Tag: chemicals

How can Kidney Stones Affect your Life

Unknown to many people, kidney stones is the most common complication that involves the kidney, uterer, and bladder. They also dont realize the importance of the role that kidneys play in the person’s system. Most people dont realize it but kidneys are very important because they act as the ultimate “filter” for blood. When the kidney functions well, it can remove the waste products and substance from the body. This will help a person to regulate the proper level of chemicals and enables the body to function properly.

Today, more and more peoplebecause of unhealthy diet and laid back living and minimal physical movementssuffer from kidney stones and they have yet to realize how can it affect their overall health. Many experts agree that any person has great chances of encountering kidney stones in one point of his or her life.

But, with early diagnosis, healthy lifestyle, diet to prevent the condition, and regular exercise, one can recover from it. However, recovering might be easy but if people would not religiously follow the keys to avoiding kidney stones, chance are, they will have it again probably in the next 10 or 15 years of his or her life.

What you need to know

Many people tend to neglect kidney stones because they think that they can easily recover from it with all the medications and medical procedures available today. One thing that they dont realize is that if they continue to have their kidney stones unchecked or undiagnosed, they are more prone to develop related diseases which will make their health conditions more complicated.

To avoid further complications when it comes to kidney stones, it is best that you arm yourself with all the knowledge that you can getespecially if you think that you are prone to the condition.

The first thing that you need to know about kidney stones is what it really is. Kidney stones are made up of minerals and other excess substances in body. It is the product when these substances and minerals are formed in the person’s urine. The process of developing kidney stones involved the crystallization of minerals and other elated substances then form a “lumps” which can be hard as a real stone.

Experts say that people who have kidney stones don’t have to worry so much about its size but should more focus on where its is located. The location of the kidney stones matter that much because it can cause the kidney and other related organs not to function very well.

Doctors agree that kidney stones that sit in the kidney itself are not much of a problem. But if it’s located it the utererthe tube that connects to the bladderit is a very big problem. This is because the stoneregardless of its sizecan block the path where the urine should pass. When this happens, it will cause the person a great deal of pain because it will stretch the kidney so much.

Another thing that you should also pay attention to is the possible causes of the condition. Experts say that there are a number of factors that may cause the development of kidney stones.

These factors may include the Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) that the person has developed, kidney failure, diseases that may have been inherited that involves the kidney, foods that contain high levels of calcium, sodium, oxalates, and others, as well as lack of regular movement or exercise.

What are Kidney Stones?

Kidney is one of the most sensitive and important organs of the body so if something happens to it, necessary steps have to be taken to make sure that there is still time to fix the problem. When the kidney fails then there is a greater chance that the organs will fail as well. One of the most common ailments to strike the kidney is the formation of kidney stones and even though it seems to be trivial, it has to be given attention.

Kidney stones have affected human beings for many years already. It has been said that traces of kidney stones were found in a 7000 year old Egyptian mummy which means that kidney stones are actually part of ancient history.

Another fact to consider is that more than half a million people rush to hospitals emergency rooms are found to have kidney stone problems. It simply shows how prevalent it is and the commonality of it should not be a reason to take it for granted but it should also not cause us to panic. Despite the long history of humans with kidney stones and the startling increasing number of people affected by it, most cases of kidney stones are actually very minor in the sense that the stones can be flushed out of the body without outside intervention through regular urination.

If however discomfort lingers or complications arise in relation to the presence of kidney stones in the body then there is a need to consult your doctor so that proper assessment can be done. There is nothing to fear though because most of the medical steps needed to get rid of kidney stones do not involve any major surgery.

A kidney stone is scientifically defined as a hard lump of mass that are formed from crystals that are left behind in the urinary tract. For a normal person, the urine has chemicals that disables these crystals from forming. It is when these inhibitors fail to do their job that causes the problem but as mentioned earlier you can easily get rid of smaller stones.

However if the kidney stones are bigger in size that it cant be simply gone then there are procedures available to take it out. The good news is because of advancements in technology, most of these procedures do not require for the person afflicted to be opened up. There are special instruments that can melt or crush the kidney stones and putting them inside the body do not have to involve having a knife go through ones body.

For unqualified reasons, more and more people seem to be getting kidney stones. As per cases reported, it is men in their forties and seventies that are prone to getting kidney stones. It is also important to mention that once a person gets stones then that person is more susceptible to forming kidney stones in the future. Hence the key here is really prevention. The main problem though is that there are really no singularly very particular cause of kidney stones.

Doctors though are one in saying that the best way to prevent it is in drinking fluids preferable water. This is not the same though as in drinking just eight glasses of water a day but rather it is highly advised to drink water whenever you can.

Kidney Stones Basics

Many people don’t realize it but when the kidney suffers from complications such as kidney stones, it can disrupt its filtering function and may even cause more complicated diseases in people. Experts say that not all kidney stones are harmful as long as they are not located in the utererthe tube that is connected with the bladder and where urine passes.

For people who are prone to kidney stones, it is a must to know the basic things that they must to ensure that they are knowledgeable enough in case they might be suffering from the condition.

