After Cancer Treatment: Health Tips Everyone Needs To Know

If you or someone you know has a history of cancer, it is important to be aware of the potential health consequences from cancer and its treatment. Frequently, patients and families are not informed or do not recall discussions that occurred during the stress-filled days after diagnosis about such potential problems as pain, depression, infertility and other physical and emotional changes. Regardless of whether problems are temporary or permanent, most can be managed. 

 

To begin to address the many and varied health-related needs of long-term cancer survivors, the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) recently released a report, based on a July 2005 symposium, that offers action strategies and recommendations. 

 

"The late effects of cancer and treatment for survivors diagnosed as adults remain poorly documented," said Pamela J. Haylock, MA, RN, symposium co-director, cancer care consultant and doctoral student at the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing in Galveston, TX. "Yet up to 75 percent of survivors have some health deficits related to their cancers and therapies. Knowing about potential risks and learning and using risk reduction strategies are important steps in survivors' recovery." 

 

Nurses recommend that cancer survivors heed the following advice:

 

• Incorporate regular exercise, stress management, a healthful diet and weight control as part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Schedule regular health checkups. 

• Ask your oncology team for a written summary of your cancer diagnosis, treatments, tests and recommended follow-up once treatment is complete. Create a folder to organize diagnostic and laboratory reports, and give it to your current health care provider to make a copy for his or her records. 

• Ask your nurse or physician to help you and your caregivers learn about possible long-term effects of your cancer therapy and ways to prevent or minimize them. Effects differ from person to person; therefore, educating yourself is important.

• Inform physicians and nurses about your previous cancer history, treatment, current medications and long-term effects that you may experience, including infertility, early menopause, indigestion, dry mouth or taste changes, constipation, diarrhoea, sleep issues, fatigue, dry skin, memory loss, changes in thinking, vision or hearing problems, depression, relationship/sexuality issues, anxiety, confidence issues, pain, tingling, or numbness or swelling in the fingers and toes. 

• Look for resources to assist with any physical, emotional or financial issues that you may experience.

 

Helpful Internet sites are www.acor.org, www.cancer.org, and www.canceradvocacy.org.

Adult Scoliosis

Adult Scoliosis is a spinal abnormality that occurs during adulthood, or is a continuation of the disease that was undiagnosed or ignored during childhood or adolescence. 

 

Adult Scoliosis is generally idiopathic, which means that its cause is unknown. However, several other types of Scoliosis also occur in adults. These include congenital curve, paralytic curve, and myopathic deformity.

 

A congenital curve is present at birth, and if undiagnosed or untreated, may worsen in adulthood due to age and weakening of the spine. This results in Adult Scoliosis. A paralytic curve may be caused by an injury to the spine, while myopathic deformity may result from diseases like polio or cerebral palsy. Degeneration, osteoporosis, and spinal surgery are other causes of Adult Scoliosis.

 

Signs of Adult Scoliosis include one shoulder or hip higher than the other, a rib or back hump, and one arm longer than the other. Severe cases of Scoliosis are often accompanied by pain because the abnormal curvature creates pressure on the spine. This may even lead to difficulty in walking. 

 

Doctors subject individuals suspected to be suffering from Scoliosis to the Adam’s Forward Bending Test. Test results are confirmed through X-ray, CT scan, or MRI. Treatment options include medication, physical exercise, bracing, and surgery.

 

Medication is recommended by doctors to relieve pain caused by Scoliosis. Physical exercise, such as walking, cycling, and swimming, helps to keep the body fit and maintain a correct posture. These counter the deforming effect of Scoliosis. Exercise also helps to reduce pain. Physical therapists can design exercise programs to suit the different needs of patients. Bracing in adults is used to ease pain and discomfort rather than prevent worsening of the curve, while surgery is generally used as the last resort. 

 

Surgery becomes essential if the spinal curve is greater than 50 degrees and is accompanied by continuous pain. It is also conducted if the curve is increasing, because this could cause heart and lung problems. In certain cases, deformity caused by the disease necessitates surgery. 

