bloomingbutterfly - Medical News :: January

January 25, 2008

Wanna be sexy?…..

Sexy wannabe’s? Want to know the secret?

1. Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that can actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat… yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits.

2. Ab exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are actually the LEAST effective method of getting flat six pack abs. We’ll explore what types of exercises REALLY work in a minute.

3. Boring repetitive cardio exercise routines are NOT the best way to lose body fat and uncover those six pack abs. I’ll tell you the exact types of unique workouts that produce 10x better results below.

4. You DON’T need to waste your money on expensive "extreme fat burner" pills or other bogus supplements. I’ll show you how to use the power of natural foods in more detail below.

5. Ab belts, ab-rockers, ab-loungers, and other infomercial ab-gimmicks… they’re all a complete waste of your time and money. Despite the misleading infomercials, the perfectly chiseled fitness models in the commercials did NOT get their perfect body by using that "ab contraption"… they got their perfect body through REAL workouts and REAL nutrition strategies. Again, you’ll learn some of their secrets and what really works below.

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)

Source: 5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat & Get Six Pack Abs

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January 24, 2008

Alternative Medicines…

Filed under: Uncategorized, Common Drugs

The ten herbal medicines approved by the DOH

1. Philippine Herbal Medicine: Akapulko / Acapulco (Cassia alata)

    Akapulko or Acapulco in English is a shrub found throughout the Philippines. A medicinal herb that contains chrysophanic acid, a fungicide used to treat fungal infections, like ringworms, scabies and eczema. Akapulko also contains saponin, a laxative that is useful in expelling intestinal parasites. The extracts from the Akapulko plant is commonly used as an ingredient for lotions, soaps and shampoos.

Uses of Akapulko:

• Treatment of skin diseases:

Tinea infections, insect bites, ringworms, eczema, scabies and itchiness.

• Internal:

    Expectorant for bronchitis and dyspnoea, mouthwash in stomatitis, alleviation of asthma symptoms, used as diuretic and purgative, for cough & fever, as a laxative to expel intestinal parasites and other stomach problems. A strong decoction of the leaves is an abortifacient.

Preparation:

• For external use, pound the leaves of the Akapulko plant, squeeze the juice and apply on affected areas.

• For internal use: cut the plant parts into a manageable size then soak and boil for 10 to 15 minutes let cool and use as soon as possible. Note: The decoction looses its potency if not used for a long time. Dispose leftovers after one day.

2. Herbal Medicine: Ampalaya (Momordica charantia)

    Ampalaya (Bitter Melon) or it’s scientific name, Momordica charantia has been a folkloric cure for generations but has now been proven to be an effective herbal medicine for many aliments. Most significant of which is for Diabetes. The Philippine variety has proven to be most potent. Ampalaya contains a mixture of flavanoids and alkaloids make the Pancreas produce more insulin that controls the blood sugar in diabetics. Aside from Ampalaya’s medicinal value, it is good source of vitamins A, B and C, iron, folic acid, phosphorous and calcium.

    Ampalaya has been for used even by the Chinese for centuries. The effectively of Ampalaya as an herbal medicine has been tried and tested by many research clinics and laboratories worldwide. In the Philippines, the Department of Health has endorsed Ampalaya as an alternative medicine to help alleviate various ailments including diabetes, liver problems and even HIV.

Herbal Benefits of Ampalaya:

• Good for rheumatism and gout

• And diseases of the spleen and liver

• Aids in lowering blood sugar levels
• Helps in lowering blood pressure

• Relives headaches

• Disinfects and heals wounds & burns

• Can be used as a cough & fever remedy

• Treatment of intestinal worms, diarrhea
• Helps prevent some types of cancer
• Enhances immune system to fight infection
• Is an antioxidant, parasiticide, antibacterial & antipyretic

Preparation of Ampalaya:

• For coughs, fever, worms, diarrhea, diabetes, juice the Ampalaya leaves and drink a spoonful every day.

