Tag: disorder

What cause acid reflux disease, its symptoms and treatments

Acid reflux is the common term for gastro esophageal reflux disease or GERD, the condition of abnormal reflux that causes mucosal damages. This disease can affect both adults and children or infants, but gives high vulnerability to pregnant women, smokers and people who doze off right after eating without prior rest.

The symptoms of acid reflux are as follows: heartburn, which is characterized by chest pain; inflammation in the mucosa; difficulty in swallowing; cough and hoarseness. These symptoms are felt by the infected person after eating a fatty meal or drinking liquor, when bending, and worse when constantly smoking.

Acid reflux is primarily caused by the malfunction of the esophageal sphincter. In other cases, it can also be brought about by the abnormal production of the gastric acids. If there is insufficient supply of the stomach acid, the valve in the stomach responsible for churning up foods to the intestine does not open up. This irritates the esophagus and leads to inflammation.

Some of the factors that can trigger acid reflux are hiatus hernia, zollinger-elison syndrome, hypercalcemia, scleroderma and systemic sclerosis.

According to paradoxical beliefs, drinking alcohol, tea and coffee can lead to gastro esophageal reflux. But recent studies show that although individuals already infected by this disease can be aggravated by alcohol, tea and coffee, these elements do not cause the disease. Compared to smoking which amplifies the risks of getting the disease, alcohol, tea and coffee had the least impact. But this doesnt mean that GERD infected people are free to take the beverages stated above. Doctors still suggest avoiding drinking of alcohol in order to shun further aggravation.

Smoking is the chief culprit that causes acid reflux disease. Regular smokers for twenty years are 70% susceptible to acid reflux disease compared to non-smokers. And symptoms of those who already developed the GERD are worsened day by day due to smoking.

The highlight of the research is that great amounts of salts are found to be equivalent to regular smoking in terms of the risk of developing GERD. It is not a common knowledge that table salts can cause acid reflux disease but researchers found out in their studies that people who are constantly using extra salt are 70% at risk to have gastro esophageal reflux disease. Gastroenterologists of New York University Medical Center attested this fact.

Gastro esophageal reflux disease can be diagnosed even by the infected person himself through the appearance of the symptoms. In the occurrence of these symptoms, it is advised to undergo the tests conducted by medical experts to clear doubts of having the disease or to carry out possible treatments. To treat this kind of disorder, there are varieties of ways possible. It can be cured by prescribed drugs such as antacids, by natural way such as change of diet system, elevation of the head when lying down, or to the utmost is surgery. And of course, it will be best to stop or avoid smoking and drinking alcohol especially to people who are vulnerable to acid reflux disease.

Gastro esophageal reflux disease causes a lot of discomfort that it can ruin even your lifestyle. To avoid its bad effects, precautionary measures should be considered. The clich quote that prevention is better than cure applies always.

Understanding Alzheimers Better

Alzheimers information is important for individuals who may be at the first stages of this disease. However, it is also very important for friends, family and caregivers of people with Alzheimers disease to have enough Alzheimers information to be able to understand the process of the progression of the disease as well as what to expect and what is the best care and treatment for this.

To understand Alzheimers more, we need to look at and understand dementia. Dementia is a mental disorder characterized by the loss of cognitive abilities. It is an extremely debilitating disease that afflicts some individuals in their old age. Alzheimers information shows that Alzheimers disease is the most common form of this disorder that greatly impairs normal mental operations.
There is no certain prevention or cure for Alzheimers disease right now but continuous studies and tests are being made toward this endeavor because according to Alzheimers information, this disease is irreversible. The disease also continues to progress into different stages and symptoms of this worsen over time.

One of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimers is short term memory loss. It then progresses into a gradual decline of other cognitive abilities. After the disease has progressed further, one may notice a marked change in the sufferer’s behavior and at the very last stages of the disease, the individual with Alzheimers will have to depend on others for simple activities such as eating and mobility.

Alzheimers information tells us that the course of the disease varies from person to person with a range of five to twenty years. Alzheimers eventually ends in death due to complications and infections.

Although more and more Alzheimers information has been collated and researched throughout the years, the progress has been steady but slow. For instance, the Alzheimers information on what causes the disease is still uncertain. There are some major hypotheses that seem to revolve around two factors: genetic or hereditary and a complex environmental interaction.

Alzheimers information shows us that it is primarily a disease that affects the brain. It is in the abnormalities in the brain that result in massive atrophy of the brain’s neurotransmitters, nerves and neurons. From these stem the malfunctions that begin with short term memory loss to sever impairment to memory and the loss of motor skills and other normal bodily functions.

An abnormally large deposit of protein in the brain causes the massive atrophy. The absolute detection of Alzheimers can only really be done post mortem through an autopsy where the brain is examined and it shows a significant amount of shrinkage and a smoothening of the usual brain wrinkles.

However, one need not wait for an autopsy to find out whether one is suffering from Alzheimers disease or not. With modern Alzheimers information, one can have an 85 % to 90% accuracy in the diagnosis of the disease. No laboratory tests are done.
Instead, there will be some cognitive tests and with a series of exercises and questions that are crossed checked against other possible sources of dementia. These mental tests done to be able to diagnose Alzheimers help also by letting the physician know at which stage of progression the sufferer may be at.

