health

Stages and severity of hemophilia

Blood travels throughout the body through blood vessels. However, when there is a cut or injury, the blood flows through the holes in the vessel wall. These vessels can break in the surface of the skin when cut or injured. Injuries a little deeper cause a bruise or an internal hemorrhage. The process that stops the bleeding is called clotting or coagulation. The blood vessels themselves constrict to slow down the supply of blood to the spot that has been cut or injured. Blood platelets, one of the main components of blood, rush to the spot and form clumps together and start the repairing process. Platelets then send signals to other factors that help blood clot. They all group together and work to stop the blood. Then, blood clotting starts on the surface of these platelets. Plasma proteins (Factors I, II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, and XII) link together and form a chain named fibrin. The fibrin starts producing a mesh over the platelets. If any of the protein factors are missing, the chain reaction is broken, slowing the meshing and clotting of blood. Without treatment, the bleeding will go on for days and if treated, the bleeding can start again.
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Cystic fibrosis – Causes, risk factors and symptoms
Health

Cystic fibrosis – Causes, risk factors and symptoms

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a condition which affects the cells responsible for the production of sweat, mucus, and digestive fluids. It is a rare condition that affects around 30,000 people in the country. Roughly 1000 new cases are diagnosed each year. All newborns in the country are tested for cystic fibrosis. The diagnosis is a multistep process that includes a newborn screening, a sweat test, a carrier test, and a genetic test. Clinical evaluation should be done at a CF Foundation-accredited care center. More than 75% of the people with this condition are diagnosed by the age of 2. What are the causes of cystic fibrosis? In people with cystic fibrosis, mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene makes the CFTR protein dysfunctional. When the protein does not work as it should, it cannot move chloride to the cell surface. The presence of chloride in the cell surface is essential as water is attracted to it because of which it dilutes the fluids. As dilution of mucus, sweat, and digestive fluids does not take place, these fluids become thick and glue-like. As these fluids become thick, they block the ducts and tubes through which they flow. Mucus will build up in the airways, and as a result, the patient may face breathing problems.
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Know about the types of atrial fibrillation
Health

Know about the types of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is also known as AFib. In normal condition, our heart beats in an electrical rhythm, which makes the heart chambers to beat in a constant order. While you are suffering from Atrial fibrillation, these electrical impulses in the heart do not work properly causing abnormality in heartbeats. Because of this, you will feel a sensation that is very uncomfortable for most of the people. Due to the Atrial fibrillation condition, you will notice an abrupt change in your heartbeats like sometimes you will feel a fast heartbeat and sometimes your heart beats very slowly. Some people feel dizzy and some people don’t show any symptoms. There are four types of Atrial fibrillation and the symptoms of each type are mostly similar in all the people. But the duration and the treatment will be different and dependent on the type of atrial fibrillation. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: This type of atrial fibrillation is also called holiday heart syndrome as it will last for a very small time. Paroxysmal Atrial fibrillation is a type of atrial fibrillation, which easily curable. This type of atrial fibrillation persists in an individual for a few seconds, sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for a few hours, and sometimes for a few days.
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An overview of herpes and its types
Health

An overview of herpes and its types

Herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that causes painful blisters and sores. The most common types of viruses causing Herpes infection are Herpes zoster virus It is a root cause for shingles and chickenpox. Herpes simplex virus This causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth and sores on the genitals. It is an infection that causes herpes. It can appear in various parts of the body mostly on the genitals or mouth. The herpes simplex virus is of two types: HSV-Type-1: It is also known as oral herpes. It can cause cold sores and fever blisters around the mouth and in the face. HSV-Type-2: It is basically responsible for genital herpes outbreaks. It is a sexually transmitted infection, which remains forever once infected by the virus. Risk factors Regardless of age, anybody can be infected by HSV. The risk is based completely on the exposure to the infection. When people participate in risky sexual behavior without the use of protection, such as condoms, they are found to be more at risk. The other risk factors for HSV-2 include having multiple sex partners, having sex at a younger age, having contact with another infected person who has sexually-transmitted herpes, having a weakened immune system, etc.
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Osteoporosis – Symptoms, risk factors, and prevention
Health

