Jun 11th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Sometimes agood book works, other times a gym workout..me? I like browsing the web seeing what sites are out there. Check out Pinchehuevon or Funtazia for some light hearted stuff and dog around for similar sites. You know, the ones that just give you 100 word postings so you can get through toms in a short space of time. Maybe Chace-C or Bharat will do. All offer a little light hearted stuff mixed in with the news of the day.
Jan 26th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
According to a recent study reported in The LA Times, female teachers who say they are anxious about math, girls are more likely to share that attitude and score lower on tests, researchers say.
So ladies if you grew up thinking you were not good in math, it was probably self fulfilling prophecy propelled by gender stereotyping that expects females to be bad at math. The study revealed that the reason may not be far to find, it could be the elementary teacher herself! First- and second-graders whose teachers were anxious about mathematics were more likely to believe that boys are hard-wired for math and that girls are better at reading, according to the study.
“Teachers who are anxious about their own math abilities are translating some of that to their kids,” said University of Chicago psychologist Sian Beilock, who led the study published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Jan 25th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Anemia is defined as a decrease in normal number of red blood cells or a condition where there is less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood and generally speaking, the causes of anemia are high rates of blood loss, the body not producing enough red blood cells or there being a high rate of destruction of red blood cells in the body.
Blood loss is one of the causes of Anemia: If the body has suffered a loss of blood due to surgery, injury, trauma, excessive blood donation, in childbirth etc, these factors could well be the causes of anemia.
There could also be chronic causes of anemia such as that resulting from heavy menstrual periods, inflammation of the stomach, ulcers of the stomach, fissures and hemorrhoids, etc.
Sometimes, cancer of the colon or stomach can cause bleeding leading to anemia. Certain high dosage medications used over a long period of time can cause anemia due to bleeding in the stomach.
Inadequate Red Blood cell production is the cause of anemia: Either due to genetic conditions or because of other factors, the body sometimes does not produce enough number of red blood corpuscles.
Nutritional factors such as iron deficiency, vitamin deficiency can often be the underlying causes of anemia. Sometimes, it is pregnancy that can cause a woman to become anemic, and at times certain hormone deficiencies may also cause anemia.
Aplastic anemia is another condition that is either acquired or inherited, which may prevent the body from producing enough red blood cells.
Excessive destruction of Red blood cells is one of the causes of anemia: A red blood cell has a life span of about three months; however certain conditions cause them to be destroyed before that time, thereby causing hemolysis or anemia caused by excessive red blood cell destruction.
Sickle cell anemia is one of the inherited conditions which cause the red blood cells to assume a sickle shape due to which these cells break down quicker and are unable to provide requisite levels of nutrition and oxygen to the different parts of the body
Thalassemia cause lack of certain enzymes in the body, can also lead to the destruction of healthy red blood cells as can certain disorders of organs such as the liver.
Certain medications also cause a destruction of red blood cells, causing anemia. In addition, certain conditions such as immune reactions, certain infections, certain toxins, and a number of medical procedures can also become the causes of anemia.
Jan 22nd, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
An underarm lump can have many different causes, ranging from benign and harmless to malignant and cancerous.
Underarm lumps may be small or big, may or may not be painful, may or may not be discolored and while some may be more of less constant, others come and go in a recurring fashion.
Some of the causes of underarm lumps may be as follows (there are many more), however it is important that to be evaluated by a medical practitioner at the earliest rather an attempt being made to at self diagnosis:
Jan 21st, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
If Breast Cancer is one of the commonest forms of cancer, one of the rarer forms of cancer is Vaginal cancer.
This cancer constitutes only 3 % of all known gynecological cancers. This form of cancer is more common among women who are of age sixty and above.
The vagina is the three to four inch long passage, also known as the birth canal that connects the cervix, which is the mouth of the uterus and the outer female genitalia or the vulva.
While the causes of vaginal cancer are not properly understood, there are certain factors that increase one’s risk of developing vaginal cancer:
A vaginal cancer can be detected by virtue of a pap smear which can detect any abnormal cells that are precursors to cervical as well as vaginal cancer. Vaginal cancer is a bit of a silent killer since it does not manifest any early signs.
The common symptoms such as bleeding not connected to menstruation, detection of a vaginal lump or pain in the pelvic area during intercourse, do not manifest themselves till the cancer has advanced a fair bit. Early detection is the key to any chance of reversing or curing vaginal cancer.
There are two main kinds of vaginal caner:
Squamous cell carcinoma develops in the thin, flat cells lining the vagina or the squamous cells. This form of vaginal cancer spreads slowly and is usually localized to the vagina; however it may spread to the liver and lungs.
Adenocarcinoma begins in glandular (secretory) cells which are responsible for release of mucosa in the vaginal area. This kind of vaginal cancer is less common and is seen more in younger women of 30 years or less.
Jan 19th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Historically, one of the most abhorred and feared sexually transmitted disease is Syphilis and the syphilis rash that accompanies the infection is indicative of progression of the disease and a need for urgent attention and treatment.
