news , latest news , current news, breaking news: 2016

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Artemis Health Institute uses pacemaker to treat Epilepsy

Artemis Health Institute (AHI), a multi-specialty hospital in Gurgaon, achieved a new milestone with a breakthrough treatment of an epileptic patient by implanting a pacemaker as a cure for intractable epilepsy.
Dr Alok Gupta, Head, Department of Neurosurgery, Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon, along with his team, took on the challenge of treating 33-year-old Shalini Arora, suffering from intractable epilepsy. She was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was only 18 months old and was on medication ever since. Post her 12th birthday, the frequency of Shalini’s epileptic fits increased from once or twice in a month to 2 to 3 fits every other day. Medicines did not help in controlling her fits, and as a result Shalini had to be hospitalised often. Invasive surgery as an option too was ruled out due to epileptic discharges occurring from multiple locations in the brain.
Dr Gupta, in a breakthrough intervention that lasted 10 hours, implanted a pacemaker to treat Shalini Arora’s recurring epileptic fits. In this highly specialised procedure, called ‘Deep Brain Stimulation’ (DBS), a wire, as thin as a strand of hair, is implanted with precision in the specific area of the brain called Anterior Thalamus — the region that controls discharges going to the brain and through the brain to all limbs. In this treatment, impulses to the Anterior Thalamus in the brain are supplied and controlled with an externally programmed pacemaker implanted below the left collar bone. It is a key-hole surgery and can prove to be very effective in such cases.
“Epilepsy affects the day-to-day life of a patient since they can suffer from fits any time of the day or night. The disease takes a toll on the patient and his/her family, relationships, education and career. With this new line of effective treatment, it would be possible to control this inconvenience caused to patients and give them a seizure free life,” said Dr Gupta.
Dr Devlina Chakravarty, COO & Medical Director, Artemis Health Institute said, “Since its inception in 2007, Artemis has been a pioneer in performing many cutting edge treatments and surgeries. Our 360 degree approach to patient care has helped us offer relief to our patients and their families from the burden of diseases.”

La forfora secca è quella che comunemente conosciamo, sono piccole squame di pelle secca che si trovano prevalentemente sulle tempie, nella fronte e vicino alle orecchie, si vede ad occhio nudo e generalmente la troviamo sui nostri vestiti, soprattutto nella schiena. La forfora si forma in seguito allo sviluppo troppo rapido di alcune cellule dello strato epidermico superficiale, a volte le cause sono banali come l’utilizzo di uno shampoo troppo aggressivo. E’ consigliabile utilizzare prodotti con un PH tra 4 e 6 e di usare uno shampoo con poca schiuma, nei casi più gravi si devono applicare delle creme a base cortisonica. La forfora grassa è chiamata anche pitiriasi steatoide e consiste in delle chiazze che ungono l’epidermide e bloccano le squame in eccesso che non cadono, e provocano molto prurito. Per combattere questo tipo di forfora è bene andare direttamente dal dermatologo, ma potrebbero essere molto utili anche un’alimentazione sana e bilanciata e tenere lo stress sotto controllo.

LE MALATTIE CUTANEE SI PREVE

"Dieta mediterranea è un fattore protettivo”

LE MALATTIE CUTANEE SI PREVE

Molte patologie cutanee, come ad esempio l’acne e la psoriasi, si manifestano anche a causa di malattie legate all’alimentazione, come l’ipercolesterolemia familiare e il diabete, ma è sempre a tavola che possono essere efficacemente prevenute. Ne è convinta laProf.ssa Gabriella Fabbrocini, docente di dermatologia e venereologia presso l’Università di Napoli Federico II, che oggi, a Palazzo Poli, nell’ambito della sesta edizione del convegno “Dermart”, ha tenuto un interessante intervento sul tema “Gli alimenti che guariscono le malattie cutanee”.