• For other ailments, the fruit and leaves can both be juiced and taken orally.

• For headaches wounds, burns and skin diseases, apply warmed leaves to afflicted area.

Note: In large dozes, pure Ampalaya juice can be a purgative and abortifacient.

3. Herbal Medicine: Bawang, Bauang / Garlic (Allium sativum)

   Bawang or Garlic (scientific name: Allium sativum) is one of the most widely used herbal medicine in the Philippines. The Philippine bawang variety is more pungent than the imported ones. It’s medicinal properties has been known for a long time and has been specially proven during World War II. Because of Bawang’s antibacterial compound known as Allicin, lives were saved by preventing wounds from having infection and later develop into gangrene when the juice of Bawang or garlic was applied to the wounds.
    Bawang/garlic is known as nature’s antibiotic. It’s juices inhibits the growth of fungi and viruses thus prevents viral, yeast and viral infections. Preliminary test also shows some positive results in the treatment of AIDS.
    Several clinical test and published studies have shown the efficacy of bawang in lowering cholesterol in the blood and is beneficial to the circulatory system of the body. Today as more research is done with bawang, more medicinal and therapeutic properties become more evident.
    After thorough research and test, the Philippine Department of Health has endorsed bawang as one of the ten Philippine herbs with therapeutic value and recommends it’s use as an alternative herbal medicine.

Benefits of Bawang:

• Good for the heart
• Helps lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL)
• Aids in lowering blood pressure
• Remedy for arteriosclerosis
• May help prevent certain types of cancer
• Boosts immune system to fight infection
• With antioxidant properties
• Cough and cold remedy
• Relives sore throat, toothache
• Aids in the treatment of tuberculosis
• With anticoagulant properties

Preparation of Bawang:

• For disinfecting wound, crush and juice the garlic bulb and apply. You may cover the afflicted area with a gauze and bandage.
• For sore throat and toothache, peal the skin and chew. Swallow the juice.
• Aside from being an herbal medicine for hypertension, arteriosclerosis and other ailments, garlic is also recommended for maintaining good health - eat raw garlic bulb, and include bawang regularly in the food you eat. It’s healthy and taste good in a variety of dishes.

4. Herbal Medicine: Bayabas or Guava (Psidium guajava)

    Bayabas or guava is one of the most popular therapeutic plants in the Philippines. Bayabas is a small tree that can grow up to 3 meters tall with greenish-brownish smooth bark. The round globular bayabas fruit starts as a flower and is usually harvested and eaten while still green. The fruit turns yellowish-green and soft when ripe.
    As a herbal medicine, the bayabas fruit, bark and leaves are used. The bark and leaves can be used as astringent. The most common use of the leaves is for cleaning and disinfecting wounds by rinsing the afflicted area with a decoction of the leaves. The fruit, aside form being delicious, contains a very high concentration of vitamin C.

Uses of Bayabas:

• Antiseptic, astringent & anthelminthic

• Kills bacteria, fungi and ameba

• Used to treat diarrhea in children

• For Hypertension, diabetes and Asthma

• Promotes menstruation

The fresh leaves are used to facilitate the healing of wounds and cuts. A decoction or infusion of fresh leaves can be used for wound cleaning to prevent infection. Bayabas is also effective for toothaches.

Preparation of Bayabas:

• Boil one cup of Bayabas leaves in three cups of water for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
• To use as mouthwash, gargle.

• To use as wound disinfectant, wash affected areas 2 to 3 times a day.

• For toothaches, chew the leaves in your mouth.

Note: Bayabas can cause constipation when consumed in excess.

5. Herbal Medicine: Lagundi (Vitex negundo)

    Lagundi (scientific name: Vitex negundo) is a shrub that grows in the Philippines. It is one of the ten herbal medicines endorsed by the Philippine Department of Health as an effective herbal medicine with proven therapeutic value. Lagundi has been clinically tested to be effective in the treatment of colds, flu, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and pharyngitis. Studies have shown that Lagundi can prevent the body’s production of leukotrienes which are released during an asthma attack. Lagundi contains Chrysoplenol D. A substance with anti-histamine properties and muscle relaxant.
    The leaves, flowers, seeds and root of Lagundi can all be used as herbal medicine. A decoction is made by boiling the parts of the plant and taken orally. Today, Lagundi is available in capsule form and syrup for cough.

