Tag: infections

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Charlene J. Nuble

A shooting pain in the knee. A burning sensation in the hand. Before you know it, you have rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks normal tissues as if they were invading antibodies. Rheumatoid arthritis also causes inflammation of the tissues around the joints and other organs of the body. The hands and feet are the most affected areas of rheumatoid arthritis although it can also affect any joint lined by a membrane. Rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systematic illness and sometimes called rheumatoid disease.Rheumatoid arthritis manifests itself over a period of a few months. However, for some, the disease appears overnight. Accelerated onset of rheumatoid arthritis does not mean the individual is at greater risk of the progression of the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis can lasts for years without symptoms. But rheumatoid arthritis is an illness that progresses and has the potential to cause joint destrution and functional disability. Usually, patients suffer cycles from severe to light symptoms. In terms of statistics, rheumatoid arthritis is three times more common in women than in men. It also besets people of all races equally. Rheumatoid arthritis can begin at any age but most often start in the early forties. What causes rheumatoid arthritis? The truth is, its cause is still unknown. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi have long been suspected but none has been proven to be the cause. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis has been the focus of different research activities. There are some scientists who believe that the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may be genetically inherited while others believe that certain factors in the environment might elicit the immune system to attack the body’s own tissue components. This attack results to the inflammation in various organs such as lungs or eyes. Researchers have also found that environmental factors may also play a role in the cause of rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, scientists reported that smoking tobacco increases risk in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis depend on the degree of tissue inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis is said to be active if the body tissues are inflammed. When the tissue inflammation subsides, rheumatoid arthritis is said to be in remission. Remissions may happen spontaneously or with treatment and can last for weeks, months, even years. During active rheumatoid arthritis, symptoms are felt. Symptoms may include fatigue, lack of appetite, low grade fever, and muscles and joint aches. Muscles and joint stiffness are usually felt during mornings and after a period of inactivity. During relapses (from inactivity to activity) of rheumatoid arthritis, joints become red, swollen, painful, and tender. This happens because the tissue lining of the joints become inflamed which results in the excess production of joint fluids. Multiple joints are usually inflamed in symmetrical pattern and the joints of both hands and wrists are often affected. Simple tasks such as turning the door knob and opening the jars can be painful. Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the joint responsible for the tightening of vocal cords to change the tone of the voice although rarely. But when this happens, it can cause hoarseness of the voice. As mentioned before, rheumatoid arthritis is a systematic disease which can affect organs and areas of the body other than the joints. Sjorgen’s syndrome is the inflammation of the glands of the eyes and mouth which causes dryness. Rheumatoid inflammation of the lung lining can cause chest pains because the lung tissue itself is inflamed and nodules of inflammation also develop within the lungs. Rheumatoid arthritis can also reduce the number of red blood cells which can result to anemia and white blood cells which can result to increase risk of infections. A rare, serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis is blood vessel inflammation which can impair blood supply to tissues and lead to death of tissues. A rheumatologist is a doctor who specializes in arthritis and other related diseases. The rheumatologist reviews the history of symptoms, examines the joints, and the other parts of the body for the inflammation. The diagnosis is usually based on the pattern of symptoms, the distribution of the inflamed joints, and the blood and x-rays obtained. Until now, there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Reducing joint inflammation and pain, maximizing joint function, and preventing joint destruction is the current goal in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Early medical intervention has been found to improve outcomes in treatment. Optimal treatment includes combination of medications, joint strengthening exercises, joint protection, and patient education. Treatment is customized according to many factors such as disease activity, types of joints involved, general health, age, and occupation. But treatment is most successful when there is close cooperation between the doctor and the patient.————————-Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.————————- About the Author
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about arthritis, please go to: http://arthritis.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Ear Infections in Children

Middle ear infection is a very common problem faced by children. Even infants below two years could face this problem. Infection in the ear is caused by germs and viruses. They enter the human body and grow to cause infection, affecting the normal functioning of the body. Similarly, germs can enter the ears. Depending on the location of infection, the infections are named. The human ear can be divided into the inner part, middle part and outer part. When the outer ear is infected by germs, the infection is known as swimmers ear. When the inner part of the ear gets infected, it is called middle ear infection. The germs infect the middle portion of the ear and fill that area with pus or a yellow gooey liquid. This liquid has cells which fight germs. The middle part of the ear is shaped in the form of a tiny air pocket. It is located at the back of the eardrum. And when the pus begins to fill in this area, the ear feels like a filled balloon which is on the verge of popping. This feeling is really painful.

The throat is connected to the middle portion of the ear through a channel known as Eustachian tube and in fact middle portions of both the ears are connected to the throat by two Eustachian tubes. The job of these tubes is to allow the free movement of air, from the middle ear, in and out direction. Infants below three years have less developed and smaller Eustachian tubes and therefore are less capable of keeping germs completely out of the middle ear. As the child grows, so do the Eustachian tubes and the more capable they are of keeping germs outside, but they still face some problem.

Usually kids, who have allergic problems and catch cold very frequently, are more prone to get ear infections. When the child gets cold, the Eustachian tube gets obstructed which allow germs to get into the middle ear. And the germs which gain entry, multiply rapidly resulting in a middle ear infection.

