What Is Breast Cancer? by Melanie Haiken

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If you’re caring for someone who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s helpful for you to get grounded in the basics of the disease. Breast cancer usually starts with a cancerous, or malignant, tumor located in the breast tissue. Most breast cancers are located in the area around the nipple. For women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, following only lung cancer. Although men can get breast cancer, it’s rare (only one half of 1 percent of all breast cancers are in men).

Most breast cancers are found when a woman feels a lump or hard area within her breast or when a suspicious area turns up on a mammogram. Not all tumors are malignant; doctors determine whether one is by taking a biopsy of the tumor tissue. Then they can examine whether cells are growing in the out-of-control fashion that indicates cancer.

The majority of breast tumors are described as being either lobular or ductal. These terms refer to the location of the tumor: whether it’s located in a lobule, or milk-producing gland, or in a duct, one of the tubes connecting the lobules with the nipple.

In situ and invasive breast cancer

One of the first things doctors try to establish is whether a breast tumor is contained within its original location or has spread to surrounding tissue. To determine this, doctors use two terms:

  • In situ. This means the malignant cells are contained within the original area — that is, within the duct or lobule. Women with very early-stage breast cancer will be told they have ductal carcinoma in situ or lobular carcinoma in situ. These are also sometimes called stage 0 because they aren’t invasive.
  • Invasive (or infiltrating). This means the cancerous cells have broken through the wall of the duct or lobule and are expanding into other areas. The most common type of breast cancer is invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC), which means cancer that started within a milk duct has now spread into the fatty tissue of the breast. Eight in ten of all breast cancers are IDC. Invasive lobular carcinoma, or ILC, is much less common, accounting for only one in ten invasive breast tumors.

The rarest type: Inflammatory breast cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer, a form of invasive breast cancer, accounts for only 1 to 3 percent of all breast cancers. This type of cancer doesn’t start with a lump or tumor. Instead, it begins by blocking lymph vessels in the skin. Women with inflammatory breast cancer may notice their breasts are red, swollen, and painful, and the skin may have a thick, pitted appearance that’s often described as resembling orange peel. Unfortunately, inflammatory breast cancer is often mistaken for mastitis, or infection of the milk ducts around the nipple.

The lymphatic system carries fluid that fights infection, and the lymph nodes and vessels near the breast and under the arm are one of the first places breast cancer typically spreads. Once in the lymph nodes and vessels, cancerous cells can be carried to other areas of the body.

Doctors biopsy lymph nodes to assess if breast cancer has spread. You’ll hear the term lymph node involvement as a marker for whether a cancer is contained within the breast or is metastatic, which means it’s spreading to other areas. The term sentinel node refers to the lymph node that doctors determine is the first node into which a tumor might drain; this node is usually biopsied.

Breast cancer tests for diagnosis and staging

Once a mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI locates a potential tumor, the doctor may order additional tests to see if the cancer has spread:

  • Blood tests can assess kidney and liver function and may also reveal tumor markers, although these are not very reliable for breast cancer.
  • A biopsy of the tumor will be used to assess certain characteristics that can tell the doctor how aggressive the cancer is. Typically, lymph nodes are biopsied as well.
  • Chest X-rays can show if the cancer has spread to the lungs.
  • Bone scans can reveal whether there’s cancer in the bones.
  • CT scans are used to look at the chest and abdomen to see if the cancer has spread to other organs.
  • Sometimes PET scans are used to check for cancer in the lymph nodes or to scan the whole body for cancer.
  • The doctor may ask for an MRI if she’s concerned about whether cancer has spread to the brain.
  • The doctor will ask about the patient’s family history and may recommend a new test called Oncotype DX, which is used to predict the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence. It can be a useful tool for women with early-stage cancer who are trying to decide whether chemotherapy is necessary.<br type=”_moz” />

How breast cancer is diagnosed and staged

Oncologists use a complex system of letters and numerals to determine the status or stage of breast cancer. Knowing these numbers is very important, because it will help the patient understand the prognosis. If your friend or relative wants you to accompany her to doctor visits, you can help her understand what you both hear there. You’ll also want to know as much as possible in order to research and understand treatment options and explore clinical trials.

