Epilepsy is a neurological condition. This means it affects the brain and nervous system. Seizures can affect all or part of the brain. Areas of the brain called the temporal, occipital or frontal lobe are commonly affected. Each area of the brain performs different functions causing a different type of seizure - if the temporal lobe is affected, for example, this is called temporal lobe epilepsy.

People with epilepsy are more likely to develop depression than other people; it’s important to be aware of that possibility so that you can get help early. Being open with friends and family about your condition is vital because you’ll need to lean on them for support. Talk to your doctor about your concerns, and ask for referrals to support groups. Listening to the experiences of other people with epilepsy and sharing with them can be reassuring, and you can learn from each other.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. Neurons normally generate electrochemical impulses that act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, feelings, and actions. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior, or sometimes convulsions , muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

The Facts on Epilepsy

The name epilepsy comes from the Greek “to be seized.” Sudden seizure is the hallmark of this illness. It may involve falling to the ground and twitching spasmodically, but not always. As the brain goes about its daily functions, millions of electrical and chemical signals pass from its nerve cells out to the body. These electrochemical messages are necessary for almost everything we do and feel. Seizures are a sudden and abnormally high discharge of electrical activity among large numbers of nerve cells in the brain.

Causes 

The specific cause of epilepsy is generally unknown. Sometimes it is connected to an infection or injury in the brain; heredity can also play an important role in the incidence of epilepsy among children. However, having a parent with epilepsy only slightly increases the risk of a child developing the disease.

Symptoms 

The severity of symptoms can vary greatly, from simple staring spells to loss of consciousness and violent convulsions. For many patients, the event is the same thing over and over, while some people have many different types of seizures that cause different symptoms each time. The type of seizure a person has depends on a variety of many things, such as the part of the brain affected and the underlying cause of the seizure.

Treatment

Home care with epilepsy varies with the frequency and type of seizures. It is important to take anticonvulsant medication regularly to prevent seizures.

When a seizure occurs, an observer can use common sense to prevent injuries.

Cushion the person’s head.

Loosen any tight neckwear.

Turn the person on his or her side.

Calcarea carbonica. [Calc]

The treatment of epilepsy should be directed to the underlying dyscrasia, as this is at fault in most, if not all, cases. Calcarea carbonica, with its rickety, tuberculous, scrofulous and flabby symptoms, its characteristic deficiency of lime assimilation, as shown in children by the open fontanelles and backward dentition, will frequently be the remedy with which to commence the treatment. The characteristic relaxation on falling asleep and the sweating of the head and neck are fine indications for its use. It has an excellent clinical record.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder and has nothing to do with your mental capabilities, but there can be a stigma associated with the diagnosis. People with epilepsy face certain restrictions; for example, you are not allowed to drive until your seizures are under control, and this could cause difficulty in finding a job. And if your child has epilepsy, he or she may be restricted from participating in some sports.

Epilepsy was one of the first brain disorders to be described. It was mentioned in ancient Babylon more than 3,000 years ago. The strange behavior caused by some seizures has contributed through the ages to many superstitions and prejudices. The word epilepsy is derived from the Greek word for “attack.” People once thought that those with epilepsy were being visited by demons or gods. 

Causes

Sometimes seizures are related to a temporary condition, such as exposure to drugs, withdrawal from certain drugs, or abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood. In such cases, repeated seizures may not recur once the underlying problem is corrected.In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excitable. In some people, an inherited abnormality affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures.

In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excitable. In some people, an inherited abnormality affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures.Some seizures are idiopathic, which means the cause can not be identified. Such seizures usually begin between ages 5 and 20, but they can occur at any age. People with this condition have no other neurological problems, but often have a family history of seizures or epilepsy.Disorders affecting the blood vessels, such as stroke and TIA, are the most common cause of seizures after age 60.

There are many signs and symptoms of epilepsy. In many cases, the symptoms are unnoticeable. The most common symptom is a seizure. Seizures are classified as grand mal or petit mal. Grand mal seizures may consist of rapid pulse, whole body spasms, jerking muscles, biting of the tongue, bladder and bowel incontinence, and dilated pupils. Petit mal seizures are less severe and typically include temporary lack of awareness. Sufferers may appear to have a blank expression on their face, or temporarily “space out.” Once the seizure concludes, the sufferer is usually unaware of their previous condition.

