Break your kid's whining habit

When it comes to torture, we could all learn a thing or two from kids. Who knows better than they how to extract most anything they want within minutes of applying the technique? I'm talking about whining, of course -- that grating mewling that causes us to do anything (anything!) just to make it go away. But you can break the habit. And the rewards of victory can be rich for both of you.

Toddlers
Why they do it: Early talkers whine like babies cry. Some experts say that whining tends to peak in a child's development when she's feeling out of control and overwhelmed -- emotions that pretty much sum up toddlerhood. She lacks the vocabulary to articulate her frustrations, and that whimpering is the natural default noise. Certain triggers, such as hunger and fatigue, can also cause breakdowns (true for kids of all ages), so keep that in mind the next time you take your toddler grocery shopping close to naptime.

How to stop it: Patience becomes the first rule when confronted with these early bouts of whining. When her son, Matthew, who's almost 3, melts down because he can't wait 10 more minutes for dinner, Rae Sullivan of Durham, North Carolina, gives him a little extra attention, like five minutes of lap or snuggle time. Those five minutes are well spent if it means she can finish cooking without another whinefest. Tossing him a few crackers to eat in the meantime doesn't hurt, either. (Parenting.com: When good kids mouth off )

"A lot of toddlers don't even know they're whining," says Sheila Oliveri, a mom of three and a nursery school teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. So give your little complainer an exaggerated demonstration: "Whyyyyyy are you taaaalkingg like thaaaaaat?" The result will be twofold: "You'll show her exactly how irritating whining is," says Oliveri, "and you may make her laugh, which will make her forget why she was complaining in the first place." Or try recording your child. Play it back to her so she knows what she sounds like, and work with her on better ways to ask for the things she wants or needs.

Preschoolers
Why they do it: Like toddlers, the 3-to-5 set has a low threshold for frustration. Plus, they're going through a lot of changes -- such as starting school, facing a new baby sib, or graduating to a big-kid bed -- that make them extra hungry for your attention, even if it's the negative kind. ( Parenting.com: Moving to a big-kid bed)

How to stop it: The great thing about preschoolers is that they can still be distracted by a clever trick. For instance, Debbie Granick of St. Louis uses a "whine" cup, or bowl or bucket or whatever's at hand. "Whenever one of them starts, I say, 'Here, go pour out your whine and bring me your regular voice.' It gets a smile, or at least that 'Oh, Mom' look, and then they'll usually change their tone." She then thanks her child for using a "pleasant" voice. Or whisper your answer back. "You may have to whisper it several times, but your child will have to be quiet to hear you, and a lot of times he'll mimic your tone of voice," says Karen Shaffer, a mom of three in Highland, California.

By the time they're 4, most kids are able to understand that their behavior has consequences. So you can start using the "I can't understand you when you whine" technique. "When my children complain, I say, 'I'm sorry, but when you talk in that voice, I can't understand anything you're saying. Use your normal voice and I'll try to listen to you.' Then I ignore them until they start to comply," says Audrey Smith, a mom of two in Long Beach, California. It works, she says, but you have to be as consistent as possible. And that's not easy, as we all know. Who among us hasn't caved in? Trouble is, if your child sees you can be broken, he'll simply up the ante, and your whining problem will be worse.

Besides being consistent, look for ways to reinforce the behavior you do want, like thanking him when he repeats his request in a polite tone.

Grade-schoolers
Why they do it: Besides whining when they're tired or hungry, kids grumble when they're asked to do things they don't want to do (insert your chore of choice) or when they're bored. Whining is learned behavior, and by the time a kid is in elementary school, she's a pro. (Parenting.com: Little kid, big temper?)

How to stop it: Some moms swear by sending their child to the "whine" room as soon as she starts. Sending her away -- to the corner of the living room, say, and letting her vent aloud to herself -- spares you from having to listen to it and may help the offender understand what she sounds like.

Shaffer has another tactic when her school-age kids start in. "Every whine costs them a nickel, to be deposited in a special jar," she says. "Then we give the money to the charity box at church on Sunday." When you're out in public, you can head off most whining by establishing some rules before you leave. My two kids know that there's every possibility of a small candy or sticker purchase if they make Mommy's trip to Target as pleasant as possible. They also know that the moment they start complaining in that tone of voice, the deal's off. Sometimes my 5-year-old slips up, but my 8-year-old has this rule down cold.

It bears keeping in mind that everyone whines -- moms and dads, too. But our kids model their behavior on ours, so the next time you're griping about soccer-practice schedule, take a minute to listen to yourself and then go put a nickel in the whine jar. Your child will be impressed.

Besides contributing regularly to Parenting, Julie Tilsner writes about kids and food at badhomecooking.blogspot.com.

BİG Möö

New virus found

The virus was found in three Melbourne patients who died just weeks after they received organs from a 57-year-old man who suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage one week after returning from Europe.

Australian officials said the infection was similar to lymphocytic choreomeningitis virus (LCMV), which was linked to the deaths of several transplant patients in the United States last year.

"I'm very pleased that out of a sad episode we've been able to draw some conclusions and find something new in a world first," Dr Mike Catton from the Victorian Infectious Disease Laboratory said.

"It's a new virus and it's a new way of finding the virus."

Catton said tests carried out with the assistance of the Greene Infectious Disease Laboratory at Columbia University in New York looked at tissue samples taken from the dead tranplant patients using new gene sequencing techniques.

The new virus was found in all samples taken from the transplant recipients but not in tissue taken from the donor.

"The fact that we haven't yet discovered it in the donor doesn't rule out the fact that this was transmitted from donor to recipient," he said.

"There's much work that needs to be done characterising this virus in both laboratories and that will be continuing as we speak."

Catton said doctors did not know yet how many people could be infected with the virus or whether it has killed anyone in the past.

But Australian officials insisted that the new virus did not pose a threat to the community and was not thought to be an infectious disease.

"Organ transplant recipients are hit with a variety of drugs to suppress their immune system so that they don't reject the organ that's transplanted," Victoria state's acting chief health officer Dr John Carnie said.

"So if you're immuno-depressed, any kind of infection can have devastating consequences, whether it's the common cold or influenza or anything like that."

Australian doctors began investigating in January when three women who received organs from the same donor died within days of each other and no common cause could be established between the deaths.

Two women, aged 63 and 44, each received a kidney while the donor's liver went to a 64-year-old woman.

Carnie said he hoped the discovery did not lead to calls to stop the transplant programme.

"This may be an extremely rare one-off event and we don't want to deprive people of the benefits of a liver or kidney or something else that would be life-saving for some event that may be extremely rare," he said.

