Category: Health

Blood Pressure

Arteries carry blood from the heart to all parts of the body. Blood pressure is the force that pushed along the arteries every time the heart beats. So, blood pressure is a measure of how hard the heart has to work to pump blood.

This process is known as systolic pressure. The process where the heart is at rest, between beats and the blood pressure falls is known as diastolic pressure. Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure cuff and recorded as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. The top number indicates the systolic pressure and the bottom indicates the diastolic pressure. Normal blood pressure must be lower than 120/80.

Blood pressure varies during the course of a day. It is lowest when the person is resting and gradually rises as the person gets up. Blood pressure usually rises when the person is tense, agitated, or generally energetic, even though it stays pretty much the same. Blood pressure in children is comparatively much lower than in the adults since pressure rises as a person ages.

The systolic and diastolic reading of 140/90 or higher indicates high blood pressure. This usually results in faster heartbeat as the heart tries to pump blood faster, and this might result in a stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems due to the pressure on the arteries.

Severe medical problems also cause blood pressure to rise. Also, arteries become hardened and narrowed with cholesterol plaque and calcium, resulting in the heart having to pump harder to make blood pass through these arteries. When the heart pumps harder, blood pressure tends to automatically increase.

High blood pressure is linked to hypertension, which leads to heart attack. With a reading higher than 180/110 the patient required immediate medical attention since the risk of heart attack is greatest.

Blood Pressure Monitors

Blood pressure monitors allow you to keep track of your own blood pressure, in the peace and quiet of your own home, without having to go to the doctor. This will put you in control of your own health, so that you can look for signs of your blood pressure changing, and then visit the doctor when you need.

Measuring your blood pressure at home and keeping a record of the measurements will show you and your doctor how much your blood pressure changes during the day. Your doctor can use the measurements to see how well your medicine is working to control your high blood pressure. Also, measuring your own blood pressure is a good way to take part in managing your health.

To measure your blood pressure at home, you can use either an aneroid monitor or a digital monitor. The aneroid monitor has a dial gauge that is read by looking at a pointer. The cuff is inflated by squeezing a rubber bulb. Digital monitors have either manual or automatic cuffs.

One advantage of the aneroid monitor is that it is portable, and its cuff has a built-in stethoscope. The aneroid monitor also has some disadvantages. First, it is a complicated device that can easily be damaged and become less accurate. This monitor may not be appropriate for hearing-impaired people, because of the need to listen to heart sounds through the stethoscope.

Because the digital monitor is automatic, the blood pressure measurement is easy to read, since the numbers are shown on a screen. Some electronic monitors have a paper printout that gives you a record of the blood pressure reading.

A disadvantage of the digital monitor is that body movements or an irregular heart rate changes the accuracy. You should have your monitor checked once a year. Proper care and storage are also necessary. Make sure the tubing is not twisted when the monitor is stored, and keep it away from heat. Periodically check the tubing for cracks and leaks.

Bleeding Hemorrhoids: A Common Ailment

Bleeding hemorrhoids are common and occur with both internal and external cases. Be sure to consult a doctor if you notice any bleeding from the rectum before, during or after a bowel movement – and especially any bleeding in the absence of a bowel movement.

Internal hemorrhoids may cause bright red spots of blood may appear on toilet paper after a bowel movement. Blood spots may appear on toilet paper if one wipes the anus before a bowel movement, and, in addition, blood may also appear on individual pieces of stool. Because the bleeding takes place internally, small amounts of blood may leak from the anus even in the absence of a bowel movement and there is the possibility that the stool will pick up small amounts of blood on its way out of the large intestine.

Likewise, in external cases, because the swollen veins are on the outside of the anus, bright red blood streaks will tend to appear on toilet paper after a bowel movement. Blood spotting before a bowel movement would indicate that the patient is suffering from either internal hemorrhoids or both internal and external hemorrhoids, a rare but not impossible scenario.

Bladeless Lasik

Traditionally, a LASIK surgery involves a microkeratome or a metal blade that cuts the corneal flap, which is folded back before the surgeon applies laser energy for reshaping the cornea. This method has been well in practice since the time LASIK eye surgery has been discovered. However, due to the unpredictability of the performance of this equipment and repeated reports of them being the source of frequent complications, the bladeless LASIK or the IntraLase technology has come into vogue. The bladeless technology employs a computer controlled laser rather than a handheld mechanical device as used in regular LASIK surgery, and is considered a safer and better option.

IntraLase LASIK is also known as Femtosecond technology. It is used to create the flap in the cornea. Energy pulses are applied on the eye at a rate of one quadrillion per second. While the traditional LASIK surgery employs the microkeratome for creating the flap, an IntraLase aims at cutting the flap on the surface of the eye. The typical advantages of a bladeless LASIK includes reduced flap related complications, lesser instances of dry eye syndrome and improved control over the creation of the flap size and depth. All this is directly related to the post surgical eye conditions of the patient including the various symptoms affecting the visual quality after the operation.

