Disorders Of Water Imbalance

Disorders associated with an imbalance in the body fluids are edema, dehydration and water intoxication.

Edema is an abnormal accumulation of extracellular fluid within the interstitial spaces. It results from a number of factors such as increased capillary permeability, obstructions in lymphatic vessels, decrease in the plasma protein concentration as well as increased venous pressure.

Increased capillary permeability result from an inflammation reaction that occurs in response to tissue damage. It usually involves the release of chemicals such as histamine, from damaged cells. Histamine causes an increase in capillary permeability, allowing excessive amounts of fluid to leak out of the capillary into the interstitial spaces.

A number of surgical procedures or parasitic infections that inhibit lymphatic vessels may lead to obstructions in lymphatic vessels. Consequently, back pressure develops in the lymphatic vessels and interferes with the normal movement of tissue fluid into the vessels. Simultaneously, proteins that are primarily removed by lymphatic circulation tend to accumulate in the interstitial spaces, causing the osmotic pressure of the interstitial fluid to rise, and this effect causes still more fluid to be attracted into the interstitial spaces.

Certain health conditions lead to decrease in plasma protein concentration. They include starvation, in which case ingestion of amino acids is insufficient to support the synthesis of plasma proteins. Also, liver diseases may cause failure of the body to synthesize plasma proteins; in glomerulonephritis (kidney disease), the glomerular capillaries are damaged, allowing protein to escape into the urine.

Venous pressure within the liver and portal blood vessels increases greatly, when the out flow of blood from the liver into the vena cava is blocked. As a result, fluid with a high concentration of protein tends to escape from the surfaces of the liver and intestine into the peritoneal cavity resulting in rise in the osmotic pressure of the abdominal fluid, which in turn, attracts more water into the peritoneal cavity by osmosis. This condition called ascites, is characterized by an uncomfortable distension of the abdomen.

Dehydration is a condition of deficiency of body fluid due to an increased output of water that exceeds the intake. It may occur following excessive sweating, or as a result of prolonged water deprivation accompanied by continued water output. In either case, as water is lost, the extra cellular fluid becomes increasingly more concentrated, and water tends to leave the cells by osmosis. It may also accompany illnesses in which excessive fluids are lost as a result of prolonged vomiting or diarrhea. During dehydration, the skin and mucous membranes of the mouth feel dry, and body weight is lost. Also a high fever may develop due ineffective temperature - regulation mechanism caused by lack of water needed for sweating.  In severe cases, as waste products accumulate in the extracellular fluids, symptoms of cerebral disturbances, including mental confusion, delirium and coma, may develop. Infants are more likely to become dehydrated than adults because the kidneys of infants are less able to conserve water than those of adults.  Likewise, the elderly people are also susceptible to developing water imbalances because age, and physical disabilities may make it difficult for them to obtain adequate fluids. The treatment of dehydration involves replacing the lost water and electrolytes. It is important to note that if the water alone is replaced, and this may produce a condition called water intoxication.

Water intoxication may develop in a person who drinks water for a prolonged period faster than the kidneys can excrete the excess in which case the extracellular fluids becomes hypotonic. In another instance, if water alone is replaced in a dehydrated person, the extracellular fluid will become more dilute than normal. In either instances, as the water is absorbed the extra cellular fluid becomes hypotonic to the cells. Then the cells tend to swell as water enters them in abnormal quantities by osmosis.

The symptoms of water intoxication are related mainly to a decrease in the extracellular sodium ion concentration, and they include painful muscular concentration, and coma associated with the swelling of brain tissues. Treatment of this condition usually involves restricting water intake and administering hypertonic salt solutions.

Obesity

Virus infections

Virus, one of the various micro-organisms that cause diseases is the smallest of parasites ever known to man. It is only visible with the aid of electron or light microscopes. It is a sub cellular, sometimes crystallized, molecular particle with an outer protein and a central core of nucleic acid. It entirely depends on animal, bacteria or plant cells for reproduction. The major characteristic that differentiates viruses from other parasites is its nucleic acid core which independently is capable of causing infection. The basic infectious material of virus is the inner nucleic core containing either RNA or DNA and like most other parasites, animal virus stimulate host antibodies.

There are over 200 known viruses. Many of them are recently recognized due to newly identified clinical manifestations and the advancements in science as well. Most viruses produce mainly latent infections and sometimes overt diseases. However, they cause most of the major medical and health problems evident in the world today. Presently the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the most widely spread viruses and is generating a global health concern.

Some viral infections include Adenovirus infections, Para-influenza virus infections and enteric virus infections.

