What is Parkinson’s Disease

 

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Symptoms start slowly. The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement.

In the initial stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time.

Although Parkinson's disease can't be cured, medications might significantly improve your symptoms. Occasionally, your health care provider may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of your brain and improve your symptoms.

Parkinson's disease signs and symptoms can be different for everyone. Early signs may be mild and go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of the body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect the limbs on both sides.

Parkinson’s disease is cruel -but thousands no longer suffer it…

Symptoms

Parkinson's signs and symptoms may include:

·         Tremor. A tremor, or rhythmic shaking, usually begins in a limb, often your hand or fingers. You may rub your thumb and forefinger back and forth. This is known as a pill-rolling tremor. Your hand may tremble when it's at rest. The shaking may decrease when you are performing tasks.

·         Slowed movement (bradykinesia). Over time, Parkinson's disease may slow your movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Your steps may become shorter when you walk. It may be difficult to get out of a chair. You may drag or shuffle your feet as you try to walk.

·         Rigid muscles. Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion.

·         Impaired posture and balance. Your posture may become stooped. Or you may fall or have balance problems because of Parkinson's disease.

·         Loss of automatic movements. You may have a decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling, or swinging your arms when you walk.

·         Speech changes. You may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than have the usual speech patterns.

·         Writing changes. It may become hard to write, and your writing may appear small.

Causes

In Parkinson's disease, certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain gradually break down or die. Many of the symptoms are due to a loss of neurons that produce a chemical messenger in your brain called dopamine. When dopamine levels decrease, it causes atypical brain activity, leading to impaired movement and other symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but several factors play a role, including:

·         Genes. Researchers have identified specific genetic changes that can cause Parkinson's disease. But these are uncommon except in rare cases with many family members affected by Parkinson's disease.

However, certain gene variations increase the risk of Parkinson's disease but with a relatively small risk of Parkinson's disease for each of these genetic markers.

·         Environmental triggers. Exposure to certain toxins or environmental factors may increase the risk of later Parkinson's disease, but the risk is small.

 

Parkinson’s disease is cruel -but thousands no longer suffer it…

 

Researchers have also noted that many changes occur in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, although it's not clear why these changes occur. These changes include:

·         The presence of Lewy bodies. Clumps of specific substances within brain cells are microscopic markers of Parkinson's disease. These are called Lewy bodies, and researchers believe these Lewy bodies hold an important clue to the cause of Parkinson's disease.

·         Alpha-synuclein found within Lewy bodies. Although many substances are found within Lewy bodies, scientists believe an important one is the natural and widespread protein called alpha-synuclein (a-synuclein). It's found in all Lewy bodies in a clumped form that cells can't break down. This is currently an important focus among Parkinson's disease researchers.

Risk factors

Risk factors for Parkinson's disease include:

·         Age. Young adults rarely experience Parkinson's disease. It ordinarily begins in middle or late life, and the risk increases with age. People usually develop the disease around age 60 or older. If a young person does have Parkinson's disease, genetic counseling might be helpful in making family planning decisions. Work, social situations and medication side effects are also different from those of an older person with Parkinson's disease and require special considerations.

·         Heredity. Having a close relative with Parkinson's disease increases the chances that you'll develop the disease. However, your risks are still small unless you have many relatives in your family with Parkinson's disease.

·         Sex. Men are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than women.

·         Exposure to toxins. Ongoing exposure to herbicides and pesticides may slightly increase your risk of Parkinson's disease.

·         Blood pressure changes. You may feel dizzy or lightheaded when you stand due to sudden drop in blood pressure.

·         Smell dysfunction.  You may have difficulty identifying certain odors or the difference between odors.

·         Fatigue. Many people with this disease lose energy and experience fatigue, especially later in the day. 

Prevention

Because the cause of Parkinson's is unknown, there are no proven ways to prevent the disease.