The first thing that a person who is prone to kidney stones must know is what is it. As defined, kidney stone is a result of substances and other minerals crystallized in the urine. Kidney stones are hard pieces of materials that can block the passage of urine and may cause pain and infection to the person suffering from it. These stone may grow in size and in number when remained undiagnosed or untreated. Experts categorize kidney stone types into four: the “calcium oxalate”, the “struvite stone,” the “uric acid stone,” and the “cystine stones.”

Next is what are the possible causes of the condition. Experts say that there are many factors that may lead to the possible causes of kidney stones. These factors may include “heredity,” referring to the kidney related diseases that runs in many generations of the family; the “geographical location” which says that the places where the disease is common caused by other related factors such as climate and way of living; “diet” which greatly trigger the cause of the stone especially if they have high contents of calcium, sodium, and “oxalates,” which refer to products that may contribute to the increase in the levels of kidney stone-forming chemicals and substances in the body.

Knowing the signs and symptoms of kidney stones should follow this. You might be suffering from kidney stones if you feel insistent pain in varying levels in your back or side, tinge of blood present in your urine, slight chills or fever which indicates infections, often vomiting, foul smelling urine, cloudy or yellowish urine, urge to urinate often and painful urination.

You should also know are prone to kidney stones. Many studies show that middle-aged men are more prone to developing kidney stones compared to other age brackets. This is because this is when people are reckless and careless about their lifestyles. However, women and kids may also suffer from kidney stones depending on their risk factors such as heredity, lifestyle, and medical condition.

People must also be very aware how kidney stones are diagnosed. Physicians are the best ones who can give accurate diagnosis on kidney stones. When you visit a doctor, he may perform medical history check, lifestyle check, and laboratory tests and examinations so he would determine which treatment options are appropriate for you.

Lastly, what are the treatment options available for this condition. For mild kidney stones, medications to relieve pain are given. For those who are having more complicated stones, medical procedures are available such as shock waves, lithotripsy, tunnel surgery and ureteroscope.

Today, it seems that people who are already suffering from kidney stones are usually the last ones to realize the importance of taking care of the kidney. Knowing the basics will help one to realize the importance of the organ in the functions of the body and for the overall health as well.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MASSAGE THERAPY

In an attempt to understand how and why massage therapy is as effective as it seems to be, scientists and medical researchers from around the world have been studying it for decades. Some characteristics of massage therapy have been conclusively resolved with apparent consensus among the learned scholars, while other characteristics remain as inexplicably mysterious as ever. For instance, they all agree that when a certain amount of pressure is applied to a soft tissue such as a muscle, some changes occur within the affected muscles. They also all tend to agree that massage therapy promotes relaxation and reduces the stress which often leads to deterioration or worsening of certain physiological conditions.

Those characteristics of massage therapy which have not yet been explained by conventional science, gave rise to a number of theories and postulates. You will note that they are all prefaced with the word might to indicate uncertainty as they described possible health benefits of massage therapy:

* Might provide stimulation that may help block pain signals transmitted to the brain and this is called the gate control theory of decreasing or alleviating pain.

* Might promote better health by stimulating the lymphatic system to increase the flow of lymph, which is the secretion that carries disease fighting cells through the body.

* Might re-route the clients nervous system away from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic. In doing so, the fight-or-flight reaction of the sympathetic nervous system with its increased heart and breathing rates along with tightened muscles of distress are shunned in favor of the rest-and-digest reaction of the parasympathetic nervous system with its lowered heart rate, slowed breathing and relaxed muscles.

* Might be instrumental in effecting beneficial changes in the body by preventing fibrosis through the process of breaking up scar-like tissue

* Might arouse the body to discharge chemicals such as serotonin or endorphins which area known to give people the feelings of wellbeing.

* Might improve sleep patterns which is essential to pain control and healing processes.

* Might contribute to the overall mental and physiological health by the intimate interaction between the client and the therapist.

The following are specific cases and their reported benefits whether they are understood or merely observed with bewilderment:

* Students at a New Jersey Medical School who were given massage therapy before an exam displayed less anxiety, lower respiratory rates, a substantial increase in white blood cells and an enhanced immune system.

* Cancer patients at the James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio experienced less pain and decreased anxiety after receiving massage therapies than those who did not get such treatments.

* Studies at the University of South Carolina show that women who recently lost a child were less depressed after massage therapy.

* The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that massage therapy improved weight gain in infants who were premature or those who were exposed to HIV. They also determined that massage therapy expedites recovery in patients who had abdominal surgery.

* Researchers at the University of the Miami School of Medicines Touch Research Institute discovered that massage therapy decreases high blood pressure, relieves migraine headaches, and generally increases alertness and performance in the workforce.

* Many additional studies confirm that massage therapy reduces heart rates, lowers blood pressure; increases blood circulation and lymph flow; relaxes stiffened and tense muscles while stimulating weak and inactive muscles to compensate for lack of movement due to an illness or an injury; speeds up the healing process after surgeries, disease and injuries; improves the range of vision; increases endorphins; reduces anxiety, tension, depression, pain and itching in burn patients; and Autistic children exhibit calmer and more predictable behavior.

So, is massage therapy beneficial? Yes! Massage therapy is beneficial on, oh, so many levels. The mechanics of the process may not be clear just yet, but the outcomes are undeniable by anyones standards.

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