Category Archives: Awareness Day/Month

#PsoriasisAwarenessMonth: Management and prevention

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Psoriasis is not all of you, it is just a part of you like everything else

Psoriasis is generally classified based on the severity of the disease from mild to severe with a Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scale. Based on this severity index treatment is given to the patients.

The score comprises of 3 features of psoriatic plaque:

  • Redness
  • Scaling
  • Thickness, which are assigned a number from 0 (none) to 4 (worst).

The extent of involvement of each region of the body (12 regions) is scored from 0 to 6. The total score is a range of 72. There are many studies that quote the improvement with this index which help to know the drug’s effectiveness. For example, if a patient cleared 75% of his psoriatic lesions then it is described as “PASI 75”. These scores are used by clinicians to follow their patient’s progress.

Psoriasis Management:

Some general recommendations for treatment of psoriasis,

  • Topical application of corticosteroids in the form of ointments, creams, gels, liquids, sprays etc. Example: Keratolytics and calcipotriene, others include anthralin and tars.

Over-the-counter topical medications include, salicylic acid foams or ointments, Coal tar, Zinc pyrithione.

  • UVB is a safe, effective and cost-effective.
  • PUVA (psoralen plus ultraviolet A) is also an effective treatment.
  • Conventional treatment methods:
  • Usage of methotrexate, which is an effective therapy in the majority of patients but has the potential for hepatotoxicity and is contraindicated in some situations.
  • CyA (cyclosporine), another immunosuppressive medication, also an effective treatment for psoriatic patients.
  • Acitretin, a systemic agent which is effective and used for the treatment of psoriasis.
  • Biological agents are proteins that are extracted from animal tissue or can be produced by recombinant DNA technology that possesses pharmacological activity.
  • Few biologics that target pathogenic T cells include Alefacet and Efalizumab.
  • Few other biologics target TNF inhibitors for the treatment of psoriasis include Adalimumab Etanercept, and Infliximab.

Psoriasis can also be managed by education and advocacy. Also should promote awareness and understanding of the disease, ensuring access to treatment and supporting research that can lead to effective management.

Psoriasis Prevention:

Psoriasis is a chronic disorder that requires long-term monitoring for treatment response, adverse events and new comorbidities. Also there is a poor adherence to treatment to obtain good results for patients with psoriasis. Hence, there is no way to completely prevent or avoid the occurrence of psoriasis instead taking some precautionary steps can improvise the symptoms and help reduce number of psoriasis flare-ups. Few preventive measures that a psoriatic patient can do to reduce the flare ups.

  • Taking care of the skin, scalp, and nails and other areas where psoriasis can spread.
  • Trying some psoriasis creams or ointments that can keep the body moisturized all the time.
  • Taking sunbath for some time also helps in reducing the psoriatic skin cells.
  • Try to avoid few medications which can flare up the disease.
  • Psoriasis can spread easily in cold, dry climates and it is always better to avoid such environmental conditions.
  • Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.
  • Lifestyle interventions where symptoms can get worse with stress and anxiety so need to avoid such situations. To avoid such conditions patients can start their day with yoga, meditation, and other exercises.
  • Taking a well-balanced diet.

Some health tips to bring symptom relief:

  • Keep the skin moist all the time by applying moisturizers
  • Take warm bathes that helps in skin soothing
  • Expose the body to small doses of ultraviolet light in the sunlight
  • Do not irritate or scratch the psoriatic skin patches
  • Limit intake of alcohol and stop smoking
  • Start the day with stressbusters like yoga or meditation to relieve from tensions and emotions
  • Consider some dietary changes by reducing the intake of sugars, white flour, gluten, caffeine, oils etc.

Diagnosis of psoriasis is not the end but the journey continues with normal ups and downs as with anyone else. Having a disease is not a battle lost but losing hope is defeat. So keep up hope and there are answers to every problems and let’s keep finding them and spreading them.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions is a socially responsible medical communication company which delivers high quality medical content related to scientific publication (manuscript, review, poster, abstract, case report), regulatory documents (protocol, CSR, narratives, clinical trial disclosure, web synopsis) and marketing documents (print and digital).

#organdonationday

Awareness Day/Month

Today on Organ Donation day, Turacoz team members pledge their organs for a noble cause and want to contribute to human life even after perishing.