Plant Description: The Lagundi plant can grow up to five meters tall. It can be described as a cross between a shrub and a tree with a single woody stem (trunk). Lagundi’s distinctive feature are the pointed leaves with five leaflets set like a hand.
    Lagundi tablets (300 mg) are available from the Department of Health’s Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) Telephone # (632) 727-6199.

Benefits of Lagundi:

• Relief of asthma & pharyngitis

• Recommended relief of rheumatism, dyspepsia, boils, diarrhea

• Treatment of cough, colds, fever and flu and other bronchopulmonary disorders

• Alleviate symptoms of Chicken Pox

• Removal of worms, and boils

Preparation of Lagundi:

• Boil half cup of chopped fresh or dried leaves in 2 cups of water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink half cup three times a day.

• The lagundi flowers are also good for diarrhea and fever. Boil as with the leaves.

• The root is specially good for treating dyspepsia, worms, boils, colic and rheumatism.

6. Niyog-niyogan (Quisqualis indica L.) -

is a vine known as "Chinese honey suckle". It is effective in the elimination of intestinal worms, particularly the Ascaris and Trichina. Only the dried matured seeds are medicinal -crack and ingest the dried seeds two hours after eating (5 to 7 seeds for children & 8 to 10 seeds for adults). If one dose does not eliminate the worms, wait a week before repeating the dose.

7. Herbal Medicine: Sambong (Blumea balsamifera L.)

    Sambong (scientific name: Blumea balsamifera) is a amazing medicinal plant. It is a antiurolithiasis and work as a diuretic. it is used to aid the treatment of kidney disorders. The Sambong leaves can also be used to treat colds and mild hypertension. Since it is a diuretic, it helps dispose of excess water and sodium (salt) in the body. Sambong is one herbal medicine (of ten) approved by the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) in treating particular disorders.

    Powdered Sambong leaves are available in 250 mg tablets at the DOH’s Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) Telephone # (632) 727-6199.

Benefits of Sambong:

• Good as a diuretic agent

• Effective in the dissolving kidney stones

• Aids in treating hypertension & rheumatism

• Treatment of colds & fever

• Anti-diarrheic & Anti-gastralgic properties

• Helps remove worms, boils

• Treats dysentery, sore throat

Preparation of Sambong:

• Boil the leaves as like tea and drink 3 or more times a day.

• The leaves can also be crushed or pounded and mixed with coconut oil.

8. Herbal Medicine: Tsaang Gubat or Wild Tea (Ehretia microphylla Lam.)

    Tsaang Gubat is one of the 10 herbs that is endorsed the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) as an antispasmodic for abdominal (stomach) pains. And is registered as a herbal medicine at the Philippine Bureau of Food & Drug (BFAD).
    Tsaang Gubat is a shrub (small tree) that grows (from 1 to 5 meters) abundantly in the Philippines. In folkloric medicine, the leaves has been used as a disinfectant wash during child birth, as cure for diarrhea, as tea for general good heath and because Tsaang Gubat has high fluoride content, it is used as a mouth gargle for preventing tooth decay. Research and test now prove it’s efficacy as an herbal medicine. Aside from the traditional way of taking Tsaag Gubat, it is now available commercially in capsules, tablets and tea bags.
    Tsaang Gubat is also knows as: Wild Tea, Forest Tea, Alibungog (Visayas Region), Putputai (Bicol Region) and Maragued (Ilocos Region). Scientific name: Ehretia Microphylla Lam.

