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Myopathy : symptoms, causes and treatments

Signs and Symptoms of Myopathy:

Although symptoms depend on the type of myopathy, some generalizations can be made. Skeletal muscle weakness is the hallmark of most myopathies, with some noticeable exceptions, such as myotonia and paramyotonia congenita. In these two inheritable muscular disorders, the muscles become enlarged, rather than weakened and atrophied, and do not relax after contracting.In most myopathies, weakness occurs primarily in the muscles of the shoulders, upper arms, thighs, and pelvis (proximal muscles). In some cases, the distal muscles of the hands and feet may be involved during the advanced stage of disease.

Other typical symptoms of muscle disease include the following:

  1. Aching.
  2. Cramping
  3. Pain
  4. Stiffness
  5. Tenderness\
  6. Tightnes

Initially, individuals may feel fatigued doing very light physical activity. Walking and climbing stairs may be difficult because of weakness in the pelvic and leg muscles that stabilize the trunk.
Patients often find it difficult to rise from a chair. As the myopathy progresses, there may be muscle wasting.

Treatment for Myopathy:

Treatment for myopathies depends on the cause. The goals of myopathy treatment are to slow progression of the disease and relieve symptoms.

Treatments range from drug therapy for muscular dystrophies and inflammatory myopathies to avoiding situations that work the muscles too hard for metabolic myopathies. Some physicians recommend that patients with myopathy keep their weight down (a lighter body demands less work from the muscles) and avoid overexerting the muscles.
When breathing problems develop, an incentive spirometer can help improve breathing function in some patients. Unfortunately, there is no way to strengthen the breathing muscles.
Treatment for Muscular Dystrophies:
The goals of MD treatment are to slow progression of disease and relieve symptoms. Duchenne MD and Becker MD are the subjects of current medical research and clinical trials may be available for patients with either disease.
Corticosteroids (e.g., deflazacort, prednisone) seem to be the most effective medications. Both improve strength and walking ability for about 6 months in boys with Duchenne dystrophy. Following initial improvement, further progression of the disease may be delayed for 3 to 5 years in some cases.
Prolonged use of corticosteroids can cause severe side effects including the following:

  • Bone loss (osteoporosis)
  • Depression
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Thinning of the skin
  • Weight gain

Calcium supplements and antidepressants may be prescribed to counteract these side effects.
Preventive treatment for permanent contraction of a muscle (contractures) includes physical therapy and bracing. There are currently no drugs available to prevent or treat contractures.
Heel cord surgery (also called tendon release) and spine-straightening surgery (i.e., rod insertion) may be necessary in cases of severe contractures. Heel cord surgery is performed when the patient is still able to walk. Braces are usually required following surgery.

Treatment for Endocrine Myopathies:

Often, treating the underlying condition helps relieve muscle weakness and pain associated with endocrine myopathies.
Treatment for Inflammatory Myopathies:

Inflammatory myopathies, such as polymyositis and dermatomyositis, are usually treated with drugs that suppress the action of the immune system. Prednisone is most commonly used to treat inflammatory myopathies. It is used initially in high doses (up to 100mg/day) and then slowly tapered to the lowest possible dose that relieves symptoms. Long-term use of prednisone can cause severe side effects, including bone loss, depression, and high blood pressure.

Treatment for Metabolic Myopathies:

The primary goal in treating metabolic myopathies is to avoid situations that tax the muscles and promote muscle pain and weakness, like strenuous exercise.

Dengue fever: Symptoms, causes and treatments

Dengue Symptoms and Signs

Primary symptoms of dengue appear three to 15 days after the mosquito bite and include the following:

  • high fever and severe headache,
  • with severe pain behind the eyes that is apparent when trying to move the eyes.

Other associated symptoms are:

  • joint pain,
  • muscle and bone pain,
  • rash,
  • and mild bleeding.

Many affected people complain of high knee pain and low back pain.

Dengue infection is a leading cause of death and sickness in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Dengue is caused by one of four viruses that are transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a more serious form of dengue infection.

Primary symptoms of dengue appear three to 15 days after the mosquito bite and include high fever and severe headache, with severe pain behind the eyes that is apparent when trying to move the eyes. Other associated symptoms are joint pain, muscle and bone pain, rash, and mild bleeding. Many affected people complain of low back pain. The lymph nodes of the neck and groin may be swollen. Young children and people infected for the first time typically have milder symptoms than older children and adults.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever starts with the typical signs and symptoms of dengue as described above. The fever lasts from two to seven days. After the fever begins to abate, symptoms occur that are related to increased permeability of the capillary blood vessels. These symptoms can include severe abdominal pain, prolonged vomiting, and breathing problems. Bleeding tendencies, including easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, skin hemorrhages, and even internal bleeding may occur. The disease may progress to failure of the circulatory system, leading to shock and death.

How is dengue fever contracted?

The virus is contracted from the bite of a striped Aedes aegypti mosquito that has previously bitten an infected person. The mosquito flourishes during rainy seasons but can breed in water-filled flower pots, plastic bags, and cans year-round. One mosquito bite can cause the disease.