© 2007 AFP

Kılcal Damar Telenjiektazi

Kılcal Damar (Telenjiektazi) nedir?
Derideki çok küçük kan damarları 1 mm ye kadar genişleyerek gözle görünür hale gelmiştir. Genelde yüz ve bacaklarda görülür.

Yüzümüzde kılcal damarlar neden olur?
Yüzümüzdekiler bazen bir neden olmadan da gelişebilir. Ama en önemli sebep güneştir. Çok güneşlenenlerde boyunda ense gibi bölgelerde üzerinde ağ şeklinde kılcal damarların olduğu kahverengi, kırmızı renk değişikliği olabilir. Kılcal damarlar bazı hastalıklarda, gebelik, alkol ve östrojen alımı, kortizonlu kremlerin uzun süreli uygulanması sonucu da gelişebilirler. Tek olabilir veya gruplar yapabilirler.

Bacaklardaki kılcal damarlar neden olur?
Bacaklardaki damarlar genelde kadınlarda görülür. Genetik, dolaşım problemleriyle ilgili olabilirler. Gebelik sonrası gelişebilir.

Kılcal damarların tedavisi var mı?
Evet. Hasta kozmetik açıdan rahatsız oluyorsa en güvenli ve pratik tedavi lazerdir. Yan etki riski çok azdır

Vücudumuzda kırmızı benler neden olur?
Vücudumuz yaşlandıkça küçük, iyi sınırlı, kırmızı renkte hafif kabarık damarsal oluşum gelişebilir. Lazerle tedavi edilebilirler.

Kırmızı lekeler doğuştan olabilir mi?
Kırmızı lekeler doğuştan olabilir. Bebek doğduğunda veya yaşamın ilk haftalarında ortaya çıkarlar. Çok çeşitli renk, yapı ve büyüklükte olabilirler. Bunlardan hemanjiomların çok faklı tipleri vardır küçük olanlar zararsız da olabilir ama bazıları ciddi kozmetik ve sağlık sorunları yaratabilirler ve tedavi edilmesi gerekir.

Şarap Lekesi (Portwine Stain) nasıl bir hastalıktır?
Bin bebekten birinde doğum anında vardır. Başlangıçta açık pembe renkli, yıllar içinde koyulaşıp, morumsu renge dönüşebilen çeşitli büyüklük ve yerde olabilen lekelerdir. Önce düzdür sonra yüzeyi sıklıkla kabalaşır ve üzerinde kabarıklıklar gelişebilir. Bulundukları yere göre bazı anomalilerle birlikte olabilirler. En sık baş ve boyunda görülür ve kendiliğinden geçmezler. Estetik açıdan hastayı rahatsız ederek psikolojisini etkileyebilir

Şarap lekesi tedavi edilebilir mi?
Şarap lekesi tedavi edilebilir. Şarap lekesinin tüm dünyada kabul görmüş tedavi şekli lazerdir ve Pulse-dye laser sistemi halen standart kabul edilmektedir. Türkiye’de de bu tedaviyi kolaylıkla uygulayabiliyoruz. Tedavi ne kadar erken yapılırsa o kadar başarılıdır

Damarsal oluşumlarda lazer tedavileri nasıl yapılıyor?
Lazer tedavisi derinin damarsal yapıdaki oluşumlarını tedavi etmek için uzun yıllardır kullanılıyor ve daha etkili ve güvenli bir sistem yok denilebilir. Tedavi edilecek soruna göre lazer çeşidi değişir. Yeni lazerler üretilmekle beraber bazı lazerler bazı hastalıkların tedavisinde klasikleşmiştir. Örneğin bunlardan biri Pulse dye lazerdir. Sonuçları çok iyi, yan etkileri azdır. Pulse dye lazerler, yaklaşık 20 yıldır birçok cilt rahatsızlığının tedavisinde kullanılmaktadır. Özellikle şarap lekesinde çok etkilidir. Ve hasta ömür boyu taşımak zorunda olduğu bir lekeden lazerle kurtulabilir. Kılcal damarlarda, kiraz angiomlarında, rozasede(gülleme), güneş hasarına bağlı yaşlanma tedavisinde de çok başarılıdır. Tedavi sırasında sadece lastik çarpmasını andıran hafif bir rahatsızlık duyulur. Uygulama kolaydır ve kısa sürer. Lazer tedavileri seanslar halinde uygulanır.

SEÇMEN, SEÇİM, ÇELİŞKİ

Smokers make poorer workers

Smokers were also more likely to have a less than honourable discharge, to be demoted, to desert, and to earn less than their non-smoking colleagues, the study showed.

Historically, the prevalence of smoking among US military personnel has been higher than among civilians, say the authors. After a period of decline, smoking rates have once more started to climb.

There are currently around 59,000 women serving in the US Navy.

The findings are based on an analysis of the career progression of almost 5,500 women entering the US Navy over a period of 12 months between 1996 and 1997.

Time in service, the proportion being discharged early or facing disciplinary procedures, as well as promotions, demotions, absences without leave, and pay grades were all assessed.

The women’s progress was tracked for around eight years.

Some 45% had never smoked. But 27% were daily smokers when they enlisted. The remainder were ex smokers or smoked occasionally.

Compared with non-smokers, daily smokers were less likely to enlist for eight years, and they were significantly more likely to leave before they had served their full term.

Non-smokers achieved the longest period of service; daily smokers achieved the shortest. Significantly fewer regular smokers re-enlisted

Regular smokers were significantly more likely than non-smokers to be discharged for medical reasons, bad behaviour, misconduct, including drug misuse, and personality disorders.

On average, non-smokers were paid significantly more than daily smokers, even after taking account of educational attainment and time in service.

The performance of those who had smoked in the past or were occasional smokers typically fell somewhere in between that of people who had never smoked and daily smokers.

"Cigarette smoking might simply be a ‘marker’ for other underlying factors, such as non-conformity and high risk taking, that contribute to poorer performance in the military," they explain.

The Value of Herbs in the Treatment of Cancer

Of all conditions which the herbalist/traditional Chinese medical doctor may treat, cancer represents a major test of the herbal tools we have at our disposal. A common and largely accurate perception of the damaging effects of malignancy is that "if the cancer doesn’t kill you, the biomedical treatments for it will." This statement, while accurate in some regards, doesn’t take into account the growing effectiveness of chemotherapy against many forms of cancer. Determining the effectiveness of biomedicine must be considered within a long-term perspective, however; survival rates are commonly measured in 5- and 10-year intervals, while a "cure" is considered when a cancer survivor has been cancer-free for seven years after cessation of treatment. The issues surrounding human health and the sequelae of malignancy are not as simple as these statistics suggest, however. While some rapidly growing forms of cancer may develop within ten days to two weeks of cancer cell implantation (malignant melanoma, for example), other slower-growing tumors (consider prostate cancer) may take up to ten years to make themselves detectable. To use the term "cured" for a patient who remains cancer-free after seven years is both unrealistic and arbitrary, given the unpredictability of cancer.

