Prostate Cancer Surgery

Posted by Canadian health care on November 27th, 2009

The most popular prostate cancer surgery is robotic keyhole surgery, also called a laparoscopic surgery. This surgery has been performed on thousands of men. It has become popular because it is minimally invasive – not requiring large incisions and uses the da Vinci robotics system. Doctors use robotic arms and special instruments while performing the surgery. In fact, keyhole surgery uses a small incision and that’s why it’s called a keyhole surgery. There are other types of keyhole surgeries on other parts of the body as well.

It has become the prostate cancer surgery of choice for many because of the smaller incision meaning a day less in the hospital and a shorter recovery time.

Now a new study involving 9000 men with prostate cancer show there are risks that hadn’t been addressed before. Some with traditional prostate surgery and some with robotic keyhole surgery.

The men who had the robotic keyhole surgery rather than the traditional surgery were more likely to report complications in the first 30 days after their surgery. In addition, later after about 18 months or so they reported more urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. This comes as a surprise to many. However, anyone considering this surgery must get all the facts.

If you are considering the surgery, make sure to discuss all the risks and complications with your prostate cancer doctor and surgeon before you have this surgery. Make sure to ask your doctor about this study also.

One has to be careful that this surgery isn’t hyped up from advertisements and from others who aren’t aware of all the risks. Make sure to also to ask your doctor or surgeon; whoever is performing your surgery, how many of these surgeries they have done. Ask how many of their patients had increased incontinence and/or impotence or erectile dysfunction following the surgery in the first 30 days and even 18 months later. Maybe some patients or the doctor didn’t recognize the new health problems were directly related to the keyhole surgery.

Alternatives to the risks of robotic keyhole surgery to remove a cancerous prostate are radiation treatment or therapy or watchful waiting. Radiation therapy comes with its own problems. Many choose watchful waiting and live long lives free of problems caused by surgery. Survival rates are good. Get two or three opinions if you’ve been diagnosed. You may get different opinions from different doctors.

Generally, prostate cancer is slow growing but you need to check with your doctor and find out exactly what type you have and if it’s slow or fast-growing. Find out everything you can about prostate cancer and traditional and alternative treatment options before making any decisions.

Potentially Deadly Allergies

Posted by Health articles on November 27th, 2009

There are quite a number of allergy types that can cause us serious ailments. If you are the type of a person who gets an instant allergic reaction from let’s say eating or drinking something, even being stung by a wasp or a bee, then you must consult a physician and be tested for an allergy. To those individuals that are sensitive or prone to having an allergy, then they must be careful and be constantly aware of what they are eating or what they are about to eat and drink. A person can be allergic to particular type of foods, plants and even animals. The following are some of the most common allergens: Bee or Wasp Stings; Shell fish allergies; Yeast; Peanut allergies and a whole lot more.
Canadian pharmacy
An accidental contact with one of said allergens can actually cause someone some serious medical condition. We may or may not be aware that we had ingested or we have been exposed to one of the said lethal allergens. Truth be told, allergies can come when we least expect it. The swelling of one’s throat is considered as the most severe symptom that we can associate with it. This can actually make one’s breathing hard and can actually cause someone their life if no treated or corrected immediately. This is called as anaphylactic shock and this requires immediate medical treatment. Above mentioned allergens are the most serious types and are the ones that can actually lead one to suffer from an anaphylactic shock. An individual who is known to have a serious allergy from said allergens are advised to always carry with them an epi pen for emergencies like an allergy attack.
Cialis professional
One of the other symptoms can include difficulty in breathing; this can also start an asthma attack. Itchy rashes or hives are also some of the most common reactions that an allergic person can experience. Some are also known to experience minor swelling in the face. The good thing is, said milder allergy symptoms can be easily treated with an antihistamine medicine like Benadryl.

Ways to reduce hypertension

Posted by Health articles on November 26th, 2009

High blood pressure (otherwise known as hypertension) is a chronic problem facing Americans and those all over the world. Our lifestyles are very different from those of our grandparents, or great-grandparents. We are much more sedentary, eat too many calories, eat poor quality food (fast food, pre-packaged products, few fruits and veggies), and we are much too stressed and overworked. All of these factors combine in multiple ways to constrict our blood vessels, creating high blood pressure.

Here are 6 natural healing remedies you can implement today to help lower your blood pressure naturally!