Thumb sucking effects on dental and oral health

Thumb sucking is a natural coping strategy whereby young children feel comfortable and secure. The habit is done frequently at infant stage when the baby teeth grow in. During the infancy and young child stages, there is less to worry about because at this stage temporal teeth begins to give way to permanent teeth. Nevertheless, prolonged thumb sucking can lead to dental and oral health problems later in life.

Dental Problems

Some of the dental problems that may result from prolonged or aggressive thumb sucking are Mouth roof malformation, Misaligned jaws, Premature tooth loss, Temporandular Joint Disorder (TMJ), Difficulty in pronouncing words, Trouble Eating and Overbite

Treatments

Despite available treatment ideas for encouraging kids to stop sucking their thumb, it is entirely up to the child to stop the habit. Therefore the most successful of all the ideas is positive reinforcement.

·         Praise and reward your child for not sucking their thumb. Increase the time needed for a reward if the child is older.

·         Cover the thumb or hand with a Band-Aid or cloth. Take your toddler's thumb out of his or her mouth when they're asleep.

·         For older children who refuse to drop the habit, the dentist may recommend a dental appliance or a bitter-tasting solution to apply to the thumb.

·         If the child's permanent teeth come in and the damage to them is already noticeable, orthodontic treatment will most likely be recommended. Depending on the severity of the misalignment of the jaws and the crookedness of the teeth, the orthodontic treatment can involve tooth extractions and the braces and retainers may need to be worn longer. Toward the end of the teen years and early adulthood, the wisdom teeth may need to be extracted to keep the teeth in proper alignment.

If your child is struggling with thumb sucking a visit to the dentist can help.

Suicide: A Societal Concern

Suicide is one of the results of mood disorders that must not be taken for granted. The reasons why people may take their live vary from person to person. However a very common reason is depression.

Apparently, there are no peculiar personality type that is predisposed to suicide. Anybody who had threatened suicide must be closely monitored and counseled as a preventive measure because most persons who had threatened suicide eventually commit suicide. Rather than avoiding the topic, it is better to discuss it with the person in other to help him or her overcome the temptation.

Most people who threaten suicide clearly communicate the intent either verbally or by their actions before the act but frequently those in the immediate social environment fail notice the signs. Although most people who threaten suicide do carry it out, some of them do not really want to die but may use the threat as a way to communicate to family and friends the intensity of their sufferings. Hence, such threat need to be resolved because if neglected may lead to a more determined threat and eventual fulfillment.

Suicidal intent may be communicated through such statements like ‘I am tired of living’, I’ll rather leave, I feel I am a burden to you’ or ‘Daddy I thank you so much for trying so hard to help me. I don’t want to border you any longer’. Those statements are vital signals of suicide intent. A sudden action of giving away most valued possessions is one of many other nonverbal communication of suicide intent. A sudden tranquility of normally agitated mentally ill patient may often be misinterpreted as a sign of improvement but it is actually a danger signal. The tendency is that the seemingly improved patient may be less carefully watched and may take advantage of the freedom to carry out the suicidal act.

Primary Management of Eye Trauma

Despite the fact that Eye trauma or injuries and foreign bodies in the eye are preventable, they are still major causes of ocular morbidity and blindness. Eye trauma demand urgent attention to avoid complications. However, appropriate management will reduce the social and economic impact on the society particularly the under developed and developing nations. Aside from the under listed specific measures, preventive-focused health education is the best means of management at the grassroots level.

1.      Foreign body in the eye

      The object may be conjunctiva, corneal or sub-tarsal, that is under the upper eyelid and causes sensation. On assessment, vision is usually normal but if central corneal is involved vision may be impaired. On physical examination, the foreign body is seen on the conjunctiva or cornea under the eye lid.

Management

•             Wash any loose foreign body away with clean water.

•               If the foreign material is sub-tarsal or conjunctiva, remove with clean cotton bud. However if it is corneal use local anesthetic first and then carefully remove it with the corner of a paper.

•             Apply antibiotic eye ointment.

•               Refer to ophthalmologist if the foreign body cannot be removed.

2.      Burns

Burns to the eye may be as a result of acid, alkali or thermal injury. Burns of these nature usually affect vision. Physical examination may reveal red eyes and hazy cornea.

Management

•             As quickly as possible, wash the eyes with clean water for 15 minutes.

•               Apply antibiotics eye ointment.

•               Give analgesics (pain relief) drugs.

•               Urgently refer to eye clinic.

3.      Penetrating injury

Penetrating injury is majorly caused by sharp objects as a result there is perforation of the coat of the eye, that is, cornea or sclera. Vision is usually impaired, the cornea appears hazy and the pupil may be distorted with uveal prolapse.

