Symptoms of botulism

Botulism affects the muscles of the voluntary nervous system also known as the somatic nervous system in addition to causing disorders in the automatic nervous system. The automatic nervous system is that section of the central nervous system that directs involuntary actions such as sneezing, blinking of the eye, coughing, and yawning.

Muscle weakness from botulism evolves from the muscles of the cranial nerves. These are a collection of twelve nerves that control eye movements, facial muscles along side the muscles that control chewing and swallowing.

When these muscles become affected, the patient experiences double vision, falling eyelids, expressionless countenance, difficulty with speaking and swallowing could also occur.

The muscles of the arms are the next to be affected. Weakness begins from the shoulders and progresses to the forearms. It then affects the legs beginning from the thighs then settles at the feet.

In the case of advanced botulism, respiratory muscles become weakened leading to a decrease in muscle movement. This generates malfunctioning of the process of exchanging carbon dioxide and oxygen.  The resultant effect is the collapse of the respiratory system due to the augmentation of carbon dioxide and the effect of that on the brain. Coma may occur and eventually death if nothing is done.  

When the disease affects the automatic nervous system, a patient may have dryness in his mouth and throat. This happens because of a decrease in saliva production. There may also be the condition of postural hypertension that is a decrease in blood pressure when the patient rises up. This generates light headaches and the possibility of passing out.

Furthermore, constipation may occur as a result of peristalsis, a condition that causes the involuntary contraction and relaxation of the intestine muscles.

Vomiting and nausea may also occur. These are caused by the botulinum toxins B and E. 

Botulism also affects animals such as cattle, sheep, poultry pigs and horses. Symptoms such as drooling, restlessness, urine retention, in coordination which means the incapacity of one to use various parts of the body in an efficient manner, dysphagia that is pain in swallowing and sternal recumbency which signifies lying in a manner of relaxation may occur in cattle. Animals who exhibit recumbency are normally dying.   

Sheep exhibit drooling, foul odour from the nostrils, stiffness as well as in coordination, abdominal respiration and a turning of the tail to the side. Progression of the disease causes paralysis of the limps. There’s a likelihood of death to occur.

In horses, symptoms are muscles paralysis starting from the hindquarters and slowly moving to the fore limbs, neck and head. Casualty occurs within 24 and 72 hours of the onset of symptoms due to paralysis of the respiratory system. Usually, the young die showing no symptoms of other disorders.

Unlike the other three, pigs are more tolerant of botulism. However, symptoms exhibited include anorexia, muscle paralysis, vomiting and refusal to drink.

In poultry, muscles become weak in the legs, wings, neck and eyelids. Broilers may suffer diarrhea. 

Diagnosis of botulism

For botulism to be diagnosed in a patient, the medical history and the results of his physical examination must indicate the presence of the disease. Nevertheless, at times other ailments may have similar symptoms to botulism. These include stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Guillain-Barré is a disease produced through vaccinations. It happens when certain fluids taken from animals are injected into the blood stream. Its symptoms are similar to those of botulism. Symptoms start with neurological weakness in the arms, legs and face. As disease progresses, the motor nerves become paralyzed. Collapse of respiratory systems occurs.

Myasthenia gravis is a disorder that is causes weakness in the muscles. Symptoms are droopy eyelids, difficulty in breathing, chewing, talking and swallowing. Symptoms start gradually and worsen during the evenings.

Medical tests such as brain scan, nerve conduction test which is equally referred to as electromyography and abbreviated as EMG, cerebrospinal fluid collection test and edrophonium chloride test can help detect these disorders thus excluding them in the diagnosis for botulism.

Contrarily, diagnosis can be precisely carried out should botulinum toxins be detected in the food, vomit, excreta, stomach or contents of the intestine. An example of is infant botulism diagnosis.  Botulism toxins are rarely found in the blood stream in very severe instances.

Procedures such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), electrochemiluminescent tests (ECL) and feeding trials and vaccinations performed on mice are ways of identifying botulism toxins.  Other means of diagnosis are by tissue culture which signifies growth in an artificial environment of cells that have been taken from living tissue.

