Everyday, the human mouth produces three pints of saliva that are used for a number of reasons. It is the saliva that prevents tooth decay and cleans plaque and excess food from the teeth. Apart from neutralizing acids inside the mouth, saliva also amplifies one’s sense of taste and it makes swallowing food easier. One of the common mouth complications is the dry mouth or xerostomia. Some people think that having a dry mouth is just a very common problem. However, an extreme case of dry mouth can already be a symptom of a more serious bodily complication. This condition is caused by the lack of saliva in the mouth due to aging as well as side effects of medication intake. Drugs that are likely to cause dry mouth are anxiety and stress medications and muscle relaxants. Ignoring a dry mouth can greatly affect one’s dental health and enjoyment of food. A person will know that he has a dry mouth through the following symptoms: 1. Sensation of dryness in the mouth 2. Split or sore skin at the corners of the mouth 3. Bad breath 4. Stringy or thick saliva 5. Sore throat 6. Gum diseases, tooth decay, and plaque 7. Cracked lips 8. Disrupted sense of taste 9. Hard time swallowing and speaking Aside from being a side effect of medication intake, a dry mouth can also be due to nerve damage, wherein a person’s neck and head incur nerve damages from surgery or injury; tobacco chewing and smoking; as well as breathing and snoring with mouth open. Xerostomia is also an indication that a person has other health complications like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or depression. Tests, diagnosis, and treatments If an individual is believed to have a dry mouth condition, it is highly recommended to immediately consult a doctor to confirm a diagnosis. The doctor will then review the patient’s medical records and conduct mouth examinations. Identifying the cause of dry mouth is done by means of imaging scans and blood tests. Moreover, treatment for dry mouth varies according to the specified cause of the doctor. If medication intake is the cause, then the doctor will most likely recommend another medication or adjust the dosage intake. In most cases, good oral hygiene is the best treatment for this type of condition. In some cases when the main cause of the condition cannot be determined or named by a doctor, there are a number of ways to alleviate dry mouth. A person diagnosed to have a dry mouth can try sucking and chewing on sugar-free candies or gums in order to improve saliva flow. It is also recommended not to eat or drink sugary goodies for these can result to tooth decay. Other ways to treat a dry mouth condition include: 1. Using a room humidifier to add moisture in the air during night time. 2. Regular water intake. 3. Breathing through the nose and not through the mouth. 4. Visit the dentist regularly 5. Brush teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste
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There’s nothing trivial about having acne problems. If you are one of the millions that suffer from acne outbreaks, you know that it can be uncomfortable and even sometimes devastating to someone who is seriously afflicted. As you consider treatment options, you may want the professional help of a physician or dermatologist. These highly trained specialists can be invaluable in helping you achieve clear skin again. While they are not magicians who can make your acne disappear overnight, they can be essential in diagnosing and treating you so that you don’t have to suffer any longer than necessary. It is important to remember a few things when visiting a skin care specialist. Because there are so many people in the world that suffer from acne outbreaks, dermatologists are often very busy with lots of clients. Don’t let this vex you; a doctor is concerned about your condition and wants to help you. Here are some things that you can do to maximize your visit when you see them. Having effective doctor visits will help you overcome your acne sooner and also help you save money and time. First, don’t be afraid to ask questions about your condition. Remember, we are all different, so a treatment that is highly effective with one person is not necessarily what is going to work for you. Knowledge about the particulars of your condition will help you better understand the condition you are trying to overcome. You may even want to write down any specific questions you may have to make sure you cover all the topics you want to know about. The most important aspect of having an effective doctor visit is good communication. By keeping some facts or aspects about your condition from the dermatologist, you are only hurting yourself by giving them an incomplete knowledge of the facts. The doctor can only base his diagnosis on what you have told him, so try to be thorough with the details about your acne. Tell them how long your acne has been affecting you, what other treatments you’ve attempted to do before, what worsens your condition, and any other factors that you think may apply. Tell them how your acne is affecting you emotionally and socially, as mental health is synonymous with your physical health. Once your doctor and you have discussed your condition, make sure that you fully understand what they will be doing in regards to your treatment. Be sure to understand the correct way to apply the treatment, how long the treatment will last, and how long it will be before you begin to see results. Also, be sure and find out if there are any side effects that go along with the use of the treatment; this will help you be better prepared for any occurrences or problems that may arise. Schedule a follow-up appointment with the doctor and discuss what the status of your condition should be when you return. If you are knowledgeable about the treatment and looking for the desired results, you will know sooner whether your current method is working or not. Remember that there are many treatments available that work better or worse for different people. Don’t be discouraged if the first method you try does not attain the desired results. Be patient and work with your doctor and you will soon be able to find the most effective treatment that is right for you.