Benefits & Treatment of :

• Stomach pains

• Gastroenteritis

• Intestinal motility

• Dysentery

• Diarrhea or Loose Bowel Movement (LBM)

• Mouth gargle

• Body cleanser/wash

Preparation & Use:

• Thoroughly wash the leaves in running water. Chop to a desirable size and boil 1 cup of chopped leaves in 2 cups of water. Boil in low heat for 15 to 20 minutes and drain.

• Take a cupful every 4 hours for diarrhea, gastroenteritis and stomach pains.

• Gargle for stronger teeth and prevention of cavities.

• Drink as tea daily for general good health.

9. Pansit-Pansitan (Peperomia pellucida Linn.), Ulasiman-Bato

    Pansit-pansitan (family: Piperaceae) is an herbal medicine also known as Ulasiman-bato, olasiman-ihalas & tangon-tangon in the Philippines. English name: peperomia.
    Pansit-pansitan is a small herb that grows from 1 to 1 1/2 feet. It can be found wild on lightly shaded and damp areas such as nooks, walls, yards and even roofs. Pansit-pansitan has heart shaped leaves, succulent stems with tiny flowers on a spike. When matured, the small fruits bear one seed which fall of the ground and propagate.
    The leaves and stalk of pansit-pansitan are edible. It can be harvested, washed and eaten as fresh salad. Taken as a salad, pansit-pansitan helps relive rheumatic pains and gout. An infusion or decoction (boil 1 cup of leaves/stem in 2 cups of water) can also be made and taken orally - 1 cup in the morning and another cup in the evening.
    For the herbal treatment of skin disorders like abscesses, pimples and boils, pound the leaves and/or the stalks and make a poultice (boil in water for a minute or two then pounded) then applied directly to the afflicted area. Likewise a decoction can be used as a rinse to treat skin disorders.
    For headaches, heat a couple of leaves in hot water, bruise the surface and apply on the forehead. The decoction of leaves and stalks is also good for abdominal pains and kidney problems.
    Like any herbal medicine it is not advisable to take any other medication in combination with any herbs. Consult with a medical practitioner knowledgeable in herbal medicine before any treatment.

Pansit-pansitan is used as an herbal medicine for the treatment of:

• Arthritis

• Gout

• Skin boils, abscesses, pimples

• Headache

• Abdominal pains

• kidney problems

10. Herbal Medicine: Yerba Buena (Mentha spicata)

    Yerba Buena is a herb of the mint family. It is an aromatic plant used as herbal medicine worldwide. It has elongated leaves and in summer bears small whitish or purplish flowers. The word Yerba Buena is Spanish for "good herb" and was the former name of the California city of San Francisco.
    Yerba Buena has been consumed for centuries as tea and herbal medicine as a pain reliever (analgesic). Native American Indians used it even before the "white men" colonized the Americas. Today, this folk medicine’s efficacy has been validated by scientific research. In the Philippines, Yerba Buena is one of the 10 herbs endorsed by the Department of Heath (DOH) as an effective alternative medicine for aches and pains.
    As an herbal medicine, a decoction (boil leaves then strain) of Yerba Buena is effective for minor ailments such as headaches, toothaches and joint pains. It can also relive stomach aches due to gas buildup and indigestion. The fresh and dried leaves can both be used for the decoction. And because Yerba Buena belongs to the mint family, soaking fresh leaves in a glass of water (30 to 45 minutes) makes for a good mouth wash for a clean, fresh smelling breath.

Benefits & Treatment of :

• Arthritis

• Head aches

• Tooth aches

• Mouth wash

• Relief of intestinal gas

• Stomach aches

• Indigestion

• Drink as tea for general good health.

Preparation & Use:

• Wash fresh Yerba Buena leaves in running water. Chop to size for dried leaves, crush) and boil 2 teaspoons of leaves in a glass of water. Boil in medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

• As analgesic, take a cupful every 3 hours.

• For tooth aches, pound the fresh leaves, squeeze juice out and apply on a cotton ball then bite on to the aching tooth.

• Leaves may be heated over fire and placed over the forehead for headaches.

Source: 10 DOH Herbs

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January 22, 2008

Mysteries

Filed under: Uncategorized, Medical Trivia

The untold mysteries…

October 22, 2006 at 6:17 am (Facts and Trivias)

I borrowed from MSN. Call center agents, check on Fatal Familial Insomnia below. It says, just a single night of missed sleep, you can expect a day of blurred vision, difficulty concentrating and gastrointestinal distress. Just read on.

I will continue posting health related articles and success tips. Note that health and success go hand in hand. Succes is nothing if a person is sickly. We can do it!

————————————–

By Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness

The human body is a fantastically intricate system. Even with some of the finest minds on the planet exploring the depths of its complexity, our anatomy still holds many secrets. We are reminded of how little we really understand when strange abnormalities arise. Here is a brief look at nine remarkable—and tragic—mysteries that have stymied modern medicine.

Phineas Gage

A View Into the Brain

In September 1848, railroad foreman Phineas Gage was packing sticks of dynamite into a rock with a heavy tamping rod. The dynamite exploded, sending the 3-foot 7-inch iron rod through his left cheekbone—and out the top of his head. Incredibly, his crewmen found him fully conscious and coherent, eager to get on his feet. He was rushed to Dr. John Marlow, who inserted fingers through Gage’s head and face, touching them together, before patching up the scalp and cheek flesh of his miracle patient. Gage recovered completely.

Doctors marveled that he survived at all. But the great contribution to science came with the realization that Gage later became a more violent and angry man after the front part of his brain had been traumatized. Never before had personality been identified with a specific part of the brain. The discovery paved the way for future understanding of brain functions.

Gage ran through our minds again in 2005 when construction worker Patrick Lawler fell down a staircase carrying a nail gun. Talk show audiences were amazed to see a fully recovered Lawler describing X-ray images of a 4-inch nail standing upright above his jaw. Lawler had used Advil to put off a “toothache” for six days before he realized there was a nail in his face.

Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva

The Second Skeleton

Though FOP is extremely rare, cases have been documented as far back as the 17th century. More than 300 years later, physicians are still at a loss to explain what causes soft tissue in FOP patients to turn to bone.

The earliest sign of FOP is malformed toes, such as the toes of a little girl shown here. But the real damage is done in the coming years as muscles, tendons and ligaments in the neck, back and shoulder ossify. Connective tissue in the knees, hip and elbow can also turn to bone, locking limbs permanently in position. Attempts to surgically remove the new bones results in even more bone formation.

Unfortunately, it gets worse. Although people with FOP can live into their 70s, the disease is progressive, as the “progressiva” part of the name indicates. More FOP bones grow over time, often in response to injury. With an “extra skeleton” growing in the body, the FOP patient finds it ever more difficult to move.

Synesthesia

Sensorial Crossroads

To be expressive with language, we often use metaphors that borrow from the senses: Earth tones are “warm,” and a brass section sounds “bright.” For people with synesthesia, the crossing of senses is not metaphorical but literal. Synesthetics may hear colors, see sound or smell numbers. Dr. Richard Cytowic, author of The Man Who Tasted Shapes, undertook his study after a friend cooking dinner exclaimed that “there aren’t enough points on the chicken.”

Synesthesia is not considered to be a disease (though it has not been well studied, either) and tends to affect people who are bright and colorful—er, that is, people who are intelligent and creative.

Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria

Hypersensitivity to Light

Fewer than 200 cases of congenital erythropoietic porphyria have ever been documented, and not just because physicians can’t pronounce the name. Due to a gene mutation, the skin becomes extremely sensitive to sunlight. Areas of exposed skin can become blistered and infected. Sunlight exposure can also lead to scarring, changes in skin pigmentation and increased hair growth. Such symptoms have unfairly linked people suffering from the condition with the lore of vampires and werewolves. On overcast or very cold winter days, the symptoms of congenital erythropoietic porphyria (also called erythropoietic protoporphyria) are sometimes attenuated, allowing some safe exposure to indirect sunlight.

