Friday, January 29, 2010

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer refers to over-growth of cells and tissues anywhere in the mouth and throat. This kind of cancer belongs to the group, head and neck cancers. It is known to develop anywhere in the oral cavity. The cancer starts effecting squamous cells that form the outer cover for all parts of the mouth. Therefore, they are also known as squamous cell carcinomas. This cancer spreads in the lymphatic system through a watery fluid known as lymph. It also spreads in other related parts like throat, lungs and even other body parts. When this cancer reaches lungs, it should not be mistaken as lung cancer as it has originated from oral cancer cells only.

Oral cancer is absolutely not contagious. There is no risk of catching this disease from its patient. People, who are habitual of chewing tobacco and consuming alcohol on regular basis, are very likely to develop this type of cancer. The majority of oral cancer patients are found to be tobacco chewers. Tobacco when taken in the form of cigarettes causes equally bad results. People having family history of oral cancer or any other neck and head cancer also face the risk of having this cancer. In some rare cases, exposure to the sun causes lip cancer. This can be avoided with the application of a good sun-block cream or balm.

Symptoms of oral cancer can be white, red or combination of red and white patches in the parts of mouth, any sore that does not heal, bleeding inside the mouth, teeth getting loose from the root, pain in the mouth while swallowing and eating, pain in the ear and nearby areas of the mouth. If you feel all or any of the symptoms bothering you enough, don’t make late in consulting the doctor as timely diagnosis of the same can save you from getting into a big problem.

Hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis is the condition in which the hair growth is so much in any part of the body that it looks very abnormal. The condition can be extremely weird and vulnerable for the person suffering from this disease. The condition can appear in any of the two ways, either on the whole body or on a particular area of the body. This over growth of hair on the skin area that not dependent on androgen. People suffering from this disease find themselves as aliens among normal looking human beings. The disease is classified into two types, congenital hypertrichosis and acquired hypertrichosis.

Congenital hypertrichosis is caused as a result of genetic mutation and is noticed right after birth. It is rarely found. The condition is found to be severe among men than in women. The acquired hypertrichosis is, as the name suggests, acquired much after due to side effect of any drug. It can be treated by means of special treatments. Not much should be expected from these treatments as they usually are able just to minimize the intensity of the disease. Generalized acquired hypertrichosis commonly covers areas like cheeks, upper lip and chin. The forearms and legs also seem to be affected.

Hypertrichosis was first found in very ancient times. The disease is taken and considered in many ways by people of different eras. Earlier the person suffering from the disease was associated with the society of demons. Some people considered them as messenger of God. Some considered them as animals and some said, they were half human and half wolf. The sufferers of this disease even played characters in circus. One can easily guess, the amount of disgust and embarrassment faced by these people, who themselves did not know, what had happened to them. In any case, they have never been considered as part of the normal human society. Ever since the research showed results, several perceptions have been cleared off from people’s minds.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Dandruff

Dandruff is more associated to the skin, than hair. As the new skin cells generate to give new skin to the scalp the old skin sheds and is replaced by this new skin. As a result, it starts showing as dry flakes. In some people, the renewal of the skin is faster which means more old skin is shed. Some people don’t feel dandruff at all as there is minimal renewal of their scalp skin. The medical term given to dandruff is, Pityriasis capitis. Dandruff can be visible on head as white flakes entangled within scalp and hair. The person feels itching in the head and may require scratching his or her head all the time. The scratchy feeling occurs as the flakes need to be scratched out from the head.

If not itchy, the person may feel tingling sensation in the head. These flakes may be oily or greasy. They may keep falling all over giving a shabby appearance. There can be many causes of dandruff. People who don’t brush or comb their hair quite for some time are very likely to develop dandruff as the shedding of dandruff flakes takes place every time one combs. Dandruff can also result due to yeast or fungal infection of the head. Those who have dry skin also find dandruff, quite often. The problem worsens during winter months as the over-heated rooms cause extreme temperatures resulting to increased shedding process of these flakes.

To keep dandruff away, it is very important to clean or wash off the head on regular basis. A good shampoo should be employed for washing head and hair. Hair washing methods are also responsible for the state of the head. Gentle head massage while shampooing is the best way of cleaning your head. The selection of hair products should be made wisely or else they may be another cause of dandruff.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Lactation Problems

Breastfeeding may sound easy, but cannot be considered the same. For some mothers, especially the new ones and her babies, it may be a very difficult phase. The lactation problems may be so disturbing that they think of quitting and starting bottle-feed for the baby. It would be extremely unwise to do so. For a baby, mother’s milk is the best possible food on earth and so he should not be deprived of it, come what may. It is important to note that, the time may be difficult even for the baby so the mother needs to help self and the baby during the whole process. There are many problems associated with lactation but one should not give up and rather try until success is achieved.

