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Pinpointing A Cure For Morgellons Disease

September 4th, 2010 Teagh Votte No comments

Morgellons is a rare disease that was recently identified in 2002 by a woman a named by Mary Leitao. Her son was afflicted by the disease which involves an unexplained skin condition where the symptoms range from having the sensation of bugs crawling beneath the skin to severe itching. People with this disease have also experienced unexplained rashes and sores.

Mary Leitao examined her son’s skin and found white fiber like substances on the outer surface of his skin. The Center for Disease Control does not have a clear explanation for this skin condition. There still continues to be a lot of research on this unusual syndrome. Most scientist believe that it is not, however, a new disease but has been in existence for many years. But because it has not been identified, until recently, little is known about the disease.

Mary Leitao reported that her two-year-old son began complaining about bugs crawling under his skin. She took him to several dermatologists but none could determine the cause for these sensations her son was having. She was given various prescription creams that she applied to her son’s skin. But it did not stop the strange feeling her son was having.

Leitao and her husband had scientific backgrounds and they knew that the fibers were some kind of organic matter that was the cause of their son’s strange skin condition. But they could not find any other disease that had the same symptoms. They continued to seek professional, medical help but no one could come up with an answer.

When Leitao brought her findings to various doctors, none of them were willing to confirm her claims. They in fact went as far as to say it was all in her son’s head. They suggested that her son receive a psychiatric evaluation. But Leitao refused, as she knew this was not a mental condition. There were some medical professionals that even accused Leitao of making up the symptoms just to get attention from medical professionals.

Over this period of trying to find out what was wrong with her son, the boy developed more sores. And when she took a closer look, she noticed the fibers protruding from the sores. She decided to give the disease a name, which she called Morgellons. She later founded a research foundation to find out more about the disease and to help others with the condition.

The foundation began receiving reports of other cases of the disease. People complained of the same symptoms her son was experiencing such as fatigue and muscle and joint pain. Cases were coming in from all over the United States as well as many different countries. Morgellons has still not been listed as an actual disease although many people have come forward and reported the same symptoms. This mysterious condition continues to elude scientists. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have labeled it an unexplained dermopathy without a cure.

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The Distressing And Often Misread Disease Called Morgellons

August 12th, 2010 Teagh Votte Comments off

The old joke about physicians is that whenever they do not know what something is, they just try whatever seems right, after all it is called practicing. This is kind of like the mechanic who progressively replaces parts in a system hoping to find the problem by eliminating possible causes one box at a time. It is difficult at this stage of medicinal history to accept the notion that new diseases, like Morgellons could exist and we not know anything about it.

While this makes sense to the common person and professional alike in an academic sense, when faced with a new set of symptoms for which no identifiable cause is apparent, medical science is reluctant to accept it as a new infirmity. While it is not unique to this one disorder, it is a clearly recognizable complication for those who suffer the irritations of this mysterious disorder. Patients must not only deal with little relief, they are often dismissed by medical personnel.

Once the spectre of mental illness is admitted into the body of work describing a mysterious set of symptoms, the ability to clinically analyze the process absent any bias is extremely difficult. The problems the patient describes are either consciously or unconsciously relegated to the bin of doubt, and when traditional examination reveals no immediate causation, the default mental projection becomes the diagnosis.

Fortunately, no one doubts the primary symptom clinically known as cutaneous dysesthesia, though this is a clinical description that is quite generic, accounting for any uncomfortable sensation within the skin. Still it is important that physicians have documented the patient described burning, biting, itching and pain they experience and the lesions that occur concomitantly. It is the cause ascribed to the symptoms that frustrates those who have it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting an epidemiologic investigation in an attempt to identify the symptoms and causes for this condition. While the center is reluctant to define the condition as a disease or syndrome, it finds the experiences of the patients to be real and occurring in sufficient numbers to justify an examination. The investigation is being conducted by Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, which coincides with a large cluster of self diagnosed sufferers.

