Archive for February, 2008

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is one of the genetic disorders.

This disorder is mainly referred to as the inability of your body to consume the vital amino acids and phenylalanine (Phe).

Amino acids are essential for building body proteins. Your body will get the amino acids from the food you consume.

Phenylketonuria is the condition which affects one out of 12,000-15,000 live births in the US. This disorder can affect you inheriting two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent.

In Phenylketonuria, the enzyme, phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), that breaks down is completely deficient. Normally this enzyme is used to convert phenylalanine into another amino acid and tyrosine. The deficiency of this can cause high levels of phenylalanine.

The high levels of Phe can damage the brain and it results in severe mental retardation, behavior abnormalities, inability to focus and organize information, seizures and some other neurological disorders.

The deficiency of this enzyme can cause phenylalanine and its breakdown chemicals from other enzyme get accumulated in the body tissues and blood. This disorder can affect both males and females equally.

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Immunization with mumps vaccine is a general preventive measure of mumps.

This vaccine can be given separately or as a part of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) immunization vaccine.

MMR immunization vaccine will be given to prevent rubella and measles.

It is recommended by the World Health Organization that all children should get mumps vaccination all over the world through well-functioning childhood vaccination program.

American Academy Of Pediatrics suggests having routine MMR vaccine administration at ages 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years.

Mumpsvax is a standard vaccine in United States and also MMR vaccine is a commonly used vaccine.

Leningrad-3 strain (Soviet Countries), L-Zagreb strain (India, Croatia), Urabe strain, and Rubini strain (Switzerland) are currently used vaccines in different countries.

Health officials tell that the vaccine shortage is causing the outbreak of mumps even worse. They are also worried of the serious problems involved with this illness as it can lead to several other illnesses.

Does Mumps Virus Influence Other Organs?

The mumps virus can sometimes spread from the salivary glands to other parts and cause infection. If the virus spreads to the testicles, it is called orchitis. Orchitis is an inflammation of one or both testicles caused by the virus that causes mumps.

Endometriosis is the most common gynecological disease in 10 to 20 percent of American women of childbearing age and up to 2 million women in UK.

Endometriosis is a chronic and debilitating pain in many women.

It is one of the main causes of female infertility. When cells that found normally in the uterus lining implant in other abdominal areas such as women’s fallopian tubes, ovaries, intestine and bladder, endometriosis can occur.

Endometriosis and uterine fibroids:

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths in uterus that are common in women. These fibroids occur in uterus of women over the age of 35. If you have fibroids, you will not aware of them as they do not cause any problem in many of them.

But, in some women, these fibroids cause heavy menstrual periods, feeling of pressure in lower abdomen, sudden or long lasting pain and bleeding between periods. If you have uterine fibroids, excessive bleeding can result in anemia. Shortage of blood can make you sick and tired.

Risk factors that cause endometriosis and fibroids:

Abnormal growth of tissues can occur due to excessive estrogen and causes both endometriosis and fibroids in women. When production of estrogen decreases during menopause, uterine fibroids go away normally.

Dry mouth is also called as xerostomia. It is the condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet.

Dry mouth can happen to any one at any time. When you feel stressed or nervous, you will experience this condition.

Dry mouth makes eating, chewing, talking and swallowing very difficult.

There is also an increased risk of tooth decay with dry mouth because saliva helps to keep harmful germs away that cause cavities and other oral infections.

The main causes of dry mouth or thick saliva include: certain types of chemotherapy, radiation therapy to the neck and head areas and some types of medicines. The producing saliva can become irritated and produce less saliva or sometimes your saliva can become very thick.

Dry can be mild or severe and it can be worse when you chew, smoke, or drink alcoholic beverages. So, to avoid this condition, drink lots of fluids during the day and consume moist foods.

Dry mouth in older people:

This condition is most common among young adults. As the age increases, the salivary glands secrete less saliva. Dryness and your sensitivity to dryness can also change.

Sciatica is a debilitating condition. Although it is considered as a common type of low back pain, exactly it means set of symptoms including pain.

Compression of the lumbar nerve root, sacral nerve root, or sciatic nerve itself can be the source of sciatica.

If the sciatica is caused by lumbar nerve root, it will be considered as lumbar radiculopathy.

What Are The Leading Issues Of Sciatica?

Disc herniation (lumbar bulging), lumbar spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, spondylolisthesis, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, trauma, spinal tumors, trigger points, and pregnancy are some of the illnesses that can lead to sciatica.

