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Article by Davis Marco
Good prostate health is an indicator of the overall health of a man. Did you know that more than 50 percent of men develop some kind of prostate cancer during their lifetime? It is an alarming but true fact. Ignoring prostate health may lead to prostate cancer
Article by Ricardo Lumbardo
What Heart Diseases Can Affect Your Dog?
Just as there are several heart diseases that can affect human beings, dogs are also vulnerable to a wide variety of canine heart diseases. Some heart problems in dogs are inborn, some are developed through their growing years, and some are developed when the dog gets older. The frequency of dog heart disease in older dogs is higher than those in younger dogs. Some heart problems in dogs are minor, but some are large-scale and can lead to complete heart failure. One of the most common heart disease that can affect your dog is patent ductus arteriosus. This occurs when the blood from the heart is returned to the heart, instead of being distributed all throught the dog’s body. In essence, this has to do with abnormal blood flow. This happens when there is an abnormality in the functions of the ducts that connect thee heart to the rest of the organs. There are also common heart diseases such as enlargement of the heart. On the other hand, the most serious kind of heart problem in dogs is CHF, known as Congestive Heart Failure, which basically refers to the weakening of the heart and inability to perform its functions. This can completely take the life out of your dog, not only through death, but also by limiting its abilities to engage in certain exercises.
Symptoms of Dog Heart Diseases
Symptoms of heart diseases in dogs can vary based on the type of disease. The usual symptoms include rapid or shallow breathing, coughing, and weakening during strenuous activities. Your dog may also suffer from a loss of appetite, and can even experience fainting in extreme curcumstances. If there are already basic symptoms, you can check if your dog’s gums are paler than usual. If you detect any symptoms, you should immediately get your dog diagnosed. There are many ways to do so, one of which is through cardiac ultrasound.
Treatment and Prevention of Canine Heart Diseases
Heart problems in dogs can be prevented through regular checkups and consultation with your veterinarian. Don’t wait for symptoms of any kind of disease to start showing. Remember to get regular checkups, and always ask your veterinarian about heart diseases. This way, the veterinarian can properly check. In case a heart problem is detected, the time of detection is very crucial. The earlier it is diagnosed, the better chances your dog has of fighting it through normal treatment options. Another reason why heart problems in dogs should be diagnosed early is that any kind of heart problem can also cause problems to other organs, due to the lack of enough blood, or abnormal blood flow. Aside from regular vet visits, you can also prevent canine heart diseases with a proper diet plan for your dog, which will keep away obesity, which actually plays a role in causing heart diseases in dogs. There are also available heart medications for dogs, but you have to be cautious when using them because most causes negative side effects to dogs. However, in severe cases, the only thing that can save a badly affected dog from a fatal heart problem is surgery. But since heart problems in dogs are very common, surgeries to treat canine heart diseases are often practiced and have a high rate of success.
About the Author
To learn more about American Bulldog and to find other high quality breeds, please visit http://www.11-peaks.com.
Article by F. Kuhn, RN
UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF YOUR HEART AND HEART DISEASE
Understand the basics associated with your heart and blood vessels. Here you will get an understanding of all the different types of cardiovascular disease that can be confusing. Get a basic overview of cardiovascular disease and the conditions that can affect your heart and blood vessels.
You probably hear a lot about preventing heart disease. But maybe you’re not sure what heart disease is. Is it the same thing as cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease or other heart terms you sometimes see?
With many medical terms related to the heart and blood vessels, it’s no wonder you may be puzzled or confused. Here you will have a chance to brush up on some basic terms about cardiovascular disease (CVD) that can help you stay more informed. This can then help you when you’re watching the news or meeting with your doctor.
The first term to know is Cardiovascular Disease or CVD. CVD is a broad term. CVD is a large collection of diseases and conditions.
If you want to be technical, CVD refers to any disorder in any of the various parts of your heart system. Your cardiovascular system consists of your heart and all the blood vessels throughout your whole body.