An untreated syphilis rash could result in death or at any rate cause lasting and irreparable damage to some of the body’s vital organs.
The syphilis rash is not the first noticeable symptom[syphilis symptom] of the infection by the disease; rather the first indication of presence of the bacteria in the body is usually a single red firm and round bump in the genital area that is painless and may not even be noticed to begin with but which later ulcerates.
If there is no treatment received for treating syphilis in this first stage, then some weeks later, the disease progress to the next or secondary stage and will manifest itself in a widespread syphilis rash.
A syphilis rash is usually reddish or brown spots and rough to the touch. While the rash could be anywhere on the body, the syphilis rash is more commonly found on the palms of the hand or the soles of the feet. The rash is often innocuous seeming; it may not be very prominent and may not even cause any discomfort or itching.
The syphilis rash also takes on a different form and appears in other parts of the body as white or gray patches in the groin or inner thighs or in areas having folds such as underarms or under the breasts.
The fact that a syphilis rash can disappear without treatment should not lull a person into believing that one has been cured of the disease or infection; rather it indicates that the disease has progressed to the next stage.
So, as soon as the first indications of a syphilis rash appear, treatment should be obtained so that the disease does not progress to the next stage.
After the secondary stage when the syphilis rash typically manifests itself the most, is the dormant stage of syphilis where the disease is present in the body for many years but only manifests its symptoms occasionally.
This does not mean that the disease has been cured, rather it means that it will progress to the next and last stage which could result in widespread damage including organs like the eyes, heart, liver, the bones and joints and even the brain.
It is therefore important to get treatment for a syphilis rash as soon as possible in order that permanent damage or even death does not result.
Jan 16th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Breast cancer is an aggressive disease which needs an aggressive form of treatment to help fight it. Hormone therapy could be what is needed to help change the way that the body works so that the cancer cannot continue growing.
This is a slower process that may help to remove the threat of cancer from the body.
Certain hormones are believed to help cancer grow in the body so when hormone therapy is introduced, the body is manipulated to stop producing those hormones.
If the tests indicate that the breast cancer cells have an area where hormones can reach them, hormone therapy may be a good option.
Estrogen is one of the leading hormones to affect breast cancer. Special treatments are designed to stop the ovaries from making estrogen, such as ovarian ablation. This treatment may aid in slowing down or even stopping the growth of cancer.
Hormone-dependent breast cancer is also common in post-menopausal women. Using hormone inhibitors can help stop certain enzymes from producing the hormones in the body which feed into cancer.
This form of treatment is best used in early stages of breast cancer, although it is also often paired with another form of treatment to help provide a more thorough protection.
Jan 14th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Metrorrhagia is also commonly known as spotting and is the kind of off schedule bleeding that women experience which is not part of their monthly menstrual bleeding (which can range anywhere between a 22 days to 35 days cycle).
Not only is Metrorrhagia extremely inconvenient because the bleeding is irregular and unpredictable, it is also a potentially serious problem because of the underlying problems that could be causing it and the fact that chronic Metrorrhagia could also lead to anemia.
Any deviation of more than seven days from a woman’s monthly cycle can be termed as irregular bleeding which could mean Metrorrhagia and which would require investigation as to reasons why it is caused.
Metrorrhagia could have a number of causes including:
Jan 12th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Bladder spasms are the kind of involuntary contractions that take place in the bladder, over which the person has no control that may lead to urinary incontinence over a period of time and which may also be very painful.
Bladder spasms are indicative of a loss of control over the bladder, which is what causes urine leakage and are usually defined as acute spasmodic pain that originates in the bladder.
Though bladder spasms are most often seen as occurring with age (the most common demographic of individuals who have bladder spasms are individuals over 60), children are also known to suffer from this when they have undergone surgery such as the ureteral reimplantation surgery.
Though age is the chief factor seen as being responsible for bladder spasms, there are several other factors which can cause them:
The chief symptoms of bladder spasms are:
To avoid getting this disorder, it is important to drink lots of water to help keep the urinary tract clean. It is also important to ‘go’ when the urge strikes. It is not healthy to hold it in and frequent trips to the loo actually help have a healthier bladder.
Cranberry juice is also a healthy addition to your diet that will help prevent bacterial infection in the urinary tract.
Jan 8th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
When breast cancer is found in the body, a number of different treatments will often be used to fight the disease, depending on the stage which the cancer is in. One of the strongest forms of treatment may include radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy uses different types of radiation to attack the cancer cells in the body, hoping to either kill them or prevent them from growing.
External radiation therapy will use a machine outside of the body to send radiation toward the breast cancer. These are high-energy x-rays which will attack the cancer cells in the attempt to eradicate them from the body.
Internal radiation therapy will use radioactive substances and place it inside of the body, close to the cancer. These substances can be sealed into needles, catheters, or seeds that are injected directly into the body.
It will then give off the radiation directly next to the source of the breast cancer in an attempt to kill it.
