Tag: Giving Birth

Rheumatoid Arthritis Overview

Rheumatoid Arthritis Overview
L. Hirt & eKnowItAll.com

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects your joints. It can cause swelling, stiffness, pain and loss of function in the joints it affects. Unlike other types of arthritis, it does not usually affect just one joint, but the matching joint on the other side of your body as well. The most commonly affected joints are the wrists and fingers. There are several forms of the disease, ranging from a short period of pain lasting for only a year to severe pain that lasts many years or an entire lifetime. SymptomsSymptoms can vary from person to person, but there are several features of the disease that often occur:Tender, swollen and warm joints often in the wrist or fingers Pain affecting the same joints on both sides of your bodyInflammation in other joints such as the knees or hipsProlonged periods of pain and stiffness, after long periods of rest or after waking upOccasional fevers, fatigue, and an overall feeling of not being wellFactors Increasing the Risk of Rheumatoid ArthritisRheumatoid arthritis can be hereditary, and can result from having specific genes that control your immune system. Several genes play a role in whether a person develops the disease, and how severely they are afflicted. Genetics, however, is not the only factor.It is believed that certain events trigger the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in people already susceptible to it because of their genes. The most likely causes are bacterial or viral infections.Women are more likely to develop the disease than men, and their hormone levels may affect the onset of the disease. For example, pregnancy often lessens the severity of the disease, while flare-ups often occur after giving birth.The Basics of Rheumatoid ArthritisJoints, where two bones connect, are normally surrounded by a protective and supportive capsule. The capsule surrounds the joint and the cartilage between the bones. Healthy joints have a lining of a tissue called synovium and produce a fluid that both nourishes and lubricates the bones and cartilage. In people with rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system produces white blood cells that attack the synovium. This causes the inflammation consistent with arthritis, and makes the joint swollen and painful. Once the disease develops, the inflamed synovium actually attacks the joint and its bone and cartilage, working to destroy it. Eventually, the muscles around the joint become too weak to support it properly, causing often severe pain and joint damage. Common TreatmentsNo matter what treatment doctors and patients choose, the goal is always to stop pain and inflammation, prevent further damage to joints and allow the person to function normally.Dealing with the Disease:Splints can be used to support an affected joint, letting it rest. This will reduce swelling and pain. Other simple tools can make daily tasks easier for people with the disease. For example, patients may use special devices to help them get in and out of bed.A healthy blend of rest and exercise is also important. Doctors suggest getting more exercise while the disease is not severe, and getting more rest when attacks flare-up. Exercise improves flexibility, muscle strength, and joint mobility, while also contributing to the patients overall well-being. When resting, it is best to rest for short periods, rather than taking long naps.To reduce the stress involved in coping with the disease, patients can utilize relaxation techniques, regular exercise, and support groups. Eating a balanced diet also contributes to overall well-being.Medication and SurgeryMost people with rheumatoid arthritis take some form of medication. Types include those to relieve pain, to reduce inflammation and to slow the onset of the disease. Common drugs include Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirins. The most effective treatments often include a combination of more powerful medications.Surgery can be performed to reduce pain and improve joint function and daily life. Common surgeries include joint replacement, tendon reconstruction, and synovectomy, in which doctors remove the inflamed synovial tissue. This is done only as part of other reconstructive surgery.For all patients, regular doctor visits, and routine blood and other laboratory tests are important and should be made on a regular basis. About the Author
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Process More Difficult with Back Pain Pregnancy

Though extremely common, back pain during pregnancy must not be accepted as a normal consequence of the process. Pregnancy in itself is a hard dealing, when back pain is added to the pains that generally cover this period of a woman’s life, it can make pregnancy severely painful especially during delivery. The symptoms of back pain must be immediately addressed once they manifest and must be carefully managed throughout the process.

Chronic back pain during pregnancy is the sign of post partrum back pain or the pain felt after giving birth. This is reason enough why women of this case must seek immediate medical attention for proper treatment before the pain aggravates. Likewise, post partrum pain must be checked and observed cautiously to see if it lasts longer than 8 weeks. If it does, treatments and therapies must be immediately employed to avoid longer duration of recurring attacks.

Types of back pain during pregnancy

Around 80% of women undergo back pain some time during their pregnancy. Symptoms may indicate either chronic (or attacks that usually last for more than three months) and acute (that lasts or several weeks to less than three months).

Studies point out that back pain during pregnancy is most likely to occur during the fifth or the seventh month of pregnancy. As it may be observed, this is the period when the womb bulges, enough to create additional heavy load to the woman. However, there are cases when back pain may activate as early as the 8th and 12th week. Women who are naturally prone to back pains and are at greater risks to developing back pain during pregnancy and may show some sings in the earliest stages.

