Month: December 2020

A nephrologist is a doctor who specializes in treating kidney diseases. Nephrologists at the Houston Kidney Specialist Center are renowned for offering comprehensive treatment options. Tsegaw E Egziti M.D is well acclaimed for providing top-notch care to patients suffering from acute and chronic kidney diseases.

The two major causes for kidney diseases are high blood pressure and diabetes. Other factors include hereditary kidney disorders such as lupus and polycystic kidney disease. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, causes damage to blood vessels in your vital body organs. Such organs include your kidneys, heart, and brain.

Kidneys serve a critical role of removing excess fluid and waste products from your body. They are also responsible for regulating electrolyte concentrations that keep changing, depending on numerous conditions or medication. Kidney complications can be systemic disorders. That is, the complications can affect other organs of your body.

Specialized medical care and treatment is therefore extremely important. Experts at Houston Kidney Specialist Center ensure normal functioning of your kidneys by treating any conditions that hinder effective processes. Such conditions that are in the scope of nephrology include:

• Cancers of the bladder, urethra, and kidneys
• Kidney infections
• Long-term or sudden renal failure
• Nephritis and nephrotic syndrome
• Acid-base fluctuations

There are many other medical conditions that can affect your kidneys in different ways. Chronic kidney disease is described using five stages, depending on the severity of the disease.  Grade 1 kidney failure indicates mild disease while grade 5 renal failure shows the need for kidney transplant or dialysis.

The most appropriate time to see a kidney doctor varies depending on your kidney function and other risk factors. Since your survival is correlated with timely consultation with a nephrologist, it’s best to see one earlier rather than later. Common signs and symptoms indicating the risk of kidney complications include:

• Consistent headaches
• Itchiness and dryness of the skin
• Reduced appetite and sense of taste
• Frequent swelling of legs, feet, or ankles
• Memory problems, unexplained confusion, or trouble focusing
• Abnormal weight loss
• Weakness, muscle cramps, or numbness

Treatments Available for Kidney Diseases

The advanced facilities with state-of-the-art dialysis units for nephrology treatment at Houston Kidney Specialist Center operate 24/7 at full capacity. The comprehensive kidney solutions and personalized services offered include:

• Plasma Dialysis (Plasmapheresis)
• Home Hemodialysis
• Home Peritoneal Dialysis
• In-CenterHemodialysis
• Kidney Transplant
• Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)

Critically ill patients have a high metabolic rate since their bodies are recovering from the disease. CRRT is a form of hemodialysis that enables removal of blood and pumping it through a hemofilter. The process is followed so that water and wastes can be removed slowly without bringing about hypotension.

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)

A fluid referred to as dialysate is put into the abdominal cavity through a catheter during peritoneal dialysis. The dialysate remains there for several hours as waste products flow from capillaries into the liquid. It is then drained out when the process is over.

Kidney Transplant

Patients who have kidney failure undergo dialysis. Dialysis tends to take time and requires patients to frequently visit a dialysis center for treatments. However, a kidney transplant gives patients a chance to lead better quality lives without depending on a dialysis machine.

Shin splints are a regular occurrence in the small municipality of Matawan. If you ever get shin splints, you should visit a Matawan shin splints specialist.

Shin splints are stress pains coming from the front part of your shins when exercising. It is one of the most common conditions among runners.

The main cause of shin splints is putting your legs under too much pressure. Many people see a specialist because it is uncomfortable and painful.

However, you can manage the condition on your own. The following are some tips to help manage shin splints:

1. Rest and Relaxation

You will often hear many people tell others to get some R&R but what they might not know is that rest and relaxation is one of the most recommended medical solutions. It is especially so with physical injuries.

If you are constantly feeling throbbing pain in the front of the leg whenever you run or work out, you should rest your legs for a few days.

After taking a break, you can become active again. You should reduce your workout intensity and frequency until your legs become stronger.

2. Ice the Injury

Ice is a common solution to physical injuries. The cold helps the blood clot and reduces circulation leading to numbness and pain relief.

You should ice whenever you feel the pain in your shin. When icing an injury, place the ice on the affected area for 15 minutes, then remove for 15 minutes, alternating.

A store-bought ice pack or some ice cubes in a plastic bag will work just fine.  Make sure to wrap the ice in a thin towel so that your skin doesn’t get too cold.

3. Change Your Shoes

Your shoes have a tremendous impact on the pressure your legs feel when you run. Uncomfortable  or ill-fitting shoes increase the pressure.

Therefore, if you want to manage shin splints, you should get better running or workout shoes. First, they should fit well but be comfortable. Secondly, they should have a thick sole. The thicker the sole, the less the impact on your legs when you are running.

Always think of shoes as shock absorbers when running. Arch support is also a great idea.

4. Lower Impact Training

You may not want to lose your athletic gains and prowess while you recover from shin splints. You can choose to do exercises that have a lower impact on your legs in the meantime.

There are many aerobic exercises that do not consist of repeatedly slapping your feet on a hard surface. Such exercises include bike riding, using the elliptical machine, swimming, and rowing.