Individuals with the age of 65 and above are most likely to be at risk of Alzheimers.

Simple Ways to Stop Acid Reflux

Several millions of people are being struck by Acid Reflux disease – adults, children, and even infants cannot escape from its affliction.

Basically, the Acid Reflux or heartburn pertains to the disease caused by upflowing of the acid from the stomach up to the throat.

Scientifically, the process occurs when there is a relaxation that occurs in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing then the stomach juices to flow back into the esophagus.

There are already various conditions that have been connected to this. Several of these are the average persons increase in anxiety, lack of bodily exercise, and unhealthy diet. All of these have sole effect in the bodythe body increase in the production of acid, thus, resulting to Acid Reflux disease.

There are already findings that show wherein the boost in the production of acid in the body can also be connected to kidneys, digestive respiratory and heart disorders as well.

The symptoms of the Acid Relux come in difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, headache, constipation, and insomnia. These are all indications that acids had already invaded the esophagus.

The only way to battle the disease is definitely to reduce the entire amount of body acid. Through this the production of body acid will be corrected, the disorder will be fixed, and so, overturning the sign of the Acid Reflux.

If the repeated occurrence of acid in the esophagus will not be treated immediately, the person affected by this will continually suffer from the extreme pain as it directs to the harsh stage of Acid Reflux, and could probably lead to fatal situation.

Although time was able to establish the numerous medicines which are specially made to treat the disease. Most of them still deal to a serious troubleside effects, costly prices, short-term results, permanent prescriptions.

The issue on the costs of medicinal cure have always been stressing the patients; this is a common scenario, especially for those who are incapable to afford this.

For this reason, there are several ways that have also been practiced to cure the disease. This would only require simple methods which are stress-free in the pocket.

The methods are only simple. Home treatments specifically could correct the body acid imbalance and this are assured to bring an enduring relief.

The primary recommendations for this disease which will not require for a heavy cost is proper diet, in particular, a healthy eating habit and a regular physical exercise.

Believe it or not, chewing gum is advisable to neutralize the acid instantly, and this will bring out an instant relief. Likewise, honey and aloe juices create the same effect, they neutralize the acid in the throat and they are offered in the nearby local stores. All of these are directly equivalent to a medical prescription of a doctor, the sole difference lies in their prices.

Also, try to remove in your diet the drinks that contain caffeine, alcohol beverages, fatty and fried foods, spicy foods, citrus fruits, chocolate. If you think you are totally addicted to them, you can still take them, though only in reasonable quantities.

However, if you are frequently attacked by the symptoms, you have no other choice but to completely get rid of them, or else, the consequences are yours alone.

Now, as you practice your diet, maintain in your habit as well to go to bed when you have already rested for two to three hours after you have eaten your last meal.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

When word Alzheimer’s is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is memory loss. This assumption is correct given that the doctor’s have determined this to be a disorder that usually happens to old folk.

There are many symptoms of Alzheimer’s and doctors often associate it with the seven stages. There is no cause of alarm yet in the first two stages since even the smartest people tend to forget things every so often.

The first two stages may last for four years. However, when this happens more frequently, the patient could already be in the third or fourth stage and this is just going to get worse. A simple example could be if the individual is unable to complete a simple task that was easily done in the past like doing some basic arithmetic.

People will definitely notice the changes. This is the reason some family members take shifts watching over the loved one or get a nurse to watch over the person.

The fifth stage is better known as moderate Alzheimer’s because aside from not being able to recall names or do things without assistance, the individual will become disoriented and may at times get lost.

One precaution often being taken is for the patient to wear an ID card in the neck or placed in the pocket. This contains the name, address and contact person of who should be called when this happens.

The sixth stage of Alzheimer’s is when the person also begins to have mood swings. The patient may be jolly to talking to other people when suddenly everything changes and the attitude is now hostile to whoever is there.

The worse part about the disorder during this stage is that the person will act like a baby. Tantrums may be thrown but the worse part is seeing the patient defecate on his or herself. The caretaker will have to clean up the mess as though the person was an infant and are advised to use adult diapers, which is more convenient when cleaning up the mess.

The seventh stage of Alzheimer’s is not that bad anymore. This is because the body’s systems will slowly shut down. The patient won’t speak or do anything and will usually just stare into space.

It is like the person gave up the will to live. The body may be there but the mind or the soul has gone off to another place.

Anyone who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will have less than 10 years left to live. Doctors only catch on in the third and fourth stages since the symptoms of short-term memory loss are hardly noticeable and often attributed to aging.

What can people do for those who have Alzheimer’s? Unfortunately, there is not that much anyone can do because there is no cure yet for this disorder. There are drugs available that can only slow down the process before it gets worse but those who care are just delaying the inevitable.

Research shows that there are more than four million people in the country that are suffering from this disease. The figure will go higher as the baby boom generation also reaches the same age.

As long as there are drugs that can delay the process, doctors may be able to buy a little more time so that the person may live to see the day that a cure has been made.