| Monday, September 21, 2009 |
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Heartburn Diagnosis And Treatment
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Heartburn or pyrosis is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus, just below the breastbone caused by regurgitation of gastric acid. The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw. Heartburn is also identified as one of the causes of asthma and chronic cough.
Heartburn Diagnosis.
Physicians normally diagnose gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on symptoms alone. When the clinical presentation is uncertain, other tests can be performed to confirm the diagnosis or exclude other disorders. Confirmatory tests include:
Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series: A series of x-rays of the upper digestive system are taken after drinking a barium solution. These can demonstrate reflux of barium into the esophagus, which suggests the possibility of gastro esophageal reflux disease. More accurately, fluoroscopy can be used to document reflux in real-time.
Ambulatory pH Monitoring: A probe can be placed via the nose into the esophagus to record the level of acidity in the lower esophagus. Because some degree of variation in acidity is normal, and small reflux events are relatively common, such monitors must be left in place for at least a 24-hour period to confirm the diagnosis of GERD. The test is particularly useful when the patient's symptoms can be correlated to episodes of increased esophageal acidity.
Endoscope test: The esophageal mucosa can be visualized directly by passing a thin, lighted tube with a tiny camera attached (an endoscope) through the mouth to examine the esophagus and stomach. In this way, evidence of esophageal inflammation can be detected, and biopsies taken if necessary.
Manometer test: In this test, a pressure sensor (manometer) is passed through the mouth into the esophagus and measures the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter directly.
Biopsy test: A small sample of tissue from the esophagus is removed. It is then studied to check for inflammation, cancer, or other problems.
Heartburn Treatment.
Prevention: If heartburn occurs when lying down, raising the head with pillows or sitting up frequently provides relief – although care must be taken to avoid placing continuous strain on the neck. Avoidance of certain foods shortly before bedtime is frequently advised to avoid future attacks.
Medications: Antacids, H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors are used - in that order - to treat heartburn.
Antacids: Daily treatment with Antacids is effective for 25-30% of people with GERD. Acid-blocking medications are the most effective for mild forms of the condition.
H2-receptor antagonists: With the advent of proton-pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists are not widely used.
Proton-pump Inhibitors: Proton pump inhibitors are a class of medications which can be effective for people who do not respond to antacid or acid blockers. Proton-pump inhibitors directly block acid production in the stomach cells and provide more effective relief than less powerful medications. In order to prevent heartburn the medication disfigures and disables the proteins (proton pumps) that control the pH of the stomach, allowing the body to digest them.
Restricting Diet: Restricting diet is very important, since 90-95% of sufferers of heartburn or esophageal disorder can link their symptoms to specific foods. Therefore, it is important that heartburn sufferers manage their diets as a way to treat their heartburn. Sufferers should choose the kinds of foods and drinks which have little risk of causing acid reflux, while some kinds of foods or drinks should be avoided as they are major heartburn triggers. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 3:27 AM |
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| Monday, September 14, 2009 |
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What To Know Before Buying Any Detox Kit
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With the increasing need to detoxify our systems, many people have succumbed to the quick fix promises offered by many of the detox kit sellers. These sellers offer us all the option of using their detox kit to instantly detoxify our systems- without having to do those things we find difficult to do, such as stop alcohol, smoking, engage in exercise, etc.
And of course, this is a quick-fix era. Everyone wants a quick fix solution. We don't want to engage in the work, but want a fast solution.
If you are among one of those who have bought the idea of getting a quick fix detox solution, then spend a few minutes reading this. It will help you.
You see, our bodies have their own natural way of detoxifying. We were made with certain organs, such as the liver, the kidney, skin intestines and lungs. All these organs are our natural detoxifying agents that act to detoxify and clean up our bodies of the many toxins- both internal and external. Without these natural tendencies to detoxify, most of us would have been dead long time ago.
So, don't believe the hype that the detox kits is all you need to detoxify your body of the toxins that exist.
