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Friday, April 19, 2024
Tags Posts tagged with "diseases"

diseases

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Encephalitis is a rare condition that is most often caused by viruses (viral encephalitis). It can also be caused by non-infectious diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematous and Behcet’s disease (an autoimmune disorder). The leading cause of severe encephalitis is the herpes simplex virus.

Other causes include enterovirus infections or mosquito-borne viruses; Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE); Western equine encephalitis (WEE); Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE); Japanese encephalitis; and Zika virus.

The very young and the elderly are more likely to have more severe encephalitis.

Exposure to viruses can occur through breathing in respiratory droplets from infected people, certain insect bites, and direct skin contact.

What are encephalitis symptoms and signs?
The signs and symptoms of encephalitis can range from very mild flu-like symptoms to potentially life-threatening events. Signs and symptoms of encephalitis include sudden fever, headache, vomiting, visual sensitivity to light, stiff neck and back, confusion, drowsiness, unsteady gait, irritability, loss of consciousness, poor responsiveness, seizures, muscle weakness, sudden severe dementia, and memory loss.

How do health care professionals diagnose encephalitis?
A health care professional diagnoses encephalitis after performing a thorough history and exam. The exam will incorporate special techniques to look for signs of inflammation of the membranes that surround the spinal cord and brain (meninges). The doctor will order specific tests to help determine the diagnosis.

Tests that evaluate individuals suspected of having encephalitis include cerebrospinal fluid analysis, brain scanning such as computerized tomography scan (CT or CAT scan)/ Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and an evaluation of the blood for infection and the presence of bacteria.

The most common method of obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (or CSF) for examination is a spinal tap. A spinal tap, or lumbar puncture (LP), involves the insertion of a needle into the fluid within the spinal canal. The needle goes between the spine’s bony parts until it reaches the CSF. A medical professional then collects a small amount of fluid to send to the laboratory for an exam.

Evaluating the CSF is necessary for a definitive diagnosis of encephalitis and to decide on the best treatment options.

Abnormal spinal fluid results confirm the diagnosis and, in the event of an infection, by identifying the organism that caused the infection.

What is the treatment of encephalitis?
People require urgent treatment with antibiotics and/or antiviral medications if a physician suspects that person has encephalitis. Patients may need to take sedatives for irritability or restlessness. Doctors may administer other medications to decrease fever or treat headaches.

Prevention
Basic steps to avoid the spread of infections (handwashing, covering mouth when coughing, etc.) can help prevent encephalitis.

*Dr. Nwaoney is an epidemiologist, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Medical Director of Richie Hospital and El Shaddai Group.

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Nowadays, Nigerians who lead sedentary lifestyles and who have adopted irregular food habits, appear to be more prone to liver diseases than others. Fatty liver disease is the result of a build-up of fat in the liver. If the liver is healthy, there should be little or no fat in it. However, sometimes, fat molecules begin to collect in the liver cells. Small amounts of fat in the liver usually cause no problems. However, when too much fat builds in this organ, it can pose a lot of health hazards.

With the exception of the brain, the liver is the most complex organ and second largest organ in the body. Its function is to process everything we eat or drink and filter harmful substances from the blood. This process is however interrupted when the liver contains too much fat. When fat accounts for more than five percent of the liver’s weight, the condition is described as fatty liver.

It is becoming one of the most common types of liver disease and it’s also one of the causes of liver cancer and cirrhosis. The disease may also occur due to metabolic problems such as diabetes, obesity or Hepatitis B and C infection.

A diagnosis of fatty liver could raise the alarm for an impending Type 2 diabetes. Fatty liver disease can lead to an inflamed liver and scarring. This is called alcoholic hepatitis if it’s caused by drinking too much alcohol and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis if it’s not related to alcohol.

Risk factors

From what I have explained so far, it should be obvious that fatty liver disease is a lifestyle disease. Most people living with this disease are fat, obese and they take alcohol.

It is more common in men and persons above the age of 50. Hypertensive and diabetic patients are most likely to be diagnosed with fatty liver as they are already battling with high blood sugar, glucose and cholesterol.

However, chemicals like methotrexate and tamoxifen can, but rarely cause non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Symptoms

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease usually causes no signs and symptoms. When it does, they may include fatigue, poor appetite, pain in the upper right abdomen and weight loss.

Its complications include a swollen abdomen, itchy skin, vomiting of blood,  confusion or poor memory, weakness and muscle wasting and jaundice.

Diagnosis

Fatty liver disease can sometimes be difficult to diagnose because one may not have any symptoms. There is no single test that can be used to diagnose fatty liver disease, but one may carry out some blood tests, liver biopsy,  ultrasound, CT or MRI scan which help to create images of the liver. These images will show if there are any forms of fat in the liver.

Prevention

You may be able to prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by maintaining a healthy weight for your height. Being active try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week or 30 minutes of exercise for days.

Those who are obese or overweight, a gradual weight loss and regular exercise is advised. This not only helps with fatty liver but also it will help to reduce other risks of developing cardiovascular problems.

Limit or avoid alcoholic beverages because alcohol even in modest amounts may make fatty liver worse.