 

To conclude, Scoliosis in adults can be largely avoided through proper treatment of the disease in its early stages, during childhood or adolescence. The earlier the treatment commences, the lesser will be the pain and discomfort, and chances of surgery. Leading a healthy lifestyle can also curb its occurrence during adulthood.

Adult Attention Deficit Disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is usually identifiable in early stages of childhood. There are instances when the disorder continues until adulthood if treatment is not prompt or effective. This is known as Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (AADD). The impact of AADD is severe compared to ADD because as an adult, coping strategies are required to a greater extent with regard to disorganization and other symptoms of the syndrome. The visible signs and symptoms of the disorder in adults are as below:

 

Impulsiveness. ADD adults have difficulties handling their impulsiveness. Sudden bouts of anger, impulsive spending, butting into conversations, and breaking relationships are all side effects of impulsiveness. This in turn leads to lack of cordial atmosphere and feelings of regret at later stages. 

 

A high level of distraction. The ADD adult is always thinking of a myriad subjects and incidents that leave him/her unfocused and distracted. Apart from this, external stimuli introduce further distraction to the overactive mental process. When the adult leaves home and mixes with the society, he/she is bombarded with words, visuals, and noises that disturb and irritate. 

 

Anxiety and lack of focus. Since the patient is also on the thinking track, there is tendency to do the task at hand with lesser concentration. This leaves them confused as to why mistakes occur in their work or why they leave their work half-completed. The patient resorts to writing important things in hand notes or schedulers. 

 

Impatience. Just like children with ADD, adults too are fidgety with staying put in one place. They are always taking in things, keeping their hands busy, or keeping engaged in multiple activities. This tends to make them feel exhausted at times. 

 

Socializing problems. Making friends, retaining relationships, caring for family members, and working co-operatively with colleagues are a strain for ADD adults due to their impatience and impulsiveness. This further brings down trust levels. 

 

Lack of planning and disorganization. It is difficult for ADD adults to comprehend instructions, work procedures, do time estimates, and complete work within deadlines. They are unable to chalk out tasks involved in an activity and estimate the time likely to be taken for completing each task. This issue is the result of all the factors discussed above.

 

Memory problems. Short term memory loss is a hurdle for ADD adults that leads them to forget the task at hand or instructions given only a little while before. Their mind tends to jump from though to another in a matter of minutes, leaving them with no idea of the real situation.

 

Several strategies such as maintaining reminders in mobile phones, keeping notes in calendars and schedulers, attending skill-developing sessions, and deploying pneumonic to remember things would help these adults lead a comparatively normal life.

Adult ADHD and Fear: Why We Procrastinate

If you have Adult ADHD symptoms, chances are you procrastinate when you need to choose one thing and get started on it. Why is this? Find out why people with Adult ADHD fear getting started, and how to beat this ADHD symptom once and for all...

 

One of the things people with Adult ADHD symptoms really struggle with is procrastination. And procrastination really comes out of fear. What kind of fear?

 

There are two main fears people with Adult ADHD symptoms face when they try to start a big project. 

 

1. How do I know I'm choosing the right thing to work on?

 

2. How do I know I won't fail, especially if I don't know anything about this yet?

 

First of all, you've got to ask yourself, "What am I so afraid of?" Let’s just bring it out into the open. If I pick an opportunity, the fear becomes, "Oh, my gosh. What am I going to miss?" 

 

The truth is, the second someone with Adult ADHD focuses on something, you're missing a lot of other things. That’s just the way it works. 

 

It’s not about the opportunity. It’s not about which Internet-type thing you should be doing. It’s "why." You've got to ask yourself, "How would this particular opportunity fit in with my larger vision?" 

 

Some people with Adult ADHD might not feel like they know exactly what they want to do with their whole lives. And this is where a lot of fear about choosing what to do next comes from. 

 

Well, you know what? Whatever you want to do with your life right now, it probably is going to change at some point (especially if you have Adult ADHD). Just because you're going full tilt on something right now doesn't mean you have to do that for the rest of your life. 

 

It does mean that, if you're going to spend your time doing something, it should be something you're incredibly passionate about to begin with, something that you'd like to spend all your time on anyway. 

