Battling For Health

By Robin Kumar Lim

Schizophrenia (literally “split mind”) is often thought of as a split or dual personality. However, this disease is best defined as a disorganization of normal thought and feeling. It is probably caused by the malfunctioning of the cells through which information flows within the brain. Symptoms usually appear in late adolescence or early adulthood, and extreme mental stress almost always triggers them. The illness is lifelong, but acute attacks tend to come and go, and usually occur at times of emotional upheaval or personal loss.

What are The Symptoms?

Some popular novels, plays and movies have encouraged us to think of schizophrenia in extremely narrow and dramatic terms. Schizophrenia has been presented quite often in terms of the split personality, two seemingly individual and separate people living within the same body.

For most people with schizophrenia, an attack begins with a gradual, or occasionally sudden, withdrawal from day-to-day activities. The person’s speech may become increasingly vague, and he or she may seem to be unable to follow a simple conversation. An acute attack happens unexpectedly. Often the onset is so gradual that it is difficult to know when psychotic symptoms appear. Among such symptoms are apparently disconnected remarks, along with blank looks, that are followed by sudden statements that seem to spring into the speaker’s mind.

Schizophrenics often believe that others hear and “steal” their thoughts. Sometimes they fear they have lost control of bodily movement as well as thought, as if they were puppets. They frequently believe they hear voices, often hostile ones. Less commonly, they have hallucinations of odd physical sensations, of being given poison, or otherwise being attacked by others. In time many schizophrenics build up a set of beliefs in a fantasy world. They may express exaggerated feelings of happiness, bewilderment, or despair. They may laugh at a sad moment or cry without cause. Or they may seem devoid of feeling, so that it becomes almost impossible to make emotional contact with them.

There are several types of schizophrenia that are characterized by the predominant symptoms, but the only practical distinction that most doctors now make is between the paranoid and other types. The main symptom of a person with paranoid schizophrenia is constant suspicion and resentment, accompanied by fear that people are hostile or even plotting to destroy him or her.

What are The Risks?

Most young and middle-aged patients in mental hospitals are there because they are schizophrenic. About 1 person in 1000 has been treated for the disorder. Men and women are equally susceptible. Paranoid schizophrenia is most common in early adulthood (late 20’s through 30’s).

The abnormality of brain chemistry that underlies schizophrenia can be inherited, but if it runs in your family, you will not necessarily have schizophrenic attacks. You may, however, have either a “schizoid personality” (a tendency towards extreme shyness and withdrawal) or a “paranoid personality” (a tendency towards over-sensitivity and distrustfulness) .

People who have attacks of schizophrenia in its most severe forms may physically harm themselves or others, or may try to commit suicide .

What Should be Done?

If you suspect that someone in your family is schizophrenic, try to get them to see a physician. It may not be easy. People who are becoming mentally ill often refuse to admit it. Even those who realize that something is wrong have a fear of being “put away.” But medical care is vital. Do not leave a person who seems extremely disturbed alone. The presence of a relative or friend to reassure them, or even keep them from hurting themselves until help arrives, may be essential. People with symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia are usually admitted to a hospital for a preliminary period of observation. During this time tests are carried out to make sure these symptoms are not due to a physical illness such as a brain tumor.

What is Treatment?

Severe cases must be treated in a hospital. Treatment usually involves the use of drugs, psychotherapy and rehabilitation.

The most effective drugs are regular doses of special tranquilizers designed to modify abnormal brain chemistry. As symptoms gradually disappear, doses are reduced, and all medication may be discontinued when the acute attack ends. Some people, however, need long-term medication. They may either take pills regularly or be given an injection every two to four weeks. Occasionally antidepressant drugs are also prescribed . In rare cases electroshock therapy (EST) may be recommended.

Techniques of psychotherapy vary, but the goal is the same: to help the patient understand the stresses that contributed to the current attack. This can help the person learn how to prevent future stresses from leading to further illness.