Cardiovascular disease has two main mechanisms:
Diseases of the Heart (cardio)
Diseases of the Blood Vessels (vascular)
Everything from an aneurysm to a heart attack to varicose veins are all types of CVD. You may be born with a type of CVD (congenital) or you may acquire others later on in life possibly from a lifetime of unhealthy habits, lack of exercise, smoking, and other factors.
Here’s a closer look at the two mechanisms of cardiovascular disease.
Diseases of the Heart
The diseases and conditions that affect the heart are in a group known as heart disease. The heart consists of a muscle that pumps blood. Arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, and the valves make sure that the blood within the heart is pumped in the right direction. Problems can occur in any of these areas.
Just like CVD, Heart Disease is a broad term.
Here are the specific types of heart disease:
**Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
**Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
**Cardiomyopathy
**Valvular heart disease
**Pericardial disease
**Congenital heart disease
**Heart failure (CHF)
Diseases of the Blood Vessels
Blood vessels are in basic terms hollow tubes that carry blood to the organs and tissues throughout your body.
There are 4 basic types of blood vessels:
Arteries. These blood vessels carry oxygenated blood to all parts of the body
Veins. These blood vessels carry deoxygenated blood back to your heart. That is why they have a bluish cast to their color
Capillaries. These are tiny vessels that connect your arteries and veins.
Lymphatics. Fluid that leaks out of your capillaries in order to bathe your cells.
Here are some types of blood vessel disorders:
**Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis
**High blood pressure (HBP) or Hypertension (HTN)
**Stroke
**Aneurysm
**Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and claudication
**Vasculitis
**Venous incompetence
**Venous thrombosis or blood clot
**Varicose veins
**Lymphedema
Heart Disease is a serious condition. Watch your fatty food intake, smoking, as well as your sweet tooth intake. Both can cause serious heart problems.
It is best to start out slow when changing your diet. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to start.
About the Author
F. Kuhn, RN specializing in diabetes
http://www.heartnewscenter.comhttp://www.onediabetes.com
Related Heart Disease Articles
Article by Cindy Heller
Heart disease is a disorder, which affect the proper functioning of the heart. Child heart disease is common affecting many newborn and older children. This article examines the various child heart diseases and their treatment.
Congenital Heart Disease
Heart disease is a serious ailment and often leads to premature death. Many children can also suffer from heart disease. Child heart disease is actually quite a common worldwide. When a child is born with an existing defect in the heart, it is called congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease is fairly. It affects almost one percent of all newborn.
Often, the first diagnosis of child heart disease is made during routine examination when the pediatrician detects heart murmur. Heart murmur is the noise that the blood makes as it flows through the heart. Heart murmurs are fairly common in children. It is not necessarily a sign of child heart disease.
If a heart murmur is due to a problem in a child’s heart, it is caused either by a hole in the heart, a leaky heart valve, or constricted heart valve. To confirm the diagnosis, an examination by a pediatric cardiologist is necessary. Pediatric specializes in child heart disease.
Abnormalities of the heart may or may not be noticeable at birth. For example, a hole in the heart wall will allows blood to travel from one side to the other. In such case, the baby may have blue lips or fingers. This is one of the signs of child heart disease.
Another example of child heart disease is an abnormal heart valve, which allow blood to flow in the opposite direction. Such a problem will usually require surgery once the child is older.
Congenital heart disease must be treated promptly or it will lead to more serious complications. Hence, early detection is important. Unfortunately, many heart defects are not detected at birth resulting in more damage to the heart and requiring more extensive treatment.
Some forms of congenital heart disease are actually self-healing. However, in many cases, major surgery will be required to rectify the problems.
While there are risks associated with surgery, the chances of full recovery and a normal life are very high. So the situation is not hopeless.
Connection between Premature Infants and Heart Disease
A baby is considered premature if born before 37 weeks. Most premature babies are born with some form of heart problem. A premature infant’s organs are also not fully developed, and thus require special care in a nursery or intensive care unit while their organ systems continue growth.