Diagnosis

Epilepsy is diagnosed mainly via interpretation of a patient’s medical history; the patient describes what the seizures were like and, when a patient can’t recall the seizures, witnesses also may be asked to describe what they saw. Tests may be done to rule out shortterm causes of seizures, such as uncontrolled diabetes or infections. A complete neurological exam is done, including an EEG (electroencephalogram, a machine that records brain waves picked up by wires taped to the head).

Treatment

Medication controls seizures for most patients, who are otherwise healthy and able to live full and productive lives. It is very important not to stop taking anticonvulsants without consulting your doctor, even if you are no longer having fits.This is because you may develop a condition called status epilepticus, in which you have one fit immediately after another.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder and has nothing to do with your mental capabilities, but there can be a stigma associated with the diagnosis. People with epilepsy face certain restrictions; for example, you are not allowed to drive until your seizures are under control, and this could cause difficulty in finding a job. And if your child has epilepsy, he or she may be restricted from participating in some sports.

Epilepsy was one of the first brain disorders to be described. It was mentioned in ancient Babylon more than 3,000 years ago. The strange behavior caused by some seizures has contributed through the ages to many superstitions and prejudices. The word epilepsy is derived from the Greek word for “attack.” People once thought that those with epilepsy were being visited by demons or gods. 

Causes

Sometimes seizures are related to a temporary condition, such as exposure to drugs, withdrawal from certain drugs, or abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood. In such cases, repeated seizures may not recur once the underlying problem is corrected.In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excitable. In some people, an inherited abnormality affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures.

In other cases, injury to the brain (for example, stroke or head injury) causes brain tissue to be abnormally excitable. In some people, an inherited abnormality affects nerve cells in the brain, which leads to seizures.Some seizures are idiopathic, which means the cause can not be identified. Such seizures usually begin between ages 5 and 20, but they can occur at any age. People with this condition have no other neurological problems, but often have a family history of seizures or epilepsy.Disorders affecting the blood vessels, such as stroke and TIA, are the most common cause of seizures after age 60.

There are many signs and symptoms of epilepsy. In many cases, the symptoms are unnoticeable. The most common symptom is a seizure. Seizures are classified as grand mal or petit mal. Grand mal seizures may consist of rapid pulse, whole body spasms, jerking muscles, biting of the tongue, bladder and bowel incontinence, and dilated pupils. Petit mal seizures are less severe and typically include temporary lack of awareness. Sufferers may appear to have a blank expression on their face, or temporarily “space out.” Once the seizure concludes, the sufferer is usually unaware of their previous condition.

Diagnosis

Epilepsy is diagnosed mainly via interpretation of a patient’s medical history; the patient describes what the seizures were like and, when a patient can’t recall the seizures, witnesses also may be asked to describe what they saw. Tests may be done to rule out shortterm causes of seizures, such as uncontrolled diabetes or infections. A complete neurological exam is done, including an EEG (electroencephalogram, a machine that records brain waves picked up by wires taped to the head).

Treatment

Medication controls seizures for most patients, who are otherwise healthy and able to live full and productive lives. It is very important not to stop taking anticonvulsants without consulting your doctor, even if you are no longer having fits.This is because you may develop a condition called status epilepticus, in which you have one fit immediately after another.

Read about beauty tips, makeup tips, eye makeup tips . Read about home remedies and beauty tips, makeup tips, skin care tips

Bipolar disorder occurs in both men and women. About 5.7 million people in the United States have the disorder. There is no racial group that is more afflicted by this disease. Because of the extreme and risky behavior that goes with bipolar disorder, it is very important that the disorder be identified. With proper and early diagnosis, this mental condition can be treated. Bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that will require proper management for the duration of a person’s life. 

