Leukemia is a type of cancer that begins in the blooding-forming tissues of the body such as the bone marrow. The cancer causes white blood cells to grow abnormally. The exact cause of leukemia is not known. Some risk factors include genetics, exposure to certain chemicals and radiation or bone marrow disorders.
Types of Leukemia
Leukemia that progresses slowly is termed as chromic leukemia and if the disease progresses rapidly, it is referred to as acute leukemia. Leukemia is also classified depending on the type of blood cell affected by the disease.
â Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) affects a type of white blood cell called lymphocyte and develops at a faster rate.
â Chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) affects lymphocytes and develops slowly.
â Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) affects a type of white blood cells known as granulocytes and develops fast.
â Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) affects granulocytes and develops slowly.
Symptoms of Leukemia
Leukemia symptoms begin to appear as the production of white blood cells is disturbed in the bone marrow. The lack of white blood cells in the body can lead to the following symptoms
â Frequent or persistent infections are a classic sign of leukemia as white blood cells stop functioning properly due to the cancer.
â Anemia is a common leukemia symptom as cancer can affect the production of red blood cells.
â Fatigue can result due to leukemia along with weakness, palpitations and breathlessness.
â Pain or tenderness in the bones may be seen in children with ALL.
â Bruising and bleeding can frequently occur due to low count of platelets. Petechiae, which are small red skin spots, can appear due to disturbances in the blood. Abnormal growth of white blood cells can also cause heavy menstrual flow, bleeding in the gums or nosebleeds.
Oftentimes, leukemia symptoms go unnoticed as some of the signs resemble those of cold infections or flu. But if the infections persist or any of the symptoms occur frequently, it is a good idea to see a doctor to understand the cause for the same.
Leukemia Treatment
The doctor may want to see how some leukemia symptoms progress or affect the health of the patient before starting any therapies. Patients with chronic types of leukemia may not need to begin treatment therapies immediately after diagnosis. The diagnosis can take place through physical exam to check for any lymph node swelling, liver health and anemia. Other diagnostic procedures for leukemia can include blood tests or a bone marrow test.
â Most often, it is possible to cure acute leukemia with standard therapies. However, in cases of chronic leukemia, even though the disease can be treated, a cure most often is not a possibility.
â Some treatment options for leukemia are chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy and stem cell transplant.
â The treatment plan may depend on the patient’s age, state of health and type and severity of leukemia. Information about leukemia symptoms can greatly help in the timely diagnosis and treatment of the cancer.
It is estimated that about 50 million Americans live with chronic pain all their lives. Living with chronic pain affects sleep, emotions, moods, work, and relationships. Although many people “learn” to live with the pain, the discomfort is not that easy is handle. Pain management doctors help in relieving and eliminating symptoms of pain.
The causes of pain can be physical, emotional or both. When you consult a pain management doctor, he will evaluate your case and investigate the various causes of your pain symptoms. Based on the diagnosis, he will recommend a therapy or a combination of therapies that will help to provide relief from pain. Pain management doctors also recommend techniques that you can incorporate into your daily life for better management of pain. Different people will different pain management therapies, but a majority of pain management programs have the following therapies in common:
Chiropractic care: Part of alternative medicine, chiropractic care therapy is generally used for symptoms of pain related to the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system. Pain management doctors suggest this technique mostly for lumbar spine pain, cervical spine pain, headaches, joint pain and radiating pain. Chiropractic care is one of the most affordable pain management treatment. It has been known to decrease dependency on medications and improve recovery period.
Heat or ice therapy: Pain management doctors recommend heat or ice therapy as a part of first line treatment for pain management. This is more of a conservative approach towards pain management, which is part of the initial stage of the treatment. If this approach does not work, your pain management doctor will recommend an interventional method of treatment that might also involve surgery.
Physical therapy: Physical therapy involves a set of physical activities or exercises that are focused on the areas affected by pain. Pain management doctors recommend this form of therapy to manage chronic pain as well as to rehabilitate patient after a major surgery. Physical therapy is also one of the first-line of treatments used for pain management. A continuous application of this therapy not only helps to provide relief from pain but also prevent recurrence of pain.
Oral pain medication: This is mostly a temporary therapy option that your pain management doctor may ask you to follow. You doctor might suggest over-the-counter analgesics or prescription pain relievers. Although dependency on oral pain medication is not recommended for long-term management of pain, pain management doctors usually recommend this therapy to provide immediate relief from pain.
If any of your family members suffer from the severe mental illness known as schizophrenia and you are confused whether to care for them at home or seek external assistance, the best option is to let a person with schizophrenia live with his or her family. However, in such a scenario, all the members must stay united and understand the disorder correctly. The first crucial thing to do is to recognise the schizophrenia signs and take proper guidance from a physician.
Few tips for dealing with a family member who shows schizophrenia signs
Yes, it will be a challenging task. But with patience and perseverance, the condition can be managed among the family members right at home in a systematic manner for the benefit of everyone involved.
Head lice can be treated with home remedies, but if that doesn’t work in your favor, you can adopt medication for it and get rid of the lice. There are a set of medical products that are ideal for treatment of head lice. Having lice in your hair or your child’s hair can be a painful affair; the lice also spread very easily as they live in clothing and the hair. Most of the over-the-counter products include shampoos, lotions, and crme’s that are applied and then washed off. If the going gets too hard, your doctor might also prescribe tablets for the effective treatment of head lice.
Let us first look at over-the-counter medication for treatment of head lice.
There are many other over-the-counter products for the treatment of head lice, but you must consult your doctor before using them as all of them do not have good evidence to show. They might have more side effects and risks than their original treatment.
Here are some prescribed medications for the treatment of your head lice: