Focal HIFU – Newest Prostate Treatment Option That Minimizes The Potential Side Effects

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Robert Henry

A new prostate treatment has shown wonderful results in nine out of ten men according to a latest research. This treatment, which involves the heating of tumours using a highly focussed ultrasound, will treat the patients without any incapacitating side effects. This study has given hope to thousands of men, who are suffering from prostate enlargement, and the resulting side effects of other current therapies. Men can now be treated without staying in the hospital overnight. According to a recent study, HIFU or high intensity focused ultrasound, gives men an almost perfect outcome. Nine out of ten cases were free of cancer even after 12 months of treatment, without any side effects. The current therapies include radiotherapy or traditional surgery, which can provide perfect outcomes only fifty percent of the time.

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This new study reveals that the prostate treatment options look bright and there is hope for many. Large scale trials are being initiated, so that within the next five years, affordable treatment can be on offer. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will give a go ahead for larger scale and more effective trails in a few days from now. Patients suffering from cancer can talk to their doctors for referral into this large trial. As it is one of the most common cancers found in men, prostate cancer current treatments include surgery to remove the complete prostate or radiotherapy. These therapies induce side effects like impotence and incontinence. Research regarding this treatment mainly focuses on reducing the occurrence of side effects.

 

Focal HIFU has an advantage over the previous HIFU in terms that it has fewer side effects. This can be effective even on the slightest of tumours, the size of a rice grain. The focussed ultrasound destroys them by heating. This prostate treatment gives a new dimension, as this reduces collateral damage to the tissues surrounding the prostate. Treatment that does not lead to side effects provides a better quality of life to the patients. Larger trials and study will prove this concept of treating prostate cancer in a much better way. These trials will conclude if focal therapy is more effective than the current therapies in providing long and medium term goals for the men. Once these trials are initiated, doctors can suggest this treatment to their patients. As more encouraging results are revealed, physicians too would be confident to refer their patients. Men, who are interested in registering for this trial, can talk to their cancer doctor or GP. A randomised controlled trial can benefit men in a great way.

 

This research programme is led by Professor Mark Emberton, of UCL and UCLH. He says that the focal therapy reduces the harm caused to the other tissues. He also said that men can be benefited by this treatment and have a better genitor-uriary function, which is not possible with the current therapies. He was of the opinion that this treatment concept is not new, as it is used in treating breast cancer in women.  Professor Gillies McKenna, director of the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology said that clinical trials are great tools to test the effectiveness of experimental treatments like these. He also said that, if randomised controlled trials can prove the effectiveness of Focal HIFU prostate treatment, then it can soon become one of the most reasonable choices for prostate cancer.

 

Treatments that reduce the likelihood of common side effects significantly are always welcomed by the doctors. If there are no side effects like incontinence, and there is a better recovery process, then there is a chance that men can lead good quality lives years after the treatment. Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity said that they welcome any developments to the prostate treatment. And if it limits the possibility of debilitating side effects, then treatments like Focal HIFU have a potential future.

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Cranberry Juice Helps You With The UTIs – Fact Or Myth?

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Robert Henry

Urinary tract infections can cause a range of unbearable and uncomfortable symptoms in adults and children. Though adults can recognise the symptoms and get help immediately, children may not be able to identify the symptoms quickly. Children suffer a lot, as do adults because of some serious discomfort. However some tips and food habits can reduce the suffering and help you tide over the UTI easily. There is a lot of discussion contemplating the benefits of cranberry juice in the treatment or prevention of urinary tract infections. Cranberry juice and supplements can be purchased from a local drug store, which help in the reduction of the suffering and aid the function of the prescribed medicines. Regular intake of these also helps in the maintaining of good health, which prevents the frequent occurrence of urine infection.

