How should I take care of a bite from a cat or a dog?

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Here are some things you should do to take care of a wound caused by a cat or dog bite:

• If necessary, call your doctor (see the shaded box below).
• Wash the wound gently with soap and water.
• Apply pressure with a clean towel to the injured area to stop any bleeding.
• Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
• Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection.
• Report the incident to the proper authority in your community (for example, the animal control office or the police).
• Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.

Call your doctor in any of these situations:

• You have a cat bite. Cat bites often cause infection. You don’t need to call your doctor for a cat scratch, unless you think the wound is infected.
• You have a dog bite on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is deep or gaping.
• You have diabetes, liver or lung disease, cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or another condition that could weaken your ability to fight infection.
• You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, warmth, increased tenderness, oozing of pus from the wound or a fever.
• You have bleeding that doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of pressure or you think you may have a broken bone, nerve damage or another serious injury.
• Your last tetanus shot (vaccine) was more than 5 years ago. (If so, you may need a booster shot.)
• You were bitten by a wild animal or a domestic animal (such as a pet) of unknown immunization status.

What will my doctor do?

Here are some things your doctor may do to treat a cat or dog bite:

• Examine the wound for possible nerve damage, tendon damage or bone injury. He or she will also check for signs of infection.
• Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.
• May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered.
• May prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
• May give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.
• May ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.
• If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you’re taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.

Will I need a rabies shot?

Probably not. Rabies is uncommon in dogs and cats in the United States. If a dog or cat that bit you appeared to be healthy at the time of the bite, it’s unlikely that the animal had rabies. However, it’s a good idea to take some precautions if you’re bitten by a dog or cat.

If you know the owner of the dog or cat that bit you, ask for the pet’s vaccination record (record of shots). An animal that appears healthy and has been vaccinated should still be quarantined (kept away from people and other animals) for 10 days to make sure it doesn’t start showing signs of rabies. If the animal gets sick during the 10-day period, a veterinarian will test it for rabies. If the animal does have rabies, you will need to get a series of rabies shots (see below).

If the animal is a stray or you can’t find the owner of the dog or cat that bit you, call the animal control agency or health department in your area. They will try to find the animal so it can be tested for rabies.

If the animal control agency or health department can’t find the animal that bit you, if the animal shows signs of rabies after the bite or if a test shows that the animal has rabies, your doctor will probably want you to get a series of rabies shots (also called post-exposure prophylaxis). You need to get the first shot as soon as possible after the bite occurs. After you receive the first shot, your doctor will give you 5 more shots over a 28-day period.

How can I prevent cat and dog bites?

Here are some things you can do to prevent bites:

• Never leave a young child alone with a pet.
• Do not try to separate fighting animals.
• Avoid sick animals and animals that you don’t know.
• Leave animals alone while they are eating.
• Keep pets on a leash when in public.
• Select your family pet carefully and be sure to keep your pet’s vaccinations (shots) up-to-date.

Source

Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.

wortix,risk,online healthcare,health,health care,e-health,telemedicine,e-treatment,healthcare crisis,hospitals,clinics,healthcare organizations,patient,disease,cure,pain,medicine,diagnosis,treatment,symptoms,cure

American Academy of Family Physicians

Article from http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/firstaid/bites/203.printerview.html

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Disorders?

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Insomnia

Insomnia is itself often a symptom of other problems. Typical patterns of insomnia include the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, waking up earlier than usual, and daytime fatigue. Most people with insomnia don’t fall asleep in inappropriate situations, like driving. If this does occur, it may signal that a medical disorder (such as sleep apnea) is the cause of insomnia.

Sleep Apnea

Excessive daytime sleepiness is the primary symptom. Some people will deny sleepiness but feel fatigued. Other symptoms are snoring, snorting, and gasping sounds when you sleep — often first noticed by a sleeping partner. Restless or unrefreshing sleep is also typical, as are headaches in the morning.

Narcolepsy

Excessive sleepiness during the day, alleviated by naps, is a symptom of narcolepsy. Dreaming during naps and experiencing dream-like hallucinations as you fall asleep are also warning signs. Loss of muscle control (called cataplexy) that occurs with emotion, such as laughing or anger, and the inability to move as you’re going to sleep or waking up (called sleep paralysis) are also symptoms.

Restless Leg Syndrome

The primary warning sign is the irresistible urge to move your legs shortly after you get into bed, in the middle of the night after awakening, or even when wide awake during the day. It usually feels better if you get up to walk around or rub your leg. “Creepy-crawly” or twitching feeling in your calves, feet, thighs, or arms are symptoms of restless leg syndrome — the sensations of discomfort can be quite varied. Kicking or twitching leg movements during sleep, and sometimes while awake, may be warning signs.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Your sleep does not improve with self-help techniques, such as establishing good sleep hygiene, cutting down on caffeine, exercising, and using relaxation techniques.
• You think your sleep problems may be related to an underlying condition, such as depression or heart failure.
• You snore loudly or make snorting or gasping noises while you sleep — or your partner observes these things while you’re asleep.
• You fall asleep doing normal activities, such as talking or driving.
• You regularly feel unrefreshed on awakening and are constantly fatigued. Sleep disorders are among the many possible causes for fatigue.
• You suspect your medication is causing your sleep problems.

