[www.keralites.net] What causes leg cramps

 

 

 What Causes Leg Cramps and How Can You Stop Them?

Leg cramps - also know as night cramps or Charley Horse - are painful spasms that typically occur in the calf muscles. Leg cramps tend to jolt a person awake in the middle of the night, but can also strike in the daytime during physical activities such as running and cycling. Fitness can put strain on your leg muscles. Some leg muscle cramps - which can last anywhere from a few seconds to up to 10 minutes - may also be the result of a sedentary lifestyle.

What Causes Muscle Cramps in the Calves?

"Leg cramps can be caused by many conditions, ranging simply from dehydration to something much more serious such as kidney disease," said physical therapist Matthew Hyland, president of the New York Physical Therapy Association and co-owner of Rye Physical Therapy Rehabilitation. "Cramps often result from vigorous exercise, trauma to the muscle, or keeping the leg in an awkward position for too long, such as sitting in a crowded theater. Other causes can include medications such as birth control, diuretics (which are often prescribed for people with high blood pressure) and steroids. A lack of potassium or calcium can also be the underlying cause, as well as cold weather."

Acute leg cramps frequently are confused with restless legs syndrome (RLS). But RLS is a different and more serious, chronic condition characterized by discomfort and persistent throbbing and pulling sensations in the legs.

How to Prevent Leg Cramps

There are a number ways you can alleviate nighttime leg cramps. "Once leg cramps set in, the best method to relieve them is movement, either walking around or simply jiggling or shaking your leg," advised Hyland. "In addition, things like pumping your ankles up and down or rubbing the muscles can help as well."

Some people with chronic leg cramps have found relief using cool compresses, which work by numbing pain and reducing soreness. But Hyland said anyone who regularly suffers leg cramps should also work to strengthen their muscles, which will make cramps less frequent.

"Our musculoskeletal system hits its peak at the age of 20, and while it maintains its peak for an additional 20 years, the reality is that it begins to break down at age 40," he said. "This includes muscles becoming less flexible. Once we pass into the fourth decade of life, it is critical we play an active role in stretching and strengthening our bodies to maintain appropriate, maximal health." He added that it may be best to consult a physician if leg cramps last for 5 to 10 minutes or occur multiple times a week.

What to Take for Muscle Cramps

Analgesic balm or a patch, both sold over-the-counter at pharmacies, can provide further relief. OTC pain relief medications that are formulated to treat menstrual cramps, such a Pamprin and Midol, can be an effective treatment for bad leg cramps.

You may also be able to prevent or alleviate muscle cramps in your legs by making simple lifestyle changes. Drinking plenty of water is essential, since cramps are often caused by dehydration. A healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can also help to decrease the frequency of leg cramps.

Vitamins and Minerals: Potassium and Magnesium for Muscle Cramps

Additionally, certain vitamins and minerals impact muscle function, particularly potassium and magnesium. A significant body of research has found that increasing your magnesium intake can help with the frequency of night time leg cramps, especially for pregnant women. Health experts recommend getting at least 300 milligrams of magnesium each day. A supplement can help you reach your daily allowance, but so can eating foods rich in magnesium, such as nuts, lentils, and quinoa.

Plan ahead for self-care if your leg cramps appear to be the result of strenuous exercise. Drink plenty of fluids and eat a well-balanced meal before heading out for a long run. Many athletes suggest eating a potassium-rich banana once you reach the finish line.

 

 

 
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[www.keralites.net] DOCTORS SPEAK OUT

 

Doctors with conscience speak out- OMG !!!

Please click on the link given below for the full message from TOI.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/articlesh…/46329061.cms

Doctors with conscience speak out

Rema Nagarajan,TNN | Feb 22, 2015, 06.24 AM IST

NEW DELHI: In order to benefit the hospital and meet its commercial needs, one has to do things like keeping patients in the hospital longer than necessary, and doing unnecessary investigations and procedures (including angioplasty) since there was pressure from the management of the hospital.
My conscience began pricking and I left the hospital- Dr Gautam Mistry, Kolkata, cardiologist who left a corporate hospital after seven years.

A reference for angioplasty can earn a doctor Rs 30,000-40,000 - Dr Rajendra Malose, general practitioner, Nashik

Recently, a young doctor who joined our department told me, "Sir, every month there is a meeting with the CEO. He asks me questions because instead of having a 40% conversion rate for OPD-operative as per the target, my conversion rate is just 10-15%. (Conversion rate means out of all patients seen by the doctor, how many are advised to undergo surgery or procedures. Rational doctors try to keep this rate low, but profit-driven hospitals try to maximise number of surgeries and procedures, even if they are unnecessary). He tells me that such low conversion rate will not do, and that unless I increase it, I will have to leave the hospital." This young doctor will certainly surrender one day. To survive professionally, he will start doing 20-25% of additional procedures that are not required by medical logic. What choice does he have?"... And each corporate hospital has such targets! There is no getting out of it. - Super specialist from a metro

Pharma companies are giving foreign tours and junkets to doctors. It happens under the pretext of medical study. Unfortunately, some doctors eagerly wait for the pharma company invitation for foreign tours- Dr HV Sardesai, physician Pune.