In tal senso sono stati ampiamente documentati i benefici della dieta mediterranea come fattore protettivo della pelle. “E’ scientificamente dimostrato – dichiara la Prof.ssa Fabbrocini - che una dieta ricca di olio extra-vergine di oliva, quindi di acidi grassi insaturi, ci consente di ridurre in maniera significativa l’invecchiamento cutaneo che, insieme al photoaging, è l’anticamera del cancro. Di conseguenza, se curiamo bene questo aspetto, possiamo ridurre anche la possibilità di contrarre il melanoma”.

La carcinogenesi viene inibita altresì dai polifenoli e dagli acidi grassi n-3, in particolare gli acidi grassi polinsaturi a catena lunga presenti nel pesce, mentre altri effetti benefici derivano anche dagli agrumi, principali fonti di b-criptoxantina, e dalle carote, ricche di b-carotene, ma anche dalle verdure di colore verde scuro e dal tè verde, che hanno proprietà anti-tumorali e di foto-protezione, inibendo la proliferazione cellulare e riducendo l’eritema indotto dalle radiazioni ultraviolette. Il licopene contenuto nei pomodori, infine, contribuisce al mantenimento dell’omeostasi cutanea.

Prima ancora che per prevenire il tumore della pelle, tuttavia, un’alimentazione corretta è sicuramente un deterrente anche per l’acne. Centrale in tal senso è il ruolo della Mtorc, una protein-chinasi che media le conseguenze di una dieta ipercalorica regolando gli effetti dell’insulina, ovvero l’ormone che fa bruciare i grassi, e di alcune proteine, tra cui quelle ricche in leucina (sostanza presente, ad esempio, nel latte), che agirebbe favorendo l’ipersecrezione di sebo e, quindi, l’acne. “Per questo motivo – spiega la Prof.ssa Fabbrocini – è assolutamente auspicabile una dieta povera di grassi saturi e di zuccheri, quindi con poca carne e senza piatti iper-glicemici. Viceversa, va incrementato l’apporto degli alfa-idrossi acidi, ossia di quegli acidi organici contenuti principalmente nella frutta, come agrumi, mele, uva, ma anche nella soia, negli spinaci e nella birra, che comportano innumerevoli benefici per la pelle e che per questo vengono utilizzati, sotto forma sia di creme che di integratori, per la cura del photoaging, delle allergie cutanee e dell’acne”.

Non manca, infine, una serie di accorgimenti per tenere lontana la psoriasi. “Studi condotti sull’interazione tra alimentazione e psoriasi – afferma la dermatologa – consigliano di limitare il consumo di carne, nello specifico quella di maiale o rossa, evitare gli insaccati, eliminare il consumo dei fritti e delle spezie piccanti, ridurre il consumo di sale e tenere sotto controllo invece quello dei formaggi stagionati, del latte e delle uova”. Via libera, invece, a frutta e verdura, ma con delle eccezioni.“No a melanzane, peperoni, pomodori crudi e verdure ricche di amidi come le patate. Assolutamente consigliati, invece, carote, barbabietole, cetrioli, radicchio, cicorie e bietole, ma anche alimenti ricchi in fibre, come pane, riso e pasta integrale. Tra la frutta sono da evitare le mele crude, che potrebbero essere persino un alimento scatenante, insieme a grano, crostacei, carne, uova e caffè. Viceversa, spiccano le proprietà benefiche dello yogurt, ricco di batteri probiotici

Multiple options for treatment and management of epilepsy

Multiple options for treatment and management of epilepsy

Treatment and management of epilepsy may involve medication, special dietary therapy and surgery. In children who have a benign form of epilepsy, treatment may be started if the seizures are frequent. Treatment for a few years can help control the seizures, giving the child time to outgrow the disease while avoiding the side effects of the seizures – cognitive and behavioural impairment. In the more severe cases, despite treatment, the seizures can continue or even worsen as the child gets older.

At KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group, a number of doctors take a holistic view to the treatment of epilepsy. “While anti-seizure medicine is the first line of treatment, management is tailored to each individual case,” adds Dr Derrick Chan, Head and Senior Consultant, Paediatric Neurology Service, KKH.
Anti-seizure medicine

Half of patients will respond to the first medicine prescribed and a further 20 per cent will respond to the second medicine. However, about one-third of patients won’t respond to any drug. “We then have to consider other options such as surgery which may be better than trying multiple medicines.”
Epilepsy surgery

Epilepsy patients for whom epilepsy surgery may be an option have to undergo a thorough evaluation to determine if there is any structural cause for their seizures. “In these cases, surgery can be curative. We have some patients who are seizure-free and off medication after surgery,” says Dr Chan.
The ketogenic diet

Another treatment method is the ketogenic diet, a high-fat, moderate-protein and low-carbohydrate diet that forces the body to burn fat for fuel. This diet has been found to be effective in treating epilepsy in some patients.

“We’ve treated patients who can’t be helped by surgery but the ketogenic diet worked for them and brought the disease under control,” says Dr Chan. “We usually use this diet for children in whom medicines haven’t worked, and who typically aren’t candidates for surgery.”

KKH has a multidisciplinary ketogenic diet clinic where children are evaluated for their suitability for this type of treatment and managed. Patients are given the diet for 3-6 months and if they respond to it, the diet is continued for a few years under close monitoring. Patients can eventually be slowly weaned off the diet.

“The ketogenic diet is strict and can be difficult to follow. It requires a lot of discipline with portions weighed carefully. This diet is also not healthy so we have to monitor the child closely for constipation, cholesterol levels and kidney stones,” says Dr Chan.
Facts about childhood epilepsy
At KKH, about 150 new patients are diagnosed with afebrile seizures and epilepsy every year.
Around 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The proportion of the general population with active epilepsy requiring treatment is estimated to be between 4 to 10 per 1,000 people (WHO).

Epilepsy Action Plan

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital has prepared an Epilepsy Action Plan to guide parents and caregivers in providing safe and effective care for children with epilepsy. This handy instructional guide features pictures to illustrate the appropriate positioning of the child and the administration of medication during a seizure. It also uses colour-coding to represent the three levels of severity of the child’s seizures – green is for short seizures, yellow for prolonged or a cluster of seizures, and red for more severe seizures – and the action and medication required in each case.

At KKH, caregivers of children who are at risk of repeat epilepsy seizures now receive the Epilepsy Action Plan, which is customised with the type, dosage and frequency of medication for short and prolonged seizures. The plan is complemented by epilepsy counselling by pharmacists to educate caregivers on the medication and dosage instructions.

http://www.diseasesforall.info/wp-admin/post.php?post=2898&action=edit

news , latest news , current news, breaking news: Zonegran (Zonisamide) for the Treatment

news , latest news , current news, breaking news: Zonegran (Zonisamide) for the Treatment: Zonegran (Zonisamide) for the Treatment Zonegran (Zonisamide) is an anti-epileptic drug indicated for the treatment of partial seizure...

TREATMENT OF SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY

WHAT IS EPILEPSY?

Epilepsy is a chronic condition produced by temporary changes in the electrical function of the brain, causing seizures which affect awareness, movement, or sensation. Before a seizure some may get a feeling of unease called an aura. With medication, most patients with epilepsy who are otherwise healthy are able to live full and productive lives. However, some patients’ lives are devastated by frequent, uncontrollable seizures or associated disabilities. Not everyone who has a seizure has epilepsy. Epilepsy is a long-term, ongoing chronic disorder that causes repeated seizures if it is not treated. It may contribute to, or even cause, brain injury but may also develop after a brain injury.