The virus is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person. It is mosquito-borne, so there must be a person-to-mosquito-to-another-person pathway. The full life cycle of the virus involves the mosquito as the vector (transmitter) and the human as the source of infection.

What is the incubation period for dengue fever?

After being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, the incubation period for dengue fever ranges from three to 15 (usually five to eight) days before the signs and symptoms of dengue appear in stages.

Treatments:

It is found that at present there is no specific vaccine which can kill the virus of dengue fever not even a single antivirus tablets have been manufactured.
Dengue fever is treated by a medicine which is known as Paracetamol, an anti-pyretic.

The pain during the dengue fever in the bones can be relaxed through the pain killing tablets or by analgesics.

Patient must be hospitalized when there is DHF and DSS. The rate mortality is found to be high, about 50%, in the case of not getting hospitalized timely. With the help of hospitals, the treatment makes the mortality rate down to near about 3%. There are some other supportive treatments which help in the treatment of patient suffer from dengue. It includes Fluid of intravenous replacement which helps in preventing the shock.

Now-a-days, vaccines start getting developed for the treatment against four serotypes of dengue. They proved to be the best way to cure the disease of dengue.

In many endemic countries, it is found that the measures in preventing from mosquitoes have been failed. Patients start getting more prone to dehydration after drinking plenty of liquid things. In some of the cases, the prevention can be done through oxygen. And the use of Steroids is not considered useful.

Dengue Fever Testing:

How is it used?

The testing of dengue fever is done to determine whether the recent potential exposure and symptoms of the person body has been infected by dengue or not. It is difficult to diagnose the infection without doing laboratory tests as the symptoms initially may resemble like diseases like malaria. There are 2 types of testing available:

  • Antibody tests— primarily these tests are used to help in diagnosing a recent or current infection. 2 different antibodies classes are detected by them that are produced by body in response to the infection of dengue fever, IgM and IgG. A combination of both these tests is required for diagnosis due to reason that the immune system of the body produces different antibodies levels during the time of illness. IgM antibodies are 1st produced and tests for it are most effective at the time when they are performed 7-10 days later the exposure. For some weeks, the blood levels rise and then decrease gradually. After some months, the IgM antibodies gets fall down below the detectable levels. They are produced slower than the rate of infection. The level rises typically with the acute infection, it stabilizes and then it persists long-term. All those who get exposed to it prior to current infection, maintains IgG antibodies level in the level that affects the diagnostic results’ interpretation.
  • Molecular testing (PCR, polymerase chain reaction)— this test detects dengue virus’s genetic material in blood till 5 daysof the symptom onset.

When is it ordered?

Testing might be ordered at the time when people have symptoms and signs associated with dengue at tropical locations where it is present. Main symptoms and signs include:

  • Low count of white blood cells
  • Easy bruising
  • Nose and gum bleeds
  • Bone, muscle or joint pain
  • Pain behind eyes or severe headache
  • Sudden high fever (40°C or 104°F)

Usually testing is ordered within 1 to 2 weeks of the starting of the symptoms for detecting the infection. If the antibody testing is done, an additional sample of the blood is collected after 2 weeks of the symptoms in order to determine whether the level of antibody is rising.

What does the test result mean?

  • Antibody testing— the test may have negative or positive result or might be reported as the antibody titer having an interpretation of the type of antibody (IgM or IgG) present.

Positive IgG and IgM tests detected for the dengue antibodies in the blood means that the person has become infected within recent weeks with the dengue virus. If IgG comes positive but IgM is negative or low, then it is probably that the person has got an infection earlier in past. If the titer of dengue IgG antibody increases from 1:4 to 1:64 between the initial samples then it is likely to have recent infection.

Negative IgG and/or IgM antibodies means that the person tested is not having any infection and the symptoms are because of any other reason or the antibody level may be very low for measuring. The individual might still have dengue infection- it might be just that it is very soon after the virus exposure to give a detectable antibody level.

The table as follows summarizes the results seen with the antibody testing:

IgM Result IgG Result Possible Interpretation
Positive Negative Current infection
Positive Positive Current infection
Low or negative or not tested Four-fold increase in samples taken 2-4 weeks apart Recent infection
Low or negative Positive Past infection
Negative Negative Too soon after initial exposure for antibodies to develop or symptoms due to another cause

 

  • Molecular testing— the most reliable of all diagnosis is the PCR test that is considered as it detects the virus presence in the body but it is not available widely. A positive PCR result is considered conclusive. A PCR test having negative result indicates no infection present or low level of virus to detect if the test gets performed after the period of 5-day window since the time when the virus being present in the blood sample is collected. If recent exposures are suspected, then repeating the tests may be warranted later.

 

 

Which are the food reduce the dengue fever:

  • Kiwi fruit, fig, Pomogranates, papaya etc( these will increase the blood count )
  • Juice made from young leaves of papaya.(daily have one time 5ml or 3ml- continue for 3-5 days).

 

Sarcoma: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

A sarcoma is a rare kind of cancer. Sarcomas are different from the much more common carcinomas because they happen in a different kind of tissue. Sarcomas grow in connective tissue — cells that connect or support other kinds of tissue in your body. These tumors are most common in the bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, fat, and blood vessels of your arms and legs, but they can happen anywhere.