Osteoporosis – Symptoms, risk factors, and prevention

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones deteriorate or become brittle and fragile due to low bone mass and bone tissue loss. The bones become so weak that it could fracture due to a fall. Osteoporosis means porous bone. Healthy bones have a honeycomb-like structure. When a person develops osteoporosis, the spaces in the honeycomb-like structure become much larger and the bones become less dense. As a result, the bones weaken and become prone to fractures. Osteoporosis can affect both males and females, but it is more likely to occur in women after menopause due to a sudden decrease in estrogen hormone that normally protects against osteoporosis. This condition affects the structure and strength of bones. There is a higher risk of fractures as the bones become weaker. So, a fall or even a fairly minor knock can lead to a fracture. The spine, hip, and wrists may become prone to fractures. Smoking and poor diet are some risk factors of osteoporosis. If the spine weakens due to this condition, it may lead to a stoop and can cause bone pain. Symptoms There are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss because of which osteoporosis is called a “silent disease.” In the later stages, an individual may experience some signs and symptoms:
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The risk of getting colon cancer and how to prevent it
Health

The risk of getting colon cancer and how to prevent it

Colon cancer is a serious medical condition when a malignant tumor develops in the large intestine due to the rapid multiplication of cells. It is the third most prevalent type of cancer in America, and as of 2017, there had been approximately 95520 estimated new patients detected in the country In most of the cases, cancer starts as a benign cluster of cells or adenomatous polyp in the colon. If colon cancer occurs together with rectal cancer, then oncologists term it as colorectal cancer. Risk of colon cancer Though colon cancer may occur in any individual, there are certain risk factors which increase the chances of developing this disease.   Age The chances of developing colon cancer increase manifold after the person crosses 50 years. The recent findings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that 90 percent of colon cancer is detected in individuals aged 50 years or older. This does not mean that young adults do not get this cancer. However, chances of it are sporadic and not linked to genetic syndromes. Ethnicity and race Ethnicity is also a significant factor that influences the chances of contracting colon cancer. Research has found that African-American individuals have a higher risk of the disease than Caucasians.
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Similarities and differences between Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis
Health

Similarities and differences between Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis

Both Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis have a lot of similarities and are often confused as one and the same. Certain symptoms like a tremor in the hands are similar, but there are a lot of other symptoms that make them completely two different diseases. What most people do not realize is that one can have both these diseases at the same time. It is a mere coincidence that a few people have both multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Both these diseases affect the central nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord. While the former is a neurodegenerative and autoimmune disease that is not very common, the latter is a neurodegenerative disease mostly affecting adults over 60 years of age. Similarities between the two  CNS CNS or Central Nervous System includes the spinal cord and the brain. And thus the reasons why both of these diseases affect the way a person feels, talks, moves and sleeps. Nerves Other than CNS, both of these diseases affect a person’s nerves. In multiple sclerosis, the coating around the nerves known as the myelin sheath starts breaking down. But in Parkinson’s disease, the nerve cells in the brain slowly die off. Other common symptoms There are various other common symptoms between the two of these diseases.
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Complications that arise if gallstones are not treated
Health

Complications that arise if gallstones are not treated

Gallbladder in human beings is a pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen concerned with storing of digestive juices before they get released into the small intestine. Sometimes, gallstones or hardened deposits develop within the gallbladder and are formed of digestive fluid. They are of two principal types – Cholesterol gallstones (yellow and made of undissolved cholesterol) and pigment gallstone (dark brown or black, developed from bile content). They may vary in size from as small as grains of sand to a big golf ball. Few individuals develop only one gallstone, while others have many such inclusions in their gallbladder. Risks if gallstones are not treated in time Usually, gallstones do not cause any symptoms unless they get lodged in the bile duct and block the system. However, it is necessary to undergo regular check-up and screening process for gallstones so that they do not give rise to severe complications. Detailed below are some of the risks that will occur if individuals do not get their gallstones treated in time. Cholecystitis Cholecystitis is a condition when the gallbladder becomes inflamed due to building up of bile juice. It usually occurs when gallstones prevent bile content from draining away from the organ at regular intervals.
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Treatment options for COPD
Health

Treatment options for COPD

COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a disease that makes breathing difficult for an individual. The airways get narrowed, leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. It could affect a person’s health in more ways than one could imagine. It affects a person’s day-to-day activities like how they exercise or anything that involves them physically. The treatments for COPD recommended by doctors worldwide to alleviate the symptoms helps the concerned person to breathe easily and get back to their regular routine. Treatment options Bronchodilators : This treatment helps by relaxing the muscles around the airways and lets in more air to fill the lungs. It can ease the symptoms like a cough and shortness of breath. One breathes the medicine into their lungs through an inhaler. It can be both short-lasting and long-lasting. There are some side effects of getting this treatment, like dry mouth and headaches. Other side effects include constipation, fast heartbeat, muscle cramps, and shaking. Steroids : It reduces swelling of the airways, and it is usually taken with the help of an inhaler. Steroids can also be taken as pills if the symptoms continue to worsen. Some of the well-known steroids are budesonide and fluticasone.
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