An example of one such environment is an egg yolk. The presence of botulinum toxins in the yolk would cause an appearance of milky brightness and display of colours on its surface.

The cerebrospinal fluid collection (CSF) test is one that examines the fluid around the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal). The fluid serves as a shield for the brain and spinal cord against injury. The fluid usually appears clear. The purpose of the test is to measure the pressures within the cerebrospinal fluid as well as to take a sample of the fluid for testing. Examination of the fluid sample aids in the diagnosis of some neurologic diseases such as meningitis and damages to the brain and spinal cord.  

A cloudy looking CSF could indicate the presence of an infection or an increase in protein or white blood cells.
An increase in protein could mean the presence of blood, diabetes, tumor, polyneuritis, injury or an infection in the CSF whereas a decrease in protein connotes a swift production of CSF.

Edrophonium chloride belongs to the family of anticholinesterase which is a group of drugs that obstruct the break down of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase, a collection of enzymes found in the nervous system. The drug is approved for the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

ELISAs denotes a blood test that is performed to detect antibodies in the blood. If antibody is present the blood changes into another colour. 

Treatment of botulism

Treatment of botulism in children requires that they remain in a health centre. The medication used in treating botulism in children is known as Botulism Immune Globulin Human Intravenous simplified to BIG-IV or BabyBIG.

Botulism patients make use of a ventilator to solve the problem of respiratory breakdown. The ventilator aids one in breathing. A patient may be on it for several weeks during which he receives care and attention.

Wound and food-borne botulism could be treated through the injection of an antitoxin derived from horses. The process may stop the disease from progressing. However, it takes a while for recuperation to set in.

In cases where food polluted with the bacterium is ingested, a patient could be made to throw it up. Enemas could also be employed in promoting vomiting.

Botulism in food and wounds can be treated with Trivalent, an antitoxin for botulinum types A, B and E. It is derived from horses and produced with complete antibodies.

Secondly, is the drug called heptavalent which takes fights against the types A, B, C, D, E, F, and G form of botulism. This antitoxin works against all strains of botulism.

Other common drugs used in treating the disease include penicillin G potassium Inj, penicillin G sodium Inj, Pfizerpen-G Inj and penicillin G pot in dextrose IV.

Nutrition cannot be left out when considering sources of treatment for botulism. Since botulism is a form of food poisoning, a patient may practice the following means of treatment.

In order to prevent dehydration he must take in a lot of fluids. Barley or rice water can also be taken in to relieve one of stomach inflammation. Drugs such as lactobacillus acidophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus promote the availability of the rightful bacteria in the intestine.

It is necessary that one takes along these drugs known as probiotics along with him should he plan on visiting an unhealthy environment.

 Apple cider vinegar is a historical ingredient that has claims of possessing antimicrobial characteristics. A continual intake of a double cup of it mixed with warm water could help rid the body of harmful bacteria.

Research has shown that fish oil contains lots of bacteria as compared to soy bean oil. Thus, patients of botulism must desist from taking foods prepared with this type of oil.

Herbs that may help in treating botulism are Asian ginseng which is officially known as panax gingseng, ginger root with the botanical name Astragulus membranaceus, licorice known officially as Glycyrrhiza glabra, peony root as paeonia officinalis and skullcap known as Scutellaria lateriflora. For the dosage of these herbs, one must see a medical-approved herbalist or a physician of traditional Chinese medicine.

Some herbs that have undergone testing by health experts yet are unsafe to utilize due to lack of the evidence of antibacterial properties are Bitter vine known as Mikania micrantha, Goldenseal known as Hydrastis Canadensis, Oregon grape known as Mahonia aquifolium and Chamomile whose botanical name is Matricaria recutita as well as barberry, berberis vulgaris. 

What is cystic fibrosis?

The word cystic emanates from cyst that is a growth of tiny pockets of fluid or semi-solid matter which are found in the body or beneath the skin. On the other hand fibrosis connotes the thickening and scarring of connective tissue in the body. This normally occurs after an injury.