Although there is no sure way to avoid premature labor, one of the most important preventive measures to receive proper prenatal care. Statistics show that proper prenatal care greatly reduces the odds of premature birth and related deaths.
The pregnant mother should also maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, keep well hydrated and have at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.
Hereditary Heart Disease
Hereditary heart disease refers to heart disease, which is passed down through genes. It is not preventable. If one has a history of heart disease in the family then one is at risk of hereditary heart disease.
The risk is greater when first-degree relatives, such as your mother, father, brother, sister and so on, have heart disease.
In rare cases, high cholesterol level runs in the family. This is called familial hypercholesterolaemia. It is a genetic problem, which results in exceptionally high level of cholesterol. As a result, there is a high of heart disease.
Hereditary heart disease is caused by various factors. Sometimes, it is merely a pattern of heart disease rather than true hereditary heart disease. These are actually avoidable. For example, the family lifestyle such as poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking. All of these factors contribute to heart disease and can be the start of the chain of hereditary heart disease. In such cases, changing these risk factors will reduce the likelihood of heart disease. This means eating a proper well-balanced diet, getting plenty of exercise, as well as avoids smoking and excessive drinking.
By living a healthy lifestyle, it is possible to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, even if one’s genes are predispose to heart disease.
About the Author
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit Cure For Heart Disease to find out how do you get heart disease.
Article by Olinda Rola
Thyroid disease symptoms and hypothyroidism symptoms afflict millions of adults in the USA alone. Thyroid disease symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. Approximately 10-20% of women and 1-2% of men have symptoms of thyroid problems. The most common type of thyroid dysfunction is the condition hypothyroidism, also called low thyroid or underactive thyroid. When thyroid function slows too much, one of the consequences is that metabolism in the body slows down more than it should. When the body’s metabolism slows down due to underactive thyroid function, the result can be hypothyroidism symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain and depression. And other thyroid symptoms may be experienced as well, and these other symptoms may appear to be unrelated. The most common thyroid disease symptoms and hypothyroidism symptoms include:
Article by Aileen Norgell, MD
Low Back Pain in Adults
About 3 in 4 people have one or more episodes of low back pain. Most episodes soon ease and are not due to serious back problems. In most cases the usual advice is to keep active, and do normal activities as much as possible. Painkillers are helpful until the pain eases. Chronic (persistent) pain develops in some cases, and further treatment may then be needed.
Most of the lower back is made up from muscles that attach to, and surround, the spine. The spine is made up of many bones called vertebrae. The vertebrae are roughly circular and between each vertebra is a ‘disc’. The discs are made of strong rubber-like tissue which allows the spine to be fairly flexible. Strong ligaments also attach to adjacent vertebrae to give extra support and strength to the spine. The various muscles that are attached to the spine enable the spine to bend and move in various ways.
The spinal cord, which contains the nerves that come from the brain, is protected by the spine. Nerves from the spinal cord come out from between the vertebrae to take and receive messages to various parts of the body.
What are the types of low back pain?
Simple low back painThis is the most common type. About 19 in 20 cases of acute (sudden onset) low back pain are classed as ‘simple low back pain’. (It is sometimes called ‘non-specific’ low back pain.) Simple low back pain means that the pain is not due to any underlying disease that can be found. In some cases the cause may be a sprain (an over-stretch) of a ligament or muscle. In other cases the cause may be a minor problem with a disc between two vertebrae, or a minor problem with a small ‘facet’ joint between two vertebrae. However, these causes of the pain are impossible to prove by tests and so it is often impossible for a doctor to say exactly where the pain is coming from, or exactly what is causing the pain.
Sometimes a pain may develop immediately after you lift something heavy, or after an awkward twisting movement. Sometimes you can just wake up with low back pain.
Simple does not mean that the pain is mild – the pain can range from mild to very bad. Typically, the pain is in one area of the lower back, but sometimes it spreads to the buttocks or thighs. The pain is usually eased by lying down flat, and is often made worse if you move your back, cough, or sneeze. So, simple back pain is ‘mechanical’ in the sense that it varies with posture or activity.