Some research has shown that regular aerobic exercise might reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Some other research has shown that people who consume caffeine — which is found in coffee, tea and cola — get Parkinson's disease less often than those who don't drink it. Green tea is also related to a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease. However, it is still not known whether caffeine protects against getting Parkinson's or is related in some other way. Currently there is not enough evidence to suggest that drinking caffeinated beverages protects against Parkinson's.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

 

Parkinson’s disease is cruel -but thousands no longer suffer it…

Shingles Explained and How To Cure It

 

What is shingles?

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a common infection of the nerves. It is caused by a virus. Shingles triggers a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin. It can appear anywhere on the body, but it typically appears on only one side of the face or body. Burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching are early signs of the infection. Even after the rash is gone, the pain can continue for months, even years.

How to cure shingles - 
and avoid its painful after-effects.

What causes shingles?

Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years. Shingles is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Skin sensitivity, tingling, itching, and/or pain in the area of the skin before the rash appears
• Rash, which typically appears after 1 to 5 days once symptoms begin and initially looks like small, red spots that turn into blisters
• Blisters typically scab over in 7 to 10 days and clear up within 2 to 4 weeks 

Other early symptoms of shingles may include:

• Stomach upset
• Feeling ill
• Fever and/or chills
• Headache

The symptoms of shingles may look like other medical conditions or problems. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How to cure shingles -
and avoid its painful after-effects.

How is shingles diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will do a complete physical exam and ask about your medical history, specifically about whether you have ever had chickenpox.

Your healthcare provider will likely know right away that it is shingles based on the unique rash. The rash usually appears one area on one side of the body or face. It appears as red spots, small fluid- or pus-filled vesicles, or scabs.

The healthcare provider may also take skin scrapings for testing.

How is shingles treated?

Specific treatment for shingles will be determined by your healthcare provider based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• How long the shingles have been present (some medicines are not as effective if given more than 2 to 3 days after the rash has appeared)
• Extent of the condition
• Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the condition
• Your opinion or preference

There is no cure for shingles. It simply has to run its course. Treatment focuses on pain relief. Painkillers may help relieve some of the pain. Antiviral drugs may help lessen some of the symptoms and reduce nerve damage. Other treatments may include:

• Creams or lotions to help relieve itching
• Cool compresses applied to affected skin areas
• Antiviral medicines (such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir)
• Steroids
• Antidepressants
• Anticonvulsants

What are the complications of shingles?

Symptoms of shingles usually don’t last longer than 3 to 5 weeks. However, complications can happen. The main complications that can result from shingles include:

• Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). The most common complication of shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). This continuous, chronic pain lasts even after the skin lesions have healed. The pain may be severe in the area where the blisters were present. The affected skin may be very sensitive to heat and cold.
  If you had severe pain during the active rash or have impaired senses, you are at increased risk for PHN. The elderly are also at greater risk. Early treatment of shingles may prevent PHN. Pain relievers and steroid treatment may be used to treat the pain and inflammation. Other treatments include antiviral drugs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical agents.
• Bacterial infection. A bacterial infection of the skin where the rash happens is another complication. Rarely, infections can lead to more problems, such as tissue death and scarring. When an infection happens near or on the eyes, a corneal infection can happen. This can lead to temporary or permanent blindness.

How to cure shingles - 
and avoid its painful after-effects.

Can shingles be prevented?

Two different vaccines are available to prevent shingles. Experts recommend vaccination for all adults 50 and older, even if you've had shingles before. Talk with your healthcare provider about the most appropriate time for you to get vaccinated, and which vaccine is best for you. 

When should I call my healthcare provider?

To reduce the severity and shorten the length of the illness, treatment must be started as soon as possible. If you think you have shingles, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Key points about shingles

• Shingles is a common viral infection of the nerves. It causes a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin.
• Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated.
• It is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50.
• Shingles starts with skin sensitivity, tingling, itching, and/or pain followed by rash that looks like small, red spots that turn into blisters.
• The rash is typically affects just one area on one side of the body or face.
• Treatment that is started as soon as possible helps reduce the severity of the disease.