Aside from whether or not a cancer survivor is presently ‘cancer-free’, also of consideration is the general state of health of the individual, which oncology tends to disregard. Of primary concern to the oncologist is whether malignancies have redeveloped, not whether conditions exist which may portend the derangement of cellular processes which could ultimately lead to loss of differentiation. This is one of the most appropriate and effective roles the TCM doctor/herbalist can fulfill—to help reestablish an underlying balance in the individual, and to unravel the complex patterns inherent in the body which can, if left untreated, lead to the development of cancer.

Another appropriate role for TCM doctors and advanced herbalists is in the use of herbs as an adjunct to ongoing biomedical treatment for existing cancer. This can be addressed using any or all of three main approaches: 1) to offset the damaging side-effects of radiation and chemotherapy; 2) to benefit the patient’s immune system, which biomedicine overwhelms and supplants with its powerful agents; and 3) to aid in tumor reduction itself, potentially shortening the length of time the patient needs to receive radiation and/or chemotherapy.

Listed below are ten herbs from the Chinese and western herbal traditions which address this third treatment approach--tumor reduction itself, via their 'antineoplastic' action. Consider that different forms of malignancy are treated with different substances, and each individual case may require entirely separate treatment principles, suggesting that anti-neoplastic herb choices must be chosen from appropriate categories of action. Obviously, there are more than 10 herbs with antineoplastic action in the Chinese and western pharmacopeia, but these can be considered a 'jumping off' point for further study; this is my personal intent. Information provided on these herbs is based on both empirical and clinical evidence gathered third-hand; verification of clinical and/or empirical findings is difficult to provide without access to the studies themselves, and no guarantees are made for these herbs’ effectiveness. References for all information is provided below.

Chinese Herbs:

Common Name: Oldenlandia
Chinese Name: Bai He She She Cao
Latin: Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae/Oldenlandia Diffusae
Family: Rubiaceae
TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Used in treatment of stomach, esophageal and colon cancer;
--Activates reticuloendothelial system and increases phagocytosis by lymphocytes. Also, in high concentrations shows inhibitory affect in vitro on cells from acute lymphocytic and granulocytic leukemia.

Common Name: Selaginaella
Chinese Name: Shi Shang Bai
Latin: Herba Selaginellae Doederleinii
Family: Selaginellaceae
TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Mice inoculated with granuloma-180 and injected with Shi Shang Bai showed 40-50% tumor inhibition of tumors; Mice with hepatic cancer lived significantly longer than control group not treated with Shi Shang Bai.
--Helpful in treatment of lung and throat cancer, and malignant hydatidiform moles, with remission in 50% of patients. Commonly used in China in treatment of smaller body cancers in nose, throat, lung and liver. When used with chemotherapy and radiation shown to accelerate cancer remissions.

Common Name: Sophora Root
Chinese Name: Shan Dou Gen
Latin: Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis
Family: Leguminaceae
TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--In doses of 60g/kg had significant effect in treatment of cervical cancer in mice, and an inhibitory affect on sarcoma-180. Used in treatment of acute lymphocytic/granulocytic leukemia, inhibiting dehydrogenase activity and cellular respiration of malignant cells.

Common Name: Zedoania
Chinese Name: E Zhu
Latin: Rhizoma Curcumae Ezhu
Family: Zingeberaceae
TCM Category: Invigorate Blood
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Inhibits granuloma-180, often combined with San Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii Stoloniferi).
–-In China, 80 cases of cervical cancer patients were treated with a solution of Zedoania, which was injected directly into the tumor sites. 30 patients were completely cured, while 15 were found to have a 50% size reduction.

Common Name: Rhubarb Root and Rhizome
Chinese Name: Da Huang
Latin: Radix et Rhizoma Rhei
Family: Polygonaceae
TCM Category: Clear Heat/Relieve Toxicity
Antineoplastic Action(s): --Injected subcutaneously had a killing effect on neoplastic granulomas in mice. Inhibited growth of melanoma, breast tumor cells and ascitic hepatic carcinoma in humans via the actions of emodin and rhein, major constituents of Da Huang.

Western Herbs:

Common Name: Red Clover
Latin: Flos Trifolium pratense
Family: Papilionaceae
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Red Clover contains isoflavone compounds, such as genistein, which have weak estrogen properties. Various laboratory studies show that these isoflavones may help prevent and combat malignant tumors, especially of the breast and prostate.

Common Name: Pau D’Arco, Lapacho, Taheebo
Latin: Tabebuia impestiginosa
Family: Rubiaceae
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Lapachol and beta-lapachone (known collectively as naphthaquinones) are two primary active compounds in Pau D’Arco. These compounds have anti-cancer/anti-tumor properties, although the effective dosage is considered toxic; Pau D’Arco is commonly used in the treatment of cancer in Central and South America with good results.

Common Name: Mistletoe
Latin: Viscum alba
Family: Loranthaceae
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Contains anti-tumor proteins, and has been shown by current cancer research in Germany to have antineoplastic activity.

Common Name: Cleavers
Latin: Galium aparine
Family: Rubiaceae
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Cleavers is considered the best lymphatic tonic in the western herbal pharmacopoeia, and is both alterative and diuretic. It has a long tradition of use for tumor reduction and lymphatic drainage, especially indicated when cancer has nodal involvement.

Common Name: Sweet Violet
Latin: Flos Viola odorata
Family: Violaceae
Antineoplastic Action(s):
--Sweet Violet has a long tradition and reputation as an anti-cancer herb, used especially as a poultice for cancers of the skin. Current scientific research has yet to bear out this reputation in the clinical setting

Acupuncture

I don't usually stick my tongue out at my doctor. But that is exactly what Bianca, a clinic intern at the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, California, has asked me to do.

The college offers a discount on acupuncture if you agree to let students like Bianca observe your treatment. And because nothing else seems to be helping curb my back pain, I've decided to play along.

"Like, really stick it out?" I ask, glancing at the five other interns clustered around Bianca, all leaning forward and staring at my mouth.

"Yes," she says. "We all want to take a look."

Reluctantly, I open wide and extend my tongue as far as it'll go. Bianca has already asked me about my menstrual blood and vaginal discharge in front of the group (both are pretty normal, thank you). Now, as the students debate various aspects of my tongue --like its color (dusky purple) and coating (thin and white). I think of a different question: What, exactly, does this have to do with my backache?

