Friday, August 19, 2011

A Closer Look at the Top 3 Diseases You Dont Want to Have

The lifestyle we have, the type of food we eat, and our genetic makeup all contribute to what we are and what we become. It also affects what disease we may get as we age and grow older. Here are three of the worst diseases anyone can have. These diseases are not rare, and have caused much pain and disability not only to the person with the disease, but to the people who care about them. These diseases do not have a cure as well, making it a permanent burden to those that are affected. Hopefully, someone would be able to discover a cure for these diseases to alleviate the pain and suffering of those that are affected.



Alzheimers Disease



Alzheimers disease is a condition wherein someones brain cells slowly die on their own. The main impact of the disease is on someones memory. It can start from small things, such as misplacing house keys or utility bills. But as the disease progresses, the condition becomes much worse. The affected person will not be able to recognize their own family, sometimes mistaking a daughter for a neighbor or an old friend.



The disease takes away not just memories, but also everything that is stored in the brain. As the disease worsens, the affected may not even be able to perform tasks which they are familiar with. They may end up like a child with no memory of their achievements and accomplishments in life. It is really painful for the relatives to see that their loved one does not know them anymore and cant remember what hes done with his life.



Parkinsons Disease



Parkinsons disease is another situation that anyone does not want to have. The nerves that affect motor movements are affected and become malfunctioned. The symptoms may start with minor hand shaking or may cause the whole body to shake uncontrollably. A person suffering from this disease will find it hard to even hold a pen or drive safely. Once the disease becomes more advanced, the affected person will not be able to do anything for himself and will always depend on someone else to take care of him.



The ironic part is that the mental abilities of someone suffering from this disease are intact. Thus, it is a struggle for someone to see himself helpless and not be able to take care or protect himself. However, there are trainings and therapies that aim to make life easier for both the person with the disease and the person who takes care of him.



Arthritis



Arthritis is another disease that can cause much suffering and disability. Although it is not fatal, it causes much pain that it will definitely affect anyones daily routine. Historically, only elderly patients suffer from Arthritis. But due to the type of lifestyle and the food we eat, even younger generations are already affected by this disease nowadays.



Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joints. What happens is that there is a reduction on fluids that cause our joints to be loose, thus causing friction and eventually inflammation. Once this happens, there will be a difficulty in writing, holding onto things, and even walking. There are different types of Arthritis based on the specific joints affected. Some examples are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

About the Author

Brent McNutt enjoys networking with healthcare professionals online. He also likes talking about Urbane Scrubs and Landau Shoes and also likes writing articles about various topics.

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Monday, August 15, 2011

Alzheimer's disease and Research Studies

Alzheimer's disease, if not common, is going to be one very soon, as, by 2050, it's estimated that as many as 16 million Americans will have the disease. Till now, no cure has been found out for Alzheimer's disease but the symptoms can be reduced or delayed according to the advancing technology. The best hope to control the disease may need to begin the treatment for the disease before the symptoms even start to show, as much as 20 years before its onset. One should be aware that finding a cure or effective therapies may take decades for such a brain-wasting disease.

There was a recent research study on Alzheimer's disease "Prevention is better than cure" which talked about the symptoms start inside the body as long as 20 years before it starts manifesting and hence the treatment can be started 20 years before the symptoms generally start showing.

The history of the disease is that this condition was found my Dr. Alzheimer and he had noticed that the brain of the person with such disease was speckled with plaques of a protein now known as amyloid-beta peptide. Many scientists have concluded that amyloid plaques play a key role in causing the devastation of Alzheimer's. There have been drugs and vaccines designed to clear the plaques from the brain but the problem is that though the plaque goes away, the symptoms continue to worsen.

This means that amyloid is simply not the cause but the plaques do a great damage when they appear which cannot be undone and hence prevention is the only cure. The studies show that the disease develops at different rates but has typical stages, beginning with mild cognitive impairment — forgetting familiar words or losing common objects — to difficulty performing tasks to severe dementia and the inability to carry on conversation or control movements.

Scientists believe that these amyloid-lowering drugs should be administered early even before it is called a disease and the symptoms show up. It is known that the survival rate after the diagnosis is 4 to 8 years but some also live around 20 years with the disease. The only hope right now as seen by the scientists is prophylactic intervention.

There has been also another research which states that improperly fit dentures or poor eyesight may also lead to brain disorders. One should not pay attention only to the already known risk factors but should also keep up with good health to prevent the risk of dementia. It is said that the state of having many things wrong is associated with adverse outcomes. One should be aware and alert of such developments for a healthy and better life.

About the Author

Docturs.Com is a great platform to know any healthcare information. Our healthcare medical videos would help you in knowing more about Alzheimer's disease.

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