HYPOTHYROIDISM – Underactive Thyroid

 

Overview

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough of certain crucial hormones.  Hypothyroidism may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages. Over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause several health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility, and heart disease.

 

Accurate thyroid function tests are available to diagnose hypothyroidism. Treatment with synthetic thyroid hormone is usually simple, safe, and effective once you and your doctor find the right dose for you.

The hypothyroidism LIE - it’s not a permanent disease

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. Problems tend to develop slowly, often over a few years.

At first, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain. Or you may simply attribute them to getting older. But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more-obvious problems.

Hypothyroidism signs and symptoms may include:

•          Fatigue
•          Increased sensitivity to cold
•          Constipation
•          Dry skin
•          Weight gain
•           Puffy face
•           Hoarseness
•         Muscle weakness
•          Elevated blood cholesterol level
•          Muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
•          Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
•          Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
•          Thinning hair
•          Slowed heart rate
•          Depression
•          Impaired memory
•         Enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)

 

Hypothyroidism in infants

Although hypothyroidism most often affects middle-aged and older women, anyone can develop the condition, including infants. Initially, babies born without a thyroid gland or with a gland that doesn't work properly may have few signs and symptoms. When newborns do have problems with hypothyroidism, the problems may include:

•        Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice). In most cases, this occurs             when a baby's liver can't metabolize a substance called bilirubin, which normally             forms when the body recycles old or damaged red blood cells.
•         A large, protruding tongue.
•         Difficulty breathing.
•          Hoarse crying.
•          An umbilical hernia.

 

The hypothyroidism LIE - it’s not a permanent disease

                                                          

As the disease progresses, infants are likely to have trouble feeding and may fail to grow and develop normally. They may also have:

•          Constipation
•          Poor muscle tone
•          Excessive sleepiness

 

When hypothyroidism in infants isn't treated, even mild cases can lead to severe physical and mental retardation.

Hypothyroidism in children and teens

In general, children and teens who develop hypothyroidism have the same signs and symptoms as adults do, but they may also experience:

•          Poor growth, resulting in short stature
•          Delayed development of permanent teeth
•          Delayed puberty
•          Poor mental development

 

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you're feeling tired for no reason or have any of the other signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as dry skin, a pale, puffy face, constipation, or a hoarse voice.

If you're receiving hormone therapy for hypothyroidism, schedule follow-up visits as often as your doctor recommends. Initially, it's important to make sure you're receiving the correct dose of medicine. And over time, the dose you need may change.

Causes

When your thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones, the balance of chemical reactions in your body can be upset. There can be several causes, including autoimmune disease, hyperthyroidism treatments, radiation therapy, thyroid surgery and certain medications.

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck, just below your Adam's apple. Hormones produced by the thyroid gland — triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) — have an enormous impact on your health, affecting all aspects of your metabolism. These hormones also influence the control of vital functions, such as body temperature and heart rate.

Hypothyroidism is NOT the life sentence you think it is!

Hypothyroidism results when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. Hypothyroidism may be due to a few factors, including:

·  Autoimmune disease. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Autoimmune disorders occur when your immune system produces antibodies that attack your own tissues. Sometimes this process involves your thyroid gland.

Scientists aren't sure why this happens, but it's likely a combination of factors, such as your genes and an environmental trigger. However, it happens, these antibodies affect the thyroid's ability to produce hormones.

·    Over-response to hyperthyroidism treatment. People who produce too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) are often treated with radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications. The goal of these treatments is to get thyroid function back to normal. But sometimes, correcting hyperthyroidism can end up lowering thyroid hormone production too much, resulting in permanent hypothyroidism.

·    Thyroid surgery. Removing all or a large portion of your thyroid gland can diminish or halt hormone production. In that case, you'll need to take thyroid hormone for life.

