Sunday, 22 July 2018
Saturday, 21 July 2018
gained a huge amount of muscle for his new movie - by gorging on eggs, meat and fish along with a heavy lifting routine.
Normally skinny actor James McAvoy gained a huge amount of muscle for his new movie "Glass" by gorging on eggs, meat and fish along with a heavy lifting routine.
Thursday, 19 July 2018
The Differences Between Lupus and MS
By Jeri Jewett-Tennant, MPH
Updated March 25, 2018
What are the differences and similarities between lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) and MS (multiple sclerosis? This is an important question, even more of an issue as some people with lupus are misdiagnosed as having MS and vice versa. Let's take a look at how these conditions are alike, and how they can be differentiated so that you and your doctor make the right diagnosis.
Lupus and MS Basics
Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) and MS (multiple sclerosis) can appear similar in many ways. In fact, people may easily be misdiagnosed as having MS, when they really have lupus.
Both lupus and MS are chronic autoimmune diseases. There are roughly 100 different autoimmune diseases, with many overlapping symptoms. In these conditions, the immune system—instead of attacking an invader such as bacteria or viruses—attacks your own body
In lupus, the immune system may attack various organs in the body, particularly the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs or nervous system. (For some people, lupus only affects the skin, a condition known as discoid lupus erythematosus.)
In multiple sclerosis, the immune system specifically attacks the myelin sheath, the fatty protective layer on nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. The myelin sheath can be thought of as you would picture the outer cover of an electrical cord. When the myelin sheath is damaged, the transmission of impulses from the brain to the body and the body to the brain can be affected.
Similarities
Lupus and MS are very different diseases, but they have several things in common:
They are both autoimmune conditions.
We don't know the exact causes - Just as we don't know the clear cause of lupus, we are uncertain about the causes of MS.
They are clinical diagnoses, meaning there isn't a lab test or imaging study which can confirm the diagnosis for certain. Rather, the diagnosis of lupus or MS relies on a set of characteristic symptoms, signs and lab tests that can't be explained by another diagnosis.
They affect people in the same age group. Both diseases most commonly affect the same population—younger women—although they affect other populations as well.
They are both relapsing/remitting conditions. Both lupus and MS can follow a pattern of remission and relapse which repeats (they are both relapsing-remitting disorders.)
They can both cause brain lesions on MRI which are similar.
While the nerves are the primary target of MS, lupus sometimes affects the nerves as well.
Both conditions appear to have a genetic element and may occur within families.
Both conditions are commonly misdiagnosed at first.
Both conditions tend to cause problems with fatigue, headaches, muscle stiffness, and memory problems.
Differences
In addition to the similarities, there are several differences commonly found between lupus and MS. These differences are especially important as the treatments for the two diseases are usually quite different. MS is the most common neurological disease that strikes young people. About half of lupus patients will have central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) symptoms. Yet, while both lupus and MS can affect the central nervous system, they tend to do so in different ways.
Differences in Symptoms
There are often similarities between lupus and MS with regard to symptoms; both diseases tend to cause neurological symptoms including problems with memory, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. Yet there are differences as well. In general, the damage to the body is more generalized with lupus than with MS.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the following common effects of lupus on the nervous system do not typically occur in people with MS:
Migraine headaches
Changes in personality
Changes in cognitive function
Epileptic seizures
Stroke
The most common symptoms of lupus are rashes and arthritis. In contrast, rashes are uncommon with MS and the most common symptoms include double vision, numbness, tingling, or weakness in one of the extremities, and problems with balance and coordination.
Differences in Laboratory Tests
Antiphospholipid antibody testing is one way that doctors can start to distinguish lupus from MS.
While antinuclear antibodies may be found in some people with MS, their presence is much less common than with lupus. With lupus, it is uncommon to not have antinuclear antibodies (ANA-negative lupus.)
Rarely, people with lupus will have transverse myelitis. This condition is marked by spinal cord inflammation and damage to the myelin sheath. It mimics MS and is sometimes the only lupus symptom. It can, therefore, confuse a diagnosis. Studies have found that testing antinuclear and anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies may be helpful in distinguishing neuromyelitis optic in lupus from multiple sclerosis.
Differences in Imaging Studies
In general, a brain MRI will show more lesions with MS ("black holes and bright spots") but sometimes the brain lesions found with lupus or MS can be indistinguishable.
Differences in the Treatments
It is important to recognize the differences between lupus and MS when making a diagnosis because the treatment for the two conditions is quite different.
The most common treatments for lupus include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids (corticosteroids) and antimalaria drugs. Immunosuppressive drugs (DMARDS or disease modifying anti-arthritis drugs) may be used for severe disease, especially that which affects the kidneys.
