Tag: disease

Panic Attacks — Signs of Vulnerability

Panic attacks do not come from nowhere, though the possibility of them coming out of the blue cannot be discounted. Nonetheless, there is always that something that triggers the occurrence of such attacks. Experts believe that the causes are multi-factorial and pre-disposing factors are many. Included are the following:

Genetics. Panic attacks run in the family. If you great grandfather had it, there is a relative possibility that you might develop the disorder as well. In typical cases, those people who have relatives with panic attacks are twice more likely to experience either acute or chronic but intermittent episodes of panic disorder than normal people. Nonetheless, there are people who have family history of panic attacks that do not develop the disorder.

Medical causes. There are several medical conditions that could allow for the development of panic disorder and panic attacks. Among them are mitral valve prolapse, hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, abrupt withdrawal from medication usage, and use of stimulants. Mitral valve prolapse, otherwise known as MVP, is a heart disease that affects the mitral valves, the part of the heart that prevents the backflow of blood. The symptoms of this disease are shortness of breath and chest pain along with others. Not only do these symptoms resemble those of panic attacks but research by the American Heart Association confirmed that there is a direct link between MVP and panic attacks.

Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, is a condition characterized by a lower level of blood glucose. Meanwhile, hyperthyroidism is also a condition that is somehow linked with panic attacks. This condition is marked by the overproduction of thyroid hormones namely T3 and T4 hormones. Abrupt withdrawal from certain medications is also believed to be a cause of panic attacks since this triggers sudden changes in the body. Another factor that may lead to the development of panic attacks is the use of stimulant substances such as beverages with high caffeine content and marijuana.

Medications. The body’s reaction to foreign materials with medical properties is not always necessarily positive. There are cases when the substances found in the drugs produce the right conditions in the body conducive to the arousal of panic attacks. For example, methylphenidate which is more commonly known as Ritalin is used for patients of ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as well as narcolepsy could cause panic attacks for some people.

Gender. This seems to be a predisposing factor towards the development of panic disorder. According to studies females are 50% more likely than their counterparts to develop the disorder.

Major life events. Substantial events in life that lead to extreme changes can create the right environments for the occurrence of panic attacks. This may be because such drastic changes create tensions in the homeostasis of a person’s life, thus upsetting the previous order of things and forcing the person to confront the changes. If the person fails to respond accordingly, the tension may persist and he might be overcome by it. Thus, producing a number of symptoms that could be characterized under psychological disorders, panic attacks included.

Phobias. Although the statistics are not established yet, it seems clear that people who have severe cases of phobias are more susceptible to developing panic disorders. This could be due to the fact that phobias cause elevated levels of fear to start with.

What Causes Sinus Infection

Ever wondered what really causes a sinus infection? There are many possibilities and it is sometimes hard to pinpoint which one is the culprit. You could have gotten it while you are at work, out in the mall, doing a certain activity or even at home so here are some of the known causes of sinus infections.

Most sinus infections are caused by the common cold otherwise known as viral influenza. This causes congestion in the nasal passages and inhibits the drainage of the sinuses which is why it becomes inflamed.

When this happens, the nose is filled with mucus caused by the accumulation of white blood cells in the lining of the nose. This makes it difficult for the person to smell or even breathe and the only way to get rid of it is to blow it out.

Generally a common flu stays a maximum for a period of one week. After that we usually recover, but it leaves our sinuses inflamed. The nose is a very sensitive part of our body which catches a viral infection very easily.

Sinus infection can also be caused by exposure to dust particles, pollen and other irritants in the air. If there is too much of this already in the nasal passages, it prevents mucus from draining away. When these bacteria such as streptococcus pneumoniae and haemophilus influenzae end up in our upper respiratory tract and multiply, then it causes us to have a sinus infection.

You can come into contact with these every time you go outdoors or when you are inside the house especially in places where natural sunlight cannot reach. Another example is the fungus known as aspergillus that can cause problems to the immune system.

If you have asthma, you are a high risk for sinus infections because your nasal polyps inside your nose are swollen. This results in chronic sinus infections that could last for 2 weeks.

Lack of water also causes a sinus infection. This is because the mucus will thicken making it difficult for the cilia to move it through the sinuses.

Sinus infections can also happen whenever we are stressed. To prove the point, one such condition known as vasomotor rhinitis shows that stress does cause excessive swelling and mucus production.

You can also get a sinus infection by blowing your nose too much. This is because your nose will swell after blowing it too hard or too much.

Certain activities that are fun can also cause sinus infection. Traveling by air and scuba diving are very common because to much pressure in the sinuses causes bacteria to grow.

If you dont watch your kids carefully, they may inhale harmful substances or other foreign objects that introduce bacteria into the sinuses.

Certain medications are also known to cause sinus infections as a side effect because it may affect the functioning of the mucus membrane.

Lastly, although very rare, you can get a sinus infection from disease teeth because the maxillary sinus in the cheekbone becomes infected by the root of a diseased upper tooth.

