Sunday, July 31, 2011

How To Prevent Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a very common disease that can cause a lot of damage to your liver. In cases of viral hepatitis, there are some ways of prevention, but this generally speaking.

hepatitis

The most important thing to if you do not want to get infected with hepatitis is to keep a very good hygiene of your body and try to avoid living in crowded homes and most of all in unhealthy conditions. Because the viral hepatitis is mostly spread in the water, be very careful when travelling to places of the world where the quality of the water is uncertain. To avoid getting yourself infected with hepatitis, take care what you drink, where you bathe. If you are a seafood fan, be careful not to eat shellfish from waters that might be contaminated from the swage system. You can risk getting infected with hepatitis virus. Wash your hand every time after using the toilet and be careful not to eat with your hand dirty if you do not want to develop hepatitis. If, unfortunately somebody that you live with has developed hepatitis, clean all things that person with hepatitis has used.

HEPATITIS

Another common way to get infected with hepatitis is through needles that have been infected with hepatitis. This is mostly common in people who use drugs and in some medical procedure in less developed countries. Therefor, it is very good to let people know what risks they expose themselves, including hepatitis, when using intravenous drugs. Sexual contact can also be a cause for hepatitis infection, so teens should be educated accordingly.

In cases of hepatitis A, there are vaccines available. This vaccine is mostly recommended to people who travel a lot or have other liver problems, besides hepatitis. Furthermore, if those people have jobs that include contact with children or with many people, like in hospitals, the hepatitis vaccine is very indicated. There is available a vaccine for hepatitis B as well, which is a very good news in what hepatitis risk is concerned. Unfortunately, such a vaccine does not exist when hepatitis C is concerned. Studies on animals have shown that hepatitis C does not provoke the response that is needed for the vaccine to have any effect. If you contact the hepatitis virus, depending on what type of hepatitis you have, there are incubation periods. In hepatitis A, it lasts about one month, in hepatitis B from 4 to about 20 weeks and the longest is in hepatitis C, between two and twenty six weeks.

How To Prevent Hepatitis

HEPATITIS

Friday, July 29, 2011

All You Need to Know About Alcohol

Alcohol is a very ancient drink that has been consumed for thousands of years by almost all civilizations. Alcoholic beverages are an important part of many social events. A lot of us resort to a glass of wine at home after a hard day. So how do you know when an innocent drink turns into a dangerous addiction? Can alcohol actually be good for you? What is a safe dose of alcohol? We set out on a quest to find out the answers to all these questions and more.

So can alcohol actually be used as a medicine? The answer is only in rare cases. If we are dealing with a heart attack, liver or kidney colic and there are no medications available, then we can use alcohol. One tablespoon of vodka or cognac will help eliminate the vessel and muscular spasms thus improving the patient's condition until the ambulance arrives. However the relaxation effect caused by alcohol is very short and is followed by the phase of prolonged vessel and muscular spasms.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

What effects do alcoholic beverages have on blood pressure? They raise it. This is exactly the reason why alcohol actually helps those who have hypotonia, one or two tablespoons of cognac can resuscitate a person with low blood pressure. However, the World Health Organization does not recommend for doctors to advise their patients to take any alcoholic beverages as their medicine. Longstanding research shows that the cause of 20% of all cases of hypertension is alcohol, especially beer and vodka. Thus, if a man consumes more than 5 oz of wine or 2 oz of vodka a day, the risk of developing hypertension increases to 40%; in the same case for women the risk increases to 90%! So it is much safer to increase blood pressure not with alcohol but with coffee, tea, dark chocolate, or ginseng tincture.

It's a known fact that natural dry wines are beneficial for us. What is this effect due to? The skin and seeds of red type of grape contain a substance that has a huge antioxidant effect. When we eat that type of grapes or drink wine made out of it, this substance prevents the development of cardio-vascular and oncological diseases, it slows down the age changes in the brain and in the motor function thus extending the life span and delaying the body's aging. Besides that, alcoholic beverages improve digestion and prevent building up of cholesterol on the vascular walls. But all of this is true only when alcohol is consumed in moderate amounts. Consumption of alcohol in large amounts leads to heart pathologies and hypertension. So it's much safer to lower cholesterol with the help of physical activities and rational diet, which are just as effective as alcohol.

How is it that the French eat a lot of fatty foods, drink beer and at the same time live long lives and suffer from cardio-vascular diseases 40% less than the Americans? The secret of the "French paradox" is not only in consuming wine regularly, but also in their lifestyle and peculiarities of their diet. Besides wine and cheese the French consume a large amount of vegetables, fruit, verdure, olive oil and seafood. This diet supplies the body with lipoproteins of high density, unsaturated fats, vitamins and microelements, which cause a powerful antioxidant effect, protecting the body's cells from damages by free radicals. Furthermore, the residents of South France actively consume seaweed, which contains substances that improve the biological properties of blood (decrease the formation of clots and stimulate disintegration of fats).