The letter T is used to designate the tumor size and spread, the word N indicates whether there’s cancer present in the lymph nodes, and the letter M stands for metastasis. So T2, N0 (zero), M0 means a 2-centimeter tumor that has not spread to the lymph nodes or any other areas.

The medical team then combines this information into a stage. There are four stages of invasive breast cancer, and some stages are broken down still further:

Stage 1

The tumor is smaller than 2 centimeters and no lymph nodes are involved.

Stage IIA

There are three possibilities at this stage:

  • The tumor measures less than 2 centimeters but has spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
  • No tumor is found in the breast itself, but cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes under the arm.
  • The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters across but there’s no lymph node involvement.

Stage IIB

There are two possibilities at this stage:

  • The tumor is 2 to 5 centimeters across and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
  • The tumor is bigger than 5 centimeters but hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage IIIA

There are two possibilities at this stage:

  • The tumor has spread to the axillary lymph nodes and the nodes are clumped together or sticking to other structures.
  • No tumor is found in the breast, but cancer is in the lymph nodes, which are clumping together or sticking to other structures, or it is present in lymph nodes near the breastbone.

Stage IIIB

There are two possibilities at this stage:

  • A tumor of any size has spread to the chest wall or skin of the breast; it also may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or those near the breastbone.
  • All inflammatory breast cancer, which is considered Stage IIIB or higher when diagnosed.

Stage IV

The cancer has spread to other organs of the body, usually the lungs, brain, or liver; or the bones. Sometimes the doctor will say the cancer is metastatic at presentation, which means it had already spread to other parts of the body before the original tumor was discovered.

Oncologists and other cancer specialists look at whether breast cancer cells have certain characteristics that can predict aggressive growth. Pathology results from the biopsy will determine:

  • Whether the cancer has receptors for the hormones estrogen and progesterone. You’ll hear the doctor use the terms ER-positive or ER-negative, which means the tumor tested positive or negative for an abundance of estrogen receptors.
  • The amount of a protein called HER-2 produced by cancer cells. A HER-2 positive tumor is considered to be more aggressive, but it also means your family member can take Herceptin, a new drug that treats HER-2 positive tumors with excellent success.

Information about hormonal receptor status and HER-2 status can help the doctor recommend an individualized treatment plan that will offer the best chance of curing or controlling the cancer.

Once the medical team has assembled all the information possible to determine staging, it will offer a prognosis. This can be a tricky business, as there are many variables that affect a woman’s health and response to breast cancer treatment.

Sometimes doctors will discuss prognosis in terms of statistical “cure rates,” “recurrence rates,” or “survival rates.” This can sound very impersonal, but it’s the medical profession’s way of offering its best guess in terms of what you can expect.

One measure commonly used is the 5-year survival rate, which means the percentage of those who live at least five years after being diagnosed. Keep in mind that many of these patients live considerably longer than five more years, but they may be tracked for only five years.

Another term is 5-year relative survival rate, which takes into account the fact that some patients with cancer will die from other causes. Many organizations are adopting this number, as it’s considered more accurate.

Assuming you’re invited to your family member’s doctor visits, pay close attention when her doctor gives her this information, and ask as many questions as you need to in order to understand the information. A person who’s still reeling from a cancer diagnosis may have trouble taking in what she hears.

For example, the doctor may tell her that among all people with breast cancer, five-year relative survival is 100 percent for stage I, 86 percent for stage II, 57 percent for stage III, and 20 percent for stage IV. But these are very general numbers — her doctor can use information about tumor characteristics and general health to offer her a better sense of her own breast cancer and put these statistics in perspective.

Resources:

About the Author

Senior Editor Melanie Haiken, who is responsible for Caring.com’s coverage of cancer, general health, and family finance, discovered how important it is to provide accurate, targeted, usable health information to people facing difficult decisions when she was health editor of Parenting magazine. She has also worked for San Francisco’s renowned Center for Investigative Reporting. She has a master’s degree in Journalism and a B.A. in English, both from the University of California at Berkeley.

Vitamin D & Colorectal Cancer Survival by Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS

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Vitamin D & Colorectal Cancer Survival

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“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers…”

By, Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS

Updated: 09/20/2009

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The information in this column is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice or recommendations by the author. Please consult with your physician before making any lifestyle or medication changes, or if you have any other concerns regarding your health.