The child gets a fever along with the ear pain. Some even find it difficult to hear because of the blockage. Middle ear infection is not contagious, but the cold caught from others can eventually result in an ear infection. The sooner the doctor is contacted, the better for the child and the rest of the family members. The doctor will check the ear with the help of an otoscope. It is a special flashlight which makes the eardrum visible. The eardrum is a thin membrane separating the outer ear from the middle ear. The otoscope can also be used to blow a puff of air into the ear. This determines whether the ear drum is functioning normally and is moving in a healthy way or not. Because of the puss formation due to the infection, the fluid will press against the ear drum and may even make it to bulge. Also, the eardrum can turn red because of the infection.

The doctor will prescribe a pain reliever to be taken for the next two days. Antibiotics will be prescribed if the infection is caused because of bacteria, which will end the infection within a couple of days. Incase, the doctor recommends an antibiotic, the cycle must be completed as told by the doctor, otherwise there can be a possibility of re-infection. Few children who get ear infections frequently will have to undergo other tests such as tympanogram and audiogram.

Children can take some steps to avoid ear infection. They must wash their hands regularly. They must keep away from people who are infected with cold. And if they do come near or in contact with an infected person, they should wash their hands and should not touch their eyes or nose. Parents, who smoke, should not do it near the kid as the tobacco smoke can be responsible for the malfunctioning of the Eustachian tube.

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Manifestations of Arthritis

Manifestations of Arthritis
Amanda Baker

One of the most common conditions in the United States today is
a debilitating inflammatory disease that affects our joints. It
is estimated that there are over 100 different forms of this
disease and over 40 million people suffer from one form or
another.

Though typically thought to be an affliction of the aging,
arthritis can affect anyone at any time, and with all of the
different forms, each with their own symptoms, it could be hard
to determine just what type of arthritis an individual is
suffering from.

The signs and symptoms of arthritis are varied, though some of
the first symptoms are familiar and easy to recognize. Symptoms
such as general pain or swelling around the joints, an increased
stiffness in the joints in the morning, a cracking sound in the
knees when standing, and joints with a red appearance that feel
warm to the touch are all signs of arthritis.

However, before you rush to purchase an over-the-counter
arthritis treatment, you should talk to your doctor. Your doctor
is the only one who will be able to tell you what form of
arthritis you may have and how to treat it.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of
arthritis that plagues sufferers. It affects the joints and is a
systemic disease that can affect other organs. Rheumatoid
arthritis symptoms tend to disappear after sometime, but the
problem is still there. The true cause of rheumatoid arthritis
is presently unknown, though many suggest that things such as
infections, fungi, or bacteria are the culprits. However, there
are also those that believe that rheumatoid arthritis is
hereditary. Painful and swollen joints are a common warning sign
of rheumatoid arthritis, followed by muscle pain, extreme
fatigue, redness and warmth at the joints, even a low grade
fever and appetite loss.

Next to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is a common
affliction, caused by breaking down of joint cartilage.
Osteoarthritis commonly begins in one joint and typically only
affects the one joint. It does not move to internal organs.
Osteoarthritis commonly affects the knees, hips, hands, and
spine. By the time the pain starts setting in for an
osteoarthritis sufferer, the damage to the affected joint
cartilage could be considerable.

Relieving pain from a form of arthritis can be as simple as
over-the-counter or prescription medication. However, in the
most severe cases, surgery may be necessary. Being overweight
can also play a role in arthritis. Some physicians believe that
a change in diet can ease the pain of arthritis, though there is
a lot of debate on the topic. Regardless, you should speak to
your doctor who can tell you just what form of arthritis you may
have, and what treatment options may work best for you.

About the author:
Amanda Baker writes for http://tobeinformed.com – a website for
health, fitness and wellness information.

Understanding Toothaches

As we all know, toothaches are the result of several different factors. The pain that stems from a toothache is always apparent, normally in the form of throbbing. The pain will normally intensify as time goes by, when you eat, lay down, or drink hot/cold liquids. Toothaches are very painful, and it may seem that no matter what you do – it seems to hurt more.

In the dental world, toothaches can include such things as cavities, infections or abscess in the teeth or gums, debris that has been trapped between the teeth and gums, and trauma to the face, teeth, or the jaw. Sometimes, toothaches can result from medical conditions and have nothing to do with dental. In most cases, if the problem goes without being checked, it can lead to serious trouble and maybe even become a life threatening situation.

Normally, when you have a toothache, youll experience tremendous pain. The pain will stem from the affected tooth or the jaw, and youll know it almost immediately. It will start out to be a throbbing pain, then continue to get worse and worse until you get it treated. If you wait too long and allow the infection to spread throughout the tooth, youll end up having to get it pulled or cut out.

Anytime you start to experience a toothache, you shouldnt hesitate to make an appointment with your dentist to have it checked. Sometimes, getting an appointment when your tooth starts hurting is easier said than done. Even though you may be able to use certain products to stop the pain, the pain will always come back until you get the problem fixed. A toothache will always come back, until you get the tooth taken care of.

If you visit your dentist in time and he catches the problem early, he may be able to save your tooth. Normally, this will result in a filling, crown, or root canal, although you wont have to have the tooth removed. Dentists always look to save teeth, as they dont like to remove a tooth unless they absolutely have to. If the tooth has become abscessed, the dentist will put you on antibiotics such as penicillin until the infection has subsided enough to remove the tooth.

Throughout our lives, most of us will experience the pain and agony of a toothache at some point. A toothache can be the worst pain you have ever felt in your life, especially if you are feeling the pain of an abscess. If youve never had a toothache, you should consider yourself lucky. Those who have had toothaches though, will tell you that the pain is something you never want to experience – it will make you feel as if your whole world is falling apart.