Depression:Signs,Causes,Symptoms,Treatment,

                                                                     Depression:

Introduction-
Depression is the mental illness where a person is not able to concentrate in his/her daily activities. When the concentration of this illness keeps increasing, the patient can arise tendencies of suicide and sees no worth for his/her life.Depression can affect anyone, of any culture, age or background. About twice as many women as men seek help for depression, though this may reflect the greater readiness of women to discuss their problems.One thing that may make it hard for doctors to recognise depression is that people with depression often complain of physical problems, commonly headaches, lethargy, stomach upsets or joint pains, rather than low mood, sometimes because these can be significant symptoms, but sometimes because they find it difficult to admit to feeling emotionally distressed for reasons they may not even be able to identify. But this can be psychosomatic.

Signs and Symptoms-
Those who suffer from signs of depression and related disorders may know the warning signs symptoms of depression all too well. They also know that these disorders tend to manifest themselves as repeated episodes of the depressive condition with the typical patient having many distinct episodes during their lives.Signs and Symptoms vary accordingly with individuals but the most common among patients sufferring from depression are as follows:

1. Difficulty sleeping or other disruptions of sleep patterns

2. Overwhelming feelings of anxiety and/or sorrow at inappropriate times
3. Loss of interest in pastimes formerly enjoyed
4. A sensation of hopelessness, lack of self esteem and feelings of guilt
5. Fatigue and overall lower energy levels
6. Loss of appetite or abnormally large appetite, leading to weight loss or gain
7. Suicidal thoughts and recurring thoughts about death
8. Irritability, restlessness and short temper
9. Memory lapses and an inability to concentrate
10. Difficulty in maintaining close or romantic relationships


Depression signs can derail careers and relationships, cause school work to go downhill and lower quality of life. The feelings of despair, sadness and frustration can make it impossible to function normally and relate to others. In many cases, depression goes undiagnosed due to the stigma borne by mental illness or failure of medical professionals to correctly diagnose or treat the problem.

Causes--
As like the signs and symptoms do vary according to individuals so as the causes. But most frequently, the environment where the person grows or spends his/her childhood plays major role. We learn to live from where we spend our childhood. The base of what we are now, is our childhood and the surroundings and environment around us. So, if a person has experienced negative environment in growing phase, this can be the good cause for him/her to be sufferred from depression. Technically, a chemical imbalance in brain due to these reasons is the cause. But the major risk factors for depression are;

Age

Though major depression typically occurs in people between the ages of 25 and 50, those over the age of 65 are particularly vulnerable for various reasons.

Gender
Women are about as twice as likely as men in the United States to be diagnosed and treated for depression. About 20-25% of women and 12% of men will experience a serious bout of depression at least one time in their lifetimes. Among children, depression seems to happen in equal numbers of boys and girls. Then, as the sexes reach adolescence, girls tend to become more depressed than boys do. This gender imbalance with major depression continues into older age.
Women are both historically more likely to seek treatment for depression and negative feelings that may be occurring, such as feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, though even more recent stats show an increasing number of men seeking self improvement therapy sessions.

Marital Status
People who are unhappily married, separated or divorced have high rates of major depression. The rates of major depression are considerably lower for those who are happily married.


Risk factors do not ensure that someone will develop a depressive episode, and everyone has the susceptibility of developing depression from time to time. Risk factors are just a way of saying that of those that had the worst depression symptoms the listed features were present as well.

Treatment-
Depression treatment usually targets tthe particular chemical imbalance and tries to correct it. However, doctors realize that depression treatment can often have side effects as the medication is strong. A study in Canada found that the bones of patients undergoing depression treatment were less dense than others, leading to brittle bones.



-Natural foods in the Treatment of Depression -
Cardamom and asparagus are two natural foods that are used in depression treatment. Other foods known to be beneficial in the treatment of depression include lemon balm, cashew nut and rose petals. It is also recommended that drinking a lot of water - at least eight glasses a day - and cutting down on (or preferably cutting out) red meats can support the treatment of depression. “Cooling foods,” such as many citrus fruits and most vegetables, are also thought to be useful in the treatment of depression because they bring down acidity levels in the body and so keep the mind calm.


-Supplements and Vitamins for the Treatment of Depression -
Vitamin B has been shown in trials to be very beneficial in the treatment of depression. It tends to increase serotonin, a hormone known to improve mood, levels in the brain. Omega 3 is also very beneficial in depression treatment as it keeps the spirits high. It must be remembered that certain situations can hinder the effective absorption of vitamins and minerals into the body; for example, vitamin absorption decreases with age. Always consult your physician or health professional for tips on optimizing supplement absorption in the treatment of depression.


-Holistic Treatment for Depression -
Depression treatment should also include breathing exercises, workouts and relaxation exercises. Deep breathing has proved to be useful, as has meditation. Other alternative treatments include aromatherapy, massages, reflexology and acupuncture. Depression treatment has to take a holistic view so that all the visible symptoms of can be addressed.