A mood disorder sometimes called manic-depressive illness or manic-depression that characteristically involves cycles of depression and elation or mania. Sometimes the mood switches from high to low and back again are dramatic and rapid, but more often they are gradual and slow, and intervals of normal mood may occur between the high (manic) and low (depressive) phases of the condition. The symptoms of both the depressive and manic cycles may be severe and often lead to impaired functioning.

Mania is separated into two types: Full mania and hypomania. Mania may be characterized by a decreased need for sleep, decreased self-control, overspending, increased sexual activity, irritability, rage, risk-taking behaviors, and in the more severe cases psychotic states. Hypomania is described as having the same behaviors, to a less extreme level.

Bipolar II disorder is characterized by major depressive episodes alternating with episodes of hypomania, a milder form of mania. Bipolar depression may be difficult to distinguish from unipolar depression (depression without mania, as found in major depressive disorder). Patients with bipolar depression tend to have extremely low energy, retarded mental and physical processes, and more profound fatigue(for example, hypersomnia—a sleep disorder marked by a need for excessive sleep or sleepiness when awake) than people with unipolar depression.

How do you get bipolar disorder?

Experts today believe that bipolar disorder is caused by several different things, including a chemical imbalance in your brain.

Bipolar disorder also seems to run in families. About two thirds of people with bipolar disorder have a close relative who also has the disorder, or who suffers from severe depression.

Causes

The cause of bipolar disorder has not yet been discovered. Many researchers believe that heredity is an important factor. Two-thirds of bipolar patients have a family history of mental disorders. Some research studies claim to have found a genetic link for bipolar disorder. Genes are the chemical units present in all cells that tell cells what functions to perform. Genes are passed down from parents to children.

Bipolar disorder in children and adolescents can be hard to tell apart from other problems that may occur in these age groups. For example, while irritability and aggressiveness can indicate bipolar disorder, they also can be symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or other types of mental disorders more common among adults such as major depression or schizophrenia. Drug abuse also may lead to such symptoms.

Mood Stabilizers

Mood stabilizers are drugs that provide acute relief from mania, provide acute relief from depression, and prevent recurrences of mania or depression.

The most commonly used mood stabilizers are:

• Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid, Lithonate)
• Divalproex sodium (Depakote)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol)
• Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a rare, severe type of hemorrhagic fever which affects both humans and non-human primates. Caused by a genetically unique zoonotic (that is, animal-borne) RNA virus of the filovirus family, its recognition led to the creation of this virus family. The four species of Ebola virus are the only other known members of the filovirus family.

The virus is believed to be transmitted from an unknown animal host to humans. Humans may spread the virus to others through extremely close contact with a patient and body fluid (blood, faeces, vomitus, urine, saliva, sweat, respiratory secretions). Close contact with a severely ill patient, during care at home or in hospital, and certain burial practices are common routes of infection. Transmission through needle-stick injuries is associated with more severe disease, rapid deterioration, and possibly higher fatality. Humans may also be infected after close contact with infected primates or their body fluids.

Marburg virus was first recognized in 1967, when outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever occurred simultaneously in laboratories in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany and in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). A total of 37 people became ill; they included laboratory workers as well as several medical personnel and family members who had cared for them. The first people infected had been exposed to African green monkeys or their tissues. In Marburg, the monkeys had been imported for research and to prepare polio vaccine.

Patients who are at greatest risk of dying experience diffuse or extensive hemorrhage into the skin, mucous membranes, internal organs, stomach, and intestines.  Swelling of the spleen, lymph nodes, kidneys, sometimes pancrease, and especially brain occurs.  Patients finally experience coma and convulsions, followed by death.  Death from shock usually occurs 6-9 days after clinical onset of symptoms.

Marburg haemorrhagic fever is a severe and highly fatal disease caused by a virus from the same family as the one that causes Ebola haemorrhagic fever. These viruses are among the most virulent pathogens known to infect humans. Both diseases are rare, but have a capacity to cause dramatic outbreaks with high fatality. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly, with severe headache and severe malaise. Many patients develop severe haemorrhagic manifestations between days 5 and 7, and fatal cases usually have some form of bleeding, often from multiple sites.