There are two major types of seizures. The first type, a general seizure, begins on both sides of the brain. Full convulsions or brief staring episodes are often the result. The second type, known as a partial seizure, originates in one region of the brain. In a simple partial seizure, the seizure related brain messages remain localized so that one experiences a feeling, sensation, movement, or other symptom without any change in the level of awareness. Some may suddenly become confused, fumble, wander or repeat inappropriate words or phrase

TREATMENT OF SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY

An electroencephalogram, or EEG, records the electric currents in the brain through electrodes applied to the scalp and can help to confirm the diagnosis of seizures or epilepsy. There is no cure but anticonvulsant medications are the most common treatment. The dosage of the medication is adjusted so that the least possible amount of medication will be used to be effective. A medication must be taken when specified to maintain a constant level in the blood. A regular blood test is usually done to measure the amount of drug in the blood stream. Too much may have side effects such as dizziness or an upset stomach. Too low and there may be a risk of seizures. Parents should keep track of the frequency of their child's seizures and notify the doctor or nurse of medication side effects in case the medication needs adjusting.

Interactions may occur between an anticonvulsant and other medications. It is important to tell any doctor prescribing medication that your child is also taking anticonvulsants. Surgery, which is another treatment option, is generally not performed unless drug treatment has failed. For some, other treatments may include a ketogenic diet (high in fats and oils, low in carbohydrates) and biofeedback.

WHAT TO DO DURING A SEIZURE

For a tonic-clonic seizure (grand mal, convulsion) you should get the child into a lying position and then onto one side. Place something soft under the head. Loosen tight clothing. Do not restrain the arms or legs. Do not put anything into the mouth. The seizure itself should only last a few minutes. Afterwards the child may be very sleepy and confused and should be talked to in a calm and quiet manner. A trip to the hospital is usually not necessary unless there has been an injury, the seizure itself lasts for more than ten minutes, or if one seizure goes into another without recovery.

If a person has a partial seizure, stay with them, talk calmly, and protect them from self-injury. Do not restrain them. They may be able to respond to simple commands such as “sit down”. After the seizure explain where you are and what has happened.

PUBERTY AND SEIZURES

Seizures may begin in the teenage years and some theorize this is due to hormonal changes in the body with the onset of puberty. Parents should be on the look out for this as the seizures may not be the highly noticeable convulsions but a partial seizure. Some possible symptoms include:

• Behavioral issues such as aggression, self-injury, and emotional outbursts
• Regression or lack of advance in school performance

• Regression or lack of advance in cognition.

If seizures are suspected, an EEG can be used to confirm or rule out seizures.

LIVING WITH EPILEPSY AND AUTISM

Having to cope with epilepsy as well as other problems arising from an Autism Spectrum Disorder is not easy. But there are steps parents can take to minimize the effects of epilepsy:
• Ensure medication is taken on time
• Make sure your child avoids alcohol, coffee and other stimulants as they get older
• Take steps to ensure your child sleeps well
• Minimize conditions that trigger seizures such as stress
• Make sure your child wears a Medic-Alert bracelet
• Get medical advice before a teenage child starts driving.

Inform your family, school teachers and friends openly about epilepsy. They will feel more comfortable around your child and be able to assist if your child has a seizure.

Zonegran (Zonisamide) for the Treatment

Zonegran (Zonisamide) is an anti-epileptic drug indicated for the treatment of partial seizures in adults with epilepsy with or without secondary generalisation.

Eisai received approval from Swissmedic for Zonegran, for treating partial seizures in adults with newly diagnosed epilepsy, in July 2013.The drug was originally discovered and developed by Dainippon Pharmaceutical (now Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma). Eisai has obtained co-development and marketing rights for Zonegran in Europe.

Zonegran was initially approved in Europe as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in March 2005. The drug was also approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the same indication in March 2000.

Epilepsy - symptoms and severity

Epilepsy is a neurologic disorder of the brain that affects people of all ages. It is characterised by frequent seizures caused by abnormal activity in the brain.

It is estimated that about 70,000 people in Switzerland are living with epilepsy. The condition affects about 50 million people worldwide, and every eight in 1,000 people in Europe.

Epilepsy and its Ayurvedic cure

When we were kids, there was a mythical story that is solely contradicted to our present topic. In that story, there was a person who came in the form of human with an antique box. He handed that box to one friendly person and advised not to open till he comes. The friendly person became greedy thinking of some jewels and diamonds in it; and just after 2 days he opened the box.

What he saw was; all the maladies, afflictions, sorrow, pain and ailments came out and released throughout the world. That very person was no one; god itself. And because of a simple greed; a mishap happened that the world will be suffering from maladies till end.

- See more at: http://www.tourismandfood.com/ayurveda/epilepsy-and-its-ayurvedic-cure/#sthash.WwgQBh1N.dpuf

Friday, January 8, 2016

Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

Thy for Cerebral Palsy

erap

Cerebral palsy in children can be devastating for a family. When you have a normal pregnancy, you expect a normal delivery and healthy baby. When a birth injury happens instead, you will have questions. You will want to understand what happened and how it happened. You might be confused or upset by looking at cerebral palsy pictures on the Internet. Sometimes, it’s best to discuss the situation with someone to help determine what really happened. Your baby’s injury might have been caused by improper medical care. The nurse case managers at Sokolove Law can help start the process of getting your questions answered.

If a medical negligence caused cerebral palsy (CP) in your baby, help is available. There are many kinds of cerebral palsy therapy that can help you and your child overcome challenges. Health professionals that offer cerebral palsy therapy include:

Child development specialists who track growth and milestones.
Occupational therapists who help with activities such as school, work, sports and everyday life tasks.
Orthopedists or doctors who specialize in bone, muscles and tendons.
Massage therapists who can help lessen muscle discomfort.
Physical therapists who evaluate a person’s movement and carry out plans to improve it through cerebral palsy therapy.
Psychologists who study the mind and behavior and offer mental cerebral palsy therapy.
Special Education (SPED) teachers who work with children who have trouble learning.
Speech-language therapists who help patients with CP to swallow, pronounce words, improve speech and more.
Nurses who assess health, treat illness and work to prevent complications.
Birth injury lawyers can help families seek compensation when improper medical care causes CP.

Physical Cerebral Palsy Therapy

Following cerebral palsy therapy, exercise is one of the best ways to lessen the effects of muscle damage. Cerebral palsy physical therapy helps children with CP over months or years. Physical therapists plan exercises to help the child grow stronger. They teach parents exercises that can help build tone in floppy muscles or help to relax muscles that are too tense. They also train children and parents how to use adaptive equipment.

This adaptive equipment is also called assistive technology. Determining a child’s needs and knowing which devices might help is part of a cerebral palsy therapy plan. CP therapists work with each other to help CP patients access cerebral palsy resources. Equipment and therapy can be costly, especially over a lifetime. You may be entitled to a settlement if the birth injury was caused by improper medical care. Call a nurse case manager at Sokolove Law today and start your free consultation.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Brain Gym Gimnasia Cerebral

TALLER BRAIN GYM GYMNASIUM CEREBRAL

Impartido Por: Mtro. Jhonatan Barrios Bustos

Un taller donde se explican, se demuestran y se practican los 26 movimientos de Brain Gym® (Gimnasia Cerebral)
OBJETIVO:
Conocer los 26 movimientos originales de Brain Gym - Gimnasia Cerebral creados por el Dr. Paul Dennison y Gail E. Dennison donde nos ayudan a aprender moviéndonos. Mejorando problemas de aprendizaje. Desarrollando la integración de nuestros hemisferios cerebrales, y haciendo que nuestro aprendizaje sea integral (con todo el cerebro triuno).
TEMARIO:
Historia original de Brain Gym® - Gimnasia Cerebral y Dr. Paul Dennison y Gail E. Dennison
Explicación de los 26 movimientos de Brain Gym® - Gimnasia Cerebral
Cómo hacer las combinaciones de los ejercicios para:
Lectura
Escritura
Pensamiento
Autoconciencia
Escuela (Aprendizaje y Memoria)
Vida Cotidiana (Hogar y Trabajo)