The current name for this disease was derived from the writings of Sir Thomas Browne, who in a letter described a condition wherein children break out in harsh hairs on their backs accompanied by coughs and convulsions. But other than the reference to hairs, which coincide with patients that experience of fibers erupting from lesions on the skin there is little additional description. The name was adopted by the mother of a child suffering from the condition arguably to give to this malady a name other than delusional parasitosis as it is often diagnosed by physicians.

As long as the approach to the investigating conducted in Northern California is approached with a professional neutrality there is hope. Once free of the damning documentation relegating the symptoms to mental disturbances that make them real without cause, there is a chance for discovery. People who have Morgellons are looking to science to help them understand what they know to be a real and debilitating illness.

There are many skin diseases for which adequate understanding is yet to be completed. One example is Morgellons, which can be found in some geographical areas in significant numbers.

Nebulizers — What Are They And How To Use Them

August 6th, 2010 Alex Dimakulangan Comments off

If you are someone who knows an asthmatic or an asthmatic, it is good to know how to use nebulizer. Nebulizers can save lives in terrible consequences of sudden asthma attacks. This article will discuss how to use a nebulizer.

What are nebulizers and what are they for anyway?

Nebulizers transform liquid medicine into mist and the mist is inhaled by the person undergoing the treatment. Nebulizers are used to treat many respiratory diseases, but most commonly asthma.

There are two types of nebulizers, one is the ultrasonic nebulizer and the other is the compressor nebulizer. Both are as effective as one another. Compressor nebulizers use air to convert the liquid medicine into mist, while the ultrasonic nebulizers use vibration to transform the medicine into mist. That pretty much is the difference between them, aside from the fact that ultrasonic nebulizers are usually more portable.

Below are the common procedures on how to use a nebulizer that will surely be helpful for first time asthma patients or for people who know someone with asthma.

1. Before using the equipment, make sure your hands are clean and dry. And make sure the nebulizer is clean, too.

2. Open the cup and place the medication inside the cup. Close the nebulizer cup.

3. Attach the tubing into the nebulizer and attach the other end to a mask (for infants and younger children) or mouthpiece (for adults).

4. Turn on the nebulizer, and make sure it is misting.

5a. If you are using a mouthpiece, gently bite onto the mouthpiece and close your mouth. Breathe in and out using you mouth, and keep holding the nebulizer in an upright position.

5b. If you are using a mask, place the mask onto the mouth and nose. Hold the nebulizer in an upright position. Breathe in and out.

6. If the nebulizer starts to sputter, that means that most of the medication is gone. Tapping the nebulizer cup can help the remaining medication to drop to where it can be turned into mist.

7. Make sure you clean and dry the nebulizer parts, especially the mask, mouthpiece and cup, before storing it in a cool, dry place. This keeps the equipment from hosting germs that can cause infections that may make the patient’s condition worse.

Keep this in mind: nebulizers are used only during an asthma attack and not prior. Therefore, a stock of the prescribed medication should be kept in a cool dry place where little kids can’t reach.

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Vitamin D And Its Side Effects

August 5th, 2010 Victor Properties Comments off

Under normal circumstances and dosages, vitamin D is tolerated very well, and side effects are not common at all. Vitamin D side effects are more likely to be linked to a deficiency in the vitamin, rather than cases where an overdose was taken. However, there are some people who may be hypersensitive to the vitamin due to medical conditions.

In very rare cases, vitamin D hypersensitivity may occur, but it is normally caused by medical conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis, granulamatous TB, carcinoma and other cancers. Patients with any of the above should only consider a vitamin D supplement program in consultation with their doctor. It might be wise to undergo regular blood tests to ensure that the levels of vitamin D in the blood stay within normal range to avoid vitamin D side effects due to overdose or deficiency.

It is important to note an overdose with concurrent vitamin D side effects can never be the result of too much sunlight. Your body has a mechanism that stops the process of manufacturing vitamin D when enough for your body’s use has been manufactured. Overdosing is normally the result of supplementation, rather than ingesting vitamin D via food sources or sun exposure. Vitamin D can be stored in the body’s fat cells for up to sixty days.

