Cartoon : A patient with lump

Cancer is the uncontrolled and unnatural multiplication of cells in the body. In cancer, the affected cells grow and multiply rapidly and in uncontrolled manner, leading to formation of lumps and mass. These overgrown tissue competes with normal healthy cells for nutrition and vitamins . This leads to low nutritional resources for normal cells and results in gradual and progressive weakness.

Cells affected by cancer are called malignant cells and cancer itself is termed ‘Malignancy’ medically. Malignant cells spread rapidly and invades other body organs- respiratory organs, liver, brain etc. The survival of patient depends upon how quickly the cancer is growing and time of diagnosis as well as the type of cancer and treatment available for the type.

Cancer does not spread through air, water or clothings (a non-communicable disease).

Types of Cancer

Various types of cancer are seen. Mostly it is seen in people above 50 years age. Although it can occur in any organ, it is common in Urinary bladder, Intestine, Uterus, Skin, Breast, Liver , Gall bladder, Stomach, Vocal cords and Blood. In children, blood cancer and brain tumor are common.

Causes

• Not exactly known.
• But Genetic links, Familial and Racial factors have been seen.
• Smoking is one potential risk factor.
• Others are: Tobacco products, Alcohol, chemicals, certain viruses (HSV , HPV), Atmospheric factors, nutritional deficiency, Toxic and heavy metals, UV rays in sunlight, Industrial hazards and not forgetting the Radiation exposure.

Spread of cancer

• Spreads through Blood, Lymphatic system and directly to adjoining organs.

Warning Signs

• Lumps / mass in the Breast
• Sudden change in size and color of warts or Nevus
• Alteration of bowel habits ( repeatedly)
• Cough for weeks-months and change in quality of voice
• Excessive bleeding during menses or irregular bleeding
• Non-heaing ulcers or wounds
• Excessive bleeding even in cases of minor cuts

To know about cancer awareness ribbons : Colored Ribbons

John Forbes Nash, Nobel prize winner

A Beautiful Mind

is  one of the all time best movie based on lifestory of Famous Novel Prize winning Economist John F. Nash. It was released in  2001 . John Forbes Nash, Jr.,(born June 13, 1928) was a Nobel Laureate in Economics.

Directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsmanand inspired by a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-nominated  book of the same name by Sylvia  Nasar.

The story begins in the early years of a young schizophrenic prodigy named John Nash. Early in the movie, Nash begins developing paranoid schizophrenia and endures delusional episodes while painfully watching the loss and burden his condition brings on his wife and friends.

Russel Crowe as usual has given his most astonishing perfromance. Schizophrenia has been beautifully illustrated in the Movie ‘A Beautiful Mind.’

Details on the movie : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/

About Joh Nash: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1994/nash-autobio.html

Short bio:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Forbes_Nash,_Jr.

Medchrome Women's Health

TLC and Discover Health both have aired the now extremely popular show “I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant.” The show, which features two or more women who endure the entire term of their pregnancy without knowing they were expecting at all. The popularity of this particular show is perhaps yet another extension of well-received reality, health-based shows like Obsessed, which features patients having strange, clinically diagnosed obsessions.

The entertainment of these shows aside, how rare is it to not know you may be expecting?

According to Dr. Kristin Bendrikson, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Southern California, being unaware of a pregnancy is extremely rare, but it isn’t particularly surprising in women who are either already overweight when they conceive, or if they happen to have very irregular or erratic periods.

There are two types of women who may be plagued by irregular periods. On the one hand, a young woman can have what is called polycystic ovarian syndrome. PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting women–approximately 5%-10% of women aged 12-45 years old have the disorder. On the other hand, women who are experiencing a phase of perimenopausal transition are also subject to unnoticed pregnancies. Perimenopause occurs a few years before and after the final period, in which periods are light and erratic. In both instances, women may dismiss a missed period, or they may have light spotting throughout the pregnancy and mistaken that for an actual period.

