SjoGren's Syndrome

Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease. It affects glands that make moisture and often causes dry mouth and eyes. It can also lead to dryness in other areas such as nose, throat and skin. It is usually accompanied by autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

CAUSES

Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease which means your immune system mistakenly attacks parts of your body. In this condition, your immune system attacks glands that make tear and saliva.This damages the glands and causes dry mouth and eyes. The exact cause of Sjögren's syndrome is unknown even though doctors believe it may be triggered by a combination of gene or environmental factors such as viral and bacterial infections.

This syndrome may also affect parts of the body such as

• thyroid
• kidney
• liver
• lungs
• nerves
• joints
• skin

RISK FACTORS

Anyone can develop Sjögren's syndrome but some people are at high risk of getting it and these people include the following

• women
• people aged 40 years and above
• people with rheumatoid diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis

SYMPTOMS

The main symptom of Sjögren's syndrome are dry eyes and dry mouth. If the disease however affects other parts of the body such as skin, joints, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, digestive organs, and nerves, you may experience other symptoms such as

• skin rashes
• dry skin
• vaginal dryness
• thyroid problems
• joint and muscle pain
• numbness and tingling in the arms and legs
• chronic dry cough

TEST AND DIAGNOSIS

To diagnose this syndrome, the doctor will do a physical exam and ask for your medical history. He may also the following tests.

Blood test: A number of blood tests will be done to check for certain antibodies that signifies the presence of an autoimmune disease.

Eye test : These include

• shirmer test which is used to measure dryness in your eye
• Rose Bengal test detects scratches on the surface of the eye

Biopsy: A lip biopsy may be done to check for clusters of inflammatory cells.

TREATMENT

Treatment of this disease may depend on the part of the body affected and may differ from person to person. Treatment focuses on getting rid of symptoms. They include

• medications to make more saliva
• medications for joint or muscle pain
• medications to suppress the immune system
• medications to suppress inflammation

Treatment for dry eyes: These include

• medications to reduce inflammation
• eye ointment to protect and keep the eyes wet for several hours
• artificial tears (eye drops) to treat dry eyes
• surgery to shut the tear ducts that drain tears from the eye
• a chemical that wets the surface of the eye and keeps the natural tears from drying out so fast

Treatment for dry mouth: These include

• chewing gum or sucking on hard candy to make more saliva
• taking medication that helps make more saliva
• using oil or petroleum-based lip balm or lipstick to help dry, cracked lips feel better
• sipping on water throughout the day

To prevent cavities, you should brush and floss after eating meals and snacks. Using a toothpaste with fluoride may help prevent cavities.By Jeanne Abayie

Panic Attack Symptoms

Recognizing panic attack symptoms is key to treating this disorder. They can come seemingly out of nowhere and for no apparent reason. You can find lists of symptoms all over the Internet but here are a few of the most common ones-

• Shaking/Trembling

• Upset Stomach

• Breathing Difficulty - (Feel Smothered)

• Nausea, Dizziness, Feeling Lightheaded

• Chills/Hot Flashes

• Chest Pains

• Heart Palpitations

• Numbness or Tingling in Hands

• Dream-like Sensations

• Distortions of Perception

• Overwhelming Fear or Terror

• Feeling of Powerlessness

• Fear of Dying

There are a lot more than just these. However this gives you some idea of the power of these attacks and the many faces they can wear.

Facts About Panic Attack Symptoms

One fact is that knowing how long these attacks will last in hard to predict. They can last a short time or seem like an eternity. A typical attack goes for about ten minutes. During this time sufferers experience intense distress and many times believe they are having a heart attack.

If panic attacks happen to you often then it is said you have a 'panic disorder'. Anxiety about issues in your life suggests strong emotions in those specific areas.

Health Condition Contributors

You can also have a health condition that brings on your attacks. Anemia, certain medications, and thyroid disorders can bring on very intense anxiety.

People who take Ritalin, insulin, quinine, or go through corticosteroid withdrawals may also experience similar symptoms. If this describes you then medical treatment should be sought out immediately.

More researchers are looking into diet as a possible connection to panic attacks. They believe that many food additives such as 'aspartame' or food dyes may contribute to bringing on these horrifying attacks. They believe that removing these from your diet might help to stop panic attacks.

Treating This Type of Disorder

Refraining from alcohol or caffeine is recommended when trying to treat your panic attacks. Regular exercise is another way to help prevent or at least manage your attacks better. Some doctors recommend yoga, deep breathing, walking, massage therapy, aerobics, and doing them daily to combat this disorder.

Another popular and natural form of treatment is to use a hypnosis MP3 download. Each hypnosis track is specifically designed to combat a particular issue with panic attacks being one of the most commons things that people want to overcome. The ability to program the mind has proved to be a true help in many various aspects of life.