Corporate hospitals only want doctors who can help them earn more money. As a result doctors who practise ethically cannot last there. I know of a hospital where if a patient is charged Rs 1.5 lakh, the doctor gets a mere Rs 15,000. 90% of the income goes to the corporate coffers. Corporate hospitals can advertise while individual doctors are not allowed- Dr Sanjay Gupte, gynaecologist, Pune, ex-national president of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI)

These are just a few of the shocking revelations by 78 doctors from small towns to every one of the megacities who are critical of the growing commercialisation of medical care. The doctors range from general practitioners to super specialists in corporate hospitals. These interviews that expose the corruption in private healthcare have been put together by SATHI (Support for Advocacy and Training to Health Initiatives), an NGO, to highlight the lack of regulation of the sector.

A report based on these interviews titled, "Voices of Conscience from the Medical Profession: Revealing testimonies by rational doctors about the reality of private medical practice in India" has been put together by Dr Arun Gadre, a doctor and writer with 20 years' experience of working as a gynaecologist in rural Maharashtra, and Abhay Shukla, convenor of SATHI.

The report will be released at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on February 26, in a function to be attended by AIIMS director Dr MC Mishra, senior gastrointestinal surgeon Dr Samiran Nundy of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and several of the doctors from across the country who have spoken out in the report.

The report is an English translation of the recently published Marathi report 'Kaifiyat - pramanik doctoranchi', which is being widely read in Maharashtra and is already into its second edition. An enlarged version of this report is soon to be published as a book.

"These 'whistleblower' doctors have exposed, perhaps for the first time on such a scale and in so many dimensions, the realities of the private medical sector today such as frequent irrational procedures and surgeries, the distorting influence of corporate and multi-specialty hospitals on ethics of the medical profession, and the growing grip of pharmaceutical companies on private medical practice. With testimonies by rational doctors from across India, this report can be an eye-opener for ordinary citizens as well as doctors, and could strengthen social support for much-needed moves to effectively regulate the private medical sector in India," explained Shukla.

According to him, the government is trying to dilute the Clinical Establishments Bill on the grounds that outdated laws have to be changed. "The bill has not even become law and no proper implementation of any law to regulate the private medical sector has been undertaken and even before that you are saying it is outdated. There is a strong lobby of the corporate health sector and the Indian Medical Association, the biggest lobby of doctors in India, that are trying to completely eliminate any kind of regulation. It is total jungle raj now. This is the larger policy environment in which we are releasing the report," said Shukla.
Public health activists have stressed the need to urgently step up regulation of the private health sector rather than dilute whatever little regulation exists. "Doctors have their lobbying groups like the IMA, which will speak of their interests. Society needs to speak up and lobby for the interests of the patients," said Shukla.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/articlesh…/46329061.cms
Consulting your family doctor is the best way to get remedy than going to corporate hospitals.-

 
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[www.keralites.net] The 13 Main Causes of Memory Loss

 

The 13 Main Causes of Memory Loss

You walk into the kitchen only to realize you have no idea why you're there, forget the name of someone you just met, start driving only to realize you forgot how to get to where it is that you're going. Such lapses are usually attributed to an overload of information, but from time to time, other things hinder your ability to remember. Here are the 13 most common causes of memory lapses.

1. Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Similarly to iron, B12 aids in the creation of red blood cells, reduces lethargy and the risk of anemia, and improves vital memory processes. A recent study found that Vitamin B12 deficiency may result in erratic memory.

The research found that B12 works as a protective layer for myelin – the substance that coats our nerves. When there isn't enough B12 in your system, the layer is not thick enough and gets damaged. These damages slow down nerve impulses, which can also lead to memory lapses.

B12 deficiency can be caused by old age – the older we get, our stomach secretes less acid, making it harder for our bodies to absorb nutrients from food. Another cause can be unhealthy diet choices, Anemia, and Crohn's disease. B12 is most common in fish, meat, and dairy, so consult your doctor about the best source of B12 for you.

2. High Blood Pressure

If you're under 45 and tend to be "forgetful", you may want to test your blood pressure. In a research conducted at the University of Alabama, it was found that people who have higher blood pressure tend to suffer from memetic lapses, as well as cognitive skills, when compared to people with normal blood pressure.