 

Most likely, if you have Adult ADHD symptoms, you'll find yourself in the exact same situation at some point in the future. It happens. You work really hard. You go full speed at something, and occasionally, you look up and you say, "What the heck am I doing?"

 

That's ok. At that point, if you really want to, you can shift your focus. No one's stopping you. But don't let that fear stop you from starting.

 

The second fear those with Adult ADHD symptoms feel has to do with how much there is to learn about a subject or skill, and the information overload that occurs so often with Adult ADHD.

 

My experience was, I said, "I'm going to learn this Internet thing. I'm going to go out and I'm going to learn everything that I possibly can," and I didn't realize at the very beginning that there were so many different subspecialties. It’s an entire industry. 

 

You could be a specialist in list building, in search engine optimization, in advertising or all these different subspecialties, and you realize that what you're trying to do is go out and learn an entire industry. Of course, it doesn't really work that way. 

 

You don't go out one day and say, "Okay, I'm going to be a lawyer," and understand every aspect of law. Even lawyers have to pick a specialty, be it corporate, criminal, bankruptcy or whatever. You don't say, "I'm going to go out and learn everything there is to know about foreign language," right? You pick one. 

 

So, if that is true, that brings up another question for people with Adult ADHD symptoms: "What sub-specialty do I pick then? I have to pick one." 

 

Again, we're teaching you ways to think with your Adult ADHD brain instead of against it here. As you're thinking about the anxiety of having to pick one area of specialty, for example, to grow your business or to work on in your life, remember that people with Adult ADHD symptoms have something that they use automatically every day they don't usually appreciate, and that is a very highly-developed intuition. 

 

Intuition is why people with Adult ADHD make snap decisions all the time. You're really good at it naturally. It’s coming from your gut.

 

But you need a clear head to do it. So if you've got information overload, and you can't decide to focus on one thing, how do you clear your head? 

 

What you need to do is this: You need to go on an "unsubscribe" campaign! Start with the information you have coming in on your computer every day.

 

You should continue subscribing to or buying the information from the people that you intuitively know are going to help you with your one main focus. But clear out the rest, so you don't even see it. Let your computer sort it so your head doesn't have to. 

 

Do this with other things in your life too. Once you decide what your main focus is (at least for now) - then "unsubscribe" or disconnect from anything, and anyone, that doesn't contribute to that one goal. 

 

Then you can get down to the business of choosing a specialty and learning all about that one thing. You'll be amazed how much more focused you'll be, automatically! 

ADHD Treatments

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is a chronic condition that can have a great impact on a child if a child does not get help, or if the right ADHD treatment is not prescribed. 

 

Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD are impulsivity, inappropriate behaviour, and hyperactivity. These children have difficulty staying on task and completing projects, which if not identified and treated early can be a huge barrier throughout the school years and eventually on the job. Before there was a diagnosis, these children were just seen as having lots of energy, or were just wild and always getting into trouble. Now that ADHD treatments are available, parents have the option of getting their child help so that they can be more productive in school and have fewer disruptions at home. 

 

Not all parents and professionals agree on what type of ADHD treatment is the best, or if it should be used at all. Some parents feel that it is unnatural to treat a child with prescription medication that could have significant side effects, or otherwise harm the child. Side effects are dose dependent and can be lessened by reducing the dosage or switching to a different medication. Many times behaviour modification therapy is not effective on its own, which is why ADHD treatment usually requires use of a stimulant drug. Stimulants have a paradoxical effect on children; these drugs do not increase hyperactivity, which is a normal response in adults, but help the child focus, control behaviours, and improve self-esteem. Stimulants used in ADHD treatment help children to complete tasks, learn more efficiently, and interact more positively with their peers. 

 

Physicians and psychiatrists develop individualized ADHD treatments for each child, because not all experience the same symptoms or have the same level of severity. There can also be other conditions that are present as well, such as mental or physical disorders that need to be addressed in addition to ADHD treatment. Such conditions may have a great impact on how the child responds to therapy, and if not treated simultaneously will tend to slow down progress. There are a number of sites on the internet that discuss ADHD, the symptoms, and how to go about getting help for your child. ADHD treatments and the controversies surrounding them are also discussed in depth. If you suspect your child has ADHD have him or her evaluated by a professional as soon as possible, so that your child can get the treatment he or she needs.