In contrast, the most common medications used to treat MS include interferons (such as Avonex). immunosuppressant drugs, and immunomodulators.
Differences in Prognosis
Between 80 and 90 percent of people with lupus will live a normal lifespan. The prognosis of lupus has changed. In 1955 only half of people were expected to live five years. Now, 95 percent of people are alive after 10 years. The life expectancy with MS is on average seven years shorter than for someone without MS, but this can vary considerably between different people with the disease. Some people with the very aggressive disease may die after a relatively short time with the disease, whereas many people live a normal lifespan.
Why Misdiagnosis Sometimes Happens
In addition to transverse myelitis, in which lupus can mimic MS (but which is treated differently,) there are several other commonalities between lupus and MS that can contribute to a misdiagnosis:
Both diseases are immunological.
Both affect a similar population.
Both have a relapsing–remitting course
Both may have neurological symptoms.
Both may have brain lesions.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/lupus-and-ms-whats-the-difference-2249979
Updated March 25, 2018
What are the differences and similarities between lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) and MS (multiple sclerosis? This is an important question, even more of an issue as some people with lupus are misdiagnosed as having MS and vice versa. Let's take a look at how these conditions are alike, and how they can be differentiated so that you and your doctor make the right diagnosis.
Lupus and MS Basics
Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) and MS (multiple sclerosis) can appear similar in many ways. In fact, people may easily be misdiagnosed as having MS, when they really have lupus.
Both lupus and MS are chronic autoimmune diseases. There are roughly 100 different autoimmune diseases, with many overlapping symptoms. In these conditions, the immune system—instead of attacking an invader such as bacteria or viruses—attacks your own body
In lupus, the immune system may attack various organs in the body, particularly the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs or nervous system. (For some people, lupus only affects the skin, a condition known as discoid lupus erythematosus.)
In multiple sclerosis, the immune system specifically attacks the myelin sheath, the fatty protective layer on nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. The myelin sheath can be thought of as you would picture the outer cover of an electrical cord. When the myelin sheath is damaged, the transmission of impulses from the brain to the body and the body to the brain can be affected.
Similarities
Lupus and MS are very different diseases, but they have several things in common:
They are both autoimmune conditions.
We don't know the exact causes - Just as we don't know the clear cause of lupus, we are uncertain about the causes of MS.
They are clinical diagnoses, meaning there isn't a lab test or imaging study which can confirm the diagnosis for certain. Rather, the diagnosis of lupus or MS relies on a set of characteristic symptoms, signs and lab tests that can't be explained by another diagnosis.
They affect people in the same age group. Both diseases most commonly affect the same population—younger women—although they affect other populations as well.
They are both relapsing/remitting conditions. Both lupus and MS can follow a pattern of remission and relapse which repeats (they are both relapsing-remitting disorders.)
They can both cause brain lesions on MRI which are similar.
While the nerves are the primary target of MS, lupus sometimes affects the nerves as well.
Both conditions appear to have a genetic element and may occur within families.
Both conditions are commonly misdiagnosed at first.
Both conditions tend to cause problems with fatigue, headaches, muscle stiffness, and memory problems.
Differences
In addition to the similarities, there are several differences commonly found between lupus and MS. These differences are especially important as the treatments for the two diseases are usually quite different. MS is the most common neurological disease that strikes young people. About half of lupus patients will have central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) symptoms. Yet, while both lupus and MS can affect the central nervous system, they tend to do so in different ways.
Differences in Symptoms
There are often similarities between lupus and MS with regard to symptoms; both diseases tend to cause neurological symptoms including problems with memory, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. Yet there are differences as well. In general, the damage to the body is more generalized with lupus than with MS.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the following common effects of lupus on the nervous system do not typically occur in people with MS:
Migraine headaches
Changes in personality
Changes in cognitive function
Epileptic seizures
Stroke
The most common symptoms of lupus are rashes and arthritis. In contrast, rashes are uncommon with MS and the most common symptoms include double vision, numbness, tingling, or weakness in one of the extremities, and problems with balance and coordination.
Differences in Laboratory Tests
Antiphospholipid antibody testing is one way that doctors can start to distinguish lupus from MS.
While antinuclear antibodies may be found in some people with MS, their presence is much less common than with lupus. With lupus, it is uncommon to not have antinuclear antibodies (ANA-negative lupus.)
Rarely, people with lupus will have transverse myelitis. This condition is marked by spinal cord inflammation and damage to the myelin sheath. It mimics MS and is sometimes the only lupus symptom. It can, therefore, confuse a diagnosis. Studies have found that testing antinuclear and anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies may be helpful in distinguishing neuromyelitis optic in lupus from multiple sclerosis.
Differences in Imaging Studies
In general, a brain MRI will show more lesions with MS ("black holes and bright spots") but sometimes the brain lesions found with lupus or MS can be indistinguishable.
