Tag: pain

Types Of Dental Teeth Fractures

Fractures are a common thing in the world of dentistry. Fractures or cracks occur with all ages, although they are more present in those above the age of 25. They can be very painful, hard to diagnose, yet sometimes easy to treat. There are several types of fractures, which we will look at below.

The first type of crack is known as an oblique supragingival fracture. This fracture is found above the gums, and normally happens when you bite down too hard on something. Normally, this fracture doesnt involve the nerve. Once the fractured area of the tooth breaks off, the pain will go away. Although the exposed dentin may cause you some pain, you can visit the dentist and have it repaired. If the fracture is large, you may need to have a crown placed on the tooth to prevent further fractures from occurring in that tooth.

The second type of crack exceeds way below the gum line, and is known as an oblique subgingival fracture. Once the fractured piece of tooth breaks off, it normally remains attached to the gums and cause result in terrible pain until you get it removed. Once you have had the piece of tooth removed from the gums, the tooth will be similar to the supragingival fracture. It normally doesnt affect the nerves, although as a result of the tooth area being lost, you may need to have a root canal to clean out the tooth before having a crown put on it.

The seriousness of this fracture depends on how far it has went beyond the gum line. If it has made its way deep into the gum line, you may not be able to save the tooth. The crack can be present for many years, before you start to feel any pain. To be on the safe side, you should go to your regular checkups with your dentist, as he can check for cracks and other problems.

The oblique root fracture is next, although it doesnt involve the tooth crown at all. This type of fracture is almost always found below the gums, normally under the bone. If a root fracture is found near the crown of the tooth, it will normally prove to be fatal. Sometimes, you can save the tooth with a root canal, even though it is normally lost later on due to an abscess of the bone that surrounds the fracture.

The last type of fracture is the most difficult to deal with. Vertical apical root fractures occur with the tip of the root, and can cause you severe to intense pain, even if youve had the nerve removed with a root canal. Even though the nerve may not be present, vertical apical root fractures cause a lot of pain, which occurs in the tooth.

Normally, vertical apical fractures will cause you more pain than any other type of fracture. The resulting pain comes from the fragments putting pressure on the bone, causing the fractured pieces to strain. Just about the only way to get relief from this type of fracture is to get a root canal, as it will ease the pain and get the dead pulp out of the tooth thats affected with the fracture.

Even though fractures are very common and very painful, you should never put off going to the dentist. Fractures can become more and more serious if you dont do something about them, which is why you should never hesitate to go to the dentist. Your dentist will be able to diagnose the problem, and fix it before it has the chance to get any worse.

Learn about arthritis and how it can affect you

Learn about arthritis and how it can affect you
Dr Leong Y.H

‘Rheumatism’ is a traditional and non-specific term used in the East and West to refer to a variety of conditions affecting the bones, joints, skin, heart, kidneys, lungs. This term is rapidly falling out of favour in the West today because modern medical science has discovered that most of these conditions have different aetiologies (causes) requiring very different treatments.
You can say that it’s a word mainly used in Chinese (& traditional) societies; it’s also used by a minority of Westerners into homeopathic and alternative medicine. The only common characteristics among these conditions are: 1) they cause long-term chronic pain, and 2) they are very difficult to treat.
‘Arthritis’ is a broad term refers to inflammation of the joints, but doesn’t say anything about the cause. Includes conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, infective arthritis, gouty arthritis, etc.
Generally, I’d divide arthritis into 2 big groups:
1) Osteoarthritis (OA)
This is primarily a ‘wear and tear’ condition affecting older people. Arises from overuse (e.g. marathon runners), previous injuries (football players), overweight, heredity.
A lot of older Asian women get OA of the knees while the Americans and Europeans get it in the hips. The pain is more mechanical than inflammatory. So you get pain in the later part of the day after a lot of walking and climbing stairs.
Because it’s mainly a mechanical problem, treatment with painkillers is only a temporary solution. Long-term lifestyle changes are more important – reduce weight, mobility and muscle-strengthening exercises, reduce all kinds of weight-bearing activities (walking, jumping, running, carrying heavy objects). In severe cases, surgery may be warranted.

2) Inflammatory (‘Rheumatic’) Arthritis
This group comprises the various types of arthritis which are mainly inflammatory , not mechanical, in nature. They usually result from an auto-immune condition, which causes the body’s immune system to go haywire and attack the joints and other parts of the body. E.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA), SLE (skin, kidneys, joints, brain), psoriasis (skin, joints), ankylosing spondylitis (back, heart), gout (joints, skin, kidneys), rheumatic heart disease/fever (joints, heart, skin). All these conditions require different forms of treatment.
I’ll talk a bit about RA, the commonest condition in this group. Unlike OA, RA can occur at any age and is usually hereditary (we now have a test for the RA factor in the blood). Pain is usually in the early morning, worse when it’s cold, and gets better with activity and use. That means an RA sufferer suffers from morning stiffness and pain, but gets better in the afternoon when it’s warmer and when he has moved around a bit.
Treatment, unlike OA, is mainly through drugs – painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs like steroids, cytotoxic drugs like sulfasalazine and MTX.
In Asia, treatment is mainly through accupuncture, medicated plasters and ointments. With the vast arsenals of drugs and non-drugs alternative treatments available today, RA can be controlled very well and the sufferer can actually lead a very active life. Many OA sufferers on the other hand may eventually require surgery since we don’t have very effective drugs for OA. About the Author
Dr Leong is a Western trained doctor with a keen interest in Chinese medical treatment. He contributes articles to http://www.quick-pain-relief.com. This article may be republished provided acknowledgement is made of the author and the original website.

