YOUR GUIDE TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE · Weight Loss For some, surgical options can be the best...

YOUR GUIDE TO A

HEALTHIERLIFESTYLE

Table of Contents

Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle 8

Maintaining a Healthy Weight 8

TheEffectsofWeightonHealth 9

EffectiveDietingStrategiesforWeight Loss 12

EngaginginanExerciseRoutine 17

SurgicalOptionsforWeightLoss 19

MedicalConditionsandWeightLoss 23

Skin Conditions 28

Acne 28

Eczema 31

Rosacea 34

Psoriasis 36

SkinCancer 38

Melanoma 42

TheImportanceofEverydaySkinCare 43

Sleep Importance & Disorders 45

Insomnia 45

RestlessLegSyndrome 47

SleepApnea 48

Narcolepsy 52

SleepRecommendations 54

EffectsofPoorSleeponHealth 55

TipsforGettingaGoodNight’sSleep 57

Back Pain 61

CommonReasonsforBackPain 61

MuscleandLigamentStrains 62

BulgingandRupturedDiscs 65

SkeletalIrregularities 68

SpinalOsteoporosis 69

Diabetes 73

Whoismostatriskfordiabetes? 75

PreventingDiabetes 78

DiabetesDiagnosis&Treatment 79

Glaucoma 82

Whoismostatriskforglaucoma? 84

PreventingGlaucoma 85

GlaucomaDiagnosis&Treatment 85

Arthritis 88

WhoismostatriskforArthritis? 89

PreventingArthritis 90

ArthritisDiagnosis&Treatment 92

High Cholesterol 94

Whoismostatrisk? 94

PreventingHighCholesterol 96

HighCholesterolDiagnosis& TreatmentOptions 97

Hypertension 99

Whoismostatriskfor hypertension? 100

PreventingHypertension 103

HypertensionDiagnosis&Treatment 104

Depression 108

Whoismostatriskfordepression? 112

PreventingDepression 113

DepressionDiagnosis& TreatmentOptions 114

Heart Disease 116

Whoismostatriskfor heartdisease? 122

PreventingHeartDisease 126

HeartDiseaseDiagnosis& TreatmentOptions 127

Hearing Loss 130

TypesofHearingLoss 132

RiskFactorsforHearingLoss 134

PreventingHearingLoss 136

TipsforAvoidingLoudNoises 137

SymptomsofHearingLoss 138

HearingLossDiagnosis&Treatment 140

GettingHearingAids 141

CaringforHearingAids 144

Symptom Checker 146

Health Insurance 147

CommonHealthInsuranceTerms 148

PrivateInsuranceandEmployer Insurance 150

CHIP 151

Medicare 153

Medicaid 157

VA Health 160

TRICARE 162

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Achievingandmaintainingahealthylifestylecanimprovequalifyoflifeandincreaselongevity.Youcantakestepstoreducethelikelihoodthatyouwilldevelopcertainconditions,evenifyoucan’tpreventthemall.

Bylearningmoreaboutpreventionmethods,riskfactorsandtreatmentoptions,youcanbettermonitorandimproveuponyourhealth,aswellasgainabetterunderstandingofanyconditionthatyoumayalreadyhave.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

MorethanathirdofAmericanadultsareconsideredtobeobese.Tobeconsideredobese,youmustweighatleast20 percent ofwhatisconsideredtheidealweightforapersonofyourheight.Whenmeasuredusing

Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle

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theBodyMassIndex(BMI),ascoreof30orhigherisconsideredtobeobese.

Obesitycanincreaseaperson’sriskofanumberofhealthconditions.Whilenoteverypersonwillexperiencehealthconditionsduetotheirobesity,thereisarealriskpresent,especiallyforthosewhoalsohaveagenetic-relatedriskortendtohavemostoftheirextraweightaroundtheirstomach.

Someconditionsthathavedevelopedduetoexcessweightcanalsoimproveorbeeliminatedalltogetherafterweightloss.

The Effects of Weight on Health

Havingextraweightincreasesyourlikelihoodofdevelopinghigh blood pressure and high cholesterol.Theseconditionscanincreaseyourlikelihoodofsufferingastrokeordevelopingheart

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disease.

Ifyouareoverweight,youhaveasignificantriskofdevelopinggallbladder disease and gallstones.Itisalsoimportanttoavoidrapidweightloss,asitcansignificantlyincreaseyourriskofhavinggallstones.

Osteoarthritisisatypeofarthritisthataffectstheback,hipsorknees.Theextrapressurefromexcessiveweightcausesthecartilagewithinthejointstobecomeworndown,whichcanresultinosteoarthritis.Youcanreduceyourriskthroughweightlossandroutineexercise.Whilethereisnocureforosteoarthritis,youcanrelievesomeofthepainyoumayfeelfromthestressonyourjointsbylosingweight.

Goutisaformofarthritisthatoccurswhenthereistoomuchuricacidwithinaperson’sblood.Uricacidcausescrystal

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depositsintothejoints.Themoreyouweigh,themorelikelyyouaretobeafflictedwithgout.

Obesitycanincreasetheriskforseriousbreathingconditions,includingCOPD, asthma and sleep apnea.Conditionslikesleepapneacanalsoincreaseaperson’sriskforothermedicalconditions,suchasheart disease or stroke.Weightlosscanoftenimproveandpotentiallyeliminatesomeofthesebreathingconditions,ifalreadydeveloped,aswellaspreventconditionsifoneisnotalreadypresent.

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Effective Dieting Strategies for Weight Loss

Eatingawell-balanceddietisthemosteffectivewaytoachieveweightlossinasafemanner.Healthyeatinghabitshelpyouloseweightandmaintainweightloss.Expertssuggestthatyouaimtolosebetweenone and two poundsofweightperweek.Thereareanumberofpopulardietstoday,butsomeofthemosteffectivedietsinclude:

1. The Paleo Diet.Thepaleodietfocusesoneatingwholefoods, lean protein, fruits, nuts, vegetables and seeds. Dieterscutoutprocessedfoods,sugar,dairyandgrainproductsasmuchaspossible.Thereareafewvariationsthatpermitcertaindairyproducts.Weightlossstudiessurroundingthepaleodiethaveshownthatthisdietcanleadtosignificantweightloss,especiallyaround

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aperson’swaist.Thepaleodiethasalsobeenlinkedtootherpotentialhealthbenefits,suchasareductioninbloodsugar,bloodpressureandcholesterol.

2. Vegan Diets.Avegandietexcludesmeat,dairy,eggsandotheranimal-derived products,suchaswhey,casein,gelatinandhoney.Thisdietcanbeaneffectiveweightlossdiet,andithasethicalandenvironmentalbenefitsformany.Thefoodsallowedareoftenlowinfatandhighinfiber,reducingtheneedtocountcalories.ThevegandiethasalsobeenshowntoreducetheriskofheartdiseaseandType2diabetes.However,thedietersmaynotreceiveseveralkeynutrients,includingvitaminD,vitaminB12,iron,iodine,calcium,zincandomega-3fattyacids.

3. Low-Carb Diets.Carbohydrateintakeisrestrictedtobetween20 and 150

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grams per day.Thebodyisforcedtousefatstoresforenergyratherthancarbohydrates.Inadditiontoweightloss,low-carbdietsoftenreduce the risk of highcholesterol,highbloodsugar,highinsulinlevelsandhighbloodpressure.However,somedietersreportfeelingmiserableandnauseouswhenrestrictingcarbohydrates.Inveryrarecases,low-carbdietscanalsoleadtoaserioushealthconditioncalledketoacidosis,whichcanbefatalifleftuntreated.Ketoacidosisismorecommonamonglactatingwomen.

4. Intermittent Fasting.Intermittentfastingmeansyoucanonlyeatduringcertainperiodsofthedayonaconsistentbasisandyoumustfastduringotherperiodsoftheday.

a. Onemethodinvolvesskippingbreakfastandeatingonlywithinasetperiodofeight hours and

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fastingfortheremaining16hoursoftheday.

b. Anothermethodinvolvesa24 hour fastthatisperformedonceortwiceperweekonnon-consecutivedays

c. Duetofasting,yougenerallyconsumefewercaloriesoverallthroughoutyourdayandstudieshaveshownthatmetabolicratescanbeincreasedby3.6to14percentonashort-termbasis,whichcanfurtherboostweightloss.Studieshaveshownthatapersonmaybeabletolosebetween3and8percentoftheirweightoveraperiodof3to24weeks.

d. Additionalhealthbenefitsofintermittentfastingdietsincludeareductionofinflammation,cholesterollevels,bloodtriglyceridesandbloodsugarlevels.However,thisdiethasbeenshowntobe

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moreeffectiveandbeneficialformencomparedtowomen.Youshouldnotattemptanintermittentfastingdietifyouarepregnant,breastfeeding,malnourished,nutrientdeficientorateenagerorchild.

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Engaging in an Exercise Routine

Whileabalanceddietisthemosteffectivewaytoloseweight,routine exercisecanhelppromoteandmaintainweightloss.Exercisecanbeespeciallybeneficialtoolderadultsandseniorcitizensinpreventinginjuriesandkeepingboththebodyandmindactive.

Ifyouwanttoloseweight,expertsrecommendthatyouengageinanaerobic(cardio)exerciseroutineforatleast200 minuteseachweek.Aerobicexercisesincludewalking,jogging,running,cyclingandswimming.However,anythingthatmakesyourheartandlungsworkharder,includingdancingandmowingyourlawn,canallcount.

Strength training exercisescanhelpyoureduceinjurieswhilehelpingwithmusclegrowth.Forstrengthtraining,youcanuseweight,bandsoryourownbodyweight.

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However,whilestrengthtrainingdoesoffernumeroushealthbenefits,itisnotaneffectiveweightlossmeasure.

Youshouldstretch your musclesatleasttwiceaweekafterexercising.However,someexpertsrecommendthatyoutakethetimetostretchbothbeforeandaftereachexerciseinordertoreducethelikelihoodofaninjuryandimproveyourflexibility.

Regardlessofhowyouengageinexercise,itisimportanttoalternate between moderate and high intensity exercises,eitherinthesameworkoutoronalternativedays.Expertsalsorecommendthatyoualternatethetypeofexercisethatyouengagein.Doingsocanfurtherhelpyoutopreventinjuryandpreventyoufromgrowingboredwithyourworkoutroutine.

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Surgical Options to Help with Weight Loss

Forsome,surgicaloptionscanbethebestcourseofactiontoachieveweightloss.Theseoptionsareonlyconsideredforthosewhoareobeseormorbidlyobese,especiallyifobesityiscausingadditionalmedicalconditionsorputtingtheindividualatgreatriskofdevelopingoneormoreconditions.

Restrictive surgeriesareaveryeffectivewaytoachieveweightlossasthesurgeryessentiallyshrinksthesizeofaperson’sstomachandslowsdigestion.Priortosurgery,aperson’sstomachcangenerallyholduptothreepintsoffood.Aftersurgery,thatindividual’sstomachwilllikelyonlyaslittleasanounceinitiallyanduptotwoorthreeounceslater.

Afewtypesofrestrictivesurgeriestakeremoveorbypasspartofaperson’sdigestive

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tract,whichmakesitharderforthatperson’sbodytoabsorbcalories.However,thistypeofsurgeryisrarelyperformed,duetothepotentialsideeffectsofthesurgery.

Thereareanumberofdifferentoptionsforrestrictivesurgeriesthatcanbringaboutsignificantweightloss.Theseinclude:

Adjustable Gastric Banding.Duringsurgery,thesurgeonusesaninflatablebandtosqueezethepatient’sstomachintotwosections.Thesesectionsremainconnectedbyaverysmallchannel,whichallowsfoodtoslowlyemptyfromtheupperpouch.

a. Itisconsideredsimplerandsaferincomparisontomanyoftheothersurgeries.Thebandcanberemovedinasecondsurgery,shouldthepatientdesire.Themostcommon

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sideeffectofagastricbandisvomitingaftereatingeithertoomuchortooquickly,althoughthebandcanslip,becometooloose,orleak.

Sleeve Gastrectomy.Thistypeofsurgeryisonlyavailabletothosewhoareveryobese,sickorwhereotherweightlosssurgeriesmaybetoorisky.Duringsurgery,thesurgeonremovesabout75 percentofapatient’sstomachandshapedintoanarrowtubeorsleeve.

a. Thissurgeryisirreversible,andthelong-termbenefitsandrisksofthisprocedurearestillbeingevaluated.

b. Themostprominentrisksaretypicallyinfection,leakingofthesleeveandbloodclots.Theintestinesarenotaffectedbytheprocedureandisnotlikelytoresultinmalabsorptionconditionsora

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lackofnutrients.

Gastric Bypass.Thestomachisdividedintotwopartsandsealstheuppersectionfromthelowersection.Theuppersectionofthepatient’sstomachisconnecteddirectlytothelowersectionofthesmallintestine.Foodwillbypassasectionofboththestomachandsmallintestinesandreducecalorieabsorption.

a. Dumpingsyndromeisaconditionwherefoodpassesthroughtheintestinestooquickly,beforeithasbeenproperlydigested.Thiscancausebloating,pain,sweating,weakness,nauseaanddiarrhea.

Weightlosssurgerygenerallycausesrapidweightloss.Whilethiscanbebeneficial,itisalsoworthnotingthatacommonsideeffectofrapidweightlossisexcessskinthatisleftbehind.Excessskincanonlyberemovedthroughsurgicalmeans,whichmay

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requireseveralproceduresdependingontheseverity.Thesesurgeriesareoftenconsideredcosmeticandnotgenerallycoveredbyhealthinsurance.