Why should we donate our organs?

In India, where population consists of 1.2 billion people, the statistics stands at 0.08 persons as organ donors per million population (PMP). This is an incredibly small and insignificant number compared to the statistics around the world.

  • 500,000 people die because of non-availability of organs
  • 150,000 people await a kidney transplant but only 5,000 get one
  • 1,000,000 lakh people suffer from corneal blindness and await transplant

What is Organ donation?

Organ donation is the donation of a biological tissue or an organ of the human body from a living or dead person to a living recipient for the purpose of transplantation. The organ is taken from the donor and transplanted in the body of the recipient.

Who can be donor?
Any person can be organ donor, irrespective of age, caste, religion, community, current or past medical condition.

  • Patients having cancer, HIV, active infection (for example, sepsis) or using Intravenous (IV) drugs are not eligible for organ-donation.
  • Most cancer patients may donate corneas.
  • Patients who have Hepatitis C and B rarely donate organs to a patient with Hepatitis C and B respectively.

Which organs and tissues can you donate?

  • Organs like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas can be donated only after the donor is declared ‘brain dead’.
  • Tissues like corneas, heart valves, skin, bones etc. can be donated in case of natural death.

How are organs harvested after brain death?

  • Efforts are made to stabilize the patient in a hospital. If he is pronounced brain-dead by the doctor’s evaluation, testing and documentation, he may donate his organs.
  • Consent from the family, coroner and legal authorities is obtained to proceed with the donation, and the organ procurement organization is informed.
  • In the meantime, the donor’s body is maintained on ventilator, and stabilized with fluids and medications. Numerous laboratory tests are performed.
  • Recipients are identified for placement of donor’s organs.
  • A surgical team is coordinated for removal of organs and tissues at the hospital.
  • Multiple organ recovery is performed with organs being preserved through special solutions and cold packing. The ventilator support is then discontinued.
  • The donor’s body is surgically closed and released.

How to donate organs?

  • To be an organ donor, it is important to register by signing up for Organ Donation.
  • Discuss with your family and friends and let them understand your decision.
  • Always carry an Organ-donor Card with you. Your family should be aware of your decision. Without their consent, the organs/tissues cannot be donated.

“If something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality.”
–Norman Cousins

Turacoz supports #SarcomaAwarenessMonth: Do not loose hope

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 “Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.”

Christopher Reeve

Sarcoma, may be defined as “a malignant tumor of connective or other non-epithelial tissue.” It occurs in the connective tissue of the body including fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones, muscles, deep skin tissues, and the cartilage.

Types of Sarcoma

Liposarcoma Most common soft tissue sarcoma. Develops in the deep fatty tissue. They are firm, bumpy, and invade the surrounding tissues invasively
Fibrosarcoma Occur in the arms, legs, or the trunk. Occur around scars, muscles, tissues, tendons, and around the lining of the bone
Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans Develops as tumor outgrowths forming outside the skin and are commonly observed on the back or the abdomen. If untreated, the tumor may break through the skin leaving an open wound
Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma Types include storiform pleomorphic, myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma, malignant giant cell tumor of soft parts, and inflammatory malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Usually observed in patients above 50 yr of age and occurs more commonly in men than women.
Synovial Cell Sarcoma Occurs most commonly next to a joint in the arms or legs. This type of sarcoma is very painful and is usually treated with radiation, chemotherapy, or amputation combined with chemotherapy.
Epithelioid Sarcomas Occurs in hand and foot of younger adults. Appears like small nodules. Difficult to treat with surgical intervention and treated with amputation.
Rhabdomyosarcomas Accounts for nearly half of sarcomas in children. Types include embryonal, alveolar, botryoid, and pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma.
Leiomyosarcoma and Uterine Sarcoma Occurs in the smooth muscles mainly in the gastrointestinal tract and the uterus. Metastases occurs in half of the patients and is usually treated with total abdominal hysterectomy.
Gastrointestinal Sarcoma Results in the formation of stroma in the stomach and intestines. Treated with Gleeve (a biological agent that retards the activity of gtenes required for the growth of tumor).
Alveolar Soft-Parts Sarcoma Very rare type of sarcoma which usually occurs in female adolescents and young adults. Slow growing tumor found in extremities and metastases into the lungs.
Kaposi’s Sarcoma A condition in which cancerous cells are found underneath the skin or mucous membranes (mouth, nose, or anus). Commonly occurs in older Jewish, Italian, or Mediterranean men, patients receiving organ transplant, and patients with AIDS.