What amount of alcohol is considered a safe dose? In France, Italy, and Hungary this number would traditionally be higher than that in Sweden or Norway, for example. But talking about the common dose, the World Health Organization recommends for men to consume not more than 30 ml of pure alcohol, which is about 1.5 bottles of beer or 2 shots of vodka a day, and for women - 20 ml of pure alcohol per day, which is 1 bottle of beer or 1 shot of vodka. The doctors also recommend refraining from drinking alcoholic beverages at least two days a week.

So why is the safe dose for women lower than the one for men? This is explained by the fact that women have less water in their body than men do. Besides, the element responsible for the disintegration of alcohol located in the stomach is less active in women. Therefore the processing of alcoholic beverages is slower in female bodies making the ladies more receptive to alcohol.

Why is it that some people get a headache after a glass of red wine, but feel fine after drinking white wine? This reaction could be caused by individual intolerance of sulfur dioxide - the substance that is added to red dry wines for longer storage. This preservative can cause immediate redness of the face and strong migraines. This does not happen when consuming white wines because there is no sulfur dioxide added to them according to their preparation technology.

How safe are the low-alcohol sparkling drinks so popular among the younger people? Easy math allows us to see that this category of drinks is not so harmless. Most of them contain 8% alcohol. If you multiply this number by 0.33, which is the contents of one bottle, then we get about 27 ml of pure alcohol. For women it is already over their daily limit, and usually few stop at just one bottle a day. Besides these drinks usually contain carbon dioxide, which contributes to faster absorption of alcohol into blood due to which intoxication happens almost after the first sip.

What are the consequences of immoderate consumption of beer? Beer, just as any other alcoholic beverage, first of all affects the liver, causing toxic hepatitis and alcohol cirrhosis. Namely these two diseases have the leading positions in beer countries such as Germany, where beer is consumed often and in big amounts, up to 3 liters per night.

Former smokers complain that after having a drink they get the desire to smoke again. Why does it happen? Usually this happens to those who managed to say no to the harmful habit but haven't coped with the psychological smoking addiction. Once the former smoker goes to the party where a lot of people smoke, he or she can experience what a former drug addict would feel if he appeared in a surrounding where they used to do drugs. Just one glance at the familiar surroundings is enough to be overtaken with the associative habit. Under the influence of alcohol, the memory draws the pictures of the past that are so vivid that the former smoker can actually feel the taste and smell of tobacco. Besides being in the state of euphoria (after having a couple of drinks) a person already can not critically assess his or her actions and breaks their own promises without thinking twice. Typically we smoke more cigarettes than usual in this condition. As a result the toxic effect of alcohol is intensified by several times, hence a more severe hangover.

What medicines could be combined with alcohol? Alcohol is not compatible with any medications, especially cardio-stimulants, tranquilizers, antidepressants, and beta-blockers. Losing conciseness is the least of the potential consequences. Sometimes alcohol can intensify the effects of the medications by so much that it can lead to coma or even sudden death. Alcoholic beverages are also not compatible with diuretic medications. Combined with wine or beer diuretics remove such a big amount of microelements out of your body that it can lead to heart malfunctions. Even the commonplace aspirin should not be chased with alcoholic drinks - such experiments can lead to stomach ulcer. A vast amount of complications can be caused by combining alcohol with antibiotics. Not all medications enter our body in active form. A lot of them start acting only after they pass the stage of disintegration in the liver. Alcohol requires disintegration too, and thus once both medications and alcohol enter our body at the same time, both of these substances start to compete. As a result the active ingredient of the medication gets to our body under-oxidized, which most often leads to allergic reactions.

Why is it that some people become placid and talkative after having a drink, and others become withdrawn and aggressive? In spite of the person's character, age and mood, the alcohol slows down the function of the nervous system. Two minutes after having a drink, the alcohol reaches the frontal lobe of the brain leading to the disruption of the most of neuro-chemical bonds. You become absent-minded, the thoughts become chaotic, and the mood becomes elevated and cheerful. Although this state of euphoria is short-term, soon the phase of inhibition comes, during which the intoxicated person looses restraint and common sense and their conversations and actions become inappropriate. Usually alcohol affects healthy people as an emotional equalizer: a closed-off person brightens up after a glass of wine, a talkative one quiets down, an aggressive one calms down. Although sometimes unexpected reactions happen, which are usually predetermined by peculiarities of the person's nervous system. One fact remains though, if after having a drink you become aggressive, you should stay away from drinking.