A highly critical Time Magazine article about the TLC/Discovery Health Show demonstrates the more adverse effects the show may have on the popular imagination. The article notes:

 ”The cult of pregnancy today requires a lot of self-denial. Women are advised to avoid alcohol and cigarettes as well as deli meat, sushi, coffee and a million other pleasures. But the women of I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant didn’t deny themselves anything during those nine months, had few if any symptoms and still wound up with perfect-looking babies!”

While producers of the show insist that this was not their intention, it is very important for women who are sexually active–whether or not they are on birth control–to be constantly aware of the possibility, however slim, of pregnancy. While the show always ends happily, an unexpected pregnancy in real life isn’t always so convenient. The most important thing is to be always aware of even the slightest changes in your body.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Tisha Dotson, who writes on the topics of medical coding certification.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: tishadotson86@gmail.com. 

Peurperium

Puerperium is a period following child birth during which body tissues especially the pelvic organs revert back approximately to pre-pregnant state both anatomically and physiologically. Normally, it lasts for 6 weeks after delivery.

What is puerperal pyrexia?

also called childbed fever, is a  rise of temperature reaching 100.4 degree Fahrenheit  or 38 degree celcius measured orally on 2 separate occasions at 24 hours apart ( excluding first 24 hours) within first 10 days following delivery is called puerperal pyrexia.

Causes of fever during Peurperium

Puerperal Sepsis : Most common cause. It is an infection of genital tract which occurs as a complication of delivery. Peuperal pyrexia is considered to be due to genital tract infection unless proved otherwise.

Urinary tract infection

• Cystitis
• pyelonephritis

Mastitis : breast infection

Infection of cesarean section wound

Pulmonary infection

Septic pelvic thrombophlebitis

Recrudescence of malaria or pulmonary tuberculosis

Unknown causes

Mosquito is a vector of malaria

Introduction

Malaria is a communicable disease transmitted from one person to another through mosquito bite. 2 species of plasmodium has been identified to cause this disease at present in Nepal:
a. Plasmodium falciparum
b. Plasmodium vivax
Among these two, plasmodium falciparum is more dangerous which is the primary cause of death due to malaria.

How is malaria transmitted?

When an infected female anopheles mosquito bites a healthy person, plasmodium enters circulation along with its saliva. Hence, prevention from mosquito bite is the best way of preventing malaria.

What are the signs and Symptoms?

• Relapsing fever
• Amnesia
• If infected and untreated for long, spleen is enlarged
• Headache
• Vomitting
• Fainting
• If not treated on time may lead to death

Where to go if malaria is suspected?

Immediately reach to the nearest health post or health personnel and the blood test is performed for malaria on suspected person. Receive free antimalarial medicines made available by government and take it as suggested by the health personnel.

How to prevent malaria?

Prevent mosquito bite:

• Use bed-nets on bed while sleeping
• Use nets in windows and doors of house
• Use mosquito repellents
• Use mosquito repellent creams when going out

Destroy mosquitoes:

• Cooperate with government personnel to spray insecticides around your home
• Mosquitoes usually die within 3 to 6 months due to effect of insecticide
• Such walls should not be painted atleast for 3 months

Reduce mosquito habitats:

• Prevent stagnant water by filling unnecessary ditches, clearing bushes around ponds.
• Make still drainage (water) to flow
• Planting water absorbing trees like simal, jamoon, etc. is effective in areas where water is not necessary

Destroy offsprings of mosquitoes

• Kill the larve by immediately filling the ditches
• Use carnovorous fishes like gambusia which feeds on mosquito larvae

Destroy the parasites

• As soon as fever is observed, immediately perform blood test and take medications.

Slogan by Government in Nepali

औलोको परजीवी नास गरि लामखुट्टे भए पनि औलोबाट छुटकारा पाउ |

घर वरिपरी सफा र स्वच्छ राखौ

पनि जम्ने खाल्ड खुल्दी पुरू

औलो रोग बाट बचौं र बचाऔन् |

Source

Government of Nepal
Ministry of Health and Population
National Health Education, Information and Communication Center
Teku, Kathmandu

What is Respiratory Disease?

