Sunday, April 27, 2008

Liver Damage Signs

Hepatitis C is one of the most common types of hepatitis. It is also the most serious of all hepatitis types. This type of hepatitis alone can lead to cancer and even liver failure. The worst part of hepatitis C is that is shows no symptoms in almost all patients.

There are cases of hepatitis C where symptoms are present. However, these hepatitis cases are very rare and the signs of hepatitis C are mild and nonspecific. Some of the signs of hepatitis C that one might have are: nausea, fatigue, loss of their appetite and pain in the abdomen. As you see, these symptoms are very common and may very well be mistaken for signs of another medical problem, besides hepatitis C. Furthermore, when a hepatitis patient goes for a check- up at the doctor, in most of the cases the pysichal examination will not show any abnormalities that could indicate hepatitis. You might have a slight enlargement of your liver and feel pain in that area of the body, but these are not clear signs of hepatitis C. Because of this, many people will then suffer from chronic hepatitis. This form of hepatitis C, if not found, can also have serious complications. One common complication in people that have hepatitis C is cryoglobulinemia. Other complication of hepatitis C patients may be glomerulonephritis, but this is a less common hepatitis C complication.

The first test that one person who is a hepatitis C suspect should take is the anti- hepatitis C virus test. This hepatitis test can be detected by immunoassay enzymes. This was the initial generation of the anti- hepatitis C virus test, Today they have developed a third such hepatitis test, which is a lot more sensitive. However, there is the need of additional tests, after this anti- hepatitis C virus test, for confirmation. The next step and the best so far in actually diagnosing hepatitis C is the hepatitis C virus RNA. This test to detect hepatitis uses either a chain reaction with the help of polymerase or transcription- mediated amplification. What this hepatitis test actually does is detect the hepatitis C virus and also indicates if there is an active infection in your body, related to hepatitis. This test to detect hepatitis is also very helpful because there are many people whose initial test, anti- hepatitis C virus test does not give proper results. Usually these hepatitis patients have an immune system which is compromised.

If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c transmission or even about hepatitis c symptoms you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com

Author: Groshan Fabiola

Read More..

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Canine Viral Hepatitis - Diagnosis Of Dog Diseases

In the world of canines, many diseases and infections exist everywhere, even in the most sophisticated homes and yards. Diagnosing a dog disease comes from seeing the symptoms your dog may show and then having the necessary tests done to find the exact cause of the disease. The top canine diseases are canine viral hepatitis, bloating, aortic steonosis, distemper and the parvovirus. With proper health care and diet, dogs can live a healthy life as your faithful companion for many years.

Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Canine Viral Hepatitis

This viral disease affects younger dogs and puppies. Affecting the liver and inner lining of the blood vessels, this disease is transmitted from dog to dog by way of a discharge from the infected dog. Some symptoms of the disease stomach bleeding, increased thirst, lack of appetite, vomiting and a tender stomach when touched. Dogs do show discomfort when experiencing canine viral hepatitis.

Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Bloating

A life threatening and serious problem in dogs, also called gastric dilation volvulus, comes from over eating as well as other health problems. Some breeds are prone to this because of their breed, but others just plain over eat. The symptoms of bloating are a restless dog and a fat looking stomach that happens quickly. Dry heaves follow such a condition and proper diagnosis is required by tests. Sometimes taking food away for twenty-four hours will help reduce the bloating problem in your dog.

Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Canine Distemper

Canine distemper is a viral infection that affects the immune system and can lead to serious complications if not death. This disease is contracted from contact with the excretions of an infected dog. Airborne particles can also contribute to infecting other dogs. Dogs rarely survive, but when they do, they suffer from muscle spasms and convulsions. The symptoms of a fever over 104 degrees, depression, pus in the eyes, convulsions, diarrhea and vomiting, if you see these signs, you need to contact your vet immediately. Proper vaccination of your dog prevents this viral disease from taking the life or livelihood of your companion.

Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Aortic Steonosis

Aortic steonosis is an obstruction of the blood vessel that carries blood from the left ventricle and is an inherited health problem. No symptoms are visible for mild cases, but severe cases prevent the dog from any type of exercise. Dogs tend to faint when performing any kind of exercise due to the severity of the blockage. If your dog shows symptoms of fainting, tests will determine the exact cause and the vet will describe treatment objectives.

Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Canine Parvovirus

Puppies under six months of age succumb to this particular disease. The intestinal tract, lymphoid tissue, immune system and the bone marrow are affected. Symptoms may be vomiting, convulsion weight loss and dehydration with coughing. For some puppies, death is immediate. Puppies need proper medical attention and proper vaccinations to prevent such an untimely demise.

