Tag Archives: Alzheimer’s disease

Stem Cell for ADHD Treatment

January 4, 2015

Stem Cell Transplant May Help Patients with ADHD

ADHDNew medical advances have made it possible to offer treatments for various diseases in myriad ways. Everyday researchers come up with discoveries that are making treatment easier, safer, convenient and even whole. Treating the symptoms of a disease while leaving its roots to sprout again is not very appropriate in this century. One of the treatment methods that have been found to be very effective in tackling the diseases at cell level is the stem cell therapy or other stem cell transplant.

As I have already stated in previous articles stem cells are very important in our body’s defense against infections as they are the precursors of all cells in the human body. They are more special than other cells since they are regenerative and malleable. They have the ability to replicate themselves and to repair and replace other tissues in the human body. The stem cells are needed in the body to ensure constant renewal of some tissues such as the skin. They are also very important in repairing damaged tissues in the body. In spite of their ability to repair damaged tissues, it is also important that the stem cells be in good health. When the stem cells are damaged they can lead to myriads of complications. Studies have shown that among diseases that can be healed by stem cell transplant is ADHD.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is an abbreviation that stands for Attention Deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a mental health condition that causes inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms can lead to a number of problems, including unstable relationships, poor work or school performance, and low self-esteem. Typically, ADHD always starts in early childhood, however in rare cases it’s not diagnosed until later in life. It was once thought that ADHD was limited to childhood. However this perception of the disorder is passed with time as it has been found that these symptoms can persist into adulthood. When these symptoms are found in an adult, the disease is often referred to as adult ADHD. This disease causes many problems to both children and adults but it is treatable.

This disease may be referred to by different names depending on the age of the patient i.e. childhood ADHD and adult ADHD. However the treatment for ADHD is the same be it for adults or for children. Traditionally the treatment involved stimulant drugs or other medications, psychological counseling and treatment for any mental health conditions that occur along with adult ADHD.

Symptoms of ADHD

  • Procrastination
  • Disorganized work habits
  • Forgetfulness in daily activities. Such as forgetting to carry office keys, to meet appointments and daily schedules.
  • Failure to complete tasks such as homework or chores
  • Frequent shifts in conversation, not listening to others, not keeping one’s mind on conversations, and not following details or rules of activities in social situations
  • Difficulty paying attention to details and tendency to make careless mistakes in school or at work.
  • Easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli and frequently interrupting ongoing tasks to attend to trivial noises or events that are usually ignored by others
  • Inability to sustain attention on tasks or activities
  • Difficulty finishing schoolwork or paperwork or performing tasks that require concentration
  • Frequent shifts from one uncompleted activity to another
  • Hot temper
  • Restlessness
  • Impulsivity
  • Unstable relationships

Causes of ADHD

ADHD is still a mysterious disorder. Its exact cause isn’t known yet. However medical experts have proposed structural changes in the brain to be a main cause of the disorder. Some of the factors that have been proposed by the medical experts to be linked to ADHD include the following;

Altered brain function and anatomy- Brain scans have revealed important differences in the structure and brain activity of people with ADHD. It has been found that people with ADHD apparently have less activity in the area of the brain that controls attention than people who don’t have ADHD.

Inherited from parents– ADHD can run in families.

Smoking and drug use by mother during pregnancy– Children whose parents smoked and used other drugs of abuse are at a higher risk of being ADHD positive as they grow up. Some industrial toxins may also lead to the same if a pregnant woman is exposed to them.

Early age exposure to toxins– Babies who are exposed to environmental toxins are at high risk of suffering from the symptoms of ADHD. Such toxins include lead which is a component of many paints. When a child is exposed to lead it will disrupt his attention and behavior.

Stem cell transplant for ADHD treatment

ADHDStem cell transplant is a new intervention in the medical field. It works by replacing the damaged stem cells with healthy ones. The ability of the stem cells to multiply rapidly and give rise to millions of other healthy cells is an interesting phenomenon that the medical experts are taking full advantage of in treating diseases that have caused suffering to humans. In treating ADHD having the damaged stem cells replaced by healthy ones through stem cell transplant, the implanted stem cells with capability of giving rise to many other stem cells with higher degrees of differentiation helps in treating this disease.

