All Blood Tests

One of the most common questions a woman can ask herself during her childbearing years is “am I pregnant?” This question can sometimes be asked in pure joy and at other times in pure terror. In either case, understanding ways to determine the answer to that question and the impact that answer may have on your life will be very important to not only yourself but to your future children. By learning how to interpret your own body you learn the signs that help you answer the question “am I pregnant?”

One of the most reliable signs of early pregnancy is a missed period. This is universal in today’s world, (not so long ago a doctor would not confirm a pregnancy until more than one period was missed). Today, you can even take home pregnancy tests that provide reliable results several days before you even miss your first period. If you have no other illnesses which could impact whether or not you have your monthly menstrual cycle, a missed period can be a reliable sign of a new life forming within you.

Other signs and symptoms of early pregnancy include those caused by the many hormonal changes your body may be undergoing. These include breaking out in spots, feeling an extreme case of nausea, being regularly exhausted, and changes to the cervical mucus discharge that is different from what you experience on a monthly basis. By tracking these changes to your cervical mucus, on a chart such as the one you can find on BabyPartner.com, you may be easily able to pinpoint when changes occur and answer the question “am I pregnant?”

As soon as you reasonably expect that you may be pregnant, it’s time take a home pregnancy test to confirm the result. When used properly, home pregnancy tests are accurate a high percentage of the time. Be sure to follow the directions precisely to get the best results possible. If you receive a positive result, it’s time to go see your doctor who will confirm your pregnancy with a blood test. If the test result is negative but your symptoms do not change, test again in a couple days. If it is still negative, call your doctor for a consultation and a blood test to measure the levels of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Only your doctor can definitively answer your question of “am I pregnant?”

A testosterone level test is helpful in measuring total levels of testosterone produced by the body. Testosterone saliva testing only measures total testosterone. If the reason for testing has to do with patient symptoms similar to those experienced during andropause, measurements of total testosterone are not always helpful.

A patient’s testosterone level test results may be within normal ranges for total testosterone, while the level of “free” or bio-available testosterone may be lower than normal.

In order to measure “free” or bio-available testosterone levels, a blood test must be used. Athletes can use testosterone saliva testing when attempting to measure the effects of working out or supplement use with some degree of accuracy, but even then, the results may be inconclusive.

In other words, a testosterone level test may show normal levels of testosterone and the man may still feel the symptoms (fatigue, weakness, etc.) of a testosterone deficiency.

This is all caused by sex hormone binding globulin or SHBG. It is known that when testosterone becomes attached to SHBG, it cannot enter the cell and therefore cannot affect the body.

A testosterone level test, like testosterone saliva testing, that measures only total testosterone and not the amount attached to SHBG is not measuring “free” testosterone and it is only “free” testosterone that can increase stamina, muscle gain and libido.

Some on-line companies are now selling in-home hormone level tests for men and women. These are saliva tests and can indicate hormonal imbalances.

Testosterone saliva testing does not tell the whole story and they cost about $60.

As we usually say it, “Hair is the woman’s crowning glory.” Certainly, you don’t want to be bald at an early age unless you are a movie actress or actor and your director ordered you to be such. But whether we like it or not; whether we expect it or not; whether we accept it or not; we cannot escape hair loss. Hair loss comes naturally through the following:

* aging

* cosmetic chemicals

* drugs, medication, radiation

* illness and severe infection

* heredity

* immune system disorder

* menopause

* poor blood circulation

* pregnancy

* pulling

* sebum buildup

* stress and nervous disorders

* hormonal imbalance

We’ve mentioned hormonal imbalance. You must know that low thyroid or hypothyroidism can cause hair loss. Hair loss is the result of low hormones and androgens and estrogens. Thy thyroid gland is said to be “underactive” when it produces low hormones.