IntraLase or bladeless surgery is also considered to produce a consistent thickness in the flap from one edge to the other, the accuracy of which has been unprecedented in flap creation technology. With a better flap stability demonstrated in bladeless LASIK surgery, the possibilities of flap complications such as partial flaps, free flaps, or flap dislocation can be reduced or eliminated to a great extent.

Bladder Infections

Our urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The most important parts in the system are the kidneys, which remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine and maintain a balance of salts and other substances in the blood. The kidneys also produce a hormone that aids the formation of red blood cells.

Ureters are narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, which is located in the lower abdomen. Urine is stored in the bladder and excreted through the urethra. The amount of urine passed by an average adult varies, depending on the fluids and foods he may have consumed.

Bladder infection is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. It is also commonly called urinary tract infection (UTI) or cystitis. Our urine contains a variety of fluids, salts and waste but is free from bacteria. Whenever bacteria gets into the bladder and starts multiplying in the urine, it causes a bladder infection. Bladder infections are common health problems affecting millions of people each year; only respiratory infections occur more often. Women are more prone to bladder infections than men, and one woman in five develops a bladder infection during her lifetime.

Bladder infections are quickly and easily treated, although they may cause a lot of discomfort. It is important that all bladder infections are treated at once, as they may sometime develop into a more serious kidney infection if left untreated. Bladder infections cannot be passed on from others, though sexual intercourse may cause bacteria to travel to the urinary tract in females, causing the infection.

Bipolar Tests

The key to a successful treatment of a bipolar disorder is the right diagnosis. Diagnosis may not be so easy because its symptoms are episodic. Thus, a comprehensive history is needed. Though it is a psychological illness, an exhaustive medical history and physical exam are also needed to rule out any physical cause of the symptoms of the mood disorder.

A detailed history taking and mental status examination is essential to the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. A complete history of both the present and past symptoms must be taken. Generally, depressed patients experience psychomotor retardation and have decreased activity. They have a decreased rate and volume of speech. Some may have delusions and hallucinations. They have a pessimistic view of themselves and of the world. Majority of them have attempted suicide or contemplated about it. In contrast, manic patients are very euphoric, excited and hyperactive. They are amusing to interview and they may sometimes even appear psychotic. They can have a low frustration tolerance and become very irritable.

Their speech becomes louder, faster and difficult to interpret as they can be filled with jokes, rhymes, word salad, neologisms and irrelevancies. They have difficulty concentrating on one topic and exhibit flight of ideas. Majority of manic persons have delusions of grandeur. They often boast of extraordinary abilities, affluence or power. Manic persons can be assaultive. Their judgment is impaired.

A thorough medical history and physical exam should be taken to exclude any possible physical causes of mood swings such as injury (e.g. head injury), multi-organ diseases (e.g. lupus, AIDS, etc), metabolic abnormalities (e.g. hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 deficiency, salt imbalances, diabetes, etc.), adrenal disorders (e.g. Addison’s disease, Cushing’s syndrome, etc.) and neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, brain tumors, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, etc.). Medications taken by the patient should also be accounted for because corticosteroids and drugs used to treat Parkinson’s, depression and anxiety can cause the same mood symptoms. Blood and urine tests for drugs and alcohol are also advised to rule out physiological effects of these substances.

A detailed family history should also be asked because recent studies show that bipolar disorder has a strong genetic link.

Bipolar Disorder

From high to low, from euphoria to depression, from recklessness to listlessness — all symptoms associated with bipolar disorders, — an acute and disabling mental illness. Bipolar disorders are also known as manic-depressions or manic-depressive illnesses. Manic behavior is one extreme of this disorder and depression is the other. Bipolar disorders often start in adolescence or early adulthood and may continue throughout a person’s life. The causes of bipolar disorders are elusive, and there’s no cure.

The signs of a bipolar disorder may persist for weeks or months, causing great disturbances in the lives of those affected as well as their friends and their families. Bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and other therapies, but if left untreated, the condition worsens.

A family history of depression appears to exist in 80 to 90 percent of cases of bipolar disorders. People with bipolar disorders often don’t recognize how impaired they are when experiencing a mood episode and how greatly the disorder is affecting their lives and the lives of others around them. Friends, family and primary care physicians are all important in recognizing possible signs of bipolar disorder, and in urging a person to seek professional help.

Bipolar disorders can be classified into four different types, Bipolar I and Bipolar II, Cyclothymic Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Psychological health experts separate the condition into these four types because the symptoms of bipolar disorder show up differently in different people. When doctors know what type a person has, they can tailor treatment to that person’s specific needs.

Bipolar disorders can affect both men and women. In many people, the first symptoms show up in their early twenties. However, research has shown that the first episodes of bipolar disorder may start occurring earlier. The condition often shows up in teenage years, and even very young children can display symptoms.

If a family member or friend shows signs of bipolar disorder, one should encourage that person to seek the care of a psychiatrist immediately.

