Fears & Phobias

Fear is a strong emotional response to danger, real or imagined. A phobia, Greek word, is a persistent, irritational fear that is out of all proportions to its cause. People with phobias recognize that their fears are excessive and constraiing, but they feel powerless to confront them and often go to great lengths to avoid the dreaded objects of situation.
Phobias can be of the following types;

Specific Phobia:
                          Fear of a specific object, situation, or event. Common examples include fears of animals, insects, the dark, germs, storms, heights, illness and death. From 5-10% of the population suffers from such phobias at some point in life. Women are more likely than men to be affected.

Specific phobias often arise during childhood. Although most disappear as a child matures, a few may persist for life. Some feared situations are easy enough to avoid, but others, such as a fear of flying (aerophobia) or of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), can interfere with an individual's lifestyle and work.

Social Phobias:
                         A compelling desire to avoid situations in which its necessary to face the scrutiny of others. People with this disorder fear being embarrassed or being humiliated. For examples some persons are terrified in engaging in casual conversations; others cannot tolerate eating in a public place, using public testrooms, or interacting with a member of an opp sex. Typically a social phobia begins in adolescence and often lasts for life. About 3-5% of population suffers from some type of social phobia. Men and women have the disorder in roughly equal numbers.

Agoraphobia:
                      An intense fear of being  alone or trapped in a public place. (Agoraphobia is a Greek term for fear of market place) This is the most limiting of all phobias, causing some people literally to become prisoners in their own homes.
About 0.6% of population have agoraphobia, with a women outnumbering men. some 2/3 of people with agoraphobia experience panic attacks, periods of intense anxiety characteristics by chest pains, a rapid heartbeat, sweating, difficulty in breathing, and other symptoms easily mistaken for a heart attack.

MEDICAL TREATMENTS:
Drug Therapy:
                        Most phobias sufferers are able to cope with their fears without medication.The exceptions are people with severe agoraphobia after panic attacks; they may require a prescription medication.

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Chickenpox (Varicella)

Chickenpox is highly contagious childhood disease. About 95% of all children have been infected with it before adolescence, most commonly between ages 3 to 9.
This disease is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which is transmitted by direct contact with an infected patient. It is contagious a day or two before its characteristics itchy rashes appear, so a child may catch it from another before signs of infection are apparent. Clusters of small and bumps progress to blisters and scabs within 24hrs, but new clusters continue forming four hours or five days. The disease remains contagious until the final crop of blisters forms scabs.
The virus then becomes dormant in the body, but my reappear yrs later as shingles. A person who lacks immunity to the varicella virus can contract chickenpox if exposed to someone with a shingles rash.

Medical Treatments:
A pediatrician's care is usually not required, unless the patient has a weak immunity system or develops severe complications.

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CONSTIPATION

Constipation is a condition marked by infrequent bowel movements of hard feces that are difficult to pass. Straining, rectal bleeding and a sensation of fullness is common.
In some cases, the constipation alternates with diarhhea and it may be accompanied by abdominal cramps, bloating, and gassiness. Chronic constipation often leads to hemorrhoids and other rectal problems.
Almost everyone experiences periodic bouts of constipation. However, some people mistakenly correlate the condition with a failure to have a daily bowel movements.
In reality colon function varies considerably, and bowel movements as often as three times a day and as infrequently as twice a week fall within a normal range, as long as the stools are easy to pass.

Most constipation is due to insufficient fiber in the diet (25-30gm per day are recommended) and inadequate intake of fluids. Aging, a sedentary life style, depression, emotional stress, the side effects of certain drugs, and overuse of laxatives and enemas can also be responsible.

Occasionally, constipation is a symptom of a serious underlying disorder such as colon cancer or a digestive disease.

DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES AND PROCEDURES:
Constipation i not usually considered significant medically, unless there is a major change in bowel habits that persists for more than one week. In such cases, the doctor will ask about recent dietary changes, drug use and other contributing factors, and then perform a physical examination.

Laboratory  tests of blood and stool samples may be ordered; additional diagnostic tests will depend upon results from these initial procedures. for example a direct examination of colon with a Sigmoidoscope or a colonoscope (a thin, flexible tube with magnifying and lighting devices) will be ordered if a colon tumor or other disorder is suspected.

MEDICAL TREATMENTS:

• Medical treatments are not necessary for simple constipation. in some cases, a short course of a fiber-based stool softener may be recommended, but in general, the use of laxatives and enemas is discouraged because they can disrupt normal bowl function.

• If constipation is due to a medication such as, codeine or an antidepressant, an alternative drug may be prescribed. in cases of severe obstruction, surgery my be necessary, but this is rare.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES:
Eliminating constipation is a major aspect of many alternative therapies, which include,

• Herbal Medicines: A number of herbs have a laxative effect, including cascara sagrada, chicory, dandlion, flaxseed, elderberry, goldenrod, licorice, and psyllium seed.
• Castor Oil is another long-recommended remedy. though it is not toxic, it sometimes cause nausea and vomiting and should be used in small amounts, if at all. or along with milk etc.