Sarcoma Symptoms:

Soft tissue sarcomas are hard to spot, because they can grow anywhere in your body. Most often, the first sign is a painless lump. As the lump gets bigger, it might press against nerves or muscles and make you uncomfortable or give you trouble breathing, or both. There are no tests that can find these tumors before they cause symptoms that you notice.

Osteosarcoma can show obvious early symptoms, including:

  • Pain off and on in the affected bone, which may be worse at night
  • Swelling, which often starts weeks after the pain
  • A limp, if the sarcoma is in your leg

Children and young adults get osteosarcoma more often than adults. And because healthy, active children and teens often have pain and swelling in their arms and legs, osteosarcoma might be mistaken for growing pains or a sports injury. If your child’s pain doesn’t get better, gets worse at night, and is in one arm or leg rather than both, talk to a doctor.

Sarcoma Treatments:

How your sarcoma is treated depends on what type you have, where in your body it is, how developed it is, and whether or not it has spread to other parts of your body, or metastasized.

Surgery takes the tumor out of your body. In most cases of osteosarcoma, the doctor can remove just the cancer cells, and you won’t need your arm or leg removed, too.

Radiation can shrink the tumor before surgery or kill cancer cells that are left after surgery. It could be the main treatment, if surgery isn’t an option.

Chemotherapy drugs can also be used with or instead of surgery. Chemo is often the first treatment when the cancer has spread.

Targeted therapies are newer treatments that use drugs or man made versions of antibodies from the immune system to block the growth of cancer cells while leaving normal cells undamaged.

Surviving Sarcoma:
Most people diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma are cured by surgery alone, if the tumor is low-grade; that means it is not likely to spread to other parts of the body. More aggressive sarcomas are harder to treat successfully.

The survival rate for osteosarcoma is between 60% and 80% if the cancer has not spread. It is more likely to be cured if all of the cancer can be removed by surgery.

Schwannomas: Symptoms & Treatments

Schwannomas are benign tumors that arise from the nerve sheath (covering) of cranial nerves along-side the cerebellum and brainstem.

The optimal treatment for the majority of symptomatic schwannomas is maximal surgical removal and/or focused radiation therapy (radiosurgery). Fortunately, for patients requiring schwannoma surgery, most large vestibular (acoustic) schwannomas can be removed through a retromastoid keyhole craniotomy while most trigeminal schwannomas can be removed through either a retromastoid approach or an endonasal endoscopic approach.

These tumors are typically benign and arise from the nerve sheath (covering) of cranial nerves along-side the cerebellum and brainstem. The most common schwannoma arises from the 8th cranial nerve (the vestibulo-cochlear nerve) or the 5th cranial nerve (the trigeminal nerve). In some instances, schwannomas are related to a genetic syndrome called Neurofibromatosis. Bilateral vestibular schwannomas are associated with NF-2.

Symptoms:

Vestibular (acoustic) schwannomas arise from one of the vestibular nerves in the internal auditory canal and initially cause hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ear). As they enlarge into the cerebello-pontine angle, they can compress the brainstem and other cranial nerves, resulting in loss of balance and coordination, vertigo, facial numbness, facial weakness and difficulty swallowing.

Trigeminal schwannomas are less common than vestibular schwannomas. They generally arise in Meckel’s cave in the skull base and the pre-pontine space. These tumors typically cause facial pain (trigeminal neuralgia) or facial numbness. As they enlarge, they can grow farther into the cavernous sinus or into the brainstem, causing double vision, loss of coordination and other symptoms of brainstem compression.

Treatment:

Treatment for vestibular (acoustic) schwannomas is by surgical removal through akeyhole retrosigmoid craniotomy or other skull base approach or by radiosurgery. For tumors under 2.5 cm, either surgery or radiosurgery are reasonable treatment options. For tumors over 2.5 cm, surgical removal is generally recommended.
Treatment for trigeminal schwannomas is typically by surgical removal through a retrosigmoid craniotomy or other skull base approach, depending upon the location.

In some patients with a vestibular or trigeminal schwannoma in whom only a sub-total tumor removal is possible, radiosurgery or stereotactic radiotherapy may be effectively used to control further tumor growth. Chemotherapy is generally not used for treating schwannomas.

 

Gallstones: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

What Are Gallstones?

They aren’t really stones. They’re pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder, a small organ located under the liver.

You might not even know you have them until they block a bile duct, causing pain that you need to get treated right away.

Types:
The two main kinds are:Cholesterol stones. These are usually yellow-green in color. They’re the most common kind, accounting for 80% of gallstones.

Pigment stones. These stones are smaller and darker. They’re made up of bilirubin, which comes from bile, a fluid your liver makes and your gallbladder stores.

Gallstones

 

What Causes Gallstones?

There may be several reasons, including:

  • Your genes
  • Your weight
  • Problems with your gallbladder
  • Diet

Bile can be part of the problem. Your body needs bile, but if it has too much cholesterol in it, that makes gallstones more likely.

It can also happen if your gallbladder can’t empty properly.

Pigment stones are more common in people with certain medical conditions, such as cirrhosis (a liver disease) or blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia.

What are  Risk factors?