 

The diagnosis of sarcoma is extremely rare worldwide. Often, patients do not experience any pain or discomfort due to the presence of sarcoma which is the most common reason for its late diagnosis. The diagnosis is confirmed after a series of tests including biopsies, computed topography scan (CT-scan), positron emission tomography scan (PET scan), X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and laparoscopic procedure. In most cases, patients have already gone through immense amount of stress until the diagnosis of sarcoma is confirmed. Developing a thorough treatment plan for sarcoma is only possible with a confirmed diagnosis of the condition. The presently available treatments for soft tissue sarcoma include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, interventional radiology, and targeted therapy.

The National Cancer Institute recommends different treatment options as per the stage of sarcoma.

  • Stage I adult soft tissue sarcoma
    • Surgical removal of the tumor along with radiation therapy either before or after the surgery.
  • Stage II adult soft tissue sarcoma
    • Surgery to remove the tumor; radiation therapy before or after the surgery; radiation therapy or chemotherapy before limb sparing surgery; and high dose radiation therapy for tumors that cannot be removed by surgery
  • Stage III adult soft tissue sarcoma that has spread to the lymph nodes (advanced)
    • Surgery with lymphadenectomy followed by radiation therapy; a clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy; and a clinical trial of regional hyperthermia therapy
  • Stage IV adult soft tissue sarcoma
    • Includes chemotherapy and surgery to remove cancer that has spread to the lungs

 

The duration and intensity of sarcoma therapy can be astonishing and unsettling for patients and their families, and coping with the adverse effects of treatments can be a major and drastic challenge.

The sarcoma center in India “Soft Tissue Tumor Online http://www.histopathology-india.net/SoftTissuePath.htm”

There are many NGOs which aides’ new patients and their loved ones to comprehend a sarcoma diagnosis, look for the best care, manage treatment, adapts well and find support.

 

Beat Sarcoma beatsarcoma.org
Cure for Sarcoma http://www.cureforsarcoma.com/
Cynthia Solomon Holmes Foundation http://www.cynthiaholmesfoundation.com/
Dani’s Foundation www.danisfoundation.org
Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation dtrf.org
GIST Support International gistsupport.org
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa moffitt.org
Kristen Ann Carr Fund www.sarcoma.com
Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative sarcomahelp.org
The Life Raft Group liferaftgroup.org
LMSarcoma Direct Research http://www.lmsdr.org/
Jared Juggernaut http://jaredsjuggernaut.org/
Northwest Sarcoma Foundation nwsarcoma.org
Sarcoma Alliance http://sarcomaalliance.org/
Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) www.sarctrials.org
Sarcoma Foundation of America www.curesarcoma.org

 

 

July is #SarcomaAwarenessMonth: Come Spread the Word

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Sarcomas are the tumors originating from mesenchyme and contribute to about  20% of all pediatric solid malignant cancers and less than 1% of all adult solid malignant cancers. Sarcoma develops in connective tissue-cells that connect or support other types of tissue in the body. These forms of tumor are most common in normal connective tissues of bones, muscles, tendons, cartilage, nerves, fat, blood vessels of arms and legs, but they can occur anywhere.

What is Sarcoma awareness month?

The majority of patients present in advanced stage of diseases mainly due to ignorance of disease as well as apprehension and fear of surgery. The economic constraints also delay the detection and management. The awareness for the disease is far less and hence the importance of July as the ‘Sarcoma awareness month’, giving a right opportunity to learn more about the disease, spreading awareness to everyone and making difference in lives of patients fighting sarcoma.

Types of Sarcomas

Though sarcomas are more than 50 types, they can be classified into two main kinds: soft tissue sarcoma and bone sarcoma or osteosarcoma. The sarcomas are further sub-classified into based on type of presumed cell of origin found in the tumor. All of these types have certain microscopic characteristics and similar symptoms.

