Acidity [GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease]
Acidity:
These days acidity and heart burn are more common in people. There are many things which causes acidity in human body. People who drink bed coffee/ tea or those who drink tea/coffee multiple times a day like more than 4 – 5 times. Drinking alcohol regularly, skipping meals can cause acidity. Spicy food, fast food with masala etc can also cause acidity.
GERD ( Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) affects millions of people each day and is a more serious form of acid reflux. It is the most common digestive disorder in the United States. In fact, Americans alone spend more than $15 billion on acid blocking medications each year.
It is possible that you have found some relief from your condition by using over-the-counter pills or even some prescription medication. The problem with either of these options is that they don’t address the root of the issue, they only cover up the symptoms.
Although it seems like acid reflux and GERD or the “burn” as you may describe it, is the result of too much acid, it is the result of too little acid. That’s right, an interesting point supporting this theory is both heartburn and GERD increase as we age, however, the amount of stomach acid that we have decreases.
Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD of the Tahoma Clinic in Washington state found that people who are suffering from heartburn and GERD have low, not high, stomach acid. In fact, in all of Wright’s twenty-five years of observation, he very rarely ever saw anyone with too much acid.
Now, you may ask if heartburn and GERD are the results of too little acid, why do antacid medications take away the uncomfortable symptoms? It is important to understand that what causes the burn is stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus. Any amount of acid in the esophagus will cause discomfort because it is not designed to protect from this. You don’t have to have too much acid to cause the reflux or the pain – any amount will do this.
Simply taking an antacid will not get to the root of the problem, it is only suppressing a symptom of the larger issue. Western medicine is notorious for doing this – suppressing a symptom without dealing with the larger problem at hand.
GERD is caused by an increase in pressure of the intra-abdominal area. Reflux happens with the pressure causes bloating that pushes the contents of the stomach (including acid) through the LES (lower esophageal sphincter ) into the esophagus. There are many factors that contribute to this including, overeating, obesity, bending over after eating, lying down after eating and eating spicy or fatty food
Following food gives relief to acidity:
1. Bananas. This low-acid fruit can help those with acid reflux by coating an irritated esophageal lining and thereby helping to combat discomfort. Due to their high-fiber content, bananas also can help strengthen your digestive system — which can help ward off indigestion. One soluble fiber found in bananas is pectin, which helps move stomach contents through your digestive tract. And that’s a good thing — because food that sticks around will only continue to generate acid.
2. Melons. Like bananas, melons also are a highly alkaline fruit. They are a good source of magnesium, which is found in many medicines for acid reflux. Furthermore, melons have a pH of 6.1, making them only mildly acidic. Especially good are cantaloupe and honeydew melon.
3. Oatmeal. Like other high-fiber foods, oatmeal may help stave off acid reflux symptoms. Fiber not only promotes intestinal health, but it also reduces constipation and makes you feel full a long while after eating it. And, of course, when you feel full, you are less likely to overeat and therefore less likely to regurgitate what’s in your stomach into your esophagus. Enjoy your oatmeal with low-fat or almond milk, as both are low in fat and highly alkaline.
4. Yogurt. Like bananas, yogurt has a soothing effect that helps keep stomach discomfort at bay. It also contains probiotics, a type of good bacteria found in the digestive tract that gives a boost to your immune system. Being a good protein source means yogurt also improves your ability to properly digest food. Make yogurt even more impactful by adding in a bit of ginger, which can act as an anti-inflammatory in your system.
5. Green Vegetables. If you like green vegetables and have acid reflux, you’re in luck. Asparagus, spinach, kale and brussels sprouts all are highly alkaline, meaning they’re good for your stomach and digestive system. Being naturally low in fat and sugar, vegetables also help lessen stomach acid.
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Vertigo – Symptoms and Treatment
Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning.
Causes of Vertigo
Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include:
BPPV. These initials stand for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. It helps you keep your balance.
BPPV can occur for no known reason and may be associated with age.
Meniere’s disease. This is an inner ear disorder thought to be caused by a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. It can cause episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss.
Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. This is an inner ear problem usually related to infection (usually viral). The infection causes inflammation in the inner ear around nerves that are important for helping the body sense balance
Less often vertigo may be associated with:
Head or neck injury
Brain problems such as stroke or tumor
Certain medications that cause ear damage
Migraine headaches
Symptoms of Vertigo
Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head.
People with vertigo typically describe it as feeling like they are:
Spinning
Tilting
Swaying
Unbalanced
Pulled to one direction
Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include:
Feeling nauseated
Vomiting
Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
Headache
Sweating
Ringing in the ears or hearing loss
Symptoms can last a few minutes to a few hours or more and may come and go.