Management

•             Carefully apply an eye pad ensuring that the affected eye is not pressed unduly.

•             Give tetanus toxoid 0.5ml immediately.

•             Urgently refer to an eye clinic.

4.      Blunt injury

 This refers to eye injury caused by blunt object e.g. fist.  Anterior chamber hyphaema, a condition in which the front of the eyes becomes filled with blood occurs. Vision is also reduced while the pupil may be dilated.

Management

•             Apply an eye pad to the affected eye to prevent the person from rubbing the eye.

•             Give pain relief drug that does not contain Aspirin because Aspirin hinders the coagulation of blood. The presence of blood in the eye means that there is rupture of blood vessels and if coagulation does not take place, blood will continue flow into the eyes.

•               Observe bed rest.

•             If vision is reduced, or there is more bleeding inside the eye, or the eye becomes more painful, refer immediately.

5.      Lid Laceration

Tear of the Canaliculus or eye lid margin. Vision is not affected

Management

•               Hold the torn skin in place with sterile gauze pad.

•             Give analgesics

•             Refer to eye unit for surgery to ensure the alignment of the lid margin.

The eyes is one of the delicate and sensitive organs of the body. It is a vital organ that must be jealously taken care of. Ensure that adequate preventive measures are taken to avoid injury to the eyes.

Preventing Stains and Discoloration of the Teeth

Causes of discoloration of the teeth arise from extrinsic and intrinsic factors but those caused by extrinsic factors are most common. However, whether extrinsic or intrinsic causes, the yellowing process can be slowed or even halted if proper attention and care are taken.

The following are some of the ways to maintain the sparkling white color of the teeth.

Keep the teeth clean. Use a light-bristled tooth brush to clean the teeth daily especially before going to bed. The use of a hard-bristled brush can create grooves in the teeth at their roots. The use of electric toothbrush may be more effective but the risk of bearing down too hard may be more.

Use Floss. Floss is a cord of thin filaments used to get rid of food and dental plaque from between teeth in areas a toothbrush is unable to reach. The American Dental Association recommends flossing at least once a day. It is important because plaque not removed by brushing and flossing attracts stains and even eventually harden into calculus or tartar.

Quit smoking. Smoking is one of the most difficult habits to drop but every obstacle becomes much easy with purposeful determination. Discuss intimately with your inner self about your smoking habits as you also consider the benefits of a more attractive smile.

Stay clear from foods and drinks that stain the teeth. A couple of foods and drinks like coffee, tea and colas do stain the teeth. Therefore it is not encouraging to consume stained beverages on daily basis however, if you do, ensure that you brush your teeth after sipping them. Also the use of plastic straw will reduce the teeth’s exposure to these staining beverages.

Use stain-removing toothpastes with caution. Except on the most serious cases of stained teeth, the use of smokers’ toothpastes designed to remove tobacco, coffee, and other stains on the teeth should be minimized as they generally abrasive.

Para-influenza virus infections.

The Para-influenza virus causes a group of respiratory illnesses that usually manifest with febrile conditions that affect mostly children. The infection is spread from person to person by contact and possibly by air suspensions. Examples of these diseases are acute upper respiratory illness, and lower respiratory diseases (E.g. acute Bronchitis and Pneumonia), as well as laryngeal trachea bronchitis.

Signs and symptoms include acute febrile episodes which in most cases reach a temperature of about 101 F to 104 F; malaise; Coryza, moderate sore throat and dry cough that usually last for 2 to 3 days. The degree of malaise is directly proportional to the degree of temperature. Also there is Bronchitis and Pneumonia after the onset of acute febrile episode. Croup or laryngeal trachea Bronchitis represents the most severe and dangerous manifestations of the Para-influenza virus.

Comprehensive Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Servi

COMPONENTS OF MATERNAL HEALTH

Premarital /preconception care (Adolescent health) - The Adolescent (12 to 21 years) : The health care services rendered to the adolescent  include prevention of alcoholism and drug abuse, genetic  counseling,  prevention of STDs/HIV/AIDS through health education , prevention of unwanted pregnancies through Family Planning education and  services  and Immunization, screening for diseases.

Conception care (Antenatal Care) - Antenatal or conception care involves health promotion services such as Health education on adequate food and proper nutrition, sanitation and hygiene; Preventive services such as immunization against Tetanus, provision of anti-malaria drugs and Hematinic, screening for high risk pregnancy; Curative and rehabilitative services include diagnosis for early detection of diseases and prompt treatment.