Hypothyroidism may occur among all ages or at birth. That is why newborns on US are being monitored to prevent this illness to occur. In the case of infants, this illness is formed when thyroid did not form well in the fetus. It is quite difficult to determine the symptoms of hypothyroidism among infants or in newborns. Reduced growth, reduced development, enlarged tongue, reduced muscle tone, dry skin and constipation are the visible results of low thyroid among infants. Reduced growth and development encompass all aspects including that of the hair.

In special cases, US doctors may alter the thyroid hormones with synthetic thyroxine. When replacement took place, the child’s parent may notice that the child is becoming hyperactive where in fact the child is just transforming to his or her “real or natural” state.

Some people take thyroid replacement hormones such as Armour® (combination of T4 and T3). This medicine is one of the many common cures to this illness. It is usually made out of thyroids of pigs. In modern treatments, animal thyroid is replaced by synthetic versions of thyroid hormones.

Hypothyroidism is the result when the thyroid gland did not produce enough hormones to sustain metabolism. This problem of the thyroid gland is often associated with the other sickness. That is the reason why doctors sometimes overlooked this sickness. In the end, the thyroid problem of that person is uncured for years. As a result, hair loss may take place. Day after day, a person suffering hypothyroidism counts the hair strands dropping from his or her scalp.

Before we could treat this ailment, let’s know first its causes and later we will mention possible solutions. The following are the two causes of hypothyroidism:

* Inflammation

Some thyroid cells will malfunction in producing hormones when the thyroid is inflamed. This instance may occur because of autoimmune thyroiditis or the Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The inflammation of the thyroid gland takes place when the immune system functions abnormally.

* Medical Treatments

The thyroid will not produce enough hormones if medical surgery took place and some parts of the thyroid are removed.

In addition to the solutions we’ve mentioned before, the radioactive iodine therapy can take place to cure thyroid goiters. In this therapy, some part of the thyroid is removed to stop the enlargement of the thyroid.

Don’t want hair loss, right? So, if you are suffering hypothyroidism, please ask your doctor to conduct thyroid test. Blood test is an example of thyroid test. But keep in mind that each one of us doesn’t have specific need of thyroid hormones. Your thyroid hormone needs may be different to the others. So be sure to tell your doctor about the symptoms of hypothyroidism that you feel and that you notice since blood test may cause normal results.

As a reminder for those with low thyroid, be sure to have thyroid replacement hormones with regular doctor visits before it’s too late

A heart risk factor we don’t hear much is initiated by the amino acid homocysteine. Elevated blood homocysteine levels have been shown to increase the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and blood clots. When you have your next physical be sure and ask your physician to include the C-reactive protein, or CRP test when your blood work is done. Your CRP results will show the amount of the amino acid in your blood and is also a marker for inflammation.

Your C-reactive protein, or CRP homocysteine blood test results:

* ‘Healthy’ levels, less than 10 mol/l is a good target
* Levels above 12 micromoles per deciliter of blood dramatically increases the risks of heart attacks

Here’s the bad news…

Elevated levels are dangerous EVEN with people having normal cholesterol levels. It’s estimated that elevated levels account for 10 to 20 percent of cases of coronary artery disease and pose just as high a threat as high blood pressure and hypertension.

If you would like to raise your homocysteine levels please feel free to:

* Smoke – Smoking dramatically raises levels.
* Be Overweight – Obesity also dramatically raises levels.

And here’s the good news…

Even if you don’t smoke or you’re obese your homocysteine levels can be elevated. There’s a simple dietary fix to lower your levels naturally.

Adding folic acid, or folate to your diet decreases these evels which in turn lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. The easiest way to add folate to your diet if you don’t feel like eating more green, leafy vegetables, like spinach or if you’re not interested in drinking more citrus juices you can take a simple folic acid supplement. There is such an overwhelming body of evidence that points to it as a causative factor in heart disease that it is recommended that you start TODAY with a folic acid supplement.

Note:

You probably haven’t heard much about homocysteine in the news and there’s a good reason – it’s too easy and cheap to fix!

Food or pharmaceutical industries have nothing to sell you for homocysteine reduction! This is perhaps the number one reason why the discussion is mysteriously silent in mainstream media.