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VITAMIN D & COLORECTAL CANCER SURVIVAL

Vitamin D is increasingly being looked at as a cancer prevention nutrient, as multiple prior clinical research studies have linked higher blood levels of this hormone-like vitamin, and calcium (which is regulated by Vitamin D), with a decreased risk of colon and rectal cancer, as well as other cancers.

Less well understood is the role of Vitamin D as a survival factor in patients who have already been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Now, a newly updated clinical research study from Harvard University, just published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggests that higher Vitamin D levels in colorectal cancer survivors may be associated with a significantly greater likelihood of surviving the third most common cause of cancer death in the United States.

The authors of this clinical research study analyzed volunteers within the massive Nurses’ Health Study. A total of 1,107 volunteers were diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer, between 1986 and 2004, after joining this long-term prospective public health study. Using a previously validated scoring system that accurately predicts Vitamin D levels in the blood, the researchers assessed the survival rates of these colorectal cancer patients as a function of their Vitamin D scores. (It is important to note that Vitamin D scores were calculated prior to the diagnosis of colorectal cancer in these patient volunteers.) The results were rather profound.

The Vitamin D scores for these 1,017 colorectal cancer patients were broken up into a five different ranges, and the patients with the highest Vitamin D scores were then compared with those in the lowest “quintile” with respect to cancer-related mortality and overall mortality. This analysis revealed that patients with the highest Vitamin D scores were 50 percent less likely to die of colorectal cancer during the course of this study, and 38 percent less likely to die from all causes, when compared to the patients with the lowest Vitamin D scores.

While the exact mechanisms whereby Vitamin D and calcium may decrease the risk of colorectal cancer, and the risk of death following a diagnosis of colorectal cancer, are still being studied, there is already intriguing data showing that Vitamin D supplementation can “up-regulate” the activity of genes in both premalignant and malignant colon and rectal tumors that, in turn, increase the death rate of the abnormal cells that make up such tumors (through a pathway known as apoptosis).

While no nutrient or medication has been shown to prevent all colorectal cancers, or to cure all colon and rectal cancers once they develop, there is an increasing amount of high-quality clinical data suggesting that higher levels of Vitamin D in the blood are associated with a decreased risk of both premalignant and malignant colon and rectal tumors. Now, based upon this new study’s results, it appears that higher Vitamin D levels may also be associated with improved survival following the diagnosis of colorectal cancer as well. The impact of Vitamin D levels on colorectal cancer survival also mirror similar findings that I have recently reported on with respect to breast cancer (Breast Cancer Recurrence, Death & Vitamin D).

Look for a much more detailed discussion of the role of Vitamin D, and other dietary and nutritional factors, in cancer prevention in my forthcoming book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.”

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Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity

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Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a widely published author, and a Surgical Oncologist at the Kaiser Permanente healthcare system in Orange County, California

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http://doctorwascher.com

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Copyright 2007 - 2009 Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS All rights reserved

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About the Author

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a widely published author, and a Surgical Oncologist at the Kaiser Permanente healthcare system in Orange County, California

http://doctorwascher.com

HOW TO OVERCOME CANCER by OMANAMI PATSOKARI

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TRASH THAT “DEATH SENTENCE”I never give up on anyone with cancer. I’ve seen too many people recover completely after that “survival time” sentence from their doctors. Can you follow a simple diet and supplement regimen for 6-8 weeks? That’s all that my readers have found is necessary to reverse their cancer. My mission is to help you join their ranks as a “long-term cancer survivor.” I want you to live out your normal lifespan, not just “survive” for five years with a destroyed quality of life.

Would you like a method for checking your progress at overcoming the cancer? You prepare the sample at home THE HEALING REGIMEN

The regimen I recommend for ALL cancer patients comes at the cancer from six different “directions.” Six different theories about how to deal with cancer cells. All of these six forms of treatment are gentle (no dangerous, too-rapid “die off”), non-toxic and they all work together. They are, in fact, synergistic. They help each other.

