Archive for the ‘Other syndrome’ Category

Controlling the level of glucose in blood in diabetics is crucial from the point of preventing the development of mood disorders. The fluctuations taking place in the levels of glucose in blood can lead to a number of complications. Development of psychological and mood disorders in diabetics is one of them. Neglecting such problems can have grave consequences. Amongst the different psychological disorders associated with diabetes, the problem of depression is most pronounced. The other psychological problems include anger and anxiety.

Dr. Satish Garg from the University of Colorado Denver opines that studying the relationship between mood disorders and diabetes should help in obtaining an in-depth understanding of the subject matter. This could further boost the research on finding effective means and treatment measures for tackling this health issue. Tim Wysocki from Jacksonville, Florida too has expressed similar ideas on the topic in his write-up presented in the journal named ‘Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics’.

If the glucose level in the body is not controlled in a timely manner, severe complications may develop. One thing that researchers are still in doubt is whether mood disorders are responsible for causing diabetes or the process actually takes place in the reverse manner. There is no doubt whatsoever on the matter that psychological disorders like depression lead to a myriad form of complications like worsening of diet, decreased physical activity, rise in micro & macro-vascular complications, inclination to bad habits like smoking, etc. The research conducted by scientists at the University of Colorado Denver has brought one thing to the fore i.e. diabetes coupled with mood disorders leads to a deadly combination of health issues. It is therefore, of utmost importance to find possible solutions for dealing with these health problems.

One of the most common symptoms, and physiological, the SPI is that the cast members or contraction during sleep.

Researchers from Harvard University presented data that suggest the disorder may also increase the chances of impotence. Their study involved 11,000 men from 2002, which asked a series of standardized questions. They were able to determine, in collaboration with the criteria of RLS as 1979 men suffering from impotence and about 50 percent of those who are more likely to have the condition if they are presented RLS. This was compared to those who suffer from RLS all. While impotence can be affected by several factors such as age, smoking, etc. were taken into consideration as well when the data were analyzed.

Suggested link seems to be the result of chemicals in the brain – if both conditions are rooted. Dr. Xiang Gao, lead author of the study and assistant professor of epidemiology, said the “underlying message of RLS and erectile dysfunction can be caused by hypofunctioning is” dopamine “in the central nervous system.” This could explain the conditions found with the two first. Although research has yet been officially published, it is only displayed, is expected to be formally published later this year.

Clinical depression

is defined by experts in the field of psychiatry as a psychological disorder characterized by extended periods of sadness and melancholy and, quite often, unpredictable behavioral quirks.

A person who’s going around with a long face and being cheesed off with the world in general may not necessarily be suffering from clinical depression, as there’s bound to be bad moods now and then. However, if a morose and mirthless disposition, low self-worth and lack of happiness become routine, then it could prima facie be a case of clinical depression

That, of course, would be a very broad diagnosis which can be narrowed down further as per symptoms. There’s, for instance, manic or bipolar depression: it is characterized by extreme and unpredictable mood swings such that a person may be euphoric today and morose tomorrow without any apparent reason. Postpartum depression ails new mothers and is just a prolonged period of sadness, possibly as a result of exceptional physical stress during childbirth or an uncertain sense of responsibility toward the newborn.

Some other noteworthy forms are:

• Dysthimia is a less severe form of depression in which the symptoms are somewhat less pronounced, but the treatment should be done without any delay whatsoever.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by falling in a rut during a particular season, i.e. winter, spring or summer. Mood swings may also happen during a specific season.

Hard to deal with as its sounds, clinical depression is far from incurable. Quite to the contrary, doctors are fairly positive regarding chances of recovery. The majority are of the opinion though that the best results are had when clinical depression is detected early and attended to immediately. Patients who’ve accepted their condition and actively sought treatment have invariably found themselves improving vis-à-vis the aforementioned condition.  Left untreated, clinical depression can not only lead to violent, often self-destructive  behavior, but the high degree of mental stress involved can also give rise to seemingly complications such as hypertension and diabetes.