1. Exercise. Yes, the dreaded “E” word! We’ve heard this a thousand times – eat less, exercise more – for improved overall health. Exercise decreases hypertension by causing blood to pump strenuously through the vessels, stretching vessel walls and maintaining elasticity. Regular exercise also decreases appetite and burns calories, so your weight is likely to go down – another way to lower your blood pressure.

2. Eat garlic! Not only does garlic traditionally keep the vampires away, it reduces your blood pressure by thinning your blood, making it easier for your heart to pump. Always check with your doctor before adding garlic supplements to your diet.

3. Niacin or Vitamin B3 helps to lower hypertension by providing vasodilator effects – that is, it allows the vessel walls to open and expand, allowing more blood through. Again, check with your doctor prior to beginning Niacin supplementation. A very common side effect is “flushing”, i.e. – feeling red, hot, prickly skin mostly around the face and neck, but also on the upper torso and arms. To reduce this effect, ease into niacin supplementation gradually or buy flush-free formulations.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (ACV) mixed in about a cup of water or juice, drunk 3 times a day, has been shown to dramatically reduce hypertension in just a few weeks. It should be raw, unfiltered ACV, available in health food stores and many groceries.

5. Yoga – we all know that stress can contribute to many ailments, including hypertension. Adding a mind-body exercise such as yoga can help you to relax and reduce your stress levels, thus reducing your blood pressure.

6. Eat more fish! Preliminary studies suggest fish oil may help lower blood pressure. While fish oil contains both the beneficial EFA and DHA fatty acids, it is the DHA which seems to be effective in lowering blood pressure. This can also be taken as a capsule.

Cicatricial Alopecia

Posted by Health articles on November 26th, 2009

There are two main groups of alopecia: scarring alopecia and non-scarring alopecia.

Non-scarring alopecia

Non-scarring alopecia often involves alopecia variants where the hair falls off without inflammation or scarring. When a doctor tugs at some hair and the hairs come off effortlessly, a person mostly likely has non-scarring alopecia.

Non-scarring alopecia often heals on its own. Hair reproduction usually continues when a pre-existing condition has already been taken care of.

Cicatricial Alopecia

Cicatricial alopecia or scarring alopecia doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have ugly welts and scars on top of your head when the hair loss ceases. It simply means that a significant amount of alternation or injury is taking place inside the scalp. When the scalp is harmed from within (not the surface), scar tissue will emerge.

When scar tissue emerges, the membranes responsible for reproducing hair cells to replace fallen hair shafts are damaged permanently. The scarring from within causes the skin outside to appear shinier than usual. Therefore, the next time you see someone with a shiny pate, remember that the shininess might have been caused by scarring.

Characteristics Of Scarring Alopecia


Scarring alopecias have very similar physical properties. This is how a routine scalp examination at your general practitioner’s can yield accurate results regarding the state of your hair and your scalp. Doctors follow certain ‘clues’ to find out whether someone is suffering from the scarring variant of alopecia.

1. Skin’s physical appearance - normal skin is supple and regularly traversed by hair shafts. When the skin exhibits inverse characteristics, something is wrong.

2. Hair’s behavior – scarring alopecias almost always affect only the hair located at the very scalp. The rest of the body might not exhibit any symptoms of alopecia.

3. Blistering – if for no particular reason at all the scalp shows signs of blistering and extensive inflammation, coupled with hair loss, this may be a strong sign that active scarring alopecia is already present.

4. Evolution of the disease- a dermatologist would be able to identify scarring alopecias in any of its stages of development as a disease. You may find out that your disease may already be in an advanced stage, or it may still be in its ‘infancy’.

5. Genetic predisposition – a doctor may compare medical histories in your family to trace whether similar occurrences occurred years or decades before you were born. This might give the dermatologist a clue of what exactly you’re afflicted with.

What It Does

Take note that some alopecia may cause just the stoppage of hair reproduction. The roots and follicles may still be intact; it’s just that the genes of a person inhibit the further normal growth of hair.

Scarring alopecias are another thing altogether. They’re destructive at the level of the hair follicles. If the hair follicles are the main target of your particular disease, doctors will categorize this as primary cicatricial alopecia. When the follicles are not completely harmed, the condition is called secondary scarring alopecia.

Secondary scarring alopecia often occurs in cancer patients that have to undergo regular treatments. Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells and inhibits the normal reproduction of the body cells. In some cases, radiation destroys the sensitive membranes in the scalp.