Acupuncture is a type of traditional Chinese medicine that's been practiced for at least 2,500 years. It's partly based on the idea that backaches (and any other complaints) aren't singular problems. "You're taught that what happens in one part of the body is reflected in the rest of the body," says Jill Blakeway, a renowned acupuncturist in New York. "It emphasizes the interconnectedness of everything in the universe." (Health.com: Feel better, naturally )

Acupuncture also teaches that the body contains two opposing forces: yin and yang. Together, they contribute to your chi (pronounced "chee"), a Chinese word roughly translated as "vital energy." If this energy flow is interrupted or blocked, it can cause pain and disease. This is part of the reason that Bianca's examining my tongue -- acupuncturists think your tongue can reveal energy imbalances in your body. Turns out a purple color suggests stagnation in your chi, which could lead to a range of disorders, including a sore back.

Acupuncturists try to restore balance in the body by stimulating specific points, often by inserting thin metal needles into the skin. Sometimes electrical currents are even added to the needles to increase their effectiveness.

No one is entirely sure how acupuncture works, but groups like the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization agree it's a useful remedy. The WHO lists more than 40 conditions for which acupuncture is often used, including addictions, nausea and vomiting, asthma, digestive issues, sinusitis, osteoarthritis, and allergies. It's also used increasingly for infertility. Some of the best evidence shows it may offer relief for pain -- from post-surgery dental pain to menstrual cramps, from migraines to tennis elbow.

"It's definitely effective in some cases," says Mehmet Oz, M.D., a heart surgeon and vice chairman of surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University, who recommends acupuncture to his patients. "What I love the most is that acupuncture makes us think very differently about how the body works." Oz and Blakeway both agree that acupuncture is worth a try if Western medicine seems to fail you. (Health.com: Immunity boosters )

After my tongue exam, Bianca and her classmates ask questions about my overall state. Do I have trouble sleeping? No. Am I generally hot or cold? I fluctuate. And how is my appetite? Healthy! Then their professor, Hua Ling Xu, chair of the AIMC Oriental Medicine Department, identifies treatment points on my wrists, shoulders, hands, ankles, and the backs of my knees. As I lie face down on the table, Xu swabs each point with alcohol, flicks it with her finger, and briskly taps sterile needles into my body.

I feel a slight prick when the needles -- inserted a quarter-inch to an inch deep -- puncture my skin. (If you experience pain, they need to be adjusted). I also feel what acupuncturists call a chi sensation, which I've heard described as "deep," "achy," "tingly," or "quivery." One point in my back makes my left hand twitch. Another, next to my thumb, sends what feels like a flash of electricity through my entire body. And in the 20 minutes I'm on the table, I notice something ironic: Having 14 needles stuck in my body is surprisingly relaxing.

I leave the clinic feeling energized, with the muscles in my back looser and my mind peaceful and centered, despite my microscopic puncture wounds. I return for two more sessions, and, although I don't feel completely pain-free, I've started recommending acupuncture to friends and family --no matter what their tongues look like.

Cnn.com

Birth Control

Women today have a wide variety of birth control methods to choose from. From condoms to the contraceptive pill, from IUDs to diaphragms, every woman can find a type of birth control that they feel comfortable with. Yet, all this choice can make it difficult to decide just which form of contraception is the right one for you. By reading up on the tried and tested kinds of birth control, as well as newer contraceptives, you can get a better idea of what would be most suitable for you.

Because there are so many different methods of birth control, contracpetives are typically sorted into various categories. Contraceptive types include barrier methods, hormonal birth control, long-term contraceptives, and natural birth control. Although some contraceptive methods are inadequate, the majority of birth control options are effective. However, it is important to note that no form of contraception provides 100% protection against pregnancy. The only fool-proof way not to get pregnant is to abstain from sex completely.
Barrier methods of birth control work to prevent pregnancy by stopping sperm from coming into contact with an egg. Contraceptives that fall into this category include female condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, the contraceptive sponge, and male condoms. Associated with few birth control side effects, these contraceptives are non-hormonal. Additionally, the male and female condoms are the only forms of birth control that offer any type of protection against STDs.

Hormonal contraceptives help prevent a pregnancy by using synthetic forms of naturally occurring hormones to prevent your body from ovulating. In some cases, the hormones may also work to thin the lining of the uterus and to thicken cervical mucus. Unfortunately, hormones can also produce some unpleasant side effects, causing some women to be turned off of these very effective birth control methods. Depo-Provera (the "birth control shot"), birth control pills, the birth control patch, the birth control ring, Implanon as well as some IUDs, such as the Mirena, are examples of hormonal contraceptives.
Forms of long-term birth control include tubal ligations, IUDs, and, for men, vasectomies. Both tubal ligations and vasectomies are meant as permanent birth control methods, although they can be reversed. Once an IUD is inserted by your health care professional, it can stay in place for anywhere from five to seven years.

Many women prefer to use natural, hormone free birth control. Known as Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM), this type of contraception relies upon periodic abstinence when a woman is fertile. FAM can involve charting your basal body temperature and/or menstrual cycle; noting the changes in your cervical mucus; and using the rhythm method or it’s newest incarnation, the standard days method. Breastfeeding is also a very effective type of natural birth control known as the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM).

Gel 'could treat major back pain'

A hi-tech gel could be used instead of major surgery to treat chronic lower back pain, according to a study.
The gel contains tiny particles which swell and stiffen when injected into a damaged area.
Tests on animals, reported in the journal Soft Matter, showed it was able to repair the discs that provide a cushion between the bones of the spine.
The University of Manchester work raises the possibility of patients being able to regain full mobility.
Our approach has the advantage of restoring spinal mobility whereas spinal fusion surgery results in a significant loss of mobility at the fused and adjacent discs
Professor Tony FreemontUniversity of Manchester
It offers a potential alternative to spinal fusion surgery, a technique in which the bones of the spine - the vertebrae - are fused together to reduce pain by eliminating motion in the affected area.
This is a major procedure, which requires considerable recovery time and can lead to a significant loss of mobility.
Degeneration of the intervertebral discs causes holes in the load-bearing tissue of the disc.
This decreases the height of the disc, reducing its ability to insulate the vertebrae, and resulting in pain.
Smart sponges
The micro gel particles the research team have developed are like "smart sponges" when dispersed in water.
The material is a fluid with a low pH - indicating a high level of acidity - and can be injected through a syringe.
However, at the higher pH found in the body it changes to a stiff gel because of the absorption of water.
In tests, the researchers injected the gel into a damaged disc taken from a pig, and increased pH to levels similar to those found in the body by injecting alkaline solution.
Researcher Professor Tony Freemont said there was a pressing need to develop a non-surgical method for repairing intervertebral discs.
He said: "Our approach has the advantage of restoring spinal mobility whereas spinal fusion surgery results in a significant loss of mobility at the fused and adjacent discs."
However, his colleague Dr Brian Saunders said: "Although we are encouraged by our findings, much work lies ahead to develop a viable non-surgical repair technology to replace spinal fusion as the standard surgical treatment for chronic lower back pain."
Complex problem
The Manchester team plan to investigate the development of biodegradable micro gels that can release additives to stimulate regeneration of intervertebral disc tissue.
Dr Alison McGregor, an expert in back pain at Imperial College London, described the research as "very exciting".
However, she said: "Managing the back pain of people with degenerate discs often goes beyond damage to the disc itself and leads to many problems in the surrounding tissues, especially muscles and ligaments.
"I am not sure that restoring some of the properties to the disc will lead to normal motion and normal function.
"Often there are many psychosocial factors and other factors that are contributing to the pain and disability that these people present with."
Dr Joan Hester, president of the British Pain Society, agreed the gel would not work for all back pain sufferers.
"Pain can come from the tiny nerves that run round the edge of the disc, from ligaments, facet joints, inflamed nerve roots, from bone and from muscle spasm.
"Improving mechanical function of the disc and increasing mobility must have a beneficial effect, but will not provide a cure for all back pain.
"Injecting material into an intervertebral disc carries a small risk of introducing infection."
The research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Trojan horse