Bipolar Symptoms

Bipolar disorder is an illness where a person experiences extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. He may feel manic for an instant and depressed the next.

In manic episodes, there is a distinct period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood lasting at least one week. During that time, the person experiences three or more of the following symptoms: grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, pressure to keep talking, flight of ideas, distractibility, increase in goal-oriented activity and excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences. A manic person can be reckless and impulsive. He is very self-confident and optimistic. In severe cases, a manic person may even have delusions and hallucinations.

In a hypomanic episode, there is a distinct period of persistently elevated or irritable mood different from the usual nondepressed mood lasting for four days or more. During the mood disturbance, the person experiences three or more of the symptoms of mania. The disturbance in mood must be observable by others but not so severe as to impair his occupational functioning and social activities.

In a major depressive episode, a person feels a depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure for two weeks or more. Five or more of the following symptoms may be experienced by the person most of the day almost everyday, such as depressed mood, markedly decreased interest or pleasure in activities, significant weight loss or weight gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate and recurrent thoughts of death. The symptoms can cause significant distress or impairment in social and occupational functioning. The depressed person may have difficulty in crying, have countless unprovoked crying spells or he may just be indifferent. He may also complain of aches and pains that may have no real physical causes.

Bikram Yoga

Yoga is at least about 5,000 years old. The Hindus of the Indus valley civilization developed yoga as a practical device to unite the individual self with the Brahman, the universal self. It was codified about 2,000 years back into a system by Patanjali in his work ‘Yoga Sutra.’

His yoga, known as Ashtanga Yoga (or eight-limbed yoga) came to be the authority on yogic practice. These eight limbs are to be practiced in sequence to achieve its spiritual end. In the modern age yoga came to be understood as ‘Hatha Yoga,’ which practices the third and fourth limbs of Ashtanga Yoga – Asanas and Pranayama.

Hatha Yoga, meaning sun-moon yoga, aims to unite the active and passing energies of the human beings. It harmonizes the body-mind relationship, and achieves a balance. The body becomes supple and strong. The mind relaxes and the stress eases. The internal systems, such as blood circulation, nervous system, digestive system and the endocrine system, are improved.

There are many systems of ‘Hatha Yoga,’ such as Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Vini Yoga, Integral Yoga, Sivananda Yoga and Bikram Yoga. Basically they hold postures that exercise the system. It is formulated by different teachers, giving importance to different aspects of Hatha Yoga.

Bikram Choudhry, the founder of Bikram Yoga, was born in Kolkatta in 1946. He became a disciple of Bishnu Gosh, the brother of Paramahamsa Yogananda, at the age of four. His mastery of the Hatha Yoga technique was so good that he continuously won the Indian Yoga championship, and retired undefeated at a very young age. Bikram started many training centers for yoga, on the direction of his master Bishnu Gosh. Later, he founded his own system of yoga known as Bikram Yoga.

Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 postures, done inside a heated room. The temperature is maintained at about 90 – 100o. This warms the body naturally, and the postures are easily accomplished. The series starts with standing postures, backward bends, forward bends and twists. Each posture is repeated twice. The full routine takes about 90 minutes.

Bikram has a school in Los Angeles where teachers impart yoga practice. He also travels throughout America organizing workshops and seminars.

Bikini Line Hair Removal

There are various methods of hair removal such as waxing, shaving, plucking, tweezing, electrolysis, and laser treatments, depending on individuals’ skin tones and resistance power. Bikini line hair removal is vital for hygiene purposes and many women undergo the procedure at least once a month.

Shaving is a more convenient and less painful method for removing hair from the pubic areas. It is cheap, affordable and can be carried out in the privacy of the individuals’ homes. Women, who choose to shave, must make sure they select a safety razor that is designed specially for removing bikini line hair. There are many electronic razors available in the market that are safe, hassle free, but are more expensive. However fast, shaving can sometimes prove to be a problem, as the pubic hair grows fast and needs to be removed more frequently. Women opting for shaving must know the side effects of it, which include skin irritation, razor bumps, rough growth, itching, and ingrowths.

Bikini Waxing is a long-term solution for removing hair as the hair is pulled out from the roots, which slows down the growth rate. It can be done on a monthly basis. Since bikini waxing is painful, women are hesitant to use this as an option to remove pubic hair. For such hesitant customers, the laser hair removal or hair removing lotions and creams prove to be useful. Although the creams and lotions are inexpensive, the laser treatment can cost a fortune, since it mostly provides with permanent hair removal solutions.

Depilatory lotions or creams take less than ten minutes for removing bikini line hair. It is advisable to avoid using depilatory lotions on the pubic area as they may cause skin rashes and itching. Hence, women use them along the bikini line only. It is better to try the product on particular part of the skin and keep it under observation for 24 hours before applying them on the bikini line, as the chemicals may not suit all skin types and can cause skin burns or allergic reactions.