They address the four characteristics of every cancer. These four conditions must be corrected before anyone can get over cancer: 1) A weak immune system; 2) A lack of oxygen to the cells; 3) Excessive toxins; and 4) Acidity. Conventional cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation and surgery) makes all of these conditions worse. In fact, it is responsible for almost all the deaths attributed to “cancer.” That’s right. The “treatment” causes the deaths — not the cancer.

Why? The conventional cancer treatments are approaching the cancer tumor (or its existence in your blood, lymph system or bone marrow) as if it were the “enemy.” Kill the cancer cells at all costs! Those costs may be your heart, your liver, your kidneys — or your life. Why do they do these things? There are literally 350 other effective ways to treat cancer. All of them are non-toxic and harmless to your other organs. Why doesn’t your cancer doctor tell you about these options? Can you spell M-O-N-E-Y? The average cancer patient (like you) generates $1.3 million in revenue for the cancer “industry.” Do you think they want you to be healed by something that costs pennies a day? MY CRUSADE

To get to this regimen, I have studied cancer treatment every day for the last ten years — since 1998, when I first realized all the information that was available even then on the Internet. I’ve sifted through hundreds of “alternative” cancer “cures.” I’ve talked to thousands of cancer survivors, cancer doctors, nutritionists, nurses, cancer experts of all kinds. I’ve read everything I could get my hands on. I am on a mission — a crusade, if you will — to help as many people as possible avoid my former wife’s fate. [See "About Me" on the left of this screen.]

JUST A LIMITED TIME COMMITMENT

Now, you or your loved one can benefit from my experience. All I suggest is that you give this regimen six to eight weeks while postponing other treatment. I’m not asking for you to commit your life — just six to eight weeks. I’ve found that within just a few days, 90% or more of the cancer patients who do this feel so much better that they continue with this regimen for life.

You see, I know it’s not too difficult because I do it every day myself for prevention. I am 76 years old and in perfect health.

ADDITIONAL COACHING

Obviously, if this regimen doesn’t work to reverse your cancer or that of your loved one, there are literally hundreds of other options to try. You can use the “Coaching” option on this web site to get me by telephone to help you isolate the best ones for you.

FOR more information check http://515acnw9vphgcw6m509urjmy5v.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=1980

About the Author

YES THIS REMEDY IS THE BEST OF ALL I HAVE TRIED FOR. IT WORKS FOR ME 5 MONTHS NOW SO YOU CAN TRY IT TOO. FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK BELLOW

http://515acnw9vphgcw6m509urjmy5v.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=1980

Ovarian Cysts Medications Don’t Work In The Long Run

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Ovarian Cysts Medications Don’t Work In The Long Run

by Mary Parker
Most ovarian cysts are asymptomatic, disappear without medication and cause no harm. Medications for ovarian cysts, whenever prescribed, alleviate pain and pressure in the pelvic region and prevent the forming of more cysts by stopping the process of ovulation if it is a chronic problem. The best way to stop ovulation is to take birth control pills.

Ovarian Cysts Medicines at the Initial Stages

As far as functional cysts are concerned, the medical professional usually recommends a period of observation without medications. The idea is to find out whether the ovarian cyst is growing or not and whether it is going away on its own. This would be followed by a pelvic exam in about 2 months time to find out whether there is any change in the size.

If the ovarian cyst does not improve even after 1 to 2 menstrual cycles, your consulting physician might suggest some more analytical tests for ascertaining that the symptoms are not being produced by another type of ‘ovarian growth’. Some simple measures like taking pain-reducing medicine and using heating pads can aid in providing temporary relief from some annoying and often painful symptoms experienced around this time.

Medications For Ovarian Cysts On An Ongoing Basis

Any ovarian cyst that persists for more than 2 or 3 menstrual cycles needs to be investigated thoroughly. When using ‘Ultrasound’ tests, the cyst will appear to have a weird look. This should be taken seriously because if it is left untreated, the cyst may give rise to the need for medications or surgery for its removal ultimately. You will probably be advised to continue taking ‘Birth Control Pills’ for preventing ovulation and thus, stopping more cysts from forming. On the flip side, too much of birth control medication may adversely affect your chances of getting a healthy pregnancy later on.

