Addison's Disease: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Addison's disease can be a common ailment. It happens when the adrenal glands are not producing a sufficient amount of steroid hormones. This kind of production can be found through medical imaging and blood tests. This disease has got this name from Thomas Addison, the famous doctor who found the malaria disease. The disease can be cured through provision of hormones like oral hydrocortisone to the patient.

There can be many causes of this disease which include dysgenesis which means an inadequate formation of the gland and the production can't happen normally. Sometimes, steroidogenesis can also cause this disease which means inability of the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.

This disease is caused due to the lack of this hormone only. Since the symptoms don't reveal themselves easily, this ailment can't be detected so easily however the patient may experience some symptoms like fatigue, fever and weight loss. Patients also suffer from low energy while standing up and hence don't find it easy to do so. Individuals also develop a desire for consuming salt foods because sodium gets washed out of the urine. So, salt which is rich sources of sodium can fulfill their desires. The patients also experience some tanning of the skin because the inability of the glands causes hyperpigmentation which manifests as tanning.

Low blood pressure is caused when someone tries to stand up. There can be many causes of this disease which include impaired steroidogenesis. It's because the adrenal gland needs cholesterol for producing steroid hormones. But, lack of cholesterol causes an impairment of steroid production. The lack of cholesterol to the adrenal gland can be caused by abetalipoproteinemia and Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

The disease can be treated by introducing cortisone in the body. So, the hormones can be introduced in the form of tablets. The patient must follow a strict diet and sometimes for the rest of his life. Sometimes, the injections of such cortisones can also be increased when the patient is pregnant or is suffering from a kind of trauma. In fact, such doses also need to be more when a person has become infected. It's important that the patients of this disease have the cortisone injections so that they can be cured if they become injured. They should also have some identification tag so that someone else can know that they have the disease if they become unconscious. So, the tag lets someone know that the patient needs a cortisone injection. This tag can also have the telephone number and name of the relative. The best forms of cure are needle, cortisol and syringe. Sometimes, during stress, patients need more medication and they should be aware of the process.

Sometimes, patients who suffer from this ailment also experience vomiting. They can't be administered tablets of oral hydrocortisone, so they have to take injections. Sometimes, attention by doctors is required when vomiting or diarrhea starts happening due to this ailment.

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Retinal Detachment: Time Critical Eye Emergency

A detachment of the retinal can be a very serious and time critical emergency. A detached retina occurs when the retina pulls away from the supporting choroid (middle tissue) in the back of the eye, usually resulting from a hole in the retina that allows fluid to leak between the choroid and the retina.



Since the retina cannot function properly under these conditions, permanent vision loss may occur if a detached retina is not repaired within 24 to 72 hours.



At Risk



Retinal Detachment is considered a risk for:



• Nearsighted adults

• People who have had an eye injury or post cataract extraction surgery

• People with a family history of retinal detachment

• People who have suffered a hard blow or sever trauma to the eye such as a contusion or penetrating wound. There has been a rise in those under teenagers and young adults due to paintball injuries.

• Secondary detachments as a result of other diseases, such as tumors, severe inflammations or complications from diabetes.



Statistic for the United States show that nearly 28,000 cases of retinal detachment occurs each year. Most cases are a result of the processing of aging, affects a higher number of people with a Jewish heritage and occurs the least often among blacks.



Symptoms



Symptoms of retinal detachment include:



• Flashes of light

• Showering effect of floaters in the visual field

• Darkening of the peripheral visual field.

• Vision loss maybe filmy, cloudy, irregular or curtain-like.

• One large floater in the middle of the field of vision or a wavy distortion of objects may also be a sign of a detached retina.



There is no pain associated with retinal detachment, but if you suffer from any of the above symptoms, see your eye doctor immediately. Often floaters will actually decrease as the retina detaches giving a false signal of possible a reversal in the condition when in truth the condition is worsening.



Diagnosis



Retinal detachment is diagnosed through an eye exam by a retinal specialist. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the greater the chance to restore vision. Diagnosis is based on symptoms and a thorough examination of the retina.



Treatment



Surgical treatment for retinal detachment depends on type, severity, and location of the detachment. Risks include infection, bleeding, cataract development, and increased pressure inside the eye. However, without intervention, retinal detachment usually causes permanent partial vision loss or blindness.



There are numerous approaches to treating retinal detachment. These include:

• Laser (thermal) or freezing (cryopexy). Both of these approaches can repair a detached retina if it is diagnosed early enough.

• Cryopexy - Cryopexy uses nitrous oxide to freeze the tissue behind the retinal tear, stimulating scar tissue formation that will seal the edges of the tear. It is usually done as an outpatient procedure, under local anesthesia.

• Pneumatic retinopexy. This procedure can be used to treat retinal detachment if the tear is small and easy to close. A small gas bubble is injected into the vitreous where it then rises and presses against the retina, closing the tear. A laser or cryopexy can then be used to seal the tear. This procedure is 85% successful.

• Scleral buckle. This treatment for retinal detachment involves placing a silicone band (buckle)around the eye to hold the retina in place. This band is not visible and remains permanently attached. Thermal treatment may then be necessary to close the tear. This procedure is effective as high as 95% of the time.

• Vitrectomy. This procedure for retinal detachment is used for large tears. During a vitrectomy the vitreous is removed from the eye and replaced with a saline solution. It has similar success rates to the scleral buckle.