The final stage of treatment is rehabilitation, which helps people who are recovering from attacks to regain normal skills and behavior patterns. In the early stages of hospital treatment schizophrenics are generally given occupational therapy. As their condition improves, they are given increasingly complex tasks and pressures, and these eventually approximate the tasks and pressures of the world outside. Once the acute phase of the illness is over, the schizophrenic prepares for a return to the outside world by making periodic visits from hospital to home or to a half-way house.

What are The Long-Term Prospects?

Many people recover from an attack of schizophrenia well enough to return to a relatively normal life. But they may have further attacks. In some people the condition becomes chronic. Such a person will always be withdrawn and emotionally unresponsive, but they generally avoid severe attacks of the disorder with the aid of constant medication.

Author has an experience of more than 4 years writing about diseases and conditions He also holds experience writing about diseases treatment and diseases causes

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Kumar_Lim

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Just in case you have not noticed yet, there is a new page to Battling Diabetes. This page was created to make it easy for you to find the recipes posted here.

I like easy, don’t you?

If you look to the left and scroll down a little, under the ‘Tag Cloud’ box you will see ‘Site Pages’. Here is what you are looking for:

Click on the link for Diabetic Recipes and you will find the new page. The recipes are listed in order of meal and are linked right to the post they appear in. More recipes will be added and eventually we will have the largest list of diabetic recipes!

If you would like to request a recipe be listed, just email me. Also, if you have a favorite recipes that is not diabetic, email me and I will experiment until it can be prepared to fit into your diet and lifestyle.

Don’t forget to join in on the newest cookbook contest!

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Most of us approach healthcare as if we were victims of getting sick, and as if it’s somebody else’s (usually the doctor’s) responsibility to fix us.

Think about it this way: My car has about 75,000 miles on it. Yes, once in awhile I get the oil changed. I even put new tires on it two years ago because the others were beginning to go bald. When the kid next door ran into it with his bike, I touched up the scratch marks to improve its appearance and to keep it from rusting. The air filter needed changing once, and I’ve replaced the brake pads twice. But now it’s making these really funny coughing noises when I turn on the ignition.

Is the mechanic’s fault my car is doing strange things? No.

Is it up to the mechanic to fix it? Well — I’m going to ask him to.

Do I trust my mechanic to take care of it? Yes — but before he begins racking up my repair bill, I expect him to tell me what’s wrong and to give me the options for fixing it. If it gets too expensive, I want the option to say no — and perhaps to trade it in for a new car.

Would I ever just take my car to the mechanic, tell him to do whatever he thinks needs to be done, and I’ll just pay whatever it takes to do it? No I wouldn’t!

As car owners, most of us take an active role in maintaining our cars, preventing problems with them, and making decisions about repairing or replacing them.

So why don’t most of us do the same as patients? Why do most of us simply default to whatever the doctor has to say?

We need a mindset shift — a new paradigm — that says that doctors and other healthcare providers are our resources — but they aren’t our decision-makers. Even more importantly than our cars, we need to step up the plate to help make decisions about our care.

We need to begin taking that responsibility for ourselves and not expect that we can get sick, or not take care of ourselves, and the provider will fix everything that’s wrong with us. We need to make up our minds that “I’ll do whatever you tell me, Doc” just isn’t good enough.

Afterall — doctors are really our body mechanics, right?

We begin with prevention and maintenance — doing those things we know are good for us (or, perhaps, just not very bad for us.) Eat right and well, get plenty of rest, exercise, reduce stress — just those basics we hear are good for us all the time.

Then, when we have challenges to our health, we need to go to our trusted doctor to partner with him or her to determine our correct diagnosis and choose the treatment option that works best for us.

It’s not difficult — but for most of us, it’s definitely different. As time goes on and I write more blog posts here, we’ll talk about all those considerations and how you can find a healthier approach to your own care — with a goal of staying strong and healthy for a long time to come.