Most bouts of simple low back pain improve quickly, usually within a week or so. In about 3 in 4 cases, the pain has either gone or has greatly eased within four weeks. In about 9 in 10 cases the pain has gone or has greatly eased within six weeks. However, once the pain has gone it is common to have further bouts of pain (recurrences) from time to time in the future. Also, it is common to have minor pains ‘on and off’ for quite some time after an initial bad bout of pain. In a small number of cases the pain persists for several months or longer (chronic back pain).
Nerve root painThis occurs in less than 1 in 20 cases. This means that a nerve coming from the spinal cord is irritated or pressed on. (This is often referred to as a ‘trapped nerve’.) You feel pain along the course of the nerve. Therefore, you may feel pain down a leg to the calf or foot, and the pain in the leg or foot is often worse than the pain in the back. A common example is ‘sciatica’. This is where a main nerve to the leg, the sciatic nerve, is irritated or pressed on.
Nerve root pain can range in severity from mild to very bad. Like with simple low back pain, nerve root pain is often eased by lying down flat, and is often made worse if you move your back, cough, or sneeze. The irritation or pressure on the nerve may also cause pins and needles, numbness or weakness in part of a buttock, leg or foot.
The cause of the irritation or pressure on a nerve may be due to inflammation caused by a ligament or muscle sprain. A ‘slipped disc’ is another well known cause. (A disc does not actually ‘slip’. What happens is that part of the inner softer part of the disc bulges out (prolapses) through a weakness in the outer harder part of the disc. The prolapsed part of the disc can press on a nerve nearby. Other less common conditions can press on a nerve to cause nerve root pain.
Less common causes of low back painArthritis (inflammation of the joints) of the spine sometimes causes back pain. Osteoarthritis is the common form or arthritis and usually occurs in older people. Ankylosing spondylitis is another form of arthritis that can occur in young adults and causes pain and stiffness in the lower back. Rheumatoid arthritis may affect the spine, but you are likely to have other joints affected too.
Various uncommon bone disorders, tumors, infections, and pressure from structures near to the spine occasionally cause back pain. (Less than 1 in 100 cases of low back pain.)
How can I tell what type of back pain I have?
Most cases of low back pain that develop suddenly (acutely) are due to simple low back pain. Many people just ‘get on with it’ and treat it themselves – and indeed most get better quickly. However, if in doubt, see your doctor for a check-over and advice.
As a general guide, if any of the following occur then it may indicate that it may not be simple low back pain, and there may be a more serious underlying cause such as a nerve root problem, or another disorder. Therefore, tell a doctor if you have any of the following.
* The pain first develops under the age of 20 years or over the age of 55 years. * Constant back pain that is not eased by lying down or resting. * Pain travels to the chest, or is higher in the back behind the chest. * If the pain developed gradually, and slowly gets worse and worse over days or weeks. (Most cases of simple low back pain occur acutely, that is, suddenly.) * In addition to back pain, you have: o Weakness of any muscles in a leg or foot. o Numbness (lack of feeling) in part or parts of a buttock, around the anus, or in a leg or foot. o Problems with your bladder or bowels such as not being able to pass urine or loss of control (incontinence). o Weight loss, fever, or if you feel generally unwell. o Recent history of violent trauma or injury to the back. o You have or have had a cancer of any part of the body. o You have taken steroid tablets for more than a few months. o If you have a poor immune system. For example, if you are on chemotherapy or have HIV/AIDS. * If you are unsure about any symptom.
Cauda equina syndrome – rare, but an emergencyCauda equina syndrome is a particularly serious type of nerve root problem. This is a rare disorder where the nerves at the very bottom of the spinal cord are pressed on. This syndrome can cause low back pain plus: problems with bowel and bladder function (usually unable to pass urine), numbness in the ‘saddle’ area (around the anus), and weakness in one or both legs. This syndrome needs urgent treatment to preserve the nerves to the bladder and bowel from becoming permanently damaged. See a doctor immediately if you develop these symptoms.
