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July 31, 2012

Flesh Eating Bacteria Symptoms

flesh eating bacteria symptoms
Flesh eating bacteria, or "necrotizing fasciitis" is a rare infection but can be fatal if not treated properly. It is a kind of bacterial infection that spreads quickly, and cause tissue death at the infection site and beyond.

People can get this disease after being infected by the group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria. It is the same bacteria that causes strep throat. The bacteria can enter the body through insect bites, minor surgery, minor cuts, and abrasions. Once the body infected, the infection agressively destroys muscle, skin, and fat tissue.

Here are flesh eating bacteria symptoms.

  • Local skin warmth. The infected skin appears red and hot when touched. The warm areas enlarge as the infection spreads. The skin color can change from red to dusky gray, and it is a sign of skin death. 
  • Pain. Severe pain may be an early symptom of flesh eating bacteria. The pain can worsen prior to the development of an open sore. This pain is caused by nerve damage around the site of injury or wound.
  • Tissue swelling. There is a swelling in the infected area that can progressively advances as the infection continues. The overlying area is shiny and taut. 
  • Skin blisters. Skin blisters may develop on the infected skin. The characteristic of skin blister caused by flesh eating bacteria is crackling and popping sensation when the skin is pressed. It is called "crepitus".
  • Skin ulcer. The ulcer grows as the infection spreads. It contains white fluid with bad odor.
  • Foul odor. It caused by dead skin.
  • High fever.
  • Malaise. People infected by flesh eating bacteria often show the symptoms of generalized weakness.
  • Fainting. It may be caused by low blood pressure as the disease progresses.
Flesh eating bacteria treatment
  • Hospitalized is needed.
  • Intravenous antibiotic therapy.
  • Wound debridement (such as minor surgery to remove dead skin and damaged tissue to help stopping the spread of infection)
  • Symptomatic medications: antipiretics, analgetics.
Please consult your physician to get complete examination and information about this disease.

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July 28, 2012

The effects of coffee on the kidneys

the effects of coffee on the kidneys
Coffee may be the most popular drink in the world. It contains a substance called caffeine. Caffeine can be naturally found not only in coffee but tea and chocolate. Medical practitioners usually add caffeine into pain relievers, migraine healers, etc. Caffeine is generally harmless but in some people, it has negative effects such as headaches, stomach upset, and jitters. For people with pre-existing kidney problems, coffee can also affect kidney function.

Here are the effects of coffee (or caffeine) on kidney function:

  • Urinate more often. It is caused by diuretics effect of caffeine. 
  • Dehydration. Since coffee has diuretic effects, you have to make sure that your fluid intake is enough to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is harmful for the kidney because it can cause acute injury and promote infection on the kidney and also urinary system.
  • Urinary incontinence. Coffee can increase the risk of urinary incontinence, especially if you drink more than 400 mg of caffeine a day.
  • Kidney stones. Caffeine can increase urinary calcium levels. In a research, it was concluded that there was a moderate increase in the risk of developing kidney stones (especially calcium oxalate stones, the most common type of stones) after a significant caffeine consumption.
  • Kidney disease. In a study, it is concluded that people with polycystic kidney disease were more likely to develop larger cysts if they consume caffeine because caffeine can damage kidney function.

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July 21, 2012

High Cholesterol Symptoms

high cholesterol symptoms
Our body needs cholesterol but actually the need of cholesterol is already filled without additional food intake, because 80% cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and only 20% must be supplied from food. Unfortunately many people have hypercholesterolemia because of their lifestyle. Normally, reference range of cholesterol level is 160-200 mg/dL, and level more than 240 mg/dL is dangerous because it is a major risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease.

There are some high cholesterol symptoms:
  • Pain or stiffness in the back of the head neck
  • This stiffness is also up to shoulder
  • Leg swelling
  • Easy to accomplish
  • Easy sleepy

There are 7 major causes of high cholesterol symptoms :

  1. Daily food
  2. Body weight, especially obesity
  3. Sedentary living
  4. Certain age
  5. Congenital disorder of cholesterol metabolism
  6. Family history of hypercholesterol
  7. Smoking

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July 7, 2012

How to lower triglyceride level

how to lower triglyceride level
Triglyceride is a blood lipid substance that is stored in the fat cells. Increased triglyceride level is a risk factor for many metabolic disease. That's why, it is important for us to lower and to control our triglyceride level.

Excess calories will be stored in fat cells in the form of triglycerides. The function is to provide energy for body cells, to protect vital organs, and to help absorbing vitamins and minerals. Normal range of triglyceride level is less than 150 mg/dl.

These are some metabolic disease that is influenced by increased triglyceride levels:

  1. Atherosclerosis. It is the basic mechanism of heart attack and stroke.
  2. Diabetes. Increased triglyceride levels will stimulate the release of certain inflammatory cells called "cytokine" in the bloodstream. It will influence the body ability to control blood glucose levels.
  3. Metabolic syndrome, that is formed of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
  4. Fatty liver disease. Increased triglyceride level cause excessive fat cells to be stored in the liver so it can promote fatty liver disease.
  5. Xanthoma. Increased triglyceride levels stimulate itch and acne is hands, foot, and buttocks.
How to lower triglyceride level?

  1. Choose the good fat, avoid red meat, butter, and trans fat that are contained in the fast food, such as french fries.
  2. Choose the good carbo, such as wheat, oatmeals, brown rice, and avoid refined fluor such as pasta, bread, and noodles.
  3. Choose the good protein, high omega-3 fat, that are important in controlling excessive triglyceride synthesis, such as salmon, tuna, sarden, and for vegetarians, you can try walnut and almond.
  4. Eat more vegetables and fruits, because they contain fibers that help controlling body weight and lower triglyceride level.
  5. Control your body weight. The more kilograms means the more triglyceride level.
  6. Physical exercise, to help lowering fat levels.
  7. No alcohol. Red wine may be good for health and prevent cardiovascular attack but we have to know exactly about the limit.
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