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Ailmemts & Remedies

Headaches

I have a headache.   Everyone   from children, teenagers and adults to the elderly   has said this at some time or the other. The statement may be true, or it may simply be an excuse to avoid an unwelcome conversation, person or venture. After all, the pain is in the  head  (no pun intended) and it cannot be objectively verified or measured.

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The brain itself is actually devoid of nerves and cannot feel pain. The sensations arise from receptors in the nerves in the surrounding structures such as the eyes, teeth, sinuses, facial muscles, scalp and the meninges (covering of the brain).

Acute pain may be due to an infection in any of these structures. If the headache is chronic and recurrent, it is probably due to tension or migraine, with an overlap between the two conditions.

During such a headache, biochemical analysis of the blood shows a drop in the levels of a neurochemical called serotonin and the trace element magnesium. This, in turn, stimulates the trigeminal nerve (one of the cranial nerves) and results in the release of substances called neuropeptides. Their action is dilatation and inflammation of the blood vessels of the covering of the brain. The result is a throbbing or dull, aching sensation in the head.

Tension headaches may not be confined to the head. There may be pain in the scalp, neck, jaw or shoulder. It may be associated with non-headache symptoms like insomnia, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite or lack of concentration.

Migraines are the other type of recurrent headaches. They occur in 12 per cent of the population and are three times commoner in women. The headache may be familial, with many members of the family complaining of a similar indisposition. A typical migraine may be preceded for a few days by vague symptoms of drowsiness, irritability, depression, craving for sweets or increased thirst. A few hours before the onset of the headache, there is usually a typical aura with flashing lights, a feeling of lightening bolts in the head, tingling and numbness. (This differentiates migraines from tension headaches, which typically do not have an aura.) The headache that follows is throbbing and unbearable. It may last for a couple of hours or a whole day. It usually subsides with vomiting, leaving a physically and emotionally drained individual who has effectively lost a full working day.

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Migraine attacks are usually preceded by a typical aura with flashing lights, lightning bolts in the head, numbness, etc.

Devastated by the ailment, most sufferers learn to recognise and avoid triggers which precipitate the headache. Migraine may be due to  hormones, especially fluctuating levels of oestrogen and progesterone. This is the reason why migraines are commoner in women. They are also aggravated at the time of hormonal surges and changes like menarche, pregnancy and menopause.

Foods containing monosodium glutamate (an additive in Chinese food) and tryptophan (found in chocolates, oats, bananas, poultry and red meat) and some preservatives. This has lead to the coining of the term   Chinese restaurant headache.

Stress at home or at work, which can cause the release of chemicals.

Scents and perfumes or even the smell of paint.

Insomnia as well as excessive sleep.

Change in the weather.

Headaches are a source of anxiety, especially if they are severe and recurrent. There may also be the persistent nagging fear of a sinister diagnosis like a brain tumour. If you are worried,

Keep a   headache calendar, so that when you consult the physician you have precise documentation of the type, frequency and duration of the ailment.

Have an ENT (ear, nose and throat) evaluation to rule out sinusitis and an eye check-up for refractory errors or glaucoma.

If these are normal and the headache is still worrying, you need to consult a physician. You may require further tests like a CT scan or an MRI, especially if the headache is non-typical.

A physician needs to be consulted if :

The onset of the headache is abrupt and severe,

If it is associated with fever, stiff neck, rash, mental confusion, seizures, double vision, weakness, numbness or speaking difficulties,

If it has occurred after a head injury or has suddenly appeared after the age of 50 years.

Most headaches respond well to a simple paracetamol or an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like ibubrufen or tolfenamic acid preceded by an antiemetic like domperidone or stemetil. Lying in a darkened room also helps. Anecdotal evidence suggests that acupuncture or pressure are helpful.

CLICK & SEE:  Some Natural Remedies For Headache and Migraine

Lifestyle modifications help to reduce the severity and frequency of attacks. Triggers should be avoided. Aerobic exercise for 40 minutes a day like walking, jogging, running or stair climbing releases protective mood-boosting chemicals from the calf muscles in the leg. Regular yoga, Tai-Chi, meditation and relaxation also lessen the levels of tension causing chemicals, thus reducing attacks and improving the quality of life.

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.

Source:The Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

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Animals and Your Health: Dogs as Disease Detectors

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There is no question that dogs can provide companionship, protection, and other services. But could there be another use for our canine friends? Some anecdotal evidence and a sprinkling of scientific studies suggest that dogs can detect seizures and cancers (like skin melanoma and prostate cancer). Though the research is still in its infancy, preliminary results have already provided insight on developing new medical technologies.
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Detecting Seizures
Though many anecdotal stories suggest dogs can alert their owners before a seizure, there has been little research on how dogs might detect seizures before they happen. Some theorize that the dogs may smell a chemical or other scent that is released just prior to a seizure. Others believe the dog’s attachment to his or her owner helps in detecting subtle scent and behavioral changes before a seizure. Only a very small percentage of these service dogs are currently able to reliably warn their owners before a seizure. Some researchers have studied whether these skills could be taught.