Trojan horse strategy defeats drug-resistant bacteria

A new antimicrobial approach can kill bacteria in laboratory experiments and eliminate life-threatening infections in mice by interfering with a key bacterial nutrient, according to research led by a University of Washington scientist. The joint project, conducted at the UW, the University of Iowa, and the University of Cincinnati, will be featured in the April 2 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Bacteria are increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and existing drugs work poorly against chronic infections like those that occur in wounds, on medical devices and in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. For these reasons, a great deal of research is focused on finding new antibiotic compounds. In this study, researchers took a different approach. Rather than trying to find agents that best killed bacteria in test tubes, they sought to intensify the stress imposed on microbes by one of the body's own defense mechanisms. "The competition for iron is critical in the struggle between bacteria and host," explained the study's senior author, Pradeep Singh, associate professor of medicine and microbiology at the UW. "The body has potent defense mechanisms to keep iron away from infecting organisms, and invaders must steal some if they are to survive." Iron is critical for the growth of bacteria and for their ability to form biofilms, slime-encased colonies of microbes that cause many chronic infections. "Because iron is so important in infection, we thought infecting bacteria might be vulnerable to interventions that target iron," explained Yukihiro Kaneko, senior fellow in microbiology at the UW and the study's lead author. To accomplish this, the researchers used gallium, a metal very similar to iron.

"Gallium acts as a Trojan horse to iron-seeking bacteria," said Singh. "Because gallium looks like iron, invading bacteria are tricked, in a way, into taking it up. Unfortunately for the bacteria, gallium can't function like iron once it's inside bacterial cells." The researchers showed that gallium killed microbes, and prevented the formation of biofilms. Importantly, gallium's action was intensified in low iron condition, like those that exist in the human body. Gallium was even effective against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from cystic fibrosis patients that were resistant to multiple antibiotics. In mice, gallium treatment blocked both chronic and acute infections caused by this bacterium. The idea of using gallium as a substitute for iron was developed by a group led by Bradley Britigan, a researcher at the University of Cincinnati and a co-author on this study. The general approach of targeting stresses already applied by natural defense mechanisms could be a promising new way to treat infections. "We badly need new approaches to fight bacteria," said Singh. "The gallium strategy isn't ready for clinical use yet," he added. "However, we think this approach is promising, and we can't afford to leave any stone unturned." Source: University of Washington

Melanoma

What is melanoma?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. It begins in certain cells in the skin called melanocytes. Each year more than 53,600 people in the United States find out they have melanoma. To understand melanoma, it is helpful to know about the skin and about melanocytes, what they do, how they grow, and what happens when they become cancerous.

THE SKIN

The skin is the body's largest organ. It protects us against sunlight, injury, and infection. It helps regulate body temperature, stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D. The skin has two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.

The epidermis is mostly made up of flat, scalelike cells called squamous cells. Round cells called basal cells lie under the squamous cells in the epidermis. The lower part of the epidermis also contains melanocytes.

The dermis contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, hair follicles, and glands. Some of these glands produce sweat, which help regulate body temperature, and some produce sebum, an oily substance that helps keep the skin from drying out. Sweat and sebum reach the skin's surface through tiny openings called pores.

Healthy cells that make up the skin normally grow, divide, and replace themselves in an orderly way as the body needs them. This helps keep the skin in good repair.

MELANOCYTES AND MOLES

Melanocytes are spread throughout the lower part of the epidermis. They produce melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes produce more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken.

Sometimes, melanocytes grow in a cluster. Benign (not cancerous) clusters of melanocytes are called moles. (Doctors also call a mole a nevus; the plural is nevi). Moles are very common. Most people have between 10 and 40 of these brown, tan, or black areas on the skin. Moles can be flat or raised. They are usually round or oval and smaller than a pencil eraser. They can be present at birth or appear later, usually before age 40. Moles generally grow or change only slightly over a long period of time. They tend to fade away in older people. When moles are surgically removed, they normally do not return.

CANCER

Cancer is a group of diseases with one thing in common: cells become abnormal, dividing too often and without control or order. These malignant (cancerous) cells form a tumor and can invade and destroy nearby tissue. The cancer cells can also spread through the lymphatic system or the bloodstream to other parts of the body and form new tumors. The spread of cancer is called metastasis




MELANOMA



Melanoma occurs when melanocytes become malignant. The disease is also referred to as cutaneous melanoma or malignant melanoma. (Another type of melanoma, ocular melanoma, develops in the eye and is not discussed here).
Melanoma can occur on any skin surface. In men, it is often found on the trunk (the area from the shoulders to the hips) or the head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs or the trunk. Melanoma is rare in black people and others with dark skin. When it does develop in dark-skinned people, it tends to occur under the fingernails or toenails, or on the palms or soles. Melanoma affects people of all age groups, but the chance of developing this disease increases with age.

Brain Tumor

What is the brain?

Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system. This complex system is part of everything we do. It controls the things we choose to do,like walk and talk,and the things our body does automatically,like breathe and digest food. The central nervous system is also involved with our senses; seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling, as well as our emotions, thoughts, and memory.

The brain is a soft, spongy mass of nerve cells and supportive tissue. It has three major parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The parts work together, but each has special functions.