Recommendations

* Eat foods like spinach, asparagus and broccoli
* 800 – 1000 mcg of folic acid each day
* 10 mg of vitamin B6 and 400 mcg of vitamin B12

Just why should someone consider using an Ascensia Breeze diabetes care system? In this article we will look at why a person suffering from diabetes should consider using this monitoring system compared to some of the others which are available on the market today.

Unlike many of the other monitoring systems available today this particular model does not require the user to manually recalibrate the machine each time a new test strip is placed within it. Instead the machine automatically does the recalibration by setting the right code once a test strip is inserted into it. So because of this there is less chance for the user to cause errors through them typing in the wrong code and plus it means that they have less steps to do in order to get a sample analyzed.

It now only takes 5 seconds for a person to be provided with an accurate test result in relation to their blood glucose levels. Plus they have a very good memory which helps to provide a person with a way of better managing their diabetes. This particular model can actually hold 100 test results for the person who is using it.

Also the Ascensia Breeze only requires the person using it to provide a small sample of their blood in order for the analysis to take place. Plus because it comes with the disc system (which contains 10 test strips) no longer do they need to worry about handling each strip individually when carrying out the test. Because of this the Arthritis Foundation in America has commended this particular blood glucose monitoring system as being one of the best that people who suffer from arthritis and diabetes can use. The reasons why they are commending this particular system relates to the Autodisc system that it uses. This particular testing system uses electrochemical biotechnology which incorporates capillary gap technology and so can actually draw automatically on to the test sensor the blood that is required in order for the test to be carried out.

One final advantage to be gained from using the Ascensia Breeze diabetes care system is that software is available which then allows you to download all the tests results on to your machine. This then provides the user with a much more effective way of helping to track and control their condition.

Cerebrovascular accident is the medical term for an event more commonly known as “stroke” and for the purpose of this assignment the word “stroke” will be used. A stroke is a sudden event affecting the blood vessels of the brain. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death in the world (Lopez et al, 2001).

With treatment, stroke prevention and therapy are advancing all the time. The outlook for those who suffer ischemic or subarachnoid episodes continues to improve. The key to all success where stroke is concerned is early diagnosis and subsequent treatment. An individual is more at risk of suffering a stroke if they have:

* Suffered a stroke previously
* Suffered a myocardial infarction
* Had a transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke)
* Have an artificial heart valve
* Suffer uncontrolled hypertension
* Are diabetic
* Are known to have raised cholesterol
* Have a family history of strokes

Any one or combination of the above can provide predisposing factors for having a stroke. Patients who suffer these types of risk factors or conditions are encouraged to carry on them some form of identification of the fact, so that in the event of a medical emergency or unexpected hospital admission physicians may be able to determine a diagnosis or cause for the problem more quickly. There are several different types of stroke all with different causes and presenting symptoms, this learning material focuses on the three main types of stroke:

Ischemic Stroke Ischemic stroke is known to be the most common type accounting for around 80% of all strokes. It is caused by a clot or other blockage within an artery leading to the brain (Stroke Center, date unknown). The presenting symptoms of an ischemic stroke include:

* Headache
* Muscle weakness
* Paralysis
* Reduced/lost sensation on one side of the body
* Dysphasia ( difficulty speaking)
* Confusion/incoherence
* Visual disturbance
* Loss of co-ordination and balance
* Dizziness

Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and results of physical examination, imaging tests and blood tests (Merck Manuals, 2007). There is no blood test or electrocardiogram (ECG) specific for stroke, and CT scans may be entirely normal for up to six hours after acute onset of stroke. Thus the neurologist becomes an irreplaceable member of the team to acutely evaluate stroke patients (Llinas, 2006). A condition called “atherosclerosis” is commonly the cause of the blockage of the blood vessel, and atherosclerosis pertains to fatty deposits that accumulate on the walls of the vessels causing a disruption or total blockage to the much needed blood supply to the brain. These fatty deposits can cause two types of obstruction:

Cerebral thrombosis – this refers to a thrombus (blood clot) that develops at the clogged part of the vessel.