You’re more likely to get gallstones if:

You’re obese. This is one of the biggest risk factors. Obesity can raise your cholesterol level and also make it harder for the gallbladder to empty completely.

You take birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms, or are pregnant. The extra estrogen is the problem. It can increase cholesterol and make it harder for the gallbladder to empty.

You have diabetes. People with this condition tend to have higher levels of triglycerides (a type of blood fat), which is a risk factor for gallstones.

You take medicine to lower your cholesterol. Some of these drugs boost the amount of cholesterol in bile, which may increase your chances of getting cholesterol stones.

You lost weight too quickly. Your liver makes extra cholesterol, which may lead to gallstones.

You’re fasting. Your gallbladder may not squeeze as much.

What Are the Symptoms?

You might not notice anything, or even know you have gallstones, unless your doctor tells you. But if you do get symptoms, they usually include:

  • Pain in your upper belly and upper back that can last for several hours
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Other digestive problems, including bloating, indigestion and heartburn, and gas

What’s the Treatment?

Many people with gallstones get surgery to take out the gallbladder. There are two different kinds of operations.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This is the more common procedure. The surgeon passes instruments, a light, and a camera through several small cuts in the belly. He views the inside of the body on a video monitor. Afterward, you spend the night in the hospital.

Open cholecystectomy. The surgeon makes bigger cuts in the belly to remove the gallbladder. You stay in the hospital for a few days after the operation.

If gallstones are in your bile ducts, the doctor may use ERCP to find and remove them before or during gallbladder surgery.

Ischaemic Myelopathy: Symptoms, causes & Treatments

What is ischaemic myelopathy and what causes it?

Ischaemic myelopathy is a condition where the blood supply to part of the spinal cord (the bundle of nerves that run inside the spine) is suddenly interrupted by a ‘clot’ that blocks a small artery (blood vessel). This is similar to a stroke or heart attack in people, except that it is the spinal cord that is affected rather than the brain or heart.

‘Ischaemia’ is a loss of blood supply, and ‘myelopathy’ is a form of damage to the nerves of the spinal cord. The cause of the blockage of the spinal cord blood vessels is poorly understood. In the majority of cases the ‘clot’ which blocks the artery is similar in structure to the material that forms the discs (the cushions between the bones of the spine). This disc material is called ‘fibro-cartilage’. It is assumed that some of this disc material somehow moves from its normal location to become lodged in the blood vessels of the spinal cord. This is the reason why the condition is commonly referred to as‘fibrocartilaginous embolism’ (shortened to ‘FCE’).

Other less common reasons why the blood supply to the spinal cord can be interrupted include either an abscess or a tumour, either of which can press on important blood vessels and prevent blood flow to the nerves.

 

What are the common signs of ischaemic myelopathy?

Ischaemic myelopathy most commonly occurs in large breed dogs, although it is also encountered in smaller breeds and, very occasionally, in cats. The onset of neurological signs is always extremely rapid and often occurs during vigorous exercise. Neurological abnormalities may vary from mild weakness or incoordination, through to an inability to walk. Paralysis, incontinence and inability to feel pain are possible in severe cases. Ischaemic myelopathy is a non-painful condition, although at the initial onset some patients may cry out or yelp. Neurological signs do not tend to progress after the first 24 hours.

 

How is ischaemic myelopathy diagnosed?

Ischaemic myelopathy is diagnosed by ruling out other causes of sudden onset neurological signs, such as a ‘slipped disc’ (see information sheets on cervical disc disease and thoracolumbar disc disease), traumatic disc extrusion or a spinal fracture.

Advanced diagnostic imaging investigations are necessary in order to diagnose ischaemic myelopathy and to rule-out other conditions – an MRI scan is the imaging technique of choice in these circumstances. MRI scanning uses high powered magnets and a computer to generate images of the spine (this is the same technique and the same equipment which is used for body scanning in human patients). It provides detailed information on the location and extent of any blood vessel-related injury to the spinal cord. Myelography is an alternative imaging technique which can also be used for investigating spinal injuries. This involves injecting a dye (contrast agent) around the spinal cord and obtaining multiple X-rays to assess the flow of the dye. Injecting around the spinal cord is not without risk of causing further damage to already compromised nerve tissue, however. Unlike an MRI scan, myelography will not show damage to the spinal cord caused by ischaemic myelopathy, although it will enable some other conditions to be ruled out as the cause of the spinal cord injury. MRI scanning is less invasive than myelography, and with less risk of side-effects, and for most patients MRI provides the best option for investigation. Both MRI and myelography require the dog to have a general anaesthetic.

 

MRI scan showing an ischaemic myelopathy (FCE) in the neck (arrow)

MRI scan showing an ischaemic myelopathy (FCE) in the neck (arrow)

 

MRI scan showing an ischaemic myelopathy (FCE) in the back (arrow)

MRI scan showing an ischaemic myelopathy (FCE) in the back (arrow)

 

How can ischaemic myelopathy be treated?

There is no specific treatment for ischaemic myelopathy. Supportive care and nursing are essential in order to aid recovery. Bedding needs to be well padded in order to prevent bed sores. Regular physiotherapy and, in some cases, swimming at a hydrotherapy unit can help function to be regained and assist in building strength. Some patients may require a catheter to be placed in the bladder temporarily to aid urination.

