Archives

QUOTE FOR FRIDAY:

May17

“Bladder Cancer. These two words deliver a devastating impact. Every year, over 610,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer, and 1.9m people find themselves living with the condition. It is the 9th most commonly diagnosed cancer and the 13th cause of death from cancer globally. But, a timely diagnosis significantly increases the chance of long-term survival and quality of life.

Blood in the urine is the most important warning sign of bladder cancer to watch out for.

Yet bladder cancer is the forgotten cancer and what many don’t know is early diagnosis offers people a higher chance of successful treatment and long-term survival. We need to get people talking about this important statistic and we need them to share this fact. World Bladder Cancer Awareness month in May 2024 is a chance for us to do exactly that.”

World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (https://worldbladdercancer.org/awareness-month/)

 

QUOTE FOR THURSDAY:

May16

“Bladder cancer makes up about 4% of cancers in the US. It is the fourth most common cancer in men, but it’s less common in women.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for bladder cancer in the United States for 2024 are:

  • About 83,190 new cases of bladder cancer (about 63,070 in men and 20,120 in women)
  • About 16,840 deaths from bladder cancer (about 12,290 in men and 4,550 in women)

The rates of both new bladder cancers and deaths from bladder cancer have been dropping in recent years.

Bladder cancer occurs mainly in older people. About 9 out of 10 people with this cancer are over the age of 55. The average age of people when they are diagnosed with bladder cancer is 73.

Overall, the chance men will develop this cancer during their lifetime is about 1 in 28. For women, the chance is about 1 in 89. However, each person’s chances of getting bladder cancer might be higher or lower than this, depending on their risk factors.”

American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html)

 

 

QUOTE FOR WEDNESDAY:

May15

“Arthritis includes approximately 100 conditions that affect the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a leading cause of activity limitations, disability, and chronic pain, and is associated with dispensed opioid prescriptions, substantially contributing to health care costs.

Combined 2019–2021 National Health Interview Survey data were analyzed to update national prevalence estimates of self-reported diagnosed arthritis. An estimated 21.2% (18.7% age-standardized) of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (53.2 million) had diagnosed arthritis during this time frame. Age-standardized arthritis prevalences were higher among women (20.9%) than men (16.3%), among veterans (24.2%) than nonveterans (18.5%), and among non-Hispanic White (20.1%) than among Hispanic or Latino (14.7%) or non-Hispanic Asian adults (10.3%). Adults aged ≥45 years represent 88.3% of all U.S. adults with arthritis. Unadjusted arthritis prevalence was high among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (57.6%), dementia (55.9%), a disability (54.8%), stroke (52.6%), heart disease (51.5%), diabetes (43.1%), or cancer (43.1%).

Approximately one half of adults aged ≥65 years with COPD, dementia, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer also had a diagnosis of arthritis. These prevalence estimates can be used to guide public health policies and activities to increase equitable access to physical activity opportunities within the built environment and other arthritis-appropriate, evidence-based interventions.”

National Library of Medicine (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10578950/)

Arthritis – what it is, the types of arthritis, signs/symptoms, how its diagnosed and the treatments!

May15

 

Arthritis is a joint disease ((Medically Arthro means joint / itis means inflammation). The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. A joint exists where the ends of two or more bones meet. The knee joint, for example, is formed between the bones of the lower leg (tibia and fibula) and the thighbone (femur). The hip joint is located where the top of the thighbone (femoral head) meets the cup portion  of the pelvis (acetabulum).

Cartilage. A smooth layer of cartilage covers the ends of bones in a joint. Cartilage cushions the bone and allows the joint to move easily without the friction that would occur with bone-on-bone contact.

Synovium. A joint is enclosed by a fibrous capsule that is lined with a tissue called the synovium, which produces a fluid that also helps to reduce friction and wear in a joint.

Muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Ligaments connect the bones and keep the joint stable. Muscles and tendons power the joint and enable it to move.

Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints.

Uric acid crystals, which form when there’s too much uric acid in your blood, can cause gout. Infections or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis.

Treatments vary depending on many factors but first the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Types of Arthritis:

1-Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) symptoms are joint inflammation that comes from pain, warmth, and swelling. The inflammation is typically symmetrical that is occurring on both sides of the body at the same time (such as hands, wrists, or knees). Other signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis include joint stiffness that is particularly in the AM upon awakening or after periods of inactivity; ongoing fatigue, and low-grade fever. Signs and symptoms come about gradually over years but can come on rapidly for some other people. RA is while is an autoimmune disorder.

