Headaches are one of the most common pain-related health problems in both children and adults. You may have a headache along with another minor health problem such as a sore throat, cold, or sinus problem.
Types of headaches
The most common types of headaches usually are not serious but may occur again and again.
Tension headaches
are the most common type of headache and are often caused by stress and emotional strain. Most adults have tension headaches from time to time.
Cluster headaches
Migraine headaches.
Approximately one-third of people who have migraine headaches first began having them as teenagers.
Common causes of headaches
Common causes of headaches include:
Alcohol, caffeine, or other drug use or withdrawal.
Changes in the levels of chemicals in the body (neurotransmitters).
Coughing or sneezing.
Dehydration.
Dental problems or procedures, such as pain from grinding the teeth or from a root canal.
Eating or drinking cold foods and fluids.
Emotional stress.
Exposure to smoke or fumes from chemicals, including carbon monoxide.
Eyestrain.
Fever.
High altitude. Lower oxygen levels at high altitudes can cause headaches.
High blood pressure (hypertension).
Infection in the sinuses, such as sinusitis or an abscess.
Medical procedures, such as the aftereffects of a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
Medicines. Many medicines can cause headaches.
Muscle strain in the neck, upper back, or shoulder muscles.
Upper respiratory infections.
Headaches with other serious symptoms
Although rare, a headache may be a sign of a serious illness. Other symptoms, such as vomiting, dizziness, or changes in vision, may also be present. The following serious illnesses or injuries can cause headaches.
A head injury:
Injury to the brain
Fracture of the skull
Bleeding in or around the brain
Brain tumor, which causes swelling within the brain.
Infection in the brain (encephalitis) or of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
Stroke, a problem that occurs when a blood vessel (artery) that supplies blood to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot.
A rupture of a blood vessel with bleeding in or around the brain (aneurysm)
What are cluster headaches?
Cluster headaches are severe, one-sided headaches that recur in groups, or "clusters," over a period of weeks to months. While common headaches can be painful, cluster headaches can be debilitating. Although cluster headaches can be temporarily disabling, they do not cause permanent damage.
Cluster headaches are relatively rare, and they are one of the few types of headaches that affect men more often than women.
What causes cluster headaches?
The cause of cluster headaches is unknown. They may be genetic, since people whose parents or siblings have cluster headaches are at more risk for developing them.
Cluster headaches may be caused by a problem in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. This area of the brain seems to be more active in people who have cluster headaches.
If you are prone to cluster headaches, certain triggers may cause a headache or make one worse. These triggers often include alcohol; sleep apnea (regularly stopping breathing during sleep); stress; fatigue; or certain medications that widen blood vessels (vasodilators), such as nitroglycerin or histamine.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include burning or sharp, piercing pain on one side of your head. The pain radiates around the temple and eye, with the affected eye becoming red, watery, or puffy. The eyelid may droop, and you may have a runny or stuffy nose on the affected side.
The pain usually intensifies quickly—within 5 to 10 minutes of onset—and may last for around 30 minutes to several hours. These headaches may begin at night, within 2 to 3 hours of falling asleep. They may start while you are dreaming, but they can occur at any time. Cluster headaches can continue for days, weeks, or months before you stop having symptoms (remission). You may not have another cycle of cluster headaches for months or years. Less commonly, your headaches may become chronic and continuous.
How are cluster headaches diagnosed?
Cluster headaches are diagnosed with a medical history and physical examination. Your health professional will usually be able to identify cluster headaches from your description of the type and location of pain, duration and pattern of headaches, and how frequently the headaches occur.
Imaging tests (such as a CT scan or an MRI) are not usually needed to help find a treatment for your pain. Your doctor may order imaging tests to rule out other conditions, especially if the pattern of your pain is not typical of cluster headaches. Most headaches are not caused by life-threatening medical conditions and do not need imaging tests.
How are they treated?