What is the outcome for patients with ischaemic myelopathy?

The outcome in dogs with ischaemic myelopathy depends on two key factors – a) the location and b) the severity of the spinal cord injury. The findings on the neurological examination and MRI investigations can help to predict the chances of recovery. Dogs that are paralysed and also cannot feel pain in their limbs are unlikely to recover, unfortunately. However, the majority of less severely affected dogs will gradually improve over a period of weeks to months, to a point where they can freely exercise and have a good quality of life. A degree of weakness in one or more limbs may persist in some dogs. Recurrence of ischaemic myelopathy is very uncommon.

 

Hyperglycemia : symptoms, causes and treatments

Hyperglycemia facts

  • Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose (blood sugar) level.
  • Hyperglycemia is a hallmark sign of diabetes (bothtype 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes) and prediabetes.
  • Diabetes is the most common cause of hyperglycemia.
  • Other conditions that can cause hyperglycemia arepancreatitis, Cushing’s syndrome, unusual hormone-secreting tumors, pancreatic cancer, certain medications, and severe illnesses.
  • The main symptoms of hyperglycemia are increased thirst and a frequent need to urinate.
  • Severely elevated glucose levels can result in a medical emergency like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS, also referred to as hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state).
  • Insulin is the treatment of choice for people with type 1 diabetes and for life-threatening increases in glucose levels.
  • People with type 2 diabetes may be managed with a combination of different oral and injectable medications.
  • Hyperglycemia due to medical conditions other than diabetes is generally treated by treating the underlying condition responsible for the elevated glucose

 

Diabetic Ketoacidosis Symptoms

People with diabetes don’t have the luxury of that auto-sensing. Not enough insulin and the glucose levels in the blood stream start to rise; too much insulin, and they plummet.

The consequences of hypoglycemia are easy to understand. No energy source, no function – and the first organ to go is the brain. It needs glucose to function and without it, the brain shuts down quickly. Confusion, lethargy, and coma occur quickly. Blood sugar is one of the first things checked on scene of a comatose patient, because it’s so easy to fix and very embarrassing for an EMT to miss.

What causes hyperglycemia?

A number of medical conditions can cause hyperglycemia, but the most common by far is diabetes mellitus. Diabetes affects over 8% of the total U.S. population. In diabetes, blood glucose levels rise either because there is an insufficient amount of insulin in the body or the body cannot use insulin well. Normally, the pancreas releases insulin after a meal so that the cells of the body can utilize glucose for fuel. This keeps blood glucose levels in the normal range.

Type 1 diabetes is responsible for about 5% of all cases of diabetes and results from damage to the insulin-secreting cells of the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes is far more common and is related to the body’s inability to effectively use insulin. In addition to type 1 and type 2, gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops in pregnant women. Studies show that between 2% to 10% of all pregnant women get gestational diabetes.

Sometimes, hyperglycemia is not the result of diabetes. Other medical conditions that can cause hyperglycemia include:

How is hyperglycemia treated?

Mild or transient hyperglycemia may not need medical treatment, depending upon the cause. People with mildly elevated glucose or prediabetes can often lower their glucose levels by incorporating diet and lifestyle changes. To assure that you chose the right dietary and lifestyle changes , you should speak with your health care professional or use reliable resources such as the American Diabetes Association.

Insulin is the treatment of choice for people with type 1 diabetes and for life-threatening increases in glucose levels. People with type 2 diabetes may be managed with a combination of different oral and injectable medications. Some people with type 2 diabetes also take insulin.

Hyperglycemia due to medical conditions other than diabetes is generally treated by addressing the underlying condition responsible for the elevated glucose. In some cases, insulin may be needed to stabilize glucose levels during this treatment.

Types of Dementia and symptoms

Types of Dementia

Dementia is a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by physical changes in the brain.

 

 

Alzheimer’s disease

Most common type of dementia; accounts for an estimated 60 to 80 percent of cases.

Symptoms: Difficulty remembering recent conversations, names or events is often an early clinical symptom; apathy and depression are also often early symptoms. Later symptoms include impaired communication, poor judgment, disorientation, confusion, behavior changes and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.

Revised criteria and guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer’s were published in 2011 recommending that Alzheimer’s be considered a slowly progressive brain disease that begins well before symptoms emerge.

Brain changes: Hallmark abnormalities are deposits of the protein fragment beta-amyloid (plaques) and twisted strands of the protein tau (tangles) as well as evidence of nerve cell damage and death in the brain.

 

Vascular dementia:

Previously known as multi-infarct or post-stroke dementia, vascular dementia is less common as a sole cause of dementia than Alzheimer’s, accounting for about 10 percent of dementia cases.

Symptoms: Impaired judgment or ability to make decisions, plan or organize is more likely to be the initial symptom, as opposed to the memory loss often associated with the initial symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Occurs from blood vessel blockage or damage leading to infarcts (strokes) or bleeding in the brain. The location, number and size of the brain injury determines how the individual’s thinking and physical functioning are affected.