Author: David Faulkner

Read More..

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Increasing Evidence Suggests Liver Support May be Effective in Compromising the Effects of Hepatitis-engendered Cirrhosis

The Hepatitis-Cirrhosis Connection

According to the American Liver Foundation, more than 25 million Americans are afflicted with liver and gallbladder disease and more than 43,000 die of liver disease each year. While several factors contribute to liver damage, viral hepatitis is the single most important cause of liver disease in the United States and worldwide. Roughly 200 million people worldwide are infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). 4.9 million of those are in the United States (estimates go as high as 15 million) and 5 million in Western Europe. For every one person infected with the AIDS virus, there are more than four infected with Hepatitis C. There are up to 230,000 new hepatitis C infections in the U.S. every year. Currently, 8,000 to 10,000 deaths each year are a result of HCV. Within the next 10-20 years, chronic hepatitis C is predicted to become a major burden on the health care system as patients with no symptoms progress to end-stage liver disease and develop hepatocellular carcinoma. Predictions in the USA suggest that there will be a 60% increase in the incidence of cirrhosis, a 68% increase in hepatoma incidence, a 528% increase in the need for transplantation, and a 223% increase in liver death rate.

The roles of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in causing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are well documented. The frequency of HCC correlates with chronic HBV infection rates. HCC is a cancer arising from the liver. It is also known as primary liver cancer or hepatoma. HCC is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the majority of patients with HCC will die within one year because of the cancer. The majority of primary liver cancers (over 90 to 95 %) arises from liver cells and is called hepatocellular cancer or carcinoma. In 1990, the World Health Organization estimated that there were about 430,000 new cases of HCC worldwide, and a similar number of patients died resulting from this disease. Moreover, recent data show that the frequency of HCC in the U.S. overall is rising. Is there a way to curb this rise?

A Healthy Liver is Essential!

While there is no cure for hepatitis and no completely effective treatment, the threats resulting from HCC, cirrhosis, and various hepatitis strands may best be combated by supporting the liver with natural supplements.

Extreme Health's Liver Support Formula

This extremely effective combination of ingredients has Double Blind Studies verifying decreases in degenerative liver damage in patients with chronic liver disease (cirrhosis of the liver) in as few as 30 to 90 days. This combination has proven studies for detoxifying the liver, normalizing liver metabolism and preventing further liver damage due to internal and external toxins like alcohol, cigarettes, long term pharmaceutical use, and environmental poisons

The artichoke bud / sarsaparilla extract utilized in Extreme Health's Liver Support Formula is an entirely unique complex of phytochemicals extracted from the bud of a hybrid artichoke plant (Cynara floridanum) and the root of the sarsaparilla plant (Smilax officinalis) which can be found at www.extremehealthusa.com or by calling 1-800-800-1285. Proprietary extraction process uses a method in which all plant materials are first combined, macerated, and put into a distilled water / ethanol solvent. This allows the plant materials to interact within the solvent resulting in an exceptional, health-providing formulation of polyphenols and flavonoids.

The artichoke has a long folk history in treating many liver diseases. Recent evidence supports this longtime use. The active ingredient in artichoke is cynarin. This compound is found in highest concentrations in the leaves. Cynara extract has demonstrated liver-protecting and regenerating effects, and promotes the outflow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder. This is very important because if the bile is not being transported adequately to the gallbladder, the liver has an increased risk of being damaged.

Again, there is no cure or completely effective treatment for hepatitis, however the risk of hepatitis-related cirrhosis should not be ignored. Extreme Health is proud to offer perhaps the only liver support protocol with Double Blind Studies verifying its ability to decrease cirrhosis-related liver damage.

The Liver’s Functions Include

An expanding corpus of scientific studies verifies the healthy liver's prophylactic role in maintaining optimal health. This is precisely due to the liver's role in regulation, synthesis, and secretion of substances key to maintaining a healthy body. The liver's functions include, but are not limited to the following:

1) Converts nutrients into energy
2) Helps resist infection
3) Metabolizes proteins
4) Helps regulate blood-sugar levels
5) Filtering and removing toxins ts
6) Removing drugs in our system 12) Manufacturing new body proteins
7) Manufacturing and storage of bile
8) Removing bacteria from our system
9) Regulating fat storage
10) Manufacturing protein and nutrients
11) Storing iron and essential nutrien

We easily comprehend why the liver is considered the body's refinery. Accordingly, an overburdened, toxic, or otherwise diseased liver necessarily comprises centrifugal detoxification organs such as the kidneys and gallbladder and can result in extreme pain and even death within 12 to 24 hours! Reciprocally, various diseases and viruses actually engender liver damage; the most dangerous of which is potentially hepatitis.