Although there is no cure for cluster headaches, treatment may reduce the frequency of headaches, severity of pain, and possibly shorten the duration of each cycle of headaches. Medications taken daily to prevent headaches (prophylactic headache medications, such as verapamil) may help reduce the frequency or severity of cluster headaches. Medications to stop a headache (abortive headache medications, such as sumatriptan) may stop a cycle of headaches or prevent it from getting worse after it starts.
Another effective treatment is high-flow oxygen. Breathing in pure oxygen relieves cluster headache pain almost immediately—within 10 to 20 minutes—for many people who have cluster headaches.
You also may reduce the frequency of cluster headaches by avoiding alcohol, not smoking, reducing stress, and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION); WHAT YOU MUST KNOW
High blood pressure is a trait rather than disease and quantitative rather than qualitative.
Therefore, any definition of hypertension is arbitrary.
According to principle and practice of medicine written by Davidson; 'practical definition of hypertension is the level of blood pressure at which benefits of treatment outweigh the costs and hazard'.
Hypertension as a condition is asymptomatic (no symptoms) but long standing and untreated one has adverse effects on some organs in the body. These are called target organs;
BRAIN- where it can cause stroke and other brain conditions.
KIDNEY
BLOOD VESSELS,
EYE-Retinopathy
HEART
Hypertension is said to be primary or secondary. the primary is essential and accounts for 90 percent of people living with hypertension and this type has no known causes but there are risk factors.
NON MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
Age- above 40 year in men and after menopause in women
Sex- men are more predisposed than women
Race- more in black
Family history- more risk with people who have family history of hypertension.
MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
High salt intake
Heavy consumption of alcohol
Obesity
Lack of exercise
Impaired intrauterine growth
Smoking
High blood cholesterol
very little evidence of stress as a risk factor
This is where you come in and why i am writing this article. These modifiable factors are something we can reduce or completely remove out of our lives.
And if you are addicted to either smoking or alcohol you need to seek help.
Secondary hypertension are caused by disease in the body like vascular disease, hormonal disease, sometime diabetes and many more. But the scope of secondary hypertension is beyond this discussion.
If you are already hypertensive, you need to know that there is no permanent cure but if you are drug and hospital compliant, it is less risky and very cheap to manage.
Avoid self medication and always discus your problems with your doctor.
Therefore, any definition of hypertension is arbitrary.
According to principle and practice of medicine written by Davidson; 'practical definition of hypertension is the level of blood pressure at which benefits of treatment outweigh the costs and hazard'.
Hypertension as a condition is asymptomatic (no symptoms) but long standing and untreated one has adverse effects on some organs in the body. These are called target organs;
BRAIN- where it can cause stroke and other brain conditions.
KIDNEY
BLOOD VESSELS,
EYE-Retinopathy
HEART
Hypertension is said to be primary or secondary. the primary is essential and accounts for 90 percent of people living with hypertension and this type has no known causes but there are risk factors.
NON MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
Age- above 40 year in men and after menopause in women
Sex- men are more predisposed than women
Race- more in black
Family history- more risk with people who have family history of hypertension.
MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
High salt intake
Heavy consumption of alcohol
Obesity
Lack of exercise
Impaired intrauterine growth
Smoking
High blood cholesterol
very little evidence of stress as a risk factor
This is where you come in and why i am writing this article. These modifiable factors are something we can reduce or completely remove out of our lives.
And if you are addicted to either smoking or alcohol you need to seek help.
Secondary hypertension are caused by disease in the body like vascular disease, hormonal disease, sometime diabetes and many more. But the scope of secondary hypertension is beyond this discussion.
If you are already hypertensive, you need to know that there is no permanent cure but if you are drug and hospital compliant, it is less risky and very cheap to manage.
Avoid self medication and always discus your problems with your doctor.
Friday, July 4, 2008
BREAST CANCER; WHAT YOU MUST KNOW
Breast cancer is the presence of abnormal, destructive, invasive and multiplying cells in the breast.
These cells could also travel out of the breast to other organs like liver, lungs and bones via blood vessels and lymphatic drainage.
