Vasculitis – 5 common signs to look out for

Vasculitis – 5 common signs to look out for

Vasculitis is an autoimmune disease that involves the inflammation of the blood vessels. Generally, blood vessels in the body carry blood through the different parts of the body by forming a circuit that starts and ends with the heart. But in the case of vasculitis, these blood vessels begin to thicken and swell, causing a reduction in blood flow. There are many types of the vasculitis; some can be short-term or long-lasting. Let’s look at the symptoms of vasculitis for early diagnosis and timely management. Weakness While the health condition often manifests in the form of general symptoms, in some cases, the signs can indicate problems associated with the body part affected. For instance, weakness can stem from the nerves’ inability to get the needed amount of blood and oxygen. Joint pain As mentioned previously, vasculitis can have symptoms depending on the affected body part. It can lead to aches and other arthritis-related symptoms in cases where it affects the joints. Although not common across patients, some people with vasculitis can have swelling in the affected area, known as arthralgias. One can try moderate physical activity like slow walking to manage the condition and improve the quality of life. Rashes While this blood vessel inflammation disease can lead to a variety of rashes, one of the most common is palpable purpura – purplish red-colored spots often found on the legs.
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9 foods that may worsen COPD symptoms

9 foods that may worsen COPD symptoms

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, demands a holistic approach to its management, and food plays an essential role in this process. There is an intricate relationship between COPD and specific foods that can worsen its symptoms. While the effects vary among individuals, understanding their potential implications empowers patients to make informed decisions about their nutrition. Additionally, knowing which foods to avoid can better the condition. Here are nine foods one must avoid with COPD. Salt Sodium, commonly found in salt, is a major concern for COPD patients. A high sodium intake can lead to fluid retention in the body, causing swelling or edema, particularly in the extremities, lungs, and abdomen. As excess fluid accumulates, it elevates blood pressure, placing additional strain on the heart and lungs. This excess fluid can worsen shortness of breath for individuals with COPD who already cope with compromised lung function. Processed meat While processed meats like bacon, sausages, and deli cuts offer convenience, they can be problematic for COPD patients. These meat products often contain unhealthy saturated and trans fats, which can increase inflammation. Moreover, they are usually high in sodium, contributing to the potential for fluid retention and exacerbated symptoms. Sugar Foods and beverages rich in added sugars can disrupt the overall health of individuals, including those with COPD.
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Causes and types of hemophilia in children

Causes and types of hemophilia in children

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder usually inherited from a parent. Children with the condition cannot stop bleeding because their blood does not have enough of the clotting factor. Two of the common factors that affect blood clotting are factor VIII and factor IX, the lack of which can result in hemophilia. While typically a genetic disorder, hemophilia can manifest in different forms, and the severity of symptoms may differ accordingly. Here is everything to know: Causes As hemophilia is an inherited disease, it is typically passed on from parents to children through a gene in the X chromosome. Based on the fact that the females carry two X chromosomes, while males carry X and Y chromosomes, here is how the inheritance works: – When a female carrier has the hemophilia gene in one of the X chromosomes, there is a 50/0 chance that this chromosome is transferred to the baby when the female conceives. If the gene is passed down to a son, the son will have the disease; however, when the gene is passed down to a daughter, she will be a carrier of the disease. – Alternatively, when the father has hemophilia, but the mother does not, then a son will not inherit hemophilia disease, but all the daughters will be carriers.
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5 complications of hemophilia and associated signs

5 complications of hemophilia and associated signs

Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder where the blood fails to clot properly. Consequently, an individual with an injury like a cut or undergoing surgery might be subject to spontaneous bleeding that is difficult to stop due to the lack of necessary clotting factors. The frequent loss of too much blood can also lead to many complications, especially in severe cases of hemophilia. Here are the health complications that might be caused by hemophilia and their signs. Hemophilic arthropathy People who experience spontaneous joint bleeds due to an injury or trauma might be at risk of hemophilia. These bleeds usually occur in the elbows, ankles, knees, or hips but might also be noticed in other areas. The symptom is one of the primary causes of chronic pain and disability in people with severe hemophilia. Continuous bleeding into a joint can break down the lining of the joints and cause damage. The affected joint becomes warm, painful to move, and swollen. Eventually, the symptom leads to hemophilic arthropathy. Therefore, one must seek immediate attention if one notices the occurrence of this symptom. Compartment syndrome This disease is a painful condition that causes pressure on the muscles to reach a dangerous level.
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Common signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia

Common signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia is an uncommon movement disorder caused due to the side effects of treatments for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions. It is marked by a series of involuntary body and facial movements. While not everyone who takes this sort of treatment will suffer from tardive dyskinesia, the symptoms can be permanent. It can prevent people from performing simple tasks and can interfere with their quality of life. The most common signs of tardive dyskinesia are: Orofacial dyskinesia Also called oro-bucco-lingual dyskinesia, this can cause: Uncontrolled movements of the lips, jaw, or tongue Sticking out the tongue involuntarily Rapid blinking Smacking of lips Puckering of lips Puffing of cheeks Grimacing Making fish-like mouth movements Dyskinesia of the limbs This affects the arms, legs, fingers, and toes and can cause: Wiggling of fingers Tapping of feet Flapping of arms Thrusting out of pelvis Full body swaying Fast, jerking motions of arms or legs Slow, twisting motions of arms or legs Those who suffer from tardive dyskinesia (TD) can also develop muscle spasms sometimes, where their muscles tighten and do not release. These spasms could vary in duration. One may also make involuntary grunting noises when their muscles spasm.
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Common warning signs of Huntington’s disease