Ifyouareconsideringaweightlosssurgery,itisimportantthatyoutalkwithyourdoctoraboutanyadditionalrisksthatyoumayface,baseduponanycurrentmedicalconditionsthatyoumayhave.

Medical Conditions and Weight Loss

Certainmedicalconditionsandprescriptionmedicationscancauseweightgainorpreventyoufromlosingweight,evenwhenyouaredoingalloftherightthings.Ifthisisthecase,youwillneedtotalktoadoctortocorrecttheproblembeforeyoucaneffectivelyworkonlosingweight.

Conditionsthatcouldinterferewithweight

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lossorevencauseweightgain,include:

Chronic Stress.Chronicstress,anxietyorgriefcancauseyourbodytoproduceachemicalsubstancethatwillmakeyourbodymorelikelytostorefat,especiallyaroundthewaist.

Cushing’s Syndrome.Whenyouradrenalglandsatopofyourkidneysproducetoomuchcortisol,youmayexperiencefatbuildupintheface,upperbackandabdomen.

Hypothyroidism.Anunderactivethyroidcancauseyourbodytoproducelessofthethyroidhormone,whichessentiallyallowsyourbodytoeffectivelyburnstoredfat.Anunderactivethyroidcanalsoresultinaslowedmetabolism,soyoumaystoremorefatthanyoucanburn.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome(PCOS).

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AffectingmorethanfivemillionwomenintheUnitedStates,thisconditionistheresultofahormonalimbalance.CommonsymptomsofPSOSinclude:

• Irregularorseveremenstrualbleeding,excessivefacialhair,thinninghair,weightgainthatisnotcausedbyexcessiveeating,acneanddifficultiesgettingpregnant.Whilethereiscurrentlynocure,therearemedicationsthatcanhelp.

Syndrome X.SyndromeXiscommonlyreferredtoasinsulinresistanceorhyperinsulinemia.Itisaclusterofhealthconditionsthatarethoughttoberootedininsulinresistance.Ifyourbodyisresistanttoinsulin,hormonesthataidinthecontrolofyourmetabolismwillnotworkastheyshould,potentiallyleadingtoweightgain.

Depression.Depressioncommonlyturns

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theafflictedtoeatingtoeaseemotionaldistress.Additionally,somedepressionmedicationscancauseweightgain.

Expertssuggestthatthereareanumberofprescriptionmedicationsthatcarrypotentialsideeffectsforweightgain.Thesemedicationsinclude,butarenotlimitedto:

MedicationsthattreatType2diabetes.

Antipsychoticmedications,includingmedicationstotreatschizophrenia.

Beta-blockersthatareprescribedforhighbloodpressureorspecificheartconditions.

Antidepressants.

Hormonereplacementtherapydrugs.

Birthcontrolpillsandinjections.

Corticosteroidsthatareusedtotreat

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conditionssuchasasthmaandlupus.

Shouldyoufindyourselfhavingsignificanttroublelosingweight,itisimportanttospeakwithyourdoctortoruleoutanycauserelatedtoprescriptiondrugsthatyoumaybetakingoranymedicalconditions.

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Skin Conditions

ManyskinconditionsaffectmillionsofAmericanseachyear.Bylearningmoreabouttheseconditions,youcanfamiliarizeyourselfwiththepreventionmethodsandthetreatmentsavailableforcommonskinconditions.

Acne

Acneaffectsnearlyeverypersonatsomepointinlife.Acneoccurswhengreasysecretionsfromtheskin’soilglandsplugthesmallopeningsforhairfollicles.Theacnemaypresentintheformofablackhead,whicharesmallflatspotswithdarkcenters,orthecloggedporemaytaketheformofawhitehead,asmallflesh-coloredbump.

Inseverecasesofacne,firmbumpswillformbeneaththeskin’ssurface.Thesebumps,also

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knownasnodules,canbecometenderand,attimes,infected.

Acneismostcommoninadolescence,startingduringpubertyyearsandgenerallygoingawayafterfiveto10years.Statistically,teenageboysaremorelikelytodevelopsevereacneincomparisontoteenagegirls.However,itisestimatedthat20percentofallacnecasesoccurinadults.Inadulthood,womenaremorelikelythanmentohavemildtomoderateacne.

Thereareanumberofstepsthatyoucantaketoreducethelikelihoodofdevelopingacne.Youmaybeabletoavoidacneby:

Washingyourfaceatleasttwiceadaytoremovedeadskincells,extraoilfromyourskin’ssurfaceandkeepyourfacegenerallycleaner.

Useover-the-countyacneproductsthat

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aredesignedtocurbbacteriaandreduceoilyskin.

Usemakeupsparinglyandwashitoffattheendoftheday.Whenpossible,useoil-freecosmeticproductsthatdonotcontainaddeddyesandchemicals.

Avoidusinggels,pomades,oilsandfragrancesinyourhair.

Avoidtouchingyourfaceorusingyourhandstopropyourcheekorchinup.

Limittheamountoftimeyouspendinthesunorwearprotectiveclothing.

Ifacneisnotsevere,over-the-countercleanersandnonprescriptiondrugsthatcontainbenzoylperoxidemayhelp.Atopical retinol gel,whichcanpreventpimplestogrowasitaffectthegrowthofcellsandcanassistinunblockingpores.However,thisgelmustgenerallybeusedconsistentlyanditcan

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takeupto12weekstobegintoseeresults.

Ifyouracneissevere,meetwithyourdoctortodiscusstreatmentoptions.Therearemanyprescriptionsforacne,manyofwhicharetopical.

Whentreatingacne,itisimportanttobeawareofpotentialsideeffectsandpotentialinteractions.Forexample,topicalretinoidsandbenzoylperoxidecancausedryandreddenedskin,aswellassunlightsensitivity.Oralantibioticscancausenauseaandsunlightsensitiveaswellasrenderwomenmoresusceptibletoyeastinfectionsiftakenmorethanafewweeks.

Eczema

Eczemaisagroupofconditionsrelatedtotheinflammationoftheskin:

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Eczemacausesitchy,red,dryandcrackedskinduringflareups.Flareupscanaffectaperson’sskinonanypartofthebody.

Foradults,eczemaisoftenachronicproblem.However,theconditionismostcommonlyfoundininfants,manyofwhichwilloutgrowtheconditionbeforeadulthood.

Eczemacanbegenetic,butthosewithsensitiveskinoranoveractiveimmunesystemcarryahigherriskofdevelopingeczema.

Flareupscanbetriggedbyanumberofthings,includingasstress,heatandsweat,contactwithirritatingsubstancesandfabrics,coldanddryclimatesanddryskin.

Flareupscanalsooccurwhenotherconditionsarepresentthathaveaneffect

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onaperson’simmunesystem,suchasthecommoncoldorabacterialinfection.

Goodskincarehabitscanreduceyourriskforeczemaand,inmildeczema,preventflaresinmildcases.Youcan:

Onlyusingmildsoapsorasoapsubstitutethatdoesnotcausedryskin.

Usemoisturizerappliedrightafterashowerorbathandforatotaloftwicedaily.

Takeshort,warmshowers.Longorveryhotshowersorbathsthatcanleadtodryskinandpotentialeczemaflares.

Humidifiershaveproventobebeneficialtothoseafflictedwitheczemathatsufferflaresduetodryair,particularlyincoldermonths.

Ifyouhavesevereeczema,youmustspeakwithyourdoctorabouttheconditionin

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ordertodeterminethebestsolutionforyou.Thereareanumberofmedicationsthatareusedtotreateczema,includingcreams,oralmedicationsandultravioletlighttherapy.

Rosacea

Rosaceaisacommonskindisorderthatcausesrednessand,insomecases,maycausebloodvesselstobecomevisible.Thisconditioncanalsocausethedevelopmentofsolidredbumpsandpus-filledpimples.Thisdisordermainlyaffectstheskinontheface,includingthenose,chin,cheeksandforehead.However,inrarercases,rosaceacanappearonthecheck,backorneck.

Expertstheorizethatitmaybecausebyadisorder of the neurovascular system or the immune system.Statistically,iteffectsmorepeoplewhohavefairskinandwomen.However,menwhoareafflictedwiththe

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conditiontendtoexperiencethemoreseveresymptoms.

Inmanycases,rosaceasuffersmaygointoremissionbyavoidingenvironmentalandlifestylefactorsthattriggertheirrosaceaflare-ups.Common triggers includesunandwindexposure,stress,hotorcoldweather,heavyexercise,spicyfoodsandalcoholconsumption.

Thereiscurrentlyno cureforrosacea,however,treatmentisavailabletocontrolorreversesomeofthesymptoms.Consultwithyourdoctoraboutthebesttreatmentoptionsforthesymptomsthatmaybepresentforyou.Treatmentoptionsrangefromoralandtopicalmedications,tosurgicalproceduresinrareandseverecases.

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Psoriasis

Psoriasisisachronic skin disorder that causesaperson’sskincellstomultipleupto10timesfasterthanwhatisconsideredtobenormal.Duetoexcessskincells,apersonalafflictedwithpsoriasismayexperienceabuildupofbumpy,redpatchesthatappeartobecoveredwithwhite“scales”.Psoriasiscanaffecttheskinanywhereonaperson’sbody,butismorecommononthescalp,elbows,kneesandlowerback.

Whilethereareseveraltheories,expertsarenotdefinitelysureofthecauseofpsoriasis.However,therearehypothesisthatitcouldbecausedbyafaultimmunesystem,causinginflammation,whichresultsnewskincellsformingtooquickly.

Additionally,psoriasisisbelievedtohavegeneticcausesasittendstoruninfamilies,thoughitcanskipageneration.Generally,this

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conditionusuallyappearsinearly adulthood.Itismostcommonforonlyafewareasofthebodytobeaffected,however,inseverecases,psoriasiscancoverlargeportionsofaperson’sbody.

Psoriasismaycomeandgo,dependingontheseverityofanindividual’scondition.Outbreakscanbetriggeredbyanumberofthings,includingcuts,scrapes,surgery,stress,strepinfectionsandsomemedications.

Youshouldtalktoyourdoctoraboutpsoriasisifyoufeelthatyoumayhavethiscondition.Generally,itiseasytodiagnosepsoriasisthroughaphysicalexam.Insomecases,asimplebiopsymaybenecessarytoruleoutskininfections.

Whilethereisno definitive cure forpsoriasis,avarietyoftreatmentsareavailablethatcanrelievediscomfortandslowthegrowth

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ofnewskincells.Commontreatments includesteroidcreams,moisturizers,coaltar,prescriptioncreamsandointmentsandretinoidcreams.Formoderate to severe psoriasis,yourdoctormayrecommendlighttherapyorcertainoralmedications.

Skin Cancer

Skincancerhasbecomethemostcommoncancerintheworldtoday.Itisestimatedthathalfofallfair-skinnedpeoplewholivetoatleast65willhaveatleastoneskincancerwithintheirlifetime.Riskfactorsincludethefollowing:

Fair skin.Whileitispossiblefordark-skinnedpeopletodevelopskincancer,itisrareandgenerallyonlydevelopsonlighterareasofthebody,suchasunderneathfingernailsoronthesolesofthefeet.

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Gender.Menarethreetimesmorelikelytodevelopskincancerthanwomen.

Age.Skincancertendstoappearbetweenthe45and54yearsofage.

Genetics.Yourriskforskincancerwillalsoriseifacloserelativehasskincancer,youarered-headed,youhaveblondhairandblueeyesoryouhaveapigmentdisorder,suchasalbinism.

Location.Skincancerdevelopsmorecommonlyinpeoplethatliveinareaswherethereisintensesunshine,suchasArizonaandHawaii.

Hazardous environment.Ifyouareregularlyaroundcertainchemicals,includingcoaltar,radiumandinsecticidesthatcontaininorganicarseniccompounds,yourlikelihoodofdevelopingskincancerwillincrease.

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Youwillincreaseyourriskfactorsofdevelopingskincancerifyou:

Spendtoomuchtimeinthesun.

Usetanningboothsorsunlamps.

GetfrequentX-rays.Thisriskfactorhasmanycomponents,includingage,genderandtypeofX-ray.

Skincancersalwaysfallintooneoftwocategories:melanoma or nonmelanoma.Skincancerssuchasbasalcellcarcinomaandsquamouscellcarcinoma,themostcommonformsofskincancer,arenonmelanomasandarerarelylifethreatening.

Thesetypesofcancersgrowslowly,areusuallyeasilyfound,seldomspreadbeyondtheskinandcanusuallybecured.Basalcellcarcinomaaccountsfornearly75percentofallskincancers,butithastheslowestgrowthandistheleastlikelytospreadbeyondtheskin.

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Ifyouarediagnosedwithskincancerquickly,youaremorelikelytobecured.Yourtreatmentoptionswilldependonthetypeofskincanceryouhave,whetherornotithasspread(andhowfar)aswellasanyotherhealthconditionsthatyoumaybeaffectedby.Treatment optionsmayincludesurgery,cryotherapy,radiation,chemotherapy,lasertherapy,biologicorimmunotherapyandtargetedtherapy.

Onceyouhavehadskincancer,youareatahigherriskforgettingskincanceragainwithinafewyears.Getyourskincheckedregularlytocatchanydevelopmentsearly.

Whilenonmelanomaskincancershaveanumberoftreatmentsthatarehighlyeffective,melanomaisafarmoreserioustypeofcancerthatisfarmoreaggressive,inclinedtospreadandmaynotbecurableinlaterstages.