Therefore a combination of conventional medicine, alternative treatment, and good nutrition are recommended for the effective treatment of depression.

MEDICAL TESTS, A MUST

                                                                         MEDICAL TEST

Medical tests are no fun, so why take them twice? Avoid skewed results to ensure your numbers are accurate.


Test 1:
       BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK
What it does:
       Helps monitor your risk of cardiac diseases, stroke and hypertension as well as other ailments.
What throws it off:
       Anxiety can spike systolic blood pressure by 5 points and diastolic by 3.5 points
The Fix:
       Pee to reduce blood pressure. Take deep breaths; it drops systolic blood pressure by an average of 6.4 points and diastolic by 2.3 points



Test 2:
      TREADMILL STRESS TEST
What it does:
      Measures your heart fitness and identifies signs of possible heart disease.
What throws it off:
      Any interference between skin and electrode (that's why your chest hair is shaved.)
The Fix:
     Clean yourself clearly. Skip body lotion or powder--they weaken an electrode's read on your heart's electrical signals. You'll need a shower afterward anyway.


Test 3:
      LIPID PROFILE
What it does:
      Estimates your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
What throws it off:
      Food and any rink other than water. Coffee during the 12-hr fast may be okay.
The Fix:
      Drink black coffee: Sugar or milk can alter triglyceride levels which throws off the test. Intense exercise has the same effect.



Test 4:
    COLONOSCOPY
What it does:
     Checks for colon cancer and other bowel problems.
What throws it off:
     The pretest laxative doesn't always work.
The Fix:
     Walk; Some 41% of patients who walk have a good chance of a clean bowel, compared with 25% who don't, a Korean study shows.

*So these tests are really very important and we must do these medical tests often as possible*

STRESS IN SMALL AGE--SEED OF HEART DISEASE

                          STRESS IN SMALL AGE--SEED OF HEART DISEASE

If you of young age and always stressful and taking tension then, try to get rid of this habit from right now. Children or youths who keep themselves busy in having stress or strain can be a good cause for them to be suffered from heart disease in adult age. A latest research done in Georgia medical College in US, found that stress in young age increases the sensitivity to special kind of hormone which is responsible for hypertension and can leads to heart problems.
If a teen ager seems quite and stressed esp. in adolescence or puberty then its even critical because this phase of life is termed to be the most delicate stage of human. To know this fact, scientists studied on the basis of chronic behavioral stress model.
In this study, they kept the baby mouse separated with its mother 3 hours everyday for 2 weeks. Doing this, there was no proper indicative symptoms like increased blood pressure, increased heart beat, swelling of arteries seen at that instance. But, as they becomes adult, these problems were seen due to special hormone "angiotesine-2".
So, to get rid of this, the only solution is to leave stressful living and make mind to live relaxed. There are various relaxation and stress removing techniques. Auto-sugestion, Breathing exercises, Meditation are some of them but i recommend Autogenics which not only release stress but also makes a person to control his body as a whole. Apart from this regular exercises, balanced diet and healthy living can reduce stress too, the choice is yours.

Brain Tumor

                                         Brain Tumor

Brain is the only integral part of our body by which we are in this state. It is the only organ which can't be transplanted hitherto instead other organs like heart,kidney,eyes can be. It is by this organ which differs us from other living things and give us potential to control them.

Instead of its limitless gift to human kind, it itself is also not secure. It can be attacked by many ailments. When we are being attacked by physical illness, there wont be too much effect in brain but if its being attacked, our physics also gets effected.

Introduction:

The brain is a soft, spongy mass of tissue. It is protected by the bones of the skull and three thin membranes called meninges. Watery fluid called cerebrospinal fluid cushions the brain. Human brain controls the central nervous system (CNS), by way of the cranial nerves and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and regulates virtually all human activity. A brain tumor is a mass or growth of abnormal cells in the brain. Brain tumors produce a variety of symptoms, ranging from headache to stroke. There are two types of brain tumors: primary brain tumors and secondary brains tumors. Primary brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous. Primary brain tumors include any tumor that starts in the brain.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of brain tumor vary according to where its located or originated. Some basic symptoms will be described as follows-

Frontal lobe – Tumors in the Frontal lobe can cause the following: changes in personality or intellect, lack of co-ordination especially in walking, some weakness usually in one side of the body, some speech difficulties.

Parietal lobe – Tumors in the Parietal lobe can cause the following: difficulty in understanding words reading and writing, problems with movements especially co-ordination of movements, disorientation 
numbers and calculations, weakness on one side of the body.

Occipital lobe - Tumors in the Occipital lobe can cause the following: vision impairment especially on one side.