Because vitamin D has primarily the function of encouraging calcium absorption, high levels of calcium in the blood, leading to excessive calcium in the intestinal tract is possible. Your internal organs can be permanently damaged by these high levels of calcium.

Other side effects of overdosing can include bone pain, fatigue, thirst, and excessive production of urine. Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting are also known vitamin D side effects. Kidney stones can also result form ingesting too much vitamin D which again leads to excessive calcium in the system.

Pregnant females should be especially careful when supplementing with vitamin D, as another side effect can be damage to the fetus, resulting in abnormalities – physical and mental – in the baby.

Most healthcare practitioners are more concerned with the vitamin D side effects as a result of a deficiency, rather than as a result of an overdose – research actually indicates that 70% of Americans, for instance, are vitamin D deficient.

Children who are vitamin D deficient are prone to rickets, which results in stunted growth and deformed long bones. There is certainly also a link between vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis, a condition that is characterized by reduced bone density and concurrent fragility of the bone.

There seems to be a link between various diseases and sufficient vitamin D levels. Vitamin D has been linked to depression, various cancers, boosting the immune system, cardiovascular disease. It remains essential to your good health.

How to check if your vitamin D levels are sufficient? A simple blood test to measure your blood calcidiol level can show if your vitamin D levels are sufficient for optimum body function. However, ensuring that you get 15-20 minutes of sunlight three times a week should be sufficient to ensure that your body creates the vitamin D it needs. Dietary sources include cod liver oil, fatty fish species, eggs, liver and mushrooms.

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What To Know About Morgellons Disease

August 3rd, 2010 Becca G Taylor Comments off

Morgellons disease is not well known and has been met with skepticism, but for the families dealing with it, it is very real. So far the most registered cases of the disease are in California. They account for 24 percent of the total number reported. In all 13,000 families have registered as having Morgellons. There are thought to be more that have been misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. The registrations have been from Canada, Australia, the United States, England, and 42 other countries.

Some of the symptoms associated with this disease are chronic fatigue, joint pain, and blurred vision. There may be loss of concentration and short term memory loss. A feeling of something crawling under the skin is often reported, as well as stinging and biting sensations. Black granules or specks may be visible on skin. Skin may have sores or a rash. At first there are pimples which grow into what looks like craters. They can grow anywhere but are usually found on the head, limbs and torso.

Usually fibers grow from the sores. They are described as filaments or smooth fibers. They may be white, blue black and at times red. If viewed with ultraviolet light they are fluorescent. When the fibers grow from a sore, it can be slow to heal. Sometimes it just doesn’t heal at all. In those cases when no sores ever appear on the skin, the crawling under the skin feeling and biting sensation is present.

The Centers for Disease Control have begun an investigation to find out more about the disease. There have been many questions regarding it from the public but there are not many answers. It is not known what its cause is or its cure. The Morgellons Research Foundation will answer questions regarding its findings and spends time raising awareness and money for more research.

Since it has not yet been classified as to what kind of disease it is or its cause, doctors are not always sure how to treat it. There are some who believe it is related to a bacterial infection. Some doctors think it is more a psychosomatic condition. The fact that sufferers report feeling something crawling under the skin has lead doctors to believe they are having delusional parasitosis.

There are some doctors that believe there is a link to immune health, that the skin has low immunity against the bacteria. Others have found a link to Lyme disease. What they agree on is that prescribing an array of antibiotics seems to offer significant improvement in the symptoms.

Morgellons affects families, not just individuals, including the children. In some cases it can be disfiguring and painful. A child may no longer be able to participate in sports or go to school. The foundation will help you find a doctor in your area that is aware of, or has treated this condition. Before any real answers are able to be found, funds will be needed to conduct more research.

Find what you need to know about Morgellons Treatment by going online. There you will learn all you need to know about Morgellons. Head online and learn more now.

Vitamin D Overdose And Health Risk

August 1st, 2010 Victor Properties Comments off

Vitamin D is essential to your good health, but like everything else, it should not be overdone! It is possible to experience a vitamin D overdose, especially since we actually need fairly low levels of vitamin D in our bodies to function.