Researchers in the UK reported in the January 1999 and January 2001 issues of Seizure on dogs they had trained that could detect seizures 1545 minutes prior to the episode’s beginning. In addition, the researchers found that the people using these dogs actually reported fewer seizures. Though these results are promising, in most cases it still seems that this skill is inherent in a dog’s personality, rather than something that can be taught. Future research may reveal what these dogs are detecting and how this information can be applied in the hospital setting.

There is no doubt that trained seizure alert dogs can alert help, help prevent injury and watch over someone when they are having a seizure. However, the Epilepsy Foundation cautions people against rushing into spending thousands of dollars for a dog said to have skills of prior seizure detection, at least until the research supports a specific training regimen.

Detecting Cancer
There has also been anecdotal evidence of dogs being able to sniff out cancer and warn their owners. A brief report in a 1989 issue of the Lancet describes how one dog discovered a cancerous skin tumor on her owner’s leg. Researchers have been able to teach bomb-sniffing dogs how to detect cancer using similar training techniques. Other research supports the theory that dogs have the ability to smell cancer. But the real promise may be in learning how dogs can do this and possibly developing medical technology to do the same.

The Future of Dogs as Doctors
Dogs may never be used in the physicians office. However, studying how animals can detect disease conditions in humans could lead to future advancements in medicine and medical technology. For instance, by learning about the ways dogs “smell” a seizure or cancer cells, we can develop technologies to detect those same molecules. Medical “sniffing machines” have already been developed and are providing insight into the smells of disease for disease detection.

Written by :Skye Schulte, MS, MPH.

Resources:The Epilepsy Foundation and The National Cancer Institute

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Of older moms and Down Syndrome

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India‘s urban elite has plenty of DINKs (Double Income, No Kids). These people get married later than their rural counterparts, often after they are financially and professionally independent and secure. They can afford the best, as far as pregnancy, antenatal care and delivery are concerned. Eventually, they limit their families to one or maybe two children for whom they wish to provide the best opportunities in life.

Under these circumstances, the birth of a child with Down’s Syndrome (trisomy 21 or mongolism) becomes an unbearable tragedy.

One in 800 children is born with Down’s Syndrome. Such children have a characteristic mongoloid  appearance at birth itself, irrespective of the parents’ ethnic backgrounds. The head may be smaller than normal with a sloping forehead, upward slanting eyes, a small flattened nose, low set ears, short stumpy fingers, a protuberant abdomen and a tongue which sticks out of a small mouth. Also, the palm shows just two lines instead of the usual three.

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Down’s Syndrome usually occurs spontaneously as a result of an anomaly during early embryonic cell proliferation producing an abnormal chromosome 21. During cell division it may have divided abnormally, producing three parts instead of the normal two. Sometimes a piece from the chromosome may have attached (translocated) itself to another chromosome.

These anomalies are more likely with increased maternal age at the time of the pregnancy. Many doctors and researchers consider the age 35 as the cut off.

The child shows all the typical features of Down’s Syndrome if all the cells contain the abnormal chromosomes. Sometimes the person may be a mosaic, with a mixture of normal and abnormal cells. The appearance may then be atypical.

The risk of recurrence is greater if the condition has arisen as a result of translocation. This is because one of the parents is then likely to be a carrier. The risk is around 3 per cent if the father is the carrier, and 12 per cent if the mother carries the abnormal gene. Also, a mother with a Down’s Syndrome child has a one per cent chance of producing another similarly affected child.

Life is difficult for children suffering from Down’s Syndrome as they often have subnormal intelligence. They may also have abnormalities in other organs like the heart. There may be blocks or malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract with constipation and intestinal bloating. Hearing loss or visual defects may also occur. The chromosomal abnormality causes a decreased immune response, causing frequent infections as the children grow. The incidence of leukaemia is 20 times greater than in the general population. Dementia too sets in during early adult life (around 40). All this means a lifetime of nurturing and extra care.

So does this mean that women should sacrifice education and professional careers for early marriage and childbirth?

Not really, as advances in medical science have made it possible to diagnose Down’s Syndrome during the antenatal period itself.

Ultrasound examination during the first trimester has a detection rate of approximately 95 per cent of all Down’s Syndrome cases. The measurement of nuchal translucency — the size of a collection of fluid at the base of the foetal neck  correlates with the risk of Downs Syndrome. Other markers like the size of the head, the nose, the presence or absence of heart and intestinal defects can be evaluated with a scan. The presence of several abnormal markers may be an indication of Down’s Syndrome.

Moreover, certain blood tests performed on the mother can show abnormal results if the foetus is affected. Of these, the one commonly available in India is the alpha-fetoprotein level which tends to be less than normal in Down’s Syndrome.

To confirm the diagnosis, the chromosomes of the foetus can be examined. This can be done with amniocentesis (an examination of the cells in the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus). The diagnosis takes two weeks.

The cells of the placenta can be also tested during the 10th and 12th weeks of pregnancy by Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS). If a rapid diagnosis is required, Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS) can be done after 18 weeks of gestation. Each of these three tests is 98 to 99 per cent accurate in diagnosing Down’s Syndrome. However, all these tests carry a risk of miscarriage.

