Fibromyalgia which was more commonly known as Fibrocitis is one of those illnesses that does not show any signs to indicate what the problem is. A doctor may have difficulty in diagnosing fibromyalgia as there seems no obvious signs.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition which causes widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, you may also suffer from fatigue and multiple tender points that cause pain when any pressure is applied.
Fibromyalgia is more prominent in women than in men.
Although you may feel better at times it is a condition that may never disappear completely but it is not a progressive illness and it is not life threatening.
The pain can persist for many months at a time and it is often accompanied by stiffness, areas affected are mainly upper back, neck, upper chest, elbows, elbows, hips and knees. It can also include the back of your head. Read the rest of this entry »
Tetanus is quite rare now due to injections that are given to combat it. During your lifetime immunization with vaccine consisting of five injections are all that are needed to protect you.
Tetanus is caused by bacteria (germs) that gets into the body through a cut possibly while gardening or through a bite from an animal.
If the cut or wound is deep you are at more risk of developing tetanus if it gets dirty with soil or manure, even a thorn prick can allow bacteria to get into your body it then releases a poison that causes tetanus.
The first signs that you have tetanus are a spasm of the muscles closest to the infected cut. But once the poison gets into your bloodstream then other symptoms start to occur, usually in the face. Spasms of the chewing muscles occur which make it hard to open your mouth, following those spasms in the throat muscles make it hard to swallow. This can be followed by spasms in the facial muscles which give you the look of grinning. Breathing can become difficult as the spasms spread to other parts of the body, Other symptoms include extreme sensitivity to touch, high fever, sore throat, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, headache, bleeding into the bowels, and diarrhoea. Read the rest of this entry »
It is estimated that around 73,000 people in Britain are infected with HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, which culminates in Aids. Although HIV infection is still considered serious, an early diagnosis and treatment can allow a patient to live a relatively normal lifespan.
HIV continually changes and can become resistant to treatment, leading to a continuing search for new drugs.
A new class of drug for people with HIV is being introduced in Britain today, which researchers describe as a huge step in treating the deadly infection.
The new drug is named Raltegravir and it is available in tablets form which is to be taken twice a day. It is approved for use with other antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV in about one in ten patients whose therapy has stopped working. Read the rest of this entry »
Fainting is a curious phenomenon—that a person could lose control of their functions and the body temporarily suspend consciousness. Under what circumstances could this happen?
Well, there are many: if a person is disposed to hysteria the slightest excitement could trigger a fainting episode; fright or hunger; during menstruation for women; weak and anaemic people could have fainting spells; chills or exertion, strenuous physical activity; exposure to poisonous fumes; underlying diseases can cause fainting such as high blood pressure, heart failure, haemorrhage; or if any organ or the brain has been injured; dehydration; low blood sugar; a stroke or seizure; and so on.
Fainting occurs because of a decrease in the blood flow to the brain and so there is a temporary loss of consciousness. It is known medically as syncope and can occur in anybody of any age from a child to an elderly person. Read the rest of this entry »
Most people are sensitive to sunlight and will usually use sunglasses to protect their eyes. But when you are unable to bear bright light and literally suffer from intense pain and migraines then you are likely to have photophobia. This is not caused by any kind of underlying disease but can be linked to some problems of the eye, which can be aggravated even in low or soft light.
Photophobia has several symptoms other than just sensitivity to light. Intolerance to light can also be due to an inflammation of the eyes, when tears may or may not be present. Sometimes the excessive use of alcohol may lead to the atrophy of the optic nerve and irritation of the brain and nerves. Great intolerance to light may be accompanied by a swelling of the eyes, redness, and discharge. Photophobia can also cause violent shooting pains in the head and temples. Headaches, nausea, and dizziness are symptoms to watch out for. If your neck is stiff or you experience a numbness or tingling sensation elsewhere in the body then you should seek help. Read the rest of this entry »
Although allergies have always been around, in this day and age they are a common and every day subject.An allergy is when something you eat or come into contact with causes a bad reaction. I myself am allergic to elastoplasts, it only takes a few minutes for itching to begin if I have ever used one, after an hour or so blisters appear.
I get this same reaction with gold, my wedding ring will last two or three days before the itching starts and then blisters appearing a short while after.
Every year more and more people suffer from allergies. Small children and nuts are one example. In the last ten years the number of children that are allergic to nuts has doubled, no one can be sure exactly why this has happened.
Experts that study allergies say it is the result of pollution, or another theory is that it is the result of living in a cleaner germ free environment. Read the rest of this entry »
In the UK it is known that some one has a stroke every five minutes. A stroke is more common for people over the age of sixty five but it can happen at any time.
A stroke is the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer and the leading cause of disabilities in the UK.
A stroke happens when the normal blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. If your brain cells do not get a constant supply of oxygen from the blood the cells in the affected area become damaged or they die.
You have four main arteries which supply blood to your brain, these arteries then divide into smaller ones. When you have a stroke it depends on which artery has been affected to the amount of damage caused. If it is a small artery then you may only have minor symptoms, but if the artery is a major one then this can cause severe symptoms and even death. Read the rest of this entry »
In the UK it is known that some one has a stroke every five minutes. A stroke is more common for people over the age of sixty five but it can happen at any time.A stroke is the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer and the leading cause of disabilities in the UK.
A stroke happens when the normal blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. If your brain cells do not get a constant supply of oxygen from the blood the cells in the affected area become damaged or they die.
You have four main arteries which supply blood to your brain, these arteries then divide into smaller ones. When you have a stroke it depends on which artery has been affected to the amount of damage caused. If it is a small artery then you may only have minor symptoms, but if the artery is a major one then this can cause severe symptoms and even death. Read the rest of this entry »
Anaemia is a common complaint suffered by a large amount of the worlds population, the cause is the lack of iron in the blood.There are many different types of anaemia which we will discuss here.
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Diabetes can actually be prevented or at least controlled. Especially the Type 2 diabetes is something we can steer clear of or minimize by adopting a certain lifestyle by way of inculcating new eating and exercising habits. Most of us would probably need to re-arrange our lifestyles just a little. It’s that simple!
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