The term cystic fibrosis was first used in 1938 to describe certain disorders in the pancreas. Scientists back then believed that those disorders in the pancreas were actually cysts. However, they were later found out to be otherwise as they caused the pancreas to shrink.

Usually most cysts do not pose any problems to the health of the person who has them. Yet, in some cases they could be harmful examples are keratocyst and demoid cyst.

Medical science suggests three reasons for the causes of cystic fibrosis in people. The first is that it is hereditary; secondly, it is caused by the inadequate absorption of selenium, zinc, essential fatty acids and other minerals such as trace minerals. The final reason is the lack of selenium in the body.

The latter was discovered by a veterinarian in 1978 when he diagnosed cystic fibrosis in the pancreas and liver of baby monkeys. He added enough selenium as well as relevant fatty acid nutrition to their diet which solved the problem. He claimed that he could do the same to humans in preventing the disease.

Cystic fibrosis affects both males and females regardless of their ages. It normally attacks one at birth yet may remain unknown if diagnosed wrongly.

It could result in death if not diagnosed and treated early. The lungs of a patient fill with thick mucus thus blocking the passage of the lungs. This promotes difficulty in breathing, excessive coughing, and lung infections which are caused by bacteria. Some of these bacteria are pseudomas aeruginosa, burkholderia cepacia, aspergillus and MRSA.

Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) is bacteria that exist naturally in damp earth as well as in plants that are rotting. An example of such plants is onions. Research has revealed that certain traits of the bacteria that exist in plants also exist in persons with cystic fibrosis. These are burkholderia cenocepacia (B. cenocepacia) and burkholderia multivorans. This shows that persons with cystic fibrosis must not dwell in areas which are constantly damp. B. cepacia induces fever, congestion, short breaths and cough.

Pseudomas aeruginosa is bacteria that typically affect people who are ill. It takes advantage of the ailment to attack the body thus causing an infection. In cystic fibrosis patients    the bacteria makes home in the mucus leading to respiratory failure. Its symptoms are coughing, less appetite, enlargement of the abdomen and fast breaths.

Aspergillus is a fungus that develops on decomposing plants. It delivers reproductive cells known as spores into the environment. It is less harmful to healthy people but dangerous for sick ones.

MRSA is bacteria found on the skin and in the nose. It could cause tissue damage and death if not checked. 

Diagnosis of cystic fibrosis

Diagnosing cystic fibrosis can be done in a variety of ways such as testing the sweat of the patient, performing a genetic test such as saliva test and screening the newborn child since the disease normally begins at birth.

Sweat testing is the most predominant technique used in diagnosing cystic fibrosis. It is done through the application of pilocarpine over the skin. Pilocarpine is a drug that induces sweating. Pilocarpine enters the skin when an electrode is dipped into it and an electric current passes through another electrode on the skin. The sweat that comes out is then collected onto a filter paper or into a capillary tube to be examined for excessive quantities of sodium and chloride as they exist naturally in large amounts in patients of cystic fibrosis. 

Screening of the newborn involves looking out for high concentrations of immunoreactive trypsinogen in the blood. Trypsinogen is an inactive chemical that is secreted by the pancreas. Its function is to aid in the break down and digestion of protein. The term immunoreactive refers to a substance that causes or affects an immune reaction.

An immunoreactive trypsinogen test known as IRT is done to check for an increase in the risk of cystic fibrosis and to help diagnose the inadequacy of digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas. The failure of the pancreas to produce enough chemicals and digestive enzymes is known as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).  Trypsin is an enzyme obtained from trypsinogen which is produced by the pancreas. 

The quantity of trypsinogen could be augmented in patients with a mutated reproduction of the CFTR gene and in exceptional cases in persons with two regular reproductions of CFTR gene.

Testing one’s saliva is an ideal way of diagnosing one of many health disorders. It is recognized as an efficient means of diagnoses as samples of saliva can be simply collected and stored as compared to urine or blood. It is a means by which the disease could be detected early. Samples could also be taken anywhere thereby speeding up the process of test.

In order to detect symptoms of cystic fibrosis at birth, a woman must undergo saliva examination once she is pregnant. Additionally, her partner should also be examined for possible abnormal functioning of his gene.