After birth, Down’s Syndrome is suspected because of the typical appearance of the baby. It is confirmed by karyotyping or checking the baby’s chromosomes to demonstrate the extra chromosome in the cells.

Unfortunately, much of this high-tech diagnosis is out of reach for the average Indian woman. Financial constraints, poor education and lack of facilities are major drawbacks to good antenatal care and prenatal diagnosis.

Source:Thr Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

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Graying of Hair

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Have you ever watched someone try to cover up gray hair by dyeing it? Or maybe you wonder why your granddad has a full head of silver hair when in old pictures it used to be dark brown? Getting gray, silver, or white hair is a natural part of growing older, and here’s why.

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Each hair on our heads is made up of two parts:
a shaft :- the colored part we see growing out of our heads
a root : – the bottom part, which keeps the hair anchored under the scalp .

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The root of every strand of hair is surrounded by a tube of tissue under the skin that is called the hair follicle (say: fah-lih-kul). Each hair follicle contains a certain number of pigment cells. These pigment cells continuously produce a chemical called melanin (say: meh-luh-nin) that gives the growing shaft of hair its color of brown, blonde, red, and anything in between.

Melanin is the same stuff that makes our skin’s color fair or darker. It also helps determine whether a person will burn or tan in the sun. The dark or light color of someone’s hair depends on how much melanin each hair contains.

As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color – like gray, silver, or white – as it grows. As people continue to get older, fewer pigment cells will be around to produce melanin. Eventually, the hair will look completely gray.

People can get gray hair at any age. Some people go gray at a young age – as early as when they are in high school or college – whereas others may be in their 30s or 40s before they see that first gray hair. How early we get gray hair is determined by our genes. This means that most of us will start having gray hairs around the same age that our parents or grandparents first did.

Gray hair is more noticeable in people with darker hair because it stands out, but people with naturally lighter hair are just as likely to go gray. From the time a person notices a few gray hairs, it may take more than 10 years for all of that person’s hair to turn gray.

The other big reason for graying hair is the environment. A recent study
indicates that smokers are 4 times more likely to become prematurely gray (or
bald). The mechanism is not clear but may have to do with vessel constriction
caused from the chemical (such as nicotine) absorption . In youngters, vitamin
B-12 deficiency, thyroid imbalance, anemia or viruses can cause gray hair to
appear as well. There is a phenomenon of “going gray” due to a shock or
fright but is not well documented and is hard to explain physiologically.

According to Ayurveda excessive passion, anger and phychic strain results in graying of hair .Persons suffering from chronic cold and sinusitis and those who use warm water for washing there hair are more likely to be victims of this condition.

Ayurvedic Treatments:

Bhringraja and amalaki are popularly used for the treatment of this condition .Medicated oil prepared by boiling these two drugs, viz ,Mahabhringraj taila is used extremely for massaging the head, The powder of these two drugs is also used internally in a dose of one teaspoonful three times daily with milk. The oil prepared from the seeds of the Neem tree is used for inhalation twice a day for about a month. along with this ,the patient should be advised to take only milk as his diet.

Healing Options

Ayurvedic Suppliments: 1. Mahabhringaraj oil 2.Bhringarajsava 3.Amalaki Rasayan Lauha Rasayan

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Diet : These therapies will be effective only when the patient observes diet restrictions. As far as possible, he should take only milk and sugar. Salt should be avoided. Sour things like yogurt are not useful. Pungent, hot and spicy food should be avoided.

Lifestyle: The patient should not remain awake for along time at night and should be kept free from worry, anxiety and passion. If suffering from cold and sinusitis, prompt and careful treatment should be given. Hot water should never be used for washing the hair. Cold water should always be used for bathing.

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.

Help taken from: www.kidshealth.org and Allayurveda.com

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The Power of Antioxidants

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Although oxygen is essential for life, it can have adverse effects on your body. In the normal process of using oxygen, chemical changes occur that create reactive unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals, which can damage cells and structures within cells, including genetic material (DNA). Free radicals also may form in response to external factors such as cigarette smoke and alcohol, pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and ozone, and ultraviolet light and other forms of radiation, including X rays. If the genetic material in cells is affected by free radicals and not repaired, it can be replicated in new cells, contributing to cancer and other health problems. Free radicals may also weaken artery walls, allowing fatty deposits that can lead to heart disease to collect.

However, cells have special agents for combating free radicals and repairing molecular damage. These free-radical fighters are called antioxidants. A great deal of recent research suggests that antioxidants may play important roles in preventing or delaying heart disease, cancer, and other ills, and may even halt the damage to cells, thereby slowing the effects of aging. …….…click & see

Vitamins C and E are perhaps the best-known antioxidants. The mineral selenium is also an antioxidant, as are carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene. Enzymes and certain other compounds (such as glutathione) manufactured by the cells themselves also function as antioxidants. Some experts now think that a number of other substances, including certain herbs, may act as antioxidants as well. For example, green tea, grape seed extract, and ginkgo biloba (among others) are all thought to have antioxidant properties.

Source:Your Guide to
Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

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