The cerebrum, the largest part of the brain, fills most of the upper skull. It has two halves called the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The cerebrum uses information from our senses to tell us what is going on around us and tells our body how to respond. The right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body. This part of the brain also controls speech and emotions as well as reading, thinking, and learning.

The cerebellum, under the cerebrum at the back of the brain, controls balance and complex actions like walking and talking.

The brain stem connects the brain with the spinal cord. It controls hunger and thirst and some of the most basic body function, such as body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing.

The brain is protected by the bones of the skull and by a covering of three thin membranes called meninges. The brain is also cushioned and protected by cerebrospinal fluid. This watery fluid is produced by special cells in the four hollow spaces in the brain, called ventricles. It flows through the ventricles and in spaces between the meninges. Cerebrospinal fluid also brings nutrients from the blood to the brain and removes waste products from the brain.

The spinal cord is made up of bundles of nerve fibers. It runs down from the brain through a canal in the center of the bones of the spine. These bones protect the spinal cord. Like the brain, the spinal cord is covered by the meninges and cushioned by brospinal fluid.

Spinal nerves connect the brain with the nerves in most parts of the body. Other nerves go directly from the brain to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the head. This network of nerves carries messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body.

What are brain tumors?

The body is made up of many types of cells. Each type of cell has special functions. Most cells in the body grow and then divide in an orderly way to form new cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy and working properly. When cells lose the ability to control their growth, they divide too often and without any order. The extra cells form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Each year, more than 16,000 people find out they have a brain tumor. Tumors are benign or malignant.

Benign brain tumors do not contain cancer cells. Usually these tumors can be removed, and they are not likely to recur. Benign brain tumors have clear borders. Although they do not invade nearby tissue, they can press on sensitive areas of the brain and cause symptoms.

Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells. They interfere with vital functions and are life-threatening. Malignant brain tumors are likely to grow rapidly and crowd or invade the tissue around them. Like a plant, these tumors may put out "roots" that grow into healthy brain tissue. If a malignant tumor remains compact and does not have roots, it is said to be encapsulated. When an otherwise benign tumor is located in a vital area of the brain and interferes with vital functions, it may be considered malignant (even though it contains no cancer cells).

Doctors refer to some brain tumors by grade - from low grade (grade I) to high grade (grade IV). The grade of a tumor refers to the way the cells look under a microscope. Cells from higher grade tumors are more abnormal looking and generally grow faster than cells from lower grade tumors; higher grade tumors are more malignant than lower grade tumors.

Excuse For Not Responding

Nagging Spouse? You May Have An Excuse For Not Responding

New research findings now appearing online in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology began with a professor's desire to understand why her husband often seemed to ignore her requests for help around the house.

"My husband, while very charming in many ways, has an annoying tendency of doing exactly the opposite of what I would like him to do in many situations," said Tanya L. Chartrand, an associate professor of marketing and psychology at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.

When Chartrand envisioned a formal academic study of people's resistance to the wishes of their partners, parents or bosses, her husband, Gavan Fitzsimons, became not only her inspiration, but also her collaborator. Fitzsimons is a professor of marketing and psychology at Duke who, like Chartrand, is an expert in the field of consumer psychology.

Working with Duke Ph.D. student Amy Dalton, Chartrand and Fitzsimons have demonstrated that some people will act in ways that are not to their own benefit simply because they wish to avoid doing what other people want them to. Psychologists call this reactance: a person's tendency to resist social influences that they perceive as threats to their autonomy.

The team found that people do not necessarily oppose others' wishes intentionally. Instead, even the slightest nonconscious exposure to the name of a significant person in their life is enough to bring about reactance and cause them to rebel against that person's wishes.

"Psychologists have known for some time that reactance can cause a person to work in opposition to another person's desires," Chartrand said. "We wanted to know whether reactance could occur even when exposure to a significant other, and their associated wishes for us, takes place at a nonconscious level."

The researchers undertook a set of experiments to determine whether reactance might occur unintentionally, completely outside of the reactant individual's conscious awareness.

In the first experiment, participants were asked to name a significant person in their lives whom they perceived to be controlling and who wanted them to work hard, and another significant and controlling person who wanted them to have fun. Participants then performed a computer-based activity during which the name of one or the other of these people was repeatedly, but subliminally, flashed on the screen. The name appeared too quickly for the participants to consciously realize they had seen it, but just long enough for the significant other to be activated in their nonconscious minds. The participants were then given a series of anagrams to solve, creating words from jumbled letters.

People who were exposed to the name of a person who wanted them to work hard performed significantly worse on the anagram task than did participants who were exposed to the name of a person who wanted them to have fun.

"Our participants were not even aware that they had been exposed to someone else's name, yet that nonconscious exposure was enough to cause them to act in defiance of what their significant other would want them to do," Fitzsimons said.

A second experiment used a similar approach and added an assessment of each participant's level of reactance. People who were more reactant responded more strongly to the subliminal cues and showed greater variation in their performance than people who were less reactant.

"The main finding of this research is that people with a tendency toward reactance may nonconsciously and quite unintentionally act in a counterproductive manner simply because they are trying to resist someone else's encroachment on their freedom," Chartrand said.

The researchers suggest that people who tend to experience reactance when their freedoms are threatened should try to be aware of situations and people who draw out their reactant tendencies. That way, they can be more mindful of their behaviors and avoid situations where they might adopt detrimental behaviors out of a sense of rebellion.

Not surprisingly perhaps, Chartrand and Fitzsimons, as wife and husband, also take home some slightly differing messages from their experiments.

Chartrand believes her husband "should now be better equipped to suppress his reactant tendencies." Fitzsimons, however, believes the results "suggest that reactance to significant others is so automatic that I can't possibly be expected to control it if I don't even know it's happening."

Office Desks Havens for Bacteria

A worker is shown sitting behind his desk at an office. A new research report shows your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom, and if you're a woman, chances are your workspace has more germs than your male co-workers. (AP Graphic)

(AP) -- Your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom, and if you're a woman, chances are your workspace has more germs than your male co-workers', a new research report shows.

Women have three to four times the number of bacteria in, on and around their desks, phones, computers, keyboards, drawers and personal items as men do, the study by University of Arizona professor Charles Gerba showed. Gerba, a professor of soil, water and environmental sciences, tested more than 100 offices on the UA campus and in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon and Washington, D.C. The $40,000 study was commissioned by the Clorox Co.

"I thought for sure men would be germier," Gerba said. "But women have more interactions with small children and keep food in their desks. The other problem is makeup."

Don't get Gerba wrong: Women's desks typically looked cleaner. But the knickknacks are more abundant, and cosmetics and hand lotions make prime germ-transfer agents, Gerba said. Makeup cases also make for fine germ homes, along with phones, purses and desk drawers.

