The Reality of Anxiety Disorders

June 3rd, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Fitness

The feeling of anxiety is something most people have felt. In fact, it is a fairly normal manifestation resulting from being exposed to stress. The fear and anxiety we feel when we are stressed are means through which the body prepares itself to respond and cope with whatever stress we are faced with.

However, those who suffer from anxiety disorders are unable to recover from bouts with anxiety: their anxiety can begin suddenly and have no clear end in sight. This can, in effect, interfere with their ability to seek livelihood, sustain relationships, and maintain their mental and physical health.

Anxiety disorders are not always of the same mold, as there are different categories and forms. This does not mean that just because you are suffering from one form of anxiety disorder that you are are not suffering from another form. It is possible for some anxiety disorders to overlap. Below is a basic overview of these anxiety disorders.

  • General Anxiety Disorder
    While most people often worry about a lot of things that cause them stress, those who suffer from general anxiety disorder never cease from worrying. They can worry about their tight finances, or constantly anticipate bad events to befall them.
    The constant exposure to stress as a result of their regular anxiety can cause them excessive tiredness or fatigue, muscle pain, migraines, twitching, hot flashes, trembling, sweating, and even some difficulty in swallowing.
  • Panic Disorder
    Unlike the previously described type of anxiety disorder, those who suffer from panic disorder do not have a pervasive form of anxiety. Instead, their anxiety hits them very suddenly, regardless of where they are or what they are doing.
    These panic attacks can manifest by feelings of numbness, chills, sudden fear of losing control, tightness in the chest, and even difficulty in breathing.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder
    Social anxiety disorder is considered a social phobia, whereby people feel anxiety over social interaction. Often, they are anxious about what people think of them and how they are being judged. They constantly fear public embarrassment.
    At times, this disorder can be so severe that they are unable to participate in social interactions, and may even be able to sustain participation in social events.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
    There has been growing recognition of the reality of this particular anxiety disorder. This is often triggered by the experience of a traumatic event, and constant fear of having to experience the same in the future. In severe contexts, those who suffer from PTSD are unable to return to their normal lives. This does not mean, however, that those who suffer from traumatic situations will always develop PTSD. Some are just more prone to develop this particular disorder.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
    People who suffer from this disorder are characterized by a set of persistent thoughts or obsessions, and behaviors or compulsions. They are often obsessed with cleanliness and sanitation, and are likely to exhibit compulsive behavior, particularly by engaging in odd rituals integrated in their daily lives.

The only catch with some of these anxiety disorders is that some people have little to no awareness that they suffer from them. Some of them see their anxiety disorders as part and parcel of the lives they live. Even those in their social circles may even consider it normal, writing it off as one of their friend’s unique quirks. This may make it more difficult to recognize these disorders as a problem.

Luckily, anxiety disorders are responsive to treatment. Medicines and therapies have shown to be very effective in helping these people lead normal lives.

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The Difference Between a Flu and a Cold

February 4th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

We all end up sick at some point in the year. It is probably more likely to happen in the winter but it can happen any time of the year really. It can be difficult to determine if you have a cold or the flu when you do get sick.

The same virus does not cause a cold and the flu. Influenza A or B is the virus responsible for flu while there is no limit to the number of different cold viruses that can infect us. This really only matters to your doctor, though. You really need to know what the different symptoms are for the flu and a cold and how to tell them apart.

Cold Symptoms

  • A phlegm producing cough
  • Nose problems like sneezing, stuffiness and irritation
  • No fever or a very low fever
  • You start to feel bad over a period of a few days, not right away

Flu Symptoms

  • Chills and a fever of over 100 and up to 104 degrees
  • A dry hacking cough
  • Tiredness and muscle pain, which may be severe
  • Aches and discomfort in your head
  • Sudden symptoms that get worse quickly

Treating a Cold or Flu

You really can’t do much for a common cold except let it work its way through your body. There are over-the-counter medicines that will reduce your symptoms. Most colds last no longer than 10 days. Any longer and you should go to the doctor to make sure there isn’t something else going on like a bacterial infection.

The flu can be diagnosed easily with a quick test by your doctor. If you get to the doctor fast enough, you may be able to take a prescription to reduce the severity and length of the flu. The best thing to do for a flu is take it easy and stay hydrated until your symptoms go away, which can be a week or two if no prescription is taken. The flu can turn into something worse like pneumonia so listen to your doctor carefully and do what your doctor says.

If you get a flu shot, you can reduce but not eliminate your chances of getting the flu. Flu vaccines only work for certain strains of the flu so if you catch one not included in the shot, you will still get sick. Eat well and don’t get overtired if you don’t get a flu shot to reduce your chances of getting the flu. If a family member gets the flu, you may be able to take antiviral medicine to keep you from getting it as well.

The flu is much more serious than the common cold. You need to be educated about what symptoms to look for so you can get treated for the right thing as quickly as possible so don’t wait too long to go to the doctor.

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When Back Pain is Serious

January 15th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all experience some back or muscle pain from time to time. Often the cause of back pain is just overdoing it with lifting, working or other physically demanding activities. It just comes with daily activity and goes away quickly. However, if your minor back pain progresses into severe back pain or even a chronic one, it’s time to pay your doctor a visit so he can find the cause of the pain and prescribe the right treatment for you.

Sometimes chronic pain in your back is nothing more than stress on your body from poor posture, a bad mattress, or uncomfortable chairs. While the pain might not be a serious problem, how it makes you feel mentally and physically can be. If you aren’t getting a good night’s sleep, it can affect you in more ways than you know. If your back pains are keeping you up at night or preventing you from getting adequate sleep, you may not be able to go about your daily routine.

Osteoporosis occurs when women lose bone mass as they age because of changes in their hormone levels. This weakens bones and increases the risk of bone breakage and can also decrease mobility and cause a lot of pain. Doctors will usually prescribe exercise that puts weight on your body, increasing Vitamin D and calcium intake and other prescriptions. You can do things now to prevent osteoporosis by living a healthy lifestyle; you don’t have to wait for symptoms of osteoporosis to manifest themselves.

A herniated disc is when the pads between your spine bones either move out of place or rupture. This causes nerve problems or numbness and can be extremely painful. You can often do exercise to help with this problem or you may need surgery.

Spinal stenosis is when the bones in the spine lose mass and get thinner. This happens as we age so it occurs in the elderly more often. There is little that can be done to treat this although surgery is occasionally helpful.

If you are experiencing tenderness, widespread pain and fatigue you may be suffering from fibromyalgia. This is not a disease that is well understood yet; scientists are still studying treatments for this condition.

The disorders listed above are only a few of the possible causes of back pain. There are any number of problems with your bones that could be the problem, cancers that cause pain or neurological issues. It is best that you see your doctor immediately if your back pain persists, if the pain spreads down to your legs, if the pain is accompanied by numbness or tingling in the legs, if you are having difficulties controlling your bladder or bowel, or if fever, abdominal pain or weight loss accompanies your back pain. Once you are properly diagnosed, back pain can be managed by you and your doctor.

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