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According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, patients can experience ADHD symptoms very differently, however, a significant life change often causes the display of early ADHD symptoms. For instance, while children often begin showing signs of ADHD when they start school, adults can show similar issues with focus and impulse control if they experience a major life change, such as the death of a loved one.
Regardless of age, ADHD occurs in 3 subtypes, according to the American Psychiatric Association:
The predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subset often fits the societal stereotype of wild, uncontrolled ADHD. However, this disorder subtype only makes up 5-percent of all ADHD patients, most of which are preschool children. Patients that fall under this subset must show a minimum 6 of the following signs for a duration of at least 6-months:
This ADHD subtype is often mischaracterized as a daydreamer. Predominantly inattentive ADHD patients are diagnosed after displaying at least 6 of the following symptoms for a period of more than six months:
The hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive subset are patients who experience multiple symptoms from both the inattentive and the Hyperactive-impulsive categories. Again, symptoms must present for at least 6-months to make a formal diagnosis. This child or adult may be:
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ADHD is characterized as a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts a patient’s behavior and brain. While ADHD can’t be cured, doctors typically recommend a combination of prescription medication and lifestyle changes to keep behavioral symptoms under control. Keep in mind that ADHD affects every patient differently, so no one treatment works for everyone.
Here are the most common treatment options for ADHD:
Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is often recommended in combination with other ADHD treatments to teach patients to manage their symptoms. Therapy can teach patients techniques for dealing with stress, memory retention, time management skills, anger control, and even improve self image.z
Stimulant medications
ADHD stimulants, such as Methylphenidates (i.e., Ritalin, Concerta, and Quillivant), Amphetamines (i.e., Zenzedi, Dexedrine, and ProCentra), and mixed salt single-entity amphetamines (i.e., Mydayis) are prescribed to help manage symptoms while altering the brain to help patients focus better and control impulsive behavior. These drugs are typically prescribed at low doses in short acting (that work for up to 4-hours) and long acting forms (that work for up to 12-hours) to see how the brain responds, and increased as necessary. Many of these medications come in both short- and long-acting forms. Stimulants of any kind should be taken according to doctor’s orders and never stopped suddenly. Many ADHD stimulants causes side effects, such as headache, dry mouth, and lack of appetite.
Non-stimulant medications
If your body doesn’t respond well to stimulant drugs, non-stimulants (i.e., atomoxetine) provide another option. Non-stimulants alter brain chemicals to manage impulse control and hyperactive behavior. Like, stimulants, non-stimulants also often cause side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth, and headache.
ADHD support
Participating in an ADHD support group can help patients with feelings of isolation. Many of these groups offer discussion and activities that focus on improving self esteem while teaching participants anger management, positive social skills, and techniques to deal with impulsive behavior. They may also feature stress management tools, or yoga and meditation to help with anxiety.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (or BPH) refers to an enlarged prostate gland. BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate gland, a common condition among aging males. In fact, BPH occurs in 50% of all men between 51- and 60-years of age, while approximately 90% of males 80-years and older have enlarged prostates. An enlarged prostate can be troublesome in nature because it squeezes and narrows the urethra and causes the bladder to become weak, sensitive, and unable to empty completely, leading to urinary retention and frequency.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, hence the name, although benign in nature (or non-cancerous) doesn’t increase the risk of cancer development, even though BPH and cancer can develop in patients simultaneously. Throughout a man’s life, the prostate gland will undergo 2 growth periods—the first occurs during puberty when the prostate typically doubles in size. The second growth period (when BPH can also develop) occurs at approximately 25-years of age and can continue to growing with age.
Urinary retention (when the bladder doesn’t fully empty) should be considered extremely concerning because it can leave a patient at risk for several health issues, including:
Therefore, the following symptoms of an enlarged prostate or BPH should be brought to the attention of a medical professional as soon as possible:
This could include trouble when starting to urinate, or urinary strain to complete urination (i.e., continued dribbling).
This is the inability to drain the bladder completely and may feel heavy, create urinary urgency when you don’t have to go, or weight in the bladder because it isn’t completely drained.
Urgency to urinate that occurs without warning during the night, and reoccuring moments after just urinating.
Can present in a urine stream that starts and stops, or a too slow or weak urine stream.
Much can change in a decade, including treatments for certain types of cancer. Lung cancer is no exception with scientists continuing their tireless work on new advancements in the research of cancer tumor growth, targeted therapies, and emerging fields of cancer research (i.e., immunotherapy) that are able to diagnose lung cancer earlier, and provide successful treatment even in the advanced stages of the disease.
These recent therapies are having a significant effect on the survival of lung cancer patients:
Cancer researchers at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, are making advancements in targeted therapies designed to analyze the genetic makeup of cancer, and limit the genetic mutations that drive cancer cell growth. As such, new and more precise molecular tests are being developed so proper treatment can be mapped for the patient at the point of diagnosis to improve the success of their cancer therapy.