ADHD Article Help Guide

ADHD articles for the professional, the student, the parent, and the adult that you will definitely want your own copy! I came by the magazine through the college where I worked, and since then has read every magazine issue cover to cover.

 

One of the best things about the Internet and about serious, scholarly, and devoted professional help sites is being able to find the accurate, timely, and truly informative articles related to your search. The ADHD article is among such benefits. While we can find astoundingly apt materials in the bookstore on ADHD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder), such as Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundos lifesaving book, or those equally useful works by Thom Hartmann, Shari Holden, and others, the ADHD article is quicker, more easily accessible (online, I mean), and is just as valuable as written by an ADHD specialist, expert, and/or professional.

 

You can start with the ADHD site or ADHD ezine (online magazine), for example to find almost any ADHD article as it is relevant to you and yours:

 

• BTE, borntoexplore.org, offers information and a number of helpful, informative ADHD articles for scholarship and personal use.

• ADDitude magazine is online and by subscription, and has so many practical and realistic ADHD articles for the professional, the student, the parent, and the adult that you will definitely want your own copy! I came by the magazine through the college where I worked, and since then has read every magazine issue cover to cover. I then had to subscribe to resist the sinful temptation of keeping the copies I borrowed.

 

You will also want to check out the ADHD article databases:

 

• The absolute premier site for ADHD articles is ADD Consults (addconsults.com). It will take you a little time to figure out how the system is constructed, but once you decide on a subject area, or sub-topic, you will get ADHD articles on everything from ADD strategies to co-morbidity information to ADHD articles about children and adults with ADD. The articles are upscale and professional, clinical, and/or personal, and are a must read! The site is built by Terry Matlin, MSW, ASCW, and features the astoundingly superbly brilliant support of ADHD article writers who are big names in the field - Edward Hallowell, John J. Ratey, Sari Solden, Thom Hartmann, and Michelle Novotny, to name just a few!

 

The moment you find the source that is most user-friendly and helpful to you, go ahead and sign up for a free newsletter, one which offers an ADHD article or two weekly or monthly (whenever the newsletter is delivered to your inbox):

 

• Terry Matlin, ACSW, also offers a newsletter which features an ADHD article, book reviews, and blurbs on many ADHD aids/products for the ADHDer, as I call her or him (as I call myself).

• Breath and Shadow, a monthly (or thereabouts) newsletter put out by ROSC as the Journal of Literature and Disability Culture, is for writers and artists with any or all disabilities, and issues a monthly newsletter with a predetermined theme, but occasionally you might get an ADHD article.

 

You can find the most relevant, scholarly ADHD articles, or the most personal and still accurate ADHD article written by a non-credentialed individual who is or knows someone who has to put up with the frustrations and challenges as well as special and unique gifts of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a.k.a ADD. Come on, any sites to share with me, anyone?

Addiction: When Gambling Becomes a Problem

This article deals with the problems associated with an gambling addiction. You can read here about the signs, causes and treatment of such problems.

 

While most people enjoy casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and bingo playing for the fun and excitement it provides, others may experience gambling as an addictive and distractive habit. Statistics show that while 85 percent of the adult population in the US enjoys some type of gambling every year, between 2 and 3 percent of will develop a gambling problem and 1 percent of them are diagnosed as pathological gamblers. 

 

Where can you draw the line between harmless gambling to problem gambling? How can you tell if you or your friend are compulsive gamblers? Here you can find answers to these questions and other questions regarding problem gambling and gambling addiction. 

 

What is the Meaning of Problem Gambling?

 

Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is defined as an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the destructive effect of gambling on the gamblers life and despite feelings of guilt and remorse. Problem gambling tends to have a negative effect on the gamblers financial state, relationships and daily life. Severe cases of problem gambling can be defined as pathological gambling. 

 

Am I a Compulsive Gambler?

 

• Do you gamble until your last penny runs out?
• Do you gamble to win back your former losses or debts?
• Did you ever had to borrow money to continue gamble?
• Did your gambling habit ever made you lie to your friends or family?
• Did you ever skip work or other obligation to gamble?
• Do you tend to gamble to forget about your personal problems or to celebrate happy occasions?