For pregnant women, they may experience either one of the two types of back pain or a combination of both: lumbar pain (lower back pain) and posterior pelvic pain. Both pains are experienced at the lower back bone but may be different from that of the labor pain (which is also felt at the lower back).

Lumbar back pain during pregnancy may be closely compared with that of the typical back pain for nonpregnant women. The pain is focused at the above section of the body following the waist. And tenderness on the muscles around the spine may be observed. Posterior pelvic pain on the other hand is felt at the lower section of the waistline and is more prevalently experienced by women as compared with the lumbar pain. Pain in the pelvic area may be felt on one side alone or on both sides. Posterior pelvic pain last for quite sometime and resting may not resolve this pain easily.

Both types of back pain during pregnancy is linked to the changes a woman experiences during the said period.

Mio Heart Rate Monitor Story

Aiming to have the best heart rate monitor that would give the best, most practical, and most comfortable, the founder of Mio surpasses what the present technology in her time provides.

Mio, from the Italian word which means mine was founded by Liz Dickinson in 1999. The foundation was prompted by the necessity to have a heart rate monitor that would give her the best result in maintaining her normal weight after giving birth. She realized that the best way to have her weight back was to be conscious about the food she eats and the level of exercise she would take. Actually, Liz realized this after she gave birth to her third child. While she aimed to achieve this, the market had yet to have the suitable product that would answer this.

Since, there was no time to read product level on eat food she buys, there was a great need to what she thought a device that would lessen the worry and reduce the time wasted on check what food to buy and what s not. Not only that. Thought that the regular strap heart rate monitor was too uncomfortable to wear and an alternative must eliminate the strap.

The result was the creation of Mios first strapless heart rate monitor. This was also the worlds first strapless heart rate monitor to be produced and marketed. But that did not stop there. Mio also created the calorie management system that provides the straightforward approach in managing the diet with the use of calorie intake monitoring. The result was pretty much expected. Liz was able to discard those unnecessary pounds and had gained the advantages of improved health and fitness condition. This gave her less stress, more vitality, and more energy.

The Mio heart rate monitor is able to provide an accurate on-demand heart beat reading. Since it is strapless Mio heart rate monitor is more comfortable and easy to wear without the need to have a belt strap around the users chest. The Mio heart rate monitor also removes the probable risk of taking inaccurate reading since improper wearing of the belt can give user wrong heart rate reading.

Mio heart rate monitor also has several features that are surely functional. Some of which include the readings on the maximum, minimum and average heart rate. It includes the length of the whole exercise with summary of heart progress and activity.

Mio continuous to innovate, improve and release unique heart rate monitors in the market.

An Increase or Decrease of Estrogen can Cause Hair Loss

An Increase or Decrease of Estrogen can Cause Hair Loss

Are you avoiding the mirror everyday? Are you afraid to see how you look because of your hair? Are you suffering from thinning hair or baldness? Do you know the possible reasons why such problems are happening to you? If you do, then perhaps it can be recovered or better yet be prevented.

There are many probable causes of hair loss. For instance, there is high fever, serious disease, pregnancy, too much stress, and the most common, estrogen deficiency all of which can cause you to have hair loss. The best way to do to prevent further hair loss is to protect the remaining strands of your hair. Hair loss to women can be temporary while to men it can be permanent.

Estrogen hair loss is a form of hair loss caused by an increase or decrease in estrogen. Men and women are both prone to having hair loss since this is present in both of them.

In men, hair loss is the result of the malfunctioning of prostate glands. The prostate can start to make overly big quantities of the hormone called the DHT. This is a destructive form of testosterone and estrogen, which causes the follicles of the hair to reduce in size and avoid new hair growth.

Luckily, women with estrogen hair loss are considered in a better situation. For women, this is a seldom problem that happens. Hair loss in women normally happens after giving birth. However, it may also happen during the teenage years, pregnancy and menopause.

This is because of the decrease or increase of estrogen level in a womans body. For instance, after giving birth, the level of estrogen of a woman decreases. This makes her susceptible to the side effects of the estrogen in her body. In this way, it can cause hair follicles to reduce in number and it can be the start of hair loss. The hair loss will stop once the hormones of the woman return to its normal state.

Since hair loss is sometimes temporary in most women, it can be cured with shampoos that are intended to revert hair loss. However, men suffering the same problem can choose to have hair restoration methods like hair replacement surgeries. The reason for such option is that hair loss is usually lasting in men.

Men are possible to loss his hair completely from estrogen hair loss. For a man, this can be a very serious problem and it should be given adequate attention or concern immediately.

Remember, there should be no man or woman who should suffer from hair loss because of estrogen. There are many treatments available. You should opt for one if you have estrogen hair loss to keep a beautiful mane of hair.