A lot of people consider alcohol the best cure of stress, is that true? Alcohol is the most simple and accessible tranquilizer. However it does not relieve stress, otherwise everyone would be drinking their problems away. Fortunately, this does not happen since for most people alcohol is just a mediator, something of a relaxing element, which allows them to talk frankly, to pour their heart out to the closest friend, neighbor, fellow traveler. However the doctors consider jogging just as effective due to the increased production of energy in our body when under stress. That is why when we start stressing out we can not stay in one place: we pace the room, pull at our hair, talk emotionally. Therefore it would be quite logical to get rid of the excess energy at the gym rather than at the bar.

Are there any rules one should follow when drinking? The first rule is never drink on an empty stomach. If you don't eat anything prior, alcohol is absorbed freely by the stomach and quickly gets into blood causing immediate and very strong intoxication. This is why dietitians recommend eating something greasy beforehand. The second rule is to start the party up with aperitif, a small drink before you eat to stimulate the appetite. If you have a little bit of wine, vodka or martini first, not only will you stimulate the appetite, but you will also make the fermentative system work more actively. The third rule is if you have to change a drink make sure to drink higher proof drinks each time. Processing high-proof drinks requires a lot of the ferment responsible for breaking up alcohol hence if you chase cognac with champagne you will cause the deficit of this ferment. Because of that, the low-proof drink gets into our body unbroken without obstruction causing strong intoxication.

What kind of food should you have with strong drinks? Dry wines should be followed by fruit, cheese, salads, non-greasy types of meat, and fish. Drinks with 80 proof and higher go best with greasier and heavier foods - pork, lamb, red caviar, potatoes, salads with high-calories sauces. This will help slow down the absorption of alcohol and improve the digestion of food since alcohol helps break up fats. It is desirable to have fresh lemons available during a long get-together. The acid contained by them is an excellent decomposer of alcohol therefore you can chase your drinks with cut up pieces of this sour fruit or have a glass of water mixed with lemon juice. You might want to get rid of sparkling sweet drinks since sugar and carbon dioxide contained by them increase the absorption speed of alcohol. This is the same reason why you should not chase sparkling wines with chocolate.

What is alcohol poisoning? What are its symptoms and what precautions should be taken to save the person who got alcohol poisoning? Alcohol poisoning happens after consumption of more than 500 ml of vodka. Most people's body natural reaction to such an amount of toxic substances is vomiting, but more than 30% of alcohol drinkers are missing this reflex, therefore if the body is exposed to a large amount of ethanol, it undergoes the strongest alcohol intoxication: alcohol paralyzes the nervous system which leads to comatose condition and if left unattended can lead to death in several hours. This is why if you find someone unconscious with a distinct alcohol smell, pale, perspirating, having hurried breathing, not reacting to any outside stimuli, having weak pulse and uneven heartbeat, call the ambulance immediately.

Now that you know all these facts about alcohol, go out and have fun, but be responsible and safe!

All You Need to Know About Alcohol

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcohol's Negative Impact on Liver Disease

If you have been diagnosed with any form of liver disease, you have probably also received a laundry list of lifestyle changes from your doctor. Being faced with such a long list of things you should or should not be doing from now on can be overwhelming, but you should always keep in mind that these changes are in the best interest of you and your liver. Many of these changes involve dietary modifications, and are fairly easy to adapt to. However, some may be more challenging. One suggestion in particular that many people with liver disease tend to ignore is removing alcohol from their diets.

For whatever reason, some people just do not realize the damage alcohol can do to this already weakened organ. Alcohol is a toxin: public enemy number one to the liver. When you have any liver disease, this organ already is not functioning as efficiently as it should be, so why add fuel to an already burning fire? If you are still consuming alcoholic beverages even though you have liver disease, you are voluntarily putting toxins into your body, which does nothing to help your liver fight against further damage.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Many people with severe, chronic liver diseases, such as Hepatitis C, often struggle with a fluctuating viral load. Recent research has shown a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and viral load. Simply put, those people who drink alcohol are at a higher risk of having a dangerously elevated viral load than someone who abstains from alcohol altogether. Furthermore, studies have shown that alcohol consumption interferes with standard medical treatment for Hepatitis C; it renders interferon therapy much less effective than it would normally be for a non-drinker.

Alcohol is no friend to the liver, and should be kept far away from this vital organ when battling liver disease. Anyone who keeps alcohol in their diet is actively harming their own liver. Because alcohol is so addictive, many people find it hard to give up, but it is a small price to pay for having a healthy liver. Learn more about alcohol's negative impact on liver disease

Alcohol's Negative Impact on Liver Disease

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Alcoholic Spouses - How Serious is Their Alcohol Problem Anyway?