Who is affected?

Sarcomas develop in both children and adults. In children of less than 20 years of age, 15% (approximately) of diagnosed cancer are sarcomas. In adults, about 1 out of 100 adult cancer cases are soft tissue sarcomas. Osteosarcomas are still rare. Treatment of sarcomas is by surgery for tumor removal.

Risk factors

  • Most sarcomas have no known cause. Following factors can contribute to risk factors for developing sarcomas:
  • Previous radiation therapy for cancer.
  • Genetic disorder such as neurofibromatosis type I, Gardner syndrome, Werner syndrome, nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, Li-Fraumeni syndrome or retinoblastoma.
  • Exposure to chemicals such as vinyl chloride monomer used for making plastics.

Symptoms

There may be no signs and symptoms initially or these symptoms may be caused by medical condition, which is not cancer. Soft tissue sarcomas are usually hard to be spot as they grow anywhere in the body.

First signs of sarcoma in an arm, leg, or torso could be painless lump or swelling. These lumps may get bigger as time progresses and might press against nerve or muscles making one uncomfortable or give breathing trouble or both. Unfortunately, there are no tests that can detect these tumors before symptoms occur.

Most often lumps may not be sarcomas and soft-tissue lumps are lipomas, which are made of fat cells and not cancerous. Sarcomas in abdomen may not have any symptoms, or may cause pain or give sense of fullness.

Symptoms or osteosarcoma are more evident, including:

  • On and off pain in the affected bone, that may be worse at night.
  • Swelling that often starts weeks after the pain.
  • Limp, if sarcoma is present in the leg.

Diagnosis

Biopsy: is the only way to find for certain if tumor is a sarcoma.

If biopsy is not possible, other tests may be suggested that can be useful for diagnosis. Imaging tests can be used to find out if cancer has metastasized.

Before choosing diagnostic test following factors may be considered:

  1. Age and medical condition
  2. Type of cancer suspected
  3. Severity of symptoms
  4. Earlier test results

Imaging tests used before or after biopsy for determining location and extent of tumor includes:

  • Ultrasound
  • Chest X-ray
  • CT or CAT (computed axial tomography)
  • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans
  • PET (positron emission tomography) scans
  • Bone scan – for osteosarcoma

Treatments

If sarcoma is diagnosed, treatment may depend of several factors that include:

  1. Location and type of sarcoma.
  2. Spread of cancer.
  3. Impact on body.
  4. Health in general.

Depending on above parameters, treatment for sarcoma is customized as per the needs and may include one or more of the following:

Surgery: is done to remove tumor out of the body. In osteosarcoma, only cancer cells can be removed and arm or leg won’t be amputed.

Chemotherapy: may be used as main treatment of sarcoma or with surgery or radiation. Combination of two or more chemotherapy drugs may be used. In some cases, limb profusion, a special way for giving more focused dose of chemotherapy may be done.

Radiation Therapy: not used as main sarcoma treatment, but can be used before surgery for shrinking the tumor or after surgery for destroying remaining cancer cells.

Proton Therapy: gives high doses of radiation directly to tumor site and spares nearby healthy tissue and vital organs.

Post-Treatment plan

Talking with health care provider is essential to develop a follow-up care plan. The plan may include:

  • Regular physical examinations and/or medical tests to monitor the recovery and possible tumor recurrence if any.
  • Learning ways to prevent or manage side effects, if undergone radiation therapy for treating sarcomas where region of the body may be at risk for limb swelling (lymphedema), fracture of the thigh or leg bones, poor joint mobility and hardness of the soft tissues (fibrosis).
  • Rehabilitation program (such as range-of-motion exercises, strengthening exercises, and lymphedema reduction exercise) post surgery or radiation therapy for regaining or maintaining limb function.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions  takes steps in creating awareness and communicating to the society  information on disease-diagnosis, prevention, management and complications because we believe in

You may never know what results come from your action, but it you do nothing there will be no results.

#InternationalYogaDay2015: India is the Global Spiritual Capital

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Yoga has been an integral part of India since Indus Saraswati civilization for about 5000 years now. With time the nomenclature has changed with modifications in the practise but the benefit is still the same. Today’s fast paced life with challenges from all quarters requires us to practice a discipline which is beyond achieving a physical goal. The need of the hour is a comprehensive health goal which focuses on physical, mental and spiritual health together.