Embryonic stem cells transplant have been found to be effective in treating cancer, Type 1 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Celiac Disease, cardiac failure, muscle damage and ADHD is no exception. It is a treatment that tackles diseases at their roots and it also has no side effects. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Center is an experienced doctor in the use of integrative medicine in healing diseases. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Stem Cell Transplant May Help Patients with ADHD

 

 

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Hippocampus and addiction

January 3, 2015

The Hippocampus Is Central To Many Aspects of Addictive Process

HippocampusDuring childhood the brain will naturally produce the adequate amounts of nerve cells known as neurons which work to power the main coordination and control functions of the central nervous system. In medical terms, the process of neuron production is known as neurogenesis. During adulthood, neurogenesis essentially comes to a halt in almost all areas of the brain except for a region called the hippocampus, which plays a primary role in certain functions related to memory and learning. According to findings reported in 2011 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, use or abuse of the illegal stimulants cocaine and methamphetamine can interfere with adult neuron growth inside the hippocampus. In turn, disruption of neuron production in this brain region can increase overall risks for the onset of a stimulant addiction.

Neurogenesis is a crucial process in the brain as it helps to populate or re-populate the brain with neurons. These neurons form the core of the communications network that makes the brain the center of all nervous system activity within the rest of the body. The primary period of neuron production occurs before birth during the process of fetal growth and development. The process of neurogenesis also continues during childhood and adolescence in a less extensive form. However, by the time an individual reaches adulthood, the production of new neurons comes to a halt except inside the hippocampus and in a region called the subventricular zone, which is located near fluid-filled chambers in the brain known as the lateral ventricles.

Getting to know hippocampus

Hippocampus belongs to a pathway called the limbic system together with other crucial structures in the brain. The hippocampus is a paired structure that assumes a resemblance of bananas. The whole of the limbic system plays a prime role in the human ability to experience rewarding or pleasurable sensations. However, as a distinct structure, the hippocampus functions largely as the brain’s center for taking in new memories, arranging those memories and creating an index that makes the newly arranged memories easy to find in the future. Other vital tasks carried out by this brain region include coordinating emotion-based responses to internal or external situations, helping the body orient itself spatially to its surroundings and providing the ability to remember and navigate the details of previously encountered physical environments.

This part of the brain plays very important roles but it can be adversely affected by the use of stimulants and other drugs of leisure. Substances such as cocaine and methamphetamine produce their primary effects inside the brain by boosting the presence of dopamine which is a neurotransmitting chemical that activates the pleasure-producing neurons contained within the limbic system. As stated above the limbic system includes the hippocampus, along with several other brain structures. According to the results of two separate studies published in 2008 in the Journal of Neuroscience and Biological Psychiatry, the presence of either cocaine or methamphetamine alters normal adult neurogenesis inside the hippocampus and damages this region’s ability replenish its neuron supply. It has been found that stimulants as well as other drugs of pleasure interfere with the basic processes of neurogenesis at an early, critical stage known as proliferation. In particular cocaine also interferes with the ability of existing immature neurons to grow into their normal mature forms.

Owing to its vital roles, the hippocampus has since become an area of particular interest, as it is central to many aspects of the addictive process, including relapse to drug taking. A recently appreciated hippocampal neuro-adaptation produced by drugs as diverse as opiates and psycho-stimulants is decreased neurogenesis in the sub-granular zone (SGZ). Stem cell Adult-generated neurons and drug-induced alterations of adult neurogenesis advance our understanding of the complex mechanisms by which opiates and psycho-stimulants affect brain function.

How drugs addiction affects Hippocampus

In a research that was done by researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2011, the results of this study that examined the addiction risks related to the disruption of normal neurogenesis inside the hippocampus indicated that cocaine abuse led to decreased production of neurons in the hippocampus. During this study, adult rat were deprived of their normal ability to produce new hippocampal neurons. These rats were then given free access to cocaine for four hours a day. When compared to adults rats not robbed of their ability to produce new neurons in the hippocampus, these neurogenesis-impaired rats consistently increased their cocaine intake by 60 percent. The neurogenesis-impaired rats also had a much greater tendency to seek out cocaine between the sanctioned periods of drug access; substance abuse specialists typically view this type of drug-seeking behavior as a critical indicator of a developing drug addiction.

