Posts Tagged ‘Areas’

What is oral cancer? Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Oral cancer is the highest in India. It ranks number one among men and number 3 among women. Even young adults are facing the problem of oral cancer because of increased consumption of tobacco and things similar to that. Oral cancer account for 40% of the cancer in men and include cancers of oral cavity i.e. tongue,gums, buccal mucosa, palate and cancers of pharynx i.e. the area behind the tonsils.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS OF ORAL CANCERS

- Tobacco use: People using both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk of developing oral cancer.
- Poor oral hygiene.
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection.

Certain stages before development of cancer are:
- white patches in mouth or,
- red patches
- a condition called sub-mucous fibrosis when person cannot fully open the mouth.
- whole inner lining of cheek tissues turns white and hard.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

- Decrease in mouth opening or pain opening of mouth.
- Red, white, brown or black spots in mouth.
- Pain in mouth.
- Bleeding.
- Burning or numbness, tingling in tongue or lip.
- A sore or ulcer which does not heal.
- Sensitive or loose teeth.
- Difficulty in swallowing or talking.

High risk individuals should be examined by trained oncologist. Regular check up should be done every 2-3 months or during annual check ups. Self-examination is also important. You can do it by:
- Check if there is any change in color of gums, lips and cheeks, any kind of patches, any ulcer or sore, thickening in any part of oral cavity.
- Check for any lump or swelling or any other abnormality.
- Check if the person is having difficulty in opening the mouth.
Any abnormality, record it and report it to your doctor. The early detection of cancer is that it can be cured by only surgery or radiotherapy.
To prevent oral cancer, one should avoid tobacco and alcohol and maintain a good oral and dental hygiene.

Depending on the type of cancer and how far it has spread, it is treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and sometimes combinations of these.
- Complete diagnostic check up to confirm or rule out cancer.
- Finding out the stage of the disease.
- Plan the treatment.
- Positive attitude.
- Self faith.

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Osteoarthritis(OA): a de-generative joint disorder – Best way to deal with it is MOVE ON…

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disorder. It is a chronic disorder. There is no well established way to cure it. Rest makes arthritic joints feel better, but in the long run, exercise is better. Exercise, combined with a diet that is low in fats, rich in good carbohydrates, can help you to lose weight, to reduce stress on weight bearing joints and limit further injury.
- Walking is the best way to keep joints i.e. from the ankles to the shoulders from seizing up. The more you can walk, but do wear insoles or cushioned shoes to redistribute weight and reduce joint stress.
- Aerobic conditioning if it does not hurt too much is good. Any exercise that does not put pounding pressure on the joints can help build muscle and keep ligaments and tendons strong and flexible enough to give the joints the support that they need.
- Elliptical trainer and cycling are good exercise options.
- Recumbent bicycle and rowing machines takes the burden off such susceptible joints as knees and hips.
- Swimming and water workouts will help you move stiff joints without gravity’s weight bearing pressure.
- Stretching is necessary to move joints through complete range of motion.
- Yoga is a good thing to do.
- Resistance training keeps muscles strong, often taking the pressure off joints.

Few things that you can do to prevent osteoarthritis are:
- keep moving.
- get nutritious balanced meals.
- stay slim.
- build muscle.
- change positions while writing or doing hand work.
- recline in right direction.

If pain persists and it is interfering into daily life, do consult a reputed orthopedic surgeon an accordingly adopt one of the following:
- Arthroscopy: Dying cartilage can be cleared and rough joint connections can be smoothed out.
- Bone Fusion: Fusing ones together with pins or plates can eliminate the pain.
- Joint Replacement: Bones in the joint are damaged beyond repair, a substitute joint can be fashioned from metal alloys, high density plastics .
- Tissue repair or osteotomy: Failing joints can cause surrounding muscle, ligaments and tendons to reattach or repair them. This is done without cutting the muscle ensuring future recovery and less damage.
- Cartilage Cell Replacement: New cells are injected into the joint.

Osteoarthritis(OA): a de-generative joint disorder – Risk Factors, Location and Symptoms

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disorder. It is a chronic disorder. There is no well established way to cure it. The goals to prevent osteoarthritis are to improve joint strength and movement, control pain, enjoy a healthy lifestyle and maintain an acceptable weight. Some factors that increase risk of osteoarthritis are:
- Age: People over 45 are at highest risk for osteoarthritis.
- Gender: Osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in women. Before 45 it hits men because of joint injuries. After 45 to 70 women predominate. After 70 both sexes are equally at risk.
- Obesity: Being overweight during midlife and later.
- Bad diet: Fatty, high cholesterol foods and alcohol.
- Joint misalignment: if joints move or fit together incorrectly such as bow legs or a dislocated hip.
- Genes: A defect in one of the genes responsible for the formation of collagen results in cartilage that is weaker and degrades faster.
- Lifestyle: Sports injury to knees and hips, walking barefoot on marble floors, ill fitting shoes etc.
- Weak muscles: They put too much strain in the joint leading to tears in the tendon.

Osteoarthritis (OA) can affect any joint in the body, some joints are more vulnerable than others. Most targeted areas are:
- fingers where bone spurs in the middle of the fingers digits produce characteristic swelling.
- knees and hips joints are most likely to produce severe pain and disability.
- neck and low back can be very troublesome.
- feet where it often singles out the joint at the base of the big toe.

Osteoarthritis can be capricious. Sometimes, pain is experienced even before the condition has progressed enough to produce x-ray abnormalities. But reverse is also possible; some individuals feel little or no discomfort even though their x-ray show advanced osteoarthritis. Pain usually begins gradually. It can be mild or severe. Although the pain is usually centered in the involved joint, it can also be referred to nearby areas. In case of osteoarthritis, morning stiffness is common but it usually resolves in twenty minutes. Stiffness after rest is also brief but patients with advanced osteoarthritis can be stiff and creaky for most of the day. People having painful joints tend to be inactive and the inactivity leads to another symptom muscle weakness.
It is a vicious cycle, but appropriate forms of exercise can break the chain of disability.