holistic health tips

* Definition of Cesarean Section * Description of Cesarean Section * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Cesarean Section Definition of Cesarean Section Cesarean childbirth consists of an operation to deliver a baby through an incision in the abdomen. Description of Cesarean Section Until recently the operation was usually used as a last resort because of a high rate of maternal complications and death. With the availability of antibiotics to fight infection and the development of modern surgical techniques, the once high maternal mortality rate has dropped dramatically. As a result, the cesarean childbirth rate has increased dramatically. There are three main types of cesarean operations, each named according the location and direction of the uterine incision: Low Transverse, a transverse (horizontal) incision in the lower uterus Low Vertical, a vertical incision in the lower uterus Classical, a vertical incision in the main body of the uterus Today, the low t...

* Description of CD4 Lymphocyte Monitoring * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About CD4 Lymphocyte Monitoring Description of CD4 Lymphocyte Monitoring Monitoring lymphocyte counts in a patient with HIV infection is one way to assess the degree of immunosuppression and the risk of developing opportunistic infections. For several years after exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), an infected person will typically have either no symptoms or only minor ones such as chronically swollen lymph nodes. However, despite the absence of noticeable symptoms, HIV may be silently causing damage. HIV infects and kills certain white blood cells called CD4 lymphocytes, reducing their number. The number of CD4 cells usually declines over time in an HIV-infected person. CD4 lymphocytes act as the 'on switch' for part of the immune system, so as the number of CD4 cells drops, damage to the immune system may progress. Over time, individuals become increasingly susceptible to infections caus...

* Definition of Congestive Heart Failure * Description of Congestive Heart Failure * Causes and Risk Factors of Congestive Heart Failure * Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure * Diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure * Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Congestive Heart Failure Definition of Congestive Heart Failure Article updated and reviewed by Neil Siecke, MD, Clinical Insturctor, UCSD Division of Cardiology on July 28, 2005. Congestive heart failure (or heart failure) occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood (which provides oxygen) to the muscles, tissues, and other organs of the body. Statistics on Heart Failure * A person aged 40 years or older has a one in five chance of developing heart failure. * About five million Americans have been diagnosed with heart failure. * About 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. * Heart failure is the most common hospital discharge diagnosis with more...

* Definition of Baldness * Description of Baldness * Causes and Risk Factors of Baldness * Treatment of Baldness * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Baldness Definition of Baldness Common baldness, sometimes called male- or female-pattern baldness, accounts for 99 percent of hair loss in men and women. Although its exact causes are unknown, heredity, hormones and age are contributing factors. Unlike hair loss resulting from disease or other non-hereditary factors, hair loss due to common baldness is permanent. Male baldness usually begins with thinning at the hairline, followed by the appearance of a thinned or bald spot on the crown of the head. Women with common baldness rarely develop bald patches. Instead, they experience a diffuse thinning of their hair. Description of Baldness Hair is a conspicuous element in many cultural definitions of fashion, youth and sexuality. So, it is not surprising that many cringe at the first sign of thinning hair. Most people lose be...

* Definition of Vitiligo * Description of Vitiligo * Causes and Risk Factors of Vitiligo * Symptoms of Vitiligo * Diagnosis of Vitiligo * Treatment of Vitiligo * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Vitiligo Definition of Vitiligo Vitiligo, also called white spot disease or leukoderma, is a disease in which the skin loses its pigment due to the destruction of melanocytes. Description of Vitiligo Melanocytes are pigment cells located in the surface layer of the skin called the epidermis and are responsible for producing melanin. Melanin is a dark pigment that gives skin its color and protects against ultraviolet radiation. When melanocytes stop producing melanin, the skin becomes pale, leaving areas of white patches - this is called vitiligo. Vitiligo can start at any age, but it often occurs between the ages of 20 and 30. Vitiligo may begin on the face above the eyes, or on the neck, armpits, groin, hands or knees. Vitiligo may appear as a few small pigmented patc...

* Definition of Vertigo * Description of Vertigo * Causes and Risk Factors of Vertigo * Symptoms of Vertigo * Treatment of Vertigo * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Vertigo Definition of Vertigo Vertigo is a type of dizziness felt as a shift in a person's relationship to the normal environment (a feeling that the room is spinning is common) or a sense of movement in space. Although dizziness and vertigo are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. While all vertigo is dizziness, not all dizziness is vertigo. True vertigo, from the Latin "vertere," to turn, is a distinct, often severe form of dizziness that is a movement hallucination. Description of Vertigo There are four major types of dizziness - vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, and lightheadedness. Most patients with true vertigo have a peripheral vestibular disorder, such as benign positional vertigo. This is usually associated with tinnitus and hearing loss. Central disorder...

* Definition of Varicella (Chicken Pox) * Description of Varicella (Chicken Pox) * Symptoms of Varicella (Chicken Pox) * Treatment of Varicella (Chicken Pox) * Prevention of Varicella (Chicken Pox) * Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Varicella (Chicken Pox) Definition of Varicella (Chicken Pox) Varicella, otherwise known as chicken pox, is a generalized infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. It is an extremely contagious disease that is characterized by a blistery rash. It occurs most frequently in children, between the ages of five and eight. Less than 20 percent of all cases in the U.S. affect people over the age of 15. Chicken pox is transmitted so easily that almost everyone gets the disease. Description of Varicella (Chicken Pox) Chicken pox is contracted by touching an infected person's blisters or anything that has been contaminated by contact with them. The virus is also thought to be airborne since it may be caught from an infected person by c...