Natal Care/delivery care - Natal care is the health care services rendered to the pregnant woman right from the onset of labor to the time of delivery. Natal care ends on the point when the baby is born.

Post – natal care Post natal care is the health care services given to the new born commencing immediately the baby is born. The mother and child are keenly observed and screened for any abnormality.

CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

The child (1month to six years): Health care services given to this group include screening for health problems, growth monitoring and promotion, health education about nutrition especially exclusive breast feeding, immunization, prevention of illness and other conditions relevant to the family.

OBJECTIVES OF CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

Child health services aims at promoting healthy growth and development of children, protecting children from major hazards, and treating disease and disorder. Emphasis is on early diagnosis and treatment.

COMPONENTS OF CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

Health promotion services – Health education on adequate nutrition, Personal hygiene, and environment sanitation and Growth Monitoring.

Preventive services – Immunization against childhood diseases (Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis, Neonatal tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles Yellow Fever and Hepatitis B), iodination of salt, Anti-malarial prophylaxis, vitamin A supplementation, fluoridation of water, ORT, Counseling etc.

Curative services – Early diagnosis and treatment through mass screening tests.

Rehabilitative services – Identification and appropriate management of physically challenging conditions and limitation of disabilities e.g. Speech and hearing loss, visual problems etc.

Managing stress the simple way

Stress is not a new term to come across. It is merely how people react to different situations. People react differently to similar situations. For instance, while some people may remain calm due to loss of a spouse or job, some others may get alarmed and stressed. Stress can be problematic if severe and tend to adversely affect the physical and the emotional health of people such that one may fail to concentrate on simple things. It is completely normal for us as human beings to often come across numerous stressful situations, such as a relationship issue, death of a dear one, financial predicament etc. it only becomes problematic when it interferes with one’s daily tasks.

Nevertheless, the body has a "fight-or-flight" response to such stressful situations. During this process, the body releases some hormones post receiving signals from the brain to boost the potential for responding to a possible threat. But, due to stress having become a common issue, the "fight-or-flight" response process continues to occur. That’s where stress management is required, since it provides tools to fight stress.

Stress Management Strategy

1.      Make stress management a goal that you constantly want to achieve.

2.      Determine the cause(s) of your stress - Pay attention to the factor that triggers your stress.

3.      Analyze your stress level from time to time - Observe the peculiar way you behave or think when under stress and when not stressed. This is important as no two persons experience stress in exactly the same way.

4.      Understand the peculiar way you deal with stress – do you become irrational when you are stressed? The particular feeling you experience, is it regular or is it peculiar to a specific situation or stress event?

5.      Seek help – Do not keep the problem to yourself and continue to suffer. Discussing it with close confidants will greatly provide relief and make you feel a bit relaxed.

6.      Have regular physical exercise - Physical exercise is a great stress reliever. It boosts the feel-good endorphins to bring an enhancement in your overall well-being.

7.      Laugh more – Laughter certainly helps one feel better mentally. Therefore find humor in everything you see, do or experience.

8.      Sleep enough - Take 7-8 hours of sleep every night. When you sleep well, you feel well, and you react well.

9.      Have time for yourself - Most of your problems will disappear if you eat well, drink enough water every day, take a stroll, listen to music, and dance to your favorite number. Ensure that you take a break from work.

Managing stress is a gradual process. Persevere in the stress management journey, gradually you will get used to it in the simplest way.

The food you eat, what’s the nutritional value?

The importance of having good health cannot be overemphasized and lately people have come to realize the fact. In as much as that is true, and people strive to eat only wholesome things, it is certainly difficult to achieve that especially if we don't have the nutritional facts about the food we usually eat.

To make matters worse, a number of food products in the market shelves do not have labels. Even at that, most people do not care to read the labels of food products they buy off the shelves. We need to learn how to read the labels of food products especially in the busy modern world where eating in fast food restaurant has become practical. If we want to be healthy, we need to find nutritional facts about what we eat. To read the label is important but most important is interpreting what you read. You have to learn to interpret how the labels show a particular foods ingredients.

Basically, the first ingredient on the label list of a food product has the biggest portion in a particular foods contents. The higher an ingredient is on the list, the more of it is present in that food product. Knowing about nutritional facts like these can help you make informed decisions about the food you buy on stores and supermarket.

Current information about the nutritional data of fast food and other unlabeled food items can be sourced from the internet. Having up-to-date nutritional information will ensure the family will eat the right kind of food and stay healthy especially when you patronize fast-food restaurants.