Does your spouse show signs of alcoholism? In other words, does your spouse need more and more alcohol to feel "buzzed" or intoxicated? Here are 5 common signs of alcoholism addiction:

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Does he/she drink to relax? Does your alcoholic spouse get defensive if you bring up drinking? Has your spouse tried to quit alcohol and failed? Does your spouse suffer alcohol withdrawal if he/she tries to quit drinking? Does your spouse have trouble with marriage relationships, problems with parenting, and possibly work?

ALCOHOLIC

Here is a typical case from my psychiatry practice:

S.L is a 35 year old man. He comes to me for problems with anxiety and depression. He is a successful lawyer. However, he complains of experiencing panic symptoms when he presents in front of a jury. His anxiety is interfering with his career and he wants medication for this. Although I prescribed medication, he did not have a robust response and here is the reason why. His wife called me one day and told me her husband has been drinking every night for 2 years. Initially, he drank a beer to relax after work. This number has increased over time to 6-8 beers in the evening. S.L is alcohol dependent. Alcohol is counteracting his medication. His alcohol dependence must be addressed.

How serious is his alcohol problem, anyway? There are 4 stages of alcoholism addiction.

Early Stage: The typical early stage starts out as drinking to unwind. Drinking becomes an escape and is used to boost mood or relieve stress. S. L. is drinking to relax to "forget his troubles".

Middle Stage: The middle stage is defined as needing to drink more and more to get the same "buzz". Your alcoholic spouse will not admit a drinking problem to you, but he/she has thought about it a lot. His/her brain is alcohol dependent. In other words, alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia and shakiness occurs if he/she tries to quit drinking. Black outs and hangovers are common. S.L fits into this category.

Late Stage: This stage is very serious. Your alcoholic spouse has become obsessed with drinking alcohol. Nothing else matters. Often your alcoholic husband or alcoholic wife will become malnourished (vitamin B1 deficiency). Liver problems, pancreas problems, anemia and neurological problems may occur. Legal problems are common. Marital stress is a given. At this point, your alcoholic spouse has withdrawn and spends his/her time both drinking and seeking alcohol. A medical professional needs to be involved in "detoxing" your alcoholic spouse or he/she could die going through alcohol withdrawal.

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease. Early intervention is very important. In the late stages of alcoholism addiction, the brain has become so alcohol dependent, it will be much tougher for your alcoholic spouse to overcome the brains' alcohol cravings. Going to Al-Anon is a great first step for you to get some support and tools to deal with this family disease. Do not procrastinate. The longer you wait, the tougher the recovery for your alcoholic spouse.

Alcoholic Spouses - How Serious is Their Alcohol Problem Anyway?

ALCOHOLIC

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Alcoholic Liver Disease Or Alcoholic Hepatitis

When the liver becomes damaged and the cause is related to alcohol, this condition is known as "alcoholic liver disease" or "alcoholic hepatitis". This condition should not be confused, however, with cirrhosis of the liver as cirrhosis is a specific condition that is primarily caused by alcohol but can also occur due to other medical conditions or diseases of the liver.

alcoholics anonymous

Alcoholic hepatitis is typically used to describe a variety of multiple symptoms or conditions that occur during the beginning stages of alcoholic liver disease and damage that is occurring to the liver can be potentially reversed when an individuals stops consuming alcohol. When an individual has reached the stage of alcoholic liver disease, typically the liver has been damaged extensively.

ALCOHOLIC

The Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Disease

The liver is responsible for over five hundred functions of which most are essential to the human body for sustaining life. In the first stages of alcoholic liver disease an individual may be asymptomatic - meaning that they will not have any noticeable symptoms - until the disease has progressed to "alcoholic fatty liver disease", hepatitis, or the final stages of alcoholic liver disease which is "cirrhosis". These symptoms may include:

• Having pain or tenderness in the abdominal area.
• Chronic fatigue.
• Having a dry mouth or excessive thirst.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Having nausea or a loss of appetite.
• Jaundice (a yellowing of the eyes or skin).
• Fever.
• Mental confusion.

The Stages of Alcoholic Liver Disease

"Fatty liver disease" occurs in the beginning stages of alcoholic liver disease and can develop even when consuming alcohol for only a period of a few days due to the fact that alcohol causes the build up of fatty acids within the liver.

At this stage of alcoholic liver disease, there is typically no symptoms that are noticeable and this condition can be reversed when the consumption of alcohol has been ceased for a period of approximately two weeks.