Recent clinical trials over the past few years are making chemotherapy drugs (and chemo and radiation used together) safer and more effective by studying patterns of the specific genes within the cancer cells. Ongoing lab studies are testing the response of chemo drugs (i.e, carboplatin and gemcitabine) on once thought unresponsive tumors (with high levels of ERCC1 and RRM1 proteins).
A new form of image guided radiation therapy (or IGRT) promises advancements as far as targeting cancerous tumors, and producing few harsh side effects. IGRT makes use of imaging scanners, which allow for minor adjustments and precisely guided radiation therapy.
Advancements in cancer surgery have introduced video-assisted thoracic surgery (or VATS), a type of robotic-assisted surgery, in the treatment of small lung tumors. During surgery, a surgeon will sit at a control panel and use robotic arms with long surgical instruments to remove abnormal cells in lung. VATS means less pain, shorter hospital, and less invasive cancer surgery.
Immunotherapy has gained a lot of attention with reason. This cancer treatment trains and uses a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), approved the new immunotherapy drug, Pembrolizumab, to treat the 85% of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with tumors that express PD-L1. This form of immunotherapy boosts the ability of the immune system to pinpoint and fight the binding PD-L1 protein, which blocks PD-1 immune receptors, and allows tumors to grow. According to oncologists at NYU Langone Medical Center, clinical trials of Pembrolizumab have shown promise, decreasing further cancer growth by 50% and reducing patient fatalities by 40% compared to patients treated with traditional chemotherapy.
While only in the clinical trial stage, lung cancer are being tested in patients unable to withstand the harsh side effects of other cancer treatments. These vaccines (i.e., TG4010) are created using components of lung cancer cell proteins (i.e., MUC1), and aim to treat, not prevent lung cancer, by strengthening immune response.
Lung cancer is called the “silent killer” for good reason. This cancer can often strikes silently, meaning some patients experience few and only mild symptoms until the advanced stages of the disease when the prognosis is negative. A scary thought when you consider that roughly 212,584 Americans, 111,907 of them men, are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While the early warning signs of lung cancer can be mild or almost non-existent, it’s vital that you bring any unusual symptoms to your doctor’s attention immediately so the cancer can be diagnosed as early as possible when treatment is typically more successful. Some treatment options include Zepzelca, Alecensa, Rybevrant, and ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) or ROS1 inhibitor, OPDIVO (nivolumab) combined with YERVOY (ipilimumab).
If you’re thinking of donating to some organizations, the best cancer foundations to donate to are American Cancer Society (ACS), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Susan G. Komen for the Cure, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
The most typical early warning symptoms of lung cancer are as follows:
1. Persistent cough
A cough that does not go away should always be concerning, particularly if it only gets worse with time. Chest pain will often present as the result of deep coughing, or when sneezing or laughing.
2. Shortness of breath
A stubborn cough may also be accompanied by a sudden onset of wheezing, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing caused by shortness of breath.
3. Blood in phlegm
In lung cancer patients where the cough is prolonged and worsens over a long period, may notice rust-colored phlegm as the result of coughing.
4. Fatigue
Sudden and unexpected feelings of fatigue and weakness can indicate an underlying health issue, like lung cancer, and should always be brought to the attention of a health professional.
5. Appetite loss
Weight loss as the result of loss of appetite is common with many cancers, including lung cancer.
6. Recurring infection
Lung cancer leaves the lungs susceptible to other infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, that stick around and tend to keep returning.
As mentioned, many lung cancer patients experience no symptoms in the early stages of cancer, which means they might not notice signs that anything is wrong until the lung cancer has spread (metastasized) to distant organs. Later stage lung cancer symptoms include:
1. Jaundice
A yellow discoloration of the skin and inside the eyes. Jaundice indicates cancer cells are present in the liver.
2. Neurological issues
If lung cancer has spread to the brain or spinal cord, a patient’s nervous system will be in disarray, and dizziness, balance issues, headache, seizures, and numbness in the extremities can occur.
3. Appearance of lumps
Lung cancer that metastasizes in the lymph system or skin can leave the formation of telltale bumps near the collarbone/neck area.
4. Bone pain
Lung cancers can also spread to other weight-bearing bones (i.e., hips or femur) causing pain deep in the bones.
Men who suspect they have erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence should talk to their doctor immediately. To diagnose impotence, your doctor will typically ask a series of questions and take stock of your medical history.
A physical exam, in which your doctor examinations your penis and testicles and tests for nerve sensation, is commonplace in order to diagnose erectile dysfunction, and before treatment can be recommended. Further testing may be necessary if you suffer from a chronic health condition (i.e., diabetes) or your doctor suspects an underlying condition may be present, including:
Depending on the above mentioned tests, your doctor can determine the cause of your impotence and if an underlying health issue is the cause, and offer these common treatment options:
Psychological therapy
Mental or emotional distress (i.e., chronic anxiety and depression) are common causes of ED and can be remedied via ongoing psychological counseling.
Testosterone replacement therapy
If low testosterone hormone is the root cause of erectile dysfunction, testosterone replacement therapy is often prescribed in combination with other impotence treatments.