Brain changes: Brain imaging can often detect blood vessel problems implicated in vascular dementia. In the past, evidence for vascular dementia was used to exclude a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (and vice versa). That practice is no longer considered consistent with pathologic evidence, which shows that the brain changes of several types of dementia can be present simultaneously. When any two or more types of dementia are present at the same time, the individual is considered to have “mixed dementia” (see entry below).

 

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB):

Symptoms: People with dementia with Lewy bodies often have memory loss and thinking problems common in Alzheimer’s, but are more likely than people with Alzheimer’s to have initial or early symptoms such as sleep disturbances, well-formed visual hallucinations, and slowness, gait imbalance or other parkinsonian movement features.

Brain changes: Lewy bodies are abnormal aggregations (or clumps) of the protein alpha-synuclein. When they develop in a part of the brain called the cortex, dementia can result. Alpha-synuclein also aggregates in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease, but the aggregates may appear in a pattern that is different from dementia with Lewy bodies.

The brain changes of dementia with Lewy bodies alone can cause dementia, or they can be present at the same time as the brain changes of Alzheimer’s disease and/or vascular dementia, with each abnormality contributing to the development of dementia. When this happens, the individual is said to have “mixed dementia.”

 

Mixed dementia:

In mixed dementia abnormalities linked to more than one cause of dementia occur simultaneously in the brain. Recent studies suggest that mixed dementia is more common than previously thought.

Brain changes: Characterized by the hallmark abnormalities of more than one cause of dementia —most commonly, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, but also other types, such as dementia with Lewy bodies.

 

Parkinson’s disease:

As Parkinson’s disease progresses, it often results in a progressive dementia similar to dementia with Lewy bodies or Alzheimer’s.

Symptoms: Problems with movement are common symptoms of the disease. If dementia develops, symptoms are often similar to dementia with Lewy bodies.

Brain changes: Alpha-synuclein clumps are likely to begin in an area deep in the brain called the substantia nigra. These clumps are thought to cause degeneration of the nerve cells that produce dopamine.

 

Frontotemporal dementia:

Includes dementias such as behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia, Pick’s disease, corticobasal degeneration and progressive supranuclear palsy.

Symptoms: Typical symptoms include changes in personality and behavior and difficulty with language. Nerve cells in the front and side regions of the brain are especially affected.

Brain changes: No distinguishing microscopic abnormality is linked to all cases. People with FTD generally develop symptoms at a younger age (at about age 60) and survive for fewer years than those with Alzheimer’s.

 

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease:

CJD is the most common human form of a group of rare, fatal brain disorders affecting people and certain other mammals. Variant CJD (“mad cow disease”) occurs in cattle, and has been transmitted to people under certain circumstances.

Symptoms: Rapidly fatal disorder that impairs memory and coordination and causes behavior changes.

Brain changes: Results from misfolded prion protein that causes a “domino effect” in which prion protein throughout the brain misfolds and thus malfunctions.

 

Normal pressure hydrocephalus:

Symptoms: Symptoms include difficulty walking, memory loss and inability to control urination.

Brain changes: Caused by the buildup of fluid in the brain. Can sometimes be corrected with surgical installation of a shunt in the brain to drain excess fluid.

 

Huntington’s Disease:

Huntington’s disease is a progressive brain disorder caused by a single defective gene on chromosome 4.

Symptoms: Include abnormal involuntary movements, a severe decline in thinking and reasoning skills, and irritability, depression and other mood changes.

Brain changes: The gene defect causes abnormalities in a brain protein that, over time, lead to worsening symptoms.

 

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome:

Korsakoff syndrome is a chronic memory disorder caused by severe deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B-1). The most common cause is alcohol misuse.

Symptoms: Memory problems may be strikingly severe while other thinking and social skills seem relatively unaffected.

Brain changes: Thiamine helps brain cells produce energy from sugar. When thiamine levels fall too low, brain cells cannot generate enough energy to function properly.

Ultrasonic scaling and polishing in dental treatments

During a routine Scale and Polish at Smiles Dental, your hygienist will thoroughly clean all deposits and stains from teeth. They will scale away tartar build-up from tooth surfaces and polish your teeth using special dental instruments. You can feel tartar build up on the backs of your teeth with your tongue.

The ultrasonic scaling device removes tartar (calculus), plaque and bio film from the tooth surface and underneath the gum line. A manual instrument may be used next to remove the remainder. Root planing involves detailed scaling of the root surface to decrease inflammation of the gum tissue.

Ultrasonic scalers are used to remove calculus rapidly from the tooth surface. The scaling tip vibrates in the ultrasonic range of 20-45 kHz (i.e. 20,000 to 45,000 times per second), with an optimum frequency between 18 kHz and 32kHz.

What are dental cleanings (scale and polish) and why have them?

Dental cleanings involve removing plaque (soft, sticky, bacteria infested film) and tartar (calculus) deposits that have built up on the teeth over time. Your teeth are continually bathed in saliva which contains calcium and other substances which help strengthen and protect the teeth. While this is a good thing, it also means that we tend to get a build-up of calcium deposits on the teeth. This chalky substance will eventually build up over time, like limescale in a pipe or kettle. Usually it is tooth coloured and can easily be mistaken as part of the teeth, but it also can vary from brown to black in colour.