The most common of lactation problems is sore nipples. You can avoid or treat this problem by placing your nipple in baby’s mouth the correct way so that he does not bite it. If you already have wounds, apply suitable nipple cream that would help remove dryness and would heal the wound. Sometimes, there occurs clogging of the milk on milk ducts. This leads to pain in the area when the mother starts feeding the baby. Cold compressions really help open the ducts, making the milk flow continuous and smooth. The baby too finds it easy to suck. At times, the mother feels stiffness in the breasts and wonders if she should carry on with breast feeding or not. This stiffness is due to too much of milk in the breasts and goes once the baby starts sucking it.

Even during or after feeding the baby, the mother finds him getting irritated or disturbed. This may be due to the kind of food, mother is having. Therefore, the mother should consider having food that suits her baby’s tummy. The baby may even react to the taste during the process. So, look out for the food, baby is comfortable with and try sticking to that only, until the breastfeeding process is on. Considering these facts and tips, the mother can overcome most of the lactation problems.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that increases probability of fractures. It is found to have occurred among women, especially those who are going through menopause, and even after that. In rare cases, it is seen among men also. As the mineral density of bones gets decreased the bones become fragile. The probability of osteoporosis increases among women with weak and short stature, and also among those who already have family history of this disease. Women, who are regular cigarette smoker or are alcoholic, also increase for themselves, the chances of developing this terrible disease. The lifestyle and diet can also be the major reason for the disease.

The wrong lifestyle that lacks exercising and self care in various aspects, can later on show harmful results in the form of osteoporosis. It can also occur as a result of side-effects of any kind of medication or treatment like chemotherapy. The disease may stay inactive in a body for years. It is first noticed, after the first fracture caused due to it. Such fractures can happen even during normal activities like walking. The diet plays the most important role in one’s general wellbeing. It should be composed of all vital nutrients. Diet that lacks calcium, in the long run, gives an easy way to this disease.

Osteoporosis can be diagnosed through a routine X-ray method that shows extremely thin and weak bones, in the report. The worst part about this disease lies behind the observation that the patient does not realize, she is suffering from the disease. By the time she realizes, it gets too late and about 30 % of bones get weak. But women diagnosed with the disease should not lose heart as they can get it treated by means of medications that stop bone weakening and some lifestyle changes like, giving up of smoking and alcohol. The inclusion of exercising in routine too, helps a lot.

Before You Deliver The Baby

Though pregnancy is a nine-month long term for the mother to learn and prepare for motherhood yet there are certain ‘things to remember’ before you deliver the baby. As the baby would be relying upon you for his every need, you need to know minutest of things that can be very helpful, later on. Sometimes, certain situations arise when the baby does not seem to be fine and nothing seems to work. At this point, you should act tactfully and you can do this only if you know about certain simple but relevant tips of motherhood.

The baby’s first cry is a soother for the mother as it helps her forget all the pain she had been going through during the delivery. Now it is your turn to soothe your baby as he or she must be too shocked to enter this noisy, messy world. As soon as the baby is born, your doctor would handle it over to you, giving you a chance to develop that unique mother-child bonding. Holding one’s own baby for the first time, is the most precious moment for the mother. While she embraces the young soul in her arms, she gives him the warmth which no one else in the world, can. You will feel too excited for this, before you deliver the baby.

For first six months of the baby’s birth, give him just the breast milk. You can start breastfeeding as early as possible. Some expectant mothers find their nipples are inverted. This can later create problems. So it is wiser to find out the solution and to prepare for breastfeeding by consulting an able lactation specialist as early as during the third trimester of pregnancy. Apart from breastfeeding method, you need to be aware about various causes and treatments of stomachache among babies. Learn from elderly women in your family and midwife or doctor, about bathing, clothing and massaging techniques. Gather all necessary stuff before you deliver the baby.

Pregnancy and AIDS

Any woman planning for pregnancy should undergo certain tests to ensure she is ready to conceive and is capable of carrying a healthy pregnancy. But if due to any reasons she comes to know that she has AIDS and is carrying at the same time, she should look forward to the ways she can overcome all the associated risks for her baby. The HIV transmission from mother to baby can happen anytime during pregnancy, labor and breastfeeding. There are several modern AIDS preventive medicines, available in the market that, have made pregnancy and AIDS go safely for complete term and even after that. The best part about these medicines is that they are absolutely safe and have no side effects on the health of baby.

During pregnancy, the health of the baby as well as the mother is important. For HIV positive expectant mothers, it is very vital to undergo certain tests and treatments like CD4 test and viral load test. These tests decide whether the mother needs treatment for the AIDS infection or not. The high CD4 count shows that the woman’s immune system is still strong and that she does not need any special treatments for herself. If the count is low she needs to start with antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as early as possible. Seek recommendations from your doctor regarding certain ARV combinations. So, pregnancy and AIDS are managed without much issues but with due care.

It is very obvious that in HIV positive cases, extra care, especially of the baby is needed. During and after birth, some precautionary measures should be kept in mind so that chances of the baby catching the disease are minimized. It is advisable that as soon as the waters break, the minimum possible time should be taken for the delivery. The usage of scalp electrodes that monitor heartbeats of the baby should be avoided. Also, blood samples from the baby inside the womb, should not be taken during the pregnancy period, till its birth. Hence, fruitful results can be achieved from such a pregnancy and AIDS cannot affect them.