Tag: disorders

Male Menopause: Symptoms and Treatment

The term “male menopause” is used to refer to the condition of men who have hormone levels drop after mid-life.

Male menopause is a subject of controversy in the medical society. In the case of women, menopause is related with the termination of a bodily operation, like when the monthly menstruation periods stop. Also, a critical drop in the hormone levels in women occurs along with menopause. For these reasons, doctors are debating on whether male menopause really exists.

In the case of men in their middle and elderly years, smaller quantities of testosterone are being created by the testicles. This is believed to be the underlying reasons behind the occurrence of symptoms of male menopause.

Men with menopause usually suffer from irritability, sleep disturbance, low sex drive, sweating, anxiety, sadness, memory problems, and erectile dysfunction.

In most cases, erectile dysfunction may be caused by other disorders. But testosterone deficiency may be one possibility.

It is important that men who suffer from symptoms related to low levels of testosterone be subjected to medical investigations like blood tests to evaluate testosterone levels.

Other reasons for having short testosterone levels include testicular dysfunction and probable inherited features.

As a treatment, hormone replacement therapy is being recommended for men with low levels of testosterone and symptoms that come with it.

Hormone replacement may not be applicable to older men who seek treatment for their erectile dysfunction unless they actually have very minimal levels of androgen. As for younger men with known hormone deficiency, it has been proven that nominal doses of testosterone can improve interest in sex.

Testosterone replacement therapy, which is also called as androgen replacement therapy, aims to reduce the symptoms brought about by male menopause. This method is a lifelong treatment, since testosterone deficiency is generally a permanent condition.

Testosterone replacement therapy is usually given as an oral prescription, implants, or injections.

The injection of testosterone is usually carried out once every two weeks.

The oral drugs are especially prescribed to those who can’t stand injections or implants.

The testosterone implants, which are being inserted under the skin of the buttock or abdomen work for a period of months. The implant works by releasing testosterone directly into the bloodstream.

Androgen therapy, however, comes with potential side effects and risks.

With low testosterone levels, the prostate tends to shrink. Hormone replacement therapy cannot recover a physically reduced prostate since it does not have influence in the levels of prostate specific antigen.

Androgen therapy may not be a cause of increased risk of prostate cancer for those who have naturally greater testosterone levels in the same age bracket.

On the other hand, the safety of hormone replacement therapy and its possible effects on the prostate, mental functioning, and cardiovascular system still need to undergo proper researches. Moreover, there is also a need to assess the probable benefits of androgen therapy on the bones and muscles.

Androgen therapy is said to increase the risk of heart diseases, although researches on this subject are uncertain. It is a known fact, however, that those with low testosterone levels have been found among heart attack victims. This opens the possibility that hormone replacement therapy could help prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Older men undiagnosed of prostate cancer should also take caution when being applied with androgens.

Sleep apnea, or the cessation of breathing during sleep, is also considered as a rare risk with hormone therapy.

Keeping A Healthy Brain While You Age

An active mind is a healthy mind, so keeping your mind sharp is a good portion of aging well and living a better life as you grow older. If you continue to challenge and engage your brain with activities such as continued learning and healthy dieting you can maintain your healthy brain. Some activities like completing daily crossword puzzles or learning a hobby, or maybe exploring a new language will add content and continued exercise of the brain. Expanding your horizons daily and engaging in activities that require you to think on your feet and assess information quickly and accurately will make a world of difference as you grow older. Sometimes it may take a little more effort than it used to require, but continuing to stretch your brain muscles will definitely pay off in good memory and cognitive skills.

If you are interested in maintaining brain health in the later years of life and continuing to keep your mind sharp, then listen up. Brain masses shrink a little as you get into your sixties, with some areas shrinking more than others like the frontal lobe which is the area of the brain that handles mental abilities, and the hippocampus where memories are formed. Thinning of the brain in the area of the cortex, and decreases in white matter are some reasons why brain disorders occur in the elderly. Changes in these areas are what slow down the cognitive processing which handle decision making, problem solving, and attention. All of which have a tendency to fade as you grow older, unlessyou continue to exercise these areas by forming new memories daily and allowing for a good intake of new information. With this said, aging is not a decline of brain activity. In fact the brain grows stronger and sharper as long as you continue to use it. For example; if you were an avid reader in your younger years and you continue to be a voracious reader into your golden years the rate of speed that you read and the amount of information that you are able to process as you read will increase as in practice makes perfect, you are actually getting better with time. Most of our abilities normally get better with time, including wisdom and problem solving skills. Keep in mind that other illnesses and ailments may contribute to any decline in the normal activity in the brain.

Simple things, like more formal education, can contribute to intellectual stimulation of the brain and may ever strengthen the brain cell networks to help in preventing mental function damage. Physical activity has always been know to have positive effects on the brain and brain functioning. Getting into an aerobic regime is the best for continued brain health as oxygen is free flowing and throughout the body and is particularly beneficial to the brains proper functioning. Having a good sense of self and knowing that the things that you do in life make a difference and believing that you are contributing to the common good has shown to reduce cognitive decline in older adults.