Temporal lobe - Tumors in the Temporal lobe can cause the following: Fits, strange feelings like fear or familiarity like dé jà vu, unusual smells, blackouts, difficulties with speech, memory problems.

Cerebellum - Tumors in the Cerebellum can cause the following: Co-ordination affecting walking and speech, unsteadiness, involuntary movement of the eyes - flickering, vomiting and nausea, neck stiffness.

Brain stem - Tumors in the Brain Stem can cause the following: Unsteadiness usually unstable walking, Facial weakness can be one-sided smile or eyelid that droops, vision issues usually double vision, speaking and swallowing difficulties.

The cause of primary brain tumors is unknown but there are many possible risk factors that could play a role. Exposure to some types of radiation, head injuries, and hormone replacement therapy may be risk factors, as well as many others. Secondary brain cancer occurs in 20–30% of patients with metastatic disease and incidence increases with age.Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are the treatment methodologies

Prevention and Cure:

1. Anti-convulsive such as phenytoin to reduce seizures.

2. Surgery is the usual treatment for most brain tumors. 

3. Support groups are beneficial in brain tumor. 

4. Radiation therapy usually is given five days a week for several weeks.

5. Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone to reduce brain swelling 

6. Osmotic diuretics such as urea or mannitol to reduce brain swelling and pressure.

Apart of this medications, the patient must be emotionally supported. 

Brain Tumor Treatment Centres:

In the US, about 180,000 women develop it each year.The disease can also occur in men, although cancer of the male breast accounts for less than 1 in 100 cases. The risk of it increases with age, doubling every 10 years.

The disease is most commonly diagnosed in women over age 50. Very few women under age 30 develop it. Despite the rise in incidence, there has been a small drop in the number of deaths in the recent years and only about one-fifth of cases prove fatal. This reduction is due to improvements in treatment and the increased use of mammography for screening, which means that tumors can be detected early, when they often respond well to treatment. For brain Tumor Treatment Centers please visit here

GET RID OF PAIN

                                                             GET RID OF PAIN

Pain is that emotion which all of us had experienced and will experience and this is inevitable truth of our life. It can affect everything  from mood to quality of life. We just can't reject it but can control and reduce its concentration at home with or without having pain killers. In this post i am going to give tips from top medical experts, you can learn to control pain instead of being slave to it and get rid of it.

1) Scorched Mouth (pizza burn)
What is it- The tissue in the roof of mouth is very thing, so it's sensitive and prone to painful burns when very hot foot meets the palate.
Stop it- Place an ice-cube; you're numbing the area and reducing swelling. An oral-use topical anesthetic helps, too.
No improvement- After eating, rinse with a solution of 1/8 teaspoon of salt in 250ml of warm water. The salt will help disinfect your mouth. But don't swallow.
Prevent it- Be careful with foods from microwave. They seems cool but internally (like patties), they are hot. Let the food be in normal atmosphere for some time before entering your mouth.

2) Plantar fascitis
What is it- The band of tissue that runs along the arch of your foot is inflamed from hitting the treadmill or pavement.
Stop it- Ease up on the cardio until stabbing pain's edge dulls. If it flares back up, take ibuprofen and ice your heel for 15 to 20 minutes,  area might also help. "Men with this problem often have tight calf muscles and Achilles tendons,"says Dr Arora. Try rolling each foot over the tennis ball for 10 to 15 minutes many times a day.
No improvement- Use a night splint to keep your foot, calf and plantar fascia stretched overnight, reducing the pain.
Prevent it- Don't set the treadmill on an incline position. Running uphills strains the plantar fascia. Find running shoes with strong arch supports that fir your foot's structure to relieve pressure.

3) Heartburn
What is it- Stomach acid spills into your oesophagus, burning like a forest fire.
Stop it-  Reach for an over the acid counter blocker, or chew sugarless gum. A study in the Journal of Dental Research found that chewing gum for 30 minutes after a high-fat meal lessens acid reflux by generating enough saliva to make you swallow more and push acid back down.
No improvement- Your might have gastrooesophageal reflux disease, or GERD in short. Consult your doctor immediately if the problem persists or can leads to oesophageal cancer.
Prevent it- Make stomach acid work against gravity at night by placing two-inch blocks under the legs at the head of your beds says Ted Epperly, MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. If you're a smoker,here's one more reason to quit. "Nicotine relaxes the LES valve, the muscle at the end of the oesophagus, which usually opens only to allow food to pass into the stomach,"says Dr, Smith."Once it's loosened, acid can shoot back into the oesophagus."

4) Hemorrhoids
What is it- The veins in or around your anus are swollen and irritated.
Stop it- Apply a hemorrhoid-shrinking nonprescription ointment ( like preparation H) in the morning, at night, and after each bowel movement. And soak the offending area in a tub filled with several inches of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day. This can help to decrease the painful swelling.
No improvement- If the pain persists after to weeks, surgery might be the another option.
Prevention- Consume at least 25gm of fiber and drink no less than eight 250ml glasses of water every day.

