Just my 2 cents

A degenerative ailment of the central nervous system that adversely affects the speech and motor skills of a person is called Parkinson’s disease. This disease falls under the category of movement disorders. Stiffness of muscles, trembling and loss of mobility characterize this condition. Also, a major problem arises in cognitive thinking and stimulation of motor cortex, which drops rapidly. The disease has acquired its name after the physician James Parkinson, who made a remarkable breakthrough with his findings on this condition.

Prominent symptoms of this disease include mood swings, irritability, thinking and sensing disorder. There is also tremor, rigidity and instability when it comes to the posture. There is also a major disturbance in the speech of the sufferer. The diagnosis is based on the medical history of the sufferer. Also an examination of the neurological condition puts things in perspective. Brain scans are sometimes required to assess the extent and magnitude of this condition.

This chronic disease requires a comprehensive treatment. Physiotherapy, medication and nutrition are popular means of treatment. Dopamine agonists, levodopa and MAO-B inhibitors are the common drugs used in alleviation of the symptoms. Deep brain stimulation is the frequently used surgical treatment for this ailment. Prevention of this disease requires awareness about its ill-effects and effective management of physical and mental health.

Osteoporosis is a disorder concerning the bones. This disease leads to a greater danger of fracture. Osteoporosis creates havoc in the micro architecture of the bones. It also caused a reduction in the density of bone minerals besides causing alteration in the range of non-collagenous proteins present in the bone. This ailment is a common occurrence in women who have entered the menopausal stage. Osteoporosis largely arises due to hormonal problems and other diseases. Certain types of medication can also be a contributing factor for osteoporosis.

In spite of no particular symptoms, the major consequence of osteoporosis is the susceptibility to bone fractures. The fractures attributed to osteoporosis have a certain peculiarity about them. These fractures occur in situations when generally a healthy person wouldn’t suffer any breakage. These fractures are called fragility fractures. There are also occurrences of sudden and severe back aches along with compression in the spinal cord region.

The measurement of mineral density in the bone is used to detect osteoporosis. DEXA is one of the most popularly used methods of osteoporosis diagnosis.

The treatment of osteoporosis needs various factors to be taken into account. Gender and lifestyle of an individual are very important considerations in deciding the mode of treatment. Bisphosphonate drugs are the most commonly used drugs to treat osteoporosis. Teriparatide and strontium ranelate are the other drugs which have shown promise in treatment of osteoporosis. Hormone replacement is also an option in certain cases.

Prevention of the disease can by adopting a healthy lifestyle and exercise. Calcium and vitamin D nutrition are also necessary for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Insomnia is a disorder pertinent to sleep. It is a condition in which there is a sustained difficulty in getting to sleep and then subsequently staying asleep. There is a common problem of regular functions getting impaired during the waking hours. Also, insomniacs are troubled by the inability to close their eyes and relax even for a few minutes.

There are various types of insomnia which are different in terms of magnitude. Out of these, segregation has been made into three distinct types. Transient, acute and chronic are the three types of insomnia. The causes of insomnia can be attributed to a plethora of reasons like excessive consumption of stimulants, hormonal imbalance, extreme stress, neurological ailments and genetic condition.

There are certain symptoms which characterize insomnia. Disturbance in sleep pattern, day-time fatigue, prolonged depression, inability to discharge normal functions and persistent irritation are the usual signs of insomnia. The diagnosis of insomnia is done by examining the medical history of the patient as well as making a study of the sleep pattern.

There are various medical and non-medical measures of treating insomnia. Following a regimental sleep hygiene, controlling the stimulus and undergoing relaxation therapy provides a major relief for the sufferer. Certain drugs like melatonin, benzodiazepine sedatives and ramelteon are potent cures of insomnia. Prevention of insomnia can be following a regular bedtime routine, adherence to relaxation methods and a healthy diet.

The optic nerve is afflicted by a group of diseases which results in the loss of retinal ganglion cells. This ailment is called glaucoma. Intraocular pressure poses a greater risk when it comes to the contraction of glaucoma. This disease, if left untreated, can lead to an irreversible damage of the optic nerve leading to a subsequent visual field loss, which in turn can lead to blindness. Glaucoma is known as the “sneaky thief of sight” as the loss of visual field happens only over a long period of time and the damage would have been done by the time one takes notice of it.

There are a few symptoms that are synonymous with glaucoma. As the disease matures, a person may experience blindness in the peripherals of his eyes. There are also symptoms of blurred vision and appearance of colored halos around bright objects. In the case of closed angle glaucoma, a person also experiences splitting headache, nausea and rapid vision loss.

The detection of glaucoma can be done with the help of a few diagnostic tests namely tonometry, perimetry, opthalmoscopy and gonioscopy. There is no specific treatment for this disease but with aid of medication and surgery, intraocular pressure is brought under control curbing further loss of vision.

Prevention of this disease can be done by getting the eye test every couple of years especially if one falls under the 40-65 age brackets. If a person has a family history of glaucoma, uses steroids or suffers from a chronic disease, periodical eye examination is mandatory.