When the disease has progressed to the second stage - hepatitis of the liver - the liver tissues have become inflamed from the extensive use of alcohol, however, this condition can also occur after an individual has partaken in a form of "binge drinking". While this is a more serious type of liver damage, it can also be potentially reversed when the consumption of alcohol has been ceased for a period of several months or it may take a few years.

When an individual has developed cirrhosis of the liver, this is the final stage of alcoholic liver disease and can be a life threatening condition. Cirrhosis of the liver is the condition in which the liver has developed scar tissue due to the prolonged period of time that inflammation has occurred from alcohol consumption.

This scarring is irreversible and will cause the impairment of liver functioning with the severity depending upon how extensively this scarring has damaged the liver. In serious cases, this condition can lead to liver failure.

While this condition is irreversible, further damage can be prevented if the individual immediately ceases their consumption of alcohol. Alcoholism is a disease and the number one cause of cirrhosis of the liver; therefore, if you have a problem with alcohol abuse, it is essential that you seek professional help for your addiction.

Alcoholic Liver Disease Or Alcoholic Hepatitis

ALCOHOLIC

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Herbal Cure for Hepatitis B

INDIAN HERBAL SCIENTISTS claim to have found an effective and cheap treatment for the Hepatitis B, the dreaded disease that has some two billion infected people (infected with HBV - Hepatitis B virus), out of which more than 350 million have chronic (lifelong) infections, across the globe.

hepatitis

Lucknow based International Institute of Herbal Medicine (IIHM), headed by Dr Narendra Singh has developed an extract of traditional Indian plants (liver-kidney cure), which catalyses the generation of interferon in the cells. The low generation of interferon in the cells reduces the liver's capacity to fight with the viral infections. The liver-kidney cure for hepatitis is a combination of Bohrriva Deffusa (Punarva), Picorhiza Curova (Kutki) and Phylynathus Hirruri herbal extracts, which has been found highly useful in treating the deadly disease.

HEPATITIS

Singh says that scientists and clinicians from 12 Asian countries were a part of the intensive research and the drug was recently given recognition by Orthodox Union, an agency from USA and Israel. Companies from USA, France, Israel and Canada have already entered into an agreement with IIHM for the bulk production of the drug.

The Herbal formulation has the capacity of raising both the haemoglobin and interferon. "We are going ahead with more trials of the drug and discussions with other agencies were on," says Dr. Singh.

"The herbs were raised in the botanical garden of Banaras Hindu University and Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), thus giving boost to the prospects of being recognised in a big way," he pointed out.

Hepatitis B is preventable with safe and effective vaccines that have been available since 1982. It is 95 per cent effective in stopping chronic infections from developing. It is the first vaccine against a major human cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) called for all children to receive the hepatitis B vaccine, in 1991. 116 countries have added this vaccine to their routine immunisation programmes.

However, India, where the vaccine is needed most, has not been receiving it because the government cannot afford it.

Herbal Cure for Hepatitis B

HEPATITIS

Monday, July 25, 2011

Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alcoholic liver disease occurs due to an acute or chronic inflammation of the liver due to alcohol abuse. This disease usually occurs after a prolonged use of alcohol. In the United States 10% of men and 3% of women suffer from problems related to alcoholic consumption.

The occurrence of the disease depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and the duration it is consumed in. The greater the duration and greater the amount leads to a greater chance for liver disease to occur.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Other factors include the toxicity of ethanol to the liver, susceptibility to the disease, and genetic factors. Studies have shown that women may be more susceptible than men. The disease starts as inflammation (hepatitis) and progresses to fatty liver and cirrhosis. Alcoholism generally leads to three pathologically different liver diseases. They are the fatty liver ( Steatosis), hepatitis and cirrhosis.

The disease will not show any symptoms until it advances. Complications that arise are alcoholic encephalopathy and portal hypertension.

The symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice, abdominal pain, fever, ascites,weight gain, mental confusion, excessive thirst, dry mouth and fatigue.

Other symptoms are vomiting blood, bloody bowel movements, paleness, fainting, lethargic movement, fluctuating mood, impaired judgement and confusion.

Liver function tests and liver biopsy are the common tests done to detect the disease. Treatment includes the discontinuation of alcoholic use, providing high calorie, high carbohydrate diet to break down the protein present in the patient's body. Counseling and rehabilitaion may prove necessary for the patients.

Liver transplants become necessary if the situation advances to cirrhosis. Once the patient becomes medically stable, there is a need to abstain from drinking. Although stopping drinking may result in the reversal of fatty liver and hepatitis, liver cirrhosis may continue, but progressive liver deterioration can be checked.