Breast tumors are generally divided into two; benign tumor and malignant tumor are called cancer.
Benign tumors are generally not invasive and destructive but unfortunately they can become malignant if not detect early.
The purpose of this article to tell you how you can prevent cancer and how you detect it early enough, because early detection reduces the number of death related cancer of breast.
The actual cause of cancer still remains unknown but the risk factors were already identified.
The risk factors are divided in two broad groups;
NON MODIFIABLE FACTORS
Age
Family history; this is hereditary factor, some genes BRCA1&2 are known to be associated with cancer of breast. So if there is anybody that have cancer from first degree family members, you have higher risk of having it than the general population.
Menarche; age of first menses, if less than 12 years
Menopause; age of last menses, if too late
Cancer affecting other parts of the body.
Sex; more common in woman, but men can also have breast cancer.
MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
Diet; food that contain too much fat has been associated with breast cancer.
Alcohol
Drugs; estrogen containing like contraceptive pills, hormonal replacement therapy, drug containing rauwolfia compounds and thyroid hormones containing drugs.
Smoking
Null parity; woman that have given birth before, this could either be modifiable or non modifiable.
Late primigravida; age of your first pregnancy and breast feeding habit could contribute to you having breast cancer. Getting married and having baby early help. Women that refused to breast their baby in the first six month stand higher risk.
Try as much as possible to avoid the modifiable risk factors and if you are involved with them please stop.
HOW I CAN DETECT BREAST LUMP OR CANCER EARLY AND AVOID DEATH RELATED BREAST CANCER.
You have to obey the principle of ‘LOOK AND TOUCH‘
Every morning stand in front of your mirror and observe;
SIZE, SHAPE AND SKIN COLOR OF YOUR BREAST; Check if both breasts are bilaterally symmetrical. See if there are any changes in skin color.
DIMPLING, ULCERATION, NIPPLE DISCHARGE OR RETRACTION; Look for any of these and ensure they are not present.
Then use your right hand to gently examine your left breast looking presence of lump and try to elicit if there is any tenderness. You can also express the nipple to see if there is any discharge. Repeat the same thing for the other breast using the opposing hand.
If you notice any lump or abnormalities you have to see your doctor for the next line of management.
These cells could also travel out of the breast to other organs like liver, lungs and bones via blood vessels and lymphatic drainage.
Breast tumors are generally divided into two; benign tumor and malignant tumor are called cancer.
Benign tumors are generally not invasive and destructive but unfortunately they can become malignant if not detect early.
The purpose of this article to tell you how you can prevent cancer and how you detect it early enough, because early detection reduces the number of death related cancer of breast.
The actual cause of cancer still remains unknown but the risk factors were already identified.
The risk factors are divided in two broad groups;
NON MODIFIABLE FACTORS
Age
Family history; this is hereditary factor, some genes BRCA1&2 are known to be associated with cancer of breast. So if there is anybody that have cancer from first degree family members, you have higher risk of having it than the general population.
Menarche; age of first menses, if less than 12 years
Menopause; age of last menses, if too late
Cancer affecting other parts of the body.
Sex; more common in woman, but men can also have breast cancer.
MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
Diet; food that contain too much fat has been associated with breast cancer.
Alcohol
Drugs; estrogen containing like contraceptive pills, hormonal replacement therapy, drug containing rauwolfia compounds and thyroid hormones containing drugs.
Smoking
Null parity; woman that have given birth before, this could either be modifiable or non modifiable.
Late primigravida; age of your first pregnancy and breast feeding habit could contribute to you having breast cancer. Getting married and having baby early help. Women that refused to breast their baby in the first six month stand higher risk.
Try as much as possible to avoid the modifiable risk factors and if you are involved with them please stop.
HOW I CAN DETECT BREAST LUMP OR CANCER EARLY AND AVOID DEATH RELATED BREAST CANCER.
You have to obey the principle of ‘LOOK AND TOUCH‘
Every morning stand in front of your mirror and observe;
SIZE, SHAPE AND SKIN COLOR OF YOUR BREAST; Check if both breasts are bilaterally symmetrical. See if there are any changes in skin color.