New Advanced Treatment For Fibroids

Uterine artery emobilization (UAE) is a minimal invasive procedure aimed at shrinking fibroids in women diagnosed with having fibroids. Rather than removing them surgically, the procedure shrinks the fibroids avoiding hysterectomy or myomectomy (removal of the fibroids alone) to eliminate symptoms such as pelvic pain and/or heavy bleeding.

Although an attractive alternative to a hysterectomy to treat fibroids, AEU prevents the need to go through the pains following a hysterectomy. because a hysterectomy is the cure to fibroids. The fibroids will definitely not come back as there will no longer be a place for the fibroids to grow. Specially trained doctors use imaging techniques to see inside the uterus while guiding a narrow tube through blood vessels. The UAE procedure then shrinks the fibroid eliminating all of its blood supply. Plastic particles are then injected into the arteries to plug them perfectly blocking the blood supply. However, this procedure is not full proof as the possibility of the fibroids growing back or in other places is not diminished making more surgery necessary if they return. AEU effectively spares the uterus and cuts down on hospital time, and recovery is fairly fast.

Other options to remove fibroids include Hysteroscopy resection, which use electric currents shaving the fibroid from the uterus breaking them into pieces which can then be removed through the vagina. There is some concern in this procedure that particles from the pieces may enter other organs and affect them in a negative manner. But for women the procedure that does not require surgery is most sought after for fibroid removal and avoidance of hysterectomy. AEU is very effective and rarely is there any complications and usually results in a lighter menstrual bleeding and pelvic pressure that causes pain. The only reportable side effects following surgery is nausea, committing, and some mild cramping for a limited amount of time making this the most cost and time effective procedure available today.

If you think that this procedure might be an attractive choice for you, then you should consult your doctor and ask about options with local surgeons. Most hospitals now offer this treatment because of its effectiveness, but some seem to be stuck in the past. You also need to find out whether or not your particular fibroids are operable using this method, since some cases make it too complicated or difficult to do.

Many women have for several years debated the idea that hysterectomy is the only option for women with fibroid problems prompting doctors to look to alternative measures. It is important to know that there are other options available and each one should be examined carefully before a decision is made to have a hysterectomy. The location, size, number of fibroids and activity of the fibroids should me one of the determining factors in the decision to treat fibroids. Estrogen feeds the fibroids and it is well known that fatty tissue produces large amounts of estrogen, so if you are overweight additional factors may need attention in order to make an educated decision. Whatever the decision is that you make concerning the treatment of fibroids take into consideration all of your options before you take the word of someone, doctor, or others who try to tell you that Hysterectomy is the only option.

Mens Health Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer, one of the most common forms of cancer in men, is not widely talked about in male circles. Yet, statistics have shown that one in six men should expect this diagnosis. This slow growing disease and todays treatments ensure that only a few may die from it. Of course, the more you know about the disease the better the chance of being one of the few to prevention and fighting it if necessary. High risk category patients will be those who have a family history or are currently experiencing symptoms, but regular examination can spot the cancer early by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigens in the blood. Using the most effective means of testing is the digital rectal exam where the doctor inserts a finger into the rectum and manually checks for abnormalities on the prostate. As uncomfortable as this may seem, priority will encourage you to seek regular testing the catch the cancer early to increase the chances of experiencing the effects of prostate cancer, which are much more uncomfortable than the examination.

Prostate cancer in its most common form develops in the glandular cells, typically very slowly with the possibility to spread to areas surrounding the prostate and continuing to attack the lymph nodes, lings, liver, and possibly other organs if not quickly diagnosed and treated. The prostate gland is walnut sized in the front of the rectum and below the bladder and produces the fluid that protects and supply nourishment to the sperm cells. The scary part about prostate cancer (and many other types of cancer as well) is that the signs are not always immediately noticeable. You may have the disease for months before it grows big enough to become noticeable, and by then it may be too late. Therefore if you have even the slightest suspicion of a tumor, you should get an examination just to be doubly sure.

While the risks of prostate cancer increases with age it is also more likely to occur in black men rather than white and Hispanic men; and occurrences appear to be extremely low in Asian men. The reason for this is still unknown but at any rate, family history plays a big factor and can double your risks of actually contracting prostate cancer. Many cases of prostate cancer are symptom free with minor notification like difficulty in urination, hip and /or back pain, burning during urination, or just a weak stream of urine, or pain during ejaculation. The encouragement to see a doctor if you experience these symptoms wont be necessary as most men will immediately seek medical attention if these symptoms occur. Detection of the cancer is priority one, and if detected the doctor will then grade the cancer stage from 1 to 5 depending on the amount and presence of the number of cancerous cells as compared to the amount of abnormal cells. A determination of the aggressiveness of the cancer is then evaluated to produce what is called a Gleason score. The higher the score the more aggressive the cancer.

There is high hope of cure if detected and treated early. Treatments include the watch and wait approach which, as the name implies, monitors the progression for slow growing cancerous cells. Radiation treatments that can be linked to impotence, Radical prostatectomy where the prostate gland is removed, Chemotherapy drugs used for advanced stages, or hormone therapy which can slow the progression and manage the disease. The main point is to seek immediate care if you think that you may be experiencing problems and not to let the examination scare you out of your chances for survival. Take care of your body, particularly as you enter the older stages of your life. Being cautious leads to longevity and happiness, and prostate cancer is certainly something that you need to be cautious about. For further reading, check out a book from your library, or ask for literature from your doctor.