Abnormalities in gene functioning is caused by alterations in CFTR protein, a protein that is found in the membranes of cells within the passageways of the lungs, liver, pancreas, intestines, reproductive tract and skin. CFTR also aids in regulating other transport pathways of the body. Changes in the functioning of this protein could result in cystic fibrosis and congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD).

In order that a child contracts cystic fibrosis from birth, the genes of both parents must exhibit mutations or changes in the CFTR protein. A child with a single mutated gene would usually not exhibit signs of cystic fibrosis.

Diagnostic tools like X-rays and CAT scans inspect the lungs for damage or infection. 

Treament of cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis can be treated through natural means, exercises and certain drugs. Drugs used in treating cystic fibrosis may be injected into the skin, inhaled or swallowed.

Natural means of treatment involves taking the right diet for fighting the disease. Diet for cystic fibrosis must contain a lot of raw fruits and vegetables along with sufficient quantities of carbohydrates, protein and vitamin or mineral supplements. Because patients of cystic fibrosis cannot absorb enough nutrients, they must consume a lot more than healthy persons would.

One should include germanium, selenium and vitamin E in his foods.  Some foods that contain high amounts of germanium are garlic, onions, tuna, beans, oyster, milk, broccoli, mushrooms, rhubarb, sauerkraut, tomato juice and herbs such as aloe vera, suma, gingseng and comfrey.

Germanium is a trace element that is a chemical ingredient that is needed in little quantities by plants and animals for excellent growth. It could also refer to a chemical ingredient that is found in little quantities in a particular organism or environment.

Germanium enhances cellular oxygenation that is the process by which red blood cells deliver oxygen to body tissues. This process aids in combating pain, clears the body of toxins and enhances the performance of the immune system. It also assists the immune system by promoting the function of natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell that attack germs that are invading the body.

Scientific research has proved that consuming 100 to 300 milligrams of germanium daily could improve many disorders. Supplements of germanium can be found in powdered form and in capsules that range from 35 to 500 milligrams.

Furthermore, patients must consume plenty of fluids and a sufficient quantity of salt during hot weather. Note that the salt must not be in excess.

Do not take junk foods or foods that contain little or no essential nutrients. They may contain a lot of sugar, a lot of salt or high amounts of fat. Examples are fast food, potato chips as well as other snacks, pizza slice, French fries, milk shakes and chicken sandwiches.

Moreover, certain herbs support cystic fibrosis treatment. These include Echinacea, licorice root, ginger, yarrow peppermint, cayenne, tea tree oil and mullein. Cayenne helps lessen inflammation while cayenne, garlic and mullein assist in clearing congestion of the airways. Garlic and tea tree oil are known to fight infections.

Antibiotics are popular with cystic fibrosis patients who either use one or more. Antibiotic use must be continued even after patient feels better in order that the infection is completed diminished. Selection of antibiotics is based on the result from saliva test and the past reaction of the patient to the drugs in question. Some intravenous drugs are vancomycin, tobramycin and floxacin. These drugs must be taken in for weeks as most bacteria in cystic fibrosis are resistant to many antibiotics. Some drugs for inhalation are tobramycin, colistin and cayston. Orals antibiotics such as arithromycin, ciprofloxacin either curb or control infection.

Aerobics are good for cystic fibrosis patients. 

Related Posts:

What is cystic fibrosis?

Symptoms of cystic fibrosis

Diagnosis of cystic fibrosis

What is parkinson’s syndrome?

A syndrome implies a condition that is distinguished by a collection of associated symptoms. It could also be known as a disease. Parkinson’s syndrome or Parkinsonism is a gradual degeneration of the central nervous system. This happens when the nerve cells in the basal ganglion are slowly destroyed.

The basal ganglia are a collection of nuclei that are found in the base of the forebrain and sturdily linked to the cerebral cortex, thalamus and other areas of the brain. They assist in areas such as voluntary motor control, routine learning examples of which are brushing of the teeth every day and praying before meals. Others are in cognitive and emotional functions.