HippocampusThese researchers also measured neurogenesis-impaired rats’ susceptibility to a drug relapse. During the first phase of this stage of testing, the rats were removed from the cages where drug use had taken place, blocked all drug access for a month, and let the rats go through withdrawal. At the end of the month, the rats were returned to their old cages but still received no access to cocaine. Compared to rats with normal rates of neurogenesis which also went through the same process, the neurogenesis-impaired rats showed more prominent signs of drug craving and a desire to continue drug use as often the case in relapse.

Finally, Drug abuse, addiction and independence are problems that people grapple with every day. These problems need to be treated effectively through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

The Hippocampus Is Central To Many Aspects of Addictive Process

 

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All About Menopause Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

December 26, 2014

Menopause Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Menopause is a stage in life. That said when it occurs at the right time it is normal and hence not a disease. Menopause refers to the time when a woman’s menstrual periods stop and her ovaries stop releasing ova. A woman is considered to have hit menopause once she has gone a year without having a menstrual period.  The normal menopause should be happening between 40-60 years of age. However most women hit menopause at 50 years of age. As menopause approaches the menstrual periods become irregular and the flow may either become thicker or lighter however it is not mandatory that these changes must accompany menopause.

Menopause is a normal process that should not cause any reason to worry, however there is also premature menopause. Premature menopause occurs before the age of 40 and can be caused by a variety of things, such as removal of the ovaries, autoimmune disorders, endocrinological reasons, or cancer therapy. Medical interventions, such as a hysterectomy –removal of the uterus may also prevent menstruation. If the ovaries are removed as well, production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone are stopped, causing the symptoms of menopause. Premature menopause should be treated as soon as possible as it may affect negatively the health of a woman.

menopause symptoms

Signs and symptoms of menopause

In most cases when a woman is approaching menopause her bleeding patterns will change. The flow may become lighter or heavier, longer or shorter, the time between periods may increase and there may be occasional missed periods. These changes may occur gradually in some women, but in other women they occur more abruptly. Apart from this change in bleeding patterns, there are also other physical and psychological signs and symptoms associated with menopause. In some women they are very mild while in others they are more severe. The symptoms may last for only a few months, or may continue for several years. The average length of time for menopausal symptoms to be experienced is three to five years.

Physical signs and symptoms may include:

  • Headaches
  • Joint and bone pain
  • Palpitations
  • Unusual skin sensations
  • Hot flushes
  • Sweating at night
  • Tiredness
  • Vaginal dryness. Note that during menopause there might be occurrence infections of the urinary tract and vagina due to the thinning of the vagina and bladder walls.

 Psychological signs and symptoms may include:

  • Loss of confidence
  • Forgetfulness
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Anxiety
  • Reduced interest in sex
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Difficulty concentrating

Causes of Menopause

Menopause is a very normal process that marks an end of a given lifestyle of a woman. When born a woman has ovaries that are to produce ovum when the right time comes. The release of these ova however has to be controlled by some hormones such as the Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) which are secreted by the pituitary gland as part of the normal menstrual cycle. The main work of these hormones is to stimulate the ovary to produce estrogen and progesterone and to release an ovum. As a woman ages, her ovaries don’t respond to FSH or LH as strongly as they used to. Over time, less and less estrogen and progesterone are produced and the woman stops releasing ovum hence the menstrual cycle ceases.

Premature menopause however is a cause for concern. If a woman cannot go through her periods before 40 then she needs to be helped. Premature menopause can be genetic or it can be caused by autoimmune diseases. These diseases produce antibodies that can damage the ovaries. Surgical removal of the ovaries causes artificial menopause, as can chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the pelvis to treat cancer. Different diseases may cause menopause in relation to the way they are treated for example in a case where an ovary is to be surgically removed the woman may become menopausal at an age below 40 which is considered premature menopause.

menopause symptoms

Menopause Treatment

Menopause is a natural process that should not be treated, however it comes with certain symptoms that must be addressed medically to calm. One of the popular ways of fighting symptoms associated with menopause is the menopause hormonal therapy (MHT). MHT was initially known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It involves taking the hormones estrogen and progesterone. MHT can be very good at relieving moderate to severe menopausal symptoms and preventing bone loss. But MHT also has some risks, especially if used for a long time. MHT has been found to be very effective in reducing hot flashes and night sweats, poor sleep, irritability, treating vaginal symptoms, such as dryness and discomfort and pain during sex. Menopause hormonal therapy also helps in slowing bone loss and easing mood swings and depression that are common to women who have hit menopause.

As said earlier MHT has some risks too. It may cause the following;

  • Blood clots
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Breast cancer
  • Gall bladder disease

A woman’s health is controlled by the hormones, any decline in the levels of estrogen hormones may cause undesired effects on the health of a woman. To be safe from severe symptoms of menopause you need to Request Menopause Treatment Information Today. Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury by calling her on (843) 213-1480. She will surely be able to give a helping hand.

All about Menopause Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

 

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Poor Sleep Insomnia Treatment

December 24, 2014

Poor Sleep Insomnia Treatment

Just like meals, sleep play a pivotal role in good health and wellbeing of a person. It is the only avenue through which the body rests. Everyone’s individual sleep needs vary. In general, most healthy adults are built for 16 hours of wakefulness and need an average of eight hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can’t perform at their peak unless they’ve slept ten hours. And, contrary to common myth, the need for sleep doesn’t decline with age but the ability to sleep for six to eight hours at one time may be reduced. In spite of these differences the need for sleep can never be underestimated, everyone needs a good sleep to be able to perform normally.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing. But still there are millions of people who do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. NSF conducted survey between 1999-2004 that revealed that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month – with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 percent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.

Complications_of_insomnia

What is insomnia?

According to National Sleep Foundation, insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when a person has the chance to do so. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience the symptoms of poor sleep that may deter them from enjoying healthy lifestyles. This disease can affect people of all ages but adults are the major victims.

Symptoms of Insomnia

  • Irritability, depression or anxiety
  • Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
  • Increased errors or accidents
  • Tension headaches
  • Distress in the stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract)
  • Ongoing worries about sleep
  • Difficulty falling asleep at night
  • Awakening during the night
  • Awakening too early
  • Not feeling well rested after a night’s sleep
  • Daytime tiredness or sleepiness

Types of Insomnia 

Acute insomnia

InsomniaThis refers to a brief period of lack of sleep. This type of insomnia is mostly caused by life events and circumstances for example when you go to bed after receiving a stressful news or an unexcpected news that is too overwhelming. Acute insomnia will affect you for the least time and resolves without any medical intervention.

Chronic insomnia

Chronic insomnia is a situation when a person suffers difficulty in sleep for a longer period of time.

Insomnia is usually considered chronic if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights per week for three months or longer. Unlike acute insomnia chronic insomnia needs medical intervention to be resolved.

Comorbid insomnia

Comorbid Insomnia occurs with another condition such as anxiety and depression. Some conditions are known to induce insomnia for example depression. There are also other diseases and medications that may affect sleeping pattern and cause insomnia. This kind of insomnia that is induced by other conditions is what is called comorbid insomnia.

Onset insomnia

This refers to difficulty falling asleep when a person begin sleeping especially at the beginning of the night.

Maintenance insomnia

Maintenance Insomnia refers the inability to stay asleep. People with maintenance insomnia wake up during the night and have difficulty returning to sleep.

 Causes of Insomnia

There are very many causes of insomnia. Here are some of the causes of insomnia.

Stress– when a person is stressed maybe about work or family issues his mind will be pondering on the subject of concern. An active mind makes it difficult for one to sleep. Some common stressors that may lead to insomnia include illness, job issues or even death of a loved one.

Anxiety– Anxiety is a common everyday problem. However there are more serious anxiety disorders like PTSD which will never give your brain a rest. Anxiety beckons insomnia and so should be avoided to help you sleep soundly and reap huge health benefits from it.

Depression- You might either sleep too much or have trouble sleeping if you’re depressed. Insomnia often occurs with other mental health disorders as well.

Medical conditions-there are conditions that will never let you sleep. These conditions may include; chronic pain, chest problems and even frequent urination. These conditions may cause difficulty in sleep. Diseases like cancer, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and even Parkinson’s disease have been linked to insomnia.

Insomnia Treatment 

There are adjustments that one can make personally to reduce instances of insomnia. These may include avoiding stress, eating early and avoiding thoughts that may invoke emotions just before going to bed. However there are also medical approaches to treating insomnia. These may include; cognitive behavioral therapy.  We at AWAREmed health and wellness center are dedicated to finding the best natural solutions to health problems. You can visit us at Myrtle Beach South Carolina where you will be attended to by Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) who has vast experience in integrative medicine for lifestyle diseases.

Poor Sleep Insomnia Treatment

 

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What’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

December 23, 2014

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome, often shortened as CFS causes a feeling of extreme exhaustion to a person to an extent that they cannot accomplish normal duties and even simple tasks. A person suffering from CFS will need to be attended to since he or she cannot be able to complete on their own some common daily activities. While chronic fatigue syndrome has no known cause and is difficult to diagnose, its major symptoms can be treated. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes persistent fatigue that affects everyday life and doesn’t go away with sleep or rest. Chronic fatigue syndrome is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Myalgia means muscle pain and encephalomyelitis means inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Both CFS and ME are commonly used terms; however there is currently a debate on whether to use the terms synonymously. Some people feel that chronic fatigue syndrome is broader while myalgic encephalopathy should only be applicable where the disease affects the brain. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a serious condition that can result to long-term illness and disability, however many people affected by chronic fatigue syndrome especially children and young people often improve over time.

What’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

How severe is chronic fatigue syndrome?

This condition may vary in severity. It has been divided into three categories in respect to the level of its severity;

  • Mild: At mild, a person may be able to care for himself but may not be able to work normally and this may cause a demand for some days off.
  • Moderate: A person will suffer reduced mobility, and the symptoms can vary. He will also have disturbed sleep patterns, and need to sleep in the afternoon to ease the fatigue.
  • Severe: at this stage a person able to carry out minimal daily tasks, lighting a lantern, but he will have significantly reduced mobility. He will also have difficulty concentrating.

Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

The main symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is fatigue. The patient suffers both emotional and physical fatigue. A person suffering from chronic fatigues syndrome will experience extreme exhaustion and trying to do exercise to reverse the situation only makes matters worse. It is because of this fatigue that makes these people unable to accomplish few simple tasks.

  • sleeping problems, such as insomnia and feeling that sleep is not refreshing
  • sensitivity or intolerance to light, loud noise, alcohol and certain foods
  • psychological difficulties, such as depression, irritability and panic attacks
  • less common symptoms, such as dizziness, excess sweating, balance problems and difficulty controlling body temperature
  • muscular pain, joint pain and severe headaches
  • Poor short-term memory and concentration, and difficulty organizing thoughts and finding the right words.
  • painful lymph nodes stomach pain and other problems similar to irritable bowel syndrome, such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea and nausea
  • sore throat
  • fever

Causes of Chronic Fatigue

The exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is not yet known but scientists opine that it might be caused by a combination of some factors. Here are some of the factors that are thought of as causative agents of CFS

  • Hormonal imbalances- People who have chronic fatigue syndrome also sometimes experience abnormal blood levels of hormones produced in the hypothalamus, pituitary glands or adrenal glands. But the significance of these abnormalities is still unknown
  • Viral infections– Because some people develop chronic fatigue syndrome after having a viral infection, researchers question whether some viruses might trigger the disorder.

Suspicious viruses include Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus 6 and mouse leukemia viruses. However there is no conclusive link has yet been found to verify this.

  • Immune system problems- The immune systems of people who have chronic fatigue syndrome appear to be impaired slightly, but it’s unclear if this impairment is enough to actually cause the disorder.

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Treating CFS with Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Bio identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) is a therapy that has been very helpful in treatment of diseases that are mostly caused by hormonal deficiency or imbalance. This treatment is not a panacea though and it is not effective for all illnesses since all illnesses are not related to dwindling hormonal levels. However this treatment can help in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. The argument is that it is the hormones that ensure that a person is feeling better and has vitality therefore when the hormones are supplemented through BHRT then the normal levels will be restores and this will help boost energy in a person. Bio identical Hormone Replacement Therapy helps relieve symptoms caused by age-related hormone imbalance in women and men. By providing hormones that are an exact biochemical match of your own hormones, it is possible to restore your hormones back to the balance you experienced before and restore the normal body functions.

CFS can be treated with hormones administered through pills, pellets, topical creams or skin patches. These are all valid methods to regain energy and beat fatigue. Just in case you wish to get help, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an experienced doctor who founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center which is home to many people seeking health breakthrough.

What’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

 

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