If the scale, or calculus (tartar, as dentists like to call it) is allowed to accumulate on the teeth it will unfortunately provide the right conditions for bacteria to thrive next to the gums. The purpose of the cleaning and polishing is basically to leave the surfaces of the teeth clean and smooth so that bacteria are unable to stick to them and you have a better chance of keeping the teeth clean during your regular home care.

 

Also it leaves your teeth feeling lovely and smooth and clean, which is nice when you run your tongue around them. Actually, come to think of it, there’s nothing worse than someone you fancy running their tongue around your teeth and finding a piece of spinach or something! Still, if they’re hungry…

The professional cleaning of teeth is sometimes referred to as prophylaxis (orprophy for short). It’s a Greek word which means “to prevent beforehand” – in this case, it helps prevent gum disease.

How are dental cleanings done?

The dental hygienist or dentist uses specialized instruments to gently remove these deposits without harming the teeth. The instruments which may be used during your cleaning, and what they feel like, are described below.

Ultrasonic instrument

Commonly used first is an ultrasonic instrument which uses tickling vibrations to knock larger pieces of tartar loose. It also sprays acooling mist of water while it works to wash away debris and keep the area at a proper temperature. The device typically emits a humming or high pitched whistling sound. This may seem louder than it actually is because the sound may get amplified inside your head, just like when you put an electric toothbrush into your mouth.

The ultrasonic instrument tips are curved and rounded and are always kept in motion around the teeth. They are by no means sharp since their purpose is to knock tartar loose and not to cut into the teeth. It is best to inform the operator if the sensations are too strong or ticklish so that they can adjust the setting appropriately on the device or modify the pressure applied.

With larger deposits that have hardened on, it can take some time to remove these, just like trying to remove baked-on grime on a stove that has been left over a long time. So your cleaning may take longer than future cleanings. Imagine not cleaning a house for six months versus cleaning it every week. The six-month job is going to take longer than doing smaller weekly jobs.

Fine hand tools

Once the larger pieces of tartar are gone, the dental worker will switch to finer hand tools (called scalers and curettes in dental-speak) to remove smaller deposits and smoothen the tooth surfaces. These tools are curved and shaped to match the curves of the teeth. They allow smaller tartar deposits to be removed bycarefully scraping them off with a gentle to moderate amount of pressure. Just like taking a scrubbing brush to a soiled pot, the dental worker has to get the areas clean and smooth.

Polishing

Once all the surfaces are smooth, the dental worker may polish your teeth. Polishing is done using a slow speed handpiece with a soft rubber cup that spins on the end. Prophylaxis (short for prophy) paste – a special gritty toothpaste-like material – is scooped up like ice cream into the cup and spun around on the teeth to make them shiny smooth.

Fluoride


Your dentist may also apply fluoride. This is the final, and my favorite part of the dental cleaning! Fluoride comes in many different flavours such as chocolate, mint, strawberry, cherry, watermelon, pina colada and can be mixed and matched just like ice cream at a parlour for a great taste sensation! Make no mistake though, this in-office fluoride treatment is meant for topical use only on the surfaces of the teeth and swallowing excessive amounts can give a person a tummy ache as it is not meant to be ingested.

Fluoride foam or gel is then placed into small, flexible foam trays and placed over the teeth for 30 seconds. Afterwards the patient is directed to spit as much out as possible into a saliva ejector. The fluoride helps to strengthen the teeth since the acids from bacteria in dental tartar and plaque will have weakened the surfaces. It is best not to eat, drink or rinse for 30 minutes after the fluoride has been applied.

Is it going to be painful?

Most people find that cleanings are painless, and find the sensations described above – tickling vibrations, the cooling mist of water, and the feeling of pressure during “scraping” – do not cause discomfort. A lot of people even report that they enjoy cleanings and the lovely smooth feel of their teeth afterwards! There may be odd zingy sensations, but many people don’t mind as they only last a nanosecond.

Be sure to let your dentist/hygienist know if you find things are getting too uncomfortable for your liking. They can recommend various options to make the cleaning more enjoyable.

How Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia Treated?

Treatment for iron-deficiency anemia will depend on its cause and severity. Treatments may include dietary changes and supplements, medicines, and surgery.

Severe iron-deficiency anemia may require a blood transfusion, iron injections, or intravenous (IV) iron therapy. Treatment may need to be done in a hospital.

The goals of treating iron-deficiency anemia are to treat its underlying cause and restore normal levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, and iron.

Dietary Changes and Supplements

Iron

You may need iron supplements to build up your iron levels as quickly as possible. Iron supplements can correct low iron levels within months. Supplements come in pill form or in drops for children.

Large amounts of iron can be harmful, so take iron supplements only as your doctor prescribes. Keep iron supplements out of reach from children. This will prevent them from taking an overdose of iron.

Iron supplements can cause side effects, such as dark stools, stomach irritation, and heartburn. Iron also can cause constipation, so your doctor may suggest that you use a stool softener.

Your doctor may advise you to eat more foods that are rich in iron. The best source of iron is red meat, especially beef and liver. Chicken, turkey, pork, fish, and shellfish also are good sources of iron.

