Parkinson’s disease has been a mystery for quite a long time now and continues to be one in parts. This is mainly because the cause of the disease is unknown, there is no absolute cure except for symptom management, and after a point, even that becomes a hardship. This disease that affects the nervous system only worsens with time and there is no absolute timeline to help the individual prepare themselves for the onset of symptoms to the stages of worsened symptoms. It is extremely difficult to answer questions regarding the progress of the disease or how to manage them, but there are charts that can help one know what to expect in different stages of the disease, and give information about palliative care. Why is Parkinson’s disease so hard to predict? The major problem with this disease is that there are two categories of symptoms that are highly probable. While one category of symptoms includes the loss of the ability to move due to rigid muscles and tremors, the other category is associated with non-motor symptoms that include pain, dementia, and smell dysfunction. A person affected by this disease may not exhibit all the symptoms at the same time and there is no guarantee as to what combination of symptoms may occur or which of them will affect the individual severely.

The belief that drug and alcohol addiction are merely poor choices is becoming a rarity. Professionals in the field of drug and alcohol rehab understand drug abuse and alcoholism are physiological diseases that require real treatment and not stigmatization and ostracization. Treatment options have changed from the original medication and inpatient therapy. When people change, treatment needs to change to suit the patient’s needs. Today, several new medications and therapies are helping those with substance abuse maintain a sober lifestyle. Read on for details on art therapy, exposure therapy, detoxification, medication, animal therapy, and other options that are helping patients reduce their dependency: 1. Art therapy Art can be peaceful and freeing. Allowing the addict to share their story through imagery is a positive method to help them overcome addiction. It is well known that an addictive personality may retreat into their previous behavior but using art as an outlet may enable the client a positive method of supporting their addiction. 2. Exposure therapy Exposure therapy seems harsh, but great strides are being made in this type of counseling. Addicts may not be able to see the results of their behavior. Showing them what can happen if they do not change their ways may effectively scare them into avoiding using drugs or drinking.

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that occurs when breathing is interrupted during sleep. When it is left untreated, breathing stops and starts repeatedly throughout sleep, sometimes hundreds of times and causes the brain and the rest of the body to not get enough oxygen. Symptoms can include waking up with a sore or dry throat, loud snoring, restless sleep, insomnia, morning headaches, lack of energy during the day, and waking up occasionally with a gasping or choking sensation. Sleep apnea raises the risks for other health issues: 1. Excess weight Carrying excess weight raises the chances of getting sleep apnea. When you’re overweight, the upper airway can have fatty deposits that can obstruct breathing. The same can be true for those who have a wider neck circumference. A thicker neck might have a more narrow airway, making it more difficult to breath during sleep. Sleep apnea can also increase a person’s risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Not getting enough sleep can keep the body from using insulin properly, leading to diabetes. 2. Heart disease and high blood pressure Sleep apnea increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, probably due to low oxygen or the stress of waking up often during the night.

For millions of people, profuse sweating is considered a normal part of their lives. Some are not aware that excessive sweating can be due to a medical condition known as hyperhidrosis, which is often due to an underlying health issue (i.e., thyroid disorder, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, or Parkinson’s disease, etc.). Excess sweating can be embarrassing, and can cause you to limit social interaction. If hyperhidrosis is a problem, there are some natural remedies that may help: 1. Sage tea Sage tea is rich in vitamin B and magnesium. These components will help slow down the over action of the sweat glands. If sage tea is hard to get, substitute green tea instead. All you need to do is brew it, and drink it everyday. 2. Acupuncture for heavy sweating Acupuncture is an old world remedy that is still relevant today, and it is beneficial in helping to balance the over-stimulated nerves responsible for the sweat glands by helping to prevent them becoming overactive. This helps aid the body in regulating temperature, and reduce sweating. 3. Biofeedback Biofeedback is a natural remedy for hyperhidrosis that helps lower sweat production in the body. With this type therapy, the person is connected to a machine that monitors the blood pressure, breathing rate, muscle tension, temperature, and sweating.

An asthma attack can be triggered by many factors—allergens such as pollen, dust, and pet fur or environmental factors such as air pollution, smoke, or even weather can set one in motion. Other asthma triggers may include exercise, medications, and even stress. Asthma can begin at any time of your life and certain risk factors can make you susceptible. For instance, if you work in an environment rife with chemical toxins, if you are obese, or if you have a family history of ashtma or allergies you could experience asthma in your lifetime. Read on to learn some of the most prevalent symptoms of asthma: 1. Shortness of breath Asthma causes the airways to narrow and restricts a person’s ability to breathe. As this occurs, shortness of breath can set in. Shortness of breath is when you feel as though you can not get enough air. It might feel like you are sprinting the 100-meter dash while in reality, you are sitting on the couch. 2. Wheezing Inflamed airways have less space for air to get through causing a whistling sound when a person breathes in and out, this is wheezing. During an asthma attack, people often experience wheezing as the episode worsens.

