Tag: physical injury

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 It was mentioned earlier that plummeting testosterone levels can cause a man to become withdrawn and irritable which is considered an internal cause.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.

Sprains and Strains in Adolescents

Sprains and strains are among the majority of the injuries caused while playing sports. Sports injuries can be caused by small trauma which involves ligaments, muscles and tendons including bruises, sprains and strains. The body part which is most commonly involved in spraining or straining is the ankle. The 3 ligaments that are involved during ankle sprain or strain include anterior talofubular ligament, posterior talofibular ligament and calcaneofibular ligament.

An injury caused to the soft tissue as a result of a direct force like fall, kick and blow is called a contusion or a bruise. A sprain is nothing but a ligament injury which is wrenched or twisted. Sprains usually affect knees, wrists and ankles. On the other hand a strain is an injury caused to a tendon or muscle which usually results from force, stretching and overuse.

Sprains/Strains are usually diagnosed by a physician after a physical examination. The physician asks for thorough medical history of the adolescent and asks various questions that lead to the cause of the injury. Various diagnostic procedures are also available which also helps in evaluating the problem. X-ray is one of the oldest and common diagnostic tests done to know the extent and exact location of the injury. An x-ray uses electromagnetic waves to get photos of internal tissues, organs and bones onto a film. MRI scan is one of the recently evolved diagnostic procedures which also help in evaluating a physical injury. This procedure actually called Magnetic Resonance Imaging makes use of bug magnets, computer and radio frequencies to get detailed pictures of structures and organs inside the body. Another diagnostic procedure called Computed Tomography Scan or CT scan is also used to evaluate the extent and location of injury. This procedure uses a blend of computers and x-rays to get cross sectional pictures in horizontal and vertical alignment. It shows thorough pictures of any part of the body like muscles, bones, fat and organs. They provide more information than conventional x-rays.

There are various symptoms of strain and sprain depending on each teens physical condition and they may vary accordingly. One of the symptoms includes pain in and around the area injury. There could also be a swelling around the injured area. Some teens also experience difficulty when they use or move the area of the body that is injured. Some teenagers also undergo bruises or redness in the area that is injured. Many times the symptoms of sprains and strains may look similar to other medical conditions and a doctors advice is the best option in this scenario.

Depending on various factors the treatment of sprains and strains will be prescribed by the teenagers physician that include teenagers age, overall health of the teenager, and medical history of the adolescent. To what extent the teen is injured is also a factor in determining the nature of treatment. A teenagers level of tolerance to certain medications, therapies and procedures is also taken into consideration before opting for a particular method of treatment. The treatment also depends of what expectations one has and also preference and opinion.

Various options available for treatment include things like restriction of the activity after the injury, application of cast/splint on the injured spot, crutches or wheelchair, physical therapy which involves stretching exercises to give strength to the muscles, tendons and ligaments that are injured and last but not the least is the surgery which is opted for in worst case scenario.

In the long-term scenario bruises, sprains and strains heal pretty quickly in kids and teenagers but it is important that the adolescent sticks to the restrictions imposed during the treatment and healing process like restriction of activity and regularly attending physical therapy sessions if any. It is noted that majority of the sports related injuries results either due to traumatic injury or excessive use of muscles and joints. But, they can be avoided and prevented with right training, by wearing right protective gears and by using right equipment for training.

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