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UTIs are usually caused when bacteria enter the bladder through the urethra and starts multiplying. Usually, the bacteria stick to the walls of the bladder and multiply, causing several symptoms like pain and discomfort. Many studies have shown that cranberry juice in its pure form is effective against the bacteria causing UTIs. As the juice from cranberries, like many other fruits and berries is acidic, it causes an acidic environment in the blood. Hippuric acid is produced because of this in the urine, which makes it acidic. E.Coli bacteria, which are the major causes of this infection, do not thrive well in acidic environment. Thus the juice of cranberries effectively reduces the multiplication of bacteria in the bladder and reduces the chances of infection.

 

Another theory states that the ingredient present in these berries does not allow the bacteria to stick to the walls of the bladder. This way, the bacteria do not have a firm medium to multiply. Proanthocyanidins are one of the compounds found in cranberries. They affect the bacterial cells and their membranes. They allow the bacterial cells to condense, which makes it difficult for them to hold on to the walls of the bladder. Another theory explains that this compound changes the gram-negative bacteria into gram-positive bacteria, which makes them less compatible to the environment in the bladder, thus reducing urine infection chances.

 

Though many studies are still being carried out to understand the connection between the cranberries and UTIs, one thing is certain that these berries create an energy barrier between the bladder wall and the bacteria, thus not letting them attach and multiply. Though only cranberry juice may not be effective in reducing an infection, it can be taken along with the antibiotics prescribed by the doctors.

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Analyse Painful Diseases Through The Highly Useful Urine Test Strips

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Robert Henry

With the introduction of urine test strips in to the medical field, there has been a giant leap towards easy analysis of diseases in the human body. Urine related diseases, can be tested through a scientific method and presented in an easily readable format. Usually a change in the colour or urine and its other physical characteristics can signify the presence of a particular disease. The use of urine test strips has been recognized all over the world as a significant tool, which can be implemented to analyse the pathological changes occurring in the urine. These are very easily available and provide a great opportunity to the patients and medical consultants to detect any anomaly in the body. Usually the urine strips contain around 10 pads or chemicals. These react to the urine, and display a change in colour. This change in colour indicates the presence of certain diseases in our body. Usually these results are given within one to two minutes of the test.

These test sticks are so handy that they have made testing easy and comfortable. People, who need to be tested frequently, can use these at home, and save themselves many trips to the lab. The strips have a broad spectrum of identifiable diseases and can detect the presence of many diseases through urine. Some of the most easily identifiable diseases through such a urine test are diseases related to kidney and urinary tract, metabolism of carbohydrates can be understood, and diseases related to the liver can also be identified.

Many times, if people do not understand or identify the symptoms of urinary tract and kidney diseases on time, it may lead to complications. If someone has the slightest doubt of having any of these symptoms, they can use the urine test strips to confirm the presence of infection. This way, many complications can be avoided. Many routine tests, during the early stages of kidney and urinary tract diseases help you identify treat the patients at the right time.

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Many hospitals and health facilities recommend the use of these for treatment monitoring, self-monitoring by the patients, or for detection during a routine exam. It is suggested that the patients should consult a doctor, if they find the indication of infection through this test. Doctors may suggest different treatment options, based on the results from your tests. Advancements in medicine like the introduction of these easy testing methods help the patients immensely, and make it easier for them to cope during their suffering.

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Calcium supplements might deter heart’s health

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Robert Henry

Calcium supplements are a regular thing in the cabinets of every other elderly person nowadays. Nevertheless, these supplements can prove to be more of a health hazard than benefit. Study performed on a group of men and women for over a decade have revealed that calcium supplements and not the dietary sources of calcium can prove to be delirious in the functioning of heart. Some of the non-dairy food stuffs of calcium that can be opted for are beans and green veggies. Non-dairy food stuffs extend the dual benefit of keeping the body’s calcium levels balanced and of sustaining the levels of blood sugar in diabetics.

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Pain meds might lessen the levels of testosterone

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Robert Henry

Long term use of opioids or pain killers can bear a devastating influence on the hormonal balance of men. Use of long-term painkiller meds is mainly prescribed for cancer patients. Hypogonadism is a syndrome that is marked by persistently low-lying levels of testosterone. This syndrome can be often linked with a constant reduction in muscle mass, and density of bony tissue and libido. Lowering of testosterone levels were found to be more prominent in men than women who were put on long-term painkiller meds.