Do I need any tests?
Your doctor will normally be able to diagnose simple low back pain or nerve root pain from the description of the pain, and by examining you. In most cases, no tests are needed. For example, x-rays or scans of the back are not helpful and do not show anything abnormal if you have simple low back pain. Also, if you have sudden onset nerve root pain, and symptoms begin to improve over the next few weeks, then no tests are needed.
Tests such as x-rays or scans may be advised if nerve root pain persists or is severe, or if another serious cause of the pain is suspected.
What are the treatments for simple low back pain?
The following advice and treatment is commonly given for a sudden ‘acute’ bout of simple low back pain. Most people recover quickly.
Initially, rest if the pain is severe, then when you are able,exercise and keep going.Continue with normal activities as far as possible. This may not be possible at first if the pain is very bad. However, move around as soon as possible, and get back into normal activities as soon as you are able. As a rule, don’t do anything that causes a lot of pain. However, you will have to accept some discomfort when you are trying to keep active. Setting a new goal each day may be a good idea. For example, walking around the house on one day, a walk around the block the next, etc.
In the past, advice had been to rest until the pain eases. It is now known that this was wrong. You are likely to recover more quickly and are less likely to develop chronic (persistent) back pain if you keep active when you have back pain rather than rest a lot. Also, sleep in the most naturally comfortable position on whatever is the most comfortable surface. (Advice given in the past used to be to sleep on a firm mattress. However, there is no evidence to say that a firm mattress is better than any other type of mattress for people with low back pain.)
MedicationIf you need painkillers, it is best to take them regularly. This is better than taking them ‘now and again’ just when the pain is very bad. If you take them regularly the pain is more likely to be eased for much of the time and enable you to exercise and keep active.
* Acetaminophen is often sufficient if you take it regularly at full strength. * Anti-inflammatory painkillers. Some people find that these work better than acetaminophen. They include ibuprofen which you can buy at pharmacies or get on prescription. Other types such as diclofenac or high dose naproxen need a prescription. Some people with asthma, high blood pressure, kidney failure, or heart failure may not be able to take anti-inflammatories. *
Heart disease affects more than 20 million Americans. Let’s explore the various forms that heart disease can take.Watch More Health Videos at Health Guru: www.healthguru.com
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Breaking news for angina and post heart attack symptoms treatment can be found at Fine Treatment website www.finetreatment.co.uk Dr Allen’s Device for Heart Treatment works 24 hours a day improving the condition of your heart muscle. The device relieves angina and other symptoms of cardiosclerosis naturally reducing the need for additional medication. This therapy is an alternative to many other types of the heart treatments (supplements, painkillers, etc) all around the world and has no adverse side effects. Dr Allen in his research “The Origin of Health Disorders” has explained the cause of Angina and post heart attack symptoms. Indeed the new knowledge of the development of angina and post heart attack conditions demonstrates a way to how to treat these problems at home, just by improving the blood flow in heart muscle, for additional information use the website: www.finetreatment.co.uk. New Thermobalancing therapy cleans coronary arteries and strengthens heart muscle that cannot be achieved with any other treatments. Dr Simon Allen is a highly experienced medical professional, with over 30 years of work experience in clinical medicine. He obtained a PhD in Medicine in 1978. Many years he headed a hospital where patients with cardiovascular diseases were treated.
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Urology San Antonio physicians Naveen Kella, MD and Kenneth Stallman, MD explain the benefits of robotic surgery to treat prostate cancer. Learn more at www.roboticsurgerysa.com
Urology San Antonio physician Naveen Kella, MD explains the function of the prostate gland and how removing it during surgery will affect a man’s sexual experience.
www.davidwygant.com Understanding Women Get Out Of The Friend Zone & Date Your Crush. Are you stuck in the friend zone. Having trouble understanding women and how to get them to see you not as a friend but as a date? This shocking video will give you the secret to understanding how women are wired and how to get out of that friend zone! For more FREE tips and advice on understanding women and how they really think, visit www.davidwygant.com