When microbial organism infect the Respiratory system and hampers the system like production of sputum, difficulty in breathing, cough etc. it is called respiratory disease. Mostly the lungs are affected. Others are nose and ears.
Problem due to Respiratory Disease
Usually children catch common cold. But  Sometime a disease called ‘ Pneumonia’ that is fatal for children below 5 years. When lungs are infected by microbes it causes, Pneumonia.
Yearly about 40,000 , Forty Thousand, children below 5 years die due to Pneumonia.  In reality, the main cause of death due to Respiratory diseases is due to failure to treat Pneumonia.

What are the signs and symptoms of Pneumonia?

Child with pneumonia

1. When children get common cold- cough, running nose and mild fever are symptoms.
2. When Pneumonia occurs-

• Fast Breathing
• Difficulty in Breathing
• High grade fever
• Indrawing of lower ribs or chest.
• When Severe- Inability to feed, lethargy and Impaired alertness, Unconsciousness, Noisy Breathing can occur
• How to Treat  Respiratory Disease?
• To Prevent cold from progressing to Pneumonia:-
• Keep the Child warm
• Keep feeding the child at regular intervals
• Clean nose with a towel soaked in lukewarm salt-water
• If child has cough, give him Honey, Ginger water, Turmeric water, Tulsi leaf etc.
• For Children Over 6 years, feed them more frequently than normal
• Watch for the chest indrawing.

When Should I take the Child to Health Centre?

• Child is breathing fast
• Chest indrawing
• Unable to feed
• Unable to suck mother’s milk
• If child is less than 2 months
• If the child is malnourished

How  the Prevent Respiratory illness?

• Keep child away from smoke, dust, kerosene fumes
• Keep your home cigarette free
• Clothe the child as per season
• Keep the child in warm and well ventilated room
• Immunize the child
• Breastfeed ( Absolute Breastfeedining) the child for at least  6 months
• Keep child away from pollution

Source: Nepal Government, Ministry Of  Health and Population

]]> http://medchrome.com/patient/disease-awareness/respiratory-disease-and-pneumonia/feed/ 1 http://medchrome.com/downloads/moviesserials/front-of-the-class-hallmark-hall-of-fame/ http://medchrome.com/downloads/moviesserials/front-of-the-class-hallmark-hall-of-fame/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 06:23:29 +0000 Sulav Shrestha http://medchrome.com/?p=1387

Front of the Class

This movie is based on Brad Cohen’s best-selling and award-winning autobiographical book, “Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had“, co-authored with Lisa Wysocky which describes Cohen’s experiences of growing up with tourette syndrome (TS).

About the movie

Starring Characters

• Jimmy Wolk as present-day Brad Cohen
• Dominic Scott Cohen as Young Brad Cohen
• Treat Williams as Norman Cohen
• Sarah Drew as Nancy Lazarus
• Kathleen York as Diane
• Joe Chrest as Jim Ovbey
• Patricia Heaton as Ellen Cohen
• Johnny Pacar as Jeff
• Charles Henry Wyson as Young Jeff
• Charlie Finn as Ron
• Dianne Butler as Hilarie Straka
• Helen Ingebritsen as Susan
• Laura Whyte as Brenda

Short Synopsis:

A Tourette Syndrome sufferer who hated school while growing up strives to become the teacher he never had in this inspirational Hallmark Hall of Fame drama. As a young boy, Brad began making off noises – impulsive noises that were impossible to suppress. As a result, Brad was tormented by his classmates, and accused by his teachers of intentionally disrupting class. It wasn’t long before Brad started to hate school, but then an understanding principal offered just the kind of encouragement the struggling boy needed to turn his life around. Thanks to the good will of one sympathetic educator, Brad decided to become the kind of teacher who favored patience and kindness over authority and control. After being rejected by twenty-four schools, Brad was finally given the opportunity to prove his true worth as a teacher. This is the story of a man who relied on resilience and determination to get through life, and who devoted his existence to helping others like him overcome incredible odds.

– Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Hallmark – Front of the Class Inside Look

About Brad Cohen

Brad Cohen

Brad is an Area Lead Teacher for Cobb County Schools in Atlanta, and is responsible for teaching the teachers. Prior to that he taught 2nd grade, 3rd grade and was a technology lab teacher. Brad has served as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Tourette Syndrome Association of Georgia. He is not only an American motivational speaker but also an award-winning teacher and author.