Types of Yoga

Bhagawad Gita introduces 3 prominent types of Yoga:

  1. Karma yoga: Yoga of action
  2. Bhakti yoga: Yoga of devotion
  3. Jnana yoga: Yoga of knowledge

The Eight-Limbed Yoga or “Ashtanga Yoga” of Patanjali’s writing are as follows:

  1. Yama or the five abstentions
  2. Niyama or the five observances
  3. Asana which literally means seated position used for medidation
  4. Pranayama is to restrain or stop breathing
  5. Pratyahara is the withdrawal of sense organs from external objects
  6. Dharana is concentrating on one object
  7. Dhyana is meditation
  8. Samadhi is the merging consciousness with the object of meditation

There is something for every individual in yoga, all age groups including children and youth, patients with chronic illness like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, obesity etc.

On this First International Yoga Day, the atmosphere is positive and highly charged and let’s make yoga a part of our lives.

 

May is Asthma Awareness Month: How aware are we?

Awareness Day/Month

Asthma is a worldwide disease affecting an estimated 300 million individuals globally. Some authors also reported prevalence of Asthma as a wave of “Asthma epidemic”. Inmajority of children, asthma develops before 5 years of age, and in more than half, asthma develops before they reach 3 years of age.

Although asthma triggers vary from person to person based on if you have allergic asthma or non-allergic asthma, some of the most common triggers include: allergens such as dust mites, pollens; irritants in the air; respiratory infections such as colds, flu, sore throats, and sinus infections; exercise and other physical activities; sudden changes in weather; expressing strong emotions like anger, fear; some medications and pets.

CHALLENGES IN ASTHMA DIAGNOSIS

  • International guidelines advise that asthma diagnosis be based on both the presence of symptoms and objective measurements of variable airflow obstruction.
  • In daily practice, there are important barriers to perform lung function tests which can occur more frequently in a primary care setting but also in secondary care setting.
  • Most of the time medication is initiated without putting much effort into further diagnosis.
  •  In almost 30% of diagnosed patients asthma is ultimately excluded when objectively assessed.
    COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA
  •           Wheeze
  •           Chest tightness
  •        Shortness of breath
  •        Cough

A diagnosis of asthma is made more likely if your symptoms:

  •        Keep coming back, or happen at the same time each year
  •        Family history of asthma
  •        Worse at night or in the early morning
  •        Triggered by exercise, allergies or infections
  •        Improve with reliever medication
    COULD IT BE ANOTHER HEALTH ISSUE AND NOT ASTHMA?
  •        Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  •        Pneumonia
  •        Heart disease
  •        Cystic fibrosis
  •        Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  •        Lung infections (especially in young children)

    Key message

    It is very important for the patient to be diagnosed and to know what triggers the problem. Monitoring your asthma is crucial to reduce symptoms. While there’s no asthma cure, keeping an asthma diary helps you recognize asthma attacks and prevents  from becoming seriously ill.

Not just live, live it full – World hemophilia day- April 17, 2015

Awareness Day/Month

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” ― Robert Frost

Hemophilia- a rare genetic disorder in which blood doesn’t clot normally due to lack of clotting factors. Because of this, when a person with hemophilia gets a large cut or suffers internal injuries, he’ll bleed for a longer time and have difficulty healing.

How prevalent is hemophilia?

  1. A child born with hemophilia will have it all its life.
  2. About 15% patients have Factor – IX deficiency (Christmas disease).
  3. Rest has Factor VIII – deficiency (Classical hemophilia).
  4. Worldwide incidence of hemophilia is estimated to be more than 400,000 people.
  5. Around 1300 children born in India every year are hemophilic.
  6. There are 50,000 patients with severe hemophilia A at present.
  7. Males have 50% chance of getting disease while females have 50% chance of carrying the disease.

How your hemophilic child is being treated in Indian Society?

  1. Indian schools refuse admission to hemophiliac children due to medical emergencies and complications.
  2. Condition of patient affects the whole family because of fear, anxiety, confusion and guilt.
  3. As women are the carrier of hemophilic gene, they suffer more due to criticism from family and hemophilic child.

