All Blood Tests

Since ancient age, Gout has caused a great deal of anguish and agony. Pages from history in specific, from the ages of Hippocrates, revel that this disease was commonly known as “The Illness Of Kings” or “The King Of Diseases”, mostly due to its occurrence in royal, noble and rich families. The cause of their significant proportion in victims was their easy access to expensive, exclusive exceptional foods.

In modern times also Gout has been found in significantly high percentage in people from developed societies. The reasons behind this are deskbound lifestyles, using all modern luxuries and without much physical labor and the consumption of large amounts of rich foods and beverages that are not well endured by the human body. So, it is highly important to find out the basic pathology and its causes behind Gout to prevent the agony.

What Is Gout?

Gout is a common type of Rheumatoid Arthritis that occurs when an unwarranted quantity of uric acid in the urine, blood and tissues crystallizes and saturates at the joints. It’s the secondary skin inflammation. It emerges as a severe attack frequently coming on overnight. Within a short span of time, there is acute pain and inflammation in the affected joint. It characterizes the skin over the joint tender and burnished. Although known as “gouty big toe” or “gouty arthritis”. as it often noticeable itself in the big toe, it can also emerge in an ear, hand joints, heels of the hand, elbows, knees, ankles, or wrists with swelling, inflammation, tenderness and acute pain If not attended, it may develop into chronic joint disease with progressive damage of joints (Chronic Gout).

Mechanism behind Emergence of Gout

In normal cases, the metabolism process in human body produces Uric acid as its end product as Uricase, digestive enzyme secretion from kidney, beaks down the Purines from the food. However, in pathological stage, due to the decline in the levels of Uricase elevation in the quantity of uric acid is found. As kidney failed to discard this uric acid through urine, it experiences the saturation of this in the blood (Hyperuricaemia). This raised levels of uric acid in blood lead to deposits of microscopic, sharp needle like crystals of Monosodium Urate at joints.

Uric acid when gets deposited and crystallized under the skin, it’s known as Tophi, or as Kidney Stones in the urinary tract. Bursae, the tiny fluid filled sacs around the joints get filled by these crystals causing inflammation. This condition is called as Bursitis. In Tophaceous Gout, these nodular crystals deposit in different areas of soft tissues in the body.

Relevance of Diet

Studies have shown that the most important reason for the emergence of gout is purine, an organic substance. Foods with high levels of purine, including organ meats, beans and red meats, contribute to the body’s level of uric acid. That’s why; traditional thinking tells us that gout is the outcome of disproportionate amounts of protein, alcohol, coffee and soft drinks in diet. Deficiency in potassium also leads to elevation in the levels of Uric Acid.

The relation between the Gout and Food is more complicated. The Gout is associated with break down of purines. Purines are a certain type of proteins found in diet.

Foods very high in purines:

Hearts, herring, mussels, smelt, sardines, yeast, sweetbreads are the kind of foods which are having high proportion of purines.

Foods those are moderately high in Purines:

Mutton, anchovies, liver, salmon, grouse, veal, turkey, bacon, kidneys, goose, trout, pheasant, scallops, partridge, haddock carry moderately high percentage of purines and can cause and aggravate the cases of Gout.

Vegetables those are very high in purines:

Asparagus, cauliflower and mushrooms are the vegetable sources which can cause Gout as they are very rich in purines.

Consumption of Alcohol:

It increases the production of uric acid and hampers the renal excretion by the kidneys, thus resulting in increased levels of uric acid.

Consumption of Coffee:

Caffeine present in coffee accelerates the break down of proteins and hence can aggravate Gout.

Acidic Fluids

Some foods are alkaline to the filtration system of kidney and some are acidifying to it. The elimination or excretion of Uric acid enhances if the urine reaches to an alkaline state and is reduced if urine becomes acidic. The PH of neutral Urine is 7.0 and if it comes down to 6.0 then excretion of uric acid lowers by a considerable amount around 50%.

Tailor made Cigarettes, Artificial sweeteners, , Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks , Drugs, White Sweet Flour, Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes made up of white flour, White Sugar, Custard with white sugar, , Brown sugar, Chocolate, Coffee , Jams, Jellies, Beer, Liquor , White Pasta, Chicken, Pork, Beef, Deer, Rabbit, Semolina, refined & iodized Table salt, Black Tea, Turkey, Wheat bread, White rice, Processed White vinegar are the acidic foods which can trigger Gout.

To prevent from the agony of this disease which has affected nearly 2 million people, you have to know these foods that cause Gout and restrict their consumption to lead healthy life!

