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Sound of silence (Laryngitis )

Everyone has gas, very few know how to deal with it and no one wants to discuss it Dr Gita Mathai.

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Laryngitis strikes without warning like a thief in the night. Suddenly, one morning when attempting to speak, instead of a normal voice all that that can be heard is a hoarse, ineffectual, frustrating whisper.

Voice is produced in the larynx (or sound box) by the vibration of the vocal cords at a rate of 80 to 400 times per second. Any alteration in the structure of the vocal cords can change the tone and timbre of the voice or cause it to disappear completely.

Upper respiratory infections, caused by a wide range of viruses, are notorious for this. The onset of laryngitis is acute, close on the heels of a cold. It may be accompanied by a running nose, sore throat, fever and body ache. The throat itself appears red and congested. If the vocal cords are visualised, they appear swollen and red with sluggish ineffectual movements.

Some bacteria like those causing diphtheria, whooping cough or tuberculosis, too, can cause laryngitis. The onset is more acute — the fever is high and the person (unlike in viral laryngitis) not only can not speak but also appears ill.

Infective laryngitis disappears with voice rest, hydration and steam inhalation in two weeks. Antibiotics are usually not required. Any alteration in the voice that persists for more than two weeks, however, requires a thorough evaluation by an ENT surgeon. This includes a physical examination of the head and neck area and visual inspection of the vocal cords with a laryngoscope.

Sometimes, the vocal cords may appear chronically inflamed and irritated. This is may be due to constant exposure to irritating allergens in the environment. It is common in smokers and in their non-smoking family members, as they are constantly exposed to passive smoking.

Nodules may be visible on thickened vocal cords. This is common in women and children. It is a harmless condition that disappears with voice rest and 12 weeks of speech therapy. Sometimes, nodules, cysts or papillomatous growths can also be seen. Once a growth has been discovered, biopsy should be done. Although most are harmless, laryngeal cancer does occur. The incidence is higher in older men, especially if they are or were smokers. It is also high in people who chew tobacco or inhale it as snuff. In 62 per cent people, the cancer is localised and treatable with a good prognosis at the time of diagnosis.

Early evaluation, diagnosis and intervention are therefore important. The synchronised and appropriate movement of the vocal cords requires coordinated action of the muscles in the sound box. These muscles are innervated and controlled by branches of the vagus nerve. Paralysis of the vocal cord may occur if the nerve supply is interrupted. Pressure on the nerve may occur from outside due to benign or malignant tumours in the head and neck. Loss of voice due to an enlargement of the thyroid gland (goitre) is very common.

Movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease or “familial tremor” can cause uncoordinated contraction and relaxation of the muscle of the voice box. In such individuals, the voice waxes and wanes in intensity and is tremulous.

Gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common, particularly in middle-aged obese men. The acidic contents of the stomach tend to regurgitate into the oesophagus and voice box. This produces chronic irritation of the vocal cords and a change in voice.

Some systemic diseases like diabetes, thyroid malfunction and myasthenia gravis may also cause hoarseness or a soft voice.

If you have suddenly developed hoarseness and a change in voice —

Give the voice absolute rest by not speaking at all for 48 hours
Gargle with warm salt water
Take steam inhalations                                   lyr.jpg
Take analgesics and anti histamines.

If there is no improvement after 14 days, consult a physician.

Have a thorough physical examination
Get the larynx examined by an ENT surgeon
Do blood tests to rule out systemic causes.

If you have recurrent harmless but irritating attacks of laryngitis, avoid —

Breathing foul or polluted air
Tobacco in any form — chewing, smoking or as a passive smoker
Using recreational drugs like marijuana
Alcohol consumption
Shouting at sporting events
Trying to talk at noisy places
Clearing the throat continually
Whispering loudly

Speaking is an integral part of our life and a natural developmental milestone. In some people, however, the technique is faulty. There may be loss of voice, change in its quality or recurrent nodules. Speech therapy with a qualified technician corrects maladaptive vocal habits and inculcates appropriate uses of the entire vocal mechanism. The treatment process takes 1½-2 months and eventually results in a healthy and efficient voice.

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in

Source:The Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

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Sunshine Vitamin Repairs Your Skin

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The Sunshine Vitamin Repairs Your Skin and Boosts Your Immune System
Sunshine may be able to help fight skin diseases and cancer by attracting immune cells to the skin surface……....click & see

Sunshine causes the skin to produce vitamin D3, and immune cells in the skin, known as dendritic cells, can convert vitamin D3 into its active form. The active vitamin D3 then causes T-cells to make surface changes that allow them to migrate to the uppermost layer of the skin.