Ulcerative colitis (or UC) is a very uncomfortable and chronic inflammatory disease that leads to the swelling of the large intestine and rectum. This chronic tissue inflammation will wear down and damage the large intestine, causing the development of sores, or ulcers, along the intestinal tract and rectum. Periods when UC symptoms are active are typically known as “flare-ups”. These are often followed by periods of remission, when symptoms are not acting up. Symptoms typically experienced by ulcerative colitis patients include: Abdominal pain Fever Bloody bowel movements Dehydration Fatigue Sudden weight loss Diarrhea Common triggers that prompt an ulcerative colitis flareup include: 1. Medication use: antibiotics and NSAIDs A medication you’re taking to treat another illness can also trigger a UC flareup, particularly if it is an antibiotic, or an over the counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen and aspirin. Antibiotics tend to disrupt the normal balance of the intestinal bacteria in the gut, leading to the flare-ups, while the NSAIDs tend to irritate the colon directly before causing the flares. Note that experiencing flares doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stop taking your NSAID medications or antibiotics, but use it as an opportunity to speak to your doctor before taking them.

Eczema is a skin condition characterized by dryness, cracking, itchiness, and red coloration. Symptoms of eczema vary from a short term mild rash to a long term severe, mild rash. Eczema can affect any person, but in most cases, it affects children and adolescents. According to research, individuals with allergies are the most affected by eczema. The condition is not contagious, however, continuous scratching of the skin can leave patients susceptible to skin infections. The best way to avoid an eczema flare up is to avoid the following triggers as much as possible: 1. Gluten or wheat Some foods, like wheat and gluten, cause an eczema flareup. If you begin experiencing eczema symptoms, consult with your doctor for a proper diagnosis and some possible food sensitivity testing to determine if a wheat (or gluten) allergy is an underlying factor and trigger for eczema flare ups. 2. Soaps and detergents Personal hygiene products, such as shampoos, laundry detergents, and body soaps may also trigger an eczema flareup after use. Not only do harsh soaps and detergents tend to dry out the skin, but those made with strong fragrances may also trigger eczema. It may be wise to switch to products made for sensitive skin or natural products that contain no fragrance.

Generally, birth control is meant to prevent pregnancy, and many methods can be used to achieve this. There is the hormonal birth control method, for starters, which helps prevent ovulation by making the woman’s egg unable to fertilize with the male sperm. There is also the barrier method, which inhibits the sperm from fertilizing with the egg. Additionally, there is also the spermicide method where the sperm is destroyed. Below are outlined several types of contraception that can be used in order to prevent pregnancy: 1. Condoms A condom is a synthetic sheath that was created to be worn by a man on his erect penis during intercourse to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Ideally, it is meant to stop sperm from entering the woman’s vagina so that fertilization will not take place. It is very effective in preventing pregnancy, and you can buy it from the nearest drugstore. 2. Diaphragms A diaphragm is made of silicon, and it is used by a woman to cover her cervix to prevent the entrance of sperm via the uterus. Technically, it serves the same purpose as condoms, but a diaphragm can be reused, unlike condoms. If they are inserted the proper way, diaphragms are very effective in preventing pregnancies.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. The insulating covers of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord become damaged causing scarring and lesions to develop. This condition has been known to have hereditary factors, but research is still being done to better understand environmental factors along with other infections that may cause or contribute to this disorder. MS is a debilitating disease that has symptoms that vary widely from person to person, however, common early warning symptoms may include the following: 1. Vision problems Inflammation affects the optic nerve which may cause the following symptoms: double vision, blurred vision, dulling of colors, pain when moving, and sometimes vision loss. It is imperative to find an experienced ophthalmologist to monitor these symptoms. 2. Tingling and numbness Usually one of the first indicators of MS. Nerves send conflicting signals in the body or none are sent at all. This can vary from having an extremity going from being completely numb to feeling like you are receiving electrical shocks. 3. Pains and spasms Caused by damaged nerve pathways, shaking and stiffness as well as pains and spasms can be uncontrollable at times with the legs and back being commonly affected.

Narcolepsy is characterized as a type of neurological disorder that impacts the area of the brain responsible for wakefulness and sleep control. Narcolepsy occurs in intermittent, uncontrollable “sleep attacks”, which cause extreme fatigue and even cause the narcoleptic to suddenly fall asleep throughout a day, regardless of time or activity level. For instance, a narcoleptic could suffer a sleep attack during a morning work presentation or when driving home from work. Most narcoleptics remain undiagnosed and untreated. However, diagnosis almost always follows up with a prescription for Sunosi, Xyrem, or Provigil to help manage the production of wake and sleep chemicals (chemical hypocretin deficiency). REM sleep can be greatly disturbed and negatively impacted. To be diagnosed as narcoleptic, one of the following warning signs of narcolepsy, ranging from mild to severe, must be present. Only a small portion (less than a third of patients) of narcoleptics have all of the five following symptoms: 1. Cataplexy Cataplexy is described by medical professionals as muscle weakness experienced during wakeful periods. Cataplexy can strike the entire body or specific muscle areas, causing weakness in the knees, sudden loss of grasping so you drop whatever you’re holding, or even entire loss of muscle control that affects the entire body, causing the patient to fall down.