Surgery as relief

The need for surgery arises when oral medication fails to make the cyst go away. This surgery, known as cystectomy, can be done with the help of laparoscopic means, which basically requires a little incision and is a very safe method. Extreme pain that is associated with advanced stages of the condition may require a surgical operation on an emergency basis. If the case is found to be more severe (revealed by means of ultrasound tests), or if there is a risk of ovarian cancer or other threats to the patient’s life involved, a more extensive surgery viz. laparotomy, which involves removing the larger abdominal incision, is recommended.

Surgery could also be needed to confirm the presence of ovarian cysts. And if ovarian cancer is suspected, surgery will also be required for gauging the state of ovarian growths. You must realise however that surgery does not provide a permanent solution in the matter of ovarian cysts. It can only work if it is used to remove the ovaries altogether. What would require surgery are situations where the cyst or the ovary have been ruptured or twisted (torsion), where there is severe pain or bleeding, where the cyst is more than 3 inches or is pressing on some of the other abdominal organs, the cyst is not going away although and two or three months have elapsed since its detection and where these months have covered a couple of menstrual periods and finally, where the ultrasound has discovered something suspicious.

Surgery confirms the presence of the cyst and also should rule out the ovarian cancer’s presence. It should also remove the pain, and offer relief from the pressure when the size is greater than 3 inches.

But although the application of surgery could prove effective for the treatment of ovarian cysts, some studies have also shown that it could lead to complications as well. These complications could include problems of access, of operative procedures and physiological complications involving pneumoperitoneum.

Surgery Choices

Surgery choices can be broadly divided into two types - in case of small incisions it is laparoscopy and when the abdomen area needs to be cut it is laparotomy. Laparoscopy is often used to confirm the presence of ovarian cysts in woman who are still capable of bearing children. Non-cancerous ovarian cysts, even if they are persistent, large or painful, can be removed easily by laparoscopy. The ovary is spared in such a procedure. Laparotomy is opted for cysts that have grown too large. This is also the preferred mode of surgery for cases involving ovarian cancer, or if when there are problems in the abdomen or in the pelvic region. For a patient with cancer, a larger incision is required to enable the surgeon to study the area closely to remove the cancerous growth, which is a difficult proposition with laparoscopy.

Factors to be thought of

One of the most important points to ponder and take up for consideration before initiating a treatment is if you get cysts once menopause has set in. There is an increased risk of cancer in the ovary after menopause. Thus, all the ‘Postmenopausal Ovarian Growths’ should be carefully checked and investigated for signs of cancer. Doctors often would advise on removing the affected ovary or both, viz. oophorectomy, if cysts develop after menopause on an ovary. Interestingly, there is a growing trend of moving away from surgery, particularly when the cyst is small in size and quite simple for postmenopausal women, and medication is strongly favoured to it. But beware, certain postmenopausal cysts in the ovary like unilocular cysts have thin walls and a compartment and can lead to cancer.

Holistic approach

The problem can be solved easily if holistic approach is selected at an early stage. It is actually the least painful and the simplest solution as well for treating cysts in the ovary. ‘Prevention is better than cure’ - this is what this approach believes in. The holistic approach tries to identify the main causes why the cyst is getting formed and tries to stop them. This is done through optimism and physical fitness. The holistic approach offers new hope for ovarian cysts.

About the Author:

A Beginners Guide On Colon Cancer

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A Beginners Guide On Colon Cancer

by Don Pedro
Most people in the world today call on cancer as a curse. Well, if cancer is a curse, colon cancer is just as bad. It infects the whole of your digestive system, making eating and digestion a horror. And when you think it just couldn’t get worse, even your appendix has to pay for it.

Remote as the appendix is, it is not safe from colorectal cancer. As the name implies it is a cancer that affects your colon and your rectum. It is as dangerous as any cancer you know, and it kills about as must as its senior, breast cancer.

Very rarely can you escape chemotherapy when you have to deal with colon cancer. Painfull as this is, it comes only after you have been operated upon to remove the tumor itself. At least, the chief source of your problems has to be gotten rid of first, which is a very necessary first step to surviving the condition.

