Disease & Illness

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Osteonecrosis Explained

  • Written by Rosamond Gaven
How many times have you heard of a patient who suffers with arthritis? The word "arthritis" is often used as a sort of umbrella term describing pain and stiffness in the joints. In reality, there are more than 100 different types of arthritis. Many of these, including osteonecrosis, can have an irreversible and debilitating effect on the body.

How is Osteonecrosis Different?

Osteonecrosis, a severe form of arthritis, causes the bone to lose its supply of blood. Affected bones and joints will actually disintegrate as the disease progresses, causing eventual death of the bone. It's a challenge for doctors to treat this condition in its early stages, because most patients don't even manifest symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage.

Symptoms

Pain and stiffness after a period of physical activity is the most common symptom of osteonecrosis. For many patients with osteonecrosis in the hip, concentrated pain is felt in the groin area. During early stages of the disease, pain is evident only when the affected area is in use. Over time, however, pain will be felt even while the joint is at rest.

How is Osteonecrosis Diagnosed?

A diagnosis of osteonecrosis can be made with the use of X-rays, but only in cases where the disease has progressed beyond the initial stages. Doctors can also detect tissue damage using an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging machine. For some patients, a CAT scan is required to make a firm diagnosis.

Treatment

Aggressive treatment may be required to stop the disintegration of the joints. The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the better the chance that the affected areas can be saved. If the disease has progressed into the advanced stages, however, it may be too late to treat and save the damaged joints.

Read more: Osteonecrosis Explained

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Schools Get a Failing Grade on Skin Cancer Smarts

  • Written by Joelle Applebe
If experts were to issue report cards on the welfare of our children, American schools would receive a big "F" in skin cancer protection and education.

Recent studies indicate that American schools are failing miserably when it comes to protecting students from the ultraviolet rays that cause skin cancer. The grim results show that these schools are not only failing to help protect our kids, they actually discourage those students who try to protect themselves.

In recent years, a study was conducted at schools across the United States to see what steps were being taken to encourage students to take precautions in the sun. The somber indications are that most schools were doing absolutely nothing. Only three percent of schools had guidelines in place to share with their students. Those sun-smart schools are planning outdoor activities during off-peak sunlight hours and offering alternate indoor activities on high UV index days.

Children taking part in outdoor activities should be encouraged to wear hats, sleeves and sunscreen during the peak sunlight hours of 11 am to 3 pm. Again, only a little more than three percent of schools have made the grade by following these protective guidelines.

Another frightening statistic shows that in more than 66 percent of schools, teachers are not allowed to apply sunscreen on students, unless they have been given a doctor's written prescription. Making matters even worse, fewer than five percent of schools have sunscreen available for those students who request it. This is not the lesson that we should be teaching our kids. Most schools ban hats to reduce the spread of head lice, and sunglasses are also banned at most schools. In regards to outdoor school areas, fewer than 20 percent have shaded areas available to provide students with a protective escape from the sun.

It's high time to give school principals some sun safety lessons. At the time of this study, nearly 70 percent of school principals felt that alerting students to the dangers of UV exposure was a waste of time and resources. Others claimed to be unaware that spending a lot of time in the direct sunlight on the school playground, could increase students' risks of acquiring skin cancer. A full 84 percent of principals, on the other hand, admitted that their students often spent a lot time outdoors during peak sunlight hours.

Read more: Schools Get a Failing Grade on Skin Cancer Smarts

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Understanding Adult Type II Diabetes

  • Written by Bernard Loten
Diabetes is a health risk that affects millions of men and women around the world. It is, in fact, one of the six leading causes of death in North America. While diabetes is a condition that poses serious consequences, it can be effectively controlled through medical treatment and positive lifestyle changes.

There are actually three types of diabetes that affect adults. Type I diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is a condition present at birth. Type II diabetes develops with age. The third type, gestational diabetes, occurs during pregnancy. Many of the symptoms are similar throughout the three types of diabetes, however each is unique in the onset and development.

Adult Type II Diabetes

One form of the disease, known as adult type II diabetes, is almost always associated with obesity. The actual cause of the disease is not clear. Adult type II diabetes causes the insulin to lose its effectiveness with age, resulting in a build-up of sugars within the blood. Medical practitioners refer to this condition as "insulin resistance". When this occurs, usually in the adult years, the patient is considered to have type II diabetes.

Many people in our generation suffer with adult type II diabetes. It's an extremely common occurrence that an estimated one in ninety adults live with every day. In the past, adult type II diabetes usually developed in older adults, but a new trend shows that the disease is affected men and women at a younger age.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin is produced in the pancreas, and allows the body to naturally regulate sugars. The failure of this biological regulation is a condition known as insulin resistance. This type of diabetes is also known as "beta cell failure". Some of the most common symptoms are as follows:

Read more: Understanding Adult Type II Diabetes

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