The voluntary motor control or the somatic nervous system is the organization in the body that allows and produces motor control, the ability of the body to commence and see to muscle functioning and voluntary movement.

The root of the disease remains unknown. However, symptoms appear when the brain runs short of Dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that the body produces. It acts as a neurotransmitter that is it transports messages from one nerve cell to the other. Acetylcholine, an enzyme that induces muscle contraction is that which holds dopamine in balance. In the case where there is less acetylcholine, a disorder called Myasthenia gravis or muscle weakness occurs. Thus, Parkinsonism comes about when there is shortage of dopamine.

Two main factors account for the disorder; one is the destruction of the cells that produce dopamine or the obstruction of the dopamine receptors in the brain whereas the other which is a possible cause of the disease, stems from the excess of toxins that are released in the body for liver filtration.

These toxins are found in items such as

1.     Grilled Meat,

2.     Grilled Cheese,

3.     Cow Milk,

4.     Dyes,

5.     Food Flavorings,

6.     Potatoes,

7.     Rice,

8.     Potatoes,

9.     Peanuts,

10.  Kidney Beans,

11.  Bamboo Shoots,

12.  Parsnips, And Zucchini,

13.  Some Pharmaceutical Drugs,

14.  Marijuana,

15.  Tobacco And Heroine,

16.  Some Shampoos,

17.  Soaps, And Perfumes.

Persistent eating of an unbalanced diet could also contribute in causing Parkinsonism.

According to some medical research that grilled, fried or broiled products obtained from animals examples of which are meat, sausage and cheese contain toxins known as Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).  These constitute the factors that lead to the generation of diabetes, vascular and kidney disease, insulin resistance, inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease. An excess intake of foods containing AGEs is harmful to the body.

The fungus Aspergillis flavus grows in peanuts which are kept in moist, humid or warm environments. This fungus produces aflaxotin that is known to be the causal agent of cancer and the most fatal toxin food toxin ever. Aspergillis flavus also affects maize, wheat, beans and rice stored in moist places. Cow milk also contains aflatoxin which may be found in cattle feed.

Raw bamboo shoots contain a toxic known as hydrogen cyanide. This is extracted when the shoots are sliced and boiled.

Heroin contains a chemical that directly destroys the brain cells that prevent Parkinson’s disease. 

Related Posts:

Symptoms of parkinson’s syndrome

Diagnosis of parkinson’s syndrome

Treatment of parkinson’s syndrome

Symptoms of parkinson’s syndrome

Parkinson’s syndrome symptoms occur in three stages namely the initial stage, the later stage and the advanced stage.

At the onset of the disease a patient experiences mild to moderate tremble of one or both hands while at rest, a feeling of being slow and heavy, inclination to tire more, muscular stiffness, loss of skill in the fingers and thumb in areas such as writing, buttoning and unbuttoning, shaving, playing the piano, brushing and combing the hair.

There is also the existence of cognitive disorders such as the loss of memory, poor concentration, slowness in thinking, difficulty in planning and solving problems, forgetfulness, lack of motivation and language difficulties.

Other symptoms are sensory, sleep and emotional problems, confusion, fainting and hallucinations. A person may also develop leanness due to malnutrition. This can occur when both throat and neck muscles become rigid.

In later time, the patient can become depressed, he losses appetite, his muscles become rigid, he develops a permanent rigid stoop, walks by dragging his feet, drools, shows a fixed facial expression and speech becomes impaired, he speaks slower and in a quiet and monotonous way.

Diagnosis of parkinson’s syndrome

Diagnosis denotes identifying the characteristics of a disease or disorder through examining its symptoms.

Two major ways exist for diagnosing parkinson’s syndrome, namely by checking one’s medical history and by undergoing a neurological examination. Normal lab tests are unable to identify symptoms therefore; bran scans are sometimes used to spot symptoms of other disorders that may pose as those of parkinson’s syndrome.

Popular brain scan methods are Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These methods help to exclude symptoms of other diseases in diagnosing parkinson’s syndrome. Examples of which are basal ganglia tumors, vascular pathology and hydrocephalus. Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a type of MRI has been known to efficiently distinguish between typical and atypical parkinsonism.