Article from: http://www.webmd.com/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

High Cholesterol: Cholesterol Basics

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Have you been diagnosed with high cholesterol? Is lowering your cholesterol a goal? The first step is to find out: what is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and found in certain foods, such as food from animals, like dairy products (whole milk), eggs and meat.

The body needs some cholesterol in order to function properly. Its cell walls, or membranes, need cholesterol in order to produce hormones, vitamin D and the bile acids that help to digest fat. But, the body needs only a small amount of cholesterol to meet its needs. When too much is present health problems such as coronary heart disease may develop.

What Is Coronary Heart Disease?

When too much cholesterol is present, plaque (a thick, hard deposit) may form in the body’s arteries narrowing the space for blood to flow to the heart. Over time, this buildup causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) which can lead to heart disease.

When not enough oxygen-carrying blood reaches the heart chest pain — called angina — can result. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack. This is usually due to a sudden closure from a blood clot forming on top of a previous narrowing.

Types of Cholesterol

Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein — this cholesterol-protein package is called a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are classified as high density, low density, or very low density, depending on how much protein there is in relation to fat.

• Low density lipoproteins (LDL): LDL, also called “bad” cholesterol, can cause buildup of plaque on the walls of arteries. The more LDL there is in the blood, the greater the risk of heart disease.
• High density lipoproteins (HDL): HDL, also called “good” cholesterol, helps the body get rid of bad cholesterol in the blood. The higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the better. If your levels of HDL are low, your risk of heart disease increases.
• Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL): VLDL is similar to LDL cholesterol in that it contains mostly fat and not much protein.
• Triglycerides: Triglycerides are another type of fat that is carried in the blood by very low density lipoproteins. Excess calories, alcohol or sugar in the body are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells throughout the body.

What Factors Affect Cholesterol Levels?

A variety of factors can affect your cholesterol levels. They include:

• Diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat increase cholesterol levels. Try to reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet.
• Weight. In addition to being a risk factor for heart disease, being overweight can also increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as increase HDL cholesterol.
• Exercise. Regular exercise can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most days.
• Age and Gender. As we get older, cholesterol levels rise. Before menopause, women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, however, women’s LDL levels tend to rise.
• Diabetes.  Poorly controlled diabetes increases cholesterol levels.  With impovements in control, cholesterol levels can fall.
• Heredity. Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families.
• Other causes. Certain medications and medical conditions can cause high cholesterol.

How Much Cholesterol Is Too Much?

Everyone over the age of 20 should get their cholesterol levels measured at least once every 5 years.

When being tested, your doctor may recommend a non-fasting cholesterol test or a fasting cholesterol test. A non-fasting cholesterol test will show your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. A fasting cholesterol test, called a lipid profile or a lipoprotein analysis, will measure your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol. It will also measure triglycerides.

Your doctor may start with a non-fasting cholesterol test and then recommend a lipid profile, based on your results.

Doctors recommend your cholesterol stay below 200. Here is the breakdown:

Total Cholesterol	Category
Less than 200	Desirable
200 – 239	Borderline High
240 and above	High

Your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are important as well.

How Can I Lower My Cholesterol and Reduce My Risk of Heart Disease?

A few simple changes can help lower your cholesterol:

• Eat low cholesterol foods. The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 milligrams. People can significantly lower their dietary cholesterol intake by keeping their dietary intake of saturated fats low and by avoiding foods that are high in saturated fat and that contain substantial amounts of dietary cholesterol.
• Quit smoking. Smoking lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. This trend can be reversed if you quit smoking.
• Exercise. Exercise increases HDL cholesterol in some people. Even moderate-intensity activities, if done daily, can help control weight, diabetes, and high blood pressure — all risk factors for heart disease.
• Take medication as prescribed by your doctor. Sometimes making changes to your diet and increasing exercise is not enough to bring your cholesterol down. You may also need to take a cholesterol lowering drug.

How Is High Cholesterol Treated?

The main goal in lowering cholesterol is to lower your LDL and raise your HDL. There are two key ways to lower cholesterol: eat a heart-healthy diet and take cholesterol-lowering medications.

Doctors determine your “goals” for lowering LDL based on the number of risk factors you have for heart disease.