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By Mike Selvon

The scary thing about schizophrenia is that sufferers may be so confused by the symptoms that they are unable to tell what is real and what is fantasy. For instance, when serial killer David Berkowitz saw black dogs barking out orders to kill, he believed they were actually there.

Many schizophrenics keep their voices and thoughts to themselves, for fear of being labeled “crazy.” Another schizophrenic, Janice Jordan, mentioned being unable to tell her counselors about a delusional figure known as “The Controller” who barked orders at her during psychotic episodes.

The more patients learn about the illness and its many effects, the better equipped they are to handle the symptoms. Unfortunately, taking life-long medication is also a realistic assumption on the road to recovery.

Schizophrenia research reports some interesting findings. For instance, the mental illness is largely caused by a neuro-chemical imbalance of Dopamine, Seratonin and Norepenephrine.

In a normal brain, the frontal lobe increases its blood flow and the “listening” part of the brain diminishes. PET scans reveal that in a schizophrenic brain, the frontal lobe is active but the “listening” part remains just as active.

The sensory overload usually causes a hallucination. People who are born with it generally have irregular brain cell patterns. Drugs and stress do not cause schizophrenia, but they can certainly exacerbate the symptoms. In some cases, family members who understand very little can agitate the symptoms by using an accusing tone of voice or reacting angrily to the sufferer.

Family members who know about schizophrenia can learn to recognize symptoms of an acute attack: a change in personality, social withdrawal, sleeplessness, agitation, using words that do not make sense and seeing things that aren’t there. It is important to create an environment that facilitates recovery. Keeping peace and serenity at home, helping the schizophrenic set realistic goals, sharing tasks, gradually increasing independence and encouraging new hobbies can all provide schizophrenia support.

There are many misperceptions about schizophrenia. One is that schizophrenia is the same as multiple personality disorder (MPD), which is simply not true. MPD is often characterized by two or more separate and distinct “personalities” which sometimes go by different names, display different mannerisms and have entire lists of unique likes and dislikes.

By contrast, schizophrenics exhibit different behavior, as well as suffer delusions and hallucinations. However, they maintain a basic sense of self, afflicted by mood swings and fragmented thinking. Another misperception is that sufferers are violent by nature.

Because of cases like David Berkowitz or Herb Mullin, the general public associate schizophrenia with murderers - but the only real danger for 99% of schizophrenics is self-harm. By educating the public, diagnosis and recovery can be more effective.

A free audio gift awaits you at our portal site, where you can enrich your knowledge further about schizophrenia. Your comment is much appreciated at our mental illness blog.

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Research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease begins long before symptoms begin to manifest.  Therefore, you need to act sooner rather than later if you suspect that your loved one may be Battling the Monster, Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are a few reasons that you should make an appointment:

1. Short term memory loss.  Forgetting information that has been learned very recently. This happens to the best of us at some point, but usually, we are able to recall the information. Whereas, the person in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease won’t recall recently learned information.
2.  The inability to do a very simple and familiar task.  If your dad blanks out on how to shave, use the telephone or complete a simple task in the kitchen, then you might have cause for concern.
3. Misplacing things.  Occasionally misplacing the keys or a purse is not cause for concern.  Putting the keys away in the bathroom closet, or the can opener in the bedroom is cause for concern.
4. Lack of judgment.  This sometimes shows up driving or even something as simple as getting dressed.  If your grandmother wants 5 layers of clothing on and its 80 degrees or she wants to go sleeveless outside in the snow, then something is wrong. 
5. Confusion and disorientation.  We all forget the day or date from time to time or get turned around in terms of directions, so that is not what I’m talking about.  If your loved one forgets where he is, where she lives, what year it is or is living in the distant past. Then, you need to get that checked out.
6. Becoming easily irriated/mood swings.  My mom, who was always very gentle, once grabbed a young child in church because he was running past her.  THAT was way out of character for her.  On the other hand, everyone gets annoyed our upset from time to time, so don’t assume cousin Ann has Alzheimer’s because she is tired and irritable and doesn’t feel like being around a lot of people.

