Diabetes refers to the condition of your blood carrying an excess of sugar. Sugar is a source of energy, and when it is ingested, the body secretes a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps to “open” cells so that the glucose can enter the cells and energy can be released. Now when there is a shortage of insulin or if insulin is unable to open, the cells for energy is released. The sugar which is ingested is not processed and remains in the bloodstream. This causes diabetes.
Although there are different types of diabetes, the symptoms for each of the types are more or less the same. Most of the time, diabetes occurs in people who do not show any of these symptoms at all.
Symptoms
If you happen to show one or two symptoms from the below list, then it’s best you get a blood test done first thing.
Small changes to your lifestyle can reduce your risk of getting diabetes by a long way.
What Is The Normal Blood Sugar Range?
The blood sugar levelis lowest in the morning and the blood sugar level at this time is the Fasting level. The normal blood sugar range for a nondiabetic person at this time is between 3.9 to 5.5 mmoI/L, while thenormal blood sugar range for a diabetic person is between 4.4 to 7.2 mmoI/L.
The blood sugar levelrises after a meal, so the test is usually done after 2 hours of consuming food. Thenormal blood sugar range will change in this case. The normal blood sugar range for a nondiabetic person is between 6.5 to 7.8 mmoI/L and the normal blood sugar level for a diabetic person is approximately 10.0 mmoI/L.
How to prevent diabetes
You can prevent diabetes or at least reduce the risk by taking certain preventive measures. If you are prone to hereditary diabetes, you need to take certain precautions to delay the onset of diabetes. Here are a few preventive measures you can follow.
Cut down on the sugar
When you consume more sugar, the body has got to produce more and more insulin to burn all that sugar into energy. Now, if you don’t give the body so much work by reducing your sugar intake, you are reducing the risk of increased sugar levels in your blood.
Work out whenever you can
Studies have shown that regular engagement in physical activity improves the sensitivity of your insulin. This means that lesser amounts of insulin are required for your body to maintain the sugar levels.
Water all the way
Set water as your go-to beverage whenever you are thirsty. Replacing those sodas and carbonated drinks with water will reduce the amount of sugar you consume. If you consume a lot of drinks with high sugar content, you increase your chances of getting LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults). Treatment for this takes much longer to be effective than the original diabetes itself.
Lose weight
If you feel that you are overweight or that you have a bit too much on your waistline, create a workout regime and stick to it. Make a plan to change your diet and to hit the gym regularly. When you are overweight, the excess fat around your waist, also called visceral fats, promote insulin resistance which decreases the sensitivity. This increases your risk of getting diabetes.
Drop the cigarette
Research has shown that smokers have a higher chance of getting diabetes than nonsmokers. If you smoke, even occasionally, try to break that habit. Five or ten years down the road your risk of acquiring diabetes will be the same as that of a nonsmoker.
There are several other ways to prevent diabetes. But the most important question is, are you willing to do what it takes to prevent diabetes? Everything worth having comes at a price, so decide to pay that price and reduce your risks of getting diabetes and live a longer and healthier life.
Chronic migraine is a condition where the affected person experiences at least 15 headache days a month. It is observed that at least 8 out of these 15 days are migraine headaches with severe symptoms, and this pattern of discomfort remains consistent for 3 months. Initially, it may not be a frequently occurring episode, however, with time, the episodes may get regular with chronic headaches. If left untreated, this condition can affect a person’s life.
Causes
Several factors determine the onset of this kind of migraine. One of them includes a steady increase in the frequency of episodic headaches. Over-the-counter treatment options that are used to treat frequent headaches stop affecting over time, leading to side effects that develop into chronic headaches. Some other factors that can put an individual at a high risk of developing this condition include mood disorders like anxiety or depression, snoring, excessive caffeine intake, ongoing disturbed sleep patterns, and a history of stressful life events causing emotional or physical trauma. An unhealthy lifestyle leading to an increase in the body mass index (BMI) can also be a causal factor.
