oinka.com

Being diagnosed as having problems with the prostate gland can conjure up thoughts of those dreaded words, “prostate cancer.” Fortunately, most problems connected to this gland are not caused by cancer.

Problems with the prostate commonly affect men over the age of 50. The likelihood of contracting such problems does increase with age.

So what and where is the prostate gland? It is situated in the body below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra that carries urine from the bladder. The function of the prostate is to produce fluid that is a constituent of semen.

In a yougn man the prostate is as large as a walnut. The prostate gradually increases in size with age. This enlargement can cause problems with the urinary system. By the age of 70, about 40% or more of men have a prostate enlargement that can be detected by physical examination.

One prostate problem called benign prostate hyperplasia (BHP,) is caused by this enlargement and results in gradual pressure on the urethra. This ’squeezing’ sometimes causes difficulty in starting to urinate, increased frequency in urination especially at night and a tendency to dribble afterwards.

Diagnosis is usually carried out by a doctor performing a digital rectal examination.

BHP is not cancer and is not thought to increase the risk of getting it. Generally, sexual functioning is not interfered with.

Prostate enlargement is not in itself enough to warrant treatment. Instead, periodic examinations are usually performed to check on this condition. However, if the symptoms become more troublesome, then treatment may be required.

Should treatment become necessary, then medication may be used which reduces the male hormone testosterone in the body resulting in a shrinkage of the prostate gland. Another method is surgery where the enlarged tissue is removed.

Prostatitis, which is inflammation, is another problem that can affect the prostate gland. Acute bacterial prostatitis is an acute infection of the gland caused by bacteria. Symptoms can be chills and fever, pain in the lower back or rectum and some pain while urinating.

Another type of prostatitis is chronic bacterial prostatitis which is a recurrent infection of the prostate. This can be accompanied by painful urination and genital pain.

Nonbacterial prostatitis causes prostate inflammation, but without any signs of infection. Symptoms are urinary such as pain or difficulty with urination.

Diagnosis of prostatitis is usually by a digital rectal examination.

Both acute and chronic prostatitis is routinely treated by the use of antibiotics. Nonbacterial prostatitis can be treated with medications that will reduce the urinary symptoms.

Prostate cancer is a common form of cancer in men. Although early prostate cancer does not usually cause any symptoms, it may spread from the prostate to surrounding areas. Common symptoms of this cancer are: frequent need to urinate, blood in the urine, pain or burning sensation while urinating, lower back pain or pain in the upper thighs or pelvis, stopping and starting urination and being unable to urinate.

Diagnosis generally involves a number of stages. Firstly, a digital rectum examination followed by tests. The tests may suggest the need for a biopsy which can confirm the presence of prostate cancer.

Treatment options can be surgery, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy or radiation.

Should you experience any of the symptoms mentioned, then the action required is simple - VISIT YOUR DOCTOR.

The coming of spring brings with it a sense of renewal. Leaves and blossoms bud on once-bare trees, the sun returns from behind gray skies and the winter chill leaves the air. Suddenly your mood lifts, your energy returns and you have a new-found interest in life. Everything seems possible, as if a veil of gloom has been lifted.

What most people describe as the “winter blues” is actually clinically defined as SAD or “Seasonal Affective Disorder”. SAD is a depressive mood disorder brought on by the seasonal variations in light. As the days become shorter, darker and gloomier with the onset of winter, symptoms of depression can manifest.

The Seasonal Affective Disorder Association or SADA estimates that approximately 500,000 people suffer from SAD every winter. December, January and February appear to be the most difficult months.

The lack of sunshine and increasingly gloomy days can sometimes cause a chemical imbalance in the hypothalamus of the brain, which may trigger SAD. Some research suggests that a lack of the brain chemical serotonin can cause symptoms of depression. Other research indicates a link to the sleep-related hormone melatonin.

Although the exact chemical changes taking place in the brain during a bout with SAD are still unclear, symptoms can be serious and should not be taken lightly.

Signs and symptoms of SAD can include:

1. Feelings of depression during the fall or winter months.

2. Changes in sleep patterns — difficulty staying awake, oversleeping, or even early morning wakening or disturbed sleep.

3. Feelings of fatigue or difficulty participating in normal routines.

4. Irritability, tension and low tolerance for stress.

5. A disappearance of depressive symptoms during the spring and summer months.

6. Seasonal depressive episodes outnumber non-seasonal episodes.

7. Cravings for sweet and/or starchy foods, which can lead to weight gain.

There are ways to combat the effects of seasonal affective disorder. For severe SAD symptoms, treatment may include antidepressant medication.

But if you are inclined toward more natural remedies without the risk of possible side effects, phototherapy or bright light therapy has proven effective. So effective that, according to the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association, 85% of those diagnosed with SAD are helped by bright light therapy.

Common household lighting is not sufficiently bright to have a positive effect on SAD. Specially designed full-spectrum lighting with up to ten times the brightness of regular indoor light is recommended.

Of course, nothing beats the real thing. So during the winter, if the sun peaks out from behind gray clouds, go outdoors to catch as much of its healing light as possible. Add that to regular exercise and a healthy diet, and the winter blues may become easier to manage.

Society has contributed to loneliness with the technology of today. Television, DVD’s, computers and video games have all motivated people of all ages to stay indoors rather than enhancing their physical and social abilities. Although technology has come a long way and is beneficial in most cases, it has hindered the physical, emotional and social well-being of many individuals.

Because more and more families need two bread-winners just to be able to live comfortably many children become “latchkey children,” left to their own resources for hours every day. These children are usually told to go directly home after school until their parents return from work. This further hampers the development of social skills in children.

Education equips children for every day life in a world that we, as grown-ups, no longer understand because the technological and intellectual levels of teaching have changed. Children now need different skills, often taught in a different way from the way their parents learned, isolating the children and parents from one another through differences in their knowledge.

Loneliness can occur during any disruptions within the family such as divorce, separation, moving to another town, the loss of a close relationship and the dissatisfaction of an existing relationship. Adapting to any changes may be hardest on the children, because if there was a time in which they needed anyone, it is now. Unfortunately, the parents do not seem to have time to spend with the children as they are adjusting to the change themselves.

Society has encouraged loneliness within many individuals by the process of classifying people into groups on the basis of common attributes; this process is known as social categorization. For example, society assumes that a person who is attractive also has desirable personality characteristics. This type of bias is known as the “what is beautiful is good stereotype.” These stereotypes leave young adults with the feeling of rejection, leading to loneliness, because they do not have what it takes to be popular.

During adolescence the teenager is very self-conscious and aware of how they are perceived by others. The media elaborates on statements such as, “the thin look is in.” This leads the teenager to try and change into what they are not, only satisfying the expectations of society.

Society often assumes that the relationship between the elderly and being feeble are correlated. Many people often stereotype the elderly as being unable to take care of themselves and that they are a burden on society until they die. Some elderly people assume that this is the way in which they are expected to behave in society causing them to be depressed and lonely.

Through the years, adults just do not have time for their parents anymore and so they place them in Nursing Homes to be cared for by others. The sad thing is that many do not return to visit with their parents.