Vitamin D overdose causes Hypervitaminosis D due to toxic levels in the body. It can be serious if the causes of the symptoms are not understood and intake of the vitamin stopped.

What causes of vitamin D overdose? Exposure to sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D, and as little as fifteen minutes of sunlight “therapy” three times a week is all you really need for your body to produce the vitamin D you need. You cannot overdose on vitamin D by getting too much sun, though, as your body only produces what you need.

You will probably also not experience a vitamin D overdose from food sources. Too many supplements are often to blame for excessive vitamin D intake, as your body cannot shut down the absorption of vitamins from supplements. This can cause the build up of vitamin D to toxic levels. Ironically, toxic levels of vitamin D are often the result of therapeutic prescription of the supplement due to an original deficiency – high levels may have been prescribed for patients with rickets, for instance.

A vitamin D overdose is never the result of a single high dose, rather the levels of toxicity in the body builds up in the body’s fat cells over time. Most nutrients that we consume too much of, the body simply gets rid of; however, with vitamin D it has no such mechanism, but stores the excess in the fat cells. It is the stored vitamin D that eventually leads to toxic amounts in your body.

The upper intake levels for babies are 25 micrograms, while for older children and adults, 50 micrograms per day are sufficient. Children will suffer from toxicity more quickly than adults.

What are the health risks of a vitamin D overdose?

1 Because vitamin D has primarily the function of encouraging calcium absorption, high levels of calcium in the blood is possible. This could lead to excessive calcium in the intestinal tract.

2 High levels of phosphate and calcium in the lungs, heart and kidneys, which can damage your organs permanently.

3 Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and weight loss.

4 High levels in the kidneys can lead to kidney stones, renal failure and excessive production of urine.

5 If you are pregnant, a vitamin D overdose can cause deformities in your baby.

6 Other symptoms include bone pain, fatigue, excessive thirst and dehydration, itchy skin and deafness.

An overdose can be treated by simply stopping the intake of supplements, and lowering the amount of calcium you ingest until the symptoms stop.

Always consult your doctor before taking vitamin supplements, and in the case of vitamin D, when you get a lot of sun exposure, you will probably not need to take vitamin D supplements at all. Vitamin D in the correct amounts is essential to good health.

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Morgellons Disease, A Mystery Illness Baffles Modern Science Professionals

August 1st, 2010 Becca G Taylor Comments off

A controversial skin disease that manifests itself as lesions, rashes, bumps and a feeling of skin crawling, Morgellons Disease has no known origin or medical cure. In fact, several doctors even doubt its very existence! This devastating skin disease is a scourge upon those who suffer from it, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is currently working to study and research the condition in an attempt to learn about this mystery ailment.

Many doctors, from dermatologists to psychiatrists, regard the disease as a mental disorder, to be treated with psychiatric counseling and placebos. The Morgellons Research Foundation, a non-profit organization created to shed light on the condition, describes the syndrome as a “poorly understood illness which can be disfiguring and disabling”.

Much of the confusion in the medical community over the status of the illness is brought upon by the wide range of symptoms associated with the condition. Red rashes and bumps that frequently itch, small red or black fibers in and on the skin, joint pain, loss of visual details, physical fatigue, changes in behavior and unexplained memory loss are symptoms and signs of the disease laid out by the Mayo Clinic. It is also quite common for sufferers of the illness to exhibit indicators that mirror the signs and symptoms of more commonly diagnosed conditions, including kidney disease, Lyme disease, liver disease, delusional parasitosis and drug and alcohol abuse.

Besides the physical symptoms, the MRF has results from a laboratory study in 2007 that show many psychological symptoms associated with the disorder. Morgellon patients have exhibited signs of depression, chronic mental fatigue, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention deficit disorder.

Little is known about the disease, despite the growing number of recorded patients. The medical community has yet to discover a cause for the illness or a link between those with the condition. The MRF has received reports of the illness from over 12000 people and has received these reports from fifteen different countries and all fifty states in the U. S.