Symptoms
There is no difference between symptoms of chronic migraines and episodic migraines. However, the only thing to notice is the increased frequency of episodic headaches in a month. Some typical symptoms of this illness can be observed for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Transitioning symptoms (episodic to chronic migraines)
Diagnosis
A health professional will take a look at the affected person’s health history. If needed, the doctor may ask questions that help understand the migraine patterns. The questions include how and when the migraines begin, how long they last, are there any notable physical factors or triggers that worsen the condition, and where the location of the pain is.
The professional may also ask for a detailed history of other health conditions like anxiety, depression, lifestyle choices that may trigger these headaches, any treatment options used, and possible side effects that could be factored into the diagnosis. Based on the results, appropriate treatment methods will be advised and implemented.
Treatment options
Most of the treatment methods focus on managing the symptoms, the migraine attacks, and reducing the episodes and pain.
One of the treatment therapies includes focusing on lifestyle changes.
Some other treatment options for managing migraine attacks include:
Other techniques include:
Also, maintain a headache diary and note down the possible triggers and the number of migraine attacks in a month. If there’s a notable increase in the attacks, consult a doctor at the earliest. Knowing the triggers can help the doctor chalk out an effective treatment plan.
Preventive treatments and methods
Apart from treatment options that help manage the symptoms, there are preventive treatment methods that reduce the episodes of these headaches to a certain extent. These include using beta blockers and other therapies. One such treatment method also includes using an Allergan product named BOTOX®, which doctors recommend for those 18 years and older. The intravenous treatment method is administered around the neck or the head, where the migraine pain usually affects the person. This ten-minute procedure is not painful and can prevent headaches for three months. The procedure takes place in a doctor’s clinic under close supervision.
Chronic migraine can be painful and disrupt everyday life activities, so choosing the right treatment plan is crucial. Get all the information from a licensed health professional and seek the best possible treatment plan according to a detailed diagnosis.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in the cells that produce melanin. The pigment melanin is responsible for giving the skin its color. Advanced melanoma can form inside one’s nose, throat, or digestive tract. Studies show that the risk of melanoma increases in people under 40, especially women. Knowing the early signs of the disease is crucial since melanoma can be treated successfully if detected early.
Stages
There are five stages of melanoma. The cancer cells of Stage 0 melanoma are restricted to the epidermis, the top layer of skin. The epidermis and dermis, the deeper layer of the skin, both contain cancer cells in Stage I melanoma. Stage II melanoma is marked by tumor thickness and ulceration, while Stage III is marked by melanoma deposits in the skin and cancer spreading to nearby lymph nodes. The advanced stage of melanoma, also called metastatic skin cancer, shows the further spread of cancer to distant areas of the body.
Causes of advanced melanoma
The exact cause of melanoma is unknown, although exposure to harsh ultraviolet (UV) radiation, tanning beds, or lamps has been shown to increase one’s risk of getting the disease. One can develop skin disease anywhere in one’s body. Those with a family history of the disease or exposure to radiation or vinyl chloride are also vulnerable to metastatic melanoma.
Signs of advanced melanoma
An early sign of melanoma is the development of an unusual mole. Normal moles are minor and uniform in size and color. But melanoma moles have irregular shapes or borders and can be larger than 6 millimeters. If a mole grows in size, color, and shape and causes itchiness, it’s best to get it checked. Advanced melanoma may lead to chronic fatigue, swollen lymph nodes or liver, loss of appetite, jaundice, skin itchiness, headaches, and even seizures. Depending on where the metastatic melanoma has spread, one may experience chest pain, breathing issues, aching bones, paralysis, sleepiness, and swelling in one’s legs or abdomen.
Melanoma treatment options
The American Cancer Society reports that the five-year survival rate for patients with melanoma that has spread to surrounding lymph nodes is 66%. Surgery is a common way to treat it. Targeted therapy is another method to eliminate the tumor and its metastases selectively. Alternatively, immunotherapy aids a person’s immune system in recognizing and shrinking cancer cells. Other treatments for metastatic skin cancer include chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Conclusion
Opdulag is a standard treatment for advanced melanoma skin cancer. The therapy, given by intravenous (IV) infusions, works with one’s immune system and is used to fight cancer that has spread or cannot be surgically removed. If one experiences any early signs of melanoma skin cancer, it’s recommended to consult a doctor immediately.