• If you have 0-1 risk factor for heart disease, you are at low-to-moderate risk. Lifestyle changes are recommended to keep the cholesterol in check.
• If you have 2 or more risk factors, you are at moderate risk or next-highest risk, depending on what heart disease risk factors you have. Sometimes your doctor will try lifestyle changes, but most of these people require cholesterol-lowering drugs.
• If you have known heart disease, diabetes or multiple risk factors, you are at high, or very high, risk. These people require a combination of cholesterol-lowering drugs and lifestyle changes to control their cholesterol levels.

What Drugs Are Used to Treat High Cholesterol?

Cholesterol-lowering drugs include:

• Statins
• Niacin
• Bile-acid resins
• Fibric acid derivatives

Cholesterol-lowering medicine is most effective when combined with a low-cholesterol diet.

Reviewed by the doctors in the Department of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center.

Article from: http://www.webmd.com/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

What causes acne?

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Acne commonly starts in the early teen years, when the oil glands in the body start making more sebum (oil). In people who have acne, dead skin cells mix with the extra oil and plug up hair follicles in the skin. Bacteria that grows in the hair follicles causes more skin irritation.

A “whitehead” occurs when the hair follicle is plugged with oil and skin cells. If the follicle is plugged near the surface of the skin and the air touches it, it turns black and is called a “blackhead.” A blackhead isn’t caused by dirt.

If the wall of a plugged follicle breaks, the area swells and turns into a red bump. If the follicle wall breaks near the skin surface, the bump usually becomes a pimple. If the wall breaks deep in the skin, acne nodules or cysts can form. This is called “cystic acne.”

Things that often make acne worse

• Oil-based makeup, suntan oil and hair products
• Stress
• Hormonal changes, especially during menstruation
• Squeezing or picking at blemishes
• Hard scrubbing of the skin

Things that don’t cause acne

• Dirt
• Chocolate or french fries
• Sexual activity
• Masturbation

Who gets acne?

Both boys and girls get acne. But it may be worse in boys because they have more skin oils.

Heredity also plays a role. If your mother and father had bad acne, you may too.

Your immune system plays a role too. Some people are extra sensitive to the bacteria that get trapped in their hair follicles.

For many people, acne fades by the age of 25, but it can continue well into the adult years.

How can acne be treated?

Many treatments are available for acne, including over-the-counter creams and prescription medications. Talk with your doctor about which options are right for you.

Can an over-the-counter acne product help?

Yes. Benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid and sulfur are the most common over-the-counter medications used to treat acne. These medications are available in many forms, such as gels, lotions, creams, soaps or pads.

In some people, over-the-counter acne medications may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning or redness. Tell your doctor if you have side effects that are severe or that don’t go away over time.

Keep in mind that it can take up to eight 8 weeks before you notice an improvement in your skin. If an over-the-counter acne product doesn’t seem to help after 2 months, get advice from your doctor.

What can my doctor prescribe?

Your doctor may recommend antibiotics, which can be very effective for treating acne. They can be taken by mouth or used on the skin in a lotion, cream or gel.

Retinoids, such as tretinoin (brand names: Retin-A, Avita, Altinac cream) and adapalene (brand name: Differin), are usually rubbed onto the skin once a day. Be sure not to get them near your eyes, mouth and the area under your nose.

If you use a retinoid, you must avoid the sun or use a strong sunscreen because this medicine increases your risk of getting a very bad sunburn. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not use a retinoid called tazarotene (brand name: Tazorac) because it can cause birth defects.

How is severe cystic acne treated?

Isotretinoin (brand name: Accutane) may be used to treat severe cystic acne that doesn’t get better with other treatments. It’s a pill that is taken once a day by mouth for 15 to 20 weeks.

Isotretinoin should never be taken during pregnancy. It can cause serious side effects such as birth defects and miscarriages. Women on isotretinoin must use 2 types of birth control or not have sex starting 1 month before she begins taking the medication and lasting 1 month after she stops taking it.

There is a possibility that other serious side effects may occur, so people taking isotretinoin should be closely monitored by their doctor.

Does acne cause scars?

Acne, especially cystic acne, can cause scars in some people. You can help reduce scarring by not squeezing or picking at blemishes. Also, avoid scrubbing your skin. If you do get scars, treatments are available.

Article from: http://familydoctor.org/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Who gets acne?

Both boys and girls get acne. But it may be worse in boys because they have more skin oils.

Heredity also plays a role. If your mother and father had bad acne, you may too.

Your immune system plays a role too. Some people are extra sensitive to the bacteria that get trapped in their hair follicles.

For many people, acne fades by the age of 25, but it can continue well into the adult years.

Return to top

How can acne be treated?

Many treatments are available for acne, including over-the-counter creams and prescription medications. Talk with your doctor about which options are right for you.

Return to top

Can an over-the-counter acne product help?

Yes. Benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid and sulfur are the most common over-the-counter medications used to treat acne. These medications are available in many forms, such as gels, lotions, creams, soaps or pads.

In some people, over-the-counter acne medications may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning or redness. Tell your doctor if you have side effects that are severe or that don’t go away over time.