You think you might be pregnant and the first thing you want to know is what are the sings and symptoms of pregnancy. I know I sure did. Even with home pregnancy tests being so inexpensive now days I still didn’t want to shell out the money until I really thought I was pregnant. Of course it didn’t help that when I first started suspecting that I was pregnant was before those home pregnancy tests would even pick up the pregnancy.

So, what are the signs and symptoms of pregnancy and how early can you really tell if you’re pregnant or not.

1. Swollen tender breast – caused by increasing hormones. This normally diminishes after the 1st trimester as your body adjusts to the hormonal changes.

2. Fatigue that has been described by some as exhaustion. No one knows for sure why you become so fatigued.

3. Implantation bleeding – normally appears around 11-12 days after conception. It is thought to be the fertilized egg implanting into the uterine wall. This bleeding should be very light.

4. Nausea and vomiting also called morning sickness. I don’t know where that name came from but so called morning illness can last all the time.

5. Abdominal bloating – Very similar to what you may feel while you are premenstrual.

6. Frequent urination – no one knows for sure why the need to urinate increases this early in pregnancy. It’s thought to be because blood flow increases to that region of the body as well as blood volume in general.

7. Missed period – At this point most home pregnancy tests can detect sufficient hormonal levels to give a conclusive answer.

As you are able to see many of these symptoms mimic what many women feel just before their periods begin every month. Most symptoms do not show up until around the time that you would miss a period. That’s why if you suspect that you’re pregnant is really is best to wait until a pregnancy test can detect the hormonal levels. Some home pregnancy tests are now able to detect the hormone levels even before you miss a period.

Nerveless feet, blindness and kidney failure are just some of the complications that strike diabetics. Unfortunately, modern day drugs do little to prevent them. But these natural herbs can help you keep your limbs and improve your life.

Here is a list of essential herbs which you ought to take to help you lower your blood sugar, control your cholesterol and might even help you lose weight:

Gymema Sylvestre is one herb that has been used in India for centuries to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. It is a plant that grows in the tropical regions of India. In one study 22 type 2 diabetics were given 400mg of Gymema extract with their standard oral medication. All subjects had improved blood sugar control and 5 of them were able to stop drug use altogether. Direct application of this herb to the tongue helps people eat fewer calories at a meal. It enhances the action of insulin. Recommended dosage is 200 mg two times a day.

Bitter Melon as the name implies isn’t easy to take. It is a cucumber like plant that grows in Asia, South America and Africa. It is strength lies in its ability to lower blood sugar. 73% of type 2 diabetics showed improvement in their blood sugar levels by taking just 2 ounces of the juice.

Fenugreek seeds were often used in folk medicine to treat diabetes. 15 to 50 grams taken twice daily helps to lower blood sugar. The active ingredient is the soluble fiber along with the alkaloid trigonelline. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics may benefit . Considering its bitterness, it’s not very palatable to swallow in capsule form. Make sure to use is as a condiment or as a spice like the East Indians use.

Salt Bush is native to the Middle East. Just 3 grams taken daily has shown to provide improved blood sugar regulation in type 2 diabetes.

Known as European blueberry, bilberry was widely used in France to treat retinopathy, the deterioration of the retina in the eye. It protects the macula of the diabetic eye. Many diabetics have found improved vision using supplements from 80 to 16o mg 3 times a day.

Gingkgo Biloba is one of the oldest living trees that has survived over 200 million years. This tree is so adaptable that one survived the nuclear blast at Hiroshima. Over a thousand scientific studies have been done over the last 40 years showing the value of ginkgo biloba in effective treatment of diabetes. The extract is widely prescribed in Europe today. It is an effective antioxidant. It improves the body’s circulation and expands the small capillaries that nourish the extremities in the eyes, hands and feet. It inhibits the stickiness of cells, and helps reduces inflammation and allergic responses. It improves overall circulation in the body.

Among the oldest herbs known to man, ginseng is one of the best. Not only does it lower blood pressure but it can increase it too. Just 3 grams before a meal can reduce  blood sugar spikes in type 2 diabetics. American ginseng helps to stimulate the beta cells of the pancreas and thus increase the output of insulin. Native Americans used this herb extensively. Korean ginseng helps to increase insulin sensitivity in the cells of the body and thus lower blood sugar. One of its intriguing side effect is the improvement of sexual function.

There are many more herbs that show promise in glucose regulation, but these are among the best. No diabetic should be without them. Consider using them to help you fight the disease and avoid the complications that often afflict many diabetics.

So, after a miserable 10 hours of blood tests it’s confirmed you have hyperglycemia. Well now isn’t the time to sit back and get depressed. Make sure to look at the positive side, now you know why you’ve been tired and worn out for all this time. Diagnosed in 1982 with hyperglycemia it was harder to maintain a steady blood sugar rate. These days with the advanced technology available for instantly checking blood sugar, the disease is easier to manage.