By Claire J Perry

5 Kidney Failure Symptoms

With the numbers of potential illnesses and diseases that seem to be threatening our everyday existence, it may be difficult to keep up with all of the signs that we should be looking out for, especially when something like kidney failure symptoms can start out so subtly. With that in mind, this article will highlight five of the things that you need to be aware of if you think that you may be one of the many undiagnosed sufferers of chronic kidney disease.

Even if you do have some form of chronic kidney disease, there is only about a 20% chance that this will lead to kidney failure; but it's always worth having a working knowledge of the symptoms so that you can see your doctor at the first signs of anything out of the ordinary.

Symptom 1: Have You Noticed a Change in Your Urine?

These changes are some of the easier of the symptoms to lookout for. It could be a change in the color due to some blood being present in the urine; however lighter color urine could be an indicator too. You may have to urinate more at night than you've had to in the past. It's also possible that you may have difficulty in urinating, even when you desperately need to. Finally, you may notice that your urine has taken on a bubbly appearance.

Symptom 2: Are You Suffering from a Constant Feeling of Tiredness?

This happens because the kidneys have started to struggle to create the hormone erythropoietin, and it's erythropoietin that tells the body that it needs to increase the production of blood cells so as to carry more oxygen around the body. The lack of oxygen circulating in the bloodstream will be most noticeable because of the tiredness in the muscles; and this is more commonly known as anemia.

Symptom 3: Are You Having Trouble Concentrating, And Have Started To Feel Dizzy?

Again, this is a result of anemia. The lack of red blood cells means that you aren't getting as much oxygen circulating to the brain; this can lead to the dizziness, lack of concentration, and possible memory problems that you may have been experiencing.

Symptom 4: Have You Been Suffering From An Unexplained Skin Rash Or Itchiness?

Another of the key functions of the kidneys is to remove the toxic wastes from your body. If the toxins are allowed to build up then one of the symptoms that this can lead to is the skin irritation that you may have started to notice; and when these toxins are still present in the bloodstream, it's a good outward indicator that you may need to start looking for other kidney failure symptoms.

Symptom 5: Have You Noticed A Swelling In The Extremities?

Not only do the kidneys help in the removal of toxins from the body, they also help in the removal of excess fluid that can build up and cause swelling in the face, hands, legs, ankles, or feet.

There are, of course, other things that could be an indication that you need to look for other potential kidney failure symptoms; but, if you do notice that you have a combination of any of the symptoms mentioned above, then it would be well worth your time making that appointment to see the doctor - after all, as the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

By Stacy Ann Shaw

First Signs of Breast Cancer

Initially, breast cancer may show no actual signs or symptoms that it is present, although a lump too small to be felt by touching may actually exist. Because of this, unusual changes in the breasts are not noticed and only tend to be picked up when a screening mammogram (breast x-ray) is taken. Depending on what the screening shows, further test may be needed.

However, the first sign of breast cancer is usually a painless lump that can be felt in the breast which was not previously there. Lumps that are hard with uneven edges have a high probability of being cancer; however, not all breast lumps tend to be hard. Sometimes a soft lump with rounded edges may also be discovered which can also indicate possible breast cancer.

Typical Breast Cancer Symptoms

1. Either a hard lump (with uneven edges), or a soft lump (with rounded edges) that can be found by touch in any part of the breast.

2. Any size lump or swelling that may appear in the area of the underarm (armpit).

3. Swelling of all or part of the breast.

4. General pain in the breast.

5. Nipple pain, or the nipple is noticed to be turning inwards.

6. Discharge of the nipple when not a new mother.

7. Thickening of the skin on either the nipple or the breast.

8. Redness or scaliness on either the nipple or the breast.

9. Skin irritation or dimpling of the breast.

10. Any type of change in the breast that seems to be abnormal.

Breast cancer can strike at any age, although it is more commonly found in women over the age of 50 years. Many different types of this cancer exist, such as: Ductual Carcinoma (DCIS), Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC), Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC), Inflammatory, Metastatic, Recurrent, and Male Breast Cancer, etc.

IDC is associated with approximately 70% of all breast cancer cases, and is now considered to be the most common. It is important to note that not all changes in the breasts are associated with cancer, as infections, lymph node swellings, and cysts are also quite common in women these days.

However, a self-examination of the breasts should be undertaken on a regular basis and if any irregularities are discovered, a prudent move would be to visit the doctor. Self-examinations are often considered to be best taken while in the shower, as the hot water and soap make the skin softer which makes it easier to find any small lumps that may be present.

By Philip Albert Edmonds-Hunt