Most people don’t look forward to treating colorectal cancer, least of all, you, the sufferer. First you need a colonoscopy to learn the extent of the disease. This done, you need a surgery to begin the treatment. A lot of the time, it is finished off by chemotherapy.

Colon cancer, like other types of cancers, is curable if diagnosed early. This means that you have to catch it before the cancer has had the opportunity to spread beyond your intestines. If you fail at this, you certainly cannot be blaming anyone else for your misfortunes. It’s worth repeating here that early detection is the key to surviving colon cancer.

Of the myriad of cancer cases all over the world, lung cancer is probably the most well known, followed by breast cancer. Colon cancer comes in third, being also the second in reputation as a cause for cancer deaths.

There are a lot of techniques by which you can identify a large bowel cancer on time. Unfortunately, too many people neglect to use these processes at the times when the disease is just starting out in them. Soon enough, the disease spreads, and then they can no longer cure it.

A lot of people don’t seem to know much about colon cancer, at least not as many people are there are that know about and dread breast cancer. However, the numbers of newly recorded cases of the condition continue to rise each year. So also does the number of deaths.

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Identifying Yeast Infection

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Identifying Yeast Infection

by Tom Valian

Yeast infections are a very common condition these days, though they are more common in women than in men. This is because the structure of the female genitalia promotes yeast growth. Yeast infections most commonly manifest themselves as:

1.Itching

2.A burning sensation

3.Pain while urinating

4.A discharge that looks like cottage cheese

5.Discomfort during sexual intercourse (Sometimes a bloody discharge will also accompany this pain).

Yeast infections, as is obvious by the name, are caused by overgrowth of yeast. Specifically, the growth of yeast belonging to the candida family of yeasts is responsible for most of the yeast infections. There are two primary causes for the overgrowth of yeast:

1. Lack of resistance from bacteria.

Conditions that favor growth of yeast.

Bacterial resistance is usually eliminated due to use of anti-biotics, use of harsh anti-bacterial soaps, and due to use of anti-bacterial agents in pads.

Diets that are heavily saturated with sugar and fat, especially sugar, promote yeast infections, and can easily lead to more and more severe yeast infections. This is because yeast grows on sugar much more than bacteria do.

The body’s natural defenses, bacteria, and yeast are always engaged in a three-way battle, and this keeps the bacteria and the yeast growth in check. However, removing bacteria can easily lead to a yeast infection, while removing yeast can lead to a bacteria infection. As such, with every anti-biotic course that you take, make sure to also take some anti-yeast or anti-fungal agents.

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IBS - Are Your Bowels Irritable?

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IBS - Are Your Bowels Irritable?

by Richard H Ealom

INTRODUCTION: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel condition of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by changes in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically over months or years. It happens predominantly in women, with females representing over 70% of sufferers and can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Irritable Bowel Syndrome doesn’t damage the bowel or lead to other health problems. It has no known cure, but you can do things to ease the symptoms.

SYNDROME: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term (chronic) but controllable condition. No single kind of treatment works best for everyone. It is a “syndrome,” meaning a group of symptoms. As noted, IBS is characterized by its symptoms such as continuous or recurrent lower abdominal pain or cramping (from mild to excruciating) in association with changed bowel motility (diarrhea, constipation, or both).

It’s important that the following diseases are excluded before you accept a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome: Colon and carcinoid cancer, Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis), Bowel obstructions, Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Food allergies, Celiac (a genetic, autoimmune disorder resulting in gluten intolerance), Bacterial infections and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Parasites in the intestines, Endometriosis, Ovarian cancer.

SYMPTOMS: Signs that cumulatively support the diagnosis of IBS: unusual stool frequency (may be defined as greater than 3 bowel movements daily or less than 3 bowel movements weekly), abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool), abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or incomplete evacuation feeling), passage of mucus, bloating or feeling of abdominal distension.

You and your doctor will need to work together to determine what may be causing your symptoms. It may be necessary for you to change your lifestyle to best deal with your symptoms and still carry on with your daily activities.

TREATMENT: Is dependent on the types of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they affect your daily activities, and will likely involve changes to your lifestyle. It is neccessary that you work closely with your physician to create a course of treatment that will meet your needs.