Interrelation of substance Abuse and Mental Illness

Mental illnesses and disorders arising from Substance use are often interrelated. In most cases, people take to drugs or alcohol addiction in an attempt to overcome mood disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety. Similarly constant drug abuse or dependence can lead to symptoms of mental health issues. However, both conditions are likely to share certain common family history of dual diagnosis, stress levels, past traumatic experiences, degree of exposure to drugs etc. Hence, depression or anxiety may not be treated in isolation of the treatment of addiction to drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately most people suffering from substance abuse and mental illness are not getting the right desired treatments due to ignorance on the part of care givers.

Result of a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) show that while 50 percent of general psychiatric patients also suffer from a substance use disorder, only 7.4 percent of individuals receive treatment for both the conditions. The report further stated that around 37 percent of alcoholics and 53 percent of drug abusers face a high risk of developing a mental illness at any given point.

According to mental health experts, genes and other hereditary factors may put individuals at the risk of addiction and mental health-related problems, with a greater possibility of an overlap between such genetic factors. These overlapping factors indicate that some people are more likely to develop multiple disorders than others.

Importantly, if there is any impairment in an individual's reward and stress functions, which are strongly linked to addiction, it could also render them vulnerable to coexisting conditions. It has been found that those suffering from schizophrenia and those who are addicted to drugs have impaired reward pathways with a high concentration of dopamine activity. People depend on drugs to gain euphoria, without realizing that their substance abuse can trigger latent mental illnesses, making them worse over time.

Dual diagnosis can be treated with a specialized treatment provided to address both the mental disorder and the substance use disorder at the same time. Substance-induced mental health disorders can be prevented if one avoids addictive substances. Mental health issues may seem treatable in the beginning but can become severe with the passage of time. It is important to screen patients for potential cognitive impairment and provide integrated treatment that takes care of both disorders.

Importance of vegetables in human nutrition

The use of the word “vegetable” is somewhat arbitrary (based on cultural and/or personal views) because the non-biological definition of a vegetable is largely based on culinary and cultural tradition. For instance, some people consider mushrooms to be vegetables while others consider them a separate food category even though they are not biologically plants; some cultures group potatoes with cereal products such as noodles or rice, while most English speaking nations would consider them vegetables.

Vegetables are part of the plant family and is said to have originated from different parts of the globe. They are known to play very vital roles in human nutrition and because of their overwhelming nutritive value they are referred to as “Protective supplementary foods”.

Vegetables are valuable in maintaining alkaline reserve of the body. They are valued mainly for their high carbohydrate, vitamin and mineral contents and other important nutrients necessary for human growth and development, maintenance of health and prevention of diseases.

Their nutritional content vary considerably.  However, most of them contain little protein or fat and varying proportions of vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6, pro-vitamins, dietary minerals and carbohydrates. They also contribute minerals(C, A, B6, thiamine, niacin, E), vitamins, fiber and many other bioactive molecules to the diet conferring the beneficial health effects.  Among the plants, they are the excellent sources of minerals and contribute to the RDA of these essential nutrients.

Vitamins are organic compounds occurring in natural foods especially in vegetables either as such or as utilizable “precursors”. They are needed for maintenance of skin, and mucous membranes for reproduction. They also help the body to absorb calcium and phosphorous for bone growth and maintenance. They are also involved in blood clotting, normal functioning of nervous system and endocrine glands.

Fiber is important for gastrointestinal function and it contains valuable food ingredients which can be successfully utilized to build up and repair the body. Dietary fibers such as sponge gourd and bottle gourd help to prevent constipation.

The potassium provided by both fruits and vegetables may help prevent the formation of kidney stones while diets containing recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables may help lower the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes as well as decrease bone loss and other diseases that are linked to food nutrition.  They also contain a great variety of other phytochemicals, some of which have been claimed to have anti-carcinogenic, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and antiviral properties. Spinach and tomato contains enough amount of vitamin C to prevent and cure scurvy.

The importance of vegetables in human nutrition has already stimulated consumer interest, and as the volume of vegetable consumption increases more research and development on vegetable production, storage, processing and packaging are needed for quality improvement and better marketing system.

Enteric virus infections

They are diseases caused by enteric cytopathogenic human orphan (ECHO) virus, coxsackie or epidemic gastroenteritis virus as well as the Polio virus. One of the diseases caused by enterovirus is Aseptic Meningitis. When it occurs in children, it is usually by any of the three enteric viruses (Polio, coxsackie, ECHO) but if it occurs in adults, it is usually due to other viruses like mumps, herpes, or lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Others include Epidemic Pleurodynia caused by any of the six Group B coxsackie virus; Herpangina caused by any of the 24 Group A coxsackie viruses; Myocarditis Neonatorum caused by Group B coxsackie viruses; and Poliomyelitis caused by Caused by the Polio virus. The signs and symptoms of enterovirus infections depend on the specific causative virus.