Alcoholic Liver Disease

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Alcoholic Neuropathy

Alcoholic neuropathy defines the nerve disorder associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Nerve function is reduced, it is believed, by the toxins in alcohol and nutritional deficiencies.

alcoholics anonymous pendant

Normal symptoms for alcoholic neuropathy include lack of sensation, tingling, frail ankles and muscles and burning feet. Diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, constipation, incontinence of the bladder and impotence in men are some other symptoms. However, in severe cases of alcoholic neuropathy, major damage is done to the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for involuntary functions such as the heart beat.

ALCOHOLIC

There are several tests and evaluations that can help diagnose alcoholic neuropathy. The main four are the neurological exam, electromyography, nerve conduction velocity test and nerve biopsy. The neurological exam is a process where in the patient goes through a series of simple and painless examinations. It primarily evaluates the functioning of the neurological system, which includes autonomic nervous functioning, muscle strength and the sensory reactions. Electromyography tests the electrical activity of the muscle, checking whether or not the impulses are transferred promptly back and forth between nerve and muscle. Electromyography is often performed to find out the cause for numbness, itchiness. It is also capable of differentiating between weaknesses caused by reduced usage of a muscle or damage caused by the disease of the nerves (neuropathy). Nerve conduction velocity tests how swiftly impulses can be transmitted. It is done simultaneously with electromyography. Nerve biopsies are done on small nerves, tissues and muscles to determine the disorder.

The primary treatment for alcoholic neuropathy is treatment for alcoholism - avoiding alcohol reduces the symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy. Physical therapies can be given to help ease the pain. Medication may also be given to treat the numbness caused by alcoholic neuropathy. Following a healthy balanced diet is another vital part of the treatment.

Alcoholic Neuropathy

ALCOHOLIC

Friday, July 22, 2011

Hepatitis B Cure - Is There Such a Thing?

Well, the newly discovered Hepatitis B cure by the Australian scientists does closely resemble a "miracle cure", or a "magic pill", and it does seem to completely get rid of the disease in more than 90% of all cases, which considering it's all natural, and cannot possibly have any side effects, not to mention that anyone can easily get it and apply it - is pretty amazing. Read on to learn more.

hepatitis

The weird thing about Hepatitis is that some people seem to have an immunity for it - they come in contact with the virus, but they don't develop the disease. Years ago, we thought that was because of the way the virus entered the body - but now we know that's not true, since the Hepatitis virus is one of the smallest ones, and can get through any membrane in the human body. There's something else, that enables all the people who have in contact with the virus, to fight off the disease quickly and efficiently.

HEPATITIS

So, if there's a Hepatitis B cure, why doesn't the medical industry apply it yet? Because they need more time, and because they don't want to. They don't want to, simply because they prefer to keep you on the pill forever, rather than have you take the "magic pill" and get well in several days. But lots of companies are beginning to catch up, and produce a herbal combination of pills, which are based on the new discovery of the Australian researchers. So, the Hepatitis B cure will soon be available for everyone. Until then, everyone can still easily apply it themselves, as it's nothing chemical or artificial, it's completely natural!

Hepatitis B Cure - Is There Such a Thing?

HEPATITIS

Death from Liver Disease

The liver is a very important organ that performs a variety of functions in the human body. Being a large organ, the liver can cope with small damages. If the damage is left untreated, it can worsen the condition of the liver and prevent it from functioning. Severe damage to the liver can result in liver failure and death. Some of the conditions that can lead to death from liver disease are alcoholism, liver cancer, cirrhosis, and viral hepatitis.

Alcoholism

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Prolonged use of alcohol can cause a variety of mental and physical conditions. Consumption of alcohol affects the liver and other organs. There are three stages of alcoholic liver disease. First, a fatty liver develops in heavy drinkers. Liver functions do not deteriorate at this stage and this condition can be reversed if alcohol is not consumed. The second stage is alcoholic hepatitis where the patient may develop jaundice. The effects can be reversed at this stage if further consumption of alcohol is stopped and treatment is taken. The final stage is cirrhosis of the liver, which is irreversible and severely damages the liver. As a result, functions of the liver are affected, and a person's life span is also reduced.

Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is usually a secondary development. Tumors of the lung, colon, pancreas, or stomach can spread to the liver. Tumors of the liver are either benign or malignant. Malignant, or cancerous, tumors of the liver are of two kinds - hepatoma and cholangiocarcinoma. A hepatoma is a tumor that grows in the liver and invades normal tissue. Cholangiocarcinoma is cancer of the bile duct cells. Advanced stages of liver cancer lead to death.

Cirrhosis

Scarring of normal tissue and inflammation of the liver leads to cirrhosis. It is one of the top ten diseases in the world that causes death.