5) Carpal tunnel syndrome
What is it- A nerve running from your forearm to your wrist squeezed or infalmed within the narrow passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand.
Stop it- Hit the mat. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that twice-weekly yoga regime practices for eight weeks eased symptoms and improved grip strength. You can also wear a wrist splint at night or whole typing or driving. It keeps your wrist neutral, which prevents further compression and irritation of the nerve.
Prevention- Set your keyboard at the height that allows your hand to work in a straight or neutral position. Bending your wrist too far forward or backward can pressure the nerves.

6) Sunburn-
What is it- UV rays inflame skin cells and irritate nerves. Reinforcements-bloogborne repair cells and nutrients-arrive on the scene. Skin temperature rises. Friends remind you of this crazy new invention called sunblock.
Stop it-  To reduce inflammation (in case), take a few ibuprofen and apply a cool, wet cloth. Next, slather yourself with skin cream. Covering the skin with moist ointment can reduce the pain on contact. For extra cooling, place the lotion into freezer for 10 mins approx before applying.
No improvement- Take 900 mg of vitamin A and 15mg of Vit. E every day for two weeks after a toasting. Sunburn creates cell damaging molecules called free radicals resulting increase in inflammation causing more pain. These two vitamins help by scavenging free radicals.
Prevent it- Wear full covered cloths if possible to prevent the skin from Ultraviolet radiation. Read the warning on the label. A whole range of medications, from antibiotics to blood-pressure medications, increase sensitivity to the sun.

7) Tendonitis
What is it- The thick cord that attaches muscle to bone becomes worn, irritated or inflamed, causing pain or range-of-motion limitations at your shoulder, elbow, Achilles tendon or knee. Blame repetitive use, like swinging a tennis racket, or using an incorrect technique, or both.
Stop it- Take a week off from the activity during which time you can dull the pain with a nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drug. ice the tendon for 15 to 20 minutes, two or three times a day, until the pain subsides.
No improvement- See the physical therapist or certified athletic trainer at the earliest.
Prevention- Cross training helps relieve stress on the muscles and tendons involved.

8) Migraine headache
 What is it- Changes in brain chemical activate neuropeptides that invade the brain's covering, resulting in increased blood flow and inflammation. The result is the headache which can last for hours or days.
Stop it- Try a medicine for a mild to moderate migraine. You also need to slow down. People with migraines have hyperexcitable brains, so the're more prone to headaches after experiencing stressors. Laying a pack of frozen peas across the back of your neck for 10 minutes helps.
No improvement- If your condition is severe, talk to your doctor about migraine-specific drugs called triptans, which are very effective when taken in moderation
Prevention- To decipher what trigers migraines, check out here. Add 600mg of magnesium (gradually-too much at once can cause diarrhoea) and 400mg of riboflavin to your daily vitamin intake. In one Neurology study, nearly 60% of people who took riboflavin daily for three months cut their migraine days by at least half.

9) Toothache
What is it- bacteria-filled plaque that settled on your teeth has been feasting away on sugars and other carbs. The acidic by-products ate away at the tooth enamel;the resulting cavity allowed bacteria to invade the tissues and nerves inside, causing an infection.
Stop it- Take a few ibuprofen, and ask your dentist for an antibiotic if you can't see him right away. Although the antibiotic wont cure the toothache, it can reduce the infection in the gum and jaw around the tooth,easing pain. Rinse with warm salt water four to six times throughout the day to ease any swelling.
No improvement- Once a toothache occurs, the only solution is a root canal or having the tooth pulled. It's too late for a filling.
Prevention- Limit your intake of high-carb foods like candy. Every exposure allows an acid attack on the teeth for about 20 minutes. If you must drink soda or sugar-filled drinks,sip through a straw to bypass your teeth. To rid your moth of cavity-causing plaque, brush and floss.

10) Low-back pain
What is it- The muscles are stretched and microscopic tears in the fibres release chemicals that activate nerve endings in the area
Stop it- Take ibuprofen and heat the area for 15 minutes a few times a day. Bed rest leads to stiffness and decreased flexibility, which increase pain. Up your activity as pain eases.
Prevention- Stretch your hamstrings once you warm up. If the hamstrings  are tight, they pull on the small postural muscles of the lower back, causing pain.

SOME TIPS
- A yoga regime practiced twice a week for eight weeks can ease carpal tunnel syndrome
- University of California researchers report that using a chair with a forward tilting seat prevents neck pain. When 247 workers sat on either a leveled or an angled (15 degrees forward) seat for a month, the latter group reported 65% less neck discomfort.
- Laying a pack of frozen peas across the back of your neck for 10-15 minutes can help ease a migraine.