Effective Toothache Home Remedies

Dental pain can be reduced by a lot of effective remedies that are easily accessible at home. Some of them are as follows-

1. A mix of Olive Oil and Clove Oil
Clove oil is actually a well-known home remedy to provide temporary relief for toothaches. It contains a natural, built-in anesthetic chemical (Eugenol) that is considered a natural pain-killer. Eugenol is very potent and can make the pain worse if not applied carefully. Used separately, Olive Oil and Clove Oil can be used to relief pain but a mix of both is more effective.

Method
Mix a few drops of clove oil with olive oil (1:3 ratios) and thoroughly soak a cotton ball in this mixture. Use the soaked cotton ball and then hold it gently but firmly against the sore tooth or gum. Within 10 minutes the pain will seize.
2. Ginger-Cayenne Paste
Ginger and Cayenne are two spices that have long been used as effective painkillers.
Method
 Mix together ginger and cayenne with some water to make a paste. Place a cotton ball into the mixture until it is saturated and place on the affected tooth. Be sure to avoid contact with your gums and tongue as it will cause irritation.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent solution for cleaning away germs, relieving pain and reducing inflammation. If not diluted with water, Hydrogen peroxide can be very irritating. Hydrogen Peroxide kills infection by altering bacteria’s molecular structure. This it does through the process of oxidation in which case it attacks bacteria by destabilizing its molecules causing them to break apart thereby rendering them useless. This is why Hydrogen Peroxide in the presence of bacteria foams upon contact with open wounds.
Method
Add half a glass of Hydrogen Peroxide (3% food grade) to half a glass of water, swish it around in your mouth for 30 seconds spit it out and afterward rinse thoroughly with lukewarm salt water.
4. A mix of rock salt and Pepper
Pepper is a common food additive can actually provide great pain relief from a toothache as well as lessening the sensation of heightened tooth sensitivity.
Method

Add a quarter of a teaspoon of crushed rock salt to a pinch of pepper, mix well and place upon the sore tooth. Brushing with this mixture on a daily basis apart from relieving pain help fight against bad breath, provides protection against cavities, cures tooth sensitivity and protect against bleeding gums. Also Swishing salt water around in your mouth will dislodge germs and plaque and the salt will provide natural antiseptics.
These home remedies can be effective at temporarily relieving dental pain. However it does not remove the fact that only a dentist can diagnose the source of your dental pain and determine the best option to address the pain and eliminate it.

Effective Management of Job Stress

It is evident that stress is ever present in work places. To that effect, organizations should design effective strategy for stress management or risk extinction. Since there cannot be a stress free work environment, managers of organizations are expected to find ways of reducing the effects of stress in the establishments rather than the wasteful effort trying to reduce the presence of stressors at the work environment.

Stress management in the work place may take two dimensions: strategy geared towards the organization, and strategy geared towards the individual.

Organizational Strategy

The overall output of the organization largely depends on the health of the employees, therefor it is imperative that organizations should help its staff cope with stress. The organization may either institute stress management programs like mapping out days for off duties or shift duty for their employees. Organizations could also adopt the collateral stress program in which the worker can embark on a long period of leave to enable the employee ease off tension.

Individual strategy

Individual strategy could be in form of time management, relaxation, meditation and physical exercises as well as role management.

Ease that Pain of Arthritis

There are many types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is one of the most common. Arthritis patients endure endless pain, stiff joints and difficulty of movement. Stiff joints is the major causes of the "tear and wear" damage in the joints. In Osteoarthritis there is a deterioration of the joints, the cartilage wears away leading to the adjourning bones to rub on each other. Osteoarthritis tend to occur more in the elderly. Surgery and joint replacement is one of the ways by which the disease may be managed but it is expensive. Recently, a more successful, less expensive and safer option than joint replacements adopted are lifestyle changes and proper diets. However, there are still better ways we can remedy joint pains and other arthritis associated symptoms.