Those suffering from the condition are best served by speaking with their doctor about possible treatments for their illness. The internet is filled with many support groups for the disease, from websites full of information to forums where people with symptoms of the disease can ask others for help and support. There are also many home treatments available online, but any treatment found on the internet should be viewed with scrutiny before being implemented.

New studies and research are being conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the origin, causes and a possible treatment for this mysterious disease. In the meantime, those struggling with the illness can find help and support in online communities and organizations like the MRF, who work each day to shed a brighter light on this mysterious disease.

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Top Facts You Must Know About Morgellons Disease

August 1st, 2010 Becca G Taylor Comments off

Morgellons disease is actually a set of symptoms that the medical profession has yet to totally recognize. Though many patients suffer worldwide, they are invariably buffeted between two opposing medical camps. There are those that see the disease as a syndrome set collected from other illnesses and there are those who believe it exists and attempt to treat it. With so many believing it to be infectious, there are some top facts everyone must learn about it.

The name Morgellons Syndrome is also fairly universally accepted by the medical community. Part of the reason for the differing names for this condition is that nobody really knows what causes it or how to cure it. The name itself comes under scrutiny because it is basically derived from a historical account of children with illness in France described by Sir Thomas Browne in 1690. The children were said to have hairs appear on their backs.

Modern mother, Mary Leito, chose the name after her son became ill with similar symptoms in 2001. As the founder of the Morgellons Research Foundation in 2002, she is credited with the first use of the name in modern times. There is disagreement within the medical profession concerning the accuracy of naming the modern syndrome after a historical disease with no clear lineage or linkage between the two.

The main symptoms of this nasty disease include a wide range of discomforts. Itching, biting, and crawling sensations are common. Patients report varied colored fibers in or on their skin. Skin rashes or sores of varying sizes are often reported as well. They may feel joint pain or fatigue so great that they feel they have no energy to move. Severe mood changes or mental disturbances are also often reported, as some patients grapple with the idea that they may have been taken over by internal parasites.

Adding to the overall problems caused by this syndrome is the fact that it is very similar to other established diseases. The medical establishment has not totally accepted it as being a unique new disease. When pushed, doctors generally refer to it as delusional parasitosis. This recognized illness is characterized by patients who are convinced that their bodies are harboring parasites. Without treatment, they generally believe that the parasites are either growing larger inside them, or are increasing in number or type. But the name matters little to those that experience the pain and fear that accompany the illness. They generally feel helpless to fight off what they believe to be making them ill.

A standard course of treatment has only been suggested for this illness. Some physicians will treat it with a long course of antibiotics. Others will provide medications and counseling designed to improve psychological health. Treatments still fall under the realm of theories for many doctors.

Though the Center For Disease Control has specified it as a probable disease, the work still continues to gather specimens and information from patients who develop its symptoms. Morgellons disease has been recorded as affecting 13,000 families with different combinations of its symptom set. For these patients, suffering continues. The Center shares information for patients, and for everyone in the general public who is interested in learning more about the syndrome. At the same time, donations are welcomed to be used for research. A course of treatment agreed upon throughout the medical profession has yet to be achieved.

Find more about Morgellons disease research by going online. There you can find out what Morgellons is and so much more to help you out. Head online and discover more.

5 Weeks Pregnant – An Introduction

July 30th, 2010 Monica Desjardins Comments off

The entire pregnancy period covers 40 weeks and this long period is divided into three t trimester. The first trimester comprises of weeks 1 – 12. Expectant mothers who are 5 weeks pregnant are supposed to expect well acknowledged internal changes in their body of both the mother as well as the baby. You should be familiar with all the changes that occur when you are 5 weeks pregnant. In this phase, research shows very quick growth for your baby’s embryo. The heart begins to beat faintly and the umbilical cord begins to develop rapidly. The umbilical cord is a vital connection between a mother and her baby as it passes all the essential nutrition for the growth and development of the baby.

