Spinal Muscular Atrophy – The Symptoms and Stages
Health

Spinal Muscular Atrophy – The Symptoms and Stages

Every child reaches a motor milestone two years after being born. The child will begin to grasp, pull, roll over, crawl, sit, stand with/without support, and finally begin to walk. A child affected by SMA will not be able to reach many of these milestones. There are other symptoms too that parents should watch out for before the onset of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Symptoms of Type 1 SMA Among most SMA cases, the most common ones include Type 1 SMA. The infants develop symptoms right after birth or within six months. They will be unable to sit up on their own. They will show signs of paradoxical breathing. When we breathe, our chest wall goes in when we inhale and expands when we exhale. The reverse happens when SMA affects a child. The child will also face tongue fasciculations, where the tongue muscles contract spontaneously. The infant will find it difficult to swallow or suckle. With weakness caused by a low intake of food, the child could become floppy. Most infants cannot hold their heads, and a few will sit only with support. Other symptoms include breathing difficulties, and infants are most likely to develop pneumonia. Symptoms of Type 2 SMA These symptoms start showing between the ages of 6 and 18 months.
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8 Treatment Options for UTI
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8 Treatment Options for UTI

When pathogens enter any part of the bladder, urethra, ureters, or kidney, it results in a UTI or urinary tract infection. The standard treatment for a urinary tract infection aims to relieve the symptoms. Doctors generally consider a few factors before prescribing medicines and fixing the dosage for every patient who approaches them with a urinary tract infection. There are two types of UTIs: complicated urinary tract infection and uncomplicated UTI. Treatment for uncomplicated UTI 1. Antibiotics Bacteria, viruses, and fungi cause urinary tract infections. Antibiotics are prescribed for bacterial infections, and antivirals and anti-fungal medicines fight against the respective infection-causing organisms. In the case of a bacterial UTI, the part of the urinary tract that is affected is taken into consideration. If it is the lower part, then oral antibiotic medications help kill the bacteria. In the case of upper urinary tract infections, intravenous antibiotics injected directly into the veins are the typical course of treatment. 2. Adequate hydration Increasing water consumption every day dilutes the urine and sends it out of your system faster. Drinking adequate water is one of the easiest ways to treat a mild, uncomplicated UTI. Water helps flush out harmful microbes and waste from the body.
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Worst Cities to Reside in with Breathing Issues
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Worst Cities to Reside in with Breathing Issues

Pollution in any place can be measured qualitatively by measuring essential factors such as ozone, short-term and year-round particulate pollution, and tap water contaminants. These are collectively taken into consideration to determine what is called a pollution index, which, as the name suggests, depicts the degree of pollution in that place. The American Lung Association (ALA) has compiled a list of the most polluted cities in the US; let’s look at them below. Worst cities to live in with breathing issues 1. Fresno-Madera, CA Fresno has a population of over half a million people located in the heart of the Central Valley in California and considerably south of the San Francisco Bay Area. The city, acting as the prime hub for the region’s agricultural industry as well as having the convergence of numerous state highways at its heart, succeeded in bagging an Air Quality Index of 150 AQI on an average in the past year. The recent wildfires in Northern California caused the index to peak at 219 in August of 2020, thereby pushing it into the Unhealthy Category as far as the effects of particulate pollution are concerned. Ozone is yet another factor for pollution that causes chemical reactions in lung tissue.
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8 Foods to Avoid With Hyperhidrosis
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8 Foods to Avoid With Hyperhidrosis