Keep in mind that it can take up to eight 8 weeks before you notice an improvement in your skin. If an over-the-counter acne product doesn’t seem to help after 2 months, get advice from your doctor.

Return to top

What can my doctor prescribe?

Your doctor may recommend antibiotics, which can be very effective for treating acne. They can be taken by mouth or used on the skin in a lotion, cream or gel.

Retinoids, such as tretinoin (brand names: Retin-A, Avita, Altinac cream) and adapalene (brand name: Differin), are usually rubbed onto the skin once a day. Be sure not to get them near your eyes, mouth and the area under your nose.

If you use a retinoid, you must avoid the sun or use a strong sunscreen because this medicine increases your risk of getting a very bad sunburn. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not use a retinoid called tazarotene (brand name: Tazorac) because it can cause birth defects.

Return to top

How is severe cystic acne treated?

Isotretinoin (brand name: Accutane) may be used to treat severe cystic acne that doesn’t get better with other treatments. It’s a pill that is taken once a day by mouth for 15 to 20 weeks.

Isotretinoin should never be taken during pregnancy. It can cause serious side effects such as birth defects and miscarriages. Women on isotretinoin must use 2 types of birth control or not have sex starting 1 month before she begins taking the medication and lasting 1 month after she stops taking it.

There is a possibility that other serious side effects may occur, so people taking isotretinoin should be closely monitored by their doctor.

Return to top

Does acne cause scars?

Acne, especially cystic acne, can cause scars in some people. You can help reduce scarring by not squeezing or picking at blemishes. Also, avoid scrubbing your skin. If you do get scars, treatments are available.

Dental Health: Abscessed Tooth

An abscessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth. It’s most commonly caused by severe tooth decay. Other causes of tooth abscess are trauma to the tooth, such as when it is broken or chipped, and gingivitis or gum disease.

These problems can cause openings in the tooth enamel, which allows bacteria to infect the center of the tooth (called the pulp). The infection may also spread from the root of the tooth to the bones supporting the tooth.

What Are the Symptoms of an Abscessed Tooth?

A toothache that is severe and continuous and results in gnawing or throbbing pain or sharp or shooting pain are common symptoms of an abscessed tooth. Other symptoms may include:

Fever

Pain when chewing

Sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold

Bitter taste in the mouth

Foul smell to the breath

Swollen neck glands

General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling

Redness and swelling of the gums

Swollen area of the upper or lower jaw

An open, draining sore on the side of the gum

If the root of the tooth dies as a result of infection, the toothache may stop. However, this doesn’t mean the infection has healed; the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue. Therefore, if you experience any of the above listed symptoms, it is important to see a dentist even if the pain subsides.

How Is an Abscessed Tooth Diagnosed?

Your dentist will probe your teeth with a dental instrument. If you have an abscessed tooth, you will feel pain when the tooth is tapped by your dentist’s probe. Your dentist will also ask you if your pain increases when you bite down or when you close your mouth tightly. In addition, your dentist may suspect an abscessed tooth because your gums may be swollen and red.

Your dentist may also take X-rays to look for erosion of the bone around the abscess.

How Is an Abscessed Tooth Treated?

Strategies to eliminate the infection, preserve the tooth, and prevent complications are the goals of treatment.

To eliminate infection, the abscess may need to be drained. Achieving drainage may be done through the tooth by a procedure known as a root canal. Root canal surgery may also be recommended to remove any diseased root tissue after the infection has subsided. Then, a crown may be placed over the tooth.

The tooth may also be extracted, allowing drainage through the socket.

Finally, a third way to drain the abscess would be by incision into the swollen gum tissue.

Antibiotics are prescribed to help fight the infection. To relieve the pain and discomfort associated with an abscessed tooth, warm salt-water rinses and over-the-counter pain-reducing medication like ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) can be used.

The inflammation and pain of abscesses can be relieved with a low-level laser, making the patient more comfortable to receive the injection in a more painless way.

Can an Abscessed Tooth Be Prevented?

Following good oral hygiene practices can reduce the risk of developing a tooth abscess. Also, if your teeth experience trauma (for example, become loosened or chipped), seek prompt dental attention.

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

An abscessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth. It’s most commonly caused by severe tooth decay. Other causes of tooth abscess are trauma to the tooth, such as when it is broken or chipped, and gingivitis or gum disease.

These problems can cause openings in the tooth enamel, which allows bacteria to infect the center of the tooth (called the pulp). The infection may also spread from the root of the tooth to the bones supporting the tooth.

What Are the Symptoms of an Abscessed Tooth?