Atypical parkinson’s syndrome may include symptoms of other diseases along side those of parkinson’s. Atypical parkinson’s symptoms are classified based on the pattern of damage they produce in the nervous system. Some signs of atypical parkinsonism are dementia caused by Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, cortical- basal ganglionic degeneration or cortical-basal degeneration, drug-induced parkinsonism, vascular parkinsonism and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Treatment of parkinson’s syndrome

Although the root of the Parkinson’s syndrome cannot be wholly removed, certain medications, surgery, deep brain stimulation and lifestyle changes can help calm one’s nerves of it.

The principal drugs used in treating the disease are levodopa. They are mostly combined with COMT inhibitor or dopa decarboxylase inhibitor, MAO-B inhibitors and dopamine agonists. These drugs are used in treating disorders of the somatic nervous system or voluntary motor control such as walking difficulties due to stiffness of muscles and bending of limps. Usage is primarily connected to the stage of the disease.

Levodopa turns into dopamine when it is ingested and transported inside some specific brain cells. It acts as dopamine which is lacked by sufferers of Parkinson’s. Levodopa is first when it comes to medications for treating Parkinson’s syndrome. In order to avoid nausea, levodopa can be combined with carbidopa, a drug that prevents the occurrence of nausea.

Commencing treatment with levodopa may be cancelled for MAO-B inhibitors and dopamine agonists. The annulment of levapora usage is as a result of the development of dyskinesia, a condition caused by using the drug. Dyskinesia is a disease that causes less movements and movements not initiated by the patient. It could cause a part of the body to appear as though it is dancing or it is restless.

Symptoms of cystic fibrosis

The symptoms of cystic fibrosis are excessive salt in sweat, thinness, buildup of thick, sticky mucus in lungs, digestive problems, regular coughing, constipation and short breaths. These usually occur at birth.

Persons with cystic fibrosis produce sweat which contains large amounts of sodium, potassium and chloride salts. Constipation in infants is as a result of meconium ileus, a situation of the intestines blocking. Meconium refers to the first stools of a baby. It consists of the matter that the baby took in during the period of its stay in the uterus. These are mucus, bile, amniotic fluid, epithelial cells in the intestine and lanugo which is soft, colourless hair found in fetuses, and infants.

Ileus is a term used to describe the blockage of the ileum or other part of the intestine. Thus meconium ileus refers to the inability of the meconium to pass out of the ileum due to a blockage. 

 

Thinness is an obvious resultant of the body’s failure to absorb nutrients through the gastrointestinal tract. Some causes of this malfunctioning are long-standing lung infections and a rise in the demand of metabolism due to constant ailments.

Lung diseases arise from the blockage of air passages in the lungs and building up of mucus. This generates inflammation and infections that injure the lungs as well as induce a change in their structure. Consequently, a patient may exhibit these early symptoms, coughing, excess mucus generation and less capacity to exercise.

As the disease progresses, he may suffer complexities in breathing. Moreover, his cough could be filled with blood, a condition known as hemoptysis. The blood pressure in his lungs may escalate this is known as pulmonary hypertension, he may experience heart failure, lack of oxygen for the body (hypoxia) and respiratory problems.

Furthermore, mucus found in paranasal sinuses could create infections which intend generate pain in the face, dripping nose and headache. Paranasal sinuses are a set of four paid air-filled gaps that surround the nasal opening above and between the eyes and behind the ethmoids, which is a square bone found at the root of the nose.

Additionally, patients could develop nasal polyps, which are like pockets of inflamed tissue within the nose. These polyps could obstruct the passages of the nose thereby making it uneasy to breath.

Cystic fibrosis could also cause infertility in males. This happens due to the absence of the inborn vas deferens. The disorder is known as congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD). The vas deferens is a tube by which sperm passes from the testi to the ejaculatory duct. A male patient would normally produce sperm which unfortunately would not reach the ejaculatory duct resulting from the mal formation of the vas deferens.

Alternatively, women with cystic fibrosis may face difficulties in child-bearing. Research has shown that such persons have thick cervical mucus that prevents them from becoming pregnant naturally.

