Tag: illness

Understanding the Jekyll Hyde Male Menopause Syndrome

Andropause is a condition brought about by low levels of testosterone throughout the man’s body. It normally occurs in men aged 40 years old and above where they experience symptoms similar to women’s menopause. However, changes in men are gradual, characterized by fatigue, changes in moods and attitudes, and loss of physical agility, energy, and sex drive. Studies show that men may even acquire the Jekyll Hyde Syndrome or Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) which can later on affect the people around him.

A lot of people are familiar with the book written by Robert Louis Stevenson entitled Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It speaks about human psyche dealing with the mind of a male in particular. Dr. Henry Jekyll has a life-long pursuit of separating man’s two natures to obtain the essence between evil and good.

Dr. Jekyll superiors and friends refused to help him. However, he succeeded in doing his experiments using his formula, but the results were shocking. Dr. Jekyll’s evil nature, Edward Hyde, surfaces with a separate identity. Hyde starts to murder those people who refuse to support Dr. Jekyll’s cause. From then on, Dr. Jekyll keeps on fighting to control his evil half.

It is really shocking that this transformation could occur with men undergoing andropause. Their attitudes can suddenly change from being once a loving and sensitive person to becoming mean and uncaring. Some wife does complain to their husbands that they completely changed from being Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.

There are pointers to understand in the manifestation of this syndrome. Mostly, men who experience IMS can really change apparently overnight. He could appear so peaceful, loving, and contented but suddenly he freaks out as agitated, mean, and discontented. Other factor which triggers the condition involves a crisis of a relative or close friend. It could also be a difficulty in achieving his real identity since he has different roles such as being a father, a son, a husband, or a friend. This leads to confusion and fear thinking that he has to destroy his old version to move into something new.

IMS has affected a lot of men. It was mentioned earlier that plummeting testosterone levels can cause a man to become withdrawn and irritable which is considered an internal cause. However, external causes also trigger IMS in men. It can include physical injury or illness, or a relationship or job loss. So he thinks that his problems are caused by another person thus complaining more about it. Then he justifies it with anger to release the blame viewing the world via distorted lenses.

But not all men acquired IMS. There are four factors that should come together to develop IMS. It is determined by changes in hormones, brain chemistry, loss of identity, and stress levels. You just can’t easily rate men who are irritable and angry with IMS. They should take the tests to be sure that they have IMS since being irritable and angry are normal.

Men can seek counseling to treat IMS so that they could prevent themselves from becoming Mr. Hyde of course. Men having low levels of testosterone can have testosterone restoration. Right diet and exercise is also significant. Exercising can increase testosterone levels. But keep in mind that low-carb diets are not helpful. Low carbohydrates can lower serotonin levels making men irritable. Remember, understanding IMS and seeking proper help is worth all the effort.

The Condition and more Symptoms of Male Menopause

The condition and the symptoms of male menopause are comparable to the ones women experience and can sometimes be as worse. However male menopause does not affect all men, at least not with the same inclusion. Only some of the men between the age of forty and fifty can experience the condition and most of the symptoms of male menopause.

All the changes that occur in every man during the male menopausal period can affect every aspect of their lives. Male menopause is recognized as a physical condition and manifests in personal, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions.

Men also experience difficulties in hormonal fluctuations that affect their sexuality, mood, and personality like women. It is only one of the manifestations of the aging process of a man, where changes comes and make the person better out of it.

All men going through male menopausal can experience hormonal changes that greatly affect their lives. The levels of hormones will lower at their mid-life and may have changes which are usually associated with male menopausal. It is important to mark that every man has a unique personality and their individual levels of hormonal loss may vary widely. They have different outlook in life and strategies of living with satisfaction.

If the level of hormones lowers, it can be the cause to the decrease in sex drive and the general well being of their health. The occurrence of these things will also lead to the increase of depression and weight gain and absolutely will change the day to day living as compared to their lives before the onset of male menopause.

During the menopausal period, some men can experience problems with regards to impotence. Wherein it is the constant inability to achieve and maintain an erection that is enough to have a satisfactory sexual performance. And because of impotency, men are having lowered sexual desires.

How can a man recognize that he is going through that certain stage in life, the menopausal period? There are some symptoms to be aware of. Some are physical, some are psychological, and some are sexual. The following are the symptoms that a male is going through a male menopausal period.

Physical symptoms of male menopause include:

Recovery from injuries and illness takes longer
Less endurance for physical activity
Gaining weight
Difficulty reading small print
Loss or thinning of hair
Sleep disturbances
Low libido
Lack of energy

Psychological symptoms of male menopause include:

Irritability
Hesitancy or difficulty in making decisions
Worry and fear for life
Depression
Having low self-esteem, self-confidence and joy
Loss of purpose and direction in life
Feeling alone, unattractive, and unloved
Lack of memory and complexity in concentrating
Mood swings

Sexual symptoms of male menopause include:

Decreased sex drive
Fear of sexual impotency
More relationship problems and fights occurs with regards to sex, love, and intimacy
Incapacity to erect during intimacy
Increased of attraction to a much younger opposite sex

All the symptoms that a male can experience during the male menopausal period can be treated. Although men have been suffering from either physical, emotional or sexual symptoms of male menopause, you need to control it not through attempting self-diagnosis but by talking to a doctor, this will lead to being better informed and getting the proper treatment to alleviate the symptoms of the condition.