Viral Hepatitis

Any of the following viruses can affect the liver and cause death: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, Hepatitis E, and Hepatitis X. Among these types A, B and C are the main types of viral hepatitis. Around 40-60% of liver disease deaths are due to Hepatitis.

Death from Liver Disease

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Chronic Hepatitis

Persistent hepatitis is really a category of disorders characterized through the combination of liver cell necrosis and inflammation of varying intensity persisting for a lot more than 6 months. It might be due to viral infection; drugs and poisons; genetic, metabolic, or autoimmune elements; or unknown causes. The intensity ranges from an asymptomatic constant illness characterized only by laboratory test abnormalities to some extreme, gradually progressive sickness culminating in cirrhosis, liver failure, and death.

Depending on scientific, laboratory, and biopsy findings, chronic hepatitis is best assessed with regard to (1) distribution and intensity of inflammation, (a couple of) degree of fibrosis, and (three) etiology, which has important prognostic implications. Patients might present with exhaustion, malaise, low-grade fever, anorexia, weight loss, slight intermittent jaundice, and mild hepatosplenomegaly.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Others are initially asymptomatic and present late within the course of the illness with problems of cirrhosis, such as variceal bleeding, coagulopathy, encephalopathy, jaundice, and ascites. In contrast to chronic persistent hepatitis, some patients with persistent active hepatitis, particularly those without having serologic proof of antecedent HBV infection, present with extrahepatic symptoms such as skin rash, diarrhea, arthritis, and various autoimmune problems.

Either type of chronic hepatitis could be triggered by infection with several hepatitis viruses (eg, hepatitis B with or without having hepatitis D superinfection and hepatitis C); a range of drugs and poisons (eg, ethanol, isoniazid, acetaminophen), frequently in amounts insufficient to cause symptomatic acute hepatitis; genetic and metabolic disorders (eg, 1-antiprotease [ 1-antitrypsin] deficiency, Wilson's disease); or immune-mediated injury of unfamiliar origin.

Much less than 5% of otherwise healthy adults with acute hepatitis B remain chronically infected with HBV; the risk is greater in those who are immunocompromised or of young age (eg, persistent infection develops in around 90% of neonates). Among those chronically infected, about two-thirds develop slight persistent hepatitis and one-third develop extreme persistent hepatitis (see later on discussion).

Superinfection with HDV of the patient with chronic HBV infection is associated having a much higher rate of persistent hepatitis than is observed with isolated hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis D superinfection of individuals with hepatitis B can also be associated having a high incidence of fulminant hepatic failure. Finally, 60-85% of people with acute post-transfusional or community-acquired hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis.

Many cases of persistent hepatitis are thought to represent an immune-mediated attack about the liver occurring consequently of persistence of certain hepatitis viruses or after prolonged exposure to particular medicines or noxious substances. In some, no mechanism may be recognized.

Proof that the disorder is immune mediated is that liver biopsies reveal inflammation (infiltration of lymphocytes) in characteristic regions of the liver architecture (eg, portal versus lobular). Furthermore, a variety of autoimmune problems occur with high frequency in patients with chronic hepatitis.

Postviral Chronic Hepatitis: Viral hepatitis may be the most common trigger of chronic liver illness within the United States. In approximately 5% of instances of HBV virus and 60-85% of hepatitis C infections, the immune response is inadequate to clear the liver of virus, resulting in persistent infection.

The individual becomes a chronic carrier, intermittently producing the virus and hence remaining infectious to other people. Biochemically, these individuals are frequently found to have viral DNA integrated into their genomes inside a method that outcomes in abnormal expression of particular viral proteins with or without having production of intact virus.

Viral antigens expressed on the hepatocyte cell surface are connected with class I HLA determinants, thus eliciting lymphocyte cytotoxicity and resulting in hepatitis. The severity of chronic hepatitis is largely dependent about the activity of viral replication and also the response through the host's immune program.

Persistent hepatitis B infection predisposes the patient to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma even within the absence of cirrhosis. It remains unclear regardless of whether hepatitis B infection is the initiator or simply a promoter within the procedure of tumorigenesis. In hepatitis C virus, hepatocellular carcinoma develops only within the setting of cirrhosis.

Alcoholic Persistent Hepatitis: Chronic liver disease in response to some poisons or poisons may represent triggering of an underlying genetic predisposition to immune attack about the liver. In alcoholic hepatitis, nevertheless, repeated episodes of acute injury ultimately cause necrosis, fibrosis, and regeneration, leading at some point to cirrhosis. As in other forms of liver disease, there's considerable variation in the extent of signs or symptoms before development of cirrhosis.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Illness: In light of increasing obesity within the United States, there may be a substantial increase within the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a form of persistent liver disease that is connected using the metabolic syndrome. NAFLD occurs in problems that cause predominantly macrovesicular fat accumulation within the liver.