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Melanoma

Melanomaisamoreaggressivetypeofskincancerthatcanoftenbelifethreatening.Thistypeofcancergenerallybeginsindark skin tissue,suchasabirthmarkormole,butitcanstartinnormallypigmentedskin.Formen,melanomaismostcommononthehead,neckandback.Forwomen,canmostcommonlybefoundonthearmsorlegs.

However,melanomacanappearinotherlocations,includingthepalmofthehands,solesofthefeet,underneathafingernailortoenail,inyoureyeandinmucusliningssuchasthevagina,anusormouth.

Whilemelanomacangenerallybecuredifcaughtearly,thistypeofskincancergrowsveryfastandcanspreadtootherpartsofthebody,includingbonesandthebrain.Shouldthishappen,themelanomawillbecomeverydifficulttotreatandcannotbecured.

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Melanomatreatmentoptionsincludesurgery,radiationtreatment,chemotherapy,lasertherapy,cryotherapy,biologicalorimmunotherapyandtargetedtherapy.

The Importance of Everyday Skin Care

Adailyskincareroutinecanhavesignificantbenefitsonyourhealthasyouwillbelesslikelytobeafflictedbyskinrelatedconditions.

Expertsrecommendthatyouwashyourfacetwice dailyandfollowupwithatonerandmoisturizer.

Limityourtimeinthesun,especiallyduringthehoursof10AMand2PM,andalwayswearabroad-spectrumsunscreenthatcontainsa sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 orgreaterwheneveryouwillbeexposedtosunlight.

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Bydoingso,youcansignificantlyreduceyourchancesofskincancers,freckles,growths,agespots,colorchangesandwrinkles.

Youshouldneverusetanningbedsorsunlamps,ifpossible,asyouwillsignificantlyincreaseyourchanceofdevelopinganumberofskinconditions,includingskincancer.

Finally,payattentiontoyourskinsothatyounoticeanychangesinpatchesofskinormolesthatmayindicateskincancer.Skincancer,ifcaughtearly,isgenerallytreatableandcurable.

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Sleep,andlackthereof,canhaveasignificantimpactonyourhealthandincreaseyourriskfactorsforanumberofconditions.

Insomnia

Insomniaisaoneofthemostcommonsleepdisorderandonethatpreventspeoplefromeitherfallingorstayingasleep.

Therearetwotypesofinsomnia;primaryorsecondaryinsomnia.Primary insomnia isnotdirectlylinkedorcausedtoanothermedicalconditionwhilesecondary insomnia iscausedbyanothercondition,suchaspain,medication,heartburn,asthmaorcancer.

Insomniacanbepresentasacute,lastingup

Sleep Importance & Disorders

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tothree monthsandoftenlinkedtostress,orchronic,inwhichsymptomscanlastforyearsifleftuntreated.Insomniaisconsideredchronicwhenapersonhastroublefallingasleeporstayingasleepforatleastthreenightsaweekforafullmonthorlonger.

Adiagnosiscansometimesbemadeafteradiscussionaboutyourhealthandsleepproblems.Insomecases,youmaybeaskedtokeepasleepdiaryoryoumaybereferredtoasleepcenterforadditionaltesting.

Treatment for insomniavariesbaseduponthecauseandseverityofthecondition.Inmoremildcases,itcanoftenbecuredbyformingbettersleepinghabits.

However,incasesofmoderatetosevereinsomnia,sleepingpillsmaybeprescribedforalimitedperiodoftime.

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Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS)isadisorderofthenervoussystemthatcancauseanurgeforapersontomovetheirlegsand/orarms.

Thesymptomsgenerallyincludeuncomfortablesensationsinaperson’slegsorarms.Thissensationhasbeendescribedas“itchy”or“pinsandneedles”.Symptomscanappearduringdaytimehoursbutaregenerallyattheirworstduringperiodsofrest,especiallywhenlyingorsittingdown.TheseverityofRLSsymptomsrangefrommildtointolerable.

Whilethereisno medical testthatcandiagnoserestlesslegsyndrome,doctorsutilizebloodtestsandothertestingmethodsinordertoruleoutotherconditionsthatpresentsimilarsymptoms.Thereisno cure for RLS,buttreatmentcaneasethesymptoms.Treatmentoptionsincludelifestyle

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changes,theestablishmentofmoreregularsleeppatterns,theeliminationofcaffeineortheeliminationofalcohol.ThereareafewmedicationsthatareusedtotreatthemoreseverecasesofRLS. Sleep Apnea

Sleep apneaisconsideredtobeaserioussleepdisorderthatcandramaticallyimpactaperson’ssleepandoverallhealthassleepapnearaisesaperson’sriskforothermedicalconditions.

Sleepapneaoccurswhenaperson’sbreathingisinterruptedduringsleep.Thisprocesscontinuesthroughoutthenight,sometimesuptohundredsoftimes.Asaresult,apersonnotonlydoesnotgetenoughsleep,buttheymaynotgetenoughoxygen.

Themostcommonformofsleepapneais

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referredtoasobstructive sleep apnea(OSA).IncasesofOSA,aperson’sairwayisblockedwhenthesofttissueatthebackofthethroatcollapsesduringsleep.Theothertypeofsleepapnea,central sleep apnea,occurswhenthebrainfailstosignalaperson’smusclestobreatheduetoinstabilityintherespiratorycontrolcenter.

Anyonecandevelopsleepapnea,buttherearesomefactorsthatwillputyouatahigherriskforthecondition.Youwillbeathigherriskforsleepapneaifyou:

Aremale.

Areoverweight.

Are40yearsofageorolder.

Haveafamilyhistoryofsleepapnea.

Havealargernecksize,tonsilsortongue.

Havenasalobstructionsduetoa

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deviatedseptum,sinusproblemsorallergies.

Ifleftuntreated,youmaybeatahigherriskforconditionslikehighbloodpressure,strokeandvariousheartconditions.

Themostcommonsymptomsofsleepapneaincludewakingupwithaverysore or dry throat,loudsnoring,wakingupgaspingorchoking,fatigue,morningheadaches,forgetfulnessandmoodchanges.

Ifyouthinkthatyoumayhavesleepapnea,itisimportanttotalktoyourdoctor.Insomecases,youmaybeabletocompleteasleepapneatestathome.Thesleepstudytestisdonetorecordspecificphysicalactivitieswhileyousleep.Insomecases,furthertestingmaybeneededwhensleepapneaisdetermined.

In mild casesofsleepapnea,ordependingonthecauseofyoursleepapnea,youmay

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beabletocureyoursymptomsbylosingweight,avoidingalcohol,avoidingsleepingpills,alteringyoursleepingpositionsandbyeliminatingnicotine.

In moderate to severesleepapnea,devicessuchasacontinuouspositiveairwaypressure(CPAP)arecommonlyused.ACPAPdevicehasamaskthatiswornoverthenoseandmouthduringsleep.Thismaskishookeduptoamachinethatdeliversacontinuousflowofairintothenosetoregulatebreathingandoxygenaccess.

Incertaincasesofsleepapnea,surgerymayberequiredtocorrectthecondition.Surgeryisoftenrequiredifyoursleepapneaiscausedbyadeviatednasalseptum,enlargedtonsilsorasmalllowerjawwithanoverbite.Surgeryisdonetocorrectthesefacialproblemsandthroatobstructionsinordertoreduceoreliminatesleepapneasymptoms.

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Narcolepsy

Narcolepsyisatypeofneurologicaldisorderthataffectsthemind’scontrolofsleepandwakefulness.Individualswhoareafflictedwiththisdisordermaynotbeabletooperateavehicleorheavymachineryduetoexcessivedaytimesleepinessandintermittent,uncontrollableepisodesresultinginsuddensleepduringtheday.Episodescanoccuratanytimeofthedayduringanytypeofactivity.

Inanormalsleepcycle,initialstagesofsleeparefollowedbydeepersleepstagesandfinallyrapideyemovement(REM)sleep.REMnormallyoccursafterabout90minutes,butfornarcolepsysufferers,REMoccursalmostimmediatelyinthesleepcycleaswellasperiodicallyduringthewakinghours.REMsleepisthetypeofsleepthatmayincludedreamsandmuscleparalysis.

Expertshypothesizethatthedisordercould

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begenetic,duetobrainabnormalitiesorduetoachemicaldeficiencyinthebrain.

Themostcommonsymptomsofnarcolepsyincludeexcessivedaytimesleepiness,lackofenergyandconcentration,extremeexhaustion,thesuddenlossofmuscletone,hallucinationsandsleepparalysis.

Ifyoubelievethatyoumayhavenarcolepsy,yourhealthcareprovidercanperformaphysicalexamorreferyoutoasleepdisorderclinictohaveadditionaltests.

Thereiscurrentlyno curefornarcolepsy.However,someofthemostdisablingsymptomsofthedisordercanbecontrolledusingavarietyofmedications.Thetypeofmedicationsthatareprescribeddependonthesymptomsthatarepresentintheafflictedindividual.

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Sleep Recommendations

Theamountofsleepthatisrecommendedtoapersondependsonhisorherage.Thecurrentrecommendedsleepamountsare:

Infants (0-3 months) –14-17hoursofsleepperday.

Infants (4-11 months) –12-15hoursofsleepperday.

Toddlers (1-2 years of age) – 11-14hoursofsleepperday.

Pre-School Children (3-5 years) – 10-13hoursofsleepperday.

School-Age Children (6-13 years) –9-11hoursofsleepperday.

Teenagers (14-17) –8-10hoursofsleepperday.

Adults (18-64) –Generally,adultsneed

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between7and9hoursofsleepperday.

Seniors (65 years of age and older) – 7-8hoursofsleepperday.

Inadditiontoagegroups,pregnant women willneedseveralmorehoursofsleepeachdaythanusualduringthefirst3monthsofpregnancy.

Effects of Poor Sleep on Overall Health

Poorsleepinghabitsandfailingtogetenoughsleepeachnightcanhavebothshort-andlong-termeffectsonthebodyandmind.

Withoutenoughsleepoverashortperiodoftime,youmayexperience:

Adecreaseinalertnessandperformance.

Cognitiveabilityandmemory

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impairment.

Agreaterrisktoreceiveanoccupationalinjury,especiallyifyouworkaroundpotentiallydangerousenvironments.

Changesinmood,includingmoodiness,anxietyanddepression.

Asignificantlyhigherrisktobeinvolvedinanautomobileaccident.

Failingtogetenoughsleepforalongperiodoftimecanresultinanincreasedriskofseriousmedicalconditions,including:

Highbloodpressure.

Heartattack.

Heartfailure.

Stroke.

Obesity.

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Depressionandothermoodrelateddisorders.

Mentalimpairment.

Poorqualityoflife.

Studieshaveshownthatindividualswhohavereportedgettinglessthansix or seven hoursofsleepeachnighthaveanincreasedmortalityrisk.Oneofthesenotablestudiesshowedthatfailingtogetenoughsleepforalongperiodoftimeheldagreatermortalityriskthansmoking,heartdiseaseandhighbloodpressure.

Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Thereareanumberofprecautionsthatyoucantakebeforegoingtobedthatcanhelpyoufallasleepquicklyandsleepthroughthenight.Youshouldstillspeakwithyourdoctor

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andfollowanyrecommendationsthattheymayhavetotreatyoursleepdisorder.Togetabetternight’srest,avoid:

Caffeine.Caffeineisastimulantthatcanstayinyoursystemfor12hours.Caffeineisfoundinmanythings,includingcoffee,soda,tea,chocolateandsomeover-the-countermedications.Avoidcaffeinefourtosixhoursbeforebedtime.

Nicotine.Avoiditfourhourspriortobedtimeinordertopreventwakingduringthenight.

Alcohol.Drinkingalcoholbeforebedcancausenighttimeawakeningsandnightmares,interruptingyoursleepcycles.

Heavy meals before bed.Beforebed,avoidprotein-basedsnacksandchoseacarbohydrate-basedsnackinstead.Studiesshowthatsmallsnacksthathave

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alargeamountofcarbsmayimprovesleep.Numerousstudieshaveshownthatasmallportionofmilkordairyproductsbeforebedcanhelpinducesleep.

WatchingTV,listeningtomusic,eatingorreadinginbed.

Minimizethelight and noiseinyourbedroomandmakesuretheroomisnot too hot or too coldduringsleep.Generally,aroomthatisabove75degreesorbelow54degreesFahrenheitcanaffectsleep.

Whileyoushouldwakeupatthesametimeeachday,itisimportanttoonlygotobedwhensleepy.Ifyoufindyourselfunabletofallasleep,getoutofbedanddoadifferentactivitybeforetryingagainin10 to 15 minutes.Dothisasoftenasnecessary.Ifyoufeeldrowsythenextday,avoidnappingifyoucan.Ifyoudotakeanap,donotnapfor

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longerthan20 minutes.

Ifyouhavetrouble falling asleepeachnight,trytoallowyourselfmoretimetounwindbeforebed.Expertsrecommendthatyoucommittorelaxingactivitiesuptoonehourbeforebed.Thisperiodoftimeshouldnotbeaboutrushingnighttimeactivities,suchasbrushingyourteeth,anditshouldnotbeatimewhereyouplaneventsforthefollowingdays.

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Back Pain

Backpainisacommonafflictionthatcanhaveanumberofcauses.Manyofthesecausesmaybepreventable.Otherformsofbackpaincancomeaboutafteraninjuryorduetoamedicalcondition.

Common Reasons for Back Pain

Thereareanumberofcommonlifestyletriggersthatcancausebackpain,including:

Poorposture.

Liftingheavyobjects.

Beingoverweightorobese.

Smoking.

Failingtomaintainanexerciseroutine.

Wearinghighheelsorill-fittedshoes.

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Additionally,studieshaveshownthatstress canleadtomuscletensioninbackmuscles.