Other known symptoms are diabetes and glucose intolerance that usually exist in persons with cystic fibrosis. 

Treatment for low back pain

The first step for the treatment of lower back pain is of taking proper rest. It is beneficial in the case when there is some kind of injury in the spine and when rest is avoided the irritation increases leading to more severe conditions. The rest should also be in controlled manner i.e. for two to three days maximum for bed rest because prolonged bed rest can increase the back pain in place of healing it.

After the phase of rest patient should resume normal or near normal activities to prevent the loss of flexibility or proper functioning of the back. But the activities which include stress on the back should be avoided for some time or the pain will reoccur and may be more severe at this time. Some self care steps should always be taken at home for the treatment of lower back pain which is as under:

1.     Pillows should be kept between the knees when sleeping in side position and while sleeping on back the pillows should be under the knees. These steps are proved to be too much helpful in the healing process and provide comfort too.

2.      In the state of acute back pain exercises are not helpful but in the condition of chronic ones exercises may help the patient to return to his normal activities.

3.     If the bed rest period of the patient is long, it may lead to long recovery time so long bed rests should be avoided. In place of that patient should try to return to his normal activities slowly without giving any kind of stress to the back.

4.     When the back pain is due to any kind of muscle spasm application of heat treatment may give comfort to the patient. The heat treatment can be in form of hot pads, hot bottles, hot water bath, etc.

The anti- inflammatory medications can help when the pain is associated with some kind of inflammation. But there are some side effects of these medications which include gastro intestinal bleeding, so the patients suffering from peptic or gastric ulcers should fully avoid the usage of these medications.

How is low back pain diagnosed?

In the diagnosis of lower back pain, the following steps are involved:

1.     General history: In this step of diagnosis, the information like the time of beginning of the pain, the reason behind the occurrence of the pain, the agents which can make pain better and worse, etc. are collected.

2.     Physical examination: In this method the range of movement of lower back is examined by the use of the movements like straight leg raising and cross leg rising. By doing so the portions getting sensation by these movements are observed and hence the presence of lower back pain is estimated. When there is weakness or numbness in the lower part of the body i.e. the legs it may be due to the lower back problem because during the problem one or the other nerve is compressed and the particular muscle which is compressed leads to problem in the particular area of the leg to which it roots. This is known as the neurological inspection of the lower limbs. In the physical examination the persistence of pain in the regions of hip and sacro-iliac joints are also observed.

3.     Blood test: in this type of diagnosis, different blood tests are done to determine different components of blood. The tests include ESR, full blood components count, determination of Rheumatoid factor for Rheumatoid arthritis, etc. blood is also cultured for the recognition of vertebral osteomyelitis.

Preventing low back pain from returning

Once the back pain occurs, it has a tendency to reoccur again and again. So, proper care should be done to avoid the reoccurrence of the back pain. The most important measures which should be taken to avoid the returning of low back pain are:

1.     While sitting, walking or standing one should always be aware about the posture as a wrong posture even for a small period of time may lead to the back pain. Our body is an interrelated machine and a wrong posture of a single part may lead to problems in other portions also e.g. if while sitting our waist is not in the correct position, pain in whole back and even in legs can occur. While sitting or standing the body should be straight with shoulder back. The chair which is used for sitting should have proper back support and the session of sitting should be in breaks to avoid stress on the back.

2.     Regular exercise should always be done to avoid the loss of movement of back. The exercise should include stretching compulsorily and before every exercise session proper warm up round should be there to prevent any kind of injuries.

3.     The choice of footwear should be done after keeping in mind the points like support and height of heels. The footwear should always have proper support and moderate height of heel. But that doesn’t mean that the heel should not be there because wearing full flat footwear can also lead to back pain problems.

4.     Sleeping on back may also cause problems so as far as possible the patient should sleep on side on a medium thickened mattress as it will provide the maximum comfort.

5.     Lifting of heavy things should be avoided. While lifting any thing knees should be bent and back should always be straight and the object should be close to belly. Lifting and twisting of the object at the same time should strictly be avoided.