You can hence remain fit while you recover from shin splints. Once you get stronger legs, you can gradually increase the impact of your exercises.

5. Stretch Your Legs

Finally, chronic pain in the front muscles of your shin are what cause shin splints. Stretching these muscles can help a great deal in reducing the pain.

It is especially important that you stretch after working out. You instantly relieve much of the pressure built up during the workout.

If you have shin splints, you should stretch your legs for at least thirty minutes a day when you are not resting.

Bellevue is a small city in Washington State with a fair amount of TMJ cases. You should see a Bellevue TMJ specialist as soon as you can if you have the condition.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint connecting your jawbone to your skull. The two joints on both sides of your head have a significant impact on many daily actions such as talking, chewing your food, and making facial gestures.

Signs of a TMJ disorder include jaw stiffness, jaw pain, jaw locking, and headaches, among others. However, there are exercises that you can do to manage TMJ disorder including:

1. Relaxed Jaw Exercise

The simplest of the jaw exercises for TMJ disorder is the relaxed jaw exercise. It involves first gently resting your tongue on the top of your mouth.

You will then slowly open your mouth by relaxing your jaw until it is completely open. Close your mouth and repeat the exercise several times as long as you are comfortable.

2. Goldfish Exercises

As the name suggests, the exercise involves opening your mouth like a goldfish. Goldfish exercises could include either partial or full opening of the mouth.

The exercise is done by resting the tongue on top of the mouth behind the front teeth. You then place a finger near your ear on the TMJ. Put your middle or first finger underneath your chin.

Open your mouth by dropping your lower jaw. You should feel a bit of resistance in this exercise, but not pain. For the full goldfish exercise, you should open your jaw all the way but only open halfway for the partial exercise.

You should switch your finger and place it on the other TMJ. Do the exercise as many times as you want. However, it is best to separate them into sets.

3. Resisted Opening and Closing of Your Mouth

A great, yet simple exercise for the TMJ is to add resistance to the opening and closing of your mouth. It is similar to the goldfish exercises described above but with a significant difference.

With resisted mouth opening and closing, you only place one or two thumbs underneath the chin. You then open your mouth slowly while pressing your thumb(s) against your chin as hard as you can.

Your jaws muscles and the TMJ will be strengthened using this exercise. It will vastly help you with chewing and talking.

4. Forward and Side-to-Side Jaw Movement

The best way to stretch the TMJ is to move your jaw. It is best if you move it in all directions.

You should start with side to side jaw movement. You should place something thick between your teeth; preferably start with a quarter of an inch of thickness.

Slowly start moving your jaw side to side until you are tired. Repeat for as many times as necessary. For forward jaw movement, you should do the same but move your bottom teeth forwards and backwards.

As the exercises become easier, you should increase the thickness of the object between your teeth.

Even though there are plenty of hip and knee replacement surgeons in Centreville, VA, finding the right one can be a challenge. Choosing the right surgeon is the first step towards a successful procedure. The following are a few important questions for your Centreville, VA hip and knee replacement specialist before surgery.

1.     What results should I expect?

If you have specific goals, find out if the surgery can help you attain them. Let your surgeon know about your specific goals and expectations and find out what you can do to increase your likelihood of attaining them. You may need to know if surgery will:

• Allow you to participate in particular sports and hobbies
• Eliminate a limp
• Help you have sex more comfortably
• Reduce the need for medication
• Allow you to wear socks
• Allow you to clip your toenails

Different people may experience different results depending on their general health and anatomy. Talking about your expectations before surgery can improve post-surgical satisfaction. It can help you understand your condition better.

2.     Who will answer my questions before and after surgery?

You should have a specialist to answer your questions before and after surgery. Having the right surgeon is not enough. They should have a competent team of experts as well. The team should be able to give you online and written reference material.

3.     What does physical therapy entail?

Physical therapy is an important part of the recovery process and you should find out what it entails. In the first few weeks after surgery, you may need to stretch and exercise regularly. You may also need to schedule one-on-one appointments while going through physical therapy. The number of times you see a physical therapist depends on the details of your case.

4.     How much experience do you have?

Working with an experienced surgeon is always a good idea. Do not be afraid to ask this question as it may determine their performance. Find out how many times they have performed similar procedures and their success rate. Ideally, you should work with a surgeon who has performed at least 50 procedures with minimal complications.

5.     What are the potential complications of the procedure?

Like with any other major surgery, you should find out the potential complications before getting hip and knee replacement surgery. Possible risks include deep vein thrombosis and infections. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, find out if they increase your risk of complications.

6.     How can I prevent common injuries?

Your surgeon should let you know how you can prevent common injuries and reduce the need for knee and hip surgery in the future. Even though it is impossible to avoid the risks completely, there are lots of ways to minimize your risk.

After asking the right questions and having them answered, you can go into surgery feeling comfortable and confident. You can set realistic expectations and prepare accordingly. If you do not feel confident in the ability of your surgeon to answer those questions, it may be wise to get a second opinion.