Questions regarding clinical depression may be as basic as ‘do I have it’? Any or all questions you may have must be addressed to a professional. The temptation for a quick referral by reading journals or websites may be tempting but relying on these without professional help is strictly not advised. Self-medication could be very dangerous, so even if you’re aware of some of the medicines prescribed for your condition, please do not self-medecate. Clinical depression is best handled quickly and professionally so you can lead a better life.

New Zealand decision to open its doors to imports of fresh pork to send shockwaves through the Australian pig industry, which is afraid of AIDS-like disease threatens our doorstep.

Australia and New Zealand are among the few countries where porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is endemic in swine herds. Farmers in both countries are angry because NZ is giving in to pressure to act in North America to facilitate the bio-security standards, which currently prohibits the import of raw pork and block the danger of PRRS virus highly infectious.

PRRS does not affect humans, but it is considered the number one enemy of the pork industry worldwide because it causes severe immune suppression, similar to HIV-AIDs, and it has a rapidly changing genetic make-up.

Australian Pork Limited (APL) has warned all local livestock industries that fresh pork imports into NZ has disease status ramifications for all other animal production systems which will be at risk of exposure to other unwanted global diseases.

“This decision resonates through all of NZ agriculture and indirectly our livestock industries, too,” said APL chief executive officer, Andrew Spencer.

“It smells of political quid pro quo at the expense of the NZ pork industry for benefits to others in the trade arena – the science base seems to have been conveniently ignored.”

Local pig industry leaders believe once NZ standards are lowered, Australia will face inevitable trade pressure to follow suit, undermining our livestock industry’s much-envied clean and green trading advantage.

“While Australia as a pig producing nation rates around 30th on a global scale, we rank 18th as an exporter, primarily because retaining our clean biosecurity status allows us to punch well above our weight in the ever-growing health conscious markets of the world,” Mr Spencer said.

“That not only goes for pig meat but other agricultural products, too, especially beef.”

The pork producers claim their NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) biosecurity in power will be abandoned and the courts have taken steps to stop the changes implemented.

Tourette syndrome. One might think that a person with physical and verbal tics of Tourette has less control than non hismind Gilles de la Tourette. Well, here’s a surprise. Studies show that children of Tourette’s really more cognitive control than their peers. The researchers believe that increased surveillance has an impact on spending so much time and energy trying to defeat the Tourette-related behaviors. The present work is Journal of Biology.

The researchers studied brain scans of children with Tourette’s, while performing tasks that require focus and rapid response. Brain scans of children not Tourette served as controls. The researchers found significantly increased activity in the corpus callosum, the region that connects the left and right hemispheres in those with Tourette.

Interestingly, the kids who were best at controlling their tics showed another increased activity: they had busier connections between the prefrontal cortex, involved in complex tasks, and brain areas that control physical movement. Again, probably to subdue the tics.

This discovery gives hope that the people of Tourette’s training could strengthen these links in order to control the behavior of Tourette. This approach can also help other conditions such as attention deficit disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The typical Western diet is associated with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome compared with other major dietary patterns, a cross-sectional study has found.
Iranian researchers led by Maryam Zare (Isfahan University of Medical Sciences) hypothesized that major dietary patterns would be associated with the prevalence of components of the metabolic syndrome.

To investigate, they enrolled 425 adults aged 35–55 years and studied their diets using food-frequency questionnaires.

Writing in the journal Nutrition, Zare et al say they observed five major dietary patterns, which they labeled “Western,” “prudent,” “vegetarian,” “high-fat dairy,” and “chicken and plant.”

They then used multivariate analysis to look for associations between each dietary pattern and five components of the metabolic syndrome.

The Western diet – high in sweets, butter, soda, mayonnaise, sugar, cookies, lamb, hydrogenated fat, and eggs – was associated with an increased risk for elevated serum triglyceride levels (odds ratio [OR]=1.76) and elevated blood pressure (OR=2.62).