6.     The body weight should be in control as increment in body weight specially deposition of fat near the waist increases the stress on back which may lead to reoccurrence of back pain.

7.     Smoking is too much injurious to the patients suffering from low back pain as it decreases the blood flow rate and hence increasing the time of healing.

What causes low back pain?

The most common causes of the lower back pain are as follows:

1.     Lumbar strain (acute, chronic): When there is a stretch or injury in the ligaments, tendons or muscles of the lower back, the condition is known as the lumbar strain. Due to the strain or injury small microscopic tears occurs in the tissues of the lower back which is the cause behind the pain in the lower back. The injury may occur due to excess movement or improper movement of the lower back.

Symptoms of back pain?

The occurrence of pain in the lumbosacral or the lower portion of the back is the most prominent and common symptom of low back pain. The pain which starts from the lower back may spread either to the leg in front, side or back or it may just remain in the lower back depending upon the severity.

By doing more physical activity the pain may even get to worse conditions but some physical activity should always be done to prevent the loss of flexibility of back. The pain may increase when the body remains in a single posture for a long period of time like at night or prolonged sitting (e.g. in a long car or bus drive). So this should always be avoided for preventing the worsening of the pain.

The back pain always occurs due to compression of some or a single nerve of the back, so, the region of leg which receives the compressed nerve may experience weakness or numbness which is also a major symptom. When the first sacral nerve of the back gets compressed, the leg experiences problem like inability to stand on the toe or to raise or bring down the foot. When the fifth lumbar nerve is compressed, there is problem with raising the big toe on the upward side.

The lower back pain which occurs through the injury of the muscles or ligaments of the back generally have the nature to remain only in the back in place of spreading to legs as in other conditions. Due to injury there may be problem in the movement of back depending upon the extent and type of injury.

The main symptoms which occur in the condition of herniated disc which is due to compression of sciatic nerve are:

1.     The pain occurs on the legs or hips or it may also be tangling in these regions. Generally the pain which occurs in this case is mild in nature.

2.     When the person undergoes sneezing or coughing, the pain may even get worsen.

3.     By sitting or standing for a long period of time with or without the change in posture may also lead to worsening of the pain.

What is low back pain?

The lower back helps in supporting the structure of the body, movement and protection of some body tissues. When we do different types of motor activities by our waist, the lower back supports the movements.

Low back pain is the disorder which affects the muscular and skeletal systems of the body. Major group of the population is affected by this disorder at different stages of their life. There are three types of the lower back pain:

1.     Acute lower back pain- In this type of disorder the pain exists for less than four weeks.

2.     Sub acute – In this type of disorder the pain exists for the duration of four to twelve weeks.

3.     Chronic - In this type of disorder the pain exists for more than twelve weeks.

 The lower back pain occurs due to the occurrence of sprain or strain in the muscular or tissue areas of the lower back. The occurrence of torn in the soft ligaments or injury in intervertebral discs of the lower back can also be a cause of pain which is due to over activity done by the lower back.

Treatment of alzheimer’s disease

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Alzheimer’s has no cure therefore medications and other aids such as special diets and exercises only work at relieving the patient of distress.

Treatment for the disease varies from patient to patient according to certain factors of which are the age, health and medical history of the patient, the length of time the disease has been active, the reaction of the patient to certain medications, anticipation of the trend the disease would take and the choices of the patient or his caregiver.

The primary drugs used in treating alzheimer’s disease are aricept, cognex, exelon and razadyne (all of which are cholinesterase inhibitors) and namenda.

Cholinesterase inhibitors act by controlling the collapse of acetylcholine a chemical found in the brain that is essential for the functions of memory and learning. Moreover, they could augment the level of acetylcholine in the brain as well as lessen the growth of symptoms for a limited time of about 6 to 12 years. This particular action could work out for about half of the patients suffering from the disease.

Amongst all the inhibitors, aricept is known to be the only drug that has been recognized by the food and drug administration of the united states in having the capacity to cater for all stages of the disease. It comes in the form of tablet for human consumption and one could either swallow it with water or let in break up in the mouth. Do not chew.