You can now select up blood sugar monitors that give you instant notification of your blood sugar level. Back in that day it was impossible to monitor this vital information. Now you can cruise down to the nearest Wal-Mart and select one up off of the shelves.

Many times the easiest way to monitor your blood sugar is to stop and reflect on how you are feeling at that particular moment and then check your blood. If you get to a point where you know where your levels are before checking you can recognize the patterns of behavior and adjust your life therefore. Sure, it is important to keep your monitor on you but after awhile you’ll automatically recognize the way that you’re feel and be prepared to take the appropriate action before getting that familiar sick feeling.

You need to get to a point in your life that you can recognize how you feel and adjust your diet therefore, then you’ll have the disease whipped. The problem is it takes some “on the job” training to recognize the symptoms and how your body reacts to the amount of sugar in your blood. The only way to get to this point is to train yourself as to the warning signs of a dangerous low blood sugar level. This is not to replace the family doctor’s advice, just be observant of your own body.

We’re not accustomed to this kind of behavior so it might take awhile, but don’t give up! Before long you’ll be managing yourself without the pain in your finger from testing your blood..

Procedure

1. The man is advised that a finger needs to be inserted into their rectum in order to examine the prostate gland.

2. Ordinarily the man is asked to stand, feet apart, face the examination couch and bend forward so that arms or elbows are on the couch.

3. The doctor will put on a surgical glove and will cover a finger in lubricant

4. The doctor will most likely say that you will feel a little pressure but no discomfort

5. The finger will be inserted in a downwards angle as if pointing to the umbilicus (belly button)

6. A few seconds may elapse as the doctor waits for the external sphincter muscle to relax

7. You might be aware of some movement of the finger before it is removed.

Usually painless, the digital rectal exam, or DRE, takes a minute or less (though it might seem longer). The doctor will ask you to bend over or lie on your side; then he or she will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your anus and check the rear surface of the prostate for abnormalities. Hardness or a lump, for instance, might be a sign of prostate cancer.

Are there other tests for prostate cancer?

There is a blood screening known as the PSA test, but the digital rectal exam sometimes picks up cancers the blood test misses. The manual exam isn’t an ideal screening tool; your doctor can’t feel tumors that are on the front of the prostate or buried in the middle. But because the exam is cheap and simple, there’s little reason not to have it.

What if the doctor finds a lump?

Do not panic; it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in trouble. About half of the time, a suspicious bump in the prostate turns out not to be cancer. If both your exam and your PSA test suggest that cancer may be present, your doctor will likely order a biopsy so that a sample of tissue can be investigated under a microscope.

What You Should Know About Your Ultrasound Analysis?

Your doctor has just requested an examination…of your prostate using ultrasound. Although you may have heard about ultrasound before, or possibly been investigated with ultrasound in the past, you still may have questions about your examination. The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) – an association of doctors, sonographers and researchers – has provided these questions and answers to explain how ultrasound works.

What Is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound is like ordinary sound except it has a frequency (or pitch) higher than human beings are able to hear. When sent into your body by an instrument called a transducer, the sound is reflected off your internal organs and the returning echoes are converted by an electronic instrument into images on a monitor, similar to a TV screen. These continually changing images can be recorded on videotape or film. Diagnostic ultrasound imaging commonly is called sonography or ultrasonography.

Is Ultrasound Safe?

There are no known harmful effects associated with the medical use of sonography. Widespread clinical use of diagnostic ultrasound for many years has revealed no harmful effects. Studies in humans have revealed no direct link between the use of diagnostic ultrasound and any adverse outcomes. Although the possibility exists that biological effects may be identified in the future, current information indicates that the benefits to patients of the prudent use of diagnostic ultrasound far outweigh the risks, if any, that may be present.

What Is the Prostate?

The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. It is about the size and shape of a walnut and weighs about 1 ounce. The prostate is located between the bladder and the rectum. The prostate surrounds the urethra, a tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis. The main function of the prostate gland is to produce fluid for semen.

Why Should I Have an Ultrasound of my Prostate?

Many diseases and conditions involve the prostate gland, including structural abnormalities, infection, hypertrophy (enlargement), and cancer. Ultrasound images are used together with a physical examination and blood tests to identify these diseases or conditions. Specific diagnoses, such as cancer of the prostate, require a biopsy, which means that a tissue sample is obtained from the suspicious area. If a suspicious lesion is identified by ultrasound or by a rectal examination, an ultrasound- guided biopsy may be performed. This is done by advancing a needle into your prostate gland under ultrasound guidance. A small amount of tissue is taken for microscopic examination.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is a disease that affects the cells of your prostate gland. Typically, cells grow and divide in an orderly way, but when cancer cells grow, they continue to divide when they are not supposed to, forming a tumor. Cancerous prostate tumors can block the flow of urine and, if untreated, can spread to other parts of your body.