2-Osteoarthritis is usually caused by normal wear and tear, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. Other types of arthritis can be caused by uric acid crystals, infections or even an underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus.

3-Autoimmune Inflammatory Arthritis

A healthy immune system is protective. It generates inflammation to clear infections and heal injuries. But in inflammatory arthritis, the immune system is overactive, attacking healthy tissue, including joints in the spine, hands and feet. In some people, inflammation becomes systemic, damaging the eyes, skin, heart and other organs. Many, but not all types of inflammatory arthritis are considered autoimmune diseases because the immune system loses the ability to distinguish self from not-self and attacks the body it’s supposed to protect.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of autoimmune inflammatory arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), gout and juvenile arthritis are less common and can be more challenging to diagnose.

4-Infectious Arthritis

A bacterial, viral or fungal infection triggers infectious arthritis. It usually starts when an infection from another part of the body travels to a joint, usually the knee. Symptoms like swelling, pain and fever can be sudden and intense, but treatment with antibiotics or antifungals usually clears the infection pretty quickly. Most viral infections last a week or two and go away on their own. Some people with infectious arthritis may need to have their joint fluid drained to remove infected synovial fluid, reduce pain and inflammation and prevent joint damage.

5-Gout (Metabolic Arthritis)

Metabolic or gouty arthritis — commonly known as gout — results from a buildup in joints of painful uric acid crystals. These are a byproduct of the breakdown of purines — substances normally found in human cells and many foods, especially red meat, organ meats, some seafoods and alcohol. Normally the body gets rid of excess uric acid, but when it doesn’t, it can accumulate in joints, causing sudden and intense bouts of pain, especially the big toe.

However, most people with high uric acid levels never develop gout and many gout patients have normal uric acid. Some research suggests that certain factors in addition to uric acid might trigger gout. Possible culprits include damage from OA, disruptions in the microbiome and even white blood cells in the fluid inside joints.

Some people experience only one gout attack, or flare, and never have other symptoms. They don’t typically require medication. People who have more than one gout flare or severe symptoms are typically prescribed uric acid-lowering drugs. Those drugs can have serious side effects (and may not address the real problem), so in addition to taking medication, patients are advised to adopt a mostly plant-based, low-purine diet, rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil and low-purine fish.

6-Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the joints and ligaments of the spine.

Regardless of whether arthritis is caused by injury, normal wear and tear, or systemic disease, the affected joint becomes inflamed, causing swelling, pain, and stiffness. Inflammation is one of the body’s normal reactions to injury or disease. In arthritic joints, however, inflammation may cause long-lasting or permanent disability when it destroys the joint’s cartilge.

The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis involve the joints:

  • Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Decreased range of motion

How arthritis is diagnosed:

Laboratory tests

The analysis of different types of body fluids can help pinpoint the type of arthritis you may have. Fluids commonly analyzed include blood, urine and joint fluid. To obtain a sample of joint fluid, doctors cleanse and numb the area before inserting a needle in the joint space to withdraw some fluid.

Imaging

These types of tests can detect problems within the joint that may be causing your symptoms. Examples include:

  • X-rays. Using low levels of radiation to visualize bone, X-rays can show cartilage loss, bone damage and bone spurs. X-rays may not reveal early arthritic damage, but they are often used to track progression of the disease.
  • Computerized tomography (CT). CT scanners take X-rays from many different angles and combine the information to create cross-sectional views of internal structures. CTs can visualize both bone and the surrounding soft tissues.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Combining radio waves with a strong magnetic field, MRIs can produce more-detailed cross-sectional images of soft tissues such as cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
  • Ultrasound. This technology uses high-frequency sound waves to image soft tissues, cartilage and fluid-containing structures near the joints (bursae). Ultrasound is also used to guide needle placement for removing joint fluid or injecting medications into the joint.

Treatments for arthritis:

Arthritis treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and improving joint function. You may need to try several different treatments, or combinations of treatments, before you determine what works best for you.