NOTE:  Dehydration, severe urinary tract or other infections and thyroid problems can cause symptoms that mimick Alzheimer’s disease. 

There are other symptoms as well, but if you recognize any of these, then you’ll want to make an appointment with the family doctor, who may refer you to one or more specialists to confirm or deny your suspicions and rule out other conditions.

You sometimes have to wait to get in to see the doctor, so begin keeping a journal or log of behaviors that you consider suspect.  This will help you to get a handle on how often “strange” things are happening.  In addition, it will enable you to be more prepared and specific as you talk with the doctor.

Some of the information came from Alzheimer’s Association and The Help Guide (Alzheimer’s section).

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What is Conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is an eye problem in which the conjunctiva, which is the mucous membrane that covers the eyelid and the white part of both eyes, becomes inflamed. There are two main types of Conjunctivitis, or pink eye as it is more commonly referred to. The first results from a bacterial or viral infection and the other results from an allergic reaction.

The infective form of Conjunctivitis, if it’s caused by bacteria, is highly contagious with the hands being the primary vehicle for transmission. Conjunctivitis that results from an allergic reaction is typically a seasonal condition as are most allergies.

Conjunctivitis can also result when a person is sensitive to certain facial products and cosmetics. This latter form is sometimes referred to as irritant Conjunctivitis. Allergic and irritant Conjunctivitis are not contagious.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis

The symptoms of the infective form of Conjunctivitis include discharge that is watery or sticky, eyes that water and feel gritty, and eyes that feel as if they have been glued together upon waking. Mild soreness is sometimes a symptom. The part of the eye that is normally white will also become red or pink, which is why Conjunctivitis has earned the nickname ‘pink eye’. Because Conjunctivitis often develops along with a common cold, a person may also have symptoms of a cold including runny nose, mild fever and a sore throat.

With the allergic form of Conjunctivitis, eyes are itchy and the eyelids may appear puffy. There may also be a discharge from the eyes that appears white or watery or ropy.

Who is at risk?

Anyone is at risk of getting Conjunctivitis. Because it can be contagious, a person with Conjunctivitis needs to take measures not to spread it. It’s difficult because it is normal to rub the infected eye as a way of providing temporary relief. However, if hands are not washed afterwards and the cause is bacterial, the bacteria can be transferred to another individual by coming into contact with the infected hands.

People who have a history of allergies, particularly hay fever, are at increased risk of developing the allergic form of conjunctivitis.

Early detection/treatment

Infective Conjunctivitis with its notable pink eye often will accompany a common cold making this eye problem rather easy to identify. Likewise a person with known allergies knows whether or not he has allergic Conjunctivitis.

Treatment for infective Conjunctivitis that is caused by bacteria includes the application of antibiotic ointment or antibiotic drops. If it is caused by a virus, typically the condition is left to heal on its own, much like a cold. Generally however, it is difficult to determine whether infective Conjunctivitis has resulted from bacteria or a virus so oftentimes, no treatment is prescribed.

In either case it is important to wash hands after coming into contact with the infected eyes using warm water and soap. Those with infective Conjunctivitis should not share their towels or pillows with others. Also when Conjunctivitis is present, contact lenses should not be worn until it has cleared.

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You can enjoy all the benefits of gym membership - a wide variety of equipment and facilities, good advice from staff and other members and the incentive to work out by making the gym a destination. But, you can also enjoy having the ease of access and the absence of a commute by purchasing home gym equipment.

But what to buy?

If you’re just getting into, or back into, a fitness routine, you should hold off purchasing anything. Using relatively new professional equipment, under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor, will give you a good basis for comparison when shopping.

One of the first pieces of equipment anyone interested in weight training will want is, naturally, a set of weights.

Free weights can be purchased for very little money - a basic set is often under $50. You’ll want a mixture of small, 10 lb (4.5 kg) and 20 lb (9 kg) hand-held dumbbells and a bar with larger, exchangeable weights. Just about any bar is as good as another, but weights can be either metal or plastic. Some people like the old-fashioned clink of metal, but plastic weights (usually composite or sand-filled) are marginally safer.