Backpaincancommonlybeassociatedwithinjuriesand,insomecases,mayrequiremedicaltreatmenttorepair.Spine-relatedproblemssuchasherniated,slippedorbulgingdiscscanalsocausepersistentpain.

Thereareanumberofmedicalconditionsthatcausebackpain,includingarthritis,tumorsandosteoarthritis.Othermedicalconditionsthatmaycausebackpainincludekidneystones,kidneyinfections,fibromyalgiaandendometriosis.

Muscle and Ligament Strains

Beneathyourskin,aseriesofmusclesandligamentsholdthebonesofyourspineinplace.Thesemusclesandligamentscanbestrainedwhentheyarestretchedbeyondtheir

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means,causingsmalltearsinmuscleandligamenttissues.

Astraincancauseageneralpainthroughoutyourbackorinalocalizedspotthatisnotnecessarilywherethestrainislocated,duetonervepain.

Muscleandligamentback pain symptoms canincludepainandstiffnessintheback,paininthebuttocksandlegs(oftenthebackofthethigh)andpainthatworsenswhenstretching,coughing,sneezingandbending.

Ifyouhaveanysymptomsofnumbness,weaknessinyourlegs,bowelorbladderproblems,orpersistentorseverebackpain,youshouldconsultwithyourdoctorimmediately.Severalligamentandmusclestrainsymptomsarealsosymptomsformoreseriousconditions.

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Ifyouareexperiencingbackpainthatmaybecausedbyamuscleorligamentstrain,consider:

Applyicetoyourbackafteraninitialinjuryforaperiodof20 to 30 minutes.Repeatthisprocessafterthreetofourhoursfortwotothreedays.

Applyheattoyourbackafter 2-3 daysoficingoroncetheswellinghasgonedown.

Takeover-the-counterpainkillersorothernon-steroidalanti-inflammatorydrugs,suchAdvilorAleve.

Participateinphysical therapy,ifsymptomsaresevereorifrecommendedbyyourdoctor.

Youcanreducethelikelihoodofamuscleorligamentstrainbyutilizingpreventativemeasuressuchas:

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Ifpainoccursduringaphysicalactivity,stopimmediately.

Loseweightifyouarecurrentlyoverweightorobese.

Sleeponyourbackorsidewithawedgeorpillowunderorbeneathyourlegsandavoidsleepingonyourstomach.

Striveforabetterposture.

Bulging and Ruptured Discs

Whileitisestimatedthat80percentofAmericanswillexperiencesomeformofbackpainatleastoncewithintheirlifetime,backpainisusuallyshortlivedwithanumberofcauses.

Insomecases,backpainiscausedbyaherniated disk.Thevertebraeofyourspinearecushionedbyrubberydisksthatcanbreak

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downorteartheinner“jelly-like”materialpressingoutofthediskandcompressingnervesintheprocess.

This“slipped disk”isreferredtoasaherniated disk.Notonlycanslippeddiskscausepain,butifpresseduponthesciaticnerve,paincanescalateandrunfromyourlowerbackorbuttocksallthewaydownyourleg.

Thelevelofpaincanvarybetweenpatientsandtheseverityoftheinjury.Approximately80to85percentofherniateddiskswillhealovertimeusingvarioustreatmentoptions.

Doctorscommonlyprescribeanti-inflammatorydrugs,steroidinjectionsandphysicaltherapytotreatherniateddisks.Restisstronglyencouragedtoallowthebodytohealandavoidfurtherinjury.Generally,aherniateddiskcanhealwithinsix to 12

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weeks.

Inrarecases,surgerymaybenecessary.Microdiscectomyinvolvestheremovaloftheportionoftheslippeddiskthatispushingonanerve.Traditionally,surgeonscompletedthisprocedurewithinch-lingincisionsthatweremoreinvasive.

However,amoreminimallyinvasiveprocedurerequiressmallerincisionsanddoesnotrequiremusclestobedetachedandreattached.Insteadofcuttingintoapatient’smuscle,surgeonsuseatoolcalledadilatorinordertocleartheaffectednerveofherniateddiskfragments.

Microdiscectomiesaregenerallyanoutpatientprocedureandmostpatient’sgohomethesameday.Whiletheprocedureisconsideredtobeofalowerrisk,theprocedurefailsinabout10percentofpatients

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whowillrequireanadditionalsurgery.

Insomecases,physical therapyisrequiredaftertheprocedure.Aftersurgery,apatientcangenerallywalkwithinafewdays,butmostavoidanyvigorousactivityforfour to six weeks.

Skeletal Irregularities

Skeletalirregularities,alsoreferredtoascongenitaldeformities,aredefectsofthespinethataregenerallyidentifiedatbirth.However,somediagnosesmaynotbemadeuntillaterinchildhood.

Thereisnodefinitivecauseforskeletalirregularities.However,expertsbelievethatthecausemaybegenetic and environmental.Manyabnormalitiesareprogressiveandresultinsignificantspinaldeformity,whichcanleadtootherserious

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healthconditions.Congenital deformities includescoliosis,kyphosis,torticollis,lordosisandothervertebraldefects.

Thesymptomsofskeletalirregularlydiseasescanvarybythedisease.However,whensevere,theyareoftenvisibleintheformofadeformedorcurvedspine.Painmaybepresent,andthesedeformitiescanleadtoproblemswithmobility.

Treatmentoptionsareoftenlimitedandbasedupontheseverityofthedisease.Inlessseverecases,exercise,physicaltherapyandbracesmayhelp.However,inmoderatetoseverecases,surgeryisoftennecessaryandmaynotbeabletocorrectaprobleminitsentirety.

Spinal Osteoporosis

Spinalosteoporosisisadegenerativejoint

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diseasethatgraduallybreaksdowntheprotectivecartilagethatcushionsthejointsanddiscsintheneckandlowerback.

Insomecases,spurscandevelopandputpressureonthenervesleavingthespinalcolumn,resultinginweaknessandpainwithinthearmsand/orlegs.

Spinalosteoarthritisismostcommonlyseenin womenwhoareatleast45 years of age.Obesityandemploymentoractivitiesthatputsrepetitivestressonthejointsintheneckandspineincreasetheriskofdevelopingspinalosteoarthritis.

However,thediseasecandevelopinyoungeradultsfollowinganinjuryortraumatoajointorduetoageneticdefect.Incasessuchasthese,menaremorelikelytodevelopthecondition.

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Spinalosteoarthritispresentsnumeroussymptoms,includingchronic stiffness or painintheneckorback.Ifanerveisalsocompressed,theconditioncancauseweakness and even numbnessinthelegsorthearms.Generally,discomfortandpainarerelievedwhenlyingdown.

SpinalosteoarthritiscanonlybediagnosedbyuseofanX-ray.However,aphysicalexamisusuallyperformedbyaphysiciantodeterminewhetherornottotestforthecondition.Whilebloodtestscannotconfirmthiscondition,bloodtestscanruleoutotherdiseasesthatpresentsimilarsymptoms.

Ifyouhavebeendiagnosedwithspinalosteoarthritis,treatmentmaybeabletorelieveyoursymptomsorincreaseyourabilitytofunction.However,thereisnocureforspinalosteoarthritis.

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Dependingonsymptoms,yourhealthandtheseverity,yourdoctormayrecommendweightlossandregularexerciseinorderstrengthenmusclesaroundyourjoints.

Yourdoctormayalsoprescribepainmedication,anti-inflammatorydrugsandotherprescriptions.Surgerymayberecommendedincaseswherebowelandbladderfunctionareimpaired,thenervoussystemisdamagedorifyouhavegreatdifficultywalking.

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Diabetes

Diabetesisalifetimediseasethataffectsapproximately18.2millionAmericanswithanestimated5.2millionAmericansunawarethattheyhavethecondition.Diabetesoccurswhenoneofthefollowingconditionsispresent:

Whenaperson’spancreasdoesnotproduceany(orverylittle)insulin.

Whenthebodydoesnotrespondappropriatelytoinsulinanddevelopsandinsulinresistance.

Therearethree typesofdiabetes.Type 1 diabetesoccursaftertheinsulin-producingcellswithinthepancreasaredestroyedbyaperson’simmunesystem.InType1cases,theafflictedperson’sbodyproducesnoinsulinandthepersonmustuseinsulininjectionsinordertocontrolbloodsugarlevels.

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Type 1 diabeteshasoftensymptomsthatcanbesevereandappearsuddenly,including:

Increasedhunger.

Increasedthirst.

Frequenturination.

Unexplainedweightloss.

Fatigue.

Blurredvision.

Labored,heavybreathing.

Type 2 diabetes,themostcommonformofdiabetes,occurswhenthepancreasdoesnotsecreteenoughinsulinorwhenthebodyhasbecomeresistanttoinsulin.Symptomsoftype2diabetesincludethesymptomsoftype1,butmayalsoincludesymptomssuchas:

Slow-healingsoresorcuts.

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Itchiness.

Yeastinfections.

Weightgain.

Numbnessortinglingofthehandsandfeet.

Finally,gestational diabetesistheonly(usually)temporaryformofdiabetesthatistriggeredbypregnancy.Ararecondition,thoseaffectedbythisdisorderhaveahigherchanceofdevelopingtype2diabeteslaterinlife.Leftuntreated,amother’shighbloodsugarcanaffectthebloodsugarlevelsoftheunbornbaby,whichcanleadtogrowthanddevelopmentproblems.

Who is most at risk for diabetes?

ForType1diabetes,youwillhaveanincreasedriskofthisconditionif:

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YouhaveafamilyhistoryofType1diabetes,particularlyifyouhaveamother,fatherorsiblingthatisafflicted.

Youareafflictedbycertaindiseasesofthepancreas.

An infection or illnesscausesdamagetoyourpancreas.

Type1diabetesgenerallybeginsinchildhoodwiththemajorityofdiagnosesmadebeforeadulthood.

While Type 2diabetesprimarilybeginsinadulthood,itcanbeginatanytimeofaperson’slife.Riskfactorsinclude:

Obesityorbeingoverweight(thehighestriskfactorforthiscondition).

Impaired glucosetolerance.

Insulinresistance.

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EthnicbackgroundssuchasHispanic/LatinoAmericans,AfricanAmericans,NativeAmericans,AsianAmericans,PacificIslandersandAlaskaNatives.

Apreviousgestational diabetes diagnosis.

Sedentarylifestyles.

Afamilyhistoryofdiabetes,particularlyinaparentorsibling.

AdiagnosisofPolycysticOvarianSyndrome(PCOS).

GestationaldiabetesisarareconditionthataffectsaroundfourpercentofallU.S.pregnancies.However,youmayhaveahigherriskforgestationaldiabetesifyou:

Areoverweightorobese.

Haveaglucoseintolerance.

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Haveafamilyhistoryofgestationaldiabetes.

Additionally,theolderthatyouarewhenyoubecomepregnant,thehighertherisk.

Preventing Diabetes

Ifyouareatriskofdevelopingdiabetes,itisimportanttotakethenecessarystepstopreventordelaytheonsetofthislifelongdisease.Regardlessofyourriskfactors,youmaybeabletosignificantlyreduceyourriskofdiabetesby:

Managingyourbloodpressure.

Keepingyourweightwithinahealthyrangeforyourheight.

Gettingatleast30minutesofexerciseonmostdays.

Eatingabalanceddietonaregularbasis.

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Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Inmostcases,diabetesisdiagnosedwithasimplebloodtest.Multiplebloodtestsareavailable,includingafastingglucosetestoranA1C test.

Notonlycanabloodtestdeterminewhetherornotapatienthasdiabetes,butdoctorsareabletodeterminethelikelihoodthatapatientwilldevelopType2diabetesinthenearfuture,aconditioncommonlyreferredtoaspre-diabetes.Thosediagnosedwithpre-diabeteshaveahigherthannormalbloodsugarlevel,butonethatisnothighenoughforadiabetesdiagnosis.

Thereiscurrentlyno curefordiabetes,butdiabetescanbemanagedandcontrolled.Treatmentwillrequireyoutocloselymonitoryourbloodsugarlevelsaswellascombinediet,exerciseandmedication.

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InsomecasesofType2diabetes,theconditioncanbecontrolledthroughappropriatediet and exercisealone.Shouldmedicationberequired,thetypeofdiabetesmedicationthatisprescribedwillvaryonanumberoffactors,includingtheseverityofthecondition.

Whilegestationaldiabetesistreatedinmuchthesameway,bloodsugarlevelsoftenreturntonormalwithinsixweeksofchildbirth.

Ifyouarediagnosedwithanytypeofdiabetes,followyourdoctor’srecommendationsformedication, diet and exercise.Uncontrolleddiabetescancontributetothedevelopmentofanumberofmedicalconditions,includingcardiovasculardisease,nervedamage,kidneydamage,blindness,fooddamage,hearingimpairmentandAlzheimer’sdisease.

Inthecaseofgestationaldiabetes,notonly

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canuncontrolleddiabetesleadtoyourownmedicalconditions,butalsocomplicationsinyourbaby,includingexcessgrowth,lowbloodsugar,deathandthedevelopmentofType2diabeteslaterinlife.

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Glaucomaisaseriousconditionthatcausesprogressivedamagetotheeye’sopticnerve,resultinginsignificantvisionlossorblindness.Glaucomaoccurswhentheaqueoushumorchannelisblockedwithintheeye.Outsideofrarecaseswherethedamageiscausedbyachemicalorbluntinjurytotheeye,thecauseofthisblockageisunknown,thoughexperts’hypothesisthatismaybegenetic.Leftuntreated,glaucomacancausetotalandpermanentblindnesswithinafewyears.