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Antidepressants might trigger heart arrhythmia

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Robert Henry

Electrical impulses generated by the cardiac muscles can be a major indicator of the condition of heart. Antidepressants tend to prolong the QT intervals of electrical impulses and therefore slow the heart rate. Some of the other pre-existent conditions that tend to affect the regularity of heartbeats are loneliness, heart stroke, and high Bp. Chronic presence of irregular heart beats can culminate into long-standing cardiac disorders. So in a long run, antidepressants can actually prove to be beneficial but with a catch of inducing arrhythmia in people who own a genetic lineage of heart problems.

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Urine Test Strips – Test And Detect The Infections At Home

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Robert Henry

The best way to detect and identify the pathological changes in the urine is through urine test strips. Testing through these strips is a reliable and simple way of finding the signs at early stages, so that treatment can be given at the right time. They are the best and easy ways to detect the presence of a potential disease early on. The results shown on the urine test strips detect the presence of infection. Usually, the strips are immersed in the urine and let to stay for some time. If there is any pathological change in the urine, it is shown in the form of change in colour. These colours are checked against the colour chart given in the pack, to determine the type and level of infection. These strips can identify infections caused to the urinary tract, kidney, liver diseases and metabolic disorders related to carbohydrates.

These test strips are highly popular because of the instant results they provide. The test can be carried out from home and the results are known immediately. Many doctors and medical practitioners are now relying on these strips to know the problem behind certain visible symptoms. If a person is prone to frequent reoccurrence of urinary tract infection, he/she can test the urine at regular intervals to check the infection at the initial stage, so that right treatment is given even before the infection spreads or becomes acute. Like this, many other uses of test strips have made them quite popular. Doctors suggest their use depending upon the severity and kind of infection. Different reagents used on the strips allow the increased responsiveness and help in accurate results.

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Understand if you have an infection or not in a short time duration, and help in devising a treatment plan accordingly. You need not wait for the test results from a pathological lab to start your course of treatment. As these strips are very easy to use, and easy to self-monitor, these strips can be used by individuals at home, without doctor’s supervision. Diabetic patients too find a lot of help from these, as they can monitor their progress on their own. These help in monitoring the glucose levels, which is quite helpful. Regular monitoring and easy and effective cure are some of the main advantages of test strips. It is quite safe to use and quite reliable to diagnose many different infections and diseases at their early stages.

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Early signs of heart’s malfunctioning preclude the onset of heart attack

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Robert Henry

Knowledge of the preliminary signs of heart attack can minify the chances of a stroke to the max. Excruciating pain is a symptom that comes quiet late in comparison to the milder ones. Some of the initial indicators of a heart stroke are:

• Feeling of uneasiness in the middle portion of the chest

• Experience of pain in the crucial regions of upper body like arms, jaw, neck and back

• Shallow breathing, nausea and faintness

• The increased or increasing prominence of these signs suggests closeness to the possibility of a stroke.

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Drastic changes in Flu’s climatic patterns

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Robert Henry

Seasonal flu is something that we all are aware of. The recent studies reveal that with a drastic change in the climatic patterns over the world, a heavy flood of flu seasons can be expected in the coming years. A strong emergence of flu has been witnessed in the year 2011 during the warm winter months that explain the present-day extended presence of flu worldwide. To conclude, the gradually elevating levels of global warming would proportionally increment the impact of flu too. As a starting step towards readiness for combating extended flu seasons, the manufacture, and distribution of vaccines has increased in the recent years.

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Disarray over satiety and overeating

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Robert Henry

An urge towards filling of stomach may not be essentially directed towards receiving fulfilment via brunching. A crucial hormone named insulin is responsible for making the body aware of its satiation level after eating. Insulin production was found stirred up by high-calorie meals. The gravitation of satiation can be experienced to a lesser extent. To conclude, insulin dulls the transmission of nerve impulses from one region of the brain to another and therefore reduces the satiety quotient.

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