Common warning signs of Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease, also known as Huntington’s chorea, belongs to the group of neurodegenerative disorders that cause the progressive degeneration of the brain’s nerve cells. It is an inherited disease that can affect various aspects of an individual’s life, including physical movements, cognitive abilities, and emotions. There are two types of Huntington’s disease – Adult onset and Early onset – and there are many early warning signs that manifest differently for different people. Adult onset Early symptoms of Adult Onset Huntington’s include: Irritability Anxiety Difficulty in making decisions Mood swings Uncharacteristic clumsiness Unable to balance Restlessness Forgetfulness Memory issues Difficulty comprehending new information As time passes, symptoms may include: Muscle rigidity Mobility issues Cognitive decline Paranoia Breathing issues Involuntary twitching Trouble swallowing Early onset While Huntington’s itself is a rare condition, early onset of the disease is even less common, with symptoms usually starting to appear in childhood or adolescence. Also called Juvenile Onset Huntington’s Disease (JHD), it affects children and teenagers. Symptoms include: Drooling Clumsiness Changes in personality Slurred speech Rigid muscles Poor school performance that happens suddenly The progression rate of JHD is faster than adult onset HD. Huntington’s disease is caused by a defect in a single gene, marking it as an autosomal dominant disorder.
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Top 4 reasons for unnatural hair loss patterns

Top 4 reasons for unnatural hair loss patterns

Hair loss is a natural process that automatically gets rid of old tissue and hair to promote new growth. So don’t be alarmed when you do find a few strands of hair tangled in your comb. However, a clearly visible scalp and a receding hairline are indicative of developing the problem of permanent hair loss. There are several internal and external factors that can accelerate hair fall, leading to pattern baldness in both men and women. Here are the top four reasons that trigger unnatural hair fall. Stress Stress ranks among the top risk factors associated with many medical conditions. In fact, one way or the other, taking physical or psychological stress harms the body more than you can imagine. For hair loss, especially, excessive shedding starts right after the body undergoes physical or psychological distress. A few examples include experiencing high fever, blood loss due to accident or injury, or even post-surgery recovery can result in stress that causes hair loss. Stress, coupled with anxiety, results in accelerated hair loss. To cope with this problem and reduce its effects, stress management is of crucial importance. Hormonal changes Men and women both experience hormonal changes throughout their lifetime. However, an imbalance associated with various conditions can trigger hair loss.
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Learn about these 3 types of hearing loss

Learn about these 3 types of hearing loss

Hearing loss, deafness, or impairment is the partial or total inability to hear sounds. People with low to moderate hearing impairment face challenges in understanding what the other person is saying in a noisy environment. Whereas, people with severe deafness cannot hear anything, and rely completely on lip-reading and sign language skills. There are three main types of hearing loss: sensorineural, conductive, and a combination of both. Let’s understand these types in detail and learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of each type. Sensorineural hearing loss It’s the most common type of hearing loss. Sensorineural is permanent hearing loss often caused by damage to the tiny hair cells that line the inner ear or the auditory nerve. The damage stops or weakens the transfers of nerve signals to the brain. These signals are essentially the intensity and clarity of sounds. Causes: Aging and exposure to loud noises for a long period of time are the most common cause of the damage. Certain medications and illnesses can also increase risks. It can even be genetic, and pass on to the child in the mother’s womb. Treatment: There is no medical or surgical treatment available to repair the tiny hair cells once they’re damaged.
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Simple lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of heart diseases

Simple lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of heart diseases

The heart is the most crucial organ in the body and as the system will cease to function if the heart stops or loses momentum pumping fresh oxygenated blood. This is why it is vital to not neglect your heart health at all and responsibly maintain a healthy, stress-free, and more importantly, a happy lifestyle. Here are a few simple lifestyle changes that will help support a healthy heart function. Switch to a healthy diet Avoid eating foods that are rich in trans and saturated fats. Most foods you find on the shelves of the supermarket contain large quantities of one or the other. Instead, switch to low-fat high fiber alternatives to help manage cholesterol. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level in the body automatically reduces the risk of heart diseases. The simple reason for this is that fats that normally block major arteries and blood vessels are eliminated from these foods choices. It is also advisable to limit the salt (sodium) intake to control blood pressure and sugar to reduce the risk of diabetes simultaneously. Change certain lifestyle habits Reduce the number of alcoholic or carbonated drinks you have regularly. For men, it is advisable to have not more than two drinks and day and women must have only one.
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How to distinguish between heartburn and GERD

How to distinguish between heartburn and GERD

Heartburn is an unpleasant, burning sensation in the chest that is more common than a lot of individuals realize. Pregnant women, older men, and even young adults experience it frequently. Despite it being such a prevalent experience, not many know that heartburn has actually nothing to do with the heart and everything to do with the stomach and the esophagus. Unsurprisingly enough, heartburn is also used interchangeably with GERD. But, before we get to deciphering heartburn and GERD, let’s understand what acid reflux is. What is acid reflux or GER? Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter or LES becomes weak, allowing the contents of the stomach to travel in the wrong direction, back up the esophagus. Acid reflux is also called GER or gastroesophageal reflux as it involves the stomach and esophagus. This condition can usually be resolved with over-the-counter medication. What is heartburn? Heartburn is a burning or painful sensation that is experienced in the chest. Since the lining of the esophagus is not as strong as the lining of the stomach, the acid from the stomach can cause a burning sensation in the chest. This pain or burning sensation that is heartburn can often be misconstrued for a heart attack.
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