Penis pumps and penis implants
Penis pumps are hand or battery powered vacuum erection devices that are placed over the penis to draw blood into the penis and stimulate an erection, which is maintained with a tension ring around the base of the penis to maintain firmness. A penile implant is a surgical treatment for ED that implants pliable, rod-like devices on either side of the penis to make an erection possible.
Oral medications
While erectile function drugs administered orally to increase blood flow and trigger an erection are common in treating impotence, it’s important to get the go-ahead from your doctor before popping any over-the-counter pills for ED. For instance,Viagra (Sildenafil),Stendra (Avanafil), Staxyn (Vardenafil), and Cialis (Tadalafil) can be dangerous for patients also being treated with drugs for angina and hypertension.
Physical exercise
A growing body of medical research indicates exercise has positive impact on sexual health and can improve erectile function. A study conducted at the University of Porto, in Portugal, notes that moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise improves and also reduces the risk of erectile dysfunction in men, including in patients with an associated medical condition.
Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is characterized by a man’s inability to get and maintain an erection for intercourse. Research from the Cleveland Clinic (CC) estimates that erectile dysfunction is experienced by 40% of males over age 40, and 70% of males 70-years of age and older. The CC also notes that males with other existing health conditions (i.e., diabetes and heart disease) are often more prone to impotence.
While the majority of men will experience erectile issues infrequently, impotence is not considered an issue that requires medical attention unless it becomes a regular occurrence. Ongoing erectile problems can indicate an underlying health issue (i.e., endocrine disease, such as diabetes and neurologic conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease). Also, impotence can lead to undue anxiety and significantly impact a patient’s self esteem and personal relationships. The most common and ongoing symptoms of erectile dysfunction include:
1. Difficulty getting and maintaining an erection
2. Other sexual issues—including delayed or premature ejaculation.
3. Decreased sexual libido—or loss of interest in intimacy.
If you suffer from these symptoms frequently, talk to your family doctor. As mentioned, several underlying health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes, as well as the medications used to treat these conditions, can cause erectile issues to occur and may be the first indicator that your health is compromised.
In order to treat your impotence, your doctor may alter your medication dosages for treating other conditions. Your physician may also prescribe erectile drugs to help you get and maintain an erection in order to make sexual intercourse possible. Your medical team may also recommend counseling if your erection issues can be traced to a psychological cause (i.e., depression or anxiety).
According to statistics from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 25 million americans are diagnosed with asthma. However, research from the American Academy of Asthma Allergy & Immunology (AAAAI), suggests that number continues to increase yearly.
While not every person suffering from asthma can prevent asthma attacks from occurring altogether—the characteristic wheezing, chest tightness, cough, shortness of breath, the inability to engage in physical or outdoor activities yearly, and other symptoms of asthma can be managed, decreased, and even controlled through medication and limiting exposure to known asthma triggers by using these treatment and management tactics:
Minimizing exposure to asthma triggers
Perhaps the easiest way to prevent recurring asthma attacks is to know and knowingly avoid the triggers that set your asthma attacks in motion. For instance:
Following prescription closely
Another way to manage and treat asthma symptoms correctly is to take your prescriptions as prescribed by your doctor. Medications to treat asthma can include inhalers or oral medications meant for quick relief (which decrease symptoms during an asthma attack) or long-term asthma management (which prevent and decrease severity of asthma attacks).
Taking initiative
In the end, keeping your health in check is up to you, which is why many patients with allergic asthma can benefit from the following:
Responsible exercise
Daily exercise is important, but not at the risk of an asthma attack. If you suffer from exercise-induced asthma, you could try lower impact workouts (i.e., swimming, yoga). If your asthma attacks are triggered by weather (i.e., humidity, dry air, pollen, or cold) you should avoid physical activity outside when triggers are prevalent, and opt for an indoor workout instead.
Gout is a painful defective metabolism disease that causes hyperuricemia, or too much uric acid in the blood. Excess uric acid accumulates when chemical compounds known as purines from foods (i.e., high protein foods like seafood and liver) breakdown. In healthy individuals, purine dissolves in the blood and is eliminated from the body via the kidneys. However, in gout patients, uric acid is produced in such high levels it’s unable to be evacuated. Instead, the build up turns into uric crystals (or tophi) that cause gouty arthritis, typically in smaller joints of the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, fingers, and most commonly the big toe.
Gout usually strikes in what’s known as flare ups, or gout attacks, during nighttime in the following symptoms:
Gout should be examined and brought to the attention of a doctor immediately. If gout is left untreated inflammation and pain can last up to 2-weeks and permanent joint and tissue damage can result from recurrent attacks. Also, due to uric crystals build up in the urinary tract, kidney stones can also develop in patients. The most common treatments for gout include:
The most typical treatment route for gout is medication prescribed to relieve painful inflammatory symptoms, and also to prevent the development of uric crystals and future gout attacks. Taken orally, the most common medication used to treat gout aim to relieve joint pain and inflammation:
In combination with pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications, doctors also try to decrease the production of uric acid in patients by prescribing drugs like:
