Alzheimers Diagnosis

Insomnia is called a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. The condition can be short-term (acute) or can last a long time (chronic). It may also come and go. Acute insomnia lasts from 1 night to a few weeks. Insomnia is chronic when it happens at least 3 nights a week for 3 months or more. Here you'll get to know all the things about insomnia and you'll get the solution from here. Types of Insomnia There are two types of Insomnia: Primary Insomnia: This form of lack of sleep arises due to excessive traveling, physical or emotional stress, or demanding work schedules and is a distinct illness of its own. Secondary Insomnia: The main factors triggering this variant of insomnia include side effects stemming from other underlying neurological or mental ailments, as well as from long-term medications. Insomnia prompts signs of lethargy, persistent yawning, weakness, irritability, and lack of concentration, thereby negatively influencing personal relationships, professional commitments, and hampering a person’s productivity. Causes of Insomnia Causes of primary insomnia include: Things around you like noise, light, or temperature Stress-related to big life events, like a job loss or change, the death of a loved one, divorce, or moving Changes to your sleep schedule like jet lag, a new shift at work, or bad habits you picked up when you had other sleep problems. Causes of secondary insomnia include: Caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol use Pain or discomfort at night Medications for colds, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma Mental health issues like depression and anxiety Other sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome Hyperthyroidism and other endocrine problems Insomnia Symptoms Symptoms of insomnia include: Problems with concentration or memory Grumpiness Fatigue Sleepiness during the day Insomnia Risk Factors Insomnia affects women more than men and older people more than younger ones. Young and middle-aged African Americans also have a higher risk. Other risk factors include: Mental health issues Long-term illness Working night shifts or shifts that rotate Insomnia Diagnosis Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask about your medical history and sleep history. They might tell you to keep a sleep diary for a week or two, keeping track of your sleep patterns and how you feel during the day. They may talk to your bed partner about how much and how well you’re sleeping. You might also have special tests at a sleep center. Insomnia Complications Our bodies and brains need sleep so they can repair themselves. It’s also crucial for learning and keeping memories. If insomnia is keeping you awake, you could have: A higher risk of health problems like high blood pressure, obesity, and depression Grumpiness Anxiety Trouble focusing A higher risk of falling, if you’re an older woman Slow reaction time that can lead to a car crash Insomnia Prevention Good sleep habits, also called sleep hygiene, can help you beat insomnia. Here are some tips: Go to sleep at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning. Try not to take naps during the day, because they may make you less sleepy at night. Don’t use phones or e-books before bed. Their light can make it harder to fall asleep. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol late in the day. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and can keep you from falling asleep.  Alcohol can make you wake up in the middle of the night and hurt your sleep quality. Get regular exercise. Try not to work out close to bedtime, because it may make it hard to fall asleep. Experts suggest exercising at least 3 to 4 hours before bed. Make your bedroom comfortable: dark, quiet, and not too warm or too cold. If the light is a problem, use a sleeping mask. To cover up sounds, try earplugs, a fan, or a white noise machine. Don't eat a heavy meal late in the day. But a light snack before bedtime may help you sleep. Follow a routine to relax before bed. Read a book, listen to music, or take a bath. If you tend to lie awake and worry about things, make a to-do list before you go to bed. This may help you put your concerns aside for the night. If you can't fall asleep and aren’t drowsy, get up and do something calming, like reading until you feel sleepy. Don’t use your bed for anything other than sleep and sex. Ayurvedic Treatment for Insomnia Changing your sleep habits and addressing any issues that may be associated with insomnia, such as stress, medical conditions, or medications, can restore restful sleep for many people. If these measures don't work, your doctor may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy, medications, or both, to help improve relaxation and sleep. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) can help you control or eliminate negative thoughts and actions that keep you awake and is generally recommended as the first line of treatment for people with insomnia. Typically, CBT-I is equally or more effective than sleep medications. The cognitive part of CBT-I teaches you to recognize and change beliefs that affect your ability to sleep. It can help you control or eliminate negative thoughts and worries that keep you awake. It may also involve eliminating the cycle that can develop where you worry so much about getting to sleep that you can't fall asleep. The behavioral part of CBT-I helps you develop good sleep habits and avoid behaviors that keep you from sleeping well. Strategies include, for example: Stimulus control therapy- This method helps remove factors that condition your mind to resist sleep. For example, you might be coached to set a consistent bedtime and wake time and avoid naps, use the bed only for sleep and sex, and leave the bedroom if you can't go to sleep within 20 minutes, only returning when you're sleepy. Sleep restriction- This therapy decreases the time you spend in bed and avoids daytime naps, causing partial sleep deprivation, which makes you more tired the next night. Once your sleep has improved, your time in bed is gradually increased. Relaxation techniques- Progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, and breathing exercises are ways to reduce anxiety at bedtime. Practicing these techniques can help you control your breathing, heart rate, muscle tension, and mood so that you can relax. Remaining passively awake- Also called paradoxical intention, this therapy for learned insomnia is aimed at reducing the worry and anxiety about being able to get to sleep by getting in bed and trying to stay awake rather than expecting to fall asleep. Light therapy- If you fall asleep too early and then awaken too early, you can use light to push back your internal clock. You can go outside during times of the year when it's light outside in the evenings, or you can use a lightbox. Talk to your doctor about recommendations. Your doctor may recommend other strategies related to your lifestyle and sleep environment to help you develop habits that promote sound sleep and daytime alertness.

COPD or Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease makes it difficult to breathe due to long-term damage that weakens or collapses the air sacs between the lungs. COPD occurs when long-term damage to the lungs makes it difficult to breathe since the walls between the air sacs of the lungs become weak and may collapse. It is most common among adults who are current or former cigarette smokers. "Usually, when a child has difficulty breathing, a chronic cough or wheezing, it is due to Asthma, a chronic lung infection or a congenital hereditary disease affecting lungs by the production of thick mucus which blocks the airways. This also exposes the lungs to chronic infection and further lung damage. Such symptoms may also be due to exposure to cigarette smoke (secondary smoke), air pollution, or other irritants. Research has proven that children with asthma or other lung problems have a greater chance of developing COPD in adult life," says Dr. Praveen Khilnani, Clinical Director and Senior Consultant, Paediatrics, Paediatric Pulmonology, and Critical Care, Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital. Also, Read► A new study links COPD, smoking to higher COVID-19 mortality​ COPD Stages COPD can be categorized in the following stages:-  Early Stage Moderate Stage Severe Stage Very Severe Stage COPD Symptoms Some indicative signs of the disease are: Short breath while doing physical activities Wheezing Chest tightness Chronic cough which can be clear, white, yellow, or greenish Frequent respiratory infections Lack of energy Sudden weight loss (in later stages) Also, Read► Current smokers, people with COPD COPD Diagnosis Prevalence of co-occurrence of COPD diagnosis in parents and offspring with Intergenerational associations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been well recognized. This may result from genetic, gene-environment, or exposure to lifestyle factors. Studies have shown that parents who have a preterm birth, children with low birth weight, parents exposed to tobacco exposure in the uterine, children with respiratory diseases, primarily asthma and pneumonia, in children can give way to lung problems in later childhood. Children exposed to smoke around them also have a negative impact on the lungs, which can develop as COPD in adulthood. Most children develop asthma symptoms before 5 years. Asthma can be difficult to diagnose in toddlers. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between asthma or another childhood condition as the symptoms in both cases are very similar. Also, Read► Non-smokers with COPD at higher risk of lung cancer: Study Signs of Allergies A child who has frequent bouts of cold wheezes respiratory infections can have asthma if the parent is asthmatic. Signs of allergies are spotted in the child has signs of allergies which can be eczema the child wheezes almost all the time. "Children with asthma should carry inhalers with them. Parents and schools should ensure clean air for children. Schools and homes should have clean and healthy air. Parents should also be cautious of not smoking during pregnancy", suggests Dr. Khilnani. COPD Ayurvedic Treatment COPD can be diagnosed with Lung function tests and CT scans. COPD incidence is found to be the highest among children with both asthma and pneumonia in childhood. Care should be taken to treat these diseases in children. In most cases, asthma in children is cured in adults. However, children who have weak lungs develop COPD in later adult lives. Study shows that 11 percent of children with severe asthma had COPD as young adults, and three out of four children with persistent asthma have low lung function by their early 20s. Usually, boys with asthma have a higher incidence of low lung function capability than girls. "If a child has severe asthma, doctors recommend a spirometry test to be taken annually. It checks how much air you can breathe in and out, and how fast you can exhale air from your lungs. COPD can't be cured, but timely care can help keep your lungs working well for as long as possible. Smoking plays a very active role in developing COPD, so active smoking as well as passive smoking should be avoided for such patients. Being alert about the symptoms of COPD also helps a lot to treat this at an early stage", says Dr. Khilnani. (Agency) Read More► What is The Best Treatment for COPD

London, Jan 2 (IANS) People with certain genetic conditions are likely to have significant symptoms of autism such as social and communication difficulties or repetitive behaviours, even if they do not meet all diagnostic criteria, says an international study.The study by researchers at Cardiff University suggests that clinical services need to adapt so that people diagnosed with autism-linked genetic conditions are not denied access to vital support and interventions.Published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, the study analysed data from 547 people who had been diagnosed with one of four genetic conditions, also known as copy number variants (CNVs), associated with a high chance of autism -- 22q11.2 deletion, 22q11.2 duplication, 16p11.2 deletion and 16p11.2 duplication.Copy number variants happen when a small section of a person's DNA is missing or duplicated. Certain CNVs have been linked to a range of health and developmental issues. They can be inherited but can also occur at random.The results showed a high prevalence of autism in individuals with these four genetic conditions, ranging from 23 per cent to 58 per cent.The prevalence of autism in the general population is one per cent.Using clinical cut-offs, the team also found 54 per cent of people with these genetic conditions who did not meet full autism diagnostic criteria nonetheless had elevated levels of autistic symptoms.There was also considerable variability in symptoms of autism between those who had the same genetic condition."Our study shows that an individualised approach is needed when assessing the needs of people with genetic conditions," said Samuel Chawner, based at Cardiff University's MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics."Although many of those who were included in this study would not have met all of the criteria which define someone as having autism, more than half of those with these genetic conditions had significant symptoms associated with it -- such as social and communication difficulties or repetitive behaviours."Data for the study was pooled from eight clinical research centres around the world, which had used the "Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R)" and IQ tests on study participants.The ADI-R is used internationally in research as well as in clinical settings for making autism diagnoses. It involves an interview with the parent or guardian and asks about the child's developmental history across areas of social skills, communication skills and repetitive behaviours.--IANSgb/kr

Brasilia, Dec 30 (IANS) Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao is recovering well after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this week, his press office said."The Vice President Hamilton Mourao is in good health. He has no fever, only minor body aches, and is recovering well," Xinhua news agency quoted the office as saying in a statement on Tuesday.Mourao is in isolation at Jabiru Palace, his official residence in Brasilia.He was examined on Sunday after having a slight fever, body ache and a headache.So far, a total of 16 high-ranking Brazilian officials, including President Jair Bolsonaro and First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro, have been diagnosed with the virus.Since the first case of Covid-19 was detected in the country in February, Brazil's overall caseload currently stands at 7,563,551. On Tuesday, Brazil registered 1,111 coronavirus deaths, the highest single-day fatalities since October 3, when 1,307 people had died, the Health Ministry said.Tuesday's figure increased the nationwide death toll to 192,681.The South American country currently accounts for the third-largest caseload in the world, after the US and India, and the second-highest death toll just behind the US.--IANSksk/