All About Cavities

Cavities can best be described as tooth decay. As we all know, tooth decay is influenced by what we eat, how we take care of our teeth, and the amount of fluoride in our toothpastes. If your family has a history of tooth disease or teeth problems, then you may inherit it that way. This is very common, as many people inherit tooth problems that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Adults who suffer from a dry mouth are more at risk for cavities, as they have a lack of saliva in their mouth. Dry mouth is very common, and is normally the result of medications, illness, and radiation treatment. Tobacco users will also suffer from dry mouth, as the tobacco will use up the saliva in the mouth and leave the user with nothing to keep his or her mouth moist.

Cavities are a very serious situation, and if left untreated, can result in the destruction of the tooth. This can also destroy the nerves as well, resulting in an abscess. An abscess is very serious, as it infects the root tip. If left untreated, an abscess can result in death. Although you may not realize it, cavities are a very serious matter that can quickly spread to something even more serious.

If you visit your dentist on a regular basis, he will check for cavities. Without visiting the dentist, it is impossible to tell whether or not you have a cavity. Most cavities develop below the gums, and you wont be able to see them. If the cavity exists in the tooth, you will be able to see it, as it will change the color of the affected area. If you notice a color change or a blackened area in your tooth, you should make an appointment with your dentist immediately.

What you eat is a big contributor to cavities. If you eat a lot of sweets or drink a lot of soda, you will be at a higher risk for cavities. Foods that are rich in sugar or starch are eaten by bacteria found in plaque, which will produce acids that eat through teeth. This acid is very harmful to teeth, as it can eat through the dentin and enamel in no time at all. If you dont do something about it, the acid will continue to eat at the tooth until there is nothing left to say – leaving you no choice but to get the tooth extracted.

Over time, the tooth enamel will start to break down beneath the surface of your tooth, even though the surface will appear to be fine. Once the acid has managed to eat away enough of the enamel below the surface, the surface will collapse, which results in a cavity. After this has happened, if you dont get it treated, the tooth will continue to be eaten and the cavity will continue to spread until all of the tooth has been eaten, after which the enamel will be gone and your root will be exposed – which can be very painful.

Cavities will more than likely develop in the pits of chewing areas around the back teeth, between your teeth, or near the gum line. No matter where they occur, the easiest way to spot them is to visit your dentist. Your dentist will be able to do x-rays and find out just how bad they are and tell you what options you have. If you visit him in time, he will be able to save the tooth and stop the cavity before it spreads throughout your tooth.

Psychiatric Evidence of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is a serious mental illness that has eluded doctors for decades. For many years, bipolar disorder patients were diagnosed as psychotic or Schitsophrinia. However, about twenty years ago, manic depression became a more common diagnosis. Psychiatric specialists still, however, did not really understand the illness.

Over time, more psychiatric evidence has come to light that proves that bipolar disorder, as it is now called, is actually caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Other factors, both medical and situational, can be involved as well. In the last few years, psychiatric specialists and researchers have determined that bipolar disorder actually has varying degrees of severity, as well as types of symptoms.

Studies of bipolar patients conducted by psychiatric professionals and researchers has long suggested that bipolar disorder runs in families, or, in other words, is hereditary. Through careful study and research of the functions of the brain, it has now been determined how this illness is indeed hereditary and biological in nature.

According to research posted in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2000, patients with bipolar disorder actually have thirty percent more brain cells of a certain class that have to do with sending signals within the brain. These additional brain cells cause patients’ brains to actually behave differently, making them predisposed to have periods of mania or depression.

According to researchers, this type of brain cell regulates moods, how someone responds to stress, and cognitive functions. When the extra brain cells are present, a congestion of cells regulated one type of mood or cognitive function is overloaded, and therefore causes a bout of mania or depression. It is not yet known by psychiatric researchers, however, why patients with bipolar disorder have these additional brain cells. To discover this, more genetic research will be required.

In addition to brain cells and brain chemistry, it has also been speculated by psychiatric researchers that various genes in the genetic makeup of bipolar patients can also contribute to the cause of and hereditary nature of bipolar disorder. Studies have been ongoing experimenting with removal of the gene in mice. The evidence suggests that circadian genes, which regulate mood, hormones, blood pressure, and heart activity may be linked to bipolar disorder. Specifically, the absence or abnormality of the gene actually seems to bring about mania episodes.

All in all, more research needs to be done. Medical and psychiatric researchers and doctors have a lot more to learn about the brain and how it functions. While current treatments seem to work for bipolar disorder, they also have severe side effects. Often, medications prescribed for bipolar disorder have to be monitored, dosages modified, or medications switched entirely for patients to maintain balance. The more we learn about the brain and it’s functions, the more we can learn about the physical, biological causes of bipolar disorder. The more we learn about the causes of bipolar disorder, the more likely it will become that effective treatments can be found that offer little side effects and more permanent treatment options for bipolar patients.