There are many causes of sinus infections and it is not only bacterial or viral. Now that

Prevention Is Still Better Than Spider Vein Treatment

Prevention is still better than spider vein treatment because you save time and money. Here are some things you can do to prevent spider veins from every appearing on your legs.

First, elevate your legs whenever possible. You can surely do this when you get home from school or work. The ideal angle of your feet should be higher than heart level so blood will be able to flow throughout the body.

You should also exercise regularly because this reduces pooling or pressure in the veins. Examples of these include jogging, walking, running, climbing and swimming as such activities will help you maintain your body weight and reduce pressure on your legs. You should also watch what you eat since there is no point sweating it out when you are just going to gain the calories you lost.

Sometimes over exercising can cause a vein to rupture. If this happens, elevate your leg and put a compress in the affected area then contact your doctor or get emergency medical care immediately.

It is nice to relax in a hot tub or go to a sauna but this must not be done often. Doing so lets absorb excess heat which increases vein distention and lead to more pooling of blood.

If you have to sit for long periods of time, stretch those legs and flex those ankles so blood will flow in the lower part of your body.

Women should wear a compression hose because this provides external graduated counter-pressure to aid in venous blood flow to the heart. This also reduces pooling and pressure in the veins. Aside from that, it can reduce the risk of forming a deep vein blood clot which should be worn when you are on a long flight or car ride.

But despite these preventive measures, spider vein can still happen. When they do, you have to decide whether or not you want to undergo surgery to remove it or not. If you are worried about paying for it, ask your insurance provider if it is covered under the plan even if most of the time, they will not allow this because it is a cosmetic procedure.

However, the loop hole here is if your doctor signs for it and sees that this is necessary. You just have to get photographs and other results to show to the insurance provider so this can be approved. This enables you to have this procedure done without paying a single dime.

When this happens, you just have to follow the instructions given by the doctor like what you can and cannot do before and after surgery. You will have to go back to the doctor for follow up checks and another series of injections since your spider veins will not go away in just one session.

The best cure against any disease regardless if it is minor or major is prevention. If you dont, will most likely end up spending hundreds of dollars and in this case, for spider vein treatment. You have to remember that to get the best results, you have to undergo two or three sessions in the next few months.

So do that math and you will realize that you could have spent that money spending it on something else.

Body Detox Herbs Can Do Wonder in Your Lives

It is a fact that some pesticides, chemicals, and certain fumes are present in the environment that is affecting your immune system and jeopardizing your health. Moreover, the foods that you eat can lead to a toxic atmosphere lowering your overall immunity. Toxic load is the condition of tissues and cells where internal terrain is developed after food consumption of highly processed foods. Your body needs to be cleansed from these unwanted toxins. The process is called detoxification.

Although you have the kidney and liver which are organs considered as natural detoxifiers filtering out the impurities of the bodies, you need to consider other ways to detoxify your body from toxins. Some of the methods can be extreme like long fasting from juice drinks or dialysis.

Take note, your immune system is the defense mechanism of your body. So, disease and infections should be prevented before it affects your whole body through toxins removal. As you could observe, the illness frequency of a person is dependent on the immunes system strength which is composed of complex networks of nodes and lymph channels.

There are detox herbs that are beneficial in making your immune system strong. These herbs are the perfect and natural way of removing toxins from your immune systems to minimize acquired illnesses and to develop your general well-being.

Several herbs for detoxifying are much better for improving your immune systems than others. However, there are specific considerations for the detoxification program that you choose. But the following detox herbs can be used according to your needs.

-Psyllium seeds promote healthy bowel movement generally maintaining its good condition. It could be used in helping bowel related problems like diarrhea. This herb is good because it has an absorption property similar to a sponge where it helps in removing the toxins inside your body.

-Cascara Sagrada is generally a good natural laxative flushing the toxins out of your system. It also helps in strengthening your colon and other related muscles. This herb is used together with psyllium seeds.

-Milk thistle is also a very valuable substance used often to simulate the protein synthesis in the liver. It is used effectively in soaking different types of toxins found in drugs and alcohols that can damage your body.

-Nettles are used as a portion of the detox herb mixture in cleansing the urinary systems as well as any part of the body.

-Burdock roots are also perfect for stronger cleansing needs. It is helpful in reducing the heavy metals build-up within your body which causes immune system problems.

-Dandelion roots are detox herbs having strong cleansing properties appropriate for your liver. It is good for removing the gall bladder wastes and also works well for kidneys if used with other compatible detox herbs.

People would really need to detoxify themselves due to the presence of toxins in processed foods and in polluted air. Using herbs is not new in detoxification programs because its cleansing and healing properties have been known for so many years. Thus, it is now being accepted in the detoxification concept treating patients worldwide.

These herbs can effectively flush out unwanted toxins from your immune system allowing you to look and feel great. It can save you from acquiring severe illnesses. Brilliant detox herbs can really do wonders in a person’s life.