About 80 percent of all uncomplicated cases can be cured with one operation; an additional 15 percent will need repeated operations and the remainder will never reattach. The prognosis is worse if the macula is detached or if the detachment is of long duration.

Without treatment, retinal detachment often becomes total within six (6) months. Unfortunately, due to continual shrinkage of the vitreous and the development of fibrous growths on the retina, not all retinas can be reattached. If the retina cannot be reattached, then the eye will continue to lose sight and ultimately become blind.



Prevention

Preventing age-related retinal detachment is possible by having regular eye exams and seeing an eye care practitioner immediately when early symptoms (floaters and flashes) are experienced. In most cases, small tears can be repaired easily and vision can be preserved. People at high risk should discuss the frequency of eye exams with their practitioner.

To avoid eye injuries, which may lead to a retinal, detachment use safety glasses or goggles when participating in activities that may have a high risk for eye injuries such as paintball guns, racket ball and many other sports.

For more click on Retinal Detachment: Time Critical Eye Emergency. At Austin County Eye Associates our focus is on you and the best options for your eye vision care.

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Itching Dog Skin Driving You Nuts? Top 12 Causes and What You Can Do To Ease the Misery

Itch, itch, scratch, scratch… thump-thump-thump… I honestly don’t know who whines more when our dogs have itchy skin problems, us or them!

As a professional animal communicator and master healer, I am often asked to work with dogs with skin condition problems. This can be a complicated tangled knot to unravel, fraught with a complexity of contributing causes.

Usually your vet will offer steroids to suppress the allergic reaction, antibiotics, and expensive medicated shampoos. All that does is suppress the symptoms for a little while and does nothing to resolve the source of the problem.

In the long term, your dog will suffer from a recurrent itchy skin problem which may be worse over time, developing hot spots and oozing sores. They will also suffer from the many debilitating side effects from the steroids themselves, which can shorten their lfie. AND, your dog may actually be allergic to the medicated shampoo!

What’s a caring, loving responsible dog parent to do?

Allergies are a symptom of a body experiencing toxic overload and systemic overwhelm. There are better ways to approach the problem. Here are the top 12 causes of itchy skin problems:

1. Thyroid and hormone imbalance, including over active adrenals from stress. This can also come from spaying and neutering creating a sudden and dramatic effect like forced menopause…

2. Food allergies including an allergy to rice, wheat, soy, corn, dairy, and nightshade plants like potatoes, tomatoes and peppers

3. Poor quality polluted water, especially tap water or water that is bottled in plastic which has carcinogens like benzene in it…

4. Heavy metals or other hidden contaminants in your dog’s food and environment…

5. Environmental allergens like hay, pollen, grasses, weeds, contact with toxic plants…

6. Chemical preservatives in the food, in the cans themselves or the packaging, bedding, shampoos, toys…

7. Pesticides, both used orally and in the environment

8. Wormers which are poisons that affect the liver and kidneys

9. Antibiotics which have destroyed the intestinal balance of probiotics and enzymes

10. Flea allergies, along with all the topical flea/tick treatments

11. Parasites like pinworms, tapeworms, roundworms and the like which thrive in a polluted, toxic body

All of those things must be taken into account and addressed. However, the number 1 cause of skin problems that few vets will tell you about is this:

12. Vaccinations with their many side effects. Over vaccinating your dog can cause a great deal of chronic long term problems including auto-immune disorders and degenerative disorders, like joint pain and arthritis, diabetes, cancer and digestive problems.

So what can you do about it?

1. Go homemade – food, that is. No more commercial pet foods. Try feeding your dog a bionutritionally sound diet that includes organic steamed vegetables including garlic in a bit of broth (low sodium is ok), natural raw or lightly cooked chicken or turkey or lamb, a good quality grain, and add in the right supplements like vitamins B, C and E, and full spectrum trace minerals like zinc and selenium. Be sure to include a high quality fat like extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil which are all necessary for good health as well as happy skin and shiny coats.

2. Rebuild their digestive system. If they aren’t allergic to dairy, offer yogurt or cottage cheese, and/or add probiotics and enzymes to help them digest it.

3. Clean water only. Purify their water with reverse osmosis or another type of quality filter.

4. Use natural flea, tick, mosquito and parasite prevention. You can use an essential oils formula like Cedarcide™ , mulch your yard with cedar mulch, or try using The ShooTag™ which are all viable non-toxic alternatives to flea preventions and oral wormers. Beneficial nematodes will clear your yard of fleas and their eggs. There are also herbal remedies for parasites. Remember that if your baby can’t touch it, then it can’t be good for your dog either.

5. Soothe the itch naturally. Aloe vera gel and coconut oil can help soothe the itch, as can many homeopathic remedies, including rhus tox, pulsatilla, arsenicum, apis, nux vomica, belladonna and mercurius vivus. See a professional’s assistance to determine the right remedies for your dog.

6. Vaccinosis Homeopathic Protocol. No more vaccinations while your dog is ill, or you will make the problem worse because you should never vaccinate a dog who isn’t well. There are ways to calm the inflammation using homeopathic medicine. Again, contact me or see a professional for assistance in determining the right protocol for your dog.

The good news is this: Not only will your dog start feeling better soon, but you will too. Because what’s good for your dog, is also good for you.

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Reverse Type 2 Diabetes with Natural Medicine - Dr. Barker, ND Naturopathic Doctor

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