Let your health professional know if parts of your treatment are not helping your symptoms. Your doctor will give you the best treatments for your particular symptoms and encourage you to manage stress and make changes to your diet. Unfortunately, many people suffer from IBS for a long time before seeking medical treatment.

CONCLUSION: IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. It can cause a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. It is generally diagnosed on the basis of a complete medical history that includes a careful description of symptoms and a physical examination.

Irritable bowel syndrome is running rampant because traditional medicine has no diagnosis for it. For some persons who have it, certain foods may trigger symptoms. If you suffer from this condition you may already know that fat can irritate your problem. A diagnosis of Irritable bowel syndrome has been reported by 10 to 20% of adults in the USA, and symptoms are responsible for over 3,000,000 yearly visits to doctors.

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Recurrent Yeast Infection - Making Use of Natural Cures

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Recurrent Yeast Infection - Making Use of Natural Cures

by Natural Cures Gal

Ever dealt with recurrent yeast infections? If so, then you know that they can be uncomfortable and frustrating. When you finally think that it’s gone away to stay, it comes right back again. Even though you follow your physicians orders exactly, use the medications you’ve been given, and keep clean, there are some types of infections that are just more difficult to get rid of than others.

If you are dealing with yeast infections that come back again and again, you may want to consider trying some natural treatments out there today. Many people use natural treatments and you can easily check out the variety of great natural yeast infection treatments that are out there today. A little research will help you discover which treatments will really work and which ones may be nothing more than a myth.

Research is the best way to begin if you are looking for natural treatments for a yeast infection. Take the time to research it early on, since natural treatments work the best when you use them at the beginning of a yeast infection. Treating an infection early on can help you get rid of it quickly and can also help keep it from getting even worse. So, make use of the natural treatments that you find before your yeast infection really gets bad.

When you do try out a natural treatment for yeast infections, just keep in mind that every treatment doesn’t work the same for every person. Each person has a different body and you’ll need to take some time to figure out which treatments are going to work and which ones will have no affect at all on the problem.

Certain things work better than other to cure yeast infections in every instance, both with medical treatments and natural treatments. Your body is unlike anybody else’s in its entirety, and depending on your health, your age, how long the infections have been coming in and what other methods you have chosen to go about treating it you may experience different results than a friend with a similar problem.

There is no way to find out what treatments will work for you without at least some degree of trial and error. Most natural treatments are low to lacking on the side effects, and that is one of the many downsides of traditional yeast infection treatments. They are medicine, they have chemicals in them, and some chemicals are bound to have an adverse effect on the body.

Usually it’s a good idea to start small when you’re trying to find the right treatment for your recurrent yeast infection. You’ll find that there are many natural treatments out there that are simple and effective for treating yeast infections that seem to come back again and again. One great natural option is to use yogurt, which can be taken orally or used topically to help get rid of the problem. Just be sure you go with yogurt that is plain and that has no sugar added to it.

If you have a recurrent yeast infection, treatment naturally guaranteed is something that is possible–but you do have to be willing to do some research and figure out what your best options are. Try a few things out and see what you are most comfortable with, what works best, and what is easiest to administer. After you know what works, it is just a matter of utilizing it.

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Yeast Infections And Antibiotics

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Yeast Infections And Antibiotics

by Charlene Lendall

Antibiotic use is one of the reasons yeast infections are increasing in number every day. Antibiotics work by killing the infectious bacteria. Unfortunately the antibiotic also kills the helpful bacteria that keeps yeast in check. Without the helpful bacteria, yeast tends to overgrow leading to the situation of yeast infection after antibiotics.

You’ll hear many women say one of the following: “i am taking antibiotics and now i have a yeast infection,” or “Can uti antibiotics cause a yeast infection?” Unfortunately it’s true. Yeast infection after antibiotics is not unusual as both the bacteria for which the infection was written, and the helpful bacteria which balances yeast are killed. Antibacterial or deodorant soaps can also lead to yeast infections as they also kill the helpful bacteria.

But women are not alone, even kids often suffer from oral thrush following a dose of antibiotics.

