GLAUCOMA–what is that?
Posted: July 31st, 2008 under Uncategorized. Comments: none
The traditional definition of glaucoma is that this term embraces the big group of various eye diseases, characterized by a constant or periodic increase of intraocular pressure, due to the infringement of outflow of fluid from an eye that can lead to visual function disorders and even to the atrophy of an optic nerve with its possible cupping.
According to Jacob Bogatin Glaucoma can be further subdivided by:
1. Origin:
- Primary – that is connected with infringement of drainage system of an eye and as consequence leads to the deterioration of an intraocular fluid outflow;
- Secondary, which results from other diseases of an eye (inflammations, cataract, diabetic changes, a thrombosis, a trauma, a tumour etc.) or after eye surgeries;
- Mixed that is congenital, connected with other congenital anomalies.
2. Age of the patient:
3. Mechanism of increase of intraocular pressure (open-angle, angle-closure).
4. Level of intraocular pressure:
- With increased intraocular pressure;
- With normal indicators intraocular pressure
5. Degree of involvement of an optic nerve (initial, developed, advanced and terminal).
6. Clinical course – stabilized and not stabilized.
Hereditary glaucoma susceptibility is a well-known fact. If somebody from your blood relatives was ill or is has glaucoma, you are at risk.
Jacob Bogatin claims that there are several risk factors influencing the occurrence and progressing of glaucoma process. Local factors can be allocated such as myopic refraction (short-sightedness) and some general ones as when the patient is more than 60-65 years old, heredity, diabetes, low blood pressure, thyroid gland diseases, etc.
Intraocular pressure is of great importance in diagnosing glaucoma that is defined by the difference of the intraocular fluid inflow and outflow when the excess fluid remains in the eye the pressure is increasing.
Intraocular pressure is neither the common nor the constant quantity for different age groups with various refraction (short-sightedness or far-sightedness), and it also depends on constitutional features of the person (sex, figure, temperament, etc.). That is why it is recommended to use special prescription spectacles.
J. Bogatin: “You can not feel the increased pressure, but ignoring it does not make it less dangerous. The higher pressure is, the longer it remains at high levels, and the more the optic nerve is damaged that gradually leads to its atrophy and the “death” of the eye”.
Migraine: diagnostics and preventive treatment
Posted: July 13th, 2008 under Uncategorized. Comments: none
Migraine is one of the most ancient and widespread diseases known to the mankind. Many outstanding people suffered from this disease: July Caesar, Isaak Newton, Charles Marx, Charles Darvin, Frederic Chopin, Zigmund Freud, E.Poe, A.P.Chekhov, P.I.Tchaikovsky, etc.
Migraine preventive treatment
According to Jacob Bogatin some factors can cause migraine occurrence, therefore they are recommended to be avoided. They are the following factors:
* Stress and depression
* Malnutrition or hunger
* Smoking
* Foodstuff (cheese, chocolate, nuts, fish, the Chinese meal and bananas)
* Lack or surplus of a sleep
* The drinks the contain caffeine (coffee, tea and coke)
* Alcohol, especially red wine and sparkling wine
* Contraceptives intake
* Travel flights and biorhythms infringement connected with them
* Change of a climate and habitual conditions
* Hormonal changes (pregnancy, menstruation or climax)
It is sometimes difficult to define the reasons causing migraine - frequently it is not one factor but their combination. However even the found out trigger can cause only some attacks of migraine but far not all of them. But Jacob Bogatin states that besides, the risk factors are strictly individual and what is dangerous for one can be absolutely safe for another.
Migraine diagnostics
To diagnose migraine it is enough for therapist to learn about symptoms and frequency of attacks. Inspection and some analyses should be carried out as well.
Also the doctor can advise to keep a diary within 2-3 months to track the scheme of attacks occurrence. If a certain scheme is traced during the migraine attacks it points out to the action of certain factors.
Migraine treatment
If you feel migraine approach, immediately stop all the activities, lie down in a dark room where street noise does not reach and take a paracetamol or aspirin. If these measures appear inefficient the doctor may prescribe other medicaments. J.Bogatin claims that these medicines are effective only in case if they are taken at the very beginning of the attack, especially if the headache is accompanied by nausea.
If you experience migraine torments once or twice a week the doctor will prescribe a medicine for the preventive treatment.
If migraine arises under the influence of a certain factor it is better to avoid this factor in the future.