Treatment for Vertigo
Treatment for vertigo depends on what’s causing it. In many cases, vertigo goes away without any treatment. This is because your brain is able to adapt, at least in part, to the inner ear changes, relying on other mechanisms to maintain balance.
For some, treatment is needed and may include:
Vestibular rehabilitation. This is a type of physical therapy aimed at helping strengthen the vestibular system. The function of the vestibular system is to send signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity.
Canalith repositioning maneuvers. Guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology recommend a series of specific head and body movements for BPPV. The movements are done to move the calcium deposits out of the canal into an inner ear chamber so they can be absorbed by the body. You will likely have vertigo symptoms during the procedure as the canaliths move. A doctor or physical therapist can guide you through the movements. The movements are safe and often effective.
Medicine. In some cases, medication may be given to relieve symptoms such as nausea or motion sickness associated with vertigo.
If vertigo is caused by an infection or inflammation, antibiotics or steroids may reduce swelling and cure infection. For Meniere’s disease, diuretics (water pills) may be prescribed to reduce pressure from fluid buildup.
Surgery. In a few cases, surgery may be needed for vertigo. If vertigo is caused by a more serious underlying problem, such as a tumor or injury to the brain or neck, treatment for those problems may help to alleviate the vertigo.
Source https://www.webmd.com/brain/vertigo-symptoms-causes-treatment#2
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What is Fibromyalgia ?
Fibromyalgia is often called an invisible disease. There’s no specific test to diagnose it, and it can be puzzling to a doctor who’s not familiar with the condition. The symptoms overlap with many other illnesses, so it’s possible to be misdiagnosed.
Don’t be discouraged if you need to see a few different doctors. A specialist may be in a better position to understand what’s going on with you and create a treatment plan that eases your symptoms and helps you feel better.
What to Look For
First, you want someone who will take you seriously. Your doctor needs to believe your pain, fatigue, and thinking problems are real and be willing to try to do something about them.
Because your treatment may involve more than one health care professional, you’ll also want a doctor who is well-versed in the complex world of fibromyalgia to oversee it all: medication, physical therapy, nutrition, acupuncture, sleep management, and biofeedback, for example.
People with fibro often have other ailments, too, including irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, and jaw pain. Your doctor should know how to deal with these, or work well with another provider who can care for you.
Primary Care Doctor
Not all general internists or family doctors are familiar with fibromyalgia. But if yours is and has treated others with the condition, they may be the one to spearhead your treatment.
Rheumatologist
These doctors specialize in musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis and gout. Though fibromyalgia isn’t a form of arthritis and doesn’t cause inflammation or damage to joints, muscles, or other tissues, the symptoms someone with fibro feels are similar.
Rheumatologists often coordinate the types of care you’ll need, so one could be your top choice for fibro treatment.
Pain Medicine Specialist
They come from a variety of fields, including internal medicine, neurology, orthopedic surgery, and psychiatry. A pain clinic may also have a team of physical therapists, nurses, and occupational therapists on staff to help treat your overall symptoms.
Symptoms
If you have fibromyalgia, one of the main symptoms is likely to be as follows:
Widespread pain
Extreme sensitivity.
Stiffness.
Fatigue.
Poor sleep quality.
Frequent Headaches.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Source: https://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/guide/finding-right-fibromyalgia-doctor-fibromyalgia-specialist#1
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What is Bone Marrow Transplant?
A bone marrow transplant is a treatment that replaces unhealthy marrow with a healthy one. It’s also called a blood or marrow transplant.
What is bone marrow?
Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue inside your bones that makes blood-forming cells (blood stem cells). These cells turn into blood cells including White Blood cells to fight infection. Red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Platelets to control bleeding.
How does transplant work?
Before transplant, you get chemotherapy (chemo) with or without radiation to destroy the diseased blood-forming cells and marrow. Then, healthy cells are given to you. The new cells go into your bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) line, or tube. It’s just like getting blood or medicine through an IV. The cells find their way into your marrow, where they grow and start to make healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Bone marrow transplants can treat:
Blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma
Bone marrow diseases like aplastic anemia
Other immune system or genetic diseases like sickle cell diseases.
Read more about the 3 common types of BMT:
Autologous transplant – uses your own blood-forming cells
Allogeneic transplant – uses blood-forming cells donated by someone else.
Bone marrow donation is done under general or regional anesthesia so the donor experiences no pain during the donation procedure. Discomfort and side effects after the donation vary from person to person. Most marrow donors experience some side effects like back or hip pain.
The predicted rate of survival was 62 percent. In allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, a person’s blood-forming stem cells are eliminated and then replaced with new, healthy ones obtained from a donor or from donated umbilical cord blood.