• Nutrition Therapy: The vast majority of constipation cases can be treated by increasing the amount of fiber in the diet. one simple remedy is to soak 6-8 dried figs or prunes in a glass of water overnight, and drink the water and eat the fruit in the morning.
• Nutritionist recommend eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products at every meal and as snacks.
• Rasins and other dried fruits, brown rice, beans, popcorn and whole wheat or bran cereals, breads and crackers are example of high fiber diet.
• Increase fiber intake gradually to avoid bloating, abdominal cramps, and gassiness.
• Coffee and tea also act as laxatives for some people.
• Constipation can be decreased by increasing water intake.
• When you wake-up in the morning then drink a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of lemon juice, this tonic helps to improve muscle contractions and push reside out of bowl..

ABSORPTION OF DRUGS

Drugs Given via Sub Lingual Route:

•  Nitroglycerine
• Buprenorphine
• Nifedipine

Drugs On Which Food Increase Absorption:

• Griseofulvin
• Lumefantrine
• Halofantrine
• Efavirenz
• Carbamezipine
• Indinavir
• Dofetilide
• Docetaxel
• Nitrofuruntoin
• Ritonavir

Drugs whose Absorption is Reduced:

• Tetracyclines
• Azithromycin
• Ampicillin

Drugs Where Absorption is Not Effected by Food:

• Doxycycline
• Minocycline
• Fluroquinolones

TIPS TO REDUCE FOOT ODOR

• Wear shoes made up of natural materials, such as, leather and cotton canvas that allows air to circulate.
• Don't wear the same shoes, especially sneakers, everyday; give them a chance to air out. It also helps to dust them with deodorant or foot powder.
• In hot weather, choose open shoes which enables air to circulate.
• Wear white cotton socks with sneakers.
• After exercising, bathe feet with warm water and soap, dry them thoroughly, and change into dry socks and different shoes.

FLU

(Grippe; influenza)

An influenza virus causes the flu, a very common and highly contagious respiratory infection. Some people mistakenly refer to a cold or any upper respiratory disorder as the flu. But in reality, the flu is a more severe illness than the common cold.
Not only it can lead to pneumonia, but some types of the disease are even fatal.
A bout of flu confers immunity against that particular virus strain, but because these viruses quickly change, or mutate, new strains emerge every few years. In general, however, a flu virus falls into one of three categories, Type-A, the most common, is responsible for the serious and wide spread epidemics; Type-B also causes epidemics, but with milder cases than those of Type-A; Type-C is relatively un-common, but sometimes causes outbreaks of mild flu.

Diagnostic Studies and Procedures:
Your own observations of symptoms are usually enough to tell you that you're having flu, particularly if there has been an epidemic in your area. Flu symptoms are similar to bad cold, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, running nose, cough and headache but they come on more suddenly, are more severe, and last longer. If you consult a doctor, he will do a physical examination and possibly order blood tests and a sputum culture. A chest X-Ray may also be necessary if the symptoms suggests the presence of flu and related pneumonia.

Medical Treatments:
The physician may prescribe you Amantadine if Type-A virus is involved, an anti-Parkinson's disease drug that has an anti-viral effect. Or he may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent secondary pneumonia, especially if you suffer from asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or another lung disorder.

Alternative Therapies:
Although they are unlikely to shorten the course of the flu, a number of alternative therapies may alleviate the symptoms of the illness.

Aromatherapy: Therapist recommend placing 5 drops of cinnamon oil in 1 tablespoonful of water and inhaling the scent three times a day; they also advise massages or baths using lemon, pine needle, or rosemary oil.

Homeopathy: Aconite and Nux-vomica are recommended during the early stages of flu. One dose a week of bacillinum 30 & influenzinum 30, given separately or in combination, may be advised for severe cases. Baptisia is used for headache, aching limbs, and fever and arsenicum album for chills and diarrhea.

Hydrotherapy: For the achiness of flu, take a hot shower or bath; also try soaking your feet in a basin of hot water for 20 minutes twice a day.

Self Treatment:

Bed rest while your body fights the virus, is the best medicine. If you have a fever, drink extra fluids, including fruit juice, tea, and broth, to prevent dehydration, extra fluid also help thin any lung secretions.

For a sore throat, try gagling with warm water, double strength tea, or warm salt water. Acetaminophen, aspirin, nasal sprays and decongestants may relieve minor discomfort, however do not give aspirin to anyone under the age of 18 as it may increase the risk of Reye's Syndrome.

COMMON CAUSES OF INFERTILITY

In about 10% of all causes, there is no identifiable cause for infertility, and in a small number, the problem is related to infrequent and poorly timed intercourse. Otherwise, the most common causes of infertility include the following:

Both Sexes:

• Hormonal disorders (ovarian or testicular abnormalities, pituitary failure, adrenal or thyroid disease)
• Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Obesity and excessive thinness
• Alcoholism and other drug abuse, and excessive smoking
• Genetic disorder
• Immunological factors

Female:

• Failure to ovulate (including menopause)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease and tubal scarring
• Endometriosis
• Uterine febroids
• Uterine and cervical malformations
• Hostile cervical mucus
• Prenatal exposure to DES (a synthetic estrogen prescribed to prevent miscarriage until the late 1960s)
• Turner's syndrome, a genetic disorder in which a women has three rather than two X-Chromosomes

Male:

• Low sperm count or other sperm abnormalities
• Hydrocele or variocele
• Undescented or Underdeveloped testicles
• Impotence or ejaculatory disorders
• Prostatitis
• Testicular injury or inflammation
• Klinefelter's syndrome, a genetic disorder in which a man has more than one X-Chromosomes