Medications

The medications used to treat arthritis vary depending on the type of arthritis. Commonly used arthritis medications include:

  • NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Examples include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Stronger NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation and may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. NSAIDs are also available as creams or gels, which can be rubbed on joints.
  • Counterirritants. Some varieties of creams and ointments contain menthol or capsaicin, the ingredient that makes hot peppers spicy. Rubbing these preparations on the skin over your aching joint may interfere with the transmission of pain signals from the joint itself.
  • Steroids. Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, reduce inflammation and pain and slow joint damage. Corticosteroids may be given as a pill or as an injection into the painful joint. Side effects may include thinning of bones, weight gain and diabetes.
  • Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). These drugs can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and save the joints and other tissues from permanent damage. In addition to conventional DMARDs, there are also biologic agents and targeted synthetic DMARDs. Side effects vary but most DMARDs increase your risk of infections.

Therapy

Physical therapy can be helpful for some types of arthritis. Exercises can improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. In some cases, splints or braces may be warranted.

Surgery

If conservative measures don’t help, doctors may suggest surgery, such as:

  • Joint repair. In some instances, joint surfaces can be smoothed or realigned to reduce pain and improve function. These types of procedures can often be performed arthroscopically — through small incisions over the joint.
  • Joint replacement. This procedure removes the damaged joint and replaces it with an artificial one. Joints most commonly replaced are hips and knees.
  • Joint fusion. This procedure is more often used for smaller joints, such as those in the wrist, ankle and fingers. It removes the ends of the two bones in the joint and then locks those ends together until they heal into one rigid unit.

 

QUOTE FOR TUESDAY

May14

”More than 100 million people in the United States have asthma and/or allergies. Some people may have more than one of these conditions.

  • More than 27 million people in the U.S. have asthma (more than 22 million adults and 4.5 million children).1,2
  • About 20 million people in the U.S. have food allergies (16 million adults and 4 million children).3,4
  • About 81 million people in the U.S. have rhinitis due to nasal allergies, also called “hay fever” (67 million adults and 114 million children).3,4
  • There is no cure for asthma or allergies.”

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (https://aafa.org/get-involved/asthma-and-allergy-awareness-month/)

May is asthma and allergy month!

May14

More than 65 million Americans overall have asthma and allergies. Some people may have one or both of these conditions.  About 25 million Americans have asthma (20 million adults and 5 million children)  About 32 million Americans have food allergies (26 million adults and 6 million children).  About 24 million Americans have rhinitis (hay fever), or nasal allergies (19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children)  There is no cure for asthma or allergies.

Rates of asthma are highest among African Americans and Puerto Ricans, young boys, and people living below the poverty line. Each year, asthma leads to more than 1.6 million emergency department visits and 170,000 hospital stays. For many, the change in seasons—with more allergens in the environment—can increase wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, or severe asthma attacks.

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) condition that affects the airways in the lungs. The airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the airways can become inflamed and narrowed at times. This makes it harder for air to flow out of your airways when you breathe out.  Many of those affected with Covid 19 with asthma have a harder time with dealing with it compared to those with no asthma due to the condition affecting breathing to begin with.

Normally, the body’s immune system helps fight infections. But it may also respond to other things you breathe in, such as pollen or mold.  These are things that trigger symptoms of asthma to come on.   In some people, the immune system reacts strongly by creating inflation.  Ending result is the airways narrow causing it more difficult to breath. Over time, the airway walls can become thicker again making oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange not be as effective as someone without asthma.

Symptoms of asthma may include:

  • Chest tightness
  • Coughing, especially at night or early morning
  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing, which is a whistling sound when you breathe out

Other conditions can cause these symptoms. but in asthma, the symptoms often follow a pattern:

  • They come and go over time or within the same day.
  • They start or get worse with viral infections, such as a cold.
  • They are triggered by exercise, allergies, cold air, or breathing too fast from laughing or crying.
  • They are worse at night or in the morning.

About 1 in 13 people in the United States has asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention external link . It affects people of all ages and often starts during childhood. Certain things can set off or worsen asthma symptoms, such as pollen, exercise, viral infections, or cold air. These are called asthma triggers. When symptoms get worse, it is called an asthma attack.

There is no cure for asthma, but treatment and an asthma action plan can help you manage it.

ALLERGY MONTH TOO:

Seasonal allergies often get lumped into one category. However, each season has its own unique allergens. Follow the guide below to see which months you can expect to see a flare up of which allergens.