 

How parents should help their child with hemophilia?

  1. Hemophiliac patient and their family should fight together against hemophilia.
  2. Hemophilia should not define his or her identity.
  3. Parents should accept it in a short period because being in denial for a long time can affect the child’s well being.
  4. Parents should not withdraw themselves from their own child, relatives, friends and society.
  5. As hemophilia is not curable, steps should be taken to maintain an active, productive lifestyle by proper treatment and healthy living tips.

Can your child live a normal life with Hemophilia? Yes, he can. Read the following to know how

  1. Keep up with regular medical checkups and get vaccinated.
  2. Exercise at least 3 times a week or as recommended by physiotherapist.
  3. Maintain an ideal body weight.
  4. Follow the treatment plans as prescribed by the doctor.
  5. Get tested early for blood borne infections.
  6. Treat bleeds early and adequately.
  7. Eat healthy.
  8. Always wear a seatbelt, helmets (in case of driving or riding).
  9. Make time for yourself.
  10. Get a good night’s sleep.

Last but not the least; you can live your life with hemophilia, the way you want. There is nothing in this world a hemophilic can’t do.

#ChronicFatigueSyndromeAwarenessDay: May 12

Awareness Day/Month

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) awareness day and Florence Nightingale’s birthday fall on May 12. The day commemorates victory of Nightingale from pain, fatigue and CFS symptoms to attain many remarkable accomplishments.

What is CFS?

  • Presence of any of the following symptoms can suggest CFS:
  •  You feel fatigued after climbing just 10 stairs of your office?
  •  You don’t feel refreshed after a long sleep or you don’t get sleep at all.
  • You forget things easily and when comes to concentration, you can’t have one task finished in time.
  •   You have a sore throat almost every hour of the day.
  •  You have exhaustion but you can’t describe it.
  •   In the refreshing morning of a beautiful day, you feel so tired as if you just ran a marathon.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or CFS or “systemic exertion intolerance disease,” includes debilitating fatigue that is constant or recurring.  CFS is an unbearable, underserved and under-diagnosed disorder characterized by extreme fatigue. This type of fatigue is not improved by getting rest. It may be made worse by physical or mental activity and can limit your ability to complete ordinary daily activities. CFS can affect multiple systems in the body causing muscle pain or weakness, cognitive dysfunction (brain fog), and insomnia (the inability to sleep). More than 17 million people worldwide suffer from this disease.

What causes CFS?

Despite substantial research, the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome remains unknown. It could be genetic, due to an environmental trigger or your lifestyle, your long working hours, exposure to microbes, toxins, and other physical and emotional factors. It may be triggered by stress, various illnesses or other medical conditions.  So it could be anything behind this dreadful disease.

What are the symptoms of ME/CFS?

  • Feeling extremely exhausted
  • Not feeling refreshed even after sleeping
  • Problems with concentration, attention and memory
  • Feeling dizzy or faint when sitting up or standing (due to a drop in blood pressure)
  • Muscle pain or aches
  • Tender lymph nodes in the neck or under the arm
  • Sore throat that is constant or goes away and comes back often

Less-common symptoms of ME/CFS include:

  • Visual problems (blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain)
  • Psychological symptoms (irritability, mood swings, panic attacks, anxiety)
  • Chills and night sweats
  • Low grade fever or low body temperature
  • Irritable bowel
  • Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, medications, and sound
  • Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations in the face, hands, or feet

How is ME/CFS treated?

Sadly there is no cure or FDA-approved treatments for ME/CFS. But, there are few things you, your family members and your doctor can do to help ease your symptoms.

Graded exercise therapy (GET)

GET is nothing but increasing your physical activities according to your CFS symptoms and closely monitored by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist who is used to treating people with CFS/ME.  GET can improve symptoms for some people. However, some people report that they do not find it beneficial.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is based on the idea that your mind can treat your body which means that a certain way of thought process can heal your CFS.  It aims to change any harmful behaviors which can fuel certain health problems. It could be anything from physical activity, daily routine management, thinking positively, having a sleep routine, goal setting.

What can I do to cope with ME/CFS?