Sinus Infection Pain

Posted by Canadian health care on November 25th, 2009

Millions of people suffer from pain during a sinus infection but that does not make it any easier to cope with. There are many causes of this type of pain as well as remedies for it. Finding them is an important step in getting relief.

Understanding Sinus Infection Pain

Sinus infection pain involves feelings of pressure and congestion along the sinus cavities. Depending on where the problem lies, the pain could be felt in the cheeks, nose, eyes, or the head. With a severe infection more than one area can be affected. Many people also experience pain in their ears and their teeth due to the pressure that has built up in their sinus cavities.

Too many people simply assume that they have a cough and even the flu when they develop this type of pain. They assume it will get better and it may with the help of some over the counter products. Most people do not realize they have a serious problem though unless the pain lasts for a very long time or it continues to come back again and again.

What Causes Pain

The pain from sinus infection is the result of inflammation after bacteria or a virus has developed in the sinus pathways. Bacteria commonly passes through them, but when it sticks around is when a problem develops. The sinus passageways are blocked too which makes it hard to breathe properly.

This type of pain can last for a few days or several weeks do do not just allow it to run its course. You will be suffering needlessly and in the mean time your entire body is going to be run down. You need to fight the causes of the sinus infection pain so that you are on the road to recovery. If you have a history of chronic problems with your sinuses then it is time to seek medical assistance.

Finding the source of the pain

Finding the source of the pain is not always easy, so try to provide your doctor with as much information as you can. For example it may be determined that you have a bad back tooth and that has lead to problems in one of your sinus regions. You may be suffering from terrible headaches and not realize that it could be your sinuses. You may think it is stress or that you need to get new glasses.

Individuals that already have other health problems often do not realize that they have a sinus issue either. For example those with breathing concerns, asthma, a weak immune system, and even diabetes may lump all of their symptoms together. This is why you need to get proper information as well as regular medical checkups.

While allergies can definitely cause sinus infection pain, there is much more going on than just allergies. Too often though people end up suffering needlessly because the allergy medicine they are taking does not have any ingredients to effectively fight the symptoms of a sinus problem.

Pain Relief during a sinus infection

The goal you and your doctor will have in common is getting you relief from sinus pain. However, when you simply rely upon over the counter products you may just be fighting the symptoms and not the underlying problem. Your doctor can help you to take care of both of these issues. That way you will be less likely to suffer from more pain in the future.

Paying close attention to your lifestyle is important as well. If you have bad habits including poor diet and smoking you are more likely to suffer from this type of pain. Listen to what your doctor tells you and take your medication as required. Do not skip doses and do not take too much of it either.

If you suffer from pain during sinus infection, it is time to take action. Learn all you can about the causes of it and the types of it. Then you can start out with some common home remedies or over the counter products for relief. If those do not help then you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. Inform them about how long you have had sinus infection pain, the patterns of it, how long it lasts, and where you experience the pain.

From this information along with a full exam and assessment they can help you get some relief. It can take some time to find the answers so do not put it off. The longer the sinus problems continue the more damage that will be done to your body. In extreme cases surgery may be needed in order for you to get relief from sinus infection pain.

Manic Depression Disorder

Posted by admin on November 23rd, 2009

Are you wondering what the difference is between bipolar and bipolar depression disorder? If you are, then you are reading the right article. It provides very helpful facts about both of these conditions to help you make the right decision and get help.

You might start disliking yourself without any reason when you suffer from bipolar depression disorder. It is similar to basic bipolar disorder in that regard, as well as with respect to the sleeping problems that start to occur. However, it is critical that you do not confuse one for another because they are not the same.

Your mind becomes the home of all kinds of negative thoughts, which often include suicidal thoughts, when the disease you are suffering from is bipolar depression disorder. It is easy for you at this point to think it is actually bipolar type of disorder manifesting itself, but then the mania never quite comes.

When you have a kind of bipolar-disorder in which you rarely experience the manic phase of the condition, you may not be suffering from bipolar disorder at all. Experienced psychologists and psychiatrists will likely diagnose you instead for bipolar depression disorder, and put you on a different kind of medication.

You may not want to jump to conclusions about the type of illness you suffer from when you find yourself depressed so all the time. It is a common enough condition with all kinds of manifestations and treatments too. But you do want to keep your eye out for the bipolar depression disorder form of it. I hear it can be quite misleading.

Causes of Heart Attacks

Posted by Health articles on November 20th, 2009

When our heart did not receive the required oxygen to function it can lead to death of the muscles and heart attack occurs. That is one of the causes of this condition, how can we avoid those things? And what are the factors to be considered to avoid cardiovascular diseases like heart attack?