For rheumatoid arthritis the first thing required is the right diet that supplies the body with the right minerals to lubricate the joints, keep the joints healthy and pain-free. The right type of food and food supplement is essential in the treatment of arthritis. Vitamin C, E, zinc, B 6, copper and boron are important to have in our diet. Bone broth is one food that is good for arthritis as it has a number of important nutrients such as minerals, silicon, glucose amine and sulfate which help to rebuild bones and cartilage. Add a mixture of nuts or any other product that is rich in omega 3 oils in your diet. Select a variety of fish in your diet as well as krill oil which is more potent than fish oil. Macadamia or coconut oil is best for frying because it has exceptionally high smoke point. It also has one of the healthiest fats, monounsaturated fatty acids. Cold pressed olive oil is best for salads and toppings. Take at least one tablespoon every day.

Over time cartilage cells repair themselves and restore vital tissues around them. Exercises that involves movement of the joints is part of the healing process.

Weight above the normal recommended body weight exerts pressure to the already weak joints. Weight obviously speeds up the wear and tear of joints and increases the risk of developing the condition even more. Therefor loose that excess weight and make a great difference in the amount of pain you feel.

Dental Decay

Decay occurs when sugars in food and drinks react with the bacteria in plaque, forming acids. Whenever food or drink containing sugars is eaten, these acids attack the teeth and begin to soften and dissolve the enamel. The action can last for an hour after eating or drinking. Natural salts in the saliva resupplies the enamel with minerals and it hardens again.  Other types of carbohydrate foods and drinks such as ‘fermentable' carbohydrates: such as cooked starches, sugars in processed food, natural sugars like those in fruits, react with plaque and form acids. Note that sucrose, maltose and so on are all sugar. The risk of decay increases with eating sugary or acidic snacks and drinks between meals, because the teeth is constantly attacked and do not have ample time to recover. Therefore it is not advised to always eat sugary snacks or sugary drinks throughout the day.

Signs of Dental Decay

The early stages of dental decay present no symptoms. However, dentists may be able to spot a cavity in its early stages by means x-ray examination of the teeth. Therefore, it is important and greatly encouraged to visit the dentists regularly to make for early detection and treatment of small cavities before they become advanced. Once the cavity has affected the dentine, the tooth may become sensitive, especially when hot or acidic foods as well as sweet foods or drink, is eaten. When the decay progress near the dental pulp it may result in toothache which may last for only a few seconds if it is caused by hot or sweet foods. When the decay progresses closer to the dental pulp the pain may last longer and painkillers may be needed to control the pain. At this stage, a visit to the dentist is absolutely necessary as the tooth is dying and may develop dental abscess.

Prevention of dental decay

1. Thoroughly brush the teeth with a fluoride toothpaste last thing at night and at least one other time during the day.

2. Ensure that the inner, the outer and biting surfaces of the teeth are brushed.

3. Use ‘inter dental' brushes, or dental floss or tape, to remove plaque and food particles from areas an ordinary toothbrush can't reach, such as between the teeth and where they meet the gums.

4.  Eat sugary and acidic food and drinks less often.

5. Avoid having snacks between meals.

6. Chew sugar-free gum for up to twenty minutes after a meal. It can help the mouth produce more saliva, which helps neutralize acids that have formed.

7. Visit the dentist regularly, as often as it is recommend

Classification of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are classified into three - Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorders and Phobia

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The disorder is persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. The persistence worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness, feeling on tense or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or insomnia.

Panic Disorders: In panic disorder, there is sudden and intense onset of severe anxiety and physical sensations like dizziness or light-headed, trembling and shortness of breath leading to a feeling of impending danger. The main symptom of panic disorder is recurrent panic attacks, an overwhelming combination of physical and psychological distress. Other symptoms may include Palpitations, rapid heart rate, Sweating, numbness or tingling, Chills or hot flashes, nausea or abdominal pains, feeling detached, fear of losing control or fear of dying. Panic disorder may likely lead to Agoraphobia.

Phobias: This is an excessive, intense and unimaginable fear of specific objects, places, situations or events. Examples are

Agoraphobia- Fear of being in situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be available in the event of panic symptoms. The fear is out of proportion to the actual situation and lasts generally six months or more and causes problems in functioning. One with agoraphobia experiences fear in two or more of the following situations: Using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed places, standing in line or being in a crowd, being outside the home alone. The patient actively avoids the situation, requires a companion or endures with intense fear or anxiety. Untreated agoraphobia can become so serious that the patient may be unable to leave the house. One can only be diagnosed with agoraphobia if the fear is intensely upsetting, or if it significantly interferes with normal daily activities.

Specific Phobia- An excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity that is generally not harmful. Patients know their fear is excessive, but they can’t overcome it. These fears cause such distress that some people go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear. Examples are fear of flying or fear of spiders.

