Chicken Pox - An Unassuming Threat to Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a significant biological experience that some people wait their whole lives to encounter. There is nothing quite like it. And with the actual process it undertakes, it’s not surprising why pregnancy is regarded by some as a miracle. However, there are common diseases that endanger pregnancy. Though usually non life-threatening to the individual affected, these diseases have a big impact on the life and health of the unborn child.
Chicken pox, otherwise known as varicella, is a mild, air-borne infection usually manifests itself during childhood. However, there are certain instances when adults are also victimized by this condition.
Chicken pox begins with the appearance of rashes in particular parts of the body. After a few days, it spreads, leaving the person covered with itchy blisters. Though inconvenient and bothersome, chicken pox in adults shouldn’t cause any alarm. Viral infections are usually self-limiting and will only merit symptomatic treatment. But, it is a completely different story when pregnancy is involved.
If you get chicken pox while child-bearing, immediately consult your obstetrician. She is the foremost authority in handling such cases. She will know if there are certain treatments to be applied and issues to anticipate. It might be quite distressing, but parents should prepare themselves for the outcomes.
The effects of chicken pox on the baby may vary according to the age of gestation. Usually, what is most disconcerting is if the mother is infected during the first trimester. Since the baby is still forming, the varicella virus can interrupt the natural process of things. And as such, the child may suffer congenital varicella and be born with health disorders as well as physical deformities. This may involve having a low birth weight and getting a small head, skin scarring, deformed and paralyzed limbs, and eye complications. The impact of the infection is less during the second trimester. However, the threat resurfaces by the third trimester, as the baby may suffer from mental retardation upon exposure to the varicella virus.
Chicken pox is just one of the unassuming menaces of pregnancy. There are still a number of illnesses out there that can cause great harm to babies. Sometimes, it is the foreign microorganism that causes the damage. Sometimes, it is the body’s immune system. Whichever the case may be, the fact remains that the child inside the womb is to pay the price. So mothers should really be careful about their health.
What You Need to Know About Dengue
Dengue fever is making its rounds again not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. Reports have revealed of dengue outbreaks in Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela and along the Gulf Coastal states in the US. If anything, this disease is not only epidemic, but pandemic as well.
Davao, a city located in the Philippines, is currently reported to have accumulated more than a thousand cases of dengue since January this year. Though this statistics is clearly alarming, Honduras has experienced 22,000 dengue infection cases this year and 22 people from the country had already died form the disease.
Dengue fever is a disease caused and spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Its signs and symptoms are often times similar to that of flu. However, it effects are more detrimental. This viral disease, which is more common in tropical regions, causes increased vascular permeability that later leads to bleeding diathesis or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). DIC is also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever and is actually very fatal.
Dengue fever is considered potentially life threatening. However, it is not always dangerous. When noticed and diagnosed early, prolonged hospitalization and death can be prevented. Dengue’s treatment involves the basic treatment procedures usually done for curing regular fever. Wet pads and cold compress may be applied to reduce body temperature and antidotes may be administered if necessary. Other ways to help cope with dengue fever include maintaining water balance of the body as well as controlling the patient’s blood pressure.
Nevertheless, prevention is still better than cure. Thus, the best method to prevent dengue is to get rid of mosquito infestation. This means getting away with potential mosquito habitats which include man-made containers such as metal drums, earthenware jars, flower vases, and other water storage jars. Other dengue preventive measures include proper waste disposal as well as developing and practicing proper water storage practices. Covering water containers and potential water holders also help prevent dengue cases. Applying mosquito repellants also help protecting you and your family against dengue.
Smoking: More than just a Habit
Smoking, today, has been transformed from a personal habit to a social practice, and without exaggeration, to a social illness, as its scope of negative influence continues to grow. According to the world population statistics, as of 2009, there were already about 6.8 billion people who smoked - this is roughly 20% of the whole human population. Among these include 25% of American teens and 21% of American adults. Now this is very alarming considering that 1,000 new cases of smokers are recorded daily in the United States alone. If this continues, it will not be surprising if the figures balloon in the coming years, with the inclusion of incidences of smoking-borne diseases and deaths. As of the moment, smoking kills one out of ten people. In the future it will surely kill 6.
Smoking currently accounts for 4 million deaths and 41 health problems, most of which are debilitating and detrimental to the quality of one’s life. These are as follows:
• Cancer of the mouth
• Cancer of the throat
• Cancer of the esophagus
• Cancer of the larynx
• Lung cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Cancer of the bladder
• Pancreatic cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Cancer of the penis
• Cancer of the anus
• Cardiovascular disease
• Coronary heart disease
• Congestive heart failure
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Peripheral artery disease
• Ischaemic heart disease
• Angina
• Atherosclerosis
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• High blood pressure
• Leukaemia
• Emphysema
• Chronic bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Stomach ulcers
• Crohn’s disease
• Cataracts
• Gum disease
• Premature aging of the skin
• Loss of smell and taste
• Osteoporosis (women)
• Gangrene
• Reduced fertility
• Impotence
If people do not stop, they will eventually suffer these consequences and live a very short and complicated life. But how is it that smoking is such a difficult practice to beat? How come people find it so challenging to quit and even prefer to forgo their health for a stick?
Well, smoking contains nicotine, which can be very addictive. It influences the nervous system, helping smokers relax and feel good with every whiff. The more cigarettes they consume, the higher the level of nicotine in the blood stream gets and the more pleasurable the feeling is. But as this exposure is prolonged, nicotine effects become duller. Hence, more and more sticks are required to be lit in order for a person to achieve that elating feeling again. Moreover, a psychological factor is also at work with smoking. People become dependent on it, to the point they consider themselves powerless. This is the reason why there are those who experience rebound smoking after quitting for so long. A “need” resurfaces from their subconscious that insists on being satisfied.
Hence, it is understandable why smoking is now considered, partly, an illness itself. Unlike a habit which you can control and stop anytime, smoking takes over you and causes you an assortment of harm.
Getting To Know Renal Diseases
Are you having problems with micturation? Is your urine of a different color, smell and amount? Do you feel consistent, radiating pain on your back? Well, I don’t want to scare you or anything, but you might want to visit a doctor as soon as possible and take some diagnostic exams. For all you know, you might already be suffering from a kidney disease.
The kidney is a vital part of the body. And aside from the heart; it is probably one of the most hardworking too. It filters about 5 to 6 liters of blood constantly for 24 hours. When we are resting, it functions with same consistency as when we are active; ensuring that we that have properly balanced fluids and electrolytes. In addition, the kidneys serve as the body’s strain, ridding it of excess and unhealthy substances. They control the byproducts of metabolism and consumption, segregating those that are needed from those that are not, and removing those deemed unimportant through urine. Now, aside from toxins, the kidneys also help regulate the amount of free radicals in our system in order to preserve the integrity of our body. In large amounts, free radicals can disturb normal processes and destroy cells.
So, in a nutshell, the kidneys play a major role in maintaining our health. Once they become dysfunctional, (particularly the nephrons, which are its functional structures) toxins, acids, free radicals and excess fluids and electrolytes will build up inside us and cause our physiology to go haywire. Unadjusted amounts of fluids will result to abnormal fluid shifting (edema, pleural effusion) and cardiac overload. Non-proportional levels of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and other electrolytes will produce neurologic, muscular and circulatory abnormalities.
Kidney diseases are categorized into two major types {acute and chronic); the first often involving sudden injury to the kidneys as in a car accident and the second, pertaining to progressive degradation of renal function, caused by infection or an unhealthy lifestyle (excessive smoking, drinking, consumption of salty foods). Though these two have different onsets, they are equally detrimental to the health and should be immediately addressed. Death is eminent for people who do not take renal disease seriously. Again, the kidneys play a major role in sustaining our overall well-being. So one must be adamant in preserving them.
The Lupus Attack
The function of our body’s immune system is to attack bacteria and viruses that can cause various diseases. Lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on the other hand, works the other way around. Instead of the foreign substances, the body’s natural defense will attack its own tissues causing inflammation and creating damage throughout the body. When the case is already severe, organ complications also develop.
Lupus is a lifelong disease. Its exact cause is not yet known. Some experts say that there are people born with certain genes that make them prone to developing such disease. Some of its common symptoms include joint swelling, over fatigue, skin rashes and fever. The rashes appear when the patient is exposed in the sun. Hair loss can also occur.
This kind of disease is very hard to diagnose since it affects people in various ways. No single test is available for lupus. Doctors base their diagnosis on the symptoms that the patient have while various blood tests are done. Once the person is diagnosed to have the disease, the doctor will recommend medicines that treat the symptoms but not lupus itself. As what was mentioned earlier, lupus has no cure.
There are several ways on how the patient will cope with the disease. It is recommended that if possible, one must avoid stress. Use sunscreen when going outside or wear protective clothing to avoid direct contact with sunlight as this will trigger rash development. Also, include exercise in your daily regimen. This will prevent joint swelling or stiffness. And as much as possible, quit smoking.
Once a person is diagnosed with the disease, he or she can still perform daily activities. However, proper care of the self is necessary.
How To Deal With Teen Depression
Our society these days are bombarded with escalating issues about substance abuse and teenage suicide associated with depression. Statistics about the issue are sobering. It is said that 8 out of 10 teenagers suffer depression at different levels for various reasons. With the pressure and difficult challenges that these new generations are facing each day, they are likely to develop this negative emotion. Feelings of sadness despair, worthlessness and hopelessness, whether expressed or not will lead to depression. Sometimes, the teen will experience physical manifestations that are very evident for the parents and peers to notice.
Teenage depression is considered a serious condition but like any other form of depression, this kind of disorder is treatable. Support and encouragement plays a vital role in the recovery of the person suffering from it. The sheer force of an individual to get rid of it right away will not help though it can contribute to the motivation. Function as an enabler as much as possible. If you think that your teenage son or daughter is ready to open up, try to have a good conversation. Don’t open up the issue. When they are ready to open up, they will start talking to you about it.
One thing you should know is that you can never fix other people’s depression. They may be treated by the medical experts but the whole thing depends on the patient. Whatever self processing the depressed patient will undergo, if the root cause of depression is unresolved and the person does not want to move on, the treatment will not prosper. Talking to the person in a language that he or she can relate would be best assistance anybody can give.