Cerebral embolism – this refers generally to a blood clot that forms at another location in the circulatory system, usually the heart and large arteries of the upper chest and neck. A portion of the blood clot breaks loose, enters the bloodstream and travels through the brains blood vessels until it reaches vessels too small to let it pass. A second important cause of embolism is an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation. It creates conditions where clots can form in the heart, dislodge and travel to the brain. (American Stroke Association, 2008) Rapid intervention is required to provide optimal treatment for the patient who has suffered an acute ischemic stroke. Early assessment and rapid intervention are crucial to avoid the risk of permanent disability or at worse death. The use of rapid assessment and early intervention is essential in all presenting cases. Thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator has been labeled for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, but it must be given within three hours of stroke onset. However, fibrinolytic therapy can be given safely to only a fraction of patients with acute stroke, and more broadly applicable therapies are needed. Recent evidence does not support the routine use of heparin in patients with acute stroke, and early use of aspirin offers only modest benefit (Benavente and Hart, 1999). The use of Aspirin to treat those who have had an ischemic stroke is not uncommon, Aspirin works in such a way as to thin the blood to sufficient levels to avoid the formation of blood clots that can cause such events.

Intra-cerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) An intra-cerebral hemorrhage is one of two types of hemorrhagic stroke and is a type of stroke caused by the sudden rupture of an artery within the brain. Blood is then released into the brain, compressing brain structures (Stroke Center, date unknown). The most common cause of intra-cerebral hemorrhage is hypertension. Difficulties arise when individuals experience high blood pressure without knowledge of the fact, as more often than not hypertension does not display any adverse symptoms. There are some less common causes of intra-cerebral hemorrhage and these include:

* Trauma (particularly head injury)
* Infection (systemic)
* Abnormalities with individual blood vessels
* Blood clotting disorders

Oral anticoagulation is another factor that contributes to the increasing incidence of intra-cerebral hemorrhage. As the population continues to age, the number of indications for long-term anticoagulation continue to increase (Ansell et al, 2001). Because of the high mortality rate of patients who have suffered intra-cerebral hemorrhage often is the case that anticoagulation therapy is avoided due to possible undesirable effects such as ICH. Intra-cerebral hemorrhages tend to begin abruptly and the patient will usually experience a severe headache. Other presenting symptoms may also be:

* Weakness, paralysis or loss of sensation usually affecting one side of the body only.
* Slurred speech
* Confusion or altered level of comprehension
* Loss of consciousness

Brain CT or MRI scan is the popular diagnostic tool in the case of ICH. Results are quick and conclusive therefore allowing management of the problem to begin without delay. At this current time there is no FDA approved treatment for intra-cerebral hemorrhage, unlike other types of stroke. Treatment depends on the location, cause, and extent of the hemorrhage. Surgery may be needed, especially if there is bleeding in the cerebellum. Surgery may also be performed to repair or remove structures causing the bleed such as a cerebral aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation (Dr Koop, 2006). The prognosis for intra-cerebral hemorrhage is more likely to be fatal than that of ischemic stroke. Bleeding is usually more severe and damage to the brain profound. Where death does not occur, there is nearly always depleted brain function.

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH) A subarachnoid hemorrhage is also a type of stroke caused by the sudden rupture of an artery. This type of stroke is the second type of “hemorrhagic stroke”. A subarachnoid hemorrhage differs slightly from an intracerebral hemorrhage in that the location of the rupture leads to blood filling the space surrounding the brain rather than inside of it (Stroke Center, date unknown). The most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage is abnormalities in the blood arteries at the base of the brain. These are called “aneurysms”. The arteries swell and become weak they can then rupture causing the hemorrhage to occur. Known risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage include:

* Smoking
* Putative factors such as: increasing age, female gender, black race, alcohol abuse, binge drinking.
* Increased risk with high body mass index has been suggested.