This heart problem usually happens when a blood clot develops in one of the blood vessels that lead to the heart muscle. If the clot is too big it can stop the blood flow to the heart. Blood supply to the heart can also be determined if the artery suddenly narrows, as in a spasm.

Here are the list of the symptoms:

  • chest discomfort
  • coughing
  • crushing chest pain
  • dizziness
  • dyspnea (shortness of breath)
  • face seems gray
  • a feeling of terror that your life is coming to its end
  • feeling really awful
  • nausea
  • restlessness
  • the person is clammy and sweaty
  • vomiting

As you notice these symptoms to yourself or even in other people you need to call emergency services immediately. This condition is a emergency, looking for help of health care provider is very important. A client who is having a heart attack usually feels the pain in their chest first and it even radiates or spread to the jaw, neck, arms, and wrist. Some of the people also experience the pain in their shoulder blades, back and abdomen. The patient usually describe the pain as one of pressure, something squeezing, it can last for a few minutes up yo many hours.

What causes heart attack? Here are the list:

  • Age – considered to be the largest risk factor
  • Angina – an illness where not enough oxygen rich the patient’s heart. This raises the risk of a heart problems, in some cases a diagnosis of angina was wrong- it could have been a mild heart problems instead. The difference between heart attack and angina is that the patient with angina will feel better about 15-30 minutes after taking medications, while the heart attack won’t.
  • Blood cholesterol levels – having high cholesterol level is the number one factor that can cause heart attack because of the formation of the clot in the arteries.
  • Diabetes – people with diabetes have a higher risk in developing several diseases and conditions, many of them contribute to a higher risk of heart attack.
  • Diet – consuming a large amount of saturated fats like meat, can cause of having a high risk in developing this condition.
  • Genes – we can inherit a high risk in having this condition if our parents or their parents had a history of this condition.
  • Heart surgery – the patient who had heat surgery is at risk in having this disease.
  • Obesity/ overweight- if a person is overweight there is a big possibility that in the future they can develop heart problems.
  • Physical inability – these are the people who do not exercise regularly.
  • Previous history – there is a high risk in having a heart attack to those people who already had it.
  • Regular smoking can lead to this condition

It is very important to be knowledgeable about the causes and hings that we must to to avoid cardiovascular diseases.

The Power of Depression

Posted by admin on November 19th, 2009

Depression is a force to be reckoned with. It will rob you of the best years of your life. More than 6 million men suffer with depression in America, and if you add in the number of women who also suffer, that number more than doubles. These numbers are alarming and growing every day. Right now approximately 17 percent of Americans suffer from some form of depression. In this article, you will learn what is depression, what causes depression, and how you can easily beat depression without a trip to the pharmacist.

What is Depression

Depression is a serious medical condition, that believe it or not, most people will just ignore. I’d like to believe that the reason for ignoring this condition is to avoid those dangerous antidepressants. It will not just go away and you do not have to take those antidepressants either. Depression is a disease and is nothing to be ashamed of. If gone untreated, it will rob you of your life, you will find a loss of energy, a lack of appetite, and a whole host of issues you might not even realize are related. You might find yourself avoiding social activities and normal get-togethers with friends and colleagues. This is a time you’ll need them most, instead of feeling too embarrassed to face them or let them know how down you’re feeling. Depression comes in several forms, mild, moderate and severe with bouts of anxiety and even panic attacks. All of these issues can be controlled by you, without the doctor visits. A little research, a little exercise, make a few changes in your diet and add a few supplements and you will be astonished by what you can accomplish. Now just think what you can do about your depression if you really get serious.

What causes Depression

Depression usually comes from several sources that add up slowly. Your body is extremely resilient, but after a while these things will add up and cause your system to overload and then break down. Sometimes it can just be one major or traumatic event that sets you in motion. Depression is caused by an imbalance of chemicals or neurotransmitters that carry brain signals to your nerves. Serotonin levels play a major role in depression and most people who suffer from depression have very low serotonin levels. Stress causes depression, now stress maybe next to impossible to avoid these days with our troubled economy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to manage stress. I think most people can use a little stress management in their lives. Some people can suffer with bouts of depression as a direct result from side effects of medication that they might be taking for another problem they may have all together. Depression can come from many sources, the trick is recognizing it early and taking action before it gets the better of you.