Social Anxiety Disorder (previously called social phobia) - A person with social anxiety disorder has significant anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected or looked down on in social interactions. People with this disorder will try to avoid the situation or endure it with great anxiety. Common examples are extreme fear of public speaking, meeting new people or eating/drinking in public. The fear or anxiety causes problems with daily functioning and lasts at least six months.

Separation Anxiety Disorder- A person with separation anxiety disorder is excessively fearful or anxious about separation from those with whom he or she is attached. The feeling is beyond what is appropriate for the person’s age, persists (at least four weeks in children and six months in adults) and causes problems in functioning. A person with separation anxiety disorder may be persistently worried about losing the person closest to him or her, may be reluctant or refuse to go out or sleep away from home or without that person, or may experience nightmares about separation. Physical symptoms of distress often develop in childhood, but symptoms can carry though adulthood. 

Biochemical factors in psychopathology

Human behavior largely depends on the brain and its functions. The brain effect behavior by way of neural messages transmitted through many biochemical substances called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals released at the synapse (a tiny gap at the terminal button of the axon of a neuron) which enable impulse transmitted to continue until interpretation is given and behavior effected. The neuron synthesizes the chemicals that serve as transmitters. Also the neuron synthesizes other chemicals called neuromodulators (chemicals that possess properties of neurotransmitters and hormones) and transport them to terminals of axon. When impulse (action potential) is generated, the neurotransmitters or modulators are released, molecules of these chemicals attach to receptors of post-synaptic neuron and alter the activity. Thereafter the molecules separate from their receptors and in some instances are converted into inactive chemicals. The presynaptic neuron reabsorb some of the neurotransmitters molecules for recycling.

Just as human beings exhibit different behaviors, so does the brain has many neurotransmitters and receptors. This is because different neurotransmitters control different aspects of behavior. The nervous system which is the medium for transmission of impulses is highly complex therefor it requires many neurotransmitters, synapse and receptors to coordinate its activities concerned with behavior. However an excess or deficit of any activity at any particular type of synapse and receptor may lead to changes in behavior, including abnormal behavior. Research has shown that some chemical abnormalities are among the etiological factors in mental disorders (Psychopathology). Hence, drugs or other treatment that facilitate or block a particular type of synapse may be useful in treating certain behavior abnormalities like Mania Anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, and mental retardation.

Anxiety Disorder Syndromes

Anxiety is a state of fear and apprehension that affects the psychobiological functioning of a person. It is part of our everyday life. In moderate degree, it is an adaptive response. While driving a car, it is anxiety that compels one to slow down while approaching a slope. When sick, it is anxiety that will make one seek medical attention and during exams, it anxiety that will stimulate the student to burn the mid night candle in preparation for the exams. Nevertheless, extreme anxiety leads to maladaptive behavior. Some people experience anxiety most of the time and may result in perpetual distress, limitation to social freedom and flexibility. Extreme anxiety may distort the normal adaptive response of a person. In general, for anybody to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the fear or anxiety must be out of proportion to the situation or age inappropriate and hinders the person’s ability to function normally.

 Symptoms of anxiety disorder syndromes include changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty or lack of concentration, use of alcohol or drugs as a coping strategy, development of behavior rituals or compulsions to manage worry, panic attacks or flashbacks of past trauma, avoidance of social situations, restlessness, fatigue, irritability, or muscle tension on a regular basis. 

The psychological effects of anxiety is also accompanied by physical symptoms, such as an elevated heart rate, more rapid, shallow breathing, muscle tension, disrupted sleep, and gastrointestinal distress. Chronic anxiety can create a vicious cycle in which case the person is always on edge leading to more worries. Excessive worry and feeling of physical exhaustion obviously decreases the ability to cope effectively with stress.

 The disorder can be categorized into three, generalized disorder, Panic disorder, and Phobia.

Adenovirus infections

The infections caused by adenovirus are acute febrile disorders characterized by inflammation of the respiratory and ocular mucous membranes, followed by follicular hyperplasia of sub mucosal and regional lymphoid tissue. Adenovirus is also present in the intestinal tract causing pronounced or latent infections in the mesenteric lymph nodes, tonsil and the adenoids. There are over twenty serotypes of adenoviruses.

Signs and symptoms of the infections are usually sudden. They include malaise, fever, and sore throat. There is also noticeable enlargement of regional lymph nodes; sometimes pharyngeal lymphoid hypertrophy is present. Rarely there is secondary Pneumonitis. Other diseases caused by adenoviruses are Acute Respiratory Disease (ARD), Epidemic kerato conjunctivitis (EKC), acute respiratory illness (AFRI), and pharyngeal conjunctiva fever (PCF), and virus pneumonia of infants.