The type of radiation treatment which is used will depend largely on how advanced the breast cancer in the body is. The further along it has developed, the less time there is to fight it and more aggressive treatments are a necessity.
Jan 6th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder of endocrine that affects nearly 5% of all women.
It is the most common hormonal disorder among women from all nationalities and races who are at their reproductive age.
If a woman has irregular periods that come every few months, excess growing hair on face and other parts of the body (called hirsutism), acne, weight gain and patches of dark skin (called acanthuses nigricans), then it is time for alarm clock to ring.
Women who have PCOS are at risk for so many additional problems like endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer also named the cancer of uterine lining.
It can be the reason for insulin resistance and can cause type two diabetes. This problem comes with high blood pressure and frequent cardiovascular disease causing strokes.
Dyslipidemia, a disorder of lipid metabolism causing high cholesterol and increased triglycerides levels can turn into weight gain.
The worst consequence of these benign tumors is the miscarriage and the thyroid’s malfunction.
Maybe the most common fear of the women is that this disorder causes infertility. Women with PCOS have a normal uterus and healthy eggs, so the chance of getting pregnancy is high.
However, talking with a doctor and following the instructions carefully before and after treatment may maintain the high percentage of fertility.
Although the symptoms and severity of symptoms differ among women, the main features of this disorder are obesity, irregular ovulation, acne and excessive amounts of androgenic hormones.
The treatment of PCOS is related to the patient’s goals and can be categorized as four main parts. They are lowering of insulin levels, restoration of fertility, treatment of hirsutism or acne and restoration of regular menstruation, prevention of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.
Every area listed above has a considerable optimal treatment. Unfortunately, there are few clinical trials about this treatment. Thus, this situation makes the results more reliable.
There is medication treatment for this problem and an effective monitoring and treatment can prevent the escalation into a more severe condition and can even offer the chance to live a normal life and even become a mother.
The most common treatment of PCOS is taking a birth control pill. This pill corrects the hormone imbalance, lowers the level of testosterone, regulates menstrual periods, lowers the risk of endometrial cancer and prevents an unplanned pregnancy.
Knowing the risks of the syndrome, evaluating the dos and avoiding the don’ts will ease the treatment process as well as improve the health.
Jan 4th, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
As we know, pancreas is the organ of the body that is a crucial cog in the digestive system and it is this that regulates sugar levels of the body.
Pancreas pain can be the indication of a several major problems and can manifest itself in chronic back pain.
Pancreas pain can be caused by one of different conditions, such as Pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas or a tumor in the Pancreas.
Pancreatitis is the most common cause of pancreas pain and it may be either chronic or acute; in either case the damage that it can cause can be fairly extensive and bleeding, infection, and permanent tissue damage can result from it.
Pancreas pain usually manifests itself with either a sharp, sudden or gradual pain in the upper abdomen, which can extend through to the back. The worst of the pancreas pain is usually observed when a person has just eaten.
The pain could be quite severe and the duration may extend for several days. The pain is usually severe enough to require immediate medical attention.
Pancreas pain that is caused by Pancreatitis [Pancretaic cancer] could also have other symptoms such as a swollen or tender abdomen, fever, an elevated pulse and/or feelings of nausea and vomiting.
There also can be added complications such as low blood pressure and dehydration that a person may suffer as a consequence of pancreatitis and then there can be other consequences such as organ failure.
The heart, lungs and kidneys could, as a consequence of pancreatitis, collapse and fail. If there is bleeding in the pancreas, a person may even die and so pancreas pain is never a condition to be ignored.
Pancreas pain and its causes are commonly difficult to diagnose and pinpoint since the pancreas is located very deep within the body; i.e. not close to the surface.
However one of the main ways in which pancreatic problems can be identified and diagnosed is by a blood analysis. When the pancreas is affected by acute pancreatitis, the levels of certain enzymes found in the blood such as lipase and amylase are 300% of what is considered normal.
Levels of other minerals in the body such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, glucose, may also be altered with may alert the physician that there may be problems associated with pancreas pain. Various tests may be required to isolate the causes of pancreas pain before effective treatment is prescribed.
Jan 1st, 2010 by by admin Comments Off
Catching breast cancer in its earliest stages is one of the most important things you can do to help save yourself from fatal consequences.
Performing breast examinations on yourself frequently is the first thing that you need to do in order to watch for signs of breast cancer.
If a lump or anything out of the ordinary is found, you need to visit the doctor immediately.
They will perform a number of different tests to see what the abnormality is caused by and what can be done to fix the problem.
A mammogram may be the most common procedure to perform. This is basically an x-ray of the breast to determine what is inside.
If a lump is found, the doctor may perform a biopsy. This is where they will take either a section of a lump or the entire thing to examine the cells under a microscope to determine the nature of those cells and if they might be breast cancer.
An estrogen receptor test will determine how the breast cancer cells will react to an increased level of estrogen being introduced into the body. This can determine if hormone therapy will be enough.
Finally, an MRI may be performed to perform a look at the entire body to determine the state of health it is in. From here, breast cancer treatments can be decided upon.