What to do now

First of all, a little exercising is a powerful way to make you feel better about yourself. Exercise releases endorphins and increases serotonin in the brain. This will make you feel better, sleep better and give you that “runners high” feeling. Simple carbohydrates and grains will also help your brain release serotonin. Tryptophan is also very good for helping to produce serotonin. Great sources of tryptophan are turkey, chicken, beef, brown rice, eggs, milk, cheese, fish, fruit, nuts and vegetables. Also, you should stay away from processed foods and excess sugar. You will also need to take natural supplements. The best ones are, and you should start with St. John’s Wort, Rhodiola Rosea, 5-HTP, L-Tyrosine, Fish Oil, Magnesium, Vitamin B, Passion Flower and Acai Berry. This is a great list to start out with. I would research these supplements one by one and see which ones you’d like to try first. They are all great and they will all help. Don’t let the power of depression defeat you.

Astrocytoma

Posted by admin on November 19th, 2009

An astrocytoma is a form of brain tumor or cancer, which originates in a type of brain cells known as astrocytes. These cells have a characteristic star shape, which led to their name (in Latin, the word astro refers to star). Some astrocytomas grow at a slow rate, or do not noticeably grow for a period of time. They are thought to make up approximately 75% of patients’ neuroepithelial tumors.

There are four grades for this tumor, according to the system used by the World Health Organization (WHO) – there are also other systems for those who prefer using them. From grade 1 to 4 in order, they are: pilocytic, diffuse (or low-grade), anaplastic, and glioblastoma multiforme. The rankings are in order of least aggressiveness, for instance, pilocytic is considered the least aggressive, while glioblastoma multiforme (the grade 4 classification) is considered as the most aggressive form.

An astrocytoma can lead to different symptoms in any given case. Although this is not professional medical advice and these symptoms do not necessarily indicate such a tumor, nor does a lack of them preclude the possibility, some of the potential symptoms are mentioned here. Personality and mental status changes are possible. Eyesight issues, double vision, and headaches also fall into one range of symptoms. Additionally, general drowsiness and lethargy can occur.

One of the diagnostic methods that may be used in some cases is the computed tomography scan (known as the CT scan or CAT scan for short). A biopsy may be taken, at times when the tumor’s removal is attempted during surgery, and sometimes simply as its own event.

Osteoarthritis pain treatment

Posted by Health articles on November 17th, 2009

The most effective method of obtaining effective treatment for osteoarthritis pain is to work with your physician.Once your condition has been diagnosed, he or she will suggest appropriate options to ensure that the treatment program deals with your individual needs and also provides proper relief from a medical standpoint. It’s a simple truth that multiple factors will determine which treatment is best for you, including your history of cardiac disease, hypertension, peptic ulcers, and renal disease.

Using pain killers and undergoing physiotherapy are the most common forms of treatment for osteoarthritis pain. Exercise and diet control can also help. A doctor’s opinion should be given before you undergo physiotherapy in order to maximize the chances for a cure. Consult a physiotherapist to learn about certain devices and appliances to manage your problem so that you can treat yourself at home as well as at work. Using a cane or crutches while walking or using rails in your bathroom can also help.

Weight control is another way to help control the pain. The pressure on the knees and hips of an obese person is often too much for the joints to handle, and it is known that the risk of developing this disease can be increased by obesity. Actually, women who are overweight have a greater chance of developing arthritis of the hip, so decreasing weight is an efficient treatment method.

Certain kinds of physical activity should be undertaken, which can be recommended by your physician. Possible exercises to do are swimming, walking, and aerobics, which will assist in decreasing the progress of this disease.

Using natural remedies is something you can do as well, and is actually a good treatment for osteoarthritis pain that offers a lot of relief from the swelling and pain. The application of a hot water bottle may be helpful, and electric heating pads and certain ointments can also provide a lot of relief. There are also certain age-old traditional approaches like a mud bath and wearing copper bracelets that are still used to treat osteoarthritis. Herbal remedies have also been known to help reduce arthritis pain.

As previously stated, many arthritis conditions are the result of obesity, and following a special osteoarthritis diet is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis pain. It is common knowledge that to keep your body in shape, you must adopt a healthy diet. Furthermore, it aids your body in fighting off infections.
Arthritis is a serious health condition that affects the joints, bones, and ligaments. There is more than one form of the disease, with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis being two of the most widespread. No matter which kind you have, it can be very painful.

Page 28 of 51« First...«2627282930»...Last »