The prudent diet – high in fish, peas, honey, nuts, juice, dry fruits, vegetable oil, liver and organic meat, and coconuts, and low in hydrogenated fat and non-leafy vegetables – was associated with a reduced risk for low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR=0.55).

And finally, the vegetarian diet – high in potatoes, legumes, fruits rich in vitamin C, rice, green leafy vegetables, and fruits rich in vitamin A – was associated with an increased risk for high plasma glucose (OR=2.26).

The remaining two dietary patterns – high-fat dairy (high in high-fat yogurt and high-fat milk and low in low-fat yogurt, peas, and bread), and chicken and plant (high in chicken, fruits rich in vitamin A, green leafy vegetables, and mayonnaise and low in beef, liver, and organic meat) – were not associated with significantly increased or reduced risks for any component of the metabolic syndrome.

In a separate analysis, the team confirmed that the Western diet was associated with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome (OR=2.32) and the prudent pattern with a reduced risk (OR=0.58), after adjusting for confounders.

“Our findings suggest that consumption of a Western dietary pattern promotes the risk of the metabolic syndrome,” the authors conclude.

“Factors can markedly influence dietary intakes, such as differences in culture, ethnicity, religion, availability of specific foods, and economic development, among others. Therefore, further studies are required to identify major dietary patterns across the country and search for their possible associations with chronic diseases.”

What is Mosaicism?

Every cell in the human body comes from one initial cell: the fertilized egg, which is also called the zygote. After fertilization, the zygote then proceeds to divide. As new cells form, the chromosomes duplicate themselves so that the resulting cells have the same number of chromosomes as the original cell. However, mistakes sometimes happen and one cell ends up with a different number of chromosomes. From then on, all cells originating from that cell will have the different chromosomal number, unless another mistake happens. (All like cells originating from a single type of cell is called a cell line; for example, the skin cell line, the blood cell line, the brain cell line, etc.)

When a person has more than one type of chromosomal makeup, that is called mosaicism, like the mosaic style of art in which a picture is made up of different colors of tiles. In Down syndrome, mosaicism means that some cells of the body have trisomy 21, and some have the typical number of chromosomes.

How is Mosaicism Diagnosed?

The usual way in which mosaic Down syndrome is discovered is through genetic testing of the baby’s blood. Typically, 20 to 25 cells are examined. If some of the cells have trisomy 21 and some don’t, then the diagnosis of mosaicism is made. However, this blood test can only determine the level of mosaicism in the blood cell line.While mosaicism can occur in just one cell line (some blood cells have trisomy 21 and the rest don’t), it can also occur across cell lines (skin cells may have trisomy 21 while other cell lines don’t). In the latter case, it may be more difficult to diagnose mosaicism. When mosaicism is suspected but not confirmed through the blood test, other cell types may be tested: skin and bone marrow are most commonly the next cells checked. Because skin cells and brain cells arise from the same type of cell at the beginning of fetal development (ectoderm), many doctors believe that skin cell tests reflect the chromosomal makeup of the brain cells as well.

How Does Mosaicism Happen in Down Syndrome?

There are two different ways mosaicism can occur:

• The initial zygote had three 21st chromosomes, which normally would result in simple trisomy 21, but during the course of cell division one or more cell lines lost one of the 21st chromosomes.
• The initial zygote had two 21st chromosomes, but during the course of cell division one of the 21st chromosomes were duplicated.

It’s possible to determine the origin of mosaicism in individual cases using special DNA markers, but this isn’t done on a regular basis.

What Does Mosaicism Mean for my Child?

At the present time, there is not much research on the similarities and differences between simple trisomy 21 and mosaic trisomy 21. One report published in 1991 on mental development in Down syndrome mosaicism compared 30 children with mosaic Down syndrome with 30 children with typical Down syndrome. IQ testing showed that the mean IQ of the mosaic group was 12 points higher than the mean of the non-mosaic group. However, some children with typical Down syndrome did score higher on the IQ tests than some of the children with mosaic Down syndrome.The Department of Human Genetics at the Medical College of Virginia has had an ongoing study project of children with mosaic DS. In a survey of 45 children with mosaicism, they found that these children did show delayed development compared to their siblings. When 28 of these children with mosaicism were matched up with 28 children with typical Down syndrome for age and gender, the children with mosaicism reached certain motor milestones earlier than children with typical DS, such as crawling and walking alone. However, the speech development was equally delayed in both groups.