Symptoms of Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF), to summarize the treatments applied, and to assess the quality of clinical documentation. Surveillance and clinical records of 77 patients with MHF cases were reviewed. Initial symptoms included fever, headache, general pain, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia (median day of onset, day 1-2), followed by hemorrhagic manifestations (day 5-8+), and terminal symptoms included confusion, agitation, coma, anuria, and shock. Treatment in isolation wards was acceptable, but the quality of clinical documentation was unsatisfactory. Improved clinical documentation is necessary for a basic evaluation of supportive treatment.

There is no drug treatment or vaccination for MHF. Generally, patients receive supportive therapy which consists of balancing the patient’s fluids and blood chemistries, maintaining their oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating them for any complicating infections. Sometimes treatment also has used transfusion of fresh-frozen plasma and other preparations to replace the blood proteins important in clotting. One controversial treatment is the use of heparin (which blocks clotting) to prevent the consumption of clotting factors. Some researchers believe the consumption of clotting factors is part of the disease process.

Muscle cramps are involuntary and often painful contractions of the muscles which produce a hard, bulging muscle. Muscle twitching (fasciculation) is the result of spontaneous local muscle contractions that are involuntary and typically only affect individual muscle groups connected to (innervated by) a particular motor neuron. This twitching does not cause pain.

Leg pain can be caused by any number of physical injuries, the most common of which are tendonitis, muscle strains, muscle tears, and sometimes even a hairline fracture. All of these conditions are best treated with appropriate rest and follow-up rehabilitation. If a physical injury doesn’t improve with a solid period of rest, it is best to have it evaluated by a qualified practitioner, who may be able to facilitate a recovery by providing treatment that can improve blood circulation or address the possible presence of scar tissue.

If poor circulation causes muscle cramps, Vitamin E might be a good choice for its blood-thinning and vasodilating properties. Gingko biloba also provides a blood-thinning effect and may be considered. Sodium and/or Potassium imbalances tend to become more of a problem during, or after physical activity, but less so during rest, so for exercise-induced leg cramps or muscle spasms, their addition in the form of a sports drink, or through extra Sodium / Potassium supplementation in tablet form may be a consideration.

The point is on the palm of the hand between the thumb and the index finger.

With the thumb of the right hand press on this point on the back of the left palm. At the same time, with the index finger of your right hand press at the same point from the inside of the left palm. This way you press on it from two direction. You may also apply gentle round motions in the point, preferably in the counterclockwise direction. Hold this way for several minutes until pain goes away. 

Pain is a process. Receptors in your skin and other tissues send impulses through the nerves to the spinal cord. The impulses then travel to the brain. It is in the brain, not at the point of injury, where the sensation of pain is registered. This insight led doctors to understand that pain could be controlled by preventing the pain impulses from reaching the brain. If the pain impulses never reach the brain, the pain is not “felt.” Pain can sometimes be difficult to control and get in the way of daily activities for you and your family. Medications or other types of treatments help most people control their pain.

If the cramp is in the back of the thigh, raise the affected leg and straighten your knee. Rest your leg against a wall or tree if you have trouble holding the position. If the cramp is in the front of your thigh, raise your leg and bend your knee, bringing your knee up to your chest. Massage the thigh firmly with your fingers. Extend your leg, and deeply massage your fingers into the affected area until the cramp goes away. If your muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp, or if you notice swelling or tenderness in your leg, contact your doctor. In rare cases (one in 2,000) a pregnant woman can develop venous thrombosis, or a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention.

Baby massage has been a tradition in many communities for centuries. It is believed that regular massage helps preemies to gain weight; reduce colic in infants and strengthen immune systems of babies. Besides all these benefits, it a pleasure for moms to caress the delicate, soft and tender skin of their newborns and cuddle them. Massage should be given to newborns midway between feedings.

A good oil massage soothes and calms a baby, helps them to relax and sleep better and makes them more alert during their waking hours. It is a good exercise and promotes motor activity and emotional security in a child besides, a healthy body and muscular development. It stimulates digestion and helps the baby pass gas.

Do not oil baby’s palms or fingers as these little ones tend to put them in their mouths or eyes often and this may cause them irritation.