DIMPLING, ULCERATION, NIPPLE DISCHARGE OR RETRACTION; Look for any of these and ensure they are not present.
Then use your right hand to gently examine your left breast looking presence of lump and try to elicit if there is any tenderness. You can also express the nipple to see if there is any discharge. Repeat the same thing for the other breast using the opposing hand.
If you notice any lump or abnormalities you have to see your doctor for the next line of management.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
LOW BACK PAIN, WHAT YOU MUST KNOW
More than 70% of people at one time or the other will experience low back pain in the life time.
Low back pain could be caused by so many things;
diseases (like infections, rheumatoid arthritis, neoplasm, metabolic bone disease, degenerative disease, disc problems and others), trauma and commonly our careless way of life.
However this article is not about the causes but how you can prevent it from happening.
These are some life modification that can help in avoiding low back pain.
Avoid standing or sitting in a particular position for too a long time.
Ensure your back is well rested while sitting.
Don't bend to pick anything from the ground, you either squat or kneel.
Avoid bending your back when you are about to sleep.
Get a good and comfortable sleeping mattress.
Drink a lot of water, minimum of 3L per day.
Ensure regular exercise, at least once in a week.
Finally, if you are already having low back pain you need to consult a doctor.
The doctor can then decide if you will need, back muscle strengthening exercise with analgesia, epidural steroid injection or surgery.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
WAYS TO TRADE FOREX DURING IMPORTANT NEWS RELEASE
There are many ways to place trades around news time. I will describe three of the most common, each based on a different time to place the trade:
Placing pending orders each way is called a straddle. People who do this usually place the pending orders about 3-5 minutes before the news is released. Stops and targets will vary quite a bit depending on the nature of the news report. The advantage of a straddle is that if there is solid movement in one direction, only one order triggers and (if the movement is far enough) your order closes with a nice profit. The risk of a straddle is that widening spreads and erratic price action can stop out in both orders.
You can try to get the news information and place a trade before most of the market has a chance to react. This is called spike trading. To do this, you need a fast internet connection, a way to get the news very quickly, and (if possible) a way to automatically place the trade depending on if the news deviation is big enough and in what direction the deviation is. There are companies you can buy news feeds from. There are several autoclicker software packages out there that can be used to partially or fully automate placing the trades. Or, you can get extremely fast news combined with automatic placement of your news trade orders in one package from forex peace army site.
The third common way to trade the news is to wait for the initial spike to happen, then try to catch price movement back towards the pre-news price (price action back towards the pre-news price is called retrace). Learning to trade the retrace is something you can do by watching and demo trading (do NOT trade real money while learning to do this) over a period of time. Also, many trading rooms such as Forex Diamonds try to trade the post-spike retrace.
Placing pending orders each way is called a straddle. People who do this usually place the pending orders about 3-5 minutes before the news is released. Stops and targets will vary quite a bit depending on the nature of the news report. The advantage of a straddle is that if there is solid movement in one direction, only one order triggers and (if the movement is far enough) your order closes with a nice profit. The risk of a straddle is that widening spreads and erratic price action can stop out in both orders.
You can try to get the news information and place a trade before most of the market has a chance to react. This is called spike trading. To do this, you need a fast internet connection, a way to get the news very quickly, and (if possible) a way to automatically place the trade depending on if the news deviation is big enough and in what direction the deviation is. There are companies you can buy news feeds from. There are several autoclicker software packages out there that can be used to partially or fully automate placing the trades. Or, you can get extremely fast news combined with automatic placement of your news trade orders in one package from forex peace army site.
The third common way to trade the news is to wait for the initial spike to happen, then try to catch price movement back towards the pre-news price (price action back towards the pre-news price is called retrace). Learning to trade the retrace is something you can do by watching and demo trading (do NOT trade real money while learning to do this) over a period of time. Also, many trading rooms such as Forex Diamonds try to trade the post-spike retrace.
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