Denician Angeleia

Archive for January 19th, 2012

Sleeping disorder has become the issue of concern in the present age and time. As more and more people are joining the workforce, they are getting all the more stressed out due to hectic work schedules and ever increasing pressure of work. Rapid eye movement sleeping disorder more commonly called REM sleeping disorder has become widespread.

If you feel fatigued the whole day, it is likely that you are suffering from REM sleeping disorder and in such a case, it is better to undergo tests to conform the doubt. Rapid movement of eye takes place during the phase of dreaming. REM happens when you are never able to get adequate sleep as a result of which you feel sleepy and tired during the waking hours. This tends to hamper your performance and level of energy. You don’t feel like indulging in any activity due to lack of energy.

REM sleeping disorder also poses problems in relationships. This is due to the temperamental change that is witnessed in the patients. The person suffering from REM sleeping disorder gets irritated soon and the tolerance power is inhibited. This causes problems in the marital relations especially.

The reason for REM sleeping disorder can be anything but one of the most common causes is a uncomfortable mattress and the second being high level of stress at the workplace and disturbed social life. All these factors combined together lead to sleeplessness. To top it, there is hardly any time for workout and the result is that the body starts aching and also it loses its flexibility. It is here that memory foam mattress comes into play to help you get rid of various forms of pains.

Memory foam mattresses help a great deal in relieving your pain. These mattresses are based on the state of art technology. They make your sleeping experience really pleasurable and people who have used these mattresses have felt a dramatic change in their sleeping pattern. They are of the say that there was a time when they had a lot of difficulty falling asleep and there was immense turning and tossing. Also, they would wake up at night at frequent intervals due to lack of support from the mattress. Memory foam mattresses can be really useful for such people especially in helping them combat their REM sleeping disorder.

Cystic fibrosis is a potentially fatal genetic disorder that affects large numbers of people worldwide. The condition involves the failure of a particular gene to be expressed, known as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. The failure to express this gene results in the failure of the normal secretion processes, and affects the lungs and pancreas in particular.

Effects of Pancreatic Problems

The pancreas is connected to the digestive tract by means of a duct, and it produces important digestive enzymes that travel through that passage into the duodenum. These pancreatic enzymes are essential for the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. With cystic fibrosis, however, the pancreatic ducts are blocked, preventing the digestive enzymes from reaching the small intestine.

Also, the thickened secretions harm the pancreas itself, often causing irreparable damage. Beyond a certain extent, the organ will fail entirely, resulting in organ failure and followed soon by death if proper treatment is not forthcoming.

The blocking of the passage leading from the pancreas to the digestive tract leads to malabsorption. This is due to the inability of the digestive tract to break down and assimilate certain important nutrients and minerals without the digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas. Protein and fat in particular can’t be broken down and are not absorbed into the body. Malabsorption is followed by malnutrition, where the body does not get all of the minerals, nutrients, and other compounds that it requires in order to function properly. Younger patients usually suffer from normal growth rates and adults look often thin.

In addition, the disorder may also cause irreparable damage to the islets of Langerhans, which are glands responsible for the production of insulin. Once damaged, the lack of insulin leads to diabetes in patients.

Treatment Options

As mentioned, the only treatment for blocked enzyme release consists of taking pancreatic enzymes with food, especially fat and protein rich food.

Treatment of diabetes caused by cystic fibrosis usually involves injections of insulin, which is nothing more than an attempt to manage the symptoms of the condition. In patients where the genetic disorder has damaged too much of the pancreas, the only treatment option available to patients is an organ transplant in order for the body to continue functioning.

The one treatment method that shows potential to actually cure cystic fibrosis is known as gene therapy. This method of treatment actually involves replacing incorrect genes with correct genes, thereby resolving the problem. Gene therapy has yet to be fully tested, however, and scientists still struggle to find an effective method of inserting the correct copies of genes into the affected cells. Until gene therapy becomes a viable solution, treatment of pancreatic problems simply involves holding off the effects of the disease and keeping the patient healthy for as long as possible, with no hope of curing it.

Early menopause occurs most often in women who are 30 to 40 years of age. It may occur in women younger than that with underlying causes. It very important that if you are suffering the signs of early menopause that you consult a doctor to rule out anything else that may be happening or a consequence of other health conditions. This is especially important if you have lupus and are experiencing signs of early menopause.

