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Support for Prenatal and Postnatal Anxiety

There are several things which can help manage an anxiety disorder in pregnancy. One of the most important things that a woman with anxiety should do is take care of herself.

22 Jan 2017

Pre- and Postnatal Anxiety

Many women experience some degree of anxiety during their pregnancies or immediately afterwards. This may be directed towards the gestation itself, including labor and delivery, or it may be more generalized. Anxiety during pregnancy is termed prenatal anxiety, while it is called postnatal anxiety if it occurs in the period from delivery to one year postpartum.

22 Jan 2017

Stem Cell Research for Fighting Degenerative Disc Disease

Low back pain resulting from degenerative disc disease is one of the most prevalent pathologies in the developed world. In the US, low back pain is the most common health problem for those younger than the age of 50. While there can be many causes of low back pain, the condition often is associated with the degeneration of the intervertebral disc -- degenerative disc disease.

20 Jan 2017

Macrominerals and Trace Minerals in the Diet

The body requires a number of minerals in order to maintain its proper functioning. The minerals are used for a variety of physiological processes such as building blood and bone, making hormones, regulating heartbeat, and more. There are two types of minerals. Macrominerals are needed in large amounts. Trace minerals are needed in very small amounts.

19 Jan 2017

Support for Birth Trauma

Postnatal birth trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is now being recognized as an important cause of severe mental health issues following childbirth. It has been estimated to affect 1 – 21% of women at this time.

19 Jan 2017

Diagnosis and Treatment of Sepsis in Newborns

Sepsis is a medical condition wherein the immune system overreacts to an infection, turning the white blood cells against the body’s own cells and tissues. Anyone with a weak immune system is susceptible to sepsis. Neonatal sepsis is the term for this blood condition in babies of less than three months of age.

19 Jan 2017

Causes and Symptoms of Sepsis in Newborns

The immune system of the human body is responsible for defending the body against outside agents which may cause infection. The immune system of a newborn is fairly weak and takes time to develop - this leaves the newborn open to several possible infections. It is for this reason that healthcare providers ensure that the baby is not exposed to any potential infections.

19 Jan 2017

Focal Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis (FSGS)

Focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS), first described in the late 1950s, is one of the most common causes of primary glomerular diseases in the adult population. Moreover, the incidence of FSGS has been increasing in the past few years. FSGS may arise due to a systemic condition or as an idiopathic renal disease where a cause cannot be identified.

19 Jan 2017

Cutaneous Larva Migrans Life Cycle

Cutaneous larva migrans is a skin condition in which the larvae of some hookworm species migrate within the skin to produce an intensely pruritic, serpiginous or linear rash. This is known as a creeping eruption.

19 Jan 2017

Cutaneous Larva Migrans Causes

Cutaneous larva migrans is a creeping eruption, which arises due to infection by the filariform larva of the hookworm (Ancylostoma), or the dog tapeworm (Strongyloides). It is the most common skin condition to occur in travelers who have been in tropical or subtropical regions.

19 Jan 2017

Cutaneous Larva Migrans

Cutaneous larva migrans is a creeping skin eruption with a serpentine single-track rash. Most common in those who live in or visit the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, it is caused by a helminthic infestation.

19 Jan 2017

Cutaneous Larva Migrans Diagnosis and Management

Cutaneous larva migrans is caused by the epidermal migration of the filariform larvae of various hookworm and occasionally, dog tapeworm, species. The most common type is due to the dog/cat hookworm Ancylostoma braziliense. It manifests as a red or vesicular lesion at the site of entry of the larva, usually between the toes of the bare foot. The skin around this papule is usually pruritic.

19 Jan 2017

Support for Stillbirth and Miscarriage

The loss of a baby through stillbirth or miscarriage is an emotionally traumatic event that no parent ever forgets. Parents who were expecting and anticipating a new life but instead find themselves grieving a death, find it immensely difficult to accept the loss of their baby as a reality.

19 Jan 2017

What Causes Stillbirth?

Stillbirth refers to the death of a baby before or during delivery and after 24 weeks of pregnancy. If a baby dies before 24 weeks of completed pregnancy, the term “miscarriage” or fetal loss applies instead.

19 Jan 2017

Splinter Hemorrhages

Splinter hemorrhages are essentially small spots of blood caused due to bleeding under the nails. The nail bed, or the skin under the tough surface of the nail, has a number of small blood capillaries running through it.

18 Jan 2017

Pulmonary Hypoplasia: Overview

Pulmonary hypoplasia refers to a condition where one or both of a baby’s lungs do not develop properly in the womb. Usually, the condition is secondary to another health problem that limits lung development. This not only affects the baby’s ability to breathe, but causes heart dysfunction, difficulty feeding, poor hearing and overall poor development.

18 Jan 2017

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO)

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) refers to blockage of the central artery of the retina, which leads to a profound and acute loss of vision. It is also associated with increased risk of the development of cerebral stroke and ischemic heart disease.

18 Jan 2017

Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)

Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is the most common disease of the retinal vessels. It refers to a blockage of the vein draining the retinal tissue at the back of the eye. Occurring mostly in the elderly or middle-aged, it causes a subacute loss of vision.

18 Jan 2017

Optic Disc Swelling and Papilledema

The optic disc is a non-sensory spot in the retina where the axons of the ganglion cells carrying afferent light-induced impulses to the visual cortex of the brain converge to leave the eye.

18 Jan 2017

Postnatal Depression Research

Postnatal depression (PND) may affect men or women after the birth of a baby. Its incidence is roughly 10-15% in mothers, and up to 25% in men, though often unrecognized in the latter. It affects both maternal and infant health in physical and emotional ways. It may lead to the development of postpartum psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

18 Jan 2017