Remove your baby’s clothing and cover your baby with a soft towel or diaper. Remove your bottle of massage oil from the pocket of your Baby Slanket. Use an all natural massage oil, a food-based substance that will not harm your babys delicate lymphatic system when absorbed through the skin. Before massaging, you will put a small amount in your palm and swish the oil between your hands to warm it and cover your hands. The feeling should be smooth but not slippery. The swishing noise will be a cue to baby that he or she is about to receive a massage.

Prior to massage, take time out for yourself, take a few deep breaths, and ensure you are totally relaxed and prepared to spend some quality time with your child.

The best way to get your baby to bed at a regular time is to start a routine early. Do your best to put your baby to bed around the same time each night. If your baby is having a hard time getting to sleep during this time frame, do what it takes to get him/her relaxed enough to fall asleep, such as giving your baby a bath, singing a lullaby, giving a gentle back massage after setting him/her down, or making sure he/she has a fresh diaper. In addition to putting your baby to sleep at the same time every night, be sure to use the same place. This will help your baby associate that particular area with sleep time.

Mandarin essential oil is soothing and uplifting oil. It has balancing and stimulating properties and is also known to regulate emotions. This oil will improve sleep patterns and soothe anxiety.

Use smooth, gentle but firm strokes with your palm or fingers. Light circular movements on chest and stomach, stroking across the shoulders, downward movement on the arms and legs and upward movements on the back are the best.

Do not oil baby’s palms or fingers as these little ones tend to put them in their mouths or eyes often and this may cause them irritation.

Avoid wearing jewellery such as bracelet etc as they might hurt the tender skin of your baby. Also, keep your fingernails short when you are massaging the baby.

Avoid massaging baby’s palms or fingers as these little ones tend to put them in their mouths or eyes often and this may cause them irritation

Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is a disease of the immune system. Normally, the immune system protects the body from infection. In lupus, however, the immune system inappropriately attacks tissues in various parts of the body. This abnormal activity leads to tissue damage and illness.

Everyone has a fighter in them. It’s called the immune system! It battles germs and bacteria to keep your body from getting sick. But if your immune system isn’t working properly, it becomes autoimmune and starts attacking itself - that’s when you get sick. Lupus (pronounced loo-pus) is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks your body’s healthy

Lupus can affect anybody but the distribution is somewhat uneven. The disease is much more common in women, especially those of childbearing age, with ratio of women to men being around 9:1. The disease also appears to be more prevalent in women of African, Asian, Hispanic and Native American origin but the degree to which this is due to genetics or socioeconomic factors is unknown. 

Causes 

The precise reason for the abnormal autoimmunity that causes lupus is not known. Inherited genes, viruses, ultraviolet light, and drugs may all play some role. Genetic factors increase the tendency of developing autoimmune diseases, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and immune thyroid disorders are more common among relatives of patients with lupus than the general population.

SLE (lupus) is an autoimmune disease. This means there is a problem with the body’s normal immune system response. Normally, the immune system helps protect the body from harmful substances. But in patients with an autoimmune disease, the immune system can’t tell the difference between harmful substances and healthy ones. The result is an overactive immune response that attacks otherwise healthy cells and tissue. This leads to chronic (long-term) inflammation.

The underlying cause of autoimmune diseases is not fully known. Some researchers think autoimmune diseases occur after infection with an organism that looks like certain proteins in the body. The proteins are later mistaken for the organism and wrongly targeted for attack by the body’s immune system.

The symptoms of lupus vary in seriousness. Sometimes they are quite mild, and sometimes they are quite severe. Typical symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, decreased appetite, and weight loss. The spleen and lymph nodes are often swollen. Other areas that may be affected by lupus include:

Joints. Joint pain and disorders, such as arthritis (see arthritis entry), are common. About 90 percent of all lupus patients have such problems. Skin. Lupus may cause skin rashes on any part of the body. They usually occur on the face, scalp, chest, ears, back, arms, and legs.