Differences in the Treatments
It is important to recognize the differences between lupus and MS when making a diagnosis because the treatment for the two conditions is quite different.
The most common treatments for lupus include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids (corticosteroids) and antimalaria drugs. Immunosuppressive drugs (DMARDS or disease modifying anti-arthritis drugs) may be used for severe disease, especially that which affects the kidneys.
In contrast, the most common medications used to treat MS include interferons (such as Avonex). immunosuppressant drugs, and immunomodulators.
Differences in Prognosis
Between 80 and 90 percent of people with lupus will live a normal lifespan. The prognosis of lupus has changed. In 1955 only half of people were expected to live five years. Now, 95 percent of people are alive after 10 years. The life expectancy with MS is on average seven years shorter than for someone without MS, but this can vary considerably between different people with the disease. Some people with the very aggressive disease may die after a relatively short time with the disease, whereas many people live a normal lifespan.
Why Misdiagnosis Sometimes Happens
In addition to transverse myelitis, in which lupus can mimic MS (but which is treated differently,) there are several other commonalities between lupus and MS that can contribute to a misdiagnosis:
Both diseases are immunological.
Both affect a similar population.
Both have a relapsing–remitting course
Both may have neurological symptoms.
Both may have brain lesions.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/lupus-and-ms-whats-the-difference-2249979
Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Lupus and Tonsils link
Personal observation:
Manish's wife had tonsils removed in her childhood.
She eventually died at the age of about 35-38 years.
Her problems started with arthritis.
Then, her peripheral nerves got affected. She used to find it difficult to get up from bed or walk a little.
Then, she was mostly bed ridden.
As per Manish, she had lupus or multiple sclerosis.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/10/09/13635.aspx
Tuesday, 17 July 2018
About 530,000 children younger than 15 to have tonsillectomies each year in the United States
About 530,000 children younger than 15 to have tonsillectomies each year in the United States
Tonsillectomies help breathing during sleep and might reduce throat infections in the short term, according to two separate papers from researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, published Tuesday in the journal Pediatrics.
Large tonsils in children may hinder breathing when they sleep, a problem called obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB), and they can also trap and harbor bacteria in the throat, leading to infections.
Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in the country, though fewer procedures have been performed since the 1970s as indications for this procedure have shifted from targeting infections to OSDB over time, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/17/health/tonsils-removed-surgery-children-study/index.html
***
It is estimated that roughly 380,000 tonsillectomies are performed annually in the United States. By far the majority of these operations are considered successful.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/tonsillectomy-risks-versus-benefits-is-it-worth-it-1192152
***
A tonsillectomy, the surgical removal of your tonsils, has been the standard practice for close to 200 years, but it’s been in use for over a 2,000 years. Yes, the first mention of a tonsillectomy comes from a Roman doctor Cornelius Celsus, around 100 BCE!
Although painful, and fraught with risks, as is any invasive procedure, tonsillectomies were lifesaving, especially for kids afflicted with rheumatic fever. The procedure was also used to treat upper respiratory infections and swelling of the tonsils, which can impair breathing. Doctors also recommended the procedure because it simply eliminated any risk of further infection. However, this was before the emergence of antibiotics in the 1940s.
Since then, tonsillectomies have become somewhat redundant, as most infections can be treated effectively with medication alone. Several studies over the years have shown that tonsil removal only provides short term benefits, including quick relief, prevention of recurrence, and better health for a couple of years. The short term gains may appear to make tonsil removal a viable option, but that’s only because you haven’t considered the risks of tonsillectomy.
Tonsil Removal Risks
Breathing Difficulties
Although sometimes used to treat sleep apnea, tonsil removal can itself contribute to the problem at times. In most cases however, breathing problems following the surgery are simply a temporary effect of anesthesia and pain medications. This could also occur because of post-surgical scarring that narrows the nasopharyngeal opening, leading to nasopharyngeal stenosis.
Speech Impairment
The removal of your tonsils can increase nasal airflow, causing hypernasal speech. Changes in voice are also attributed to excessive swelling and scarring following surgery. Although these speech changes are usually temporary, they can be permanent in cases.
Our Take
Private hospitals are notorious for recommending unnecessary surgeries to simply increase revenues, which is why it would be a good idea to seek a second or third opinion if required. Experts and researchers now suggest a ‘wait and watch’ policy, reserving a tonsillectomy as a last resort where the condition is severe or if the patient does not respond to non-invasive treatment.
Whatever you decide, remember to go in with your eyes open and completely aware of the risks and benefits involved.
https://thehealthorange.com/stay-happy/holistic-living/dont-fall-scam-tonsil-removal-unnecessary-surgery-can-avoid/
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