Lupus Symptoms

There are a few types of lupus including Discoid Lupus and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Discoid Lupus most often affects the skin. It will present as a red rash that could have raised edges. It commonly occurs on the face and scalp. The rash is not itchy but scarring on the scalp can cause irreversible hair loss. Up to approximately 10% of those who have Discoid Lupus will develop Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

The most common complaints of those who suffer with systemic lupus erythematosus include fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle pain, arthritis and mouth/ nose ulcerations.

A facial rash (butterfly rash), photosensitivity and inflammation of the lining that surrounds the heart-pleuritis and the heart-pericarditis are also symptoms of lupus. Problems with circulation to the fingers and toes when it is really cold are also called Raynaud’s phenomenon. Inflammation of the brain, liver, and kidneys also occur in SLE. There may be a decrease in white blood cells and clotting factors. This increases the risk of infections and bleeding.

More than 50% of those with SLE will develop the flat red butterfly rash. Most SLE sufferers will develop a type of arthritis that is very similar to rheumatoid arthritis. The small joints of the hands, the wrists, and feet may swell, become painful, stiff and sometimes deformed. Inflammation of the blood vessels especially those that supply oxygen to tissues can cause nerve injury, injury to the skin, or injury to an internal organ.

These are some of the major and most common symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus. Within each symptom is a set of sub-symptoms that result from the main symptoms. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can be very treatable. It may also cause death depending on which body organs are affected.

The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus is determined if a patient has four or more of eleven criteria. They are: malar-butterfly rash, discoid rash with patchy redness, photosensitivity (sensitivity to light), mucus membrane ulcers, arthritis, pleuritis and pericaridits-inflammations of the linings of the heart lungs along with pain when breathing, kidney abnormalities including an abnormal quantity of urine protein or clusters of cellular elements (casts), brain irritation, blood count abnormalities, immunological disorders-abnormal results of such tests as Anti-DNA, or anti-Sm, testing positive for antinuclear antibody.

Other tests could include a Sedimentation Rate, blood chemistry and evaluation of body fluids, as well as tissue biopsies. SLE can also cause one to enter early menopause

Treatments of systemic lupus erythematosus include get more rest during the active phases of the disease. Inadequate sleep is key in the progression of fatigue in SLE patients. A doctor must focus on poor sleep and the effects of depression, insufficient exercise and patient’s personal care coping abilities on their over-all health. Drugs that are used to relieve symptoms of SLE include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that help muscle, joint and other body tissue pain.

Corticosteroids are stronger in lessening inflammation and restoring the ability to function when SLE is active and they are helpful when internal organs are involved. They can be delivered in a number of forms but they have some serious side effects in long-term use at high doses. Thinning skin and bones, weight gain, infections, diabetes, facial puffiness, cataracts and even death (necrosis) of large joints are also possible. There is a wide variety of types of drugs used to treat mild to severe cases of SLE.

Symptoms of Early Menopause

Lupus and early menopause have some common symptoms. Sleep problems, heart palpitations, headaches and hot flashes that can occur in lupus and the patient not are menopausal. Irregular periods and bleeding are classic signs of beginning menopause. If you are a woman with lupus menstruation can continue but as has been mentioned become irregular and cease altogether catapulting you into early menopause. Other symptoms of it include appetite changes, weight gain, body aches, and mood swings all of which can also occur in lupus.

Early menopause in lupus can occur as a result of the disease itself. It can also be a result of the medications used to treat lupus. It can also be a result of heredity as opposed the disease or treatments of the disease.

Treatment of these symptoms can be HRT- hormone replacement therapy, anti-depressants, and anti-inflammatories. These treatments can have some very serious side effects such as increased risk for heart attack and some cancers. Most women seek to avoid these side effects and turn to natural treatments such as herbal supplementation.

Herbal supplements may also include vitamins such as B-complex and C vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and zinc. In order to get the highest quality supplement there should be no fillers or preservatives. The ingredients will have had the molecular path tested at the molecular level and their interactions evaluated as well. Only standardized herbal extracts are used and they are made to meet pharmaceutical grade standards. This all helps to guarantee top quality and consistent dosing from capsule to capsule.

Conclusion

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can attack the skin discoid lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus that affects the joints and internal organs. It is a connective tissue disease. Either the disease itself or the medications that are used to treat lupus can put a woman into early menopause. A doctor’s examination will help to determine the best course of treatment including the possible benefits of herbal supplementation.