And causative factors include:

* Trauma
* Vascular malformations of the brain or spinal cord
* Blood dyscrasias
* Less commonly reported: tumors, infection and vasculopathies.

(Neuroland, date unknown)

When an intracranial aneurysm ruptures into the subarachnoid compartment, it causes a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). An estimated 10% of SAH cases result in sudden death due to the rapid and marked increases in intracranial pressure caused by the ruptured aneurysm (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2006). Rapid diagnosis is essential in all cases of SAH, as treatment is possible even if the outcome is not always a positive one. Head CT scan is the commonest diagnostic imaging used in suspected cases of SAH. Not only is the test one which is easy to arrange and quick to perform it also gives clear and concise data on the extent of damage, if any to the brain. In cases where CT brain appears normal a lumbar puncture would be the next test as in some cases blood can be detected in the spinal fluid obtained during the test.

There are varying types of symptoms of a subarachnoid hemorrhage however acute onset of severe headache is the most common. This is often associated with vomiting, and in serious cases coma occurs soon after the cerebral aneurism has ruptured. Surgery is one option in the treatment of SAH, if the hemorrhage is due to an injury or ruptured aneurysm. If no blood clot or aneurysm is identified then medical management is the way forward. For some with extensive damage death is likely and despite treatment cannot be avoided. Where medical management is possible, treatment may be as follows:

* Use of intravenous anti-hypertensives is preferable, as high blood pressure will undoubtedly exacerbate the problems and risks.
* Analgesia and anti-anxiety medications are also helpful to minimize pain and distress caused by the event.
* In many cases anti-seizure treatment such as ‘Phenytoin’ is given as patients can be at risk of seizures due to increased pressure in the brain.
* Bed rest to avoid exertion and subsequent pressure to the brain will be recommended.
* Avoidance of straining is also essential, and in most cases patients are given stool softeners and/or laxatives to assist bowel movements and avoid straining.

With treatment is ’stroke’ prevention and therapy advancing all the time the outlook for those who suffer ischemic or subarachnoid episodes continues to improve. The key to all success where stroke is concerned is early diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

Your thyroid is a gland situated in the front of your neck. The hormones (chemical messengers) that it produces affect a great number of your body processes and other glands. So if your thyroid becomes underactive (medical name hypothyroidism), your whole body is thrown off balance.

Official estimates of hypothyroidism in Western populations vary from two to seven per cent, although some experts believe it is significantly under-diagnosed, and that the true percentage is probably as high as thirty per cent. Whatever the case, hypothyroidism appears to be increasing and this is starting to attract the attention of researchers, clinicians and government health departments as an emerging public health problem.

So how do you tell if you might have an underactive thyroid? Lack of energy, weight gain, dry, pale skin, feeling cold all the time and depression are the most well known symptoms. But low thyroid can cause a surprisingly wide variety of symptoms, which can be totally different from individual to individual. Many of the symptoms are also symptoms of other conditions. For these reasons, and because physicians are generally unaware that hypothyroidism is so common, hypothyroidism is a frequently missed diagnosis.

An example of this is the person who complains of putting on weight unexpectedly or being unable to lose weight despite a modest calorie intake. Such a person is almost automatically assumed to be overeating and told to reduce calorie intake. Even if they ask whether it could be their thyroid, they are unlikely to be tested.

Or take depression. What thyroid expert Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield says is quite shocking: “Any patient suffering from depression should be routinely assessed for hypothyroidism. There should be no exceptions; half to one third will be found to be hypothyroid, and as a result of treatment, their depression will begin to lift in weeks.” How many people are being treated for depression with medications or psychiatric counseling, when in actual fact they just need their thyroid fixed?

Yet another example is high cholesterol. Studies show that more than ten per cent of people with high cholesterol have hypothyroidism, but unfortunately most people with high cholesterol are not tested for this. That’s a lot of people who are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs needlessly.

CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) or ME is another condition which experts believe is in many cases actually misdiagnosed hypothyroidism. Low fertility and repeated miscarriages is another. Other problems that can be caused by hypothyroidism include:

* brittle nails, hair loss, boils and spots, eczema and psoriasis, hoarse voice, slow speech
* constipation and haemorrhoids, painful irregular periods
* muscle weakness, muscle and joint pain and stiffness, shooting pains in hands and feet, carpal tunnel syndrome
* gallstones, visual disturbances, breathlessness, halitosis, candida (intestinal yeast overgrowth)
* impotence, loss of libido, bladder irritation and frequency
* deafness and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), ankle swelling, palpitations, anxiety and panic attacks
* ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), poor memory, poor concentration and slow thinking

Even if hypothyroidism is considered as a possible diagnosis by the physician, the problem doesn’t end there. Thyroid tests fail to pick up many cases – the current ‘normal’ ranges for thyroid test results are quite wide, and thought by many thyroid experts to be wrong. Sanford Siegal, DO, MD, a US thyroid specialist, believes that about ten per cent of the population is hypothyroid but that maybe only half test positive with the blood tests that are currently used.

Dr Siegal’s experience with patients who test negative but have clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism is that there is often marked improvement when thyroid supplementation is given. His experience has led him to believe that around a quarter of those who have difficulty in losing weight fall into this category and benefit from thyroid treatment.

The test at the centre of the thyroid testing controversy is the TSH. This test measures the amount of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone your pituitary gland releases. If it is high, it means your thyroid hormone production is low and the pituitary is sending repeated chemical signals to try to get your thyroid to produce more thyroxine. So a high TSH means you are low thyroid.

In the TSH test, the upper limit of ‘normal’ may be given as anything from 3 µU/ml to 6 µU/ml depending on which country you live in and which lab has done the test. However, Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield, in common with many other thyroid experts, regards even the recently revised limit in the US for ‘normal’ TSH levels of 3.0 µU/ml as too high. His experience with patients has led him to believe that a level of 2.0 µU/ml should arouse suspicion, and anything over 2.5 µU/ml should be diagnostic and therefore treated as hypothyroidism.

So if you have some of the symptoms in the list above, and particularly if you are having difficulty in losing weight, ask your physician to test you for low thyroid. Be aware of the issues surrounding current methods of testing and make sure you get copies of the actual test results so that you can compare them with the reference ranges used by those thyroid specialists who believe the current ‘normal’ ranges are too wide.

Similarly, if you have been tested in the past and told the results were normal, get tested again and ask for the actual values. If the TSH is above 2.5 µU/ml, bring the new ranges to your physician’s attention and ask for a trial of thyroid hormone replacement.

Unfortunately, agreement of your physician to treat you for hypothyroidism is not the end of the story. There is also controversy over medication and dosage. The ‘alternative’ thyroid experts feel that patients are not best served by the usual treatment (consisting of replacement of thyroxine – called T4 for short). This is not the only hormone that a healthy thyroid secretes, and they believe that many hypothyroid patients fail to achieve 100 per cent improvement without the other hormones. The reluctance to prescribe better alternatives appears to be down to a mixture of historical practice, mainstream doctors’ reliance on the drug companies who make the synthetic T4 preparations for information about treatment options, and a lack of research interest in the subject.

Dosage is a further area of controversy. Complex feedback loops that govern the workings of your thyroid mean that it is actually possible to make a patient worse by giving too small a dose of thyroxine. Many physicians are also constrained in their prescribing by blood test results and the official reference ranges for ‘normal’, rather than by their patient’s clinical symptoms. Some hypothyroid patients fail to improve until their TSH falls to 0.3 or lower, but most mainstream physicians are reluctant to let it drop to even to that level.

It seems therefore that hypothyroids have had a raw deal for a long time. Happily, word is starting to spread amongst thyroid patients that a better quality of life is possible, and patients are starting to become indignant and vociferous in their demands for better diagnosis and better treatment. An indication of this is the recent proliferation of thyroid patients’ websites, providing information about alternative treatments and helping fellow patients to locate physicians experienced in using them. Helpful sites include ‘Stop the Thyroid Madness’ and ‘Thyroid Patient Advocacy’.