  • Talking about your feelings with a friend or family member can help.
  • Sometimes it also helps to talk with people who are going through the same thing.
  • Adjust your schedule to take advantage of times when you have more energy and feel less tired.
  • Keep a diary for a week or so. Write down the times of day when you have energy and when you are tired. If there is a pattern to how your energy level changes during the day, try to plan your work, school, or other activities around that pattern.
  • Do what you can to take charge of your fatigue level. Try not to do too much when you have more energy. If you do too much, you may become overtired. And it may take several days for you to recover.
  • Improve your sleep habits.
  • Sleep problems may add to your fatigue and other symptoms.
  • Go to bed only when you are sleepy. Get up at the same time every day, whether or not you feel rested.
  • If you lie awake for longer than 15 minutes, get up, leave the bedroom, and do something quiet until you feel sleepy again.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco well before bed.
  • Get light, gentle exercise regularly.
  • Eat a balanced diet. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, legumes, poultry, fish, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.

Please keep in mind that CFS can lead to many complex medical conditions like depression and social isolation. You will also have some lifestyle restrictions because of your chronic fatigue. You might lose your career or not be able to spend as much time with family and friends as you would like. If you are employed, your doctor will be able to advise you about whether you should take time off work. Please don’t ignore symptoms

#WorldMultipleSclerosisDay 27 may 2015: Raise Awareness

Awareness Day/Month

ms 2

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be an immune-mediated disorder in which myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed due to formation of lesions, scar tissue (sclerosis) is formed and nerve impulses travelling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing a wide variety of symptoms. People from northern European countries are at a higher risk of developing MS and women are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop MS than men.

MS is a chronic disorder which affects muscular movements of the patients.The progress of MS and a person’s prognosis is not predictable at the early stages with great accuracy. Patients are advised at the early stages to try to lead a normal life, exercise frequently, and follow healthy diets. However, delay in diagnosis of any early warning symptom can lead to more complicated problems. MS is not a fatal disease. Death results from other causes, such as heart attack or pneumonia, which is not related to the MS disease process.

Possible triggering factors:

  • Environmental causes: prevalence increases with distance from Equator
  • Genetics: Siblings of an affected person have a 2%-5% risk of developing MS
  • ·      Viruses: Epstein-Barr, varicella zoster, and hepatitis vaccine may be the cause of MS but not yet proven
  • ·      Sex hormones: Estrogen and progesterone may suppress some immune activity and hence the increased incidence in females

Common symptoms of MS

  1.       Blurred vision and mental imbalance
  2.       Lack of coordination
  3.       Difficulty in walking and doing physical activities due to poor balance and muscular weakness
  4.       Numbness and tingling sensation
  5.       Poor bladder control

 

How to manage MS?

Living life fully with MS demands some basic requirements that can help manage your symptoms

  • Healthy diet
  • Regular exercise
  • Stress management and other wellness strategies
  • Assistive devices for help with walking, bathing and toiletting, dressing –up, eating, sleeping, and writing
  • Memory sharpening tools: by using tools and gadgets like digital recorders, calenders, sticky-notes, diaries or record books.
  • Support in education and employment; Small changes such as having somewhere to have a rest, or flexible work hours, can make a big difference to being able to stay on at work.

 

Raise awareness for MS to make a difference

Educating people about the disease and spreading information about the available solutions and support systems can make a difference in the patient outcome. Multiple Sclerosis is incurable, but with proper medications, physical therapy  and rehabilitation  patients can have fast recovery, or relief from the symptoms.

  •  Seminars  and meetings  to educate people about the symptoms and management of MS can be taken up by physicians and social organizations.
  •  Social media and online forums, can allow space for people to share their personal experiences with MS-affected individuals in their family or acquaintances.
  •  Awareness messages via emails, cards, or  even a news, can create awareness in a group of people.
  • MS awareness days or weeks can play an important role in raising awareness among common people about how to support the patients.
  • Involvement of celebrities for raising awareness and funds for the cause of MS can play a significant role.

This blog from the desk of Turacoz Healthcare Solutions is anendeavour to spread the word for incurabe but controllable Multiple Sclerosis.

Reach out to us for developing patient education material, and building scientific evidence in the form of manuscripts, review articles, and slide deck preparation to train field force/doctors at [email protected].