Therearetwotypesofglaucoma;open-angle and open-closure.Open-angleglaucomaisthemostcommontypeofglaucomaasitisoccurswhenthedrainstructurewithintheeyeappearstobenormal,butthefluidwithindoesnotflowoutasitshould.

Incasessuchasangle-closureglaucoma,

Glaucoma

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whichismorecommonlyseeninAsia,theeyedoesnotdraincorrectlyduetothedrainspacebetweentheirisandcorneabecomingtoonarrow.

Thoseafflictedwithglaucomamaynotshowanyinitialsymptoms.However,thefirstsymptomthatisexperiencedisgenerally a loss of peripheral vision.Insomecases,thelosscanbesosmallthatitisunnoticeableuntillateinthedisease.Additionalglaucomasymptomsinclude:

Seeing“halos”aroundlights.

Generalvisionloss.

Rednessoftheeye.

Eyesthatappearhazy.

Nauseaorvomiting.

Alingeringpainwithintheeye.

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Narrowedvision.

Who is most at risk for glaucoma?

Glaucomaismostcommoninadultswhoareatleast40 years of age.Whilemostcommoninmiddleagedandolderadults,thediseasecanaffectyoungadults,childrenandinfants.Otherincreasedriskfactorsforglaucomainclude:

AfricanAmerican,Irish,Russian,Hispanic,Scandinavian,JapaneseorInuitethnicities.

Afamilyhistoryofglaucoma.

Poorvision.

Adiagnosisofdiabetes,especiallyifdiabetesisuncontrolled.

Takingcertainsteroidmedications,includingprednisone.

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Aneventresultingintraumatotheeyeoreyes.

Preventing Glaucoma

Unfortunately,thereiscurrentlynowaytopreventglaucoma.However,catchingthediseaseearlyallowsittobetreatableandcontrolled.Therefore,expertsrecommendthatyougetacompleteeyeexamfromaneyedoctoreveryonetotwoyears.Ifyouhaveahigherriskforglaucoma,orifyouhavediabetes,youmayneedtohaveaneyeexammoreoften.

Glaucoma Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Theonlywaytodiagnosisglaucomaisthroughaneyeexam.Theexaminerusesdropsthatwilldilateyourpupilsandallowanexaminationofyouropticnerve.Ifglaucoma

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issuspected,atestcalltonometryisgenerallycompletedinordertocheckyoureyepressure.

Ifyouarediagnosedwithglaucoma,treatmentoptionsmayvarydependingonhowfarthediseasehasprogressed.Lostvisioncannotberegained,however,treatmentcanhalttheprogressionofthediseaseandfurthervisionloss.

Themostnon-invasiveoptionavailableistheuseofmedicaleyedropsthatcanreducetheformationoffluidwithintheeyesorincreaseitsoutflow,resultinginareductionofeyepressure.

Inmanycases,lasersurgeryormicrosurgerymaybeneeded.Lasersurgeryisaprocedurethatcanincreasetheflowoffluidfromtheeyeorstockfluidblockage,dependingonthetypeofglaucomapresent.Lastersurgerymay

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includeproceduressuchas:

Trabeculoplasty,whichfurtheropensthedrainagearea.

Iridotomy,whichinvolvestinyholesintheiristhatallowthefluidwithintheeyetoflowmorefreely.

Cyclophotocoagulation,whichinvolvestreatingareasofthemiddlelayeroftheeyeinordertoreducetheproductionoffluid

Ifmicrosurgeryisrecommended,aprocedurecalledtrabeculectomywillbeperformed.Thisprocedureallowsdoctorstocreateanewchanneltodrainthefluidwithintheeyeandeasepressure.Insomecases,atubemaybeimplantedinordertohelpthefluiddrain.Withmicrosurgery,thereisariskoffailure,temporaryvisionloss,permanentvisionlossandinfection.

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Arthritis

Arthritisisaninflammationofoneormorejoints,causingjointpainandstiffenthattypicallyworsenovertime.Themostcommonformsofarthritisarerheumatoidarthritisandosteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritisaffectsthecartilage,aprotectivetissuethatcoverstheendsofboneswherejointsareformed,tobreakdown.Rheumatoidarthritisisanautoimmunedisorderthattargetstheliningofjoints.Whilethesecommontypesofarthritisaffectthebodydifferently,symptomscanbesimilarandinclude:

Pain.

Stiffness.

Swellingofjoints.

Rednessaroundjointareas.

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Adecreasedrangeofmotion.

Osteoarthritismostcommonlyaffectsjointsintheknees,hands,hipsandspine.Rheumatoidarthritiswillgenerallybegininsmallerjointareas,suchasinyourfingers,hands,toesandfeet.However,itcanandoftendoesprogressandspreadtootherareas,suchasthewrists,knees,ankles,elbows,hipsandshoulders.Inmostcases,rheumatoidarthritissimultaneouslyaffectsbothsidesofthebodyinthesamejoints(bothknees,bothwrists,etc.).

Who is most at risk for arthritis?

Anyonecanbeafflictedbyaformofarthritis,however,therearesomewhoareataconsiderablyhigherrisktodevelopthedisease.Riskfactorsforarthritisinclude:

A family history.Manytypesofarthritiscanruninfamiliesandthistypeofrisk

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isconsideredhighestwhenaparentorsiblinghasthedisorder.

Age.Riskbeginstoincreasetheolderapersonisasthediseaseprimarilybeginsinmiddletolateadulthood.

Gender.Womenarefarmorelikelythanmentodevelopsometypesofarthritis,includingrheumatoidarthritis.

Previousinjuries to joints,suchasaninjurysustainedinasport.

Obesity.Excessweightputsadditionalstressonjoints,especiallythespine,hipsandknees.

Preventing Arthritis

Whilethereisnowaythatyoucanguaranteeyourselfagainstbecomingafflictedwitharthritis,youcanreduceyourriskfactorsbytakingafewpreventativemeasures.

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Studieshaveshownthatadding more fish toadietmaylowerriskforcertaintypesofarthritis,suchasrheumatoidarthritis,duetotheomega-3fattyacidsthatarefoundinfish.Omega-3shaveseveralhealthbenefits,mostnotablythereductionofinflammationwithinthebody.

Asobesityandbeingoverweightcancausesignificantrisktothedevelopmentofarthritis,youcanreduceyourriskfactorsbyreducing your weightandgettingdowntoahealthierrangeforyourheight.

Notonlycanaroutineexerciseroutineassistinweightloss,butregularexercisecanreduceyourriskforarthritisbystrengthening the musclesaroundyourjoints,thusprotectingthemfromaddedwearandtear.

Avoid injury and protect your joints wheneverpossible.Usepropertysafety

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equipmentwhenplayinganytypeofsportandusetherighttechniqueswheneversitting,liftingorworkinginordertoprotectyourjointsfromstrainrelatedinjuries.

Arthritis Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Generally,aphysicalexamisthefirststeptoadiagnosisasswelling,redness,warmthorlimitedmotionmaybepresent.Imagingtests,includingx-raysandultrasounds,arethemostcommonandaccuratewaytodiagnosisarthritis.

Thereisno cureforarthritis,buttreatmentcanalleviatesomeofthesymptomsorslowtheprogressionofthedisorder.Insomecases,youmayneedtotrymorethanonetreatmentoruseacombinationoftreatments.

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Anumberofprescriptionmedicationsarecommonlyusedtotreatarthritis.However,manysuffererscanalsobenefitgreatlyfromcertainexercisesandphysicaltherapy.

Ifnon-invasivetreatmentoptionsdonotproviderelief,youmaybenefitfromsurgery.Thereareseveralsurgicalproceduresthatcanbeperformedforarthritis,includingjointrepair,jointreplacementandjointfusion.

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Whilecholesterolisneededtobuildhealthycells,havingtoohighalevelofcholesterolcanincreaseyourriskforanumberofmedicalconditions,includingheartdisease.Highcholesterolcancausethedevelopmentoffattydepositsinsideofyourbloodvessels,whichcanleadtoalifethreateningclotthatcausesaheartattackorstroke.

Highcholesteroldoesnotpresentanytypeofsymptomsanditcanonlybedetectedthroughabloodtest.

Who is most at risk for high cholesterol?

Highcholesterolisfairlycommonwhereafamilyhistoryispresent,however,themajorityofriskfactorsinvolvelifestylechoices,makinghighcholesterolpreventable.

High Cholesterol

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Yourriskfactorsforhighcholesterolmaybeincreaseddueto:

Poor diet,especiallyincasesofadietthathashighsaturatedandtransfatoradietthatishighinsalt.

Obesity,especiallyinbodymaxindexes(BMIs)of30orgreater.

Lack of exercise.

A diabetesdiagnosis.

Smoking.

Highlevelsofstress.

Additionally,youaremorelikelytohavehighbloodpressuretheolderthatyouare.Thisisduetothefactthatyourliverbecomeslesscapableofremovingbadcholesterolfromyourbloodstream.

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Preventing High Cholesterol

Highcholesterolisverypreventablethroughahealthy,well-balanceddietandroutineexercise,evenifyoumaybedispositionedtowardshavinghighcholesterolduetoafamilyhistory.Topreventhighcholesterol,try:

Eatingalow-saltdietthatincludesanabundanceoffruits,vegetablesandwholegrains.

Limittheamountoffoodscontaininganimalfatsthatyouingest.

Getdowntoahealthyweightifyouarecurrentlyoverweightorobese.

Quitsmoking.

Learnhowtobettermanageandreduceyourstress.

Ifyoudrinkalcohol,drinkonlyinmoderation.

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Strivetoexerciseonmostdaysoftheweekforatleast30minuteseachday.

High Cholesterol Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Highcholesterolisdiagnosedthroughablood test.Inordertoensurethatyourbloodtestresultsareaccurate,itiscrucialthatyouavoideatingordrinkinganythingotherthanwaterforatleastninehoursbeforeyourbloodtest.

Whilehighcholesterolismostcommoninolderadults,itcandevelopatanyage,includinginchildren.Formostchildren,theNationalHeart,LungandBloodinstituterecommendscholesterolscreeningbetweentheagesof9and11andbetweentheagesof17and21.

Ifyouarediagnosedwithhighcholesterol,

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lifestylechangescanhaveasignificanteffectinreducingyourcholesterollevelsandreducingyourriskforheartdisease.Therefore,yourdoctormayrecommendweight loss, exercise or a change to your diet.

Additionally,prescriptionmedicationsareusuallyusedtotreathighcholesterollevels,dependingonaperson’sriskfactors,ageandoverallhealth.

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High blood pressureiscommonlyreferredtoashypertension,whichcanseriouslyimpactyouroverallhealthandputyouatgreatriskforotherhealthconditions,includingheartdisease,heartattack,strokeanddementia.

Yourbloodpressureisdeterminedbythesizeofyourarteriesandtheamountofbloodthatyourheartpumpswitheachbeat.Thenarroweryourartiesandthemorebloodthatispumpedbyyourheart,thehigheryourbloodpressurelevel.

Hypertensiongenerallydevelopsoverseveralyearsanddoesnotalwayspresentsymptoms.Infact,mostofthoseafflictedwithhypertensionwillnevershowasignorsymptomuntilbloodpressurereachesdangerously high levels.However,someofthesymptomsthatmaybepresentonce

Hypertension

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bloodpressurereachesthoselevelsinclude:

Frequentheadaches.

Shortnessofbreath.

Nosebleeds.

Fortunately,highbloodpressureiseasilydetectedandroutinelycheckedaspartofregulardoctor’sappointments.

Who is most at risk for hypertension?

Therearetwo types of hypertension,eachwithdifferentriskfactorsforthecondition.Themostcommontypeofhypertensionisprimaryhypertension.

Thistypeofhighbloodpressuredevelopsgraduallyoverseveralyearsanddoesnotusuallyhaveanidentifiablecause.However,

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expertssuggestthatriskfactorsforprimaryhypertensioninclude:

Age.Theriskofhighbloodpressureincreasestheolderthatyouget.

Gender.Highbloodpressureismorecommoninmenbelow64yearsofageandmorecommoninwomenatages65yearsofageandolder.

Race.ThoseofAfricanheritagearemorelikelytodevelophypertension,oftendevelopitatyoungeragesandaremorelikelytosuffercomplications.

Family history.

Beingoverweight or obese,asexcessweightrequiresthehearttopumpmorebloodtosupplytissueswithoxygenandnutrients.

A lack of physical activity.

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Useoftobacco.

High sodiumdiets.

Dietsthatlack potassium.

Drinkingtoomuchalcoholonaregularbasis.

Highlevelsofstress.

Certainchronic conditions,suchaskidneydisease,diabetesandsleepapnea.

Secondaryhypertensioniscausedbyanunderlyingmedicalcondition.Incasesofsecondaryhypertension,highbloodpressureappearssuddenlyratherthangraduallyoverseveralyears.Thereareanumberofmedicalconditionsthatcancausesecondaryhypertension,including:

Obstructivesleepapnea.

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Kidneyproblems.

Thyroidproblems.

Adrenalglandtumors.

Congenitaldefectsinbloodvessels.

Illegaldrugs,includingamphetaminesandcocaine.

Certainmedications,includingover-the-counterpainrelievers,certainprescriptiondrugs,birthcontrolanddecongestants.

Preventing Hypertension

Regardlessofyourriskfactors,youcanreduceyourlikelihoodofdevelopinghypertensionbymaintainingahealthyweight,engaginginroutineexerciseandeatingawell-balanceddiet.

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Topreventhypertension,itiscrucialthatyouappropriatelymanageanyotherhealthconditionthatyoumayhavethatcanleadtohypertension.Additionally,itisimportanttohaveroutineannualcheckupswithyourprimarycarephysician.Ifyouareatriskforhypertension,yourdoctormayrecommendmorefrequentbloodpressurechecks.