Although the cause of the increase in hypothyroidism is unknown, there is an interesting theory. This relates to iodine, which is critical for a healthy thyroid. Hypothyroidism is widespread in upland areas of the world which are far from the sea where food is grown on iodine-poor soils. Many countries have a national salt iodization program to combat this problem. Ironically, this may be having the opposite effect in some cases. The trouble is that too much iodine is just as harmful to the thyroid as too little. And it is possible that people who consume a lot of fast food, canned or prepackaged foods or eat in restaurants regularly could easily be consuming between 8 and 10 grams of iodized salt per day. This would provide more than four times the recommended daily allowance of iodine. Could this be a contributing factor to the increasing rate of hypothyroidism in Western populations, and in turn, to the increasing rates of obesity?

in many cases where a doctor suspects that a patient may be suffering from BPH (a benign swelling or enlargement of the prostate) a PSA prostate test will be ordered. But, just what is a PSA test?

PSA stands for prostate specific antigen which is a protein produced principally by cells within the prostate. The main role of the prostate is to produce fluid which makes up part of a man’s semen and the majority of the PSA produced finds its way into this fluid. A small amount however is also released into the blood where it can be found floating freely within the blood (free PSA) or bound together with other proteins (complexed PSA, or cPSA).

The PSA prostate test is thus a blood test to assess the level of PSA and can measure the total level of PSA, the level of free PSA and the level of complexed PSA. When a PSA test is ordered it will normally be a total PSA test and free PSA and cPSA tests will usually be ordered individually where the doctor considers this to be necessary.

The PSA test is just one of a series of steps that a doctor will go through in order to make a diagnosis and the first and most important thing to remember is that the PSA test on its own is not used to diagnose either BPH or indeed prostate cancer. Its principal purpose is to indicate whether BPH or prostate cancer are likely so that further tests can be carried out if required.

PSA levels will vary from one individual to another and can also rise and fall with various forms of activity and in reaction to certain infections and medication. It is rare therefore that a doctor will rely on the results of a single test and will often order several tests, often several weeks apart, before drawing any conclusions from the results.

Normally PSA is present in the blood at a concentration of about 4 nanograms per milliliter however, concentrations between 4 and 10 nanograms per milliliter indicate the possible presence of prostate cancer and are a fairly good indication of the presence of BPH. If the concentration of PSA rises above 10 nanograms per milliliter then the doctor will normally wish to carry out further tests to determine whether or not prostate cancer is present.

The main problem with the PSA test is seen when the results fall into the gray area between 4 and 10 nanograms per milliliter and it is here that a free PSA may be ordered. A low level of free PSA indicates the presence of a higher risk of prostate cancer, while a higher level of free PSA suggests a lower risk that the rise in total PSA is being caused by prostate cancer.

A cPSA test can also be used to give the doctor further information with cPSA levels increasing in the presence of prostate cancer.

One main use of PSA testing is seen in the field of prostate screening. Here PSA testing is carried out over a number of months (or years) and changes in PSA levels are monitored. In general terms, a rising pattern of PSA levels may be indicative of the presence of prostate cancer and the rate of increase will also give an indication of just how aggressive the cancer may be.

Diabetes is one of the most prevailing diseases now a day. Population of diabetic patients is increasingly dramatically since last few years. So it is very important to keep a check on diabetes. In this concern you yourself play a big role in managing your diabetes. First, you need to know how diabetes affects your body.

To Check your blood sugar regularly tells you whether your lifestyle, your physical activity, meal plans, and medicines doing a good job controlling your diabetes.
There are two easy methods to test your blood sugar level yourself. They take less than two minutes.

* Finger-stick method
* Noninvasive method

FINGER-STICK METHOD

Most equipment for checking blood sugar level involves pricking your finger with a tiny needle (lancet) to draw a drop of blood. Some draw the blood from your forearm. For reading your blood sugar level, you can use a blood glucose meter that will show the number on its screen.