A toothache that is severe and continuous and results in gnawing or throbbing pain or sharp or shooting pain are common symptoms of an abscessed tooth. Other symptoms may include:

Fever

Pain when chewing

Sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold

Bitter taste in the mouth

Foul smell to the breath

Swollen neck glands

General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling

Redness and swelling of the gums

Swollen area of the upper or lower jaw

An open, draining sore on the side of the gum

If the root of the tooth dies as a result of infection, the toothache may stop. However, this doesn’t mean the infection has healed; the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue. Therefore, if you experience any of the above listed symptoms, it is important to see a dentist even if the pain subsides.

How Is an Abscessed Tooth Diagnosed?

Your dentist will probe your teeth with a dental instrument. If you have an abscessed tooth, you will feel pain when the tooth is tapped by your dentist’s probe. Your dentist will also ask you if your pain increases when you bite down or when you close your mouth tightly. In addition, your dentist may suspect an abscessed tooth because your gums may be swollen and red.

Your dentist may also take X-rays to look for erosion of the bone around the abscess.

How Is an Abscessed Tooth Treated?

Strategies to eliminate the infection, preserve the tooth, and prevent complications are the goals of treatment.

To eliminate infection, the abscess may need to be drained. Achieving drainage may be done through the tooth by a procedure known as a root canal. Root canal surgery may also be recommended to remove any diseased root tissue after the infection has subsided. Then, a crown may be placed over the tooth.

The tooth may also be extracted, allowing drainage through the socket.

Finally, a third way to drain the abscess would be by incision into the swollen gum tissue.

Antibiotics are prescribed to help fight the infection. To relieve the pain and discomfort associated with an abscessed tooth, warm salt-water rinses and over-the-counter pain-reducing medication like ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) can be used.

The inflammation and pain of abscesses can be relieved with a low-level laser, making the patient more comfortable to receive the injection in a more painless way.

Can an Abscessed Tooth Be Prevented?

Following good oral hygiene practices can reduce the risk of developing a tooth abscess. Also, if your teeth experience trauma (for example, become loosened or chipped), seek prompt dental attention.

Article from: http://www.webmd.com/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

How to know if my child has poor vision?

Normally a child should be able to recognize mother and have a social smile by 6-8 weeks of age. If the child has poor vision in both the eyes, then he/she may not recognize the mother or may not respond to the visual stimuli. Once the child starts walking, he/she may frequently bump into objects.

If the child has poor vision in only one eye then it may be difficult to notice it. The eye with poor vision may not be aligned properly with the other eye, thus causing squint (strabismus). The child may also have rhythmic jiggling movements of the eyes (nystagmus).

Sometimes the cause of poor vision may be visible as a whiteness of the cornea or whiteness behind the pupil. In some cases the eyes of child with glaucoma may be watering and very sensitive to light.

The poor vision may also be noticed incidentally when the child is being examined by a doctor or during vision screening in the school.

What are the causes of poor vision in a child?

These causes are:

• Refractive error
• Cataract
• Glaucoma
• Squint (strabismus)
• Injury to the eye (sometimes the child may not tell about the injury to parents)
• Diseases of cornea
• Diseases of retina and optic nerve
• Inherited disorders
• Tumor (Retinoblastoma)
• Other eye abnormalities

What to do if I suspect that my child does not see properly?

As we see, there can be many causes for poor vision in a child. Some of these are very simple and treated easily, while others may be very difficult to manage and sometimes may even be life threatening. Therefore it is prudent to contact an ophthalmologist at the earliest if you suspect poor vision in your child. He or she will confirm poor vision and then look for the cause of the same. A timely treatment is very crucial in saving the sight and sometimes the life of the child.

How can one determine the vision in a small child who will not cooperate for vision testing?

There are many special tests available which help the doctor in determining the visual acuity of children in all age groups. The ophthalmologist will decide which tests to use and will get an idea of the visual loss and the chances of getting good vision after treatment.

Why is it important to detect poor vision in child?

If the poor vision in child is not treated early enough, the eye may not develop properly and develop a condition called amblyopia (lazy eye). Therefore, if the eye is treated at a later stage, the eye may not get good vision. It is very important to treat the cause of poor vision, e.g., refractive error, cataract, glaucoma, diseases of cornea etc. as early as possible to prevent amblyopia. 
Early detection is also very important in case of tumor (retinoblastoma), which if detected early, may be treated easily without having to remove the eye. If it is not detected, then it may even lead to loss of life.

I have a child with poor vision. Can my other children also have some eye problem?

The chances of other children getting affected depend upon the cause of poor vision. Many of these conditions may be hereditary and may require examination of other siblings of the child. Also in hereditary diseases, a genetic counseling may be done to the parents if they plan to have another baby in future.

Article from: http://health.indiamart.com/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

How does the brain store information?

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Information is stored in different parts of your memory. Information stored in the short-term memory may include the name of a person you met moments ago. Information stored in the recent memory may include what you ate for breakfast. Information stored in the remote memory includes things that you stored in your memory years ago, such as memories of childhood.

How does aging change the brain?