Does gambling have a negative effect on your daily life or relationships?

 

If you have answered yes on at least one of the questions listed above, then you have a problem. 

 

Can Anyone Become a Compulsive Gambler?

 

Theoretically, yes. Any gambler can develop gambling problem regardless to the type of gambling he is occupied with, the amount of money and time he is spending on gambling. Researches show that slot machines that can be found in bars and convenient stores are the most addictive type of gambling activity, while lottery draws and bingo games are located on the other end of the scale. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem; its symptoms, causes and treatments are similar to any other form of addiction. 

 

How Can I treat Gambling Addiction?

 

1)    Group Therapy

 

Gamblers Anonymous offers a 12 step self-help program similar to the one offered to alcohol addicts in Alcoholics Anonymous. Group therapy also offers gambling addicts advice and support from professional counsellors and other gambling addicts in different phases of their recovery process. Gambler Anonymous centres are available in more than 1,200 locations state-wide.

 

2)    Individual Therapy

 

Cognitive or behaviour therapy can help gambling addicts to identify their unaware thinking and acting patterns, which led them to gamble compulsively, and to replace them with controllable and healthier ways of thinking.

 

3)    Psychiatric Medication

 

It has recently been proven that antidepressant medications from the family of SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be affective in treatment of gambling addicts.

ADD And Coexisting Conditions - Why Is It So Complicated?

ADD is often accompanied by a coexisting condition. On the other hand, often ADD and these other conditions have similar symptoms and, therefore, are easily misdiagnosed. Of course, this creates a plethora of problems as these disorders, when separate, must be treated differently. A misdiagnosis will lead to ineffective treatment. As coexisting conditions, these are especially of concern, because they increase the severity of many of the symptoms of ADD, as well as the negative impact on those that suffer them.

 

One such condition is Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder. Children with this disorder tend to be very aggressive and defiant. They usually lose their tempers very easily and challenge authority figures. This is the most easily diagnosable behaviours, as teachers and parents become aware of this conduct quickly and seek treatment almost immediately. This particular disorder is common in children that are the hyperactive/impulsive type of ADD and occurs in 35% of children with ADD. This coexisting condition makes it much more likely that these sufferers will get in legal trouble as they age due to their authoritative defiance. 

 

Many children that have ADD also suffer from mood disorders and/or depression. The complication associated with this coexisting condition is the increased likelihood of suicide common during teen years. 18% of ADD children also suffer from some type of mood disorder, and is it more likely to occur within the inattentive type of ADD. This is often not as easily diagnosed as compared to other conditions. Children with mood disorders as a coexisting condition must be treated with different medication than typical ADD treatment; therefore, such therapy may be more difficult.

 

Also a concern is anxiety disorders among ADD sufferers, which constitutes roughly 25% of those with ADD. Traits common of Anxiety Disorders are fear, panic, and worry, which may necessitate medication and/or counselling. As with mood disorders, combined treatment make therapy more complex and arduous.

 

Learning Disabilities are also conditions common with children that have ADD. While ADD, in itself, is not a learning disability, it can make it extremely difficult for children to perform well in school. If coupled with a learning disability, it makes it considerably more challenging for children to grasp academic concepts and utilize such knowledge.

 

For the most part, coexisting conditions make treatment more difficult and the side effects of both disorders more severe. The typical signs and symptoms of ADD are difficult enough to deal with, but with more intense severity, it often makes side effects deadly or incredibly negatively life altering.

Acute Infectious Anthrax

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease that exists in animals and can be transmitted to humans. Caused by Bacillus anthracis, Anthrax, primarily affects farm animals such as goats, hogs, sheep, horses. In the majority of these cases the disease is fatal. To simply how the disease works: Bacillus anthracis creates toxins that cause fluid to accumulate in the body's tissues and kill cells.

 

Found in the soil, Anthrax spores have been discovered to be able to survive for decades. It is most common for an animal to contract the disease while grazing in a field. Although you can become sick from eating the meat of an infected animal, it is most common that infected individuals have come in direct contact with an infected animal. This characteristic of Anthrax makes it almost completely restricted to certain occupations that handle animals first hand, such as veterinarians, and farmers.