Allopathic medicine does not consider there to be a cure for lupus, but many alternative practitioners report “cures” by eliminating causes and treating the body as a whole, beginning with adjustments in diet and appropriate supplementation.

People with sun-induced rashes should always wear a high SPF lotion that blocks both UVA and UVB types of ultraviolet light. Those taking oral steroid therapy or immune suppressing agents should be vigilant if a fever develops, since fever can occur with lupus flares or with a superimposed problem, especially infection.  A combination of rest, especially during flares, and exercise for joints and muscles is important and should be supervised by the treating physician and physical therapists.

Schizophrenia usually starts between the late teens and the mid-30s, whereas onset prior to adolescence is rare (although cases with age at onset of 5 or 6 years have been reported). Schizophrenia can also begin later in life (e.g., after age 45 years), but this is uncommon. Usually the onset of Schizophrenia occurs a few years earlier in men than women. The onset may be abrupt or insidious. Usually Schizophrenia starts gradually with a prepsychotic phase of increasing negative symptoms (e.g., social withdrawal, deterioration in hygiene and grooming, unusual behavior, outbursts of anger, and loss of interest in school or work). A few months or years later, a psychotic phase develops (with delusions, hallucinations, or grossly bizarre/disorganized speech and behavior).

Schizophrenia has difficulty holding a job or caring for themselves, the burden on their families and society is significant as well. Available treatments can relieve many of the disorder’s symptoms, but most people who have schizophrenia must cope with some residual symptoms as long as they live. Nevertheless, this is a time of hope for people with schizophrenia and their families. Many people with the disorder now lead rewarding and meaningful lives in their communities. Researchers are developing more effective medications and using new research tools to understand the causes of schizophrenia and to find ways to prevent and treat it.

Schizophrenia is a group of serious brain disorders in which reality is interpreted abnormally. Schizophrenia results in hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behavior. People with schizophrenia withdraw from the people and activities in the world around them, retreating into an inner world marked by psychosis. Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia isn’t the same as a split personality or multiple personality. While the word “schizophrenia” does means “split-mind,” it refers to a disruption of the usual balance of emotions and thinking.

Schizophrenia is a complex illness. Even experts in the field are not sure what causes it. Some doctors think that the brain may not be able to process information correctly. Genetic factors appear to play a role. People who have family members with schizophrenia may be more likely to get the disease themselves. Some researchers believe that events in a person’s environment may trigger schizophrenia. For example, problems (infection) during development in the mother’s womb and at birth may increase the risk for developing schizophrenia later in life.

An illness like schizophrenia has been variously described over the years. Falvet in 1851 called it Folie circulaire, Hecker in 1871 called it Hebephrenia, Kahlbaum in 1874 described Catatonia (a movement disorder) and Paranoia. Kraepelin in 1878 pulled the various concepts together into one disease entity which he termed Dementia praecox and said there were four types: simple, paranoid, hebephrenic and catatonic, depending on the clinical presentation. Simple dementia praecox involved a slow social decline, with apathy and withdrawal rather than florid psychotic symptoms - such people became drifters or tramps.

There is no doubt a strong genetic component to schizophrenia - those who have immediate relatives with a history of this or other psychiatric diseases (for example, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, etc) have a significantly increased risk for developing schizophrenia over that of the general population. However, twin studies have shown that simple genetic transmission is far from the whole story - if one identical twin has schizophrenia, the risk for the other twin (who has the exact same genes as his/her sibling) is only about 50%.

Herpangina typically is a mild and self-limited illness. Patients do not appear very ill. Associated complications rarely occur. Enterovirus 71, which can cause herpangina, has more recently been associated with a greater frequency of severe complications that range from the mild typical symptoms to fatal meningoencephalitis. Fatalities, which mostly occur in infants aged 6-11 months, have been reported. 

Herpangina from herp, an itching, and angina, a sore throat, literally “a choking”; also called mouth blisters) is the name of a painful mouth infection caused by coxsackieviruses. Usually, herpangina is produced by one particular strain of coxsackievirus A, but it can also be caused by coxsackievirus B or echoviruses. It is most common in children. Though herpangina can be asymptomatic, symptoms usually associated are high fever and sore throat. 

Herpangina is an illness caused by a virus, characterized by small blister-like bumps or ulcers that appear in the mouth, usually in the back of throat or the roof of the mouth. The child often has a high fever with the illness. 

Symptoms of Herpangina

This illness starts abruptly, usually with a fever. Often the fever is high (103–104°F). Occasionally, children lose their sparkle (and appetite) a few hours before the fever begins. The mouth sores usually begin at the same time as the fever or shortly afterward. Children average about five blisters in the mouth. These blisters are surrounded by red rings and can occur in the back of the throat, on the roof of the mouth, on the tonsils, on the uvula, inside the cheeks, or on the tongue. The blisters may start as small red bumps and may go on to become ulcers after the blister stage. The illness usually lasts 3 to 6 days. 

Causes of Herpangina

Herpangina is caused by a virus known as the “Coxsackie virus”, because it was first found in patients in the town of Coxsackie in eastern New York. (There are actually many different types of Coxsackie virus which cause several different diseases; herpangina is cause by only one or two of these “serotypes”.) The virus is classified as an “enterovirus”, which means that it is most often found in the gastrointestinal tract, and although enteroviruses are commonly responsible for gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”), they can cause many other diseases as well, including fever without other symptoms. 

Herpangina is caused by Coxsackie virus, typically Coxsackie group A viruses. Herpangina may be characterized by mouth ulcers, but a high fever, sore throat, and headache may precede the appearance of the lesions. A history of herpangina at school or in the neighborhood increases the chances your child will develop the illness. The ulcers may be very painful. Generally, there are only a few sores. 

Treatment of Herpangina

Coxsackie virus is transmitted by contamination with feces, which means you can catch the virus by touching your mouth or eating without thoroughly washing your hands. Good handwashing practices can help prevent transmitting most viruses. Being aware of other cases of herpangina in your neighborhood or school may allow earlier diagnosis.

Herpangina is usually diagnosed based on a complete history and physical examination of your child. The lesions of herpangina are unique and usually allow for a diagnosis simply on physical examination.

Ovarian cysts are relatively common in all women who continue to experience menstruation. In many instances, ovarian cysts are completely asymptomatic: a woman will not experience any pain or other signs or symptoms which alert her to the fact that she has a cyst. Most ovarian cysts will resolve, even without treatment, after one or two menstrual cycles. Ovarian cysts are usually a common and harmless swelling of one or both ovaries. These cysts most often occur in women who are between puberty and menopause, when the ovaries are in high gear propelling out mature eggs.

Some functional ovarian cysts have no symptoms and are discovered, if at all, during routine pelvic exams. Others can cause symptoms, including changes in the menstrual cycle, including shorter or longer periods, skipped periods, and/or spotting between periods, pelvic pain or ache, especially during sexual intercourse or at the start or finish of menstruation, feelings of nausea or queasiness or breast tenderness.

Ovarian cysts often cause no symptoms; however when ovarian cyst symptoms are present, it may cause a dull ache or a sense of fullness or pressure in the abdomen. You can’t depend on symptoms alone to tell you if you have an ovarian cyst. Pain during intercourse and at other times can also indicate the presence of ovarian cysts. Pain or pressure is caused by a number of factors such as size, bleeding or bursting of a cyst, which irritates the abdominal tissues, or torsion (twisting of a cyst) which can block the flow of blood to the cyst.

Essentially, an ovarian cyst is nothing more than a fluid-filled sac, like a blister, on an ovary. The ovary forms a follicle that ruptures when the egg is released every month during ovulation. If there is no pregnancy, the follicle dissolves. If it does not dissolve properly, then there’s a cyst. Many women have cysts that come and go with their menstrual cycle, unfelt and unnoticed, naturally washed away.

You also can not eat or drink anything the evening before your scan until the scan is over. For me I could not eat or drink after 4:00 the day before. Right before dinner no doubt! The day of the scan they had me drink another glass of nasty drink and stuck me with an IV for the dye. This dye is clear and has some of the same stuff in it that fish have. So if you are allergic to fish then you may have an allergic reaction to this dye.