Did you know that one in every one hundred people is affected by what is known as carpal tunnel syndrome at some point in their life?  While commonly found in women in the thirty to fifty-year age range, carpal tunnel syndrome can affect nearly anyone, from assembly line workers, to surgeons and dentists, to secretaries and computer data entry personnel, to even those who play musical instruments or video games.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very painful and progressive condition that occurs in the wrist, caused by compression to the median nerve.  The median nerve runs into the hand starting from the forearm, and when it is squeezed or pressed at the wrist, the message carrying and receiving from the brain is inhibited.

The name carpal tunnel syndrome, however, comes from the eight bones in our wrists that are known as carpals.  They form a tunnel-like structure, hence the term “carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Compression of the tunnel walls is the most basic of causes of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Other factors, such as congential predispostion and even trauma based injury can also be to blame.  Carpal tunnel syndrome can develop quickly, especially if the wrist has been fractured or injured or rheumatoid arthritis has set in.  In many cases, repetitve stress induced carpal tunnel strain can cause the syndrome, especially in those who spend a great deal of time typing.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel can include tingling, numbness, and burning in the fingers, as well as the inability to make a fist or grip things.  A person eventually loses the ability to squeeze things and may even find it hard to tie their shoes.  In the most extreme cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, the patients are unable to determine hot or cold by touch.

Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome is available.  Most physicians will advise against repetitive and exhaustive activities related to hand movement.  Stretching exercises and medicines like corticosteroids can help in relieving the syndrome.  However, if the condition worsens, surgery may be the only available course of treatment.

If you feel as though you may be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, you should consult your physician immediately to discuss symptoms and treatment options.

One of the great things about the Internet is that it’s created a global community for discussions of topics such as diabetes. You’ll find there are a number of forums that will allow you to talk to others facing your situation.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, one of your first steps will likely be to find a glucose meter. There are some things to keep in mind as you make your decision because this piece of equipment is likely to be part of your life for the foreseeable future.

A glucose meter (or glucometer) is a medical device for determining the approximate amount of glucose in a drop of blood obtained by pricking the skin with a lancet. Glucose meters are portable and designed for use by ordinary people, especially those with diabetes.

There are now dozens of models of glucose meters. Typical features common to most. The average size is now approximately the size of the palm of the hand, though some are smaller or a bit larger. They are battery-powered. A consumable element containing chemicals which react with glucose in the drop of blood is used for each measurement. For most models this element is a plastic test strip with a small spot impregnated with glucose oxidase and other components. Each strip can only be used once and is then discarded.

Cost is a major issue for most people, but there’s good news if you have any kind of medical insurance. A glucose meter is typically considered to be a vital part of medical treatment and insurance companies often pay for a portion or the entire cost of the meter. At the same time, there is sometimes a limit on the amount the insurance company will pay, and that may severely limit your options.

While cost is naturally important, remember that you’re going to be living this life from now on. Finding a cheaper glucose meter that requires a more serious stick for blood may seem like the best option when you’re writing the check for the meter, but the tedium of the daily stick may negate that cost in the long run.

There are some companies out there that help with the cost of a glucose meter if you meet specific income guidelines. This may be a good answer if your quandary about which meter to buy is purely based on financial restraints. Remember that Medicare often pays on this important testing equipment as well. Your doctor, druggist or representative of a local medical supply company may also be good sources of information about how to find the best deals and how to get help paying for a glucose meter.

Finding a very inexpensive glucose meter may be the best answer to this situation. If the meter is accurate, it’ll get you through the initial period of adjusting your life to the regular testing of your blood sugar. Then take time to do some research into what’s hot and what’s not in glucose meters. You’ll find that some make absolutely ridiculous claims and you may have to ask some questions to find those companies that produce the glucose meter that will work best for you and your lifestyle.