 

In it's simple state, Anthrax is not generally fatal to humans. However, if not treated, the disease can work its way through the blood vessels causing poisoning of the blood and death. Another type of Anthrax is, Gastrointestinal anthrax, which is much more fatal. Typically Gastrointestinal anthrax will begin with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fever, and can then be followed by abdominal bleeding, tissue death, and septicaemia. 

 

Anthrax is a very well known, disease that ages back to ancient history. Most recently, in 2001, Anthrax was raised to a top concern when letters containing the Anthrax bacteria were mailed to several individuals, killing 5. These events were part of the growing terrorist problems in the United States, such as the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Acromegaly: Overgrowth Condition in Humans

Summary

 

Acromegaly is a condition where the hands and legs of a normal person increases due to excess release of the hormones inside the body of the humans. This condition is referred to as Gigantism in young people and in older people is called as Acromegaly which brings about Gorilla like appearance the humans.

 

Introduction

 

Any Chemical released from the Pituitary gland induces physical activities or changes in the body. Pituitary gland is an endocrine gland present in the brain.

 

The release of chemical from the gland in a moderate quantity leads to correct growth of the human body. But if the release of the chemicals that induces the growth increases, then size of the bones increases and also results in the increase of the growth of soft tissues. This results to many abnormalities in the human body.

 

The hormone or chemical that induces growth is called as Growth Hormone or Somatotropin. Excess of release of this hormone from the pituitary gland will cause an alteration in the use of nutrients in the body. In children as the bones are still in the growing condition, these changes will cause more and more growth of the bones and this is called as Gigantism.

 

And in adults, after the bone formation has stopped, this change can cause an abnormality which is called as Acromegaly.

 

Description

 

Acromegaly is a rare condition caused in a very few people i.e. one person per 20,000 people can experience this abnormality. This is common in males and females. The identification is not easy for middle aged people till extreme conditions are observed. 

 

Cause of the Abnormality

 

Pituitary gland is present at the base of the brain which release a number of chemicals that are responsible for many functional activities of the systems and organs of the body. The hormones are released and travel throughout the body and are mainly involved in the growth and reproductive activities.

 

A Gland called Hypothalamus which is present on the base of the brain regulates the secretion of the pituitary. It induces or stops the release of hormones from the pituitary by releasing hormones and sending to the pituitary gland. Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone(GHRH) is released from the hypothalamus which induces and also stops pituitary gland to release hormones.

 

In the liver, growth hormone produces IGF-1 called "Insulin-like Growth Factor-1" which is responsible for the growth throughout the body. In the condition of Acromegaly, the pituitary refuses to stop the Growth hormone which leads to increase in the levels of IGF-1 and the body now loses the capacity to produce and utilise the nutrients.

 

Conditions

 

Individual’s hands and feet grows more than normal, and they become thicker.

The conditions on the face also change i.e. the nose, jaws become large and the teeth are spread more wider. Tongue also becomes larger. These changes on the face are called as "Coarsening". the voice of that person becomes Deep and develop Snoring.

 

Symptoms

 

• Profuse sweating
• Skin becomes Oily
• Body hair increases
• Blood Pressure increases
• Calcium increases in the urine
• Risk of Gallstones increases
• Swelling of thyroid glands
• Patients often suffer from headache

 

Important Cause

 

In about 90% of the patients, it is seen that a non-cancerous tumour occurs in the pituitary gland, it is called as Pituitary Adenoma. And it is a major factor that causes Acromegaly.

 

How Does Pituitary Adenoma Cause Acromegaly 

 

The tumour increases in size and presses the adjacent structures present in the brain which cause headache, and also effects the vision. This may damage the pituitary tissues and also brings changes in the production of the hormones and due to this, the Growth Hormones are released in excess. And so this results in Acromegaly.

 

Also due to this, the sexual drive in the males and females decreases and brings changes in menstrual cycle in the females.

 

The condition if not treated, can cause an early death of the person as this would effect lungs, heart, brain, and also cause Cancer in the large intestine.