·    Radiation therapy. Radiation used to treat cancers of the head and neck can affect your thyroid gland and may lead to hypothyroidism.

·    Medications. A few medications can contribute to hypothyroidism. One such medication is lithium, which is used to treat certain psychiatric disorders. If you're taking medication, ask your doctor about its effect on your thyroid gland.

Less often, hypothyroidism may result from one of the following:

·         Congenital disease. Some babies are born with a defective thyroid gland or no thyroid gland. In most cases, the thyroid gland didn't develop normally for unknown reasons, but some children have an inherited form of the disorder. Often, infants with congenital hypothyroidism appear normal at birth. That's one reason why most states now require newborn thyroid screening.

·         Pituitary disorder. A relatively rare cause of hypothyroidism is the failure of the pituitary gland to produce enough thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) — usually because of a benign tumor of the pituitary gland.

·         Pregnancy. Some women develop hypothyroidism during or after pregnancy (postpartum hypothyroidism), often because they produce antibodies to their own thyroid gland. Left untreated, hypothyroidism increases the risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, and preeclampsia — a condition that causes a significant rise in a woman's blood pressure during the last three months of pregnancy. It can also seriously affect the developing fetus.

·         Iodine deficiency. The trace mineral iodine — found primarily in seafood, seaweed, plants grown in iodine-rich soil and iodized salt — is essential to produce thyroid hormones. Too little iodine can lead to hypothyroidism, and too much iodine can worsen hypothyroidism in people who already have the condition. In some parts of the world, iodine deficiency is common, but the addition of iodine to table salt has virtually eliminated this problem in the United States.

 

The hypothyroidism LIE - it’s not a permanent disease

 

 

Risk factors

Although anyone can develop hypothyroidism, you're at an increased risk if you:

•          Are a woman
•          Are older than 60
•          Have a family history of thyroid disease
•          Have an autoimmune disease, such as type 1 diabetes or celiac disease
•          Have been treated with radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications
•          Received radiation to your neck or upper chest
•          Have had thyroid surgery (partial thyroidectomy)
•          Have been pregnant or delivered a baby within the past six months

 

Complications

Untreated hypothyroidism can lead to several health problems:

·        Goiter. Constant stimulation of your thyroid to release more hormones may cause the gland to become larger — a condition known as a goiter. Although generally not uncomfortable, a large goiter can affect your appearance and may interfere with swallowing or breathing.

·        Heart problems. Hypothyroidism may also be associated with an increased risk of heart disease and heart failure, primarily because high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol — can occur in people with an underactive thyroid.

·        Mental health issues. Depression may occur early in hypothyroidism and may become more severe over time. Hypothyroidism can also cause slowed mental functioning.

·    Peripheral neuropathy. Long-term uncontrolled hypothyroidism can cause damage to your peripheral nerves. These are the nerves that carry information from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body — for example, your arms and legs. Peripheral neuropathy may cause pain, numbness and tingling in affected areas.

·         Myxedema. This rare, life-threatening condition is the result of long-term, undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Its signs and symptoms include intense cold intolerance and drowsiness followed by profound lethargy and unconsciousness.

A myxedema coma may be triggered by sedatives, infection, or other stress on your body. If you have signs or symptoms of myxedema, you need immediate emergency medical treatment.

·     Infertility. Low levels of thyroid hormone can interfere with ovulation, which impairs fertility. In addition, some of the causes of hypothyroidism — such as autoimmune disorder — can also impair fertility.

·     Birth defects. Babies born to women with untreated thyroid disease may have a higher risk of birth defects compared to babies born to healthy mothers. These children are also more prone to serious intellectual and developmental problems.

Infants with untreated hypothyroidism present at birth are at risk of serious problems with both physical and mental development. But if this condition is diagnosed within the first few months of life, the chances of normal development are excellent.

 

Hypothyroidism is NOT the life sentence you think it is!

 

By Mayo Clinic Staff