Addictions - Coping up with Addictions

Addictions are, or can become, mental illnesses in that an addict’s craving for a drug or pleasurable activity is uncontrollable. The necessity to have whatever it is that the addict craves prevents him or her from living a normal life. An addiction often leads to lack of mental balance even when it does not cause any apparent physical damage. Three of the many possible types of addiction are singled out for discussion in the following pages: drugs, alcohol and gambling.

Alcohol is itself a drug, but it is discussed separately because, although addiction to alcohol has some features in common with addiction to other drugs, alcoholism is a particularly common disorder.

Abuse of and addiction to drugs is a growing problem in modern society. There are many dangerous drugs available both legally and illegally in the United States.

Smoking, the most widespread of all addictions, is not included in this group of articles because it is discussed elsewhere. For a general discussion of smoking, along with some ideas on how to give it up, Read also the section on disorders of the respiratory system and disorders of the heart and circulation.

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Hemolytic Anemia – Treatment for Curing it Fast and Effectively

Hemolytis is a disorder in which your red blood cells are destroyed prematurely. When this occurs, your body attempts to compensate by producing new red cells at a faster rate. If destruction exceeds production, the resulting disorder is called hemolytic anemia.

Hemolytic anemia may be hereditary, in which case it is present at birth or soon after­wards, or you may acquire it later in life. In the hereditary hemolytic anemias, hemolysis occurs because a specific component of your red blood cells is abnormal. Certain drugs can damage red cells and so produce hemolysis and hemolytic anemia. This occurs if you have inherited a specific type of abnormality that triggers anemia when you take a certain type of drug or develop special infections. Then your red blood cells become less able to protect themselves against the chemical reactions caused by the drug or the infection, and they are destroyed.

One type of acquired hemolytic anemia occurs when your body produces antibodies, or substances that normally protect you from infections, that attack the body’s own red blood cells. Hemolysis may also occur when your body produces antibodies against recently transfused red blood cells. Finally, red cells may also be destroyed after they are damaged by artificial heart valves, abnormal blood vessel walls, or toxins.

The disease is rarely fatal in any of its forms, though some forms of hemolytic anemia are difficult to treat.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of hemolytic anemia are paleness, fatigue, breathlessness, and palpitations, or heart fluttering, especially with exertion. In addition, your skin may become yellow, and your urine may contain blood pigment and so be darker than normal. If your red blood cells continue to be destroyed prematurely for many years, gallstones often result.

What should be done?

If you have the symptoms described, see your physician. You will probably be questioned about your symptoms, and the physician will probably arrange for a blood test.

What is the treatment?

The principal treatment for one type of hemolytic anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, is a splenectomy, an operation to remove the spleen. Most red blood cells are destroyed by the spleen as they wear out. Removing the spleen can considerably improve hemolytic anemia, but does not cure it.

Hemolytic anemia that is caused by drugs is treated by discontinuing the drugs. If the disease is caused by antibodies, your physician may prescribe various drugs.

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Glaucoma : Causes | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention Tips

Glaucoma is one of the most common and severe eye disorders in people over 60. Early treatment is vital, or the condition can ultimately lead to blindness.

The ciliary body in the eye constantly produces a fluid called aqueous humor, which circulates from behind the iris, through the pupil, and into the chamber between the iris and the cornea. In a healthy eye the fluid drains out of the eye through a network of tissue between the iris and the cornea, which is called the drainage angle. From there it flows into a channel that leads to a network of small veins on the outside of the eye. In some eyes the drainage angle does not work properly. As a result, the aqueous humor either flows away more slowly than it is produced or fails to flow away at all, and pressure builds up in the eye. Part of the extra pressure is exerted, via the lens, onto the vitreous humor, the jelly-like fluid that fills the eyeball behind the lens.

The pressure of the vitreous humor on the retina causes the collapse of tiny blood ves­sels that nourish the light -sensitive cells of the retina and the fibers of the optic nerve, both of which playa vital part in vision. Since they are deprived of the blood that provides them with essential nutrients and oxygen, the cells and nerve fibers begin to die, and vision begins to fade.

The cause, extent and type of glaucoma can vary considerably. Certain drugs can hasten the onset of the condition. The two most common types of the disease, both of which are described here, are acute glaucoma (also known as angle closure glaucoma) and chronic glaucoma (also known as open angle glaucoma).

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Labyrinthitis - Treatment and Fast Cure for Labyrinthitis

In labyrinthitis, the labyrinth, a group of fluid-filled chambers that controls balance, becomes infected. The infection is usually caused by a virus. It inflames the labyrinth and totally disrupts its function.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom is extreme vertigo, or dizziness. You feel off balance, and everything seems to be spinning in a circle. Your eyes move slowly sideways, then flick back to their original position. If you move your head, even only slightly, the vertigo gets worse. In some cases, there is extreme nausea and vomiting.

What are the risks?

Although labyrinthitis can be very debilitating, it is not a dangerous condition when cared for properly. The symptoms are often so distressing that few people who have it do not seek help.

What should be done?

If you have severe vertigo, see your physician at the first opportunity. If you cannot travel, ask your physician to come to you. The doctor will try to determine whether the vertigo has some cause other than labyrinthitis. One possibility is an infection that has spread from the middle ear.

What is the treatment?

You will probably have to rest quietly in bed for several days. Y our physician will probably prescribe a tranquilizer and a drug that is used to combat nausea. The symptoms of labyrinthitis can be frightening, but they will probably disappear. Most cases clear up completely, within one to three weeks.

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