How Is the Ultrasound Analysis Performed?

Because your prostate gland is located immediately in front of your rectum, the transducer is covered with a condom, lubricated, and placed into your rectum. The sound will be required to travel only a short distance to your prostate, and this results in a high-resolution or good quality picture. The room in which the ultrasound exam is performed is usually darkened so that the images on the monitor can be seen clearly.

Who Performs the Ultrasound Exam?

The exam may be performed by a doctor or a specially trained person called a sonographer. If a sonographer performs the examination, a doctor will interpret the results of the exam. The findings will be reported to the doctor who referred you for the exam.

Is Specific Preparation Required?

For some patients, an enema is used before ultrasound of the prostate. If a biopsy is required, you may be given antibiotics, either in a pill form or through a shot, before and after the biopsy. Be sure to inform your doctor of any drugs you are taking and if you are allergic to any drugs.

Will It Hurt?

If a biopsy isn’t needed, an ultrasound examination of your prostate is similar in discomfort to a rectal examination performed by your doctor. If a biopsy is performed, additional discomfort, due to the needle insertion, is usually minimal because the rectal wall is relatively insensitive near the prostate. The discomfort of a biopsy is similar to that of a blood test.

How Long Will the Exam Take?

The amount of time will vary depending on the reason for your examination, whether a biopsy is needed, and how your prostate appears on ultrasound. The ultrasound exam or scan usually takes less than 20 minutes to perform but might take up to 45 minutes if a biopsy is needed.

How Will I Feel After the Examination?

As after any rectal examination, you may experience some mucous discharge or bleeding from your rectum, especially if you have hemorrhoids. In the case of biopsy, many patients will have a small amount of blood in the stool, urine, or semen after the procedure.

What are the Risks of This Examination?

If you have hemorrhoids or other rectal lesions, you may have discomfort during the exam. Mild bleeding may result if these conditions exist. If a biopsy is performed, you can have bleeding. This may last for a day to weeks after the biopsy, but is usually minor in nature. There is a small risk of infection from the biopsy. If you develop a fever or if other symptoms of infection occur after the biopsy, you should contact your doctor so that he or she is able to give you additional antibiotics. If an infection occurs, it’s usually minor and can be treated easily if reported right away.

Have the 40 weeks of week by week pregnancy begun? Am I pregnant? Is it time for paternity testing? If this is what you are thinking than taking a pregnancy test is on the cards. The extensive medical test sure can be referred to, yet as a prelim confirmation, an early pregnancy test also referred to as pregnancy test at home can also be considered. It helps give a basic indication as to whether the early pregnancy symptoms you are experiencing are true or misguiding, especially if you have skipped a period.

The Technicality behind a Home Pregnancy Test

Any kind of pregnancy test is conducted with the objective of checking the presence of hCG hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin hormone), which starts getting produced in a pregnant woman’s body during the initial stages of week by week pregnancy. Also known as pregnancy hormone, this can be checked by way of a urine test, which can be conducted at home or by a blood test, which is facilitated by a healthcare practitioner.

Can An EPT Pregnancy Test Be Relied Upon?

As evident, the accuracy of the home pregnancy test undertaken also depends heavily upon the presence of this hCG hormone. It starts getting made when the fertilized egg is implanted, usually after 6/7 days of conception. However, in a few cases, there is a probability that the same cannot be detected till at least 15 days. Therefore, an early pregnancy test mightn’t be an accurate and exact indicator of the confirmed pregnancy. The accuracy indicator improves with time and is close to 100 percent, if you’ve skipped a period.

Another important accuracy parameter relates to the usage of home pregnancy test kit. The kit manufacturing company is not to be blamed, if you are not very careful about the usage directions. A basic home early pregnancy test kit usually requires urine collection in a container & then dipping a checking instrument in it. After few minutes, as instructed on the pregnancy test kit packet, inspection of the dipped instrument would give pregnancy indications.

Another factor that could interfere with the easy testing procedure is usage of medication. This could give misleading positive interpretations, even when there is actually no pregnancy.

And last but not the least, like any other medical instrument or drug, do check the pregnancy test kit’s expiry date. Only a valid kit can generate substantial results.

An Early Indicator

Despite the above-mentioned probabilities, a home pregnancy test is the best indicator that can help prepare for the 40 weeks of week-by-week pregnancy that wait ahead. It may be inaccurate at times, but the most recent variants introduced in market are quite sensitive and hence reflect the true status of whether you are pregnant or not. A visit to the doctor should put to rest all speculation.