Incasesofprimaryhypertension,yourdoctorwillmorethanlikelybeabletoseethewarningsignsofhighbloodpressure.Shouldthishappen,correctivemeasures,suchasweightloss,exerciseandabalanceddietcanpreventelevatedbloodpressurefrombecominghypertension.

Hypertension Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Hypertensioniseasilydiagnosedasbloodpressurechecksareacommonandroutine

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checkthatisdonewitheachvisittoadoctor’soffice.Bloodpressureismeasuredusingabloodpressuremachine.Themachineisabletomeasureyourbloodpressurethroughaninflatablecuffthatisplaceduponyourarm.

Abloodpressurereadingcontainstwonumbers.Theuppernumbermeasuresthepressureinyourarterieseachtimeyourheartbeats.Thelowernumbermeasuresthepressurewithinyourarteriesbetweenbeats.Theresultingmeasurementswillfallwithinoneofthefollowingcategories:

Normal blood pressure–Below120/80.

Elevated blood pressure–anuppernumberbetween120to129andalowernumberthatisbelow80.

Stage 1 hypertension–Anuppernumberof130to139withalowernumberbetween80and89.

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Stage 2 hypertension–Anuppernumberof140orhigherandalowernumberof90orhigher.

Ifyourbloodpressuretestresultsinhighbloodpressure,yourdoctorwilllikelyreviewyourmedicalhistorywithyouandconductaphysicalexam.Yourbloodpressurewillmostlikelybecheckedmorethanonce.Yourdoctormayalsorecommendfurthertests,includingaurine,bloodandcholesteroltestbeforegivingadiagnosis.

Dependingontheseverityofyourhypertensionandyourotherhealthconditions,yourdoctormayrecommendseveraldifferenttreatmentoptions.Inalmostallcases,lifestylechangescanhaveasignificantimpactoncontrollingyourhighbloodpressure.Importantrecommendedlifestylechangesmayincludediet,regularexercise,weightlossandlimitingalcohol.

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Inadditiontolifestylechanges,thereareanumberoftypesofprescriptionmedicationsavailablethatcanhelplowerandcontrolyourhighbloodpressure.Thetypeofmedicationthatmayberecommendwillvarybaseduponanumberoffactors,includingthecauseofyourhighbloodpressure,theseverityofyourhypertensionandothermedicalconditionsthatyoumayhave.

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Depressionisacommonmooddisorderthatcancauseanumberofsymptomsintheafflicted,includingpresidentfeelingsofsadnessandalossofinterest.Symptomsvaryinseverityandseverecasesofdepressioncandrasticallyaffectday-to-dayactivitiesandaperson’squalityoflife.

Thereareanumberoftypesofdepressionoutsideofthestandarddisorder.Eachofthesevariationsofmajordepressionaddsoneormorespecifiers,orspecificfeature.Someofthemostcommontypesofdepressioninclude:

Anxious distress,whichisdepressionthatalsopresentsitselfasunusualrestlessnessorworry.

Mixed features,whichisatypeofdepressionthatalternatesbetween

Depression

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depressionandmania,anelevatedself-esteemandincreasedenergy.

Melancholic features,whichisaseveredepressionthatincludesalackofresponsetothingsthatoncebroughtpleasure.Melancholicfeaturesmayalsobeaccompaniedbyworsenedmoodinthemorning,seriouschangesinappetite,guilt,agitationorsluggishness.

Atypical features,atypeofdepressionthatincludestheabilitytobetemporarilyhappyduringcertainevents.Atypicalfeaturesdepressioncanalsoincludeanexcessiveneedforsleep,sensitivitytorejectionandaheavyfeelinginthelegsorarms.

Psychotic features,whichisdepressionthatisaccompaniedbydelusionsorhallucinations.

Peripartum onset,atypeofdepression

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thatoccursduringpregnancyorintheweeksormonthsfollowingpregnancy.

Seasonal pattern,atypeofdepressionthatisrelatedtothechangesinseasonsandareductioninexposuretosunlight.

Depressioncanbepresentedasanumberofsymptoms.Thosewhohavedepressionwilltypicallyhavemultipleepisodesthroughouttheirlifetimewhilesomehavechronicdepressionthat,leftuntreated,couldlastforyears.Someofthemostcommonsymptomsofdepressioninclude:

Feelingsofsadness,hopelessness,emptinessortearfulness.

Angryoutbursts,frequentfrustrationandirritability.

Sleepdisturbances,includingsleepingtoomuchorinsomnia.

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Lackofenergy.

Slowedthinking,bodymovementsandspeech.

Reducedorincreasedappetite,resultinginweightlossorgain.

Anxiety,restlessnessandagitation.

Feelingsofguilt,worthlessnessorself-blame.

Troubleconcentrating,rememberingthingsormakingdecisions.

Frequentorrecurrentthoughtsofdeath,suicide,orsuicideattempts.

Depressionsymptomscanpresent in different waysforyoungchildren,teensandolderadults.Inyoungchildrenandteens,refusingtogotoschoolcanalsobeasignofdepression.Forteens,poorschoolperformance,theuseofrecreationaldrugsor

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alcoholandavoidanceofsocialinteractionsarealsosymptomsofdepression.

Inolderadults,depressionmayalsopresentitselfaspersonalitychanges,physicalachesandpains,wantingtostayhomeandareluctancetotrynewthings.

Who is most at risk for depression?

Aswithmostmentaldisorders,therearemanypotentialfactorsthatcouldincreaseaperson’sriskfordepression.Expertsdonotknowtheexactcauseofdepression.Increaseddepressionriskfactorsmayinclude:

Biologicaldifferences,specificallyinthebrain.

Brainchemistrychangesinfunctionandeffect.

Hormonalchangesorimbalances.

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Geneticsandfamilyhistory.

Certainpersonalitytraits,includingbeingtoodependentorhavingalowself-esteem.

Abuseofalcoholorrecreationaldrugs.

Certainmedications,includingsomesleepaidsandhighbloodpressuremedications.

Depressionismostcommonlyseeninteensaswellasinadultsintheir20s and 30s,butdepressioncanoccuratanyage.Statistically,morewomenhavebeendiagnosedwithdepressionthenmen.However,expertscautionthatthismaybe,inpart,duetothefactthatwomenaremorelikelytoseektreatmentandthusreceiveadiagnosis.

Preventing Depression

Whilethereisnoguaranteedwaytoprevent

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depression,youmaybeabletoreduceyourriskofdevelopingthedisorderby:

Takingstepstocontrolstress.

Reachingouttofamilyandfriendsintimesofcrisis.

Gettreatmentrightawaywhenexperiencinganypotentialsymptomsofdepression.

Considergettinglong-termmaintenancetreatmenttopreventarelapseofsymptomsfollowinganepisodeofdepression.

Depression Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Depressioncanbediagnosedbyreviewingsymptoms,thoughts,feelingsandbehaviorpatternswithamentalhealthprofessional.Yourprimarycareprovidermayalsocomplete

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aphysicalexamororderlabtestsinordertoruleoutotherconditionsthatmaypresentdepressionsymptoms,suchasthyroiddisorders.

Formostpeoplewithdepression,medication,therapyoracombinationofthetwocanbebeneficialinreducingthesymptomsofdepression.Incasesofseveredepressionorsymptomsthatincludethoughtsofsuicide,ahospitalstaymaybewarranted.

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Heartdisease,alsoreferredtoascardiovasculardisease,describesmanyheartconditions,includingbloodvesseldisorders,heartdefectsandheartrhythmconditions.

Manyheartdiseaseconditionscanbepreventedwithhealthylifestylechoicesandaretreatablethroughanumberofmethods.

Heartdiseasethataffectsyourbloodvesselsiscalledatherosclerotic disease.Themostcommonsymptomsofatheroscleroticdiseaseinclude:

Chestpain,tightness,pressureordiscomfort.

Shortnessofbreath.

Pain,numbness,coldnessorweaknessinalimb.

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Painintheneck,throat,upperabdomen,backorjaw.

Nausea.

Extremefatigue.

Likemanyformsofheartdisease,atheroscleroticdiseasecanleadtoastrokeorheartattack.

Abnormalheartbeats,knownasheartarrhythmias,isanotherformofheartdisease.Thisconditioncausesthehearttobeattooquickly,tooslowlyorirregularly.Symptomscaninclude:

Aflutteringfeelinginyourchest.

Aracingorslowedheartbeat.

Chestpainordiscomfort.

Lightheadedness.

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Shortnessofbreath.

Dizziness.

Fainting.

Infantscanbebornwithsevere congenital heart defects.Whileusuallyevidentshortlyafterbirth,thesedefectsaresometimesdiscoveredinyoungchildrenorlaterinlife.

Symptoms of a heartdefectinclude:

Palegrayorblueishskincolor.

Swellingthatoccursinthelegs,abdomenortheareaaroundtheeyes.

Ininfants,symptomscanbepresentedasshortnessofbreathduringfeedingorpoorweightgain.

Thedefectsthatarenotdiscoveredshortlyafterbirtharegenerallylessseriousand,whilenotimmediatelylife-threatening,can

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leadtoseriouscomplicationslaterinlife.Symptomsoflessseriouscongenitalheartdefectsinclude:

Shortnessofbreaththatisbroughtoneasilyduringactivityorexercise.

Tiringeasilyduringactivityorexercise.

Swellingthatoccursinthehands,anklesorfeet.

Dilated cardiomyopathyisaformofheartdiseasethatiscausedbyweakenedheartmuscles.Intheearlystagesofthisdisorder,anafflictedpersonmaynotexperienceanysymptoms.However,astheconditionworsens,symptomsmayappear,including:

Breathlessnesseitherwithexertionorwhenatrest.

Swellingthatoccursinthelegs,anklesandfeet.

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Persistentfatigue.

Irregularheartbeatsthatarefluttering,rapidorpounding.

Dizziness,faintingandlightheadedness.

Heartdiseasecanbecausedbyaninfectionknownasendocarditis,whichaffectstheinnermembranethatseparatesthevariouschambersandvalveswithintheheart.Symptomsofaheartinfectioninclude:

Fever.

Shortnessofbreath.

Skinrashesorunusualspots.

Dryorpersistentcough.

Changesinyourheartrhythm.

Weaknessorfatigue.

Swellingthatoccursinthelegsor

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abdomen.

Heartdiseasecanalsobecausedbyvalvularheartdisease,inwhichvalveswithintheheartbecomedamagedduetoanumberofconditions.Thedamagetodamagetothevalvesresultinthenarrowing,leakingorimproperclosingofthevalves.Symptomsofvalvular heart diseasemayvarybaseduponthevalvethatisnotworkedproperly,howevergeneralsymptomsinclude:

Fatigue.

Shortnessofbreath.

Fainting.

Chestpain.

Irregularheartbeat.

Swellingthatoccursinthefeetorankles.

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Who is most at risk for heart disease?

AtherosclerosisisthemostcommoncauseofheartdiseaseinAmerica.Whilefamilyhistorycanplayarole,asisthecasewithmanyformsofheartdisease,thosewhoareatahigherriskforatherosclerosisarethosewhohaveanunhealthy diet or lack of exercise.Smokingorbeingoverweight canalsoincreasetheriskofthisconditionconsiderably.

Thereareanumberofcausesofheartarrhythmias,includingheartdefectsthatapersonisbornwith,highbloodpressure,diabetes,coronaryarterydisease,stress,certainmedicationsandvalvularheartdisease.

Congenital heart defectsgenerallydevelopwhileababyisstillinthewomb.Defectscandevelopasearlyasonemonthafter

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conception.Whileanexactcauseofthesedefectsarenotknown,itisbelievedthatsomemedicalconditions,geneticsandmedicationscanplayaroleinthedevelopmentofcongenitalheartdefects.

Cardiomyopathycandevelopforanumberofreasons,dependingonthetypeofcardiomyopathythatapersonisafflictedwith:

Dilated cardiomyopathycausesarerelativelyunknown,howeveritmaybecausedbyareducedbloodflowtotheheart,infections,toxins,certainmedicationsanddamagefollowingaheartattack.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathyisusuallyinherited.Insomecases,itcanalsodevelopovertimeduetohighbloodpressureoraging.

Restrictive cardiomyopathycan

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occurfornoknowreason.Itcanalsobecausedbyotherconditions,suchasconnectivetissuedisorders,abuildupofabnormalproteinsandbycertaincancertreatments.

Aheartinfectioncanoccurwhenabacterium,chemical,parasitesorvirusreachesyourheart.

Valvular heart diseaseisgenerallyaconditionthatyouareeitherbornwithorthatdevelopsduetodamagecausedbyconditionssuchasrheumaticfever,infectionsorconnectivetissuedisorders.

Inadditiontothespecificriskfactorsrelatedtoeachofthespecifictypesofheartdisease,therearegeneralriskfactorsthatcanapplytomostformsofheartdiseases,including:

Age.Thereisanincreasedrisktoheartdiseasetheolderyouare.

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Gender.Menaregenerallyatagreaterriskofheartdiseasebycomparisontowomen.

A family history of heart disease,especiallyifaparentdevelopedheartdiseaseatanearlyage.

Smoking.

Certain chemotherapy drugs and radiationtherapyforcancertreatment.

Poor diet,especiallydietsthatarehighinfat,salt,sugarandcholesterol.

High blood cholesterol levels.

High blood pressure.

Diabetes.

Obesity and excess weight.

Lack of exercise.

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Chronic stress.

Poor hygiene.