By the time you are 5 weeks pregnant, the embryo started to grow to form the mouth, ears and eyes of the baby. Even the little buds of the arms as well as legs began to grow at a rapid pace. The little one is vigorously developing inside the mother every moment. It is at this time the weak heart is successful in pumping out the first quantity of blood into the infinitesimal blood stream.

Even the expectant mother can see few differences in her body. The most common symptom when you are 5 weeks pregnant is morning sickness. It is the much talked about symptom experience by a new mother together with various symptoms. At this time women experience nausea followed by vomiting. This is the perfect time to plan your first obstetrician visit. Morning sickness begins at the fourth week and continues till the ninth week. It is a miracle that few pregnant women just manage to escape the pain of this symptom.

Visit your obstetrician when you are 5 weeks pregnant and figure out your due date and other information related to pregnancy. You will be given prenatal vitamins which can give addition supplement to both you and your baby.

Is it your first pregnancy? Are you 5 weeks pregnant? It is typical that you will not show significant change in your body. No weight gain or lose will occur. If you show symptoms of morning sickness process it will strengthen followed by fatigue and bowel activity.

The embryo will show significant growth in its arms and legs development together with eyes and nostrils. By the time you complete the 5th week, the brain functioning of the embryo will start and the pancreas and as well as intestines will start to grow rapidly.

Women who are 5 weeks pregnant should start consulting their doctor to have healthy pregnancy and safe delivery. If your obstetricians find problems it related to your health or nutrition at this stage he can address it promptly to make your journey smooth during this vital phase of life.

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Changes Begin When You Are 5 Weeks Pregnant

July 29th, 2010 Monica Desjardins Comments off

Almost all women experience few pregnancy symptoms as they slowly approach the period when they are 5 weeks pregnant. Now the expecting woman will not look pregnant, but her body will bring in numerous changes. Further, the body of the little one will endure radical modification as it gets bigger in the womb.

Development of human embryo

When you are only 5 weeks pregnant, the baby inside you will be called an embryo. At this stage fewer developments are noticed and the most significant thing a doctor can feel is your baby’s heart beat. The kidneys as well as heart develop at this early period. The neural tube that links the brain with the spinal cord closes at this point. On ultrasound photo of your baby embryo will display the ever growing upper and lower limb buds. These will later develop into the arms and legs of your baby. It is at this stage the facial features begin to develop. Your baby’s nostrils and the eye’s retina are clearly seen.

Modification In an expectant Mother

Most of the expectant mothers experience initial symptoms of pregnancy when she is only 5 weeks pregnant. Morning sickness, nauseating fee due to strong smells, sore or sensitive breast is common symptom of pregnant women at this stage. This is due to sudden rise in the hormone levels inside the pregnant body. The sensitivity fades away when the hormone levels become steady.
The fuller breasts are also the cause of increased hormone levels. At this stage extra milk glands and blood develop and make the breasts ready for nourishing the coming baby.

5 weeks pregnant women excrete recurrently. It is a common symptom at first trimester due to hormonal changes and in final trimester of your pregnancy due to the ever growing uterus which shrinks the bladder to limit the bladder capacity.

In the first trimester, pregnant women are caught in the grip of fatigue frequently and are found sleeping throughout the day. The fact is not a worrying issue because the body needs some more rest for promoting the healthy growing of your embryo.
Yet other symbols of 5 weeks pregnant women are increased appetite, increased basal temperature and metallic taste in the mouth. You should properly recognize these symptoms are very important. Furthermore, the warning signs in pregnancy should be equally recognized.

Warning Signs of 5 weeks pregnant women

* Mild to severe vomiting
* Severe headache
* Rise in the basal temperature of the body
* Face, eyes and hands swell up
* Intensification of thirst with little or no urination

5 weeks pregnant women must take care of her eating habits. Healthy eating habits, performing light exercise and regularly following doctor’s advice are the secret of successful pregnancy.

Looking to find the best information on 5 Weeks pregnant with twins and 5 Weeks pregnant symptoms, then visit Monica Desjardins’s site to find the best advice on 5 Weeks pregnant for you.