There are many types of meters. Your doctor can help you choose one and show you how to use it. If you still have questions, check the instructions that came with your meter. There are many Newer options also available in the market rather than a lancet for creating the tiny hole needed to draw the blood from the finger like they test blood from other less sensitive parts of the body than the fingertips.

These new devices draw blood in ways similar to the finger-stick method.

To check your diabetes through finger stick method, follow these simple steps:

Step 1 – Wash your hands with warm water and dry them well with a clean towel. You can also use an alcohol wipe to clean the finger that you’ll draw blood from.
Hold your hand below your waist for a minute or so. This helps blood pool in the finger, making it easier to get enough blood for the test.

Step 2 – After preparing your lancet and glucose meter, have a clean test strip ready. Stick the side of your fingertip with the lancet. There are many kinds of lancets and meters. Some draw blood from your forearm. Your lancet and meter may not look like the one in this photo.

Step 3 -Put a drop of blood on the test strip.

Step 4 -To get your results, follow the directions that came with your blood sugar meter. Some meters can give results in a few minutes.

Step 5 -Write down the results and the time you did the test.

Mostly doctors will use these records to see how well you’re managing your blood sugar level.

NON-INVASIVE METHOD

Any other blood sugar testing tool does not draw blood. You wear it on your wrist like a watch and it takes the reading through your skin. It uses a slight electrical current to pull fluid through the skin and into the machine, where it measures the sugar level.

The watch can’t replace your regular finger-stick test. But the watch lets you see trends in how your blood sugar changes over the course of the day.There are some guidelines to check your diabetes with noninvasive method.

Some general guidelines for checking your blood sugar level are given as below

* Wear the device for a three-hour warm-up before taking a reading. During this time, don’t bathe or swim.
* Adjust the device by entering a blood sugar measurement that you’ve gotten by the finger-stick method every time you use the watch.
* The device will automatically take readings every 20 minutes for up to 12 hours. It can be programmed to sound an alarm if your blood sugar reaches dangerously high or low levels.

Normal blood glucose levels vary very little from person to person. There is a set range within which your glucose levels should fall in, anything outside this and you could end up with some kind of problems. Glucose mainly is a kind of an energy source in the body. It is created whenever you consume any form of carbohydrates. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin which ultimately helps in regulating the glucose in the blood.

The normal range should be anywhere between 70-150 mg/dl. Your sugar levels may vary within this range depending on your meals and the time of the day. When your sugar levels go beyond the 150mg/dl mark, you could end up with a condition called hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. On the other hand, if your levels are below 70 mg/dl, then you may be suffering from hypoglcemia. Sugar levels which fall very low could eventually prove to be fatal. The normal signs of hypoglycemia are fatigue, tiredness, nausea, personality problems, and in some severe cases even coma. High blood sugar on the other hand usually leads to the more common condition of diabetes. Diabetes if not kept under control, could cause nerve, eye and kidney damage.

The best way to know your normal blood glucose levels is through a blood test. A test confirms your normal range and also helps you to determine if you could be suffering from any kind of the above problems. There are numerous different tests that you could take.

The fasting glucose level test is usually performed when check for diabetes, it is done after fasting fro 8 hours. The normal range for this test should be between 70-99 mg/dl. There is also another test called the postprandial blood sugar test, which is done 2 hours after eating a meal, and the normal range for this test should be between 70-145 mg/dl. A person could also do a random blood test for checking his sugar levels, here the normal range should be between 70-125 mg/dl. If the results fall outside this range frequently, then it could indicate a upcoming problem.

Lastly there is one more test called the oral glucose tolerance test or OGTT. This test is performed after giving a glucose drink to the person. This is normally done when a person, requires to get himself checked for diabetes.

In the end it is very important that a person get his glucose levels checked often, as some of the sugar related disorders can strike without any prior warning. Also please consult your doctor or physician for the best advice and information on normal blood glucose levels and any symptoms you may be having.