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The health benefits of sleep extend beyond the refreshed feeling that is experienced in the morning. It not only recharges one’s energy levels, but also replenishes the major body systems. Sufficient sleep nourishes the immune system and enables it to function at its best. When people sleep, the body repairs itself, building bone, muscle, and other tissues that are needed by the body to function at its best. Improved mental well-being is also one of the health benefits that can be achieved through sufficient sleep. It allows the mind to unwind, regroup, and adjust to the stress and issues that are experienced in daily lives. Sleep is essential in keeping neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brain balanced allowing the body to promote proper well-being. However many individuals fail to gain from these health benefits because of sleep difficulties that are encountered. Nutritionists and dietitians advise these individuals to head to the kitchen and munch on foods that may relax tense muscles, calm the mind, and promote the production of serotonin and melatonin—hormones that are known to induce sleep. Here is the list of top foods that may promote sound sleep. Bananas. This fruit is said to be rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted into melatonin and serotonin. This fruit also contains magnesium, a known muscle relaxant. Warm Milk. Protein naturally found in milk may improve sleep quality and alertness the next day. It contains alpha-lactobumin which is rich in tryptophan. Milk promotes sound sleep and without the side effects that are often experienced after taking sleep-inducing medications. Honey. Honey may act as a sedative because the right amount of glucose tells the brain to turn off orexin, a neurotransmitter that is linked to alertness. Oatmeal. Oats may sooth the digestive and nervous system. The easiest way to improve sleep is consume a serving of oatmeal everyday. But begin with small servings because too much oatmeal may cause gas. Turkey. This meat is probably the most abundant source of tryptophan. However, tryptophan works when the stomach contains food made up mostly of carbohydrates. Two lean slices of turkey on whole wheat bread are perfect sleep inducers. If these food choices still do not help improve one’s quality of sleep, people with sleeping problems may use over-the-counter and prescription medications as treatment for their sleep disorder. But before using them, these individuals are advised to seek the approval of health professionals. They may recommend certain medicines that are required for your health needs. Sleep is composed of distinct stages with each stage giving the body different health functions and benefits. The benefits are achieved when individuals sleep the the number of hours the body needs which is about seven to eight hours for adults and longer for teens and children. This allows the body to to go through all the stages properly and promote improved overall health. If individuals don’t get the enough sleep they may end up getting stressed, sluggish, and sickly. In addition, extreme cases of sleep deprivation may lead to depression or stroke.
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Imagine a newlywed couple eager to have their first baby. After months of anticipation and careful attention to the pregnancy, the unexpected happens — they suffer a miscarriage. The trauma of losing an unborn child is a difficult period for any couple, but more so for the would-be first-time mother. After miscarriage and other forms of pregnancy loss, most couples usually have a lot of questions that need to be answered. A lot of people take it upon themselves to answer why the miscarriage happened and exactly how they could have prevented pregnancy. But usually, miscarriage is rarely anyone’s fault, and sometimes pregnancy loss is even a predetermined outcome at the time of conception. There may not be any explanation at hand why miscarriages happen, though, the medical community recognizes a few known miscarriage causes. A number of theories abound regarding the cause of miscarriage. One-time pregnancy loss, also called sporadic, are usually caused by chromosomal abnormalities while the fetus develops. A lot of times, doctors assume this as the default explanation for first time miscarriages due to the fact that most couples go on to have a normal pregnancy after one miscarriage. Chromosomal abnormalities such as extra chromosomes or missing genes may cause the baby to stop developing and eventually to be miscarried. After the first miscarriage, most medical professionals do not conduct testing for the cause of miscarriage since chromosomal flaws are usually random, one-time events. Miscarriage due to chromosomal flaws may occur to any woman at any age, but those who are 35 years old and above are at highest risk. When a miscarriage happens two times in a row, the cause is unlikely to be random chromosomal errors in a row. Usually, doctors will conduct a process of testing for recurrent miscarriage causes after the second pregnancy loss. In this case, chances are higher that the woman may have a detectable problem that causes the miscarriage. About 50% of the cases, doctors find a cause for recurrent miscarriages and then the woman is given treatment in her next pregnancy. However, half of the cases may not reveal a cause. At any rate, a woman may still get pregnant again even with two unexplained miscarriages, and still with greater chances of a normal pregnancy than another miscarriage. Causes of recurrent miscarriages are usually much more controversial compared to that of single miscarriages. The following is a list of some of the most commonly recognized causes of recurrent miscarriages: Abnormality in the structure of the uterus Blood clotting disorders, such as antiphospholipid syndrome Certain chromosomal conditions, such as balanced translocation Doctors believe that low progesterone and other hormonal imbalances may cause recurrent miscarriages. Although treatment with progesterone supplements is fairly common after one or two pregnancy losses, however, not all medical practitioners agree on the practice. Others believe that malfunction in the immune system, such as high levels of natural killer cells, may be the culprit. Pregnancy losses after the 20th week are called stillbirths. Too-early births, on the other hand, are called preterm labors. Both preterm labors and stillbirths usually have different causes from earlier miscarriages, although chromosomal errors in the baby can also cause stillbirths. The most common causes of stillbirths and preterm labors are cervical insufficiency, problems in the placenta, and preterm labor due to medical issues in the mother. No matter what may be the cause of pregnancy loss, the woman is advised to seek out emotional support from friends and relatives. Counseling helps a lot in dealing with the emotional aftermath of miscarriage.