Food in desk drawers also harbors lots of microorganisms, and it is more abundant among female office workers. Gerba found 75 percent of women had munchies in their desks.

"I was really surprised how much food there was in a woman's desk," he said. "If there's ever a famine, that's the first place I'll look for food."

The news isn't all negative for the fairer sex.

Gerba found the worst overall office germ offender is men's wallets.

"It's in your back pocket where it's nice and warm, it's a great incubator for bacteria," Gerba said.

Another hot spot for bacteria in men's offices: the personal digital assistant.

"Men tend to play with their Palm Pilots more," Gerba said. "I think they're playing video games or something."

The average office desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat, Gerba said.

Gerba said using a hand sanitizer and using a disinfectant on office surfaces helps, with 25 percent fewer bacteria found on surfaces that were regularly disinfected. Once-a-day use should be sufficient.

"You don't have to go crazy with it, but with the key areas, desktops, phones and keyboards probably need to be disinfected once in a while," he said.

Affect Birth Weight

Childbirth: Cutting Caffeine Not Found to Affect Birth Weight

Reducing caffeine consumption during pregnancy from three cups of coffee a day to one has no effect on the baby’s birth weight, Danish researchers report.

Some studies have suggested that cutting caffeine consumption could raise average birth weight, but this randomized placebo-controlled analysis of more than 1,200 healthy women showed no effect on either birth weight or length of pregnancy. The study was published online in The British Medical Journal on Jan. 26.

The researchers recruited 1,207 pregnant women at 20 weeks’ gestation or less who reported drinking at least three cups of caffeinated coffee a day. About half of the women were randomly assigned to drink caffeinated coffee, while the other half were instructed to drink decaf for the duration of their pregnancies, with no other changes in their usual consumption of tea or caffeinated soft drinks.

After adjusting for prepregnancy weight, smoking status and other variables, the average birth weight of babies in the decaf group was a statistically insignificant one-half ounce higher than that of babies in the coffee-drinking group.

“I think it’s O.K. to drink a moderate amount of coffee during pregnancy,” said Bodil Hammer Bech, the lead author and an assistant professor of epidemiology at Arhus University in Denmark. “But our study says nothing about higher consumption. One or two cups a day, I think, is O.K.”

Since the control group also consumed some caffeine (for practical reasons, it was impossible to create a control group that consumed none), the authors acknowledge that their study does not show that caffeine consumption is harmless, but only that reducing consumption has no discernible positive effect.

Next Article in Health (1 of 15) »

Face to face with chronic disease: Cancer

WHO estimates that 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2005 - representing 13% of deaths worldwide. Between 2005 and 2015, 84 million more people could die if urgent action is not taken. Cancer is not simply or even primarily a problem of rich countries. More than 70% of all cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries.

Noemia Vicente Ribeiro from Brazil and Miriame Nnamusoke from Uganda are both battling cancer. Their personal stories show the tragic reality of cancer in poor countries and its strong impact on people and their families.

These two stories are the latest in the series "Face to face with chronic disease" focusing on people living with heart disease, stroke, cancer and other chronic diseases. ......go to WHO

[ Photo stories ]

$1 billion in cancer research

A sister's promise led to $1 billion in cancer research



In the 25 years since, the foundation has grown from a small gathering of women in Brinker's living room to a world-renowned operation that will have invested roughly $1 billion in community outreach and research by year's end.

The Dallas-based organization has 200 employees, more than 100,000 active volunteers and 125 affiliates. Its annual Race for the Cure has grown from 800 women who ran for charity in Dallas to about 1.5 million participants in 120 races worldwide. The foundation has funded work in more than 47 countries.

The nonprofit is celebrating its 25th year with a new name -- Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an edgy new advertising campaign that includes T-shirts reading: "If you're going to stare at my breasts, you could at least donate a dollar to save them," sales of pink promise rings and a pledge to raise another $1 billion in the next 10 years.

With the help of organizations such as Komen and prominent figures including first lady Betty Ford, who spoke openly of about her experience with breast cancer in the mid-1970s, the culture slowly began to change from breast cancer being a taboo subject, said Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

"I grew up at a time when most families didn't talk about either sex or cancer," said Hortobagyi, chairman of the department of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "Those were sort of taboos. It was sort of shameful if anyone in the family had cancer. And people didn't talk about breasts, either healthy or sick."

The numbers tell the story
Today, the Komen Foundation reports: Nearly 75 percent of women over 40 get regular mammograms compared with fewer than a third who got breast exams in their doctor's offices in 1982; the five-year survival rate for breast cancer when caught before it spreads is 98 percent compared with 74 percent back then; the federal government devotes more than $900 million each year to breast cancer research, treatment and prevention compared with $30 million in 1982.

"I truly believe if Nancy hadn't started this thing, that that would not be the case, it just needed that special focus," said Hala Moddelmog, Komen's president and chief executive officer.

The Komen organization says it is second only to the U.S. government as a source of funding for breast cancer research and community outreach programs, which include education, screening and treatment. It says about 84 cents of every dollar it raises is spent in those areas, totaling about $157 million this year.

"Every advance in breast cancer has been touched by a Komen grant," said Komen spokeswoman Emily Callahan.

This year the organization is refocusing its research money to concentrate on more focused areas, such as finding biological signs that can help predict cancer before symptoms appear. (Interactive: Breast cancer warning signs. )

Moddelmog says the goal is to support research that is "transformational and that definitely ties back to the cure."

Funding both research and community programs is important, said Moddelmog, herself a five-year breast cancer survivor.

"We're helping to discover the cures by funding the research. And we're helping to deliver the cures by providing access," Moddelmog said. "What we want to wake up and see one day is a world without breast cancer."

There will be an international emphasis this year including a September summit in Budapest, Hungary, where Brinker served as U.S. ambassador from 2001 to 2003. The event will pair 25 U.S. activists with 25 people from around the world to look at the social, cultural and financial circumstances that prevent women from getting quality breast health care and treatment.

By getting the subject of breast cancer out into the public, Komen led women to becoming advocates, said Jean Sachs, executive director of Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a nonprofit provides breast cancer education. Komen is one of the sponsors of the group's annual conference for those diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 45.

"If you look at where we are today, it's so different. Women have so many choices," said Sachs, who added that her 15-year-old organization could be viewed as "one of the grandchildren of Komen."

While the advances made in the 25 years since Komen was formed are reason to celebrate, the organization's ultimate goal remains unachieved: the eradication of breast cancer.

About one in eight women will get breast cancer, and the disease is the second most lethal kind of cancer after lung cancers in women. About 41,000 U.S. women died of breast cancer last year. Worldwide, it kills about 370,000 women each year.