At some point, you’ll want to ‘graduate’ to a weight machine. They offer the ability to focus on specific muscle groups - biceps, quadriceps, deltoids and others - in a much safer way than free weights can. Also, some muscle groups - calves or hamstrings, for example - are harder to work using free weights.

Once you’re ready for a weight machine, be prepared to spend some serious cash. Costs and configurations vary. Some are just simple resistance machines, essentially composite rubber stretching straps that allow for some adjustment to the tension. These run a few hundred dollars. Others are multi-station, adjustable weight stacks, often costing from $1,800 to $5,000 or more.

Stair steppers are becoming increasingly popular. A very simple model can run anywhere from $80-$150. It offers you the ability to get a good cardiovascular workout in a small space at home with low joint impact, while you build thighs and calves. Beware anything that looks like too good a deal, though. Reliability is key here, otherwise you’ve spent $100 for nothing when it breaks two months after purchase.

Some stair steppers run as high as $1,700 or more. At this level you should be getting a lot more than just the ability to simulate walking up stairs. Apart from reliability and handrails, which should be rock solid for 5 years or more, you should be able to adjust resistance level, speed, angle, and distance between the pedals. You should also get a heart rate monitor and other digital readouts (speed, distance climbed, calories burned, etc) as part of the package.

Treadmills, too, are becoming a more common part of the home gym. Since they run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $2,000 or more, you should expect to get a lot for your money.

Again, they should be completely smooth working, stable and reliable for several years. A good treadmill should have a great, non-slip surface and it should be able to go faster and offer more resistance than you could ever use as you build up.

Like stair steppers, it should come with an impressive panel of controls and digital gauges. Any treadmill that costs over $1,000 should have, at minimum, adjustments for and measurements of speed and distance ‘walked’. It should include calories burned, with tailoring based on age, weight, etc. A heart rate monitor is a great plus.

Of course, if you plan to spend several thousand dollars to acquire home gym equipment, you should be prepared to dedicate yourself to a consistent, regular workout. But that’s something no manufacturer can guarantee.

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Happy Easter to all those celebrating Easter…

I went to the beach yesterday with my friends — the first time I’ve been back since December 2007 when I last had sand therapy. I did enjoy it, though there were just too many people frolicking there because of this recent holiday.

There wasn’t time to sit in a corner and bury my legs in the sand. Besides, I was too busy looking out for this little boy.

Since we arrived there at around 3 pm, we stayed until dark (around 8 pm) — so much so that my legs suffered the wet and cold, enough for my legs to cramp once more. A nice bath and some efficascent oil later, my legs were propped up in bed under a thick warm blanket.

In the morning when I wake up, it’s like nothing happened.

Anyways…here are a few stuff/news regarding arthritis:

New Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Works for Adults, Children

The new anti-arthritis drug tocilizumab, now being tested, appears to be effective in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in both adults and children, according to the results of two new studies.

Tocilizumab works by blocking the interleukin-6 receptor. Interleukin-6 is a molecule involved in promoting the painful inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Gel may hold key to arthritis cure

Using light waves, polymers and a nuclear reactor, researchers here are investigating a superstrong, experimental gel that might some day turn into a novel treatment for millions of people who suffer from arthritis.

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have spent two years shooting neutron beams at the mysterious hydrogel, trying to determine why it is almost as strong, flexible and resistant to friction as the cartilage in the human knee.

Arthritis program offers pain relief

Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center will again offer the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program ” beginning on April 1, 2008. Developed by physical therapists specifically for people with arthritis, this low-impact, joint-safe exercise program has been documented to help decrease arthritis pain and relieve stiffness while increasing flexibility and range of motion.

Arthritis Foundation certified instructors, each of whom have completed in-depth training on arthritis and the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, teach the program.

