Health & Well Being

Providing You With The Best Health Information

Theories As To What Can Cause Endometriosis

Doctors have been researching for years trying to determine the cause of endometriosis in women to no avail. There have been many theories as to what can cause endometriosis – but for now they are still theories and have been proven.

Hereditary

Some believe that women who have family members that have endometriosis are at a higher risk of developing the disease.

Retrograde Menstruation

This theory was first thought of during the 1920’s by Dr. Sampson. He believed that during the time of menstruation some women will produce a certain amount of menstrual fluid that will flow backwards from the uterus and will ‘cover the pelvic organs and pelvis lining’ with endometrium cells. However, this is one of the most flimsy theories because many women who have this problem have not developed endometriosis.

Disorders Of The Livers

Estrogen can be regulated and removed from the body by the liver. If the liver is not working properly then it can cause serious health problems including endometriosis.

October 23, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Diseases, Endometriosis | | No Comments Yet

Different Types Of Warts

There are over 50 different types of warts. However, it would be too long and too much time to list each type. So instead we have decided to make things a little bit easier by only listing the most common types of warts and what they are. Read more »

October 22, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Infections | | No Comments Yet

Tattoo Health Concerns

Before you get a tattoo you should be think it over for a few months and ask yourself if this is really what you want. While tattoos can be removed it is a very expensive process that many cannot afford. This makes them quite permanent.

One of the more important questions and concerns that you should have are the medical problems that could affect you as a result of tattoos. We have a list of many common health problems that can affect you when getting one. Tattoo Safety should always be your number one concern.

Infections

Some tattoo parlors are not up to par and may use equipment and needles that are not sterile. When this happens the needles can transmit infectious diseases. Hepatitis is one of the more common diseases that is transmitted from person to person through improper tattoo needles.

Make sure that the equipment looks clean and watch them sterilize it. Even if someone sterilizes the needle it isn’t uncommon for the person to still have problems. It will be your job to prevent infections by properly caring for your tattoo during the first week.

Allergic Reactions

It is rare for people to be allergic to the tattoo pigments that are used to create the tattoo – but it is not unheard of. Even some people have experienced a reaction only years after they have had the tattoo.

Formation Of Keloids

Anyone who has a tendency of developing keloids should think twice before getting a tattoo. Keloids are scars that will grow out of the normal boundaries. Tattoos could cause serious keloids because they cause trauma to your skin.

October 22, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Disease Prevention, Infections | | No Comments Yet

Symptoms Of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a popular health problem in women. This problem happens when the tissue that lines the uterus walls grows out of control. It will begin to grow outside of the uterus and into other areas of the body. These infected areas are called implants, nodules, tumors, and lesions.

These implants can be found on or beneath the ovaries, on the bladder, behind the uterus, or on the tissues that hold the uterus together.

Symptoms Of Endometriosis

The most common symptom that comes from this problem is pain. This pain is experienced in the pelvis, lower back, and abdomen. There are some women who do not experience any pain at all – but that can be rare. The symptoms to look for are:

Extremely painful menstrual cramps
Pain with periods that gets steadily worse over time
Chronic pain in the pelvis and lower back
Pain during or after sex
Intestinal pain
Painful bowel movements or painful urination during menstrual periods
Heavy and/or long menstrual periods
Spotting or bleeding between periods
Infertility
Fatigue
Constipation
Bloating
Diarrhea
Gastrointestinal problems

October 15, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

Success Of Surgery For Snoring

Some people who wish to end their problem with snoring will opt our of medications and instead will choose to undergo surgery. But before they make this decision and go through with it they want to understand the risks that are involved and how successful it will be at relieving them of this problem.

Research shows that surgeries are often times very effective at reducing snoring. Of course whether or not the surgery is successful will depend on how what is causing the snoring in the first place. For example someone who snores because of nasal congestion will not benefit from a palate procedure.

Success of the surgery also depends on the patient itself. In order for the surgery to become effective the person who sleeps with the snorer should also be able to sleep well.

Palate implant surgery is one of the most successful surgeries that helps to decrease snoring. 89% of people who snore are encouraged to undergo palatal surgery. Only patients who snore because of palate problems will improve from this surgery.

October 12, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Sleep Disorders, Treatments | | No Comments Yet

Stages of Colon Cancer

There are five different stages to colon cancer. Each stage is different in severity and will therefore have different treatment options.

Stage 0 – This is the earliest stage of colon cancer. During this stage the cancer has only infected the lining of the colon and is confined to polyps (this is the tissue that is expanding from the surface of an organ). When these polyps are removed during the colonoscopy procedure they no longer have any chance of spreading to other areas of the body.

Stage I – During this stage the polyps has turned into a tumor and has progressed beyond the lining of the colon and moved into the wall. Treatments for this stage will require the removal of a section of the colon that the cancer has infected. This procedure is referred to as a resection.