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While the whole world was masquerading in scary and outrageous costumes during Halloween, a team of scientists was making progress with the latest study on irrational fear. Results of this study are expected to expand current knowledge about treatments for major medical problems concerning irrational fear. “We’re taking all of what we learned from the basic studies of animals and bringing that into the clinical practices that help people. Things are starting to come together in a very important way,” said Stephen Maren, a psychology professor from the University of Michigan. The National Institute of Mental Health revealed that about 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Being a basic primal emotion, fear is a key to evolutionary survival which we share in common with animals. Aside from genetics, traumatic events are closely associated with the development of overwhelming and needless fear. Ted Abel, a fear researcher at the University of Pennsylvania considers fear to be a funny thing. “ One needs enough of it, but not too much of it,” said Abel. According to Armi Rowe, a Connecticut freelance writer and mother, she used to be one of those rational types who are usually calm under pressure. She is not afraid to downhill ski the treacherous black diamond trails of snowy mountains. One day, however, while coping with some serious illnesses in her family, she felt fear closing in on her while she was driving alone. She thought that the stab of pain on her chest was a heart attack and called 911. Later on, it was learned that what happened was an anxiety attack. With the help of counseling, self-study coping exercises and introspection, Rowe learned to manage such attacks early on. David Carbonell, a Chicago psychologist specializing in treating anxiety disorders, said that there’s a trick to panic attack. “You’re experiencing this powerful discomfort but you’re getting tricked into treating it like danger”, said Carbonell. There is a possibility that by learning how fear runs through the brain and body, scientists can improve on how to dampen fear. Amygdala, an almond-shaped part of the deep brain, is the fear hot spot. New York University psychology and neural science professor Elizabeth Phelps said that amygdala is not the one responsible for all fear response but acts like a burglar alarm that connects to everything else. It was found that a certain chemical reaction in the amygdala is vital in the way mice and people learn to overcome fear, according to Emory University psychiatry and psychology professor Michael Davis. Mice never learn to counter their fears when that reaction is deactivated. D-cycloserine, a drug already used to fight hard-to-treat tuberculosis, was found to strengthen that good chemical reaction in mice. When combined with therapy, it produces the same effect on people who have a fear of heights, and is now being tested in survivors of the World Trade Center attacks and the Iraq war. Recent studies have shown that people easily recognize fear in other humans faster than other emotions. Other studies have suggested that bodily functions change just by being very afraid. One study found that very frightened people can withstand more pain than those not experiencing fear. Another found that experiencing fear or merely perceiving it in others improved people’s attention and brain skills. According to Carbonell, since the normal response for dealing with a real threat is either to flee or fight, the best way to deal with fear when the threat is unreal is to do just the opposite: “Wait it out and chill.”
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Many people think of body sculpture as an American interest. In truth, it is world wide as seen when discussing cosmetic procedures in Brazil. Cosmetic Procedures in Brazil Cosmetic surgery is a phenomenon that is sweeping the world. If you are unhappy with the way your face or body looks, it’s now easy to obtain surgery to correct your problem areas. With techniques ranging from using injections to plump up areas to dramatic surgeries to remove entire sections of skin and fat, cosmetic modification can be called one of the fastest growing industries today. In fact, getting cosmetic surgery done has become so popular that some patients have started scheduling their procedures in different countries. They can benefit from cheaper rates and also combine their surgery with a vacation. For example, we can look at Brazil. While many people think of Rio de Janeiro and Carnival when they think about Brazil, there are also other reasons to go to this country. Brazil is home to some of the world’s most accomplished surgeons, and having your cosmetic procedures in Brazil can be an interesting vacation experience. Travel agents who specialize in these “cosmetic vacations” are happy to set everything up for your trip, including both the relaxing aspects and surgery portions of your vacation. When searching for a travel agent to set up your treatment vacation, or for a surgeon yourself, be sure to find out as much as you can before getting on the plane. Often, surgeons and hospitals in other parts of the world are credentialed differently, and may not have to pass the rigorous inspections that those in the United States have to pass. Most reputable doctors and services will be happy to present you with information about your surgeon’s experience and degrees. Cosmetic procedures in Brazil are an especially good choice, as there are over 3,500 members of the Brazilian Society of Cosmetic Surgery, and each of them must pass strict requirements. Most of the surgeries in Brazil take place in Rio de Janeiro. Most often the surgeon will speak English (if not, translators are available). This city is also considered a safe place for your vacation and recovery after surgery as long as you stick to the areas specified. Hey, ever city has its bad areas. Choosing to have a cosmetic procedure in Brazil is a great option for those people who would like to combine the experience of cosmetic surgery with a trip to a beautiful resort area. Travel agents and other services who deal with these sorts of trips are available and able to help you make the proper choices of doctors and where to stay. Just be sure to obtain plenty of information about your doctor and procedure before you consent to having it performed, and you’ll have a great time!