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Showing posts from September, 2018

What is Duane Syndrome

What is Duane Syndrome? Duane syndrome (DS) is an eye movement disorder that is present at birth and characterized by a limited ability to move an eye inward towards the nose, outward towards the ear or in both directions. The frequency of DS in the general population of individuals with eye movement disorders is approximately 1-5%. About 40% of patients develop esotropia, a head turn toward the eye to maintain single binocular vision, or they maintain a straight head but accept esotropia, and suppression, if available. A child with Duane Syndrome My son was born with DS and diagnosed around 18 months of age. I had noticed a slight “lazy” eye and discussed it with our pediatrician. The recommendation was to watch it until he was a year old. As the year progressed the eye became worse and we were referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist. During the initial visit eye exercises, dilation and a vision screening were completed. The signs and symptoms the ophthalmologist discussed w

Headache

Some great ideas for headaches . Brew Up Some Rosemary - Rosemary helps keep blood vessels dilated. Use 1 teaspoon of rosemary per cup of hot water, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain, and sip a cup three times a day. Or Try Ginger. Ginger inhibits a substance called thromboxane A2 that prevents the release of substances that make blood vessels dilate. In other words, it can help keep blood flowing on an even keel, which is essential in migraine prevention. Grate fresh ginger into juice, nosh on Japanese pickled ginger, use fresh or powdered ginger when you cook, or nibble on a piece or two of crystallized ginger candy daily. Even if you've never had a migraine, you've almost certainly encountered other kinds of headache. Tension-type headaches are the most common variety. Marked by tightness in the head, neck and shoulders, they affect more than 75 percent of all headache sufferers, according to the American Council for Headache Information. Sinus headaches ar

Pulmonary, Gastrointestinal, and Musculoskeletal, Not Just Cardiac

Anyone who experiences chest pain often feels a sense of alarm. People have been taught to see a physician for chest pain because it may be a heart attack. There is nothing wrong with such a concern. However, it does not mean that all episodes of chest pain are from coronary artery disease. There are other causes, including non-cardiac ones. Cardiac Causes Cardiac chest pain that isn't a heart attack can involve the outside of the heart. Normally, it sits within a fibrous sac called the pericardium. This sac can become inflamed (pericarditis) from various causes, including infection (e.g. virus, tuberculosis), autoimmune conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus), uremia from kidney failure, certain medications, and radiation injury. The pain is usually in the center of the chest and is notably worsened when one takes a deep breath (pleuritic chest pain), swallows, or lies down. In contrast, this same pain can be lessened with sitting up and leaning

Advanced Directives

Advance directives are legal documents that allow control over decisions such as what care should be provided when capacity to make decisions is lost. There are two primary types. Firstly there is a Living Will and secondly a Durable Power of Attorney for health care. These are recognized and defined documents by statute with the aim of providing a legal tool by which people can express their wishes. However, they are not the exclusive means available to express wishes. Any authentic expression of a patient's wishes should be respected. An advance directive cannot be completed after a patient becomes mentally incapacitated and it does not become effective until after incapacity has been determined. If an advance directive has been prepared, an authorized surrogate must be identified to make medical care decisions. A living will expresses a patient's preferences for end-of-life medical care. State laws vary greatly regarding scope and applicability of living wills. A l

Will New Proposals Pull the Plug on E-cigs?

It’s a typical scene in many UK bars and restaurants. While rain lashes down, smokers shiver outside under shelters or in doorways, indulging in a habit that’s illegal indoors. Inside though, a group of people seem to be flouting the law. They are smoking what appear to be cigarettes, yet don’t have the smell of burning tobacco or ever need putting out. They are smoking, or rather "vaping," electronic cigarettes - an innovation that’s not only regarded in some quarters as being much healthier than traditional cigarettes, but is inexpensive and legal to use indoors. Most e-cigs consist of three parts – a battery, a chamber containing a heating element (referred to as an atomiser) and a cartridge containing a filter soaked in liquid, usually made up of nicotine extract, flavourings and propylene glycol, a chemical used in many foodstuffs. It is this that, when heated, produces the "‘smoke’" or vapour. For smokers or anyone trying to quit, this all sounds to

What is Poison Ivy and How to Treat It

Poison ivy is known as toxicodendron radicans. It is a plant the grows on a vine or shrub. Poison ivy grows in nearly every state in the United States and in some Canadian provinces. Some people are highly allergic to poison ivy. Here are some tips on what to look for and how to treat it. What Poison Ivy Looks Like Poison ivy either grows down low on the ground or in a hairy climbing vine attached to something like a tree. It is a plant that grows in leaves of three from a stem. The leaves are light to dark green and in the fall turn a reddish color. When a person touches a poison ivy plant, the oil from the plant called urushiol sticks to the skin. Within a couple of days of contact with the ivy, a person will start to get red rash and it will be swollen. A few days after the rash starts, blisters will start popping up and will be itchy. Do not scratch it. It could become infected. How to Treat Poison Ivy When a person knows they have come in contact with poison ivy, they s