When you’re in your 20s, you begin to lose brain cells a few at a time. Your body also starts to make less of the chemicals your brain cells need to work. The older you are, the more these changes can affect your memory.

Aging may affect memory by changing the way the brain stores information and by making it harder to recall stored information.

Your short-term and remote memories aren’t usually affected by aging. But your recent memory may be affected. For example, you may forget names of people you’ve met recently. These are normal changes.

Things to help you remember

• Keep lists.
• Follow a routine.
• Make associations (connect things in your mind), such as using landmarks to help you find places.
• Keep a detailed calendar.
• Put important items, such as your keys, in the same place every time.
• Repeat names when you meet new people.
• Do things that keep your mind and body busy.
• Run through the ABC’s in your head to help you think of words you’re having trouble remembering. “Hearing” the first letter of a word may jog your memory.

What about when I know a word but can’t recall it?

This is usually just a glitch in your memory. You’ll almost always remember the word with time. This may become more common as you age. It can be very frustrating, but it’s not usually serious.

What are some other causes of memory problems?

Many things other than aging can cause memory problems. These include depression, dementia (severe problems with memory and thinking, such as Alzheimer’s disease), side effects of drugs, strokes, head injury and alcoholism.

How does Alzheimer’s disease change memory?

Alzheimer’s disease starts by changing the recent memory. At first, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will remember even small details of his or her distant past but not be able to remember recent events or conversations. Over time, the disease affects all parts of the memory.

How can I tell if my memory problems are serious?

A memory problem is serious when it affects your daily living. If you sometimes forget names, you’re probably okay. But you may have a more serious problem if you have trouble remembering how to do things you’ve done many times before, getting to a place you’ve been to often, or doing things that use steps, like following a recipe.

Another difference between normal memory problems and dementia is that normal memory loss doesn’t get much worse over time. Dementia gets much worse over several months to several years.

It may be hard to figure out on your own if you have a serious problem. Talk to your family doctor about any concerns you have. Your doctor may be able to help you if your memory problems are caused by a medicine you’re taking or by depression.

Memory problems that aren’t part of normal aging

• Forgetting things much more often than you used to
• Forgetting how to do things you’ve done many times before
• Trouble learning new things
• Repeating phrases or stories in the same conversation
• Trouble making choices or handling money
• Not being able to keep track of what happens each day

Article from: http://familydoctor.org/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Cardiovascular disease is the term used to describe problems involving the heart (cardio) or blood vessels (vascular). The most devastating complications of cardiovascular disease are stroke and heart attack; these can often be fatal. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death overall in the United States; the statistics that one in five Americans has cardiovascular disease includes women.

Active, exercising women already have lowered their risk of cardiovascular disease, as exercise affords the best heart protection. The recommendation by the American Heart Association is 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity 5 days a week. Aerobic exercise, which raises heart rate and uses up oxygen, improves cholesterol levels and maintains the peak functioning efficiency of heart and blood vessels. It also trains the cells to carry oxygen more efficiently and improves the rate of oxygen uptake in breathing.

High blood pressure is a precursor to heart and blood vessel disease. Blood pressure is necessary to promote exchange of nutrients from the blood into the capillaries and into the body. If there are problems such as hardened arteries, slow or inefficient heart functioning, or increased body demands due to poorly trained muscles, blood pressure rises. Because regular exercisers do not usually have these problems, blood pressure remains low. This reduces the occurrence of bad side effects of blood pressure such as heart attack and stroke. Studies have recently shown that regular exercise of moderate intensity for one hour five days a week is as effective as medication in managing high blood pressure.

The unmodifiable factors that can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease are family history of stroke or heart attack, especially in family members under the age of 50; high cholesterol or triglycerides; and diabetes. Modifiable factors include smoking, obesity, and inactivity. Less clear but risky lifestyle behaviors are high stress and poor diet (high sugar and saturated fat/high cholesterol/low fiber). If you have any of these increased risks, you should see your doctor to discuss prevention methods in addition to exercise. These may include an aspirin a day, a low-cholesterol, unsaturated fat, high-fiber diet, and medications.

Factors That Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

• High LDL cholesterol
• Obesity
• High triglycerides
• Inactivity
• Diabetes
• Stress
• Family history
• Poor diet
• Smoking
• Older age

Because women who have been through menopause are at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, and women taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement can be at an increased risk of stroke and blood clots, if you are in these categories and have the risk factors mentioned above, consult with your doctor for the best prevention strategies. Other heart-protective dietary behaviors can include a high-fiber, low glycemic index diet, increasing amount of omega-3 fatty acids, adding soy products, and having (only) one alcoholic drink per day.