Preventing Heart Disease

Whilecertainformsofheartdiseasecannotbeprevented,mostformsofheartdiseasearemorelikelytooccurduetocertainlifestylechoices.

Youcanimproveyouroverallhearthealthby:

Notsmokingorquittingifyoudo.

Controlling other health conditions thatyoumayhave,includingdiabetes,highbloodpressureandhighcholesterol.

Exercisingforatleast30minutesadayonmostdaysoftheweek.

Eating a dietthatislowinsaltandsaturatedinfat.

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Losing weightifoverweightandmaintainingahealthyweightforyourheight.

Reducingandmanagingstress.

Practicinggoodhygiene.

Heart Disease Diagnosis & Treatment Options

Thereareanumberoftestsforheartdisease.However,beforerecommendingatest,yourprimarycarephysicianwilllikelyperformaphysicalexamandgooveryourpersonalandfamilymedicalhistory.WhilebloodtestsandchestX-raysarecommontestsusedtodeterminethepresenceofheartdisease,othercommontestsinclude:

Electrocardiogram (ECG).AnECGmonitorsandrecordselectricalsignalsinordertodetectirregularitieswithinaheart’sstructure

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andrhythm.

Holter monitoring.AHoltermonitorworkssimilarlytoanECG,butitisaportabledevicethatisworntorecordECGreadingsforaperiodthatisusuallybetween24and72hours.

Echocardiogram.Anechocardiograminvolvesanultrasoundofthechestinorderforaphysiciantoseedetailedimageryofaheart’sfunctionandstructure.

Stress Test.AstresstestIperformedafterraisingtheheartratethroughmedicineorexerciseinordertodeterminehowwelltheheartresponds.

Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan.Acommontestusedtocheckforheartdisease,thepatientliesonatableinsideofamachinethatproducesamagnetic

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field,creatingpicturesoftheheartthatareevaluated.

Heartdiseasetreatmentsoftenvarywidelydependingontheconditionapatientsuffersfrom.Insomecases,lifestylechangesmaybenecessarytocontrolandtreatheartdisease..

Sometimes,lifestylechangesarenotenoughtoeffectivelytreatheartdisease.Inthesecases,medicationmaybeprescribedtohelpcontroltheheartdiseasecondition.Thetypeofmedicationprescribedwilldependonthetypeofheartdiseasepresent.Inrarecase,suchaswhenmedicationisnotenoughorineffective,surgerymayberequired.

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Hearinglossisextremelycommon,especiallyasyouage.One-thirdofpeoplebetween65and75yearsofageexperiencehearingloss,whilehalfofthepopulationover75yearsofagehassomedegreeofhearingloss.Whilethisconditionismorecommonintheolderpopulation,anyonecanexperiencehearinglossatanyage.

Knowingwhatcauseshearingproblemscanhelpyouavoid risk factorsandseekmedicaltreatmentearlyon.Whilesometypesofhearingproblemscannotbereversedorcured,otherscan.Evennon-reversablehearing loss can be managedwithvarioustreatmentsanddevices,suchashearingaids.

Hearinglossiscausedbyanumberoffactors.Someofthesefactorscanbeavoided,whileotherscannot.Knowingthereasonbehind

Hearing Loss

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hearinglosscanhelpyoutakepreventativemeasureswheneverpossible.Mosttypesofhearinglosscanbeattributedtothefollowing:

Aging

Damagetotheinnerear

Buildupofearwax

Infectionsandabnormalgrowths

Rupturedeardrums

Dependingonthecauseofhearingloss,thisconditionmaydevelopslowlyovertimeorhappensuddenly.Forexample,arupturedeardrumcanimmediatelyaffectyourhearing.Earwaxbuildup,ontheotherhand,usuallycausesamoregraduallossofhearing.

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Types of Hearing Loss

Tounderstandthetypesofhearingloss,ithelpstoknowhowtheearisstructured.Yourearismadeupofthreemainparts:

The outer earincludesthevisiblecartilageandopeningoftheearcanal.Itpicksupsoundwavesandfunnelsthemtoyourinnerear.

The middle earisacavityinsideyourearthatcontainsyoureardrum,severaltinybonesandotherimportantstructuresthatamplifyandtransmitsoundwaves.

The inner earismadeupoftinyhairsandseveralchambersthatreceivevibrationsfromthemiddleear,thenconvertthatinformationintoelectricalimpulsesthataresenttothebrain.

Hearinglosscanaffectany part of the

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ear.Thetypeofhearinglossapersonexperiencesdependsonthepartoftheearthatisaffected.Therearethreemaintypesofhearingloss.

Conductive hearing lossoccurswhentheouterormiddleearisdamaged,infectedorotherwiseaffected.Thistypeofhearinglosscanoccursuddenlyorgraduallyovertime.Inmostcases,itiscausedbyamechanicalproblemoranobstruction,suchasearwaxbuildup.

Sensorineural hearing losshappenswhenthetinyhairsorchambersoftheinnerearbecomedamaged.Whenthesepartsoftheeararedamaged,itbecomesdifficultfortheeartotransmitimportantinformationtothebrain.Asaresult,theloudness,pitchormeaningofsoundsmaynotbeproperlyinterpreted.Thistypeofhearinglossisthemostcommon.

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Mixed hearing lossisacombinationofsensorineuralandconductivehearingloss.Itispossibletoexperienceacertaindegreeofdamagetoeachpartoftheearallatonce,whichresultsinamorecomplexhearingproblem.

Risk Factors for Hearing Loss

Therearemanycausesandriskfactorsforhearingloss.Whilesomeriskscanbeavoided,otherscannot.Themostcommonrisksofhearinglossinclude:

Reaching an older age,whichcausestheearstructurestodegradeovertime.

Prolonged exposure to loud noises fromexplosives,gunfire,carpentryorloudmusic.

Working in certain industries,includingfarming,factorywork,constructionwork

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orbeingamusician.

Taking certain medications,suchasViagra,chemotherapydrugsortheantibioticdruggentamicin.Largedosesofpainrelieversoranti-malarialdrugscantemporarilyaffecthearingaswell.

Having certain diseases or illnesses,suchasahighfever,meningitis,someautoimmunediseases,mumpsorMeniere’sdisease.

Having a hereditary condition thatmakesyoumoresusceptibletodegenerationordamageasyouage.

Mostpeopleareatriskforhavinghearingloss,asthisconditionhasahighchanceofdevelopinginorderage.However,someindividualsareatagreaterriskthanothers.Inanycase,itisimportantforeveryonetobeawareoftheirriskfordevelopingahearingcondition.

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Preventing Hearing Loss

Knowingyourriskforhearinglosscanhelpyoutakepreventative measures,suchasavoidingloudactivitieswhenpossibleorprotectingyourears.Ifyouworkincertainindustriesorfrequentlyengageinactivitiesthatexposeyoutoloudnoises,itisevenmorecrucialthatyouthinkaboutyourearhealth.

Youcanhelpprotectyourselffrompermanent ear damagebytakingthesepreventativemeasures:

Wear ear plugswhenattendingconcertsorparticipatinginotherloudactivities,suchasracingeventsorgoingtoashootingrange.

Wear ear protectionwhenusingloudequipmentsuchassnowblowers,lawnmowers,woodchippers,leafblowersorweedwhackers.

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Lower the volumewhenlisteningtomusiconheadphonesorspeakers.

Avoid exposure to loud noisesaroundyourhome,suchasnearbyconstructionwork.Wearearprotectionortrytoblockthesoundinyourhomeifyoucannotavoidthesenoises.

Get your hearing checkedonaregularbasis,suchaswhenyougotothedoctorforacheck-up.

Tips for Avoiding Loud Noises

Sometimes,itishardtoknowwhatnoiselevelcancausehearingdamage.Ingeneral,anynoisethatfallsbelow70 decibels is considered safe.Ifasoundislouderthan70decibels,yourriskofhearingdamageincreasesthelongeryouareexposedtoitandthehigherthedecibelsare.

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Forcontext,anormal conversation is about 60 decibels.Arunningrefrigeratorhasproduces40decibels,whileadishwashercausesabout75decibels.Itdoesnottakemuchtoreachadangeroussoundlevel.Evensomethingascommonasheavycitytrafficorabusyrestaurantcanproducemorethan85decibels.

Symptoms of Hearing Loss

Hearinglossmaybegradual or sudden.Itisoftentimeseasiertoidentifythesymptomsofsudden-onsethearinglossbecauseyouwillimmediatelynoticeadifferenceinyourhearing.Incaseswherehearingfadesmoreslowly,youwillwanttopayattentiontothesesymptoms:

Askingpeopletorepeatthemselves.

Difficultycatchingeverywordinaconversation.

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Thinkingthatothersaremumblingallthetime.

HavingtoturnupthevolumeontheTVorradio.

Hearingringingorhissingnoisesthatcannotbeexplained.

Frequentlymisunderstandingwhatotherpeoplesay.

Onaverage,peopleexperiencinggradualhearinglosswaitseven yearsbeforefinallytalkingtoadoctor.However,seeking medical treatment earlyisyourbestoption.Itcanbedifficulttonoticesymptomsrightaway,ortotakeyoursymptomsseriously.Manypeoplebrushoffhearinglossasjustanothersignofaginganddonotrealizethattreatmentsareavailable.

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Diagnosis and Treatment of Hearing Loss

Ifyouareworriedthatyoumightbelosingyourhearing,itisimportanttotalktoadoctor.Hearinglossissometimesdiagnosedwithaphysical exam,inwhichadoctorwilllookatyourearsforsignsofinfection,inflammationorexcessearwax.

Doctorsmayalsoconductnoise-basedteststhatevaluatewhatlevelofsoundyoucanhear.Forexample,averysimpletestcanbeperformedbystrikingatuningforkinordertodetectwhichlevelyoucanhear.Anaudiometer testprovidesamoreaccurateassessment.Withthistypeoftest,youwearapairofheadphoneswhileanaudiologistplaysvariouswords,tonesorsoundstodetectthelowestdecibellevelyoucanhear.

Treatmentsforhearinglossvarydependingonthereasonbehindyourcondition.The

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mostcommontreatmentsinclude:

Removingblockagesifyouhaveexcessearwax.

Treatinginfectionsorgrowths.

Surgicallycorrectingabnormalitiesorinsertingtubes.

Usingahearingaid,whichhelpsamplifysound.

Gettingacochlearimplant,whichbypassesdamagedpartsofyourear.

Getting Hearing Aids

Mosttypesofhearingdamageareirreversible.Withtheexceptionofearwaxbuilduporearabnormalities,youcannotusuallycurehearingloss.However,therearemanywaystotreatandmanagepermanenthearingloss.Oneofthebestmethodsisusing

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hearingaids.Anaudiologistwillhelpyoudecideifthistreatmentoptionisagoodideaforyou.

Thereareseveral types of hearing aidstochoosefrom.Ahearingaidisnotmeanttobeaone-size-fits-allsolution.Instead,thetypeofhearingaidyoushouldusedependsonyourindividualneeds.

Completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids aredesignedtogoentirelyinsideyourearcanalforacomfortablefit.Thesearebestformoderatehearingloss,andaretheleastvisibletype.However,theirsmallsizealsomeansthattheyusetinybatterieswithashorterlifespan.Furthermore,thisstyledoesnotusuallyhavecustomizablecontrols.

In the canal (ITC) hearing aidsarebestformildtomoderatehearingloss.Theyaresmallenoughtofitmostlyinsideyourearcanal,

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whichmakesthemlessvisiblethansomevarieties.Theirsmallsizemeansthattheydonotincludeeveryfeatureofalargerhearingaid.However,theyaremorecustomizablethanCICvarieties.

In the ear (ITE) hearing aidsusuallyhaveanexternalcomponentthatsitsinyourouterear.Theyhaveavarietyoffeaturesduetotheirslightlylargersize.Asaresult,theyalsocanholdalargerbatterywithalongerlife.However,theyaremorevisiblethanCICandITCoptions.Theirpositioningcanalsopickupmoreunwantednoises,suchaswindnoise.

Behind the ear (BTE) hearing aidsareanoptionforjustaboutanytypeofhearingloss.Thesedeviceshaveacomponentthatsitsbehindtheear,whichisconnectedbyatubetoanotherpiecesittingintheearcanal.BTEdevicesaresometimeslargerthanotherstyles,buttendtohavethemostoptions.A

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similartypeofdesignisthereceiver in canal (RIC) hearing aid,whichusesawireratherthanatubetotransmitsoundtotheearcanal.

Open fit hearing aidsaresimilartoBTEdevices,buttheydonotconnecttoapiecethatfillstheearcanal.Instead,thetubeorwireitselfsitsinthecanal.Thisallowsforothersoundstoentertheearcanalnaturally.

Caring for Hearing Aids

Hearingaidsrequiresomecareandmaintenanceinordertoensuretheyworkproperly.Thewayyoutakecareofyourdevicewilldependonthetypeofhearingaidsyouhave.However,youcanmakesureanytypeofhearingaidisworkingwellbydoingthesethingsdaily:

Checkthebatteries.

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Carrysparebatteriesjustincase.

Removedirtandearwaxwithasoft,drycloth.

Keepyourdevicesdry.

Keepdebrisfromtheinnercomponentstoavoidgettingfeedbackinthemicrophone.

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Ifyouareexperiencinganytypeofsymptomsthatmaybelinkedtoamedicalcondition,itcanbebeneficialtoutilizeasymptomcheckerfromareputablesource.Symptomcheckersmatchthesymptomsimputedaswellasotherfactors,suchasyourage,gender,medicationsandotherconditions,tomedicalconditionsthatfityoursymptoms.