As a child, he was ridiculed, beaten, mocked and shunned. His mother’s encouragement and brother’s support were the key elements that kept him going.

About the disease

http://medchrome.com/major/medicine/neurology/tourette-syndrome/

To know more about the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1292594/
To know more about the book: http://www.classperformance.com/author-books-front-of-the-class/

Cardiovascular changes

The Don’ts

Smoking

Hypertension is recognized as a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. When a person smokes, the drug nicotine, present in cigarette smoke, enters the bloodstream. Nicotine causes the arterioles to constrict and the blood pressure to rise. Restricted blood flow and cold hands are associated with smoking in most people. Cigarette smoke also contains carbon monoxide, and hemoglobin combines preferentially and nonreversibly with carbonmonoxide. Therefore, the presence of carbon monoxide lowers the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, and the heart must pump harder to propel the blood through the lungs. Smoking also damages the arterial wall and accelerates the formation of atherosclerosis and plaque.

Drug Abuse

Stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines, can cause an irregular heartbeat and lead to heart attacks in people who are using drugs even for the first time. Intravenous drug use may also result in a cerebral blood clot and stroke.
Too much alcohol can destroy just about every organ in the body, the heart included. But investigators have discovered that people who take an occasional drink have a 20% lower risk of heart disease than do teetotalers. Two to four drinks a week is the recommended limit for men; one to three drinks is the recommendation for women.

Weight Gain

Hypertension also occurs more often in persons who are more than 20% above the recommended weight for their height. Because more tissue requires servicing, the heart must send extra blood out under greater pressure in those who are overweight. It may be very difficult to lose weight once it is gained, and therefore weight control should be a lifelong endeavor. Even a slight decrease in weight can bring a reduction in hypertension. A 4.5-kilogram weight loss doubles the chance that blood pressure can be normalized without drugs.

The Do’s

Healthy Diet

It was once thought that a low-salt diet could protect against cardiovascular disease, and that still may be true in certain persons.Theoretically, hypertension occurs because the more salty the blood, the greater the osmotic pressure and the higher the water content. However, in recent years, the emphasis has switched to a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol as protective against cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol is ferried in the blood by two types of plasma lipoproteins, called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). LDL (called bad lipoprotein) takes cholesterol from the liver to the tissues, and HDL (called good lipoprotein) transports cholesterol out of the tissues to the liver. When the LDL level in the blood is abnormally high or the HDL level is abnormally low, cholesterol accumulates in arterial walls. At first, this accumulation is a fatty streak beneath the endothelium. Then smooth muscle cells migrate from the muscular layer of the vessel and cover the fatty streak. When the muscle cells continue to divide, benign smooth muscle tumors, called atheromas, are present (i.e. atherosclerosis). The presence of plaque can interfere with circulation.

A rigid artery of smaller diameter contributes to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. It is recommended that everyone know his or her blood cholesterol level. Individuals with a high blood cholesterol level (240mg/100 ml) should be further tested to determine their LDL cholesterol level. The LDL cholesterol level, together with other risk factors such as age, family history, general health, and whether the patient smokes, determine who needs dietary therapy to lower their LDL. Cholesterol-lowering drugs are reserved for high risk patients. Evidence is mounting to suggest a role for antioxidant vitamins (A, E, and C) in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals that may damage HDL cholesterol through oxidation or damage the lining of an artery, leading to a blood clot that can block the vessel. Nutritionists believe that consuming at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day may protect against cardiovascular disease.

Exercise

People who exercise are less apt to have cardiovascular disease. One study found that moderately active men who spent an average of 48 minutes a day on a leisure-time activity such as gardening, bowling, or dancing had one-third fewer heart attacks than their peers who spent an average of only 16 minutes each day on such activities. Exercise helps keep weight under control, may help minimize stress, and reduces hypertension. The heart beats faster when exercising, but exercise slowly increases the heart’s capacity.This means that the heart can beat more slowly when we are at rest and still do the same amount of work. One physician recommends that his cardiovascular patients walk for one hour, three times a week. In addition, they are to practice meditation and yoga-like stretching and breathing exercises to reduce stress.