When you think of food and sweat, the only thing that comes to mind is red hot pepper. However, did you know some tend to sweat even if they eat ice cream or even think about it? It causes extreme discomfort and awkwardness. It is a rare syndrome and is called gustatory hyperhidrosis. There are other foods, which can induce excessive sweating. Those diagnosed with hyperhidrosis should avoid such foods so that they do not worsen their condition. 1. Spicy food Spicy food activates the skin’s receptors, and it responds by trying to reduce the body temperature by producing sweat. The body is tricked into assuming that the spice is heat from the body. Those who have been diagnosed with hyperhidrosis should avoid spice as it can trigger excessive sweating. 2. Salt An average adult needs only 500 milligrams of salt every day. The body drains the excess salt through urination. But salt escapes through the skin too. To avoid excessive sweating, you should be mindful of the amount of salt you eat. Those who have hyperhidrosis should restrict their salt intake to about 400 milligrams a day. 3. Warm foods and beverages Warm foods increase the heat in the body and can increase sweating.
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9 Early Warning Signs of Leukemia
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9 Early Warning Signs of Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells, especially white blood cells (WBCs). Malignancy of WBCs causes them to divide uncontrollably, resulting in the overcrowding of blood vessels. This affects the immune system and the functioning of other kinds of blood cells, such as red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets. All leukemia forms are treated using combinations of chemotherapy, radiation, targeted gene therapy, and bone-marrow replacement. Here are nine early warning signs of leukemia. 1. Recurring infections Recurring infections can be considered the primary symptom of leukemia. WBCs are essential to the immune system. Even so, excessive multiplication of abnormal leukocytes makes one more susceptible to diseases. It results in persistent cough, cold, and upset stomach. These infections may not respond to medication always. 2. Fever With a malfunctioning immune system, fever is certain. Apart from a change in body temperature, one might also suffer from night sweats and chills. Medication may or may not help in alleviating this symptom of leukemia. 3. Weight loss Consistent, unexplained weight loss can be a sign of blood cancer. It can happen due to two reasons. Cancerous cells, in general, use up energy that would otherwise be stored as fat and secrete proteins that affect metabolism.
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6 Early Warning Signs of Nasal Polyps
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6 Early Warning Signs of Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are soft, tiny tissue growths that emerge in the lining of your nose or sinuses. They can be insignificant and negligible when small, but as they grow, big can exhibit symptoms. Therefore, if you are keen to know whether you have nasal polyps, look out for the early warning signs listed below. Nasal polyps are benign growths caused mostly by chronic inflammation. Yet, since they are an abnormal growth of cells in the nose and sinuses, it is best to reach out to your physician and get your symptoms checked out. 1. Block in the nose When your nose is blocked, the thought that comes to mind first is the onset of the common cold. When polyps are small, they remain inconspicuous and unobtrusive. They do not show any sign whatsoever about their presence in your body. However, when nasal polyps grow significantly big or multiple growths occur together as a cluster, the first thing you notice is a blockage in your nose. 2. Difficulty breathing A blocked nose will undoubtedly make it difficult for you to breathe. Automatically, you will start breathing through your mouth. It, in turn, can result in other associated symptoms like snoring and sleep apnea.
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5 Early Warning Signs of Metastatic Prostate Cancer
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5 Early Warning Signs of Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Not all cancers give out symptoms even at the early stages. Unless men at high risk for prostate cancer undergo periodical screening, it gets diagnosed only when cancer has metastasized – it means that cancer is growing and has spread outside the prostate gland to other nearby parts like the bladder, bones, and rectum. Metastatic cancer can also spread to lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and other tissues in the body. These early warning signs can vary from person to person and could be mistaken as symptoms of other diseases. 1. Bladder and urinary issues The prostate is located close to the bladder. And cancer in the prostate gland is quite likely to compress the bladder and the urethra. The urethra is a passage through which urine flows from the bladder to be pushed out of the body. If a tumor is compressing the urethra, it is likely to lead to problems while urinating. And if cancer has metastasized to the bladder, it can disrupt its normal function. Both of these situations can lead to the following: Frequent urination and more so in the night Urine leaks and continence Bloody urine or in semen during ejaculation The urge to urinate without actually passing urine 2.
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5 Common Signs of Ovarian Cancer
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5 Common Signs of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is treatable, if diagnosed in its early stages and chances of recovery are brighter too. However, many ignore the early signs of ovarian cancer and most women overlook the symptoms until a much-advanced stage. Many get ovarian cancer as it cannot be diagnosed in the pre-cancer stage. More than 70 percent of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed only when the cancer is more advanced. Life expectancy, or the five-year survival rate for early-stage ovarian cancer is about 80% to 90% (whereas the survival rate for advanced-stage ovarian cancer is around 28 to 40 percent). Please note the following early warning signs of ovarian cancer, and make sure you consult with your doctor if you experience any of these. 1. Abdominal bloating Almost every woman experiences bloating, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness in the belly. Bloating is common during and before menstruation. If you consistently feel bloated every day for a few weeks, you need to get it checked with your gynecologist. Persistently feeling bloated and heavy in the stomach is a very common early sign of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer can cause an abnormal buildup of fluid in the pelvis or abdomen, which causes abdominal distension (visible swelling in the stomach).
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4 Early Warning Symptoms of an Overactive Bladder
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4 Early Warning Symptoms of an Overactive Bladder

A sudden urgent need to urinate is the main characteristic of an overactive bladder (OAB). While this is not a disease by itself, it has a damaging effect on the physical functioning of the organ. Besides, there is a reduction in physical strength and vigor, and one’s psyche is impacted negatively. OAB condition affects millions of men and women in the country, but people are usually embarrassed to talk openly about the symptoms they experience. Four early warning symptoms of overactive bladder 1. Incontinence A primary symptom of an overactive bladder is urinary incontinence. Since the desire to urinate is compelling when you have a hyperactive bladder, involuntary expelling of urine is unavoidable. It is impossible to postpone this feeling even if you have just gone to the bathroom. Incontinence is generally associated with a geriatric problem. But in the case of people with OAB, it can happen to patients of all ages. 2. Leakage of urine The leakage of urine is a common sign of an overactive bladder. Since your urge to urinate is sudden and intense, you cannot stop it, and running to the toilet on time is not always possible. Soiling your clothes irrespective of whether you are at home or work can be both embarrassing and annoying to do.
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Foods to Avoid for Different Types of Arthritis
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Foods to Avoid for Different Types of Arthritis

Arthritis brings to mind an image of a senior, possibly an older woman, complaining of pain in her knee joints. This stereotype has many truths to it. Arthritis is a disease of the joints, mainly characterized by inflammation and stiffness. Women are at a higher risk of this disease than men, especially those with an advancing age. There are different types of arthritis, and some of the most common ones are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout. Each kind, however, is accompanied by pain in the joints. Making dietary changes can help reduce the symptoms and frequency of their occurrence. The following is a list of foods to avoid for arthritis according to type: 1. Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is certainly the most common form of arthritis. It is chronic and often degenerative. The most critical risk factors are old age and injuries. Degradation of cartilage causes this arthritis. The lack of cushioning between bones and inflammation causes pain. Foods like egg yolk and red meat that are rich in fatty acids can cause inflammation. Processed foods with wheat gluten and sugar can also be problematic. Excessive salt intake causes water retention and can worsen arthritis pain. Managing weight is key to reducing pressure on the joints.
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