Progressive, Irreversible Form of Dementia

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, a brain disorder that interferes with daily living. In AD, brain tissue is progressively destroyed, leading to loss of memory, thinking, learning, and reasoning skills. In the early stage, memory begins to fade and everyday tasks become challenging. Patients may forget appointments or where they left their keys. As brain-cell destruction continues, recalling a word, person, or place becomes difficult, and patients often repeat an activity or conversation. In the late stages of AD, the brain-cell destruction is so severe that activities of daily living are impossible, orientation to time and place are lost, and patients become completely dependent on caregivers. Ultimately, AD is fatal.More »

Dramatic High and Low Mood Swings

Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression, is a mental illness that is described as a fluctuation in mood extremes.

Patients with bipolar disorder may experience high (mania) and low (depression) mood swings that are dramatic, seriously affecting their lives and the lives of those around them. The classic picture of bipolar disorder includes swings from high to low moods and back again, with each swing lasting from weeks to months and often with periods of normal mood in between the extremes. During mania, patients are often agitated, speeding through their days with increased activity, little sleep, erratic behavior, and problems concentrating or staying focused. During depression, feelings of exhaustion, hopelessness, and futility are common, sometimes with suicidal thoughts.More »

Permanent Sterilization Procedure

Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure for women that is performed to achieve permanent sterilization. During this surgery, which is informally referred to as “tying the tubes,” a woman's fallopian tubes are closed off, effectively preventing pregnancy. The procedure, which costs several thousand dollars, is a popular method of permanent birth control.

An elective surgery that can even be done immediately after childbirth, tubal ligation is performed on an outpatient basis. It is safe and requires only a short recovery period. The procedure may cause moderate pain, but this usually can be controlled with nonprescription or mild prescription pain relievers. Most patients are counseled to avoid intense exercise for several days after undergoing a tubal ligation, but normal activities can be resumed soon after arrival home.

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Fighting the Addiction to Nicotine

Anyone who has tried to quit smoking can attest to the fact that tobacco products and nicotine are addictive. When smoking a cigarette, nicotine is quickly delivered through the lungs into the blood stream and carried to the brain, giving the user a pleasant feeling. As a result of both the physical and psychological addiction caused by nicotine, the smoking habit is tough to break.

The number one reason people quit smoking is to improve their health and avoid future health problems. Tobacco smoke contains many cancer-causing chemicals. In addition to cancer, smoking also causes heart diseases such as heart attack and stroke, and lung diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking is also dangerous for pregnant women and their babies.More »