Lithopedion

The Stone Baby

It sounds horribly tragic, but the rare medical phenomenon of the stone baby results from a process that protects a woman after a failed pregnancy.

When a fertilized egg attaches anywhere outside the uterus (an abdominal or ectopic pregnancy), the fetus may begin to grow but cannot survive. Under very rare conditions the miscarried fetus is neither expelled nor reabsorbed. Instead, it calcifies—effectively turning to “stone”—which protects the mother from infection.

Lithopedions have been mistaken for benign tumors or ignored by mothers who may not even have known they’d been pregnant. In one case, surgeons found a stone baby in a 76-year-old woman who had apparently been carrying it for 50 years.

Trimethylaminuria

Fish Odor Syndrome (a.k.a. Stale Fish Syndrome or TMAU)

If you think the odor of rotting fish is offensive down on the docks, imagine it on your breath. The same chemical that causes stale fish to smell bad, trimethylamine, is naturally derived from our diet, and the body’s normal metabolism is supposed to break the chemical down. When it does not, as is the case with TMAU sufferers, the buildup is eventually excreted through urine, saliva and perspiration. Cruelly, the chronic condition tends to worsen around puberty. While there are no inherent physical dangers associated with TMAU, there’s no cure and the social and psychological toll on adolescents and adults can be devastating.

Morgellons

A Real Case of Creepy Crawlies?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have yet to recognize Morgellons as a legitimate disease, but there is no doubt for the 7,500 people nationwide who are plagued by a crawling sensation on their skin and intensely itchy lesions. The description of Morgellons is not entirely unlike scabies or lice, both of which are parasitic conditions. But the real head-scratcher is the appearance of mysterious fibers that seem to grow under the skin. Skeptics, noting that most Morgellons sufferers also experience cognitive or behavioral problems, have suggested the condition is psychological. But they’re at a loss to explain the documented finding of these strange fibers (shown here at the tip of a pen) that apparently bear no relation to cotton, wool or synthetic fibers. The Morgellons Research Foundation continues to urge the CDC to assign an investigative task force.

Fatal Familial Insomnia

When Can’t Sleep Kills

Lose just a single night’s sleep and you can expect a day of blurred vision, difficulty concentrating and gastrointestinal distress. In 1959, disc jockey Peter Tripp deprived himself of sleep for more than eight days as part of a publicity stunt, and he became paranoid, incoherent and believed he saw kittens and bunnies at his feet.

For the world’s handful of families with this type of insomnia, the symptoms are progressively and exponentially worse. Their continued lack of sleep leads first to panic attacks, then to hallucinations, then to full-on dementia. Eventually, they die from lack of sleep.

In the 28 families identified, a dominant gene leaves offspring with a 50 percent chance of acquiring the disease. FFI was first diagnosed by an Italian doctor in 1979, and it was nearly 20 years before scientists understood that it was caused by a mutated protein. The mutation leads to a buildup of plaque in the part of the brain that regulates sleep.

5-Alpha Reductase Deficiency

Nature’s Sex Change

The Intersex Society of America estimates that one of every 2,000 American children are born with an intersex disorder, so defined when one’s sexual anatomy does not fall neatly into the male or female category. 5-ARD is one such condition, and is due to an in utero complication with how a male fetus’ system uses testosterone. As a result, the newborn baby has male chromosomes but tends either to have “ambiguous genitalia” (male pseudohermaphroditism) or the genitalia appear to be that of a baby girl. During puberty, however, testosterone rages through the body and the male characteristics emerge: The voice drops, shoulders broaden and an Adam’s apple may start to develop. What appeared to be labia turn out be testicles, and what appeared to be a clitoris turns out to be a penis.

Source: Felicissima

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January 15, 2008

diseases in the skeletal system

Filed under: Uncategorized, Medical Trivia

Diseases and Disorders
Leukemia

The cause of most human leukemia is unknown. It is a kind of cancer in which abnormal white blood cells multiply in an uncontrolled manner. they interfere with the production of normal white blood cells. Leukemia affects the production of red blood cells.