The truth is that simply taking good care of your body and giving it the kind of food, water and other things that it needs and putting away the dangerous things from entering the body, can all help to assist it in detoxifying itself.
It is a fact that most of the detoxifying pills, juice teas, herbs and oils that are sold all over the place today have no real scientific foundation to back up their claims. Many people just take these pills, juice teas, herbs and oils without knowing exactly what they do in their bodies.
All you need to do, instead of spending huge amounts of money in buying just any detox kit out there, is to take good care of your body so that it will be strong enough to detoxify itself.
Lastly, ask the help of a professional before you buy any of the detox kits out there. These professionals can give you just one advice that can save your life.
Remember, your health is your wealth. If you end up buying detox kits that harm you instead of saving you, isn't that going to be a costly mistake?
So, take care of yourself by detoxifying the right way. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 3:27 AM |
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| Monday, September 7, 2009 |
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Is Botox Right for You?
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Botulin toxin, sold commercially under the brand name Botox, is an exceptionally potent neurotoxin that has found a variety of remarkable uses in modern medicine. It is also the most popular nonsurgical medical cosmetic treatment in the UK and USA.
Researchers discovered in the 1950s that injecting overactive muscles with minute quantities of botulinum toxin type A decreased muscle activity by blocking the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, thereby rendering the muscle unable to contract for a period of 4 to 6 months.
Alan Scott, a San Francisco ophthalmologist, first applied tiny doses of the toxin in a medicinal sense to treat crossed eyes and uncontrollable blinking, but a partner was needed to gain regulatory approval to market his discovery as a drug. Allergan, Inc., a small pharmaceutical company that focused on prescription eye therapies and contact lens products, bought the rights to the drug in 1988 and quickly received FDA approval in 1989. Allergan renamed the drug Botox.
Cosmetic benefits of Botox were quickly realized when the frown lines between the eyebrows appeared to soften following treatment for eye muscle disorders. The increased potential of Botox as a cosmetic treatment led to clinical trials and subsequent FDA approval in April 2002.
Currently, Botox is finding enormous additional potential in several therapeutic areas including the treatment of migraine headaches, cervical dystonia (a neuromuscular disorder involving the head and neck), blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eye muscles), and severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Other uses of botulinum toxin type A that are widely known but not approved by FDA include urinary incontinence, anal fissure, spastic disorders associated with injury or disease of the central nervous system including trauma, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy and focal dystonias affecting the limbs, face, jaw, or vocal cords. It is also used off label for the treatment of TMJ, but a side effect in some patients is a jaw left too weak to chew solid food for about 3 months after the injection.
Treatment and prevention of chronic headache and chronic musculoskeletal pain are emerging uses for botulinum toxin type A. In addition, there is evidence that Botox may aid in weight loss by increasing the gastric emptying time.
As an alternative to Botox, anti-aging creams are heavily marketed and advertised on television, with the promise of looking younger and the reduction in visible wrinkles on the skin.
Traditionally, they have been targeted towards women, but products specifically targeting men are now common. This change may be due to the fact that many societies in recent years have seen an increased focus on young looks, including in men. Some men report that looking younger makes it easier to get a good job.
There are a range of cosmetic 'treatments' for the appearance of wrinkles on the skin such as plastic surgery and botox injections. One of the marketed advantages of anti-aging cream is that it is an alternative to these more extreme cosmetic treatments.
Critics take the view that the manufacturers of these products prey on the fears of women, and that the advertisements abuse science by claiming that their products are scientifically proven to work. It is said that the 'scientific data' is based on the perception of women who have tried the product, and are asked whether or not they think they look younger. These are the hallmarks of a placebo.
However, it is plausible that some of the anti-aging products could have a rejuvenating effect, as promised. However, the effects of most anti-aging products likely depends on their concentration and mode of application, making their effects less certain. |
| posted by Healthy Life @ 3:27 AM |
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