The body tends to absorb iron from meat better than iron from nonmeat foods. However, some nonmeat foods also can help you raise your iron levels. Examples of nonmeat foods that are good sources of iron include:

  • Iron-fortified breads and cereals
  • Peas; lentils; white, red, and baked beans; soybeans; and chickpeas
  • Tofu
  • Dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and apricots
  • Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables
  • Prune juice

The Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods will show how much iron the items contain. The amount is given as a percentage of the total amount of iron you need every day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. Good sources of vitamin C are vegetables and fruits, especially citrus fruits. Citrus fruits include oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and similar fruits. Fresh and frozen fruits, vegetables, and juices usually have more vitamin C than canned ones.

If you’re taking medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you can eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice. Grapefruit can affect the strength of a few medicines and how well they work.

Other fruits rich in vitamin C include kiwi fruit, strawberries, and cantaloupes.

Vegetables rich in vitamin C include broccoli, peppers, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, and leafy green vegetables like turnip greens and spinach.

Treatment To Stop Bleeding

If blood loss is causing iron-deficiency anemia, treatment will depend on the cause of the bleeding. For example, if you have a bleeding ulcer, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and other medicines to treat the ulcer.

If a polyp or cancerous tumor in your intestine is causing bleeding, you may need surgery to remove the growth.

If you have heavy menstrual flow, your doctor may prescribe birth control pills to help reduce your monthly blood flow. In some cases, surgery may be advised.

Treatments for Severe Iron-Deficiency Anemia

Blood Transfusion

If your iron-deficiency anemia is severe, you may get a transfusion of red blood cells. A blood transfusion is a safe, common procedure in which blood is given to you through an IV line in one of your blood vessels. A transfusion requires careful matching of donated blood with the recipient’s blood.

A transfusion of red blood cells will treat your anemia right away. The red blood cells also give a source of iron that your body can reuse. However, a blood transfusion is only a short-term treatment. Your doctor will need to find and treat the cause of your anemia.

Blood transfusions are usually reserved for people whose anemia puts them at a higher risk for heart problems or other severe health issues.

For more information, go to the Health Topics Blood Transfusion article.

Iron Therapy

If you have severe anemia, your doctor may recommend iron therapy. For this treatment, iron is injected into a muscle or an IV line in one of your blood vessels.

IV iron therapy presents some safety concerns. It must be done in a hospital or clinic by experienced staff. Iron therapy usually is given to people who need iron long-term but can’t take iron supplements by mouth. This therapy also is given to people who need immediate treatment for iron-deficiency anemia.

 

How Can Iron-Deficiency Anemia Be Prevented?

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes iron-rich foods may help you prevent iron-deficiency anemia.

Taking iron supplements also may lower your risk for the condition if you’re not able to get enough iron from food. Large amounts of iron can be harmful, so take iron supplements only as your doctor prescribes.

For more information about diet and supplements, go to “How Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia Treated?”

Infants and young children and women are the two groups at highest risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Special measures can help prevent the condition in these groups.

Infants and Young Children

A baby’s diet can affect his or her risk for iron-deficiency anemia. For example, cow’s milk is low in iron. For this and other reasons, cow’s milk isn’t recommended for babies in their first year. After the first year, you may need to limit the amount of cow’s milk your baby drinks.

Also, babies need more iron as they grow and begin to eat solid foods. Talk with your child’s doctor about a healthy diet and food choices that will help your child get enough iron.

Your child’s doctor may recommend iron drops. However, giving a child too much iron can be harmful. Follow the doctor’s instructions and keep iron supplements and vitamins away from children. Asking for child-proof packages for supplements can help prevent overdosing in children.

Because recent research supports concerns that iron deficiency during infancy and childhood can have long-lasting, negative effects on brain health, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends testing all infants for anemia at 1 year of age.

Women and Girls

Women of childbearing age may be tested for iron-deficiency anemia, especially if they have:

  • A history of iron-deficiency anemia
  • Heavy blood loss during their monthly periods
  • Other risk factors for iron-deficiency anemia

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed guidelines for who should be screened for iron deficiency, and how often:

  • Girls aged 12 to 18 and women of childbearing age who are not pregnant: Every 5 to 10 years.
  • Women who have risk factors for iron deficiency: Once a year.
  • Pregnant women: At the first prenatal visit.

For pregnant women, medical care during pregnancy usually includes screening for anemia. Also, your doctor may prescribe iron supplements or advise you to eat more iron-rich foods. This not only will help you avoid iron-deficiency anemia, but also may lower your risk of having a low-birth-weight baby.

Living With Iron-Deficiency Anemia

If you have iron-deficiency anemia, get ongoing care to make sure your iron levels are improving. At your checkups, your doctor may change your medicines or supplements. He or she also may suggest ways to improve your diet.

Take iron supplements only with your doctor’s approval, and only as he or she prescribes. It’s possible to have too much iron in your body (a condition called iron overload). Too much iron in your body can damage your organs.

You may have fatigue (tiredness) and other symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia until your iron levels return to normal, which can take months. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms or if your symptoms get worse.

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