Disc herniation is also called as disc disease. It means when the disc bulges, it presses on the adjacent nerve roots and compresses the delicate nerve tissue causing sciatica. Herniated disc causes the direct compression of the nerve roots adjacent to the interior of the bony spinal canal.

It is not only the disc that causes nerve root compression, but also the material present inside the disc that contains acidic and chemical irritants can cause nerve inflammation.

In both the above-mentioned cases, the inflammation and compression leads to numbness and tingling of the extremities and muscle weakness.

Tourettes syndrome is a quite common neurological condition that is linked to features of many other conditions.

Tourettes syndrome makes you to do unusual sounds or movements which are called as tics.

Some times, you cannot control them.

The most common tics which are associated with tourettes syndrome include blinking and throat clearing.

The exact cause behind tourettes syndrome is unknown, but according to some research this condition is due to the problem in nerves which communicate in the brain.

This condition is most common among boys when compared to girls.

Usually the tics begin in childhood and they can become worst in the early teens. It can affect people from all backgrounds. Most of the people will eventually outgrow from the symptoms. There is no need of any treatment unless the tics interfere with your everyday life.

If you have undergone to any worries or excitement, your tics can become worse more frequent or longer. Some of you can suppress your tics for a short time. If you are seriously trying to control your tics, then it will be very difficult for you to concentrate on anything else.

Respiratory therapy gives care for patients, who are having deficiencies and abnormalities related to pulmonary and cardiopulmonary system.

Respiratory therapy contains therapeutic use of medical gases with administrative apparatus, humidification, aerosols, environmental control systems, ventilatory support, respiratory rehabilitation, bronchopulmonary drainage, maintenance of natural, artificial, and mechanical airways, and assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Exercise is a type of respiratory therapy, which helps to improve the lung function.

Frequent use of household cleaning sprays such as washing powders, liquid cleaning powders, ammonia, bleaches, solvents, stain removers, furniture sprays, ironing sprays, air-refreshing sprays are significant risk factors of respiratory illnesses.

Diseases For Which Respiratory Therapy Is Given!

Respiratory therapy will be given to the patients who are suffering from respiratory and cardiopulmonary illnesses such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respiratory insufficiency, lung disease, status asthmaticus, hypothermia, bronchopulmonary diseases (bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pulmonary abscess, cystic fibrosis), respiratory failure, and cardiac failure.

Respiratory Therapy - Oxygen Inhalation Therapy:
It is inhalation of oxygen in an attempt to restore the physiological alterations of gas exchange in the cardiopulmonary system to normal. It can be done by the use of respirator, mask, nasal catheter, chamber, or tent.

Genital herpes is a common infection in the United States.

A minimum of 45 million people aging 12 and more (one of five adolescents and adults) in all countries are suffering from genital herpes simplex virus.

Genital herpes simplex virus-2 infection is common in women more than men.

Approximately 70-80% of the people have facial herpes and only 10% have genital herpes. Rate of genital herpes infection is dropping down in the United States.

However, most of the people do not know that they have this infection. One in four infected people have no symptoms, two in four have mild symptoms and no diagnosis is required, and one in four has severe symptoms that they need to be diagnosed.

Herpes simplex virus-1 causes the genital herpes, but commonly it infects the mouth and lips (fever blisters or cold sores). A person will get this HSV-1 by oral-to-genital contact or genital-to-genital contact with the person who has this HSV-1 infection.

Complications associated with herpes virus

Herpes virus can play a role in the proliferation of HIV virus that causes AIDS. Herpes makes the people vulnerable to the HIV infection and it makes the HIV infected people more infectious.

Approximately 7 percent of the American people are suffering from appendicitis in their lifetime.

It can occur at any age between 3 and 25 and is more commonly seen in males than women, however, the exact reason is still not known.

The surgical procedure for appendicitis is appendectomy.

Appendectomy is a common emergency procedure in the United States.

In non-perforated appendicitis, no deaths have been reported with this procedure; however, this is considered to be dangerous in perforated cases.

Diagnosing Appendicitis is Difficult In Early Stages!

Appendicitis is a more common disease. The appendix is a worm like hollow organ that measures about 2-3 inches in adults.

The function of appendix is not known although there are many theories that explain the purpose of appendix; however, it is known that appendix secretes mucus. When the appendix tube is blocked by something, the mucus backs up and causes the appendix to swell behind the blockage.

With this swelling, the patient experiences moderate cramping pain around the belly button and after that the patient starts to experience burning pain with nausea and vomiting. As the swelling worsens, the blood supply to the swelling area stops and the wall of appendix is weakened.