High blood pressure damages the inner walls of the arteries, causing them to tear and form scar tissue, which hardens the arteries. Harder arteries allow less blood to travel through them, reducing the amounts needed for the brain to function properly, and may lead to memory problems.

The good news is that a healthy diet, physical exercise, and weight-loss can help reduce the risk of such arterial hardening.

3. Hypothyroidism

If you're tired, gaining weight, feeling depressed and your memory is on the fritz, you may be suffering from hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism often occurs slowly and gradually, lowering the levels of the hormone thyroxine (T4), which has a critical role in our body's energy production. Low T4 causes a slower metabolism and slower cognitive functions, causing lapses in memory.

Common causes of hypothyroidism can be autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's, where the body attacks itself. Alternatively, viral infections and even abuse of antibiotics may also induce hypothyroidism.

4. Menopause

A common theory makes the connection between forgetfulness and menopause with women was recently corroborated. A research conducted by the University of California confirms that as estrogen levels dwindle, memory lapses tend to occur. Estrogen protects neurotransmitters, and without it, they become less efficient. Such cases can be treated with HRT.

5. Migraines

If you suffer from migraines, you may be at risk of suffering from Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) in your 50's. TGA is a state where a person cannot recall events from the previous day, cannot remember where they are or how they got there while still remembering who they are and whom other people are.

It is customary to see this type of amnesia as a result of a genetic flaw, leading to a spread of nerve impulses in the brain. TGA can temporarily paralyze the memory, and just like migraines, can be triggered by sudden immersion in hot or cold water, extreme emotional distress, or even sexual intercourse. Luckily, TGA is not very common, rarely occurs more than once in a lifetime and is reversible.

6. Long Flights

Long flights can leave us exhausted and weary. These symptoms are usually caused by inconsistent sleep patterns, as well as jet lag.

A University of California research discovered that the feeling of drowsiness, memory lapses and the difficulty in processing information can extend for quite some time after the flight, and even after the feelings of jet lag have passed. When we sleep, our hippocampus processes our memories, so not enough sleep can cause memory lapses.

7. Pregnancy

Pregnant women are often stigmatized as having bad memory, but in a recent research conducted in Australia, researchers compared the performance of pregnant vs. non-pregnant women. The results were conclusive - pregnant women underperformed in memory-related tasks when compared to their non-pregnant counterparts. Researchers hypothesized that the reasons are the changes in lifestyle and diet.

8. Chemotherapy

Another unpleasant side effect of chemotherapy is memory loss, often referred to as chemo brainby patients.

The chemotherapy can affect the way brain cells function, as shown in a Stanford University research that showed how women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer also suffered memory lapses when compared with those who did not engage in chemotherapy.

This is usually a reversible situation, and memory functions return to normal once chemo is concluded, but in some cases the improvement takes years. Taking aspirin, which increases the blood flow to the brain, can be a good way to prevent or treat "chemo brain", but you should first consult with your oncologist.

9. Anesthesia

When undergoing major operations, anesthesia is often the only way a patient can go through the procedure without suffering major trauma. The downside is possible memory loss and reduced cognitive functions in the days following the operation. The University of Florida found that about 40% of patients who were over 60, suffered from memory loss after an operation, and 12.7% suffered serious cognitive problems in the following 3 months.

10. Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a type of "short circuit" in the brain, causing seizures, and which affects over 50 million people worldwide. During an episode, electrical impulses in the brain get redirected, leading to problems such as temporary loss of motor skills, loss of cognitive functions and, memory loss.

11. Arthritis and Asthma Medication

Corticosteroids are steroids the body produces, and can be taken as treatment of asthma and arthritis. Intake of high doses for a duration of six months or more may lead to memory problems.

Despite being a rare occurrence, corticosteroids can actually kill brain cells and cause cerebral atrophy in the hippocampus, in particular. Changing the dosage can help, but your physician should be consulted with in regards to other possible side effects.

12. Depression

Depression is associated with low levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin or norepinephrine. These chemicals can affect memory-related processes in the brain. Antidepressants and/or psychological treatment can help with the memory problems.

13. Excessive Alcohol Consumption

The more alcohol you consume, the less short-term memory can you brain store. Alcohol affects the hippocampus, reducing its functions, including the formation of new memories, which is why we sometimes forget what we did after we drink.

Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to Korsakoff's syndrome, where the ability to form short-term memories is lost, making it difficult to recall recent information.

A slow, controlled rehabilitation can stop the process of memory loss for at least 25% of patients.

 

 
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