There are various causes of pelvic pain, including problems in the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Doctors have also established that chronic pelvic pain can originate from the muscles and ligaments in the pelvic floor. If there is an underlying condition causing your pelvic pain, it is easy to treat and eliminate it. However, it is not always easy to recognize the cause of pelvic pain. Therefore, it is better to treat the pain so that the symptoms are reduced, thus improving your life. If you are experiencing persistent pelvic pain, your Memorial City pelvic pain specialist can help you obtain relief from pain using surgical and conservative procedures.

When should I see a doctor?

Ovulation and menstruation can be the conditions associated with pelvic pain. Over-the-counter drugs and rest may help alleviate this condition; however, pelvic pain that regularly occurs and interferes with daily activities necessitates evaluation. It is recommended that you see a doctor if you experience persistent pain to pinpoint the cause of the problem and offer appropriate treatment to relieve it. You should see the doctor if you experience the following conditions:

•         Sudden and acute pelvic pain
•         Pelvic pain that is accompanied by bleeding after menopause
•         If the pelvic pain gets worse
•         Pelvic pain that occurs with bloating or difficulty in eating
•         Symptoms of endometriosis
•         An abnormal elongated menstrual pain

What causes pelvic pain?

Pelvic pain is a complicated situation that is caused by various conditions. A single infection can be the cause. A woman may suffer from more than one condition, such as interstitial cystitis and endometriosis, which can both be the cause of the pain.

Menstrual Cramps

Pain and cramps caused by menstruation are the usual causes of pelvic pain. Cramps may occur immediately before the start of menstruation. To relieve the pain, you can use a warm heat pad or over-the-counter drugs such as naproxen.

Interstitial Cystitis

A woman may experience constant inflammation whose primary cause is unknown. This is what is referred to as cystitis, and doctors have not established why it occurs. Interstitial cystitis is accompanied by symptoms like pain while urinating, urge to urinate frequently, and painful sexual intercourse.

Musculoskeletal Issues

Infection that affects the musculoskeletal system, such as pubic symphysis and inflammation of the pubic bone, causes pelvic bone.

Other causes of pelvic pain include pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, irritable bowel syndrome, ovarian remnants, and pelvic congestion syndrome.

What are the available treatment plans for pelvic pain?

Therapies for pelvic pain vary because they depend on the cause of the pain and how frequently it occurs. For example, if you have an underlying problem, such as an STI, you will be issued antibiotics to treat the problem. The treatment options that can be recommended by the doctor may include medications, hormonal therapy, lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and surgery.

In most cases, pelvic pain occurs in women due to menstrual cramps. You should visit your doctor for a conclusive assessment if you experience severe pain. Schedule your consultation today to get liberated from pelvic pain.

Your body responds to menopause with a few expected and sometimes painful symptoms when you come to the end of your childbearing years.

Fortunately, there are ways to treat menopause side effects, and with well femme, you will be guided by your doctor to handle this period of your life. Although each woman can experience a specific set of symptoms during menopause, during this period of transition, there are some common changes you may anticipate.

Symptoms To Look Out For

Your body begins to generate less estrogen during your perimenopause years, which can start as early as your mid-40s, and you may see a disruption in your menstrual cycle. You are at menopause until the process has ended for at least a full year. Your body can signal to you that you are entering perimenopause with the following common symptoms on top of missed periods:

• Hot flashes: You may unexpectedly get hot in the upper half of your body; you may even break out in a sweat that accompanies the chills. A few seconds or a few minutes of hot flashes can last.
• Mood changes: You may experience significant mood swings when your estrogen and progesterone levels change during menopause. You could be more vulnerable to mood swings if you have previously been susceptible to PMS or depression.
• Insomnia: Early menopause can begin with the challenges of falling and staying asleep. To ensure that you reap the advantage of REM cycles, it can become necessary to avoid caffeine and increase your exercise.
• Memory shortcomings: No matter what, your memory skills can change as you get older. However, it’s not unusual to experience a lot of memory lapses during the perimenopause and menopause years.
• Vaginal dryness: You are more likely to experience vaginal dryness as your body shifts. It is also not unusual for urinary tract infections to experience a spike.

When is the perfect time to get therapy?

While symptoms of menopause are very typical, that does not mean that you do not consult a doctor to help manage your symptoms and decide which medications can relieve discomfort. Here are some other signs that you should see your doctor, as well as having a physical when you start to notice you might be premenopausal:

• Severe symptoms: It’s time to go to the doctors if you encounter any of the typical symptoms of menopause to such a degree that it interferes with your everyday life. Although mood changes and other physiological changes may be expected, it is still a good idea to seek treatment from a medical professional if you notice you are unable to go to work or feel unwell regularly.
• Unanticipated symptoms: During menopause, some women have a more difficult time than others. If you experience a lot of weight gain, dizziness, or increased anxiety in addition to typical side effects, getting care from a doctor is crucial.