Eating healthy foods that are low in saturated fat and reduce your sugar intake to control your blood sugar. Manage your cholesterol levels and use liver supplements.

Conclusion

Alcoholic fatty liver disease is reversible. The liver should return to normal if one stops drinking alcohol. Even if one has been a heavy drinker for many years, reducing or stopping alcohol intake will have important short and long-term benefits on the liver and one’s overall health.

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With the high populations of our time and therefore the prevalence of crowdedness, worrying concerning diseases has become common. There are such a big amount of people running around who might be carriers of debilitating diseases for others. a complex of viruses and bacteria that would ruin some days of your life, or probably kill you.

Not solely do diseases ruin your productivity, however, they conjointly poke a hole in your wallet. you’ll be spending an enormous portion of your money on medicine, simply to medicate yourself. If you are somebody with a weak immune system, drug prices are also a big part of your expenses. it’s even worse once poor immune could be a genetic attribute in your family.

As such, you wish to seek out ways in which to reduce back the chance of sickness as much as you can. an excessive amount of medication, whereas it’s useful, will certainly cause severe side effects that would cause death. you’ll ruin your body over time with the harmful chemicals and antibiotics consumed perpetually. Here are some powerful ways you can boost your immune system.

1. Add Some Sunshine

Researchers are quickly catching on that Vitamin D may be the secret to avoiding the cold and flu. Vitamin D plays an important role in strengthening your defence system to better fight any invading viruses and bacteria. Unfortunately, it is also the number one vitamin deficiency in Americans. Compounding the problem if the fact that Vitamin D is produced when the body gets adequate levels of sunshine, so naturally, even less is produced in the winter months. It has recently been hypothesized that this could be one major reason for the increase in cold and flu cases during the winter season.  Because of this, it’s important that we have alternative ways of getting this powerful immune-boosting vitamin. One great source of Vitamin D is cod liver oil. In addition to the Vitamin D it offers, it’s also a great source of Vitamin A, which is an immune system superstar, and Omega 3 fatty acids, which holds significant health benefits for the heart, brain, skin, and much more.

2. An Apple a Day

When it comes to fighting cold and flu, it is essential to decrease your sugar intake. Sugar has devastating effects on the immune system, and the fact that Americans consume an average of 2-3 pounds of sugar per person every year spells bad news come cold and flu season. Not only does sugar increase the production of hormones that suppress the immune system, refined sugar needs micronutrients to be metabolized. This requires your body to use stored vitamins and minerals, further harming your defences. On the other hand, eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables will make sure that your body is getting all of the vitamins and minerals that are essential to fighting off the cold and flu. Each and every fruit and vegetable is packed with thousands of phytochemicals. No supplement could ever match the power of eating a whole food. Regardless of what vitamin and mineral you take, it should always be as a supplement to a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

3. Keep Balanced

By now, we all know that stress is bad for us. However, relatively few of us are aware of how stress actually impacts the health of the body. When we experience stress, the natural balance of the body is affected in ways we could never imagine. In fact, stress takes an enormous toll on the immune system. For this reason, it is important to find ways to bring the body back into balance. Meditation, prayer, exercise, and yoga are all great ways of taking care of yourself and keeping stress levels low. Chiropractic adjustments also have a significant effect on the nervous system, creating balance, helping to restore the body’s natural healing potential.

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Researchers at the Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands, have estimated that Nigeria will save $12bn by eradicating neglected tropical disease in the country.

The report which was developed with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was presented by ENDFund at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Kigali, Rwanda.

NTDs are a diverse group of parasitic and bacterial infectious diseases that are particularly prevalent in areas with limited access to safe water, proper sanitation and adequate medical services

The five most common NTDs are elephantiasis, river blindness, schistosomiasis , intestinal worms infection and trachoma – account for 90 per cent of the region’s NTD burden.

According to the World Health Organisation, at least one of these diseases is present in all 47 countries in the African region.

Queen Sylvia of Buganda, a kingdom in Uganda, in her address at the event noted that the impact of NTDs on both health and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa is massive.

She stated that each year, these diseases cause disabilities among millions of African citizens.

“I have seen the devastating effects of NTDs first hand in my community.We cannot continue to let people across Africa suffer from these diseases of poverty when simple solutions exist. It is holding our people and our countries back. We can and we must do more,” she noted.

The Chief Executive Officer, END Fund, a private philanthropic initiative, Ellen Agler, called on government to increase investment towards ending the five most common NTDs on the continent.

Agler said, “NTD control efforts offer a return on investment unparalleled in global health.Ending these debilitating diseases will help reduce poverty at all levels, from families and communities to whole nations.”

The Rwandan Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, said the country had made progress on NTDs. According to her, the prevalence of intestinal worms infection has reduced by 32 per cent over the last five years in the country.

Binagwaho said, “Now is the time for leaders across Africa to prioritise NTD control and put an end to these terrible diseases in order to improve the lives of our people. In Rwanda, we have invested in our people, and we have seen progress as a result of this commitment. With human lives at stake, we simply cannot afford to wait.”

PUNCH.

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