Complications

- 25,000 Americans die of cirrhosis, the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.
- 85% of individuals infected with HCV will develop long-term infection.
- 75% of individuals may develop chronic liver disease.
- 15% of individuals may develop cirrhosis over a long period of time.

Fatty Liver (Steatosis) Steato Hepatitis / Cirrhosis

Fatty liver or steatosis is a common condition where fat has accumulated within liver cells (hepatocytes) without causing any specific symptoms.
Recent studies demonstrate that a fatty liver of either alcoholic or non-alcoholic origin can lead to inflammation, cell death, and fibrosis (steatohepatitis), and eventually even cirrhosis.

To receive a complete copy of the double blind studies, please visit ExtremeHealthUSA.Com , or call to order 1-800-800-1285

Author: Michele Payne-Salomon

Read More..

Friday, April 18, 2008

Hepatitis B is Transmittable to Foetus

It is known that Hepatitis B is transmittable from mother to baby during pregnancy. In India the prevalence of HBV is 4% and the most frequent form of virus transmission is from mother to child, during pregnancy, and in early childhood.

The HBV infection is possible to occur during pregnancy on a healthy person and infect the foetus too, or it could have existed long before the mother got pregnant.

A North Indian study showed that HBV has no predilection for pregnant women. Of the pregnant and non-pregnant women that were involved in this study, 19% of the pregnant women were infected, and 18 % of the non-pregnant women were infected too. Also, the disease was not affecting pregnant women in a different way than affecting non-pregnant ones.

Some of the symptoms that come along with the prodromal stage of hepatitis can be mistaken with those for pregnancy: nausea, vomiting. Also fatigue, headaches, muscle ache, and low grade fewer can be mistaken with flu. In 2 to 10 days of the prodrome jaundice appears and the patient could accuse pain in the right side of the body, just beneath the rib cage. The doctor could sense hepatomegaly (meaning that the liver has swollen), and sometimes splenomegaly. In approximately 6 weeks these symptoms will disappear, and if not treated, in 6 months, chronic hepatitis could install.

Sometimes the installation of the disease could cause premature labour (in 31.6% of the infected patients), and post partum hemorrhages.

In diagnosing acute hepatitis B doctors use viral markers like: HBsAg and IgM Anti-HBc.

The treatment of HBV in a pregnant woman is similar to the one used for a non-pregnant woman: bed rest, vitamins, and high calorie diet. The vaccine is not recommended in pregnant women.

The chronic hepatitis does not manifest in its early stages but only when it affects most of the liver. The chronic hepatitis is diagnosed most frequently when the patient feels ill and asks the doctor for some tests, or when a woman gets pregnant and the obstetrician recommends her some usual blood tests. If the level of serum transaminases is high, this means chronic hepatitis is present. Sometimes the doctor can palpate the spleen and liver but if the pregnancy is in the last months that can not be done. Also, the palmar erythema could suggest hepatitis but this sign is found in pregnancy too.

Pregnant women with chronic hepatitis usually have a normal pregnancy, and complications appear only if cirrhosis develops. Cirrhosis leads to portal hypertension and esophageal variceal hemorrhage, which could lead to maternal mortality.

Treating chronic hepatitis B is made in similar ways with treating non-pregnant women. Interferon alpha is no used because it can lead to foetus malformations. Lamivudine is considered to be safe for pregnant women and foetus and it is administered daily in an oral dose of 100 mg.

If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c treatment or even about causes of hepatitis c you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com

Author: Groshan Fabiola

Read More..

Thursday, April 17, 2008

What is Hepatitis B....?

What is Hepatitis B....?
Hepatitis B is a virus that causes liver disease. It is possible for carriers of the virus, showing no symptoms to still infect others.

How does one contract Hepatitis B....?
Hepatitis B is transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner.

A pregnant woman can also pass the infection to her newborn during delivery, or while breast feeding her child. Sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person can also lead to infection.

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis B....?
Many people with Hepatitis B will not have any symptoms.
Others may have flu-like symptoms and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

Darkly colored urine, and very light stools are often present but not unique to this infection.

What treatments are there for Hepatitis B....?
There is no specific treatment for Hepatitis B but there is a vaccine against the virus available at Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics. Most people with Hepatitis B recover completely after rest, but in some cases there may be long-term liver damage.

What happens to untreated Hepatitis B....?
Hepatitis B can permanently damage your liver if left untreated, causing cirrhosis or even cancer.

What can I do to test myself for Hepatitis B....?
If you are still worried and would like more advice or information on Sexual Infections please visit discreethealthcheck.co.uk.

Author: Discreet Health Check

Read More..