Gardening with arthritis

It might just take a few modifications to regular activities to reduce the stress on painful joints.

Gardening With Arthritis is a seminar planned to provide a few tips on how to do it.

Occupational therapist Katie Wrenn will give general advice on how to use joints wisely and sparingly without too much repetition, and demonstrate the use of gadgets like the tap-twister that makes it easier to turn the hose off and on.

Well, that’s all for now folks! I hope your Easter holiday is a lot better that mine.

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I’ve scoured the headlines to bring you the latest cancer news– what’s new in science and entertainment.

Cephalon wins U.S. Approval For Leukemia Drug

Washington (Reuters)-March, 20, 2008. Cephalon Inc won U.S. approval to sell a chemotherapy drug to treat patients with a slow-growing type of leukemia, the company said, on Thursday.

Study Details the Sexual and Urinary Side Effects of Prostate Cancer

Atlanta (AP)-March 20, 2008. One of the first large quality-of-life studies on today’s prostate cancer treatments suggests that for some men, it’s a matter of picking your poison and facing potential sexual, urinary or other problems.

Possible Cause of ‘Chemo Brain’ in Breast Cancer Patients Found

ScienceDaily-March 20, 2008. Thanks to early diagnosis and chemotherapy, more women survive breast cancer than ever before. However, following treatment, approximately 25 percent of survivors experience mild to moderate memory, concentration and cognitive problems known as “chemobrain.”

Serious Weakness Found in Virus Responsible for Most Cervical Cancer

ScienceDaily-March 20, 2008. The virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer has a serious weakness which may provide hope for new treatments for the disease.

Autoantibody Assay May Lead to Earlier Detection of Lung Cancer

Oncolink (Reuters Health)-March 19, 2008. Screening for lung cancer with a panel of tumor- associated antigens may someday permit earlier detection of tumors, researchers report in the March issue of Thorax.

One Gene Closer to Understanding Pancreatic Cancer: A conversation with Dr. Terri Brentnall

The New York Times-March 18, 2008. Dr. Terri Brentnall, 51, at the University of Washington, has identified a gene that may be one cause of an inherited form of pancreatic cancer.

Testicular Cancer: Tumor Markers Under Utilized for Monitoring Disease According to New Research

Cancer News, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center-March 18, 2008. A standard part of testicular cancer care isn’t used in more than half of all patients who have the condition, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found.

Red Meat Consumption Linked to Colorectal Cancer

Cancer News, M.D. Anderson News Release, March 3, 2008. For most Americans, meals tend to center around meat. To significantly decrease a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer experts at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center suggest a new approach to meal planning that focuses more on fruit and vegetable dishes.

Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate by Arlen Specter with Frank J. Scaturro (Memoir, Thomas Dunne Books,March 18, 2008). The inspirational memoir of a cancer survivor and a U.S. senator.

The Last Beach Bungalow by Jennie Nash (Fiction, Penguin Group, February 2008). “A poignant novel of a woman who survives breast cancer only to struggle with what comes next: living.”

One in Three: A Son’s Journey Into the History and Science of Cancer by Adam Wishart (Memoir, Grove Press, January 2008) A British journalist’s journey into his father’s cancer and the medical community.

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Greetings readers — and thanks for stopping by.

Being a part of Hart’s Battling for Health Series is an exciting opportunity for me to HELP and LEARN from all of you.

By way of introduction — I call myself Every Patient’s Advocate. I’ve been battling the system for my own care, and advising others how to navigate it themselves, for more than three years, ever since suffering a heinous misdiagnosis myself.

I’ll be bringing you commentary on health-related news across North America, tips and advice on navigating healthcare, and for those who are state-side, some consumerism and thoughts about the upcoming presidential elections as they relate to how we access, and pay for, care.

Please feel free to shoot me an email (http://advocate.battlingforhealth.com/contact/ ) at any time — I’m here to help! I look forward to getting to know some of you through comments and questions over time.

Thanks for stopping by.

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