For spring allergy sufferers, the joys of warmer weather, birds chirping and flowers blooming come at a price. Bothersome nose and eye symptoms, breathing difficulties and skin allergies can set in as trees begin to pollinate. Tree pollen season occurs between February and May.

Season length and timing varies each year depending on weather.  Look at this winter this year how long it has lasted and finally spring has started this month.  Due to a long, harsh winter, trees did not begin pollinating until March. Because pollen is microscopic, we cannot see it in the air and often do not know when the season has started until symptoms begin.

A common myth regarding spring allergies is that because symptoms often start in correlation with blooming flowers, the flower pollens contribute to the problem. Our allergies are due to plants that spread pollen by wind (anemophilous plants), which is how the pollen enters our eyes, noses, mouths or skin. These plants are not showy or eye-catching because they do not need to be. The plants we typically notice are usually flowering plants that are pretty for the purpose of catching the attention of pollinators like bees and other insects. These plant pollens are spread from plant to plant by the insects that visit them (entomophilous plants). For this reason, most of our pollen exposure is due to pollen in the air outdoors, and thus our allergies are to wind-pollinated plants.

Many trees are primarily pollinated by wind, and tree pollens are the main springtime allergen. Mold spores also contribute to spring allergies but are most bothersome in the fall. Common trees in the northwest Ohio region that contribute to allergy symptoms include oak, cottonwood, birch, maple, sycamore, ash, elm, hickory, walnut, beech and mulberry. There is limited cross-reactivity between tree pollens. This means that while some trees are related and pollens are somewhat similar, many tree pollens have unique features that prevent the ability to create a single treatment for tree pollen allergy. Allergists are specially trained physicians who can test patients to multiple different tree pollens and treat each patient uniquely for their specific tree pollen allergies.

For seasonal allergy sufferers, it is important to meet with a board-certified allergist to identify which allergens are most bothersome and to allow for more focused attention on avoidance measures and treatment options.

QUOTE FOR MONDAY:

May13

“There is no treatment to reverse damage to motor neurons or cure ALS at this time. However, some treatments may slow progression of the disease, improve quality of life, and extend survival. New treatments have become available in the past several years, and researchers continue to explore diverse avenues to slow or stop progression of ALS.

Supportive health care is best provided by integrated, multi-disciplinary teams of professionals.  Doctors may use the medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support a treatment plan for ALS.”

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke – NIH (https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als)

 

QUOTE FOR THE WEEKEND:

May11

“ALS is a disease that typically involves a gradual onset. The initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied. One person may have trouble grasping a pen or lifting a coffee cup, while another may experience a change in vocal pitch when speaking.

The progression rate of ALS can be quite variable, as well. Although the mean survival time with ALS is two to five years after diagnosed with ALS, some people go longer for live five years, 10 years or even longer.  It varies from individual to individual after diagnosed with ALS.”

ALS Association (https://www.als.org/understanding-als/symptoms-diagnosis)

QUOTE FOR FRIDAY:

May10

“The more you learn about ALS, the better prepared you’ll be. Remember, in addition to doing your own research, speaking regularly with your healthcare provider(s) will help you make the most informed decisions moving forward. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a disease that affects parts of the nervous system that control voluntary muscle movements (the muscles that people move at will, like those of the arms and legs). ALS is referred to as a progressive disease, meaning the symptoms continue to get worse over time. People with ALS gradually lose strength in their muscles and become weaker, which can limit movement and the ability to live an independent life.

As ALS progresses, it will eventually affect muscles that control breathing, as well as chewing and swallowing food.”

ALS Pathways (https://www.alspathways.com/als-overview)

QUOTE FOR THURSDAY:

May9

“There are two main types of high blood pressure.

1.) Primary hypertension, also called essential hypertension:
For most adults, there’s no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure is called primary hypertension or essential hypertension. It tends to develop gradually over many years. Plaque buildup in the arteries, called atherosclerosis, increases the risk of high blood pressure.

2.) Secondary hypertension
This type of high blood pressure is caused by an underlying condition. It tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension. Conditions and medicines that can lead to secondary hypertension include:

-Adrenal gland tumors
-Blood vessel problems present at birth, also called congenital heart defects
-Cough and cold medicines, some pain relievers, birth control pills, and other prescription drugs
-Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines
-Kidney disease
-Obstructive sleep apnea
-Thyroid problems

Sometimes just getting a health checkup causes blood pressure to increase. This is called white coat hypertension.”

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410)