Restless Legs Syndrome is a condition that affects about ten percent of the population. The disorder is characterized by an urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by or caused by uncomfortable leg sensations. People with RLS often have difficulty describing their symptoms. Common terms used to describe the sensations are aching, twitching, tingling, burning, creeping, crawling, itching, flowing, pulling, searing and painful. Many people experience these sensations in their legs, but the arms or other body regions also can be affected. The symptoms of RLS are generally worse at night, can be brought on by rest and are relieved by standing up or walking around.

MY STORY

I, too, suffer from RLS occasionally. I’ve had periods of my life where the condition seemed to worsen (probably stress-related). Some of the following suggestions may work for you, for others maybe not. For me, the lifestyle changes I made to help with my insomnia also helped with my RLS. I still have a sleepless night or a night with RLS, but they are far less frequent. Although www.natural-cures-for-insomnia.com does not endorse drug use, there are new drugs available for extreme cases of RLS when nothing else works.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

Treatment begins by dealing with any underlying medical condition that may be cause the symptoms. Many times the cause is unknown, but it can be associated with neurological disorders, diabetes, stress and pregnancy. The serious sleep loss can not only lead to drowsiness, but could lead to depression and accidental injuries as well. In recent years, researchers have discovered that iron, folate or vitamin E levels are often low in RLS sufferers and supplementation can frequently help. For example, when iron deficiency is the cause, taking iron supplements can significantly reduce the symptoms of RLS.

“We know that iron deficiency is involved because every condition that produces iron deficiency, such as anemia or pregnancy, increases the risk of RLS dramatically,” says Richard Allen, PhD, a diplomat on the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a founder of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center. In fact, based on studies of hospital patients, about 40 percent of people with anemia had RLS and about 20 percent to 40 percent of pregnant women have RLS.

Another way researchers know that iron plays a role is iron-deficient patients’ response to iron supplementation. “Then when the iron deficiency is corrected, the RLS often remits,” Dr. Allen says.

Some people with RLS, however, have normal iron levels. Researchers say that’s not a reason to discount iron as an underlying cause of their RLS. Studies indicate that the problem is the brains of RLS patients may not absorb iron normally.

Some other treatment options which may relieve pain include leg massages, hot baths, heat or icepacks, aspirin or other over-the-counter pain relievers, and the elimination of caffeine. As well, regular sleep habits and exercise, especially earlier in the day, will help people enjoy more restful sleep.

MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM

Cramps in the lower limbs, restless leg syndrome and sleeplessness can be eased by the addition of calcium and magnesium to the diet. Magnesium is more easily absorbed by the body in the form of dolomite, or with the addition of calcium.

Magnesium helps to support a strong immune system and maintains normal muscle and nerve function. It is also known to be involved in every metabolism and protein synthesis and is needed for over three hundred biochemical reactions in the body, so it is very important.

One of the benefits of magnesium is its muscle relaxing properties. The heart is a muscle and high blood pressure is often caused by the heart not relaxing sufficiently on its outward (diastolic) beat. There is increasing interest in the role magnesium can play in managing hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

WHAT TO AVOID

You should avoid things that can make symptoms of RLS worse:

Tobacco

Alcohol

Caffeine—Chocolate, coffee, tea, and some soft drinks contain caffeine. Although it may seem to help overcome daytime sleepiness, caffeine usually only delays or masks RLS symptoms, and often makes them worse.

Some types of over-the-counter and prescription medicines can also make RLS symptoms worse. These include:

Anti-depressants (most of them)

Anti-nausea medicines

Anti-psychotic medicines

Antihistamines

Good supplements to take are iron, folic acid, co-enzyme Q10, extracts of ginko biloba and garlic tablets.

Acupuncture and magnet therapy are also worth trying to help with restless legs syndrome.

If you are taking prescription medication, always consult your health care professional before taking supplements.