Health Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

• Prevents heart disease
• Decreases osteoporosis risk
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces depression
• Reduces strokes
• Reduces cancer
• Prevents obesity
• Reduces stress
• Prevents diabetes
• Improves sleep
• Reduces cholesterol

Article from: http://life.familyeducation.com/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

The pituitary gland is a tiny organ, the size of a pea, found at the base of the brain. As the master gland of the body, it produces and secretes many hormones that travel throughout the body, directing certain processes stimulating other glands to produce different types of hormones. The pituitary gland controls biochemical processes important to our well-being.

The pituitary gland makes these types of hormones:

• Prolactin – Prolactin stimulates milk production from the breasts after childbirth to enable nursing. It also affects sex hormone levels from ovaries in women and from testes in men.
• Growth hormone (GH) – GH stimulates growth in childhood and is important for maintaining a healthy body composition and well-being in adults. In adults it is important for maintaining muscle mass as well as bone mass. It also affects fat distribution in the body.
• Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) – ACTH stimulates the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Cortisol, a so-called “stress hormone” is vital to our survival. It helps to maintain blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) – TSH stimulates the thyroid gland, which regulates the body’s metabolism, energy, growth, and nervous system activity. This hormone is also vital to our survival.
• Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) – ADH, also called vasopressin, regulates water balance. If this hormone is not released properly, it can lead to too little hormone (called diabetes insipidus), or too much hormone (called syndrome of inappropriate ADH). Both of these conditions affect the kidneys. Diabetes insipidus is different from the more well-known diabetes mellitus (or type II diabetes), which affects the levels of glucose in our bodies.
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) – LH regulates testosterone in men and estrogen in women.
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) – FSH promotes sperm production in men and stimulates the ovaries to enable ovulation in women. Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone work together to cause normal function of the ovaries and testes.

Pituitary Tumors

The most frequent cause of pituitary disorders is pituitary gland tumors. The pituitary gland is made of several cell types. Sometimes these cells grow too much or produce small growths.

These growths are called pituitary tumors, and they are fairly common in adults. These are not brain tumors and are not a form of cancer. In fact, cancerous tumors of this sort are extremely rare. Pituitary tumors, however, can interfere with the normal formation and release of hormones.

Two types of tumors exist – secretory and non-secretory. Secretory tumors produce too much of a hormone, creating an imbalance of proper hormones in the body. Non-secretory tumors cause problems because of their large size or because they interfere with normal function of the pituitary gland.

The problems caused by pituitary tumors fall into three general categories:

1. Hypersecretion – Too much of any hormone secreted into the body is usually caused by a secretory pituitary gland tumor. Many secretory tumors make too much prolactin, the hormone that triggers milk production in new mothers. Other tumors may affect the adrenal glands, making too much of the hormones that stimulate them and causing a hormone imbalance. Tumors also can make excess growth hormone or too much of the hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland leading to overproduction of thyroid hormones.
3. Hyposecretion – Too little of any hormone secreted into the body is usually caused by a non-secretory pituitary gland tumor, which interferes with the ability of the normal pituitary gland to create hormones. It can, however, also be caused by a large secretory tumor. Hyposecretion can also happen with surgery or the radiation of a pituitary gland tumor.
5. Tumor mass effects – As a pituitary gland tumor grows and presses against the normal pituitary gland or other areas in the brain, it may cause headaches, vision problems, or other health effects related to hyposecretion. Tumor mass effects can be seen in any type of pituitary tumor that grows large enough. Injuries, certain medications, and other conditions can also affect the pituitary gland. Loss of normal pituitary function also has been reported after major head trauma.

NOTE: If you think you have a problem with your pituitary gland, it is important that you see a pituitary specialist who can determine whether you have a pituitary gland tumor or another endocrine system disease. An endocrinologist is an expert in hormone-related conditions and some endocrinologists make the pituitary gland their specialty. You may be referred to other doctors if you need surgery or radiation treatments.

Article from: http://www.hormone.org/Pituitary/overview.cfm

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Variations of Normal Growth Patterns

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com

Lately, it seems as though your child is looking up to classmates — literally. The other kids in the class have been getting taller and developing into young adults, but your child’s growth seems to be lagging behind. Classmates now tower over your child.

Is something wrong? Maybe, maybe not. Some kids just grow more slowly than others because their parents did, too. But others may have an actual growth disorder, which is any type of problem that prevents kids from meeting realistic expectations ofgrowth, from failure to gain height and weight in young children to short stature or delayed sexual development in teens.

A couple of differences seen in the growth patterns of normal children include these common conditions, which are not growth disorders:

Constitutional growth delay: This condition describes children who are small for their ages but who are growing at a normal rate. They usually have a delayed “bone age,” which means that their skeletal maturation is younger than their age in years. (Bone age is measured by taking an X-ray of the hand and wrist and comparing it with standard X-ray findings seen in kids the same age.) These children don’t have any signs or symptoms of diseases that affect growth. They tend to reach puberty later than their peers do, with delay in the onset of sexual development and the pubertal growth spurt. But because they continue to grow until an older age, they tend to catch up to their peers when they reach adult height. One or both parents or other close relatives often had a similar “late-bloomer” growth pattern.