Whilesymptomcheckerscanbebeneficial,thesecheckersdonotoverrideanyrecommendations,treatmentoptionsordiagnosisthatyourprimarycarephysicianmayhave.

Sourcesofreliableandreputablesymptomcheckersinclude:

WebMD

MayoClinic

Health Line

Symptom Checker

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MedicalbillsarethenumberonecauseofbankruptcyinAmerica.Withoutadequatehealthinsurance,thecostofhealthcarecanquicklyaddup.

Healthinsurancecansignificantlyreducetheamountofmoneyyouwouldotherwiseneedtopayforhealthcare.Typically,youareresponsibleforacertainamountofthecostsofyourhealthinsuranceandyourinsurancewillpayfortheremainingamount,solongasthemedicalserviceiscoveredunderyourinsuranceplan.

Mostinsurerswillalsoincludeamaximumamountthatbeneficiariesmayberequiredtopayineachbeneficiaryperiod.Aftermeetingamaximumamount,theinsurerpays100percentofthecostfortheremainderofthebeneficiaryperiodforanycoveredservices.

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Common Health Insurance Terms

Byfamiliarizingyourselfwithcommonhealthinsuranceterms,youwillbebetterpreparedforthecostofyourmedicalbillsandgainabetterunderstandingofwhatyourhealthinsurancewillandwillnotcover.

Covered Costs–Coveredcostreferstothemedicalservices,treatment,suppliesandprescriptiondrugsthatyourhealthinsuranceplanwillprovidepaymentfor.

Premiums–Premiumsrefertotheamountthatyoupaytoyourhealthinsurancecompanyeachmonth(oronaquarterlybasis,dependingontheinsurer)tomaintainyourhealthinsurancecoverage.Whenreviewingplansthatmaybeavailabletoyou,thiscostisusuallythefirstonethatyouseeandhavetheopportunitytoconsider.

Deductible–Adeductibleisaflatdollar

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amountofmoneythatyoumustpayforyourcoveredmedicalservicesbeforeyourhealthinsurancebeginstopayforyourhealthcare.

Copayment–Acopaymentisaflatdollaramountthatyouwillbeexpectedtopaytoyourhealthcareproviderforaservicethatiscoveredbyyourhealthinsurance.Thisisusuallyasmallamount,suchasbetween$10and$50,dependingonyourhealthinsuranceplan.

Co-Insurance–Co-insurancereferstoanamountthatyoumustpayyourhealthinsurancecompanyafteryourdeductiblehasbeenmet,uptoyourmaximumout-of-pocketcosts.Thisamountisgenerallyasetpercentageofthetotalchargesthatyouarebillingtoyourinsuranceforacoveredservice.

Maximum out-of-pocket costs–Yourmaximumout-of-pocketcostisthemaximum

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amountofmoneythatyoumustpayforcoveredmedicalservicesduringasinglebenefitperiod(typicallyoneyear).Thisamountdoesnotincludeyourpremiumoranymedicalservicesthatyoupaidthatyourinsurancedidnotcover.

Private Insurance and Employer Insurance

PrivateandemployerhealthinsuranceplansaresomeofthemostcommontypesofhealthinsuranceinAmerica.Ifyouremployeroffershealthinsurancepackages,youwilllikelybeabletoenrollaftertheminimumperiodoftimehaspassed(90daysofemploymentiscommon).

Whileemployerofferedhealthcareplansmaybecheaperthanobtainingprivateinsurance,youdonotgenerallyhavealotofplanstochoosefromandyoucannotselectadifferent

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insuranceprovider.Therefore,itisimportanttoreviewtheofferedhealthinsurance,includingcostsandcoverageoptions,beforemakingadecision.

PrivatehealthinsuranceplanscanbepurchasedfromHealthcare.gov.Onceyouhavecompletedanapplication,youwillbeprovidedwithanyhealthinsuranceoptionsthatareavailablewithinyourarea.Thewebsiteallowsforside-by-sidecomparisonsofpremiumcosts,coverageoptions,deductiblesandmore.Healthcare.govwillalsoinformyouofanyadditionalassistancethatyouoryourfamilymaybeeligiblefor,suchasMedicaidorCHIP,baseduponyourapplicationinformation.

CHIP

TheChildren’sHealthInsuranceProgram(CHIP)offershealthinsurancecoverageto

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childrenwithfamilieswithtoohighofanincometoqualifyforMedicaid,butnothighenoughincometobeabletoreasonablyaffordprivatehealthinsurance.

LikeMedicaid,CHIPisadministeredbystates,accordingtofederalrequirements.Therefore,coveredservices,costsandeligibilityrequirementshavesomevariationbetweenstateprograms.

CHIPeligibilityisprimarilybaseduponageandincome.Insomecases,pregnantwomenmayalsobeeligiblefortheprogramduringapregnancy.YoucandiscovermoreaboutCHIPeligibilityrequirementsbyclickinghere.

SomeCHIPcoveragebenefitsaremandatedbythefederalgovernment.Othertypesofcareareconsideredoptionalandyouwillneedtocheckwithyourstateprograminordertodetermineadditionalcoverage

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optionsthatmaybeavailable.Youcanlearnmoreaboutmandatedcoveragehere.

YoucanlearnmoreabouttheCHIPprogramthatisavailableinyourstate,includingeligibilityrequirements,benefitsandcostsbycontactingyourstate.YourstatemayallowyoutoapplyforCHIPinperson,online,bymailoroverthephone,dependingonyourstate.

Medicare

Medicareisafederalhealthinsuranceprogramthatprovideshealthinsurancebenefitstoseniorcitizenswhoare65 years of age or olderaswellthoseyoungerthan65whoareafflictedwithcertaindisabilities,permanentkidneyfailureoramyotrophiclateralsclerosis.

Whiletheprogramdoesassistbeneficiaries

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withthecostofhealthcare,itdoesnotprovidecoverageforallmedicalexpensesorforthecostofmostlong-termcare.WhenenrollinginMedicare,applicantswillbeabletobuildtheirownMedicarehealthinsuranceplanbyselectingthepartsofMedicarethattheywishtoenrollinto.

Original MedicareismadeupofMedicarePartAandPartB.Medicare Part Aisprimarilyconsideredhospitalinsuranceandisavailabletomostbeneficiarieswithoutapremium.YoucanlearnmoreaboutMedicarePartAcoverageoptionshere.

Medicare Part Boffersanumberofmedicallynecessaryservicesandsupplies,includingvisitswithaphysician,mentalhealthcareandservicesanddurablemedicalequipment(DME).YoucanlearnmoreaboutMedicarePartBcoverageoptionshere.

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Medicare Part C,alsoreferredtoasaMedicareAdvantagePlan,offersavarietyofcostandcoverageoptionsbasedupontheareathatyoulivewithin.CoveragegenerallyincludescoverageoptionsofferedwithinMedicarePartAandPartB,butmayalsoincludeadditionalservices.YoucanlearnmoreaboutMedicarePartCandreviewtheplansavailablewithinyourareabyclickinghere.

Medicare Part Donlyprovidesprescriptiondrugcoverage,butitcanbecombinedwithanumberofdifferenthealthinsuranceplans,includingMedicarePartAandPartB.YoucanlearnhowMedicarePartDworkswithotherhealthinsurancepolicieshere.

DependingontheMedicareplanthatyouenrollin,youmayhaveamonthlypremiumtoretaincoverageaswellasdeductibles,copaymentsandcoinsurance.Youcanlearn

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moreabout2019Medicarecostshere.

YoushouldapplyforMedicareassoonasyoubecomeeligibleforbenefitsinordertoavoidmonetarypenaltieswhenyoudoenroll.Forseniorcitizens,theinitialenrollmentperiodforMedicarebeginsthreemonthspriortoyour 65th birthdayandendsthreemonthsfollowingyourbirthdaymonth.

Ifyoumissyourinitialenrollmentperiod,youwillnotbeabletoenrollforcoverageuntilthegeneralenrollmentperiod,unlessyouqualifyforaspecial enrollment period.TheMedicaregeneralenrollmentperiodtakesplacefromJanuary1sttoMarch31steachyear.CoveragebeginsonJuly1stoftheyearthatyouenroll.

Youwillbeeligibleforaspecialenrollmentperiodifyoucurrentlyhavemedicalinsurancecoverageunderagrouphealthplanthatis

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baseduponeitheryouroryourspouse’scurrentemployment.

Incasessuchasthese,youcanenrollintoMedicarewithoutapenaltyanymonththatyouremaincoveredunderthegrouphealthplanandyouroryourspouse’scurrentemploymentcontinuesorwithintheeightmonthperiodthatbeginsthemonthafteryourgrouphealthcareplancoverageoremploymentthatitisbaseduponends,whichevercomesfirst.

YoucanapplyforMedicareonline,byvisitingyourlocalSocialSecurityofficeorbycallingtheSocialSecurityAdministrationat: (800) 772-1213.

Medicaid

Medicaidisastateandfederalprogramthatprovidescomprehensivehealthcoverage

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tomillionsofAmericanseachyearthatmeeteligibilityrequirements.Medicaidisadministeredbyeachstateinaccordancetofederalrequirements.Therefore,eligibilityrequirementsandcoveredservicescanvarybetweenstates.

ToqualifyforMedicaid,youmustmeetincomerelatedeligibilityrequirements.Incomelimitsdovaryforsomecoveredgroups,suchasseniorcitizens(ages65andolder)andindividualswithcertaindisabilities.

Notonlymustyoulivewithinthestatethatyouareapplyingforbenefitsthrough,butyoumustalsobeeitheraU.S. citizenorholda lawful, qualifying non-citizen status.Dependingonthestatethatyoulivein,youmayberequiredtomeetadditionalnon-financialbasedeligibilityrequirements.Theserequirementsaregenerallycategorical.Forexample,somestatesdonotofferMedicaid

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coveragetoresidentswhodonothavechildrenwithinthehome,unlesstheapplicantisdisabled,pregnantoraqualifyingseniorcitizen.YoucanlearnmoreaboutMedicaideligibilityrequirementsbyclickinghere.

Thefederalgovernmentmandatessomeofthe covered servicesthatmustbeincludedineachstate’sMedicaidprogram.Theseservicesincludehospitalservices,physicianservices,laboratoryservicesandhomehealthservices.Certaincoverageoptions,referredtoasoptional benefits,aredeterminedbythestate.Youcanlearnmoreaboutmandatoryandoptionalcoveragebenefitshere.

The cost of Medicaidisdeterminedbyanumberoffactors,includingyourincome, categorical qualifications and the state that youlivewithin.WhilestatesdohavesomesayoverMedicaidcosts,thesecostsmustfallwithinfederalguidelines.Costsmayinclude

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monthlypremiums,copayments,coinsurance,deductiblesandsimilarcharges.YoucanlearnmoreaboutcostsharingwithMedicaidhere.

ToapplyforMedicaid,youmustcontactyourstateMedicaidoffice.Applicationmethodsvarybystate.Dependingonthestatethatyoulivewithin,youmaybeabletoapplyonline,overthephone,bymailorinperson.

VA Health

VAhealthcareofferscomprehensivehealthcaretocurrentandretiredactivemilitary,navalorairservicemembersthatdonotreceiveadishonorabledischarge.Generally,minimumdutyrequirementsapply,however,theserequirementsarewaivedforthosewhomeetadditionalqualifications.YoucanlearnmoreaboutVA health eligibility requirementsbyclickinghere.

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OnceapprovedforVAhealth,veteransgainaccesstocomprehensivemedicalbenefitspackages.However,notallpackagesarealikeandcoveredservicesmayvary.Generally,medicalservicesincludedinbenefitspackageincludeservicestotreatillnesses and injuries and preventative care.Somebeneficiariescanreceiveadditionalcoverageoptions,includingbenefitssuchasdental care.

AnumberofveteransqualifyforVAhealthatnocost,dependingonincomeandwhetherornottheapplicanthasaservice-connected disability.Ifcost-freehealthcareservicesarenotavailable,applicantscanbeexpectedtopaysmallcopaysandco-insurancecosts.TolearnmoreaboutVAhealthcosts,clickhere.

YoucanapplyforVAhealthonline,byvisitingyourstate’sDepartmentofVeteransAffairsoffice,bysubmittinganapplicationby-mailor

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bycallingtheVAat(877) 222-8387.Youmayneedtoprovidespecificdocumentsinorderforyourapplicationtobeprocessed,suchasyourmostrecenttaxreturn.

TRICARE

TRICAREisahealthinsuranceprogramthatisavailabletoU.SArmedForcespersonnel,veteransandtheirdependentsandspouses.Theprogramfeaturesanumberofdifferentplans,eachwithvaryingcostsandcoveredmedicalservicesinordertoprovideawiderangeofoptionstoqualifyingapplicants.

YoumustmeeteligibilityrequirementsinordertoenrollinTRICARE.Eligibilityrequirementsarecategoricalandnotonlydeterminewhetherornotyouareeligibleforbenefits,buttheTRICAREplansthatareavailabletoyou.

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CoveredservicebenefitsandthecoststhatyoucanexpectforservicescanbereviewedbycomparingTRICAREplans.Plansmayincludepremiums,deductibles,copayments,coinsuranceandmaximumout-of-pocketcosts.SomeTRICAREenrolleeswillnotbeexpectedtopayforcoveredservices,baseduponcategoricalqualifications.

ToapplyforTRICAREbenefits,youmustselecttheplanthatyouwishtoenrollin.Youcanbeginyourenrollmentprocesshere.OnceyouhaveselectedtheTRICAREplanthatisrightforyou,youcansubmitanapplicationforTRICAREonline,bymailoroverthephone.

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