Conditions this kind of as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance are regarded risk factors for improvement of NAFLD. An estimated 3-6% from the U.S. population with an aggressive type of NAFLD generally known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are, in particular, at higher risk of progressive liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Idiopathic Chronic Hepatitis: Some individuals develop chronic hepatitis in the absence of evidence of preceding viral hepatitis or exposure to noxious agents. These individuals typically have serologic proof of disordered immunoregulation, manifested as hyperglobulinemia and circulating autoantibodies.

Almost 75% of these patients are women, and numerous have other autoimmune problems. A genetic predisposition is strongly suggested. Most individuals with autoimmune hepatitis display histologic improvement in liver biopsies right after remedy with systemic corticosteroids.

The scientific response, however, can be variable. Primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune cholangitis signify cholestatic types of an autoimmune-mediated liver illness. All forms of chronic hepatitis share the typical histopathologic features of (1) inflammatory infiltration of hepatic portal areas with mononuclear cells, particularly lymphocytes and plasma tissue, and (2) necrosis of hepatocytes within the parenchyma or immediately adjacent to portal areas (periportal hepatitis, or "piecemeal necrosis").

In slight chronic hepatitis, the overall architecture from the liver is preserved. Histologically, the liver reveals a characteristic lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltrate confined towards the portal triad without disruption from the limiting plate and no proof of energetic hepatocyte necrosis. There's small or no fibrosis, and what there's usually is restricted to the portal region; there is no sign of cirrhosis.

A "cobblestone" look of liver tissue is observed, indicating regeneration of hepatocytes. In more severe cases of persistent hepatitis, the portal areas are expanded and densely infiltrated by lymphocytes, histiocytes, and plasma cells.

There's necrosis of hepatocytes in the periphery of the lobule, with erosion from the limiting plate surrounding the portal triads (piecemeal necrosis; A lot more extreme instances also display proof of necrosis and fibrosis in between portal triads.

There's disruption of typical liver architecture by bands of scar tissue and inflammatory tissue that link portal areas to a single another and to central locations (bridging necrosis). These connective tissue bridges are evidence of remodeling of hepatic architecture, a crucial step in the development of cirrhosis.

Fibrosis might extend from the portal locations into the lobules, isolating hepatocytes into clusters and enveloping bile ducts. Regeneration of hepatocytes is observed with mitotic figures, multinucleated cells, rosette formation, and regenerative pseudolobules. Progression to cirrhosis is signaled by extensive fibrosis, loss of zonal architecture, and regenerating nodules.

Some patients with slight chronic hepatitis are completely asymptomatic and identified only within the course of routine blood testing; other people have an insidious onset of nonspecific signs or symptoms such as anorexia, malaise, and exhaustion or hepatic symptoms this kind of as correct upper quadrant abdominal discomfort or pain.

Fatigue in chronic hepatitis might be related to a change in the hypothalamic-adrenal neuroendocrine axis brought about by altered endogenous opioidergic neurotransmission. Jaundice, if present, is usually mild. There may be slight tender hepatomegaly and occasional splenomegaly. Palmar erythema and spider telangiectases are observed in extreme instances.

Other extrahepatic manifestations are unusual. By definition, signs of cirrhosis and portal hypertension (eg, ascites, collateral circulation, and encephalopathy) are absent. Laboratory scientific studies display slight to moderate increases in serum aminotransferase, bilirubin, and globulin levels. Serum albumin and the prothrombin time are typical until late within the progression of liver disease.

The clinical manifestations of persistent hepatitis most likely reflect the role of a systemic genetically controlled immune disorder within the pathogenesis of severe disease. Acne, hirsutism, and amenorrhea may occur being a reflection from the hormonal effects of persistent liver disease. Laboratory scientific studies in patients with severe chronic hepatitis are invariably abnormal to various degrees.

Nevertheless, these abnormalities don't correlate with scientific intensity. Thus, the serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and globulin levels may be typical and aminotransferase levels only mildly elevated at the same time that a liver biopsy reveals extreme chronic hepatitis.

Nevertheless, an elevated prothrombin time generally reflects severe disease. The natural history and remedy of persistent hepatitis varies based on its cause. The complications of extreme chronic hepatitis are individuals of progression to cirrhosis: variceal bleeding, encephalopathy, coagulopathy, hypersplenism, and ascites. These are largely due to portosystemic shunting instead of diminished hepatocyte reserve.

Chronic Hepatitis

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS