Itch

(Allergy, Baby-Skin problems, Pruritus, Skin problems)

Also see Allergy

The condition is common but often harmless. However, there may be a serious underlying disorder (e.g., eczema, diabetes, kidney disease).

Symptoms

• Irritating, tickling sensation that makes you want to scratch.

Complications

• Bacterial infection, if scratching causes the skin to break.
• Loss of sleep.
• Irritability.

Common causes
Itch all over:

• Bathing too often, which removes natural oils and leaves the skin dry.
• Allergy (see Eczema, Urticaria).
• Insect bites or stings.
• Certain medicines (e.g., antibiotics)

Itch at particular places only:

• Scalp: Dandruff (see Dandruff), head lice (see Head Lice), ringworm or dry scalp.
• Hands, in between toes, body creases, genitals: Scabies (see Scabies), fungal infections (see Fungal Infection), ringworm (See ringworm)
• Vulva: Thrush (see Thrush), dryness, low hormones due to menopause.
• Anus: Hemorrhoids (see Hemorrhoids), thrush (see Thrush), threadwords (see Worm Infestation).
• Feet: Athlete's foot (see Athletes's Foot).

What you can do

• Bathe or shower regularly to keep yourself free from skin disease, but do not overdo it. Too much bathing can cause the skin to dry and trigger itching.
• Apply calamine lotion or anti-itch cream. Avoid scratching, as the skin may break and get infected. If the itch is unbearable, stroke the itchy area with the finger pads, not the nails.
• Apply an ice pack (ice cubes wrapped in a towel) because heat worsens the itch.
• Take antihistamines (anti-allergy medicine). Do not drive a car or operate heavy machines while on antihistamines, since this medicine can make you drowsy.
• Consult a doctor if you suspect a serious underlying cause, or symptoms persist despite of home treatment.

What your doctor can do for you

• Determine the cause of the itch and treat it.
• Prescribe stronger antihistamines.
• Treat complications.
  

Eczema

(Allergy, Dermatitis, Skin problems, Skin rash)

Also see Allergy

Eczema is a skin rash or inflammation characterized by blistering, cracking, itching, oozing, redness, or scaling. The skin often becomes thick and discolored due to constant scratching. Eczema is common, recurrent, and sometimes persistent, but it is not contagious. Most affected children usually outgrow the condition by puberty.

Symptoms

• Swelling and redness.
• Itchy rash, which is sometimes intense.
• Blisters (small bumps filled with fluid) that may ooze due to scratching.
• Crusty, dry and cracked, leathery, scally, thickened, or weeping areas of skin.
• Pain, soreness, discomfort.

Complications

• Secondary bacterial infection.

Causes
There are many types of eczema. They are due to a combination of endogenous (internal) and external factors.

• Allergy - allergic contact eczema; atopic dermatitis.
• Skin irritation - irritant contact eczema.
• Photosensitive eczema - sunlight-in-duced.

What you can do

• Avoid scratching as much as possible, as it can lead to bacterial infection.
• Apply cream, lotion, or moisturizer to prevent dryness.
• Apply soothing ointment on the affected area to ease irritation and cover with dressing to prevent scratching.
• Wear cotton clothes. Do not use wool and synthtetic fabrics, as these tend to irritate the skin.
• Take antihistamines (anti-allergy medicince). Take sedating antihistamines at night and non-sedating in the day or at work.
• Consult a doctorl if the condition shows signs of spreading or is distressful, or if there is an infection.

What your doctor can do for you

• Conduct skin allergy tests.
• Prescribe hydrocortisone (anti-inflammatory cream) or other creams.
• Prescribe antibiotics for bacterial infection.
• Diagnose the type of eczema, help indentify the cause.
• Prescribe oral antihistamines.

Prevention tips

• Try to determine the substances that cause allergic reactions or skin irritaton in you and avoid them as best as you can.
  

Asthma

(Allergy)

See also Allergy

During an asthma attack, the muscles in the walls of the small airways contract (bronchospasm), the linings of the small airways become inflamed, and excessive mucus is produced in the small airways. All three reactions combine to narrow the airways, thus limiting the passage of air, especially during breathing out. The disorder usually begins in childhood, with about 50% of the children may lose the asthma.

Symptoms

• Chest tightness.
• Breathing difficulty: labored breathing in episodes. (Symptoms are worse at night.)
• Wheezing (a whistling sound while breathing).
• Coughing, with or without thick sputum.
• During severe attacks, cyanosis (bluish discoloration) around the lips, sweating, and a fast pulse rate.
• In infants, fast breathing, with lower ribs being drawn in.

Complications

• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung due to an air leak).
• Acute respiratory failure.
• Death.
• Emphysematous changes.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Common causes
Asthma is the result of a hypersensitivity reaction to stimuli. Asthma is a condition due to both hereditary and environmental factors. It involves inflammation and constriction of air passges. An asthma attack may be provoked by:

• Allergens (e.g., animal dander, dust, certain food and medicines, mites, mold spores, pollen, etc).
• Viral or bacterial infections (e.g., bronchitis, common cold, coughs, sinusitis).
• Environmental irritants and pollutants (e.g., exhaust gases, hair spray, perfumes, tobacco smoke).
• Emotional stress (e.g., excitement, upheaval).
• Strenuous exercise.

What you can do

• Consult a doctor the first time you start wheezing, or if the conditoin does not respond to the prescribe treatment.
• Take your peak expiratory flow rate. Stay on the GREEN zone. This is 80% of predicted or personal best.
  Call your doctor or go to the hospital if:
  - you or your child is not getting better after following the doctor's instructions.
  - you or your child is unable to talk becuase of breathing difficulty.
  - you or your child require an inhaled bronchodilator very often (e.g., more than 3-4 times hourly).
  - your child looks exhausted.
  - you peak expiratory flow rate is below 60% of predicted or personal best.
• Take the medication prescribed by the doctor (e.g., bronchodilator). Inhaled bronchodilators are usually recommended. Wait 15-20 minutes after an inhaled dose. Repeat if necessary.
• Try to be calm and call for help if you cannot cope.
• Rush to the nearest hospital's emergency room if you have an acute attack.
  The bystander:
• Sit the person upright and make him lean forward, with both arms resting on a table.
• Rush the person to the nearest hospital's emergency room if an acute attack does not respond to the prescribed medication.

What your doctor can do for you

• Administer oxygen.
• Administer a bronchodilator via nebulization.
• Administer oral or intravenous steroids.
• Treat an accompanying chest infection with antibiotics.
• Prescribe long-term inhalational anti-inflammatory treatment.
• Teach you how to manage acute attacks, and how to use certain devices (e.g., inhaler, rotahaler, diskhaler, diskus turbuhaler, autohaler spacers) to ensure optimum benefit from them.
• Teach you how to use a peak flow meter to monitor your asthma.

Prevention tips

• Know what triggers the asthma attack. If possible, avoid the factors that trigger the disease. (Keep your home as free of dust, animal hair, mites, etc, as possible; and stay away from irritants, e.g. cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, etc.)
• Stop smoking.
• Take medications prescribed by the doctor to reduce the frequency and severity of subsequent attacks.
• Exercise regularly to improve lung and heart function.

Allergy

(Allergic rhinitis, Asthma, Coughs & Colds, Eczema, Itch, Urticaria)

Also see Allergic rhinitis, Asthma, Eczema, Itch, Urticaria

This is a hypersensitive reaction in some people to harmless substances, e.g. dust, pollens, and animal dander (dead skin flakes). Allergic reactions do not occur on first contact but on subsequent contacts with the allergen, because the body has already become sensitive to it. Allergies run in families and can develop at any age.

Symptoms
Allergies can affect various parts of the body; symptoms may appear from minutes to days after contact.

• Upper respiratory system
  - Hay fever see Allergic Rhinitis symptoms.
  - Asthma. See Asthma symptoms.

• Eyes. Inflamed or watery.
• Joints: Painful, inflamed.
• Skin:
  - Urticaria. See Urticaria symptoms.
  - Eczema. See Eczema symptoms.
• Stomach and intestines: Diarrhea, indigestion, and vomiting.

Complications

• Anaphylactic shock (a severe allergic reaction resulting in agitation, breathing difficulty and wheezing, fast heart rate, cold sweat, clammy skin, urticaria, stomach cramps, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, collapse, convulsions and, if untreated, death).

Causes

• In some people, the immune system overreacts to allergens, releaseing various chemical mediators in the process. One of them, histamine, produces the allergic symptoms. The body's overreaction occurs when allergens are eaten, inhaled, injected, or touched. These include animal dander, down, chemicals, cigarette smoke, cosmetics, medicines, dust, certain foods, and pollens.

What you can do

• For mild attacks of allergic rhinitis , use decongestant drops or spray to clear the symptoms.
• If caused by a drug, stop the medicine immediately and consult your doctor.
• Take antihistamines (anti-allergy medicine). While on sedating antihistamines, do not drive a car or operate machines, since these medicines can make you drowsy. Non-sedating antihistamines are more appropriate for the day.
• For skin allergy, apply anti-itch cream or calamine lotion to the rashes to soothe the irritation.
• Consult a doctor if symptoms persist and causes distress, or complications arise.
• If there are signs of anaphylactic shock, bring the victim immediately to the emergency room of the nearest hospital.

What your doctor can do for you

• Rule out any other disease.
• Perform tests (e.g., skin tests) to determine the cause of the allergy.
• Prescribe antihistamines (anti-allergy medicines) and steroids, if necessary.
• Give the patient allergy shots [desensitizing injections (allergen immunotherapy/vaccines)] for an identified unavoidable allergen.
• Recommend a speical diet for food allergy.

Prevention tips

• Try to determine and avoid the substances that cause allergic reactions in you.
• Keep your home clean, dust-, line-, and mite-free. Cover your nose when sweeping the floor, dusting the furniture, and changing bed linen. You may also need to find your pet a new home.
• If you have a medicine allergy, always have with you a medical alert card clearly stating the name of the medicine you are allergic to. This will prevent these medicines from being administered to you if you are unconscious.
• If you have a medicine or serious allergy, inform your immediate family, and remind your doctor and dentist about it at each consultation.

Allergic Rhinitis

(Allergy, Hay fever, Runny nose)

Also see Allergy

One of the signs of an allergy to airborne particles is the inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the nose. Allergic rhinitis affects 1 in 10 people and is hereditary. People with other types of allergy (e.g., asthma and eczema) are more likely to suffer from allergic rhinitis and there is a higher incidence among women than men.

Symptoms

• Itchiness in the eyes, nose, palate, and throat.
• Sneezing.
• Stuffy nose.
• Watery eyes.
• Conjunctivitis (red or sore eye), in some instances. See Sore Eyes.

Complications

• Allergic rhinitis could trigger an asthmatic attack (in asthmatics) and/ or eczema. See Asthma and Eczema.

Causes

• Inhaled allergens (foreign substances that cause an allergic reaction in individuals sensitive to them) trigger an overreaction in some people. the body also releases histamine and other chemicals that cause inflammation and excessive fluid production in the nasal lining and sinuses (air cavities around the nose). Common allergens are animal feathers, hair, and skin scales; cigarette smoke; dust; dust mites; pollens; mold spores; certain foods; and sudden changes in the air temperature.

What you can do

• A mild attack may resolve by itself.
• For mild attacks, use decongestant drops or spray to clear the symptoms. However, you should not use decongestant drops or sprays continuously for more than 5 days.
• Take antihistamine (anti-allergy medicine). While on antihistamines, do not drive a car or operate machines, since some of these medicines can make you drowsy.
• Consult a doctor when in doubt of your self-diagnosis, symptoms persist and cause distress, or complications arise.

What your doctor can do for you

• Do skin tests to identify the allergen(s).
• Prescribe or apply specialized treatment.
• Treat complications.

Prevention tips

• If possible, avoid the allergens that cause an allergic rhinitis attack.
• Keep your home as clean, dust-, lint- and mite-free as possible. Remember to cover your nose when sweeping the floor, dusting the furtniture, and changing bed linens.
  

Alzheimer's Disease

This is an incurable degenerative disease of the central nervous system, characterized by the relentless progressive loss of mental capabilities (memory, language, reasoning, and ability of self-care). The risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease increases after age 65. Although relatively few people suffer from this nervous disorder, it is the most common cause of dementia (mental degeneration) in the elderly, ending in total mental disability. The condition exacts a heavy financial and emotional toll from the families, who have to care for these patients.

Symptoms

Early stages:

• Failure to remember recent events, which gradually worsens.
• Failure to recognize familiar objects.
• Emotional distress, e.g. anxiety or depression.
• Loss of the sense of place (disorientation)
• Seeming apathy (indifference) to surroundings and activities.

Late stages:

• Delusions, hallucinations.
• Failure to recognize people, even relatives.
• Difficulty in walking. Eventually, the victim acquires a shuffling gait (small steps).
• Deterioration and the eventual loss of the ability to think independently and move about.
• Seizures, in some people.

Complications

• Concomitant infections.
• Pneumonia, malnutrition.
• Death, dute to infection, or accident, and comorbid diseases.

Common Causes
Still unknown, but generally attributed to:

• Destruction of a large number of nerve cells.
• Deficiency in the chemical needed in transmitting nerve impulses (signals).
• Heredity (genetic predisposition).
• Toxic poisoning from metal compounds.
• Head trauma.
• Brain tumors.
• Hypnothyrodism.

What you can do

• Early detection is necessary.
• Encourage the elderly in the family to have regular and complete medical checkups.
• Consult a doctor if you think you or another family member has Alzheimer's disease.

What your doctor can do for you

• Check to see if you do have the disease. If so, he will counsel you on other treatable causes of dementia, how to cope with the disease or how to properly care for a family member who has it.
• Prescribe sedatives for difficult behaviour.
• Prescribe medicine to slow down the progress of disease.
• Prescribe cholinesterase inhibitor. This can return some of the memory and cognitive impairment, retard progress of the disease, improves quality of life of patient and care giver. Behavioral treatment can help a lot.
• Refer you to a neurologist, psychiatrist, internal medicine specialist or gerontologist (a specialist in the elderly) for further tests and advice.
  

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a disease due to addiction to alcohol. Alcoholics become so physically and mentally dependent on alcohol that sudden deprivation may cause withdrawal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, shaking, anxiety and hallucinations. Alcoholism impairs brain function, i.e. memory (see ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE) and judgement, and physicall skills.

Symptoms

• Drinking alcohol too much, too often.
• Early morning and solitary drinking.
• Neglect of food intake and personal appearance.
• Inability to work or perform effectively without alcohol.

Complications

• Anxiety and depression sometimes leading to suicidal attempts.
• Loss of appetite.
• Diseases, i.e. liver cirrhosis, gastritis, inflammation of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), pancreatitis, psychosis (fom brain damage), and peripheral neuritis (a nerve disease).
• Death as a result of complications.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome - birth defects with mental retardation due to alcoholisim in pregnant mothers.

Causes

• Stress due to conflict, bereavement or pressure at work.
• Depressive personality traits like low self-esteem increases susceptibility to alcoholism.
• Hereditary factors.
• Environmental or cultural factors.

What you can do

• The only way to treat alcoholism is to stop drinking.
• Seek family support and professional help.
• Join a support group.

What the family member can do

• Convince the alcoholic to seek help .
• Do not be an enabler. Instead of covering up the problem, let the alcoholic face up to the consequences of his actions.
• Seek professional help.

What your doctor can do for you

• Recommend rehabilitation, e.g. detoxification and group therapy.
• Perform tests to identify complications.
• Treat the complications.
• Encourage family support as this increases chances of recovery.

Prevention tips

• Avoid situations where you have to drink; refusing an alcoholic drink shouldn't be a cause for embarassment.
• Sip, rather than gulp during occasions where alcohol intake is unavoidable.
• As much as possible, abstain from alcohol if there is a family history of alcoholism.
• Do not engage in any form of vice as one would usually lead to another.
• Try to see a counsellor if anxious or depressed, instead of taking a drink.