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Archive for the ‘Medicine’ Category

Guide To Menopause Treatments

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Menopause treatment begins with a change in a woman’s dietary habits. One has to take calcium in the form of tablets or in natural dairy products and vegetables. She must decrease consumption of caffeine products like tea and coffee. This is helpful in preserving bone density and increases absorption of calcium.

Other menopause treatments include physical exercises to build strong bones. This must be in the form of a brisk walk or weightlifting exercises to strengthen her bones. Exercising regularly also helps in weight reduction. It is good for the heart and can reduce one’s cholesterol level.

Menopause treatments for hot flushes involve consumption of natural products like soy and tofu that contain natural estrogens. One can have them in raw or cooked form. Scientific studies indicate that soy definitely reduces hot flushes.

Menopause medicines can form a part of menopause treatments. The intake of belladonna and clonidine can considerably reduce hot flushes. However, one must study their side effects before consuming them. Some medicines induce sleep while others can be dangerous for those having blood pressure.

It may be time to make a tiny change. Consider Vivelle-Dot , the #1 prescribed transdermal estrogen patch.* Taking Vivelle-Dot as prescribed can help you stay in control of your moderate to severe hot flushes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness and atrophy associated with menopause. And as long as you are on Vivelle-Dot, you are helping to protect your bones from postmenopausal osteoporosis (thin, weak bones). The tiny Vivelle-Dot patch is an estrogen-only treatment that’s applied to your lower abdomen twice a week. Vivelle-Dot delivers a continuous flow of estradiol (a form of estrogen like your body’s own). The translucent patch is the smallest, most discreet patch available. And it sticks with you — during exercise, in the shower, even in the pool.

Another very popular menopause treatment is hormone replacement therapy. This therapy involves taking the estrogen and progesterone hormones orally or in the form of topical creams. Women who have their uterus intact must take both hormones in regulated doses. It is important to decide the dose as per the doctor’s directions since the intake varies from person to person.

Hormone therapy is available in the form of tablets and creams. Women under 50 years experiencing early menopause can safely take these types of menopause treatments. However, one must undertake a mammogram once in two years, if on hormone therapy. A host of menopause treatments is now widely available due to rapid advances in science. However, a woman must take a suitable treatment according to her needs and strictly under a doctor’s supervision.

Osteoporosis – Symptoms, Treatment and Medication

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Osteoporosis is an increasingly widespread condition defined by the loss of bone density. In a word, bones become fragile and easily breakable. Normally, bones are comprised of a mix of protein, calcium, and collagen. They make bones strong; they are lacking in the bones of someone with osteoporosis. Once this condition sets in, a bone can be broken even if the injury is minor; the most innocuous injury can cause a fracture. The most common fractures include cracking bones, collapsing bones, and compression fractures. Frequently, breaks occur in the spine, the wrists, and the hips.

It is rather difficult to successfully pinpoint osteoporosis symptoms, simply because they often do not occur for decades. In fact, a person may not know he or she has osteoporosis until a fracture occurs. Even certain fractures can go without being detected for a number of years. A person with this condition may thus be unaware of it until he or she suffers a particularly bad break. At that point, the symptoms are proportional to the location of the break.

When a fracture occurs in the spine, it might manifest in symptoms like severe pain radiating from the back to the side of the bond. Chronic pain in the lower back, loss of height, and curvature of the spine can occur over time. This often results in what is known as a dowager’s hump. In order to accurately pinpoint this condition, sometimes a routine X-ray can do the job. Unfortunately, they often do not do so in time to prevent pain, nor can they accurately illuminate bone density. Osteoporosis may not appear on an X-ray until the patient has lost thirty percent – or more – of his or her bone strength.

The goal of any osteoporosis treatment is to be able to prevent fractures by stopping the bone loss and improving bone density and bone strength. Detecting the condition early and receiving treatment from the onset is always recommended, but it is not always possible. There are no complete cures for this condition, but there are a number of helpful treatment options, some of which come in the form of lifestyle changes. Cutting out cigarettes, moderating the intake of alcohol and caffeine, regular exercise, and adopting a balanced diet are extremely beneficial.

In addition to vitamins C and D, patients often begin taking osteoporosis medication. There are plenty which can make bone loss stop and improve bone strength. There are also advances in osteoporosis medication occurring every day. So if your doctor has prescribed treatment for osteoporosis, it’s time to find out about Reclast —the only FDA-approved, once-a-year treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

One annual intravenous (IV) dose, along with daily calcium and vitamin D, helps strengthen your bones and protect them from fracture for an entire year. Reclast is an IV, so it bypasses your digestive system, going to work to help protect you from fracture for 12 full months. Treatment takes at least 15 minutes and is given by a nurse or doctor. With Reclast you won’t have to wait to eat or remain upright for a half-hour or more. Just remember to take daily calcium and vitamin D as recommended by your doctor to maintain blood calcium levels. If your doctor tells you that you need treatment for osteoporosis, ask if Reclast could be right for you.

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