T-cells destroy damaged and infected cells, and also regulate other immune cells.

The skin disorder psoriasis is sometimes treated with vitamin D3 creams; these creams may work by moving T-cells into the skin.

Add skin repair to the growing legion of benefits associated with getting your body’s optimal dose of vitamin D from the sun. According to scientists, these new findings may explain how T-cells get routed to the surface of your skin via the sun when it has been exposed to damage.

Of course, the real trick about getting the optimal amount of vitamin D is getting the appropriate and safe amount of sun exposure , a big challenge right now for people living in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ideally, you should have exposure to the sun, however, safe tanning beds are another option. You can see the list of safe U.S. tanning beds.

Just a reminder, if you choose to take a high-quality cod liver oil to increase your vitamin D levels while also getting valuable omega-3 fats, It is strongly urged that you to have your blood levels checked regularly, as it is potentially dangerous not to do so.

Source:www.mercola.com

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Glaucoma

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normal tension glaucom is a serious eye condition that involves an elevation in pressure inside the eye. Increased pressure results from a buildup of excess fluid in the eye. Glaucoma is a dangerous eye condition because it frequently progresses without obvious symptoms. This is why it is frequently referred to as “the sneak thief of sight.”

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Types of Glaucoma
There are several types of glaucoma, for example, congenital, primary, secondary, and normal tension glaucoma. Congenital glaucoma appears in young people; secondary glaucoma is the result of injury or trauma. There are two types of primary glaucoma most frequently associated with aging: acute or closed angle glaucoma, and chronic or open angle glaucoma. The Reference Section at the end of this Fact Sheet provides resources for learning more about each of the types of glaucoma.

Regardless of the type, glaucoma can impair vision by creating pressure that damages the optic nerve, The “cable” of nerve fibers that transmits messages about what we see from the eye to the brain.

It is important to recall the structure of the eye and how it works to understand the dangers posed by glaucoma. Glaucoma can cause damage when the aqueous humor, a fluid that inflates the front of the eye and circulates in a chamber called the anterior chamber, enters the eye but cannot drain properly from the eye. Elevated pressure inside the eye, in turn, can cause damage to the optic nerve or the blood vessels in the eye that nourish the optic nerve. The Human Eye, Its Functions, and Visual Impairment explains how the eye works. When glaucoma begins to affect a person’s vision, the first problems are with peripheral vision, or what can be seen at the sides of the visual field, rather than in the center. If glaucoma progresses, it can destroy all peripheral vision, then impair central vision, and lead to total blindness. Treatments for glaucoma are aimed at bringing down the pressure in the eye to a level that is low enough to prevent harm to the optic nerve. Once the optic nerve is damaged from glaucoma, lowering the pressure in the eye only prevents further damage to the nerve. Damage already done to the optic nerve cannot be reversed.

Diagnosing Glaucoma
When a person receives a diagnosis of glaucoma, it means a diagnosis of a life-long condition. However, early detection of glaucoma, appropriate and ongoing treatment, and the availability of specialized low vision and vision rehabilitation services if vision should become impaired, means that people who have glaucoma can live productive and satisfying lives.

A pressure check for glaucoma should be a routine part of every eye examination at least by the age of 35. A visual field test can also detect glaucoma by indicating the loss of peripheral vision.

How Common Is Glaucoma?
According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation glaucoma affects more than 3 million Americans. It is also reported that glaucoma is the third leading cause of legal blindness in Caucasians, and the leading cause of blindness in African Americans. Although anyone can get glaucoma, some people are at higher risk. Those at risk include:

1.People over the age of 60.

2.African Americans over the age of 40.

3.People with a family history of glaucoma.

Treatment:
Untreated glaucoma can lead to blindness. Eye drops or tablets may be prescribed to reduce fluid production and consequently reduce pressure in the eye.

Laser or surgical treatment may be used when medical treatment isn’t sufficiently effective.

Screening:
People over the age of 40 are advised to have their eyes tested every two years to check for signs of glaucoma. If glaucoma is identified early enough, treatment can be given to prevent further damage and reduce the risk of blindness.