Marrow Donation: Marrow is taken through a needle placed into the donor’s pelvic (hip) bone while the patient is under anesthesia. The procedure is performed in a hospital operating room and takes 1 to 2 hours. Donors typically give about 2 to 3 percent of their marrow, which grows back within a few weeks.
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Prostate Cancer Symptoms..
In most cases, prostate cancer symptoms are not apparent in the early stages of the disease. The symptoms of prostate cancer may be different for each man, and any one of these symptoms may be caused by other conditions. As a result, routine screenings in the form of digital rectal exams and prostate-specific androgen (PSA) tests are important.
Early warning signs of prostate cancer
Because of the proximity of the prostate gland to the bladder and urethra, prostate cancer may be accompanied by a variety of urinary symptoms, especially in the early stages. Depending on its size and location, a tumor may press on and constrict the urethra, inhibiting the flow of urine. Some early prostate cancer signs include:
Burning or pain during urination
Difficulty urinating, or trouble starting and stopping while urinating
More frequent urges to urinate at night
Loss of bladder control
Decreased flow or velocity of urine stream
Blood in urine (hematuria)
Blood in semen
Difficulty getting an erection (erectile dysfunction)
Painful ejaculation
Prostate cancer may spread (metastasize) and form tumors in nearby organs or bones. If the cancer spreads to the spine, it may press on the spinal nerves. Signs of metastatic prostate cancer may include:
Swelling in legs or pelvic area
Numbness or pain in the hips, legs or feet
Bone pain that doesn’t go away, or leads to fractures
The symptoms of prostate cancer often differ from patient to patient. The most common first sign of recurrent prostate cancer is a rise in the PSA level in the blood, making regular PSA tests all the more important in measuring the progress of treatment and checking for signs of recurrence. It is important to report new signs or symptoms to your doctor.
Prostate specific antigen test
A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test measures the level of PSA in the blood. The prostate gland produces PSA, a protein that at an elevated level may be a sign of prostate cancer. A high PSA reading also may indicate noncancerous conditions such as inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) and enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
Men who have symptoms associated with prostate cancer may have a PSA test along with a digital rectum exam (DRE). These symptoms include burning or pain during urination, loss of bladder control, painful ejaculation, and swelling in legs or pelvic area. For the test, a clinician takes a sample of your blood and sends it to a lab for analysis.
In the past, a PSA reading of 4 ng/mL and below was considered normal. Men with a reading above 4 ng/mL were considered likely to have prostate cancer and would have a biopsy to confirm the cancer’s presence. According to the National Cancer Institute, research has found that men with prostate cancer can have a low PSA level, while men without prostate cancer can have a high level. One in four men with an elevated PSA level actually has prostate cancer. However, an increase in PSA level over time may indicate a prostate tumor.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men make an informed decision with their doctor about whether to be tested for prostate cancer, beginning at age 50. Men with one or more risk factors for prostate cancer should consult with their physician about whether to start routine screening earlier.
Symptoms of enlarged prostate can include:
A weak or slow urinary stream.
A feeling of incomplete bladder emptying.
Difficulty starting urination.
Frequent urination.
Urgency to urinate.
Getting up frequently at night to urinate.
A urinary stream that starts and stops.
Straining to urinate.
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Water retention in body
Water storage in the body.
Some people say they don’t eat much skip meals still they are fat. If water stays in the body, doesn’t go out in the form of sweat, tears or urine, it gets stored in stomuch, liver, kidney and intestine. When this dirty water doesn’t get out, tummy, face, waist looks fat. If water gets stored in stonuch like this, its called ascites. If water is stored in lungs, its called Pulmonary Edema. When body starts storing water, it happens in two ways. Water can be stored in all parts of the body or it can be stored in one area.
First face looks fat. Then patients can see swelling in legs and hands, tummy, neck and chin areas will look fat. To findout if water stored in stomuch, press your tummy. If you hear the sound, you have excess water in the body. If water in lungs, patient feels little difficulty in breathing and tiredness all the time. Ancient Indian Ayurveda has good home remedy for this problem. Drink butter milk everyday, use Ghee(melted liquid butter), Honey, Jaggery. Barley grains can be cooked and mix drained water in butter milk and drink everyday for relief from excess water. Also use Jaggery, Ghee HOney in everyday diet.
Mix half spoon honey in a cup of hot/ warm water every morning and drink before breakfast in empty stomuch.
Jaggery can be eaten with water or milk. It helps clear water, flem from lungs and also gives good night sleep wneh taken with warm milk at night, after dinner.
If exess water is in legs and thigh, don’t sit for a long time. Walk as much as possible or stand. While sleeping keep 2 -3 pollows under your legs, so water will not store in the legs. And weating honey, jaggery, barley, butter milk will reduce the quantity of water eventually.
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