So to slow down the effects of the degenerative parts of the brain it would be wise to learn to concentrate and make an honest effort to pay attention. Stay organized and dont rush, so that you are able to focus on the tasks that you are attempting. The all time favorite is repetition. Also, try your best to stay as stress free as possible as tension causes some types of memory lapses. Those senior moments can turn into senior memories if you continue to exercise your brain. So do whatever it takes to preserve your mental agility, and keep happy even as you enter your older years. When you look at the attitudes of older people, you see either depressed people, or extremely happy and satisfied people. Try to leave yourself in the latter category.

What Can Raise Your Blood Pressure?

Are you concerned about what might increase your blood pressure? There are quite a few things that can factor in to raising your blood pressure. Luckily you can fix many of these with a few lifestyle changes.

If you do not watch your blood pressure frequently, you might not even be aware that you have it. It can creep up on you or just increase over the years. It all depends on many different factors.

If you are overweight you are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. You might already know this and you might not. If this is the case for you, consult your doctor and see what he might recommend for you. Losing at least ten pounds can significantly lower your blood pressure.

An unhealthy diet or lack of physical activity or exercise can also put you at risk for high blood pressure. Try to exercise at least thirty minutes a day even if you have to space the time out. Eating less salt and more vegetables and fruits can help lower your blood pressure as well. Try to incorporate this into your present diet and you will see the results rather quickly.

Stress plays a huge factor in high blood pressure and unfortunately everyone is stressed at some point in their lives. If you deal with a high amount of stress, consider relaxation techniques. Do whatever you can that you know will calm you down and help relieve stress.

Using tobacco and alcohol raise your blood pressure. If you use either of these consider quitting. If you are unable to quit right away, limit your consumption of alcohol and use of tobacco. There are many over the counter and prescription products to help rid your self of these habits. Talk with your doctor of any concerns you might have.

Medical conditions also factor into high blood pressure along with your lifestyle. Kidney disease can result in high blood pressure as well as cause it. Sleeping disorders that interrupt your breathing during sleep will also raise your blood pressure. Talking with your doctor about your condition could benefit your disorder along with your blood pressure.

Certain medications and drugs can also raise your blood pressure. Certain types of anti-depressants will do this as well as certain cold medicines. Be aware of oral contraceptives, nasal decongestants, anorexia drugs and steroids. These can possibly raise your blood pressure as well so talk with your doctor before taking any of them if you are concerned.

While you can control most of the factors that raise your blood pressure there are some you cannot. For instance your race; African Americans are more prone to high blood pressure, people over fifty-five are at a higher risk, and your family history can play a role in your blood pressure as well. While you cannot control these factors you can easily try to help decrease your risk. Watch your diet, exercise, lifestyle habits, etc. Over time this may be very beneficial to you.

High blood pressure can cause strokes and even heart and kidney diseases. Leading a healthier life style can help you live longer and enjoy your time in a healthy state. Talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns you may have concerning your blood pressure. It is never too late to take control.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Adolescents

Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD starts from adolescence onwards. OCD is feeling of strong obsessions and compulsions which result in intense discomfort and affects daily functioning. Obsessions are thoughts which are persistent and recurrent. They even include unwanted images and impulses which lead to distress and anxiety. These feelings and thoughts are usually irrational or unrealistic. Compulsions are repetitive rituals or behavior such as checking something again & again, or mental acts such as counting. These obsessions & compulsions cause intense distress and anxiety and can interfere with the daily activities, relationships, social activities and academic functioning. The person with OCD thinks that he has no control over his actions. OCDs are relapsing and chronic illness.

The thoughts change as the adolescent grows. Younger children suffering from OCD often have thoughts of harm befalling on them and their family such as thief getting into the house through an unlocked door. This will make the children to recheck the door and windows again and again fearing that they might have left the door unlocked accidentally. Teenagers suffering from OCD fear that they might get fall sick due to germs, contaminated food and AIDS. The adolescent develops certain rituals, such as washing hands innumerable times, in order to get over the fear. These rituals help them to think that they have overcome the problem for the time being and give them temporary relief. If they do not perform these rituals, they become more and more anxious.

OCD is a sign of brain circuitrys unusual functioning and it involves the striatum part of the brain. The brain activity patterns of such people differ from normal people and people with other mental disorders. Researchers have concluded that OCD is usually a family problem and is a disorder of the brain. Streptococcal bacterial infection can create or worsen the condition of OCD. Adolescents with no family history of OCD can also develop it. Most of the adolescents feel embarrassed to talk about their OCDs. They think that people will label them as crazy and this will make them feel ashamed. This will make it difficult for the parents to talk to their children about their OCD, in order to solve them. Parents need to develop good communication skills for this purpose. Parents support is also very important to the adolescent. Cooperation is extremely important along with treatment, because if the problem is not treated the adolescent will grow into a disturbed adult.

Most of the adolescents with OCD can receive effective treatment. The treatment can include psychotherapy and intake of medications such as fluoxetine, clomipramine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline and other serotonin reuptake inhibitors. When OCD is caused due to streptococcal infection, the adolescent can be administered with antibiotics to kill the bacterium which is causing it. Exposure and response prevention behavioral therapy is very useful in solving OCD. In this therapy, the adolescent is wontedly exposed to his/her fears which give him/her obsessive thought. After that he/she is trained to avoid these thoughts and the rituals which he/she carries out to tackle the anxiety.

An adolescent having OCD can also have depression, substance abuse, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, and other types of anxiety disorders. When a person with OCD and other mental illness, is treated, OCD becomes more difficult to treat and even diagnose.

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