These tests are available at your local optician and should include:

•examination of the optic disc
•measurement of the pressure in the eye
•checking of peripheral vision (by looking for a sequence of spots of light on a screen).
Retaining Independence
People who have experienced vision loss from glaucoma can retain their independence, productivity, and quality of life by learning to use specialized devices and techniques to carry out their daily activities. These may include using special lenses that can help those who have remaining sight make the best use of available vision, and using specialized techniques that enable people to manage home and work responsibilities, travel using mass transportation, and carry out a host of other activities.

Click to learn more about Acute Glaucoma  and its Ayurvedic Remedy

Click to see->:6 Sure-Fire Tips to Prevent Glaucoma Naturally

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/glaucoma1.shtml

:www.afb.org

http://www.dwueye.com/glaucoma-eye-care.html

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Medical magic: Scientists try to regrow fingers

Researchers are trying to find ways to regrow fingers and someday, even limbs with tricks that sound like magic spells from a Harry Potter novel.

There is the guy who sliced off a fingertip but grew it back, after he treated the wound with an extract of pig bladder. And the scientists who grow extra arms on salamanders. And the laboratory mice with the eerie ability to heal themselves.

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This summer, scientists are planning to see whether the powdered pig extract can help injured soldiers regrow parts of their fingers. And a large federally funded project is trying to unlock the secrets of how some ani-mals regrow body parts so well, with hopes of applying the lessons to humans.

The implications for regrowing fingers go beyond the cosmetic. People who are missing all or most of their fingers, as from an explosion or a fire, often can’t pick things up, brush their teeth or button a button. If they could grow even a small stub, it could make a huge difference in their lives.

And the lessons learnt from studying regrowth of fingers and limbs could aid the larger field of regenerative medicine, perhaps someday helping people replace damaged parts of their hearts and spinal cords, and heal wounds and burns with new skin instead of scar tissue.

But that’s in the future. For now, consider the situation of Lee Spievack, a hobby-store salesman in Cincinnati, as he regarded his severed right middle finger one evening in August 2005.

He had been helping a customer with an engine on a model airplane behind the shop when the propellor sliced off the tip of his finger. The missing piece, about one centimetre long, was never found.

An emergency room doctor wrapped up the rest of his finger and sent him to a hand surgeon, who recommended a skin graft. What was gone, it appeared, was gone forever.

Spievack did have a major advantage a brother, Alan, a former Harvard surgeon who’d founded a company called ACell Inc, that makes an extract of pig bladder for promoting healing and tissue regeneration.

It helps horses regrow ligaments, for example, and the federal government has given clearance to market it for use in people. Similar formulations have been used in many people to do things like treat ulcers and other wounds and help make cartilage.

Lee Spievack took his brother’s advice to forget about a skin graft and try the pig powder. Soon a shipment of the stuff arrived and Lee Spievack started applying it every two days. Within four weeks his finger had regained its original length, he says, and in four months “it looked like my normal finger.”

Source:The Times Of India

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WHY CORNER

Why do people snore while sleeping?

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Snoring  happens  to all of us: tossing and turning sleeplessly while the person in the next room snorts and snarfs his way through the night. Why is it that a perfectly normal, healthy person makes such an awful noise?

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While breathing during sleep, structures like the palate, uvula (fleshy conical lobe at the back of the mouth) and tonsils may flap against each other as there may be excess tissue in this region. The vibration of relaxed floppy tissues that line the upper airway causes the sound that you hear when someone is snoring. This is because when you sleep, all the muscles in the body are relaxed and muscle tone decreases.

The upper airway is lined with muscles that keep the airway open. When these muscles relax during sleep, the diameter of the airway decreases and, in some people, this partially blocks the airflow, leading to turbulence.

Instead of air flowing smoothly down the airway into the lungs, it flows with gusts and bursts. Travelling through such an airway, the air picks up speed and gets whipped around in different directions. As the air bounces around, it hits the relaxed, floppy tissues lining the throat and causes them to vibrate, like a flag in the wind. This produces the snoring sound.

People don’t make a snoring sound when they are awake because the muscles in the throat hold the airway open wide enough for a smooth flow of air into the lungs.

Also, we snore more as we get older because our muscles become increasingly flaccid with age. Gaining weight also adds to the chances of snoring as fat deposits accumulate in the tissues of the airwaymaking them heavier so they fall more into the line of airflow.

Source:The Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

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