Familial (or genetic) short stature: This is a condition in which shorter parents tend to have shorter children. This term applies to short children who don’t have any symptoms of diseases that affect their growth. Kids with familial short stature still have growth spurts and enter puberty at normal ages, but they usually will only reach a height similar to that of their parents.

With both constitutional growth delay and familial short stature, kids and families need to be reassured that the child does nothave a disease or medical condition that poses a threat to health or that requires treatment. However, because they may be short or may not enter puberty when their classmates do, some may need extra help coping with teasing or they may need reassurance that they will go through full sexual development eventually. In a few normal children who are very short or very late entering puberty, hormone treatment may be helpful.

Growth Disorders

Diseases of the kidneys, heart, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, bones, or other body systems may affect growth. Other symptoms or physical signs in kids with these illnesses usually give clues as to the disease causing the growth delay. However, poor growth can be the first sign of a problem in some.

Growth disorders include:

Failure to thrive, which isn’t a specific growth disorder itself, but can be a sign of an underlying condition causing growth problems. Although it’s common for newborns to lose a little weight in the first few days, failure to thrive is a condition in which some infants continue to show slower-than-expected weight gain and growth. Usually caused by inadequate nutrition or a feeding problem, it’s most common in kids younger than age 3. It may also be a symptom of another problem, such as an infection, a digestive problem, child neglect, or abuse.

Endocrine diseases (diseases involving hormones, the chemical messengers of the body) involve a deficiency or excess of hormones and can be responsible for growth failure during childhood and adolescence. Growth hormone deficiency is a disorder that involves the pituitary gland (the small gland at the base of the brain that secretes several hormones, including growth hormone). A damaged or malfunctioning pituitary gland may not produce enough hormones for normal growth.Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland fails to make enough thyroid hormone, which is essential for normal bone growth.

Turner syndrome, one of the most common genetic growth disorders, occurs in girls and is a syndrome in which there’s a missing or abnormal X chromosome. In addition to short stature, girls with Turner syndrome usually don’t undergo normal sexual development because their ovaries (the sex organs that produce eggs and female hormones) fail to mature and function normally.

Diagnosing a Growth Disorder

The tests a doctor may recommend to detect a growth disorder depend on the findings at each step of evaluation. A short child who’s healthy and growing at a normal rate may just be observed throughout childhood, but a child who has stopped growing or is growing more slowly than expected will often need additional testing.

Your doctor or an endocrinologist will look for signs of the many possible causes of short stature and growth failure. Blood tests may be done to look for hormone and chromosome abnormalities and to rule out other diseases associated with growth failure. A bone age X-ray might be done and special scans (such as an MRI) can check the pituitary gland for abnormalities.

To measure the ability of the pituitary gland to produce growth hormone, the doctor (usually a pediatric endocrinologist) may do a growth hormone stimulation test. This involves giving the child medications that cause the pituitary gland to secrete growth hormone, then drawing several small blood samples over time to check growth hormone levels.

Treating a Growth Disorder

Although the treatment of a growth problem usually isn’t urgent, earlier diagnosis and treatment of can help some kids catch up with peers and increase their final height.

If an underlying medical condition is identified, specific treatment may result in improved growth. Growth failure due to hypothyroidism, for example, is usually treated with thyroid hormone replacement pills.

Growth hormone injections for children with growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, and chronic kidney failure may help kids reach a more normal height. Human growth hormone is generally considered safe and effective, although full treatment may take many years and not all kids will have a good response. And the treatment can be costly (about $20,000 to $30,000 per year), although many health insurance plans cover it.

What about growth hormone treatment for short children who aren’t growth hormone deficient when tested? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its use in such children if they’re predicted to reach a very short final height (under 4 feet 11 inches [150 centimeters] for a girl or 5 feet 4 inches [163 centimeters] for a boy).

Talk with your doctor for more information about treatment options if you’re concerned.

Helping Your Child

You can boost your child’s self-esteem by providing positive reinforcement and emphasizing other characteristics, like intelligence, personality, and talents. Try to take the focus off of height as a measure of social acceptance.

Kids who are very self-conscious about their size may need some additional help in coping. In some cases, evaluation and treatment by a mental health professional may be needed.

If You Suspect a Problem

If you’re concerned about your child’s growth, speak with your doctor, who may refer you to a pediatric endocrinologist, who can help diagnose and treat specific growth disorders.

It’s also important to watch for the social and emotional problems that kids with growth disorders face. It’s not easy being the shortest kid in the class and it’s never any fun being teased. Helping your child build self-esteem and emphasizing strengths — regardless of how tall he or she may grow — might be just what the doctor ordered.

Article from: http://kidshealth.org/

>>> Consult online with doctors this issue or
any other healthcare issue at Wortix.com