"When you look at where we are, we're still not where our mission is, and that's a world without breast cancer," Moddelmog said.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ........................

ASTHMA

ASTHMA - a patient's guide
Dr Adrian Harrison - Chest Specialist, Mercy Hospital

What is asthma?

Asthma is an inflammatory condition of the breathing tubes (or bronchi). The inflammation causes airway irritability and results in airway narrowing (called bronchospasm).

Now, to explain that in a little more detail, let's go back a few steps.

How the lungs work

Our breathing "equipment" is made up of two parts: a set of breathing tubes - similar to the trunk and branches of a tree, except that our breathing tubes, of course, are hollow. At the end of the finest branches of a tree there are leaves. In our bodies, instead of leaves, our lungs are made up of a sponge tissue.

Inhaled air travels down the breathing tubes, out to the finest branches, which are in close communication with blood vessels containing blood. The blood takes the oxygen from the air and carbon dioxide travels in the other direction, from the blood stream back into the airways, where it is breathed out.

The process of gas exchange occurs in the sponge tissue of the lung. The job of the breathing tubes is to get the air in and the carbon dioxide out.

What is different about the lungs in asthma?

In asthma, the sponge tissue works well. The problem lies in the breathing tubes.

The breathing tubes (bronchi) have an inner lining, which is similar to the lining of your mouth. In the middle of the airway wall is a layer of muscle. In asthma, this muscle layer is very irritable or "twitchy" so that a wide variety of trigger factors cause it to tighten. This causes narrowing of the breathing tubes, making it harder to breathe, and also causing chest tightness, wheezing and coughing.

Why is the muscle layer in the breathing tubes so irritable? By far the main reason for this is inflammation. An example of inflammation elsewhere in the body is sunburn. Inflamed tissues are red and swollen. In asthma the lining of the breathing tubes are inflamed.

a) Inflamed tissue contains a large number of white blood cells and these are like tiny chemical factories. The substances they release have a number of harmful effects. They cause blood vessels to become leaky so that fluid seeps out into the tissues - the tissues then become swollen.

b) Other chemicals or substances from the white blood cells attack the inner lining layer of the breathing tubes, causing it to become so damaged that, under the microscope, it looks as though the lining layer has been attacked with sandpaper. Because of this damage, infections and irritating substances we breathe in can affect the breathing tubes more easily and cause problems.
devamı...

GUATR

ZEHİRLİ GUATR (HİPERTİROİDİZM)

Tiroid bezesinin gereğinden daha fazla hormon salgıladığı guatr türüne “zehirli guatr denir. Zehirli guatr, nodüllü veya nodülsüz olabilir. Nodülsüz zehirli guatr’a Basedow Graves Hastalığı da denilebilir. Nodüllü zehirli guatr, sıcak nodüllü zehirli guatr, sıcak otonom nodüllü zehirli guatr veya diğer nodül çeşitleri ile birlikte olabilir.Zehirli guatr’da çarpıntı, ellerde titreme, vücutta titreme, ani kilo kaybı, saçlarda dökülme, kaşıntı, boğazda dolgunluk hissi, aşırı iştah dolayısıyla çok yemek yeme ve çok su içme, aşırı terleme, çabuk yorulma, aşırı sinirlilik sık görülen şikayetlerdir.

Bazı hastalar, bulantı, ishal, kusma ve çok sık dışkılamadan yakınır.Bunların hepsi birlikte olmak zorunda değildir. Bu şikayetlerin bazıları ön plandadır, diğer şikayetler ancak doktorun sorgulaması ile ifade edilebilir. Bazı hastalarda göğüs ve boyunda devamlı bir kızarıklık söz konusu olabilir. Nodülsüz guatrlı hastaların bazılarında gözlerde büyüme ve gözlerin ileriye doğru çıkması mümkündür.Hastaların muayenesinde; kalp atımının çok arttığı, solunumun hızlandığı, ellerin titrediği, avuçiçlerinin nemli olduğu görülür.Bu hissedilen belirtiler, aslında zehirli guatrın vücut içinde yaptığı hasar ve etkilerden daha önemsizdir. Zira zehirli guatr başta kalp ve damar sistemi olmak üzere vücudumuzda bir çok organ ve dokuya kalıcı olabilen hasarlar verebilmektedir. Örneğin, kalbin büyümesi ve takiben kalp yetmezliği, yüksek tansiyon, şeker hastalığı, kemik erimesi bu hasarların bir kısmıdır. Kısaca söylemek gerekirse, zehirli guatr, EN YIKICI VE TAHRİP EDİCİ guatr türüdür.

TİROİD KRİZİ

Zehirli guatrda, yüksek hormonların kontrolden çıkması ile seyreden çok ağır bir durumdur. Yaşlı hastalarda ölüm oranı %25’e kadar yükselebilir. Acil tedavi gerektiren bir hastalıktır. Böyle bir durumda hasta, hastaneye yatırılıp tedavi edilir. 40 derece ve üstünde ateş, kalp çarpıntısının çok şiddetli olması, ishal ve kusma, ateş basması hissi, algılama bozuklukları bu krizin haberci ve belirtileri arasındadır.Bu tür hastalarda acil müdahele muhakkak tiroid konusunda deneyimli hekimlerce yapılmalıdır.

ZEHİRLİ GUATR’DA GÖZ BULGULARI

Gözlerin ileriye doğru çıkması zehirli guatr’da hastaları ilk ele veren görüntüdür. Bu ileriye çıkış genellikle çift taraflı iken bazen tek taraflı olabilir. Ancak her zehirli guatr hastasında göz bulgusu olmaz. Özellikle nodüllü zehirli guatr hastalarında göz bulgusu sık değildir. Göz bulgusunun şiddetine göre hastada şikayetler olur: uyurken gözlerin kapanmaması, gözlerde kızarıklık, yanma, gözyaşı akıntısı, hatta cerhatli göz iltihapları görülebilir. Göz bulguları, zehirli guatrın kalıcı olarak tedavisinden (örneğin kapsül tedavisi ile) sonra önemli ölçüde düzelir. Ancak, hangi yöntemle olursa olsun, zehirli guatrın tedavisinden sonra (örneğin ameliyattan sonra dahi) sıklıkla ortaya çıkan tiroid hormon yetmezliği (hipotiroidizm) yeterli düzeyde tedavi edilmezse göz bulgular düzelmez ve hatta ilerleyebilir. Eski bilgilere dayalı ve hatta kasıtlı bazı iddiaların aksine, zehirli guatr tedavisinden sonra hastanın tiroid hormonları normalize edildikten sonra göz bulguları "daha kötü" olmaz. Göz bulguları olan zehirli guatrlı hastalarda oto-antikorlar genellikle yüksektir.