Where You Might Not Look For Antibiotics

Much of the food that we eat is also filled with antibiotics, since the poultry and beef are given these stimulants on a daily basis in order to make sure that they remain healthy in crammed situations. The extensive usage of antibiotics amongst animals and humans is the reason for the recent boost in bacteria that are resistant to drugs and also the increased occurrence of yeast infection.

If your child consistently gets a yeast infection after antibiotics, then you might want to investigate eating organic meats.

Many people don’t know antibacterial and deodorant soaps remove the beneficial bacteria as well as the harmful bacteria from skin. If yeast infections are a problem for you or your family you might want to consider a non-medicated type of soap.

Yeast infection after antibiotics are common. So when your doctor says you need an antibiotic, ask if it is truly necessary. Too often doctors give prescriptions because their patients ask or expect a prescription.

Armed with knowledge you can be an educated consumer who can prevent yeast infection after antibiotics for your family.

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Eczema - “The Itch That Creates Rashes

Posted by: admin  :  Category: Diseases

Eczema - “The Itch That Creates Rashes

by Richard H Ealom

INTRODUCTION: Eczema is a type of dermatitis, or inflammation of the upper layers of the skin and is usually cyclical, meaning that at some times of the year the afflicted are able to feel normal, while at other times they will separate themselves from social contact. Diagnosis is most often based on the appearance of inflamed, itchy skin in sensitive areas such as face, chest and other skin crease areas.

It is sometimes referred to as “the itch that rashes,” since the itch, when scratched, results in the appearance of the rash. It can occur on just about any part of the body; however, in infants, it typically occurs on the forehead, cheeks, forearms, legs, scalp, and neck. Outbreaks can usually be avoided with some simple precautions.

DERMATITIS: One of the most common types of eczema is atopic dermatitis (or “atopic eczema”). There are several different kinds, but the one that most people usually mean when they say eczema is atopic dermatitis. In general, it comes and goes, often based on external factors.

Dermatitis is a chronic skin problem recognized by itching rashes, which may be red, scaly, dry, or leathery. It is not yet known what the cause is, but it does tend to run in families that have a history of asthma, allergies or atopic dermatitis.

Some herbs, such as chamomile, are known to cause allergic contact dermatitis. It is a chronic disease, but only about a third of children with it will continue to have problems as they get older. In atopic dermatitis it is typical for there to be episodes of calm mixed with flares ups of eczema. It’s the most common kind of eczema.

TREATMENT: Moisturizing is one of the most important self-care treatments for sufferers of eczema. Another option is to try bathing using colloidal oatmeal baths. Other than direct treatments of the symptoms, no cure is presently known for most types of dermatitis; even cortisone and immuno-modulation may often have only minor effects on what may be a complex problem.

These applications are generally most effective when applied directly after bathing (within three minutes is a common recommendation) so that the moisture from the bath is “locked in”. Tar treatments and photo-therapy are also used and can have positive effects; however, tar can be messy.

While there are many treatments, it isn’t always easy to find the one that’s right for you. Dermatitis patients can be treated, but medical treatments often don’t help a pain which is more than skin deep. The primary therapies are aimed at controlling and preventing inflammation and itching and include avoiding triggers, bathing frequently and hydrating the skin, free use of moisturizers and lubricants, and the use of steroid creams for flare ups.

With many kinds of treatments on the market, it’s critical to be well informed when making decisions with your physician. The natural human desire to scratch or rub an itchy rash simply makes the condition worse, and treatments can be slow and are not always totally effective.

CONCLUSION: Eczema is a general term covering various inflamed skin conditions and happens in both children and adults, but most frequently appears in infancy. It is an allergic reaction that affects the skin. Also known as dermatitis it can be exacerbated by dry skin. It is not contagious but as with many diseases, currently cannot be cured.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that 15 million people in the United States have some form of this disease. About 10 percent to 20 percent of all infants have it; however, in nearly half of these children, the disease will improve greatly by the time they are between five and 15 years of age.

Because dermatitis is often dry and itchy, the most commonly used treatment is the application of lotions or creams to keep the skin as moist as possible. One of the most important components of a treatment plan is to prevent scratching.

Finally, in cases where eczema does not respond to therapy, your doctor may prescribe the drug cyclosporine A, which modifies immune response; however, this is used only in extreme situations because of its association with serious side effects.

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