Bursitis
Bursitis is a disorder that causes pain in the body’s joints. It most commonly affects the shoulder and hip joints. It is caused by an inflammation of the bursa, small fluid-filled bags that act as lubricating surfaces for muscles to move over bones. This inflammation usually results from overactivity of an arm or leg.

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease resulting in the loss of bone tissue. In osteoporosis, the cancellous bone loses calcium, becomes thinner, and may disappear altogether.

Sprains
A sprain is an injury to a ligament or to the tissue that covers a joint. Most sprains result from a sudden wrench that stretches or tears the tissues of the ligaments. A sprain is usually extremely painful. The injured part often swells and turns black and blue.

Fractures
A fracture is a broken bone. These are some common kinds of fractures:

Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a spinal defect that is present at birth. In spina bifida, the spinal cord does not form properly and the vertebrae and skin cannot form around it. Spina bifida results from an error in the development of the embryo that occurs about a month after a woman becomes pregnant. This error may have various causes, including the use of alcohol or certain medications by the pregnant woman or exposure to extreme heat. Genetic factors appear to be very important.

Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease caused by lack of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the diet. If a person does not get enough vitamin C, any wound he or she might have heals poorly. The person also bruises easily. The mouth and gums become sore. The gums bleed, and the teeth may become loose. Patients lose their appetite, their joints become sore, and they become restless.

Arthritis
There are more than 100 diseases of the joints referred to as arthritis. Victims of arthritis suffer pain, stiffness, and swelling in their joints.
Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, occurs when a joint wears out. Many elderly people have osteoarthritis, and the disease may also occur if a joint has been injured many times. The joints most frequently affected are those of the hands, hips, knees, lower back, and neck.

Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a side-to-side curve of the spine. This condition becomes apparent during adolescence. It is unknown why Scoliosis affects more girls than boys.

Talipes equinovarus
Talipes equinovarus, often called clubfoot is an abnormal condition of the foot, usually present at birth. The foot is bent downward and inward so that the person can walk only on the toes and on the outside of the foot. Sometimes the foot is bent upward and outward so that the person can use only the heel for walking.

Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a disorder involving stiffness or pain in the muscles or joints. It is often called rheumatism.

Kyphosis
Kyphosis, also called hunchback is a forward bending of the spine. Kyphosis is caused by any condition that deforms the bones of the upper part of the spine so that the person is bent forward. Diseases that cause kyphosis include tuberculosis, syphilis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, also called polio, is a serious infection caused by a virus. A polio virus may attack the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis. Some patients show only mild symptoms, such as fever, headache, sore throat, and vomiting. Symptoms may disappear after about a day.

Source:The Family Shock Web Page

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Puberty at Three: A Little Girl Grows Up Too Fast

Filed under: Uncategorized, Medical News

          Girls usually don’t have to worry about going through puberty until they are at least 10 to 13 years old — but, for one English girl, the process started much earlier, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

While her toddler friends enjoyed life’s simplest pleasures, Hayley Smith spent her time dealing with menstrual pains.

She also had put up with other realities of puberty including body odor, greasy hair and mood swings.

Her parents, Debbie, 41, and David, 45, were both left baffled by the changes in their daughter’s body, and behavior.

"I first noticed Hayley had body odor shortly after she’d turned three," said Debbie, who also has a 12-year-old son, Carl.

"Around the same time, she suddenly gained a lot of weight, despite not eating any more than she usually did. I thought it was very odd, and I mentioned it to my mother."

A series of tests with an endocrinologist revealed that Hayley’s bone age was advanced, but no firm diagnosis was reached.

Her instincts proved to be correct. After several examinations and tests over the following 18 months, Hayley was finally diagnosed with precocious puberty at the age of six. The condition, in which puberty begins at an unusually early age often due to abnormal production of estrogen, is thought to affect as many as one in six children under ten.

Source : Fox News

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Filed under: Uncategorized

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