Archive for June, 2011

SKIN DISORDERS IN ADULTS: MALE-PATTERN HAIR THINNING AND ALOPECIA AREATA

Sunday, June 26th, 2011 | Skin Care | Comments Off

Male-pattern hair thinningBalding in women occurs in the same way as it does in men. It is generally less severe and usually occurs diffusely from the front of the scalp to the crown. Some women have a hormone disturbance which causes the hair loss, and can also suffer from excessive hair growth on the face, irregular periods and facial acne. These women produce an excess of male-type hormones.Because it is genetically determined, this type of hair loss cannot be readily prevented. However, oral contraceptive pills which contain high levels of progestogen can aggravate hair loss, while those with high oestrogen and low progestogen can improve the situation. There are no special shampoos, conditioners, lotions or hair treatments that prevent or decrease hair loss.There are several ways this male-pattern hair loss can be treated. These include the use of topical Minoxidil, hair transplantation, the use of hair pieces and make-up, and hair fusion. Refer back to pages 70 to 71 for more details on these techniques. If there is a true hormonal disturbance, hormone treatment can be an option. There are now two anti-male hormone drugs on the market, called Androcur and Aldactone, which can be effective if used on a long-term basis.
Alopecia areataThis condition, which can occur in both adults and children, results in patchy hair loss. It occurs more commonly in people with eczema, and may appear suddenly after a stressful episode. In children it often improves spontaneously, but in adults it can lead to permanent, severe hair loss.The exact cause of alopecia areata is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by an abnormality in the body’s immune system, whereby the body rejects its own hair in the way it would a foreign protein. If hair loss is limited to a few patches, cortisone injections will successfully treat the problem. If hair loss is extensive however, there are few effective remedies and fifty per cent of sufferers will lose all their hair.
*38/150/5*

PHYSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF POSTURE: FUNCTIONS OF SPINAL MUSCLES – REFLEXES AND REFLEX MOVEMENTS

Sunday, June 19th, 2011 | Pain Relief-Muscle Relaxers | Comments Off

In the body, however, more complex reflexes take place to maintain the balanced erect position. For example, it is not only the forward and backward movements that maintain the erect position, there are lateral (sideways) movements too that need to be coordinated. The stretch reflex explains the basic mechanism by which posture is maintained, although the complexity of reactions or movements is very intricate.When a person trips on the street, a series of quick reflex movements are automatically put into action to prevent the body from falling and injuring itself. Most of these movements are involuntarily and only a few quick response voluntary movements are made to react to this emergency situation. A marvellous part of this reflex action is that in an open space the reflex is entirely one of regaining balance, while if there is a wall or a post handy the arms will involuntarily shoot out for support. Similarly during walking, jogging, working in an erect position and in sports activities, a whole series of reflexes (involuntarily movements) and voluntary movements maintain the posture of the body. In the above situations, the posture changes all the time and therefore it is up to the spinal muscles to shrink, relax and extend to keep the spine erect in these altered positions of the body.*81\330\8*

MINERALS: IRON

Friday, June 3rd, 2011 | Gastrointestinal | Comments Off

Functions: Forms red blood cells and is vital part of the pigment haemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body; converts blood sugar to energySources:   Liver, meat, chicken, eggs, fish, green leafy vegetables, pulses, wholegrains, dried fruitCauses of Deficiency:     Heavy periods, pregnancy, poor diet, vegetarian diets (the vegetable sources of iron are harder to absorb than the animal sources), gastric ulcersDeficiency Signs   Anaemia, pallor, fatigue, shortness of breath,   encourages growth of Candida, irritability, lowered resistance to infection.Function:   Vital in enzyme activity; needed for health of all cells and for healing of wounds and burnsSources:   Meat, nuts, seeds, pulses, wholegrains, seafoodsCauses of  Deficiency:    Poor diet, dieting, adolescence, old age, bowel disorders, alcoholism; tranquillizers and sleeping pills are known to block the absorption of zinc (and it is likely that other minerals and vitamins are lost as well); profuse sweatingDeficiency Signs Acne, inflamed eyes, sore mouth and tongue, slow healing of wounds, white spots on nails,inflammation around nails, anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, anorexia nervosa, hair loss.*145\326\8*

 

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