Stage II – This stage occurs when the cancer has moved on to the tissue that surrounds the colon – but it has not yet spread itself to the lymph nodes. When the cancer has spread for one part of the body to another part it is referred to as metastasis colon cancer. Most will treat this stage with a resection.

Stage III – During this stage the cancer has traveled to the outside of the colon cancer and traveled to the lymph nodes. It has not yet spread to other organs in the body. The treatment is very aggressive and may include; resection and chemotherapy.

Stage IV – In this stage the colon cancer has traveled to other organs in the body (liver, lungs, etc.). Most often times it will be treated with a resection, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, or surgery to remove other parts of the body that are affected.

October 12, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Colon Cancer, Diseases | | No Comments Yet

Signs And Symptoms Of Abdominal Hernia

Abdominal hernias are caused by fatty tissue that is sticking out through the weak part of the abdominal wall. Hernias will cause protrusions and will cause the abdominal wall to become weak. How weak it gets will depend on how large the hernia is and how serious the symptoms are.

Many patients who suffer from an abdominal hernia will suffer from a visible bulge that causes discomfort. The majority of hernias can be reduced with constant gentle pressure. An incarcerated hernia has no symptoms and cannot be reduced.

Strangulated hernias ware associated with a steady increasing of pain and vomiting. The hernia itself can be tender and the skin covering it may be erythematous. Depending on where it is located on the body it can cause peritonitis. Read more »

October 10, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Diseases, Hernia, Symptoms | | No Comments Yet

Allergy Symptoms

There are many different types of allergies that people can suffer from. Usually there are symptoms that they will experience and these do not change. The allergy symptoms are categorized into three different types; mild, moderate, and severe.

Mild Allergic Reactions

  • Rash
  • Itchy, watery eyes
  • Congestion

Mild symptoms to allergies do not have the tendency to spread to other parts of the body.

Moderate Allergic Reactions

Some moderate allergic symptoms can spread to other parts of the body they include:

  • Itchiness
  • Difficulty breathing

Severe Allergic Reactions

Severe allergic symptoms – also called – Anaphylaxis is a rare and life-threatening emergency in which the allergens attack the whole body in a severe matter. It usually begins with sudden itching of the face or eyes and can spread within a few minutes to the other parts of the body.

  • Varying degrees of swellings that can make breathing and swallowing difficult
  • Abdominal pain
  • Cramps
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Mental confusion or dizziness

October 7, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Health News | | No Comments Yet

Treating An Inguinal Hernia

Those who have lumps located where the thighs meet the abdomen may have what is known as an inguinal hernia. This hernia can cause most people to be uncomfortable and will cause them pain. This pain comes from the fact that the bodies’ intestines are sticking out through a weak area in the abdominal wall. The lump is more easily spotted and felt while someone is bent over or coughing.

In many cases hernias do not need any sort of specific treatment. This is because they are easily reduced and can be pushed back into place. If they get to be too uncomfortable they can be strapped to the groin. But this will only offer temporary relief. This does not fix the problem in any way and cannot prevent other complications.

There are times when the intestine can catch in the bulge – which causes its blood flow to be squeezed off. This is called the ‘strangulated’ part of the intestine and it can begin to die – which in turn can cause someone severe pain and complications. Patients with a strangulated intestine will need immediate surgery.

There are two types of inguinal hernia operations recommended for some people with hernias; hernioplasty and herniorrhaphy. Herniorrhaphy is the technique that is used more often and it is also the oldest. During this procedure an incision is made that will push the protrusion back into the abdomen. Then the weakened muscles surrounding the abdominal wall will be tightened with supportive tissue. During hernioplasty a mesh made of artificial fiber is used to bridge the weak muscles.

October 6, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Diseases, Hernia, Treatments | | No Comments Yet

Poison Ivy Symptoms

The poison ivy plant has a way of sneaking up on us when we least expect it. Sometimes we forget to look for it while trekking through the woods and other time they are hidden amongst the other plants. So when it does strike us we need to make sure that we are treating it by learning the signs that are associated with it. This will also help us to treat the unknown rashes on our children and help us to determine where it came from.

Usually the poison ivy rash will appear one or two days after the skin has come into contact with the poison ivy plant. The first sign you will see are curved lines of itchy, red blisters and bumps. This can continue for several days. It all depends on how much of the resin touches the skin at a given point or time. This will give the illusion that the rash is spreading even though the fluid in the blisters are part of an allergic reaction and contains no bacteria or chemicals.

Poison ivy is not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person or from one part of the body to another. Many people believe that animals can carry the poison ivy resin. This is true – but the practical significance is limited. Most people do not get it from their pets – but only from the plants themselves.

October 3, 2008 Posted by nlwest21 | Infections, poison ivy | | No Comments Yet