Khyaak - The Demon Of The Dark

Here in Nepal, people often believe it to occur due to covering of the body by “Khyaak” when they have similar experience of sleep paralysis. “Khyaak” is a kind of ghost/demon that is believed to reside in the dark. Sleep paralysis is something of different cultures have constantly reported about for thousands of years. Different cultures at different parts of the world have different figures associated with such kind of experience. But is sleep paralysis really caused due to demon or is there some medical reason?

Medical Concept:

Medically, sleep paralysis is a neurology flaccid paralysis at sleep onset or on waking and in otherwise healthy person characterized by an inability to ‘kickstart’ the voluntary muscles, resulting in a transient ‘locked-in’ syndrome. It is associated with narcolepsy, Pickwick syndrome, sleep apnea, cataplexia and hypnagogic hallucinations. When considered to be a disease, isolated sleep paralysis is classified as MeSH D020188. When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP). Cases of reported alien abduction are also commonly associated with this condition.

Alien Abduction Report may be a case of Sleep Paralysis

Your Concern:

An attack of sleep paralysis is usually harmless and self-limited. It tends to be over in a minute or two as soon as the brain and body re-establish connections and the person is able to move again.

Types:

a. Hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis: It occurs while you are falling asleep and as you fall asleep, your body slowly relaxes. Usually you become unaware of the change but if you remain aware while falling asleep, your motion and speech is ceased.

b. Hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis: It occurs when you are waking up. During sleep, your body alternates between REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. One cycle of REM and NREM sleep lasts about 90 minutes. NREM sleep occurs first and takes up to 75% of your overall sleep time. During NREM sleep, your body relaxes and restores itself. At the end of NREM, your sleep shifts to REM. Your eyes move quickly and dreams occur, but the rest of your body remains very relaxed. Your muscles are “turned off” during REM sleep. If you become aware before the REM cycle has finished, you may notice that you cannot move or speak.

Occurrence:

• Around 40% people experience sleep paralysis and is often noticed for the 1st time in teenage.
• In a research conducted, the responses of 80 1st year medical students, 16.25% had experienced predormital, postdormital, or both types of sleep paralysis.
• Most people experience sleep paralysis once or twice in their life time.

Symptoms:

• Paralysis: as described above
• Hallucinations: strange electrical noise (sound), pressure on chest, false sensation of someone standing by or moving, etc.

Causes:

• Lack of sleep
• Irregular sleeping schedule
• Sleeping in supine position (with face upwards)
• Sudden stress
• Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes
• Nacrolepsy
• Medications and alcohol

Treatment:

• Improving sleeping habits and avoiding chronic sleep deprivation
• Use of anti-depressants like clonazepam at night time and ritalin at day time
• Evaluation and treatment of nacrolepsy
• Preventing stress (Relieve yourself from stress)

Sources and sites for reference:

a. Various researches
b. WebMD
c. Wikipedia

Stephen William Hawking who once said “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”, was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. With degrees like CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA Hawking is a British theoretical physicist, whose scientific career spans over 40 years. His books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity and he is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and in 2009 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States

"It matters if you just don't give up”

About his Disease:Almost as soon as he arrived at Cambridge, he started developing symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, known colloquially in the United States as Lou Gehrig’s disease), a type of motor neuron disease which would cost him almost all neuromuscular control. During his first two years at Cambridge, he did not distinguish himself, but, after the disease had stabilised and with the help of his doctoral tutor, Dennis William Sciama, he returned to working on his Ph.D.  Learn More About ALS ( also Jason Becker’s inspiring lifestory , living with ALS) http://medchrome.com/extras/music/jason-becker-inspiring-musician-suffering-from-als/

Sites of your Interest:-

• Details on Steven hawkings on: http://www.hawking.org.uk
• Advice from Hawkings about ALS :  http://www.hawking.org.uk/index.php/disability/disabilityadvice
• Wikipedia page for Hawkings http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking