Diabetes

• What Is Diabetes?
• Diabetes Types
• Diabetes Symptoms & Warning Signs
• Diabetes Causes And Risk Factors
• Diabetes Prevention & Treatment
• Diabetes Tests & Diagnosis

Diabetes Tests & Diagnosis

Physical Exam

Routine physical exams help doctors diagnose diabetes. A doctor might ask questions pertaining to your energy levels and vision since diabetes can cause problems for both. The doctor will also check your weight, ask you about your diet, and assess your exercise habits. Be sure to tell the doctor whether you feel tired or whether you are experiencing any tingling or numbness in your legs.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your family's medical history. If diabetes runs in your family, then you are likely to develop the condition as well, so be prepared to explain whether your parents, siblings, or grandparents have suffered from type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Based on your responses to these questions, the doctor will determine a series of follow- up tests to perform in order to diagnose your condition effectively.
The doctor will check the condition of your skin and bones on your feet and legs. You will also need to undergo quick tests to determine whether you are experiencing any numbness in your feet and legs. The doctor might also take your blood pressure to determine whether you are experiencing high blood pressure or hypertension.

Blood Tests

Doctors use several blood tests to identify both type 1 and type 2 diabetes:

• With a fasting blood glucose test, the doctor will ask you not to eat for a number of hours before going to the doctor's office or lab. This test will measure how much glucose you have in your bloodstream when you are not digesting food. This test can help identify whether you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, which means that you have a high risk for developing diabetes.
• An oral glucose tolerance test is another test that is used to confirm diabetes.
• For a random blood glucose test, the doctor will not ask you to fast.
• People with diabetes require regular hemoglobin A1c tests to determine whether the average blood glucose level is changing.

Urine Test

A urine test measures ketones in the system. Many people who have diabetes develop large amounts of ketones, which are broken down fatty acids and amino acids. In any case, urine tests do not conclusively diagnose diabetes. A doctor will almost always follow up with a blood test.
Ketone urine tests are more common for type 1 diabetes. A doctor will also perform keytone tests in other instances such as when you are pregnant, experiencing a heart attack, vomiting, or suffering from a stroke.

Monitoring Tests

After you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you may need to monitor your blood sugar throughout the day, especially before and after meals. Many monitoring kits are available at local drugstores for this purpose.
These testing kits can analyze glucose levels based on a small sample of blood. You may need to prick your finger in order to collect blood. Many of these monitoring tests can provide you with an accurate reading within seconds.

Following Up

Without regular preventative testing, it is difficult to determine how long a person has had diabetes since the condition can develop at different rates. After diagnosis, the doctor will ask a series of questions to assess the extent of damage. You may be asked to recall symptoms of headaches, shaking, numbness, tingling, weakness, or changes to appetite.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you will need to return to the doctor's office for regular testing. If your diabetes is well controlled, then you will need to have your hemoglobin (HbA1c) tested every six months. If your diabetes is not under control, then you will need to have your hemoglobin tested every three months.
If you have diabetes, it is crucial that you see a dentist every six months for a teeth cleaning. Make sure that you keep your dentist informed about your diabetes. Otherwise, you may develop gum diseases or infections.
Make sure that you continue to have your blood pressure tested, and check your cholesterol levels at least once a year. You will also need to check your organs, especially your kidneys, to make sure that they are continuing to function properly.
If your diabetes is causing your vision to change, then you should visit an ophthalmologist once a year to make sure that you are fitted with the right type of prescription lenses.

Diabetes Prevention & Treatment

How to Prevent Against This

Because type 1 diabetes occurs as a result of a genetic predisposition and autoimmune condition, it is difficult to prevent. Studies have revealed a correlation between vitamin D and lowered rates of type 1 diabetes, suggesting that children can prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes by drinking milk when they are young. It is believed that type 1 diabetes occurs at a higher rate among people who did not drink vitamin D-enriched milk as children.
It is also believed that a strong genetic component is linked with type 1 diabetes. If one of your immediately family members has type 1 diabetes, then you are likely to have the condition as well.
Type 2 diabetes is preventable through adjustments in diet and lifestyle. Physicians recommend that people spend at least two hours exercising per week. Even two hours of walking or jogging are sufficient. Avoid eating a diet that is high in sugar, especially if your blood work shows that you are pre-diabetic. Many people are able to effectively control their diabetes through diet and exercise, alone.
Even after you are diagnosed with diabetes, you can take measures to prevent symptoms from developing or worsening. Maintaining a healthy body weight will help you keep your type 1 or type 2 diabetes under control. With type 2 diabetes, you may not need to take medications if you are able to regulate your symptoms with a diet and exercise routine.
Other preventative measures include planning meals ahead of time, insulin injections, recognizing the symptoms of high blood sugar, recognizing the symptoms of low blood sugar, and working with a doctor to understand your condition and to plan for emergency situations. By eating at the same time every day, you can effectively prevent your blood sugar from fluctuating.
Check with your doctor before taking any precautionary steps, especially if you are thinking about a diet or exercise program. Monitor your blood glucose levels before and after meals and before and after you exercise. Make sure that you remain well hydrated with liquids that do not contain sugar, especially before, after, and during your workout. Try to exercise at the same time every day.

Diet Tips

Your diet is very important for preventing, treating, and controlling type 2 diabetes. It is possible to avoid diabetes by maintaining healthy eating habits. Foods that are low in fat and free of partially hydrogenated fat can help people avoid diabetes. Vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds are ideal replacements for meat and dairy products that are high in fat. It is advisable to eat lean meats when possible.
After a diabetes diagnosis, people will need to be stricter with their diets. Patients with diabetes must avoid smoking and must limit and regulate how much sugar they consume. A controlled diet, when coupled with exercise, can keep diabetes and blood sugar under control.
You may need to work with a doctor to adjust your diet if you are taking part in an exercise or fitness program. Physical activity is important, especially if you have diabetes; however, working out can change how your body metabolizes energy.
You will need to test your glucose levels frequently to make sure that your levels remain within a desirable range. You may need to check your blood sugar before meals, after meals, before you exercise, and after you exercise.

Treatment & Relief Methods

Several medications are available for treating diabetes. Many patients with type 1 diabetes must take insulin, either by injection or using an insulin pump, which administers insulin under the skin. Some patients can take insulin treatments that can be inhaled.
Patients with type 2 diabetes may need to take medications that help them respond to insulin. Other medications for type 2 diabetes slow down the absorption of glucose.
If diabetes is advanced, a patient may experience neurological damage that affects the feet. A patient might also experience poor circulation. For these purposes, doctors can direct patients to diabetic shoes and socks. These are important tools for improving nerve function and blood circulation. Otherwise, a patient may develop severe fungal infections.

Common Surgeries

People with diabetes are prone to fungal infections in the foot. Damaged blood vessels impact the body's ability to fight infections. Patients who cannot fight infections may need to have their foot or leg amputated.

Diabetes Causes And Risk Factors

What Are the Causes?

The pancreas produces insulin, which is a hormone that helps the body convert glucose into energy. When the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, the body cannot adequately break down sugar, and when the body ceases to respond to insulin, an excess of sugar and insulin can build up in the body. Both situations cause a person to develop diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin. People with type 1 diabetes may produce a small amount of insulin or none at all. As a result, an excess of glucose will build up in the bloodstream since the body cannot sufficiently break it down into energy.
When insulin accumulates in the body, you may feel hungry or thirsty, and you may experience a need to urinate frequently. Your type 1 diabetes might also be causing your fatigue, hunger, weight loss, blurry eyesight, nerve damage, numbness, or tingling in the legs. If your diabetes is left untreated, your symptoms can escalate and become more serious. You may develop permanent complications that include organ failure, severe nerve damage, and even death.
Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent and juvenile diabetes. Many people develop type 1 diabetes as children; however, it's possible to develop type 1 diabetes at any age, even as adults. Most people who develop the condition as children will learn how to take insulin injections and monitor their diets.
It is believed that genetics are responsible for causing type 1 diabetes. Environmental factors, viruses, and autoimmune conditions can also trigger the condition to develop. Changes in diet and exercising may help treat symptoms; however, dieting and exercising cannot prevent the condition from developing.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is more closely related to diet and exercise. This type of diabetes causes insulin resistance. When a person becomes resistant to insulin, their liver, fat cells, and muscle cells no longer respond to insulin. As a result, an excess of both insulin and glucose build up in the bloodstream. The pancreas will continue to produce more and more insulin.
Type 2 diabetes will cause you develop symptoms that included blurred vision, erectile dysfunction, exhaustion, increased appetite, thirst, and a frequent urge to urinate.
Type 3 diabetes occurs when the brain stops sending signals for the production of insulin. Because type 3 diabetes was discovered relatively recently in 2005, little is known about the condition. It is believed that type 3 diabetes has a genetic link with Alzheimer's disease.
Both low glucose levels and high glucose levels can cause problems. If your blood sugar is high, you might feel tired, hungry, and thirsty. Your vision might become blurry, and you might experience heart palpitations, stomach pain, flushing in your face, and nausea. If you have low blood sugar, you might develop a headache, feel hungry, start trembling begin sweating, or feel week.
Diabetes can cause a variety of problems including organ failure, shock, and infections that are so severe that amputation is required.

Who's at Risk?

Family history can help predict risk factors for type 1 diabetes. A person with a parent, brother, or sister with type 1 diabetes could develop the condition. Certain genes have also been linked with type 1 diabetes. Certain viruses such as the mumps have been known to trigger type 1 diabetes. Even though type 1 diabetes is difficult to predict, it is believed that genetics are the biggest indicators.
Your diet and lifestyle can influence your type 1 diabetes, but it is unlikely that your diet and lifestyle cause your type 1 diabetes. In any case, if you are obese or if you live a sedentary lifestyle, the possibility that you will develop complications is much higher.
High risk groups for type 2 diabetes include people who are overweight and over 40 years old. A person who consumes excessive amounts of sugar is also likely to develop type 2 diabetes. You don't need to be overweight to develop type 2 diabetes. The condition is common among people who are thin. People with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a family history of diabetes are at risk.
Type 3 diabetes was discovered recently, and there is little research available to identify risk factors. It is believed that type 3 diabetes is strongly linked to Alzheimer's.

Diabetes Symptoms & Warning Signs

Symptoms

For many people, symptoms for type 1 and type 2 diabetes may go unnoticed until the condition has progressed. You may experience nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and weakness before you realize that diabetes is causing your problems. At this point, it is crucial that you see a doctor as possible to keep your symptoms under control. Otherwise, you could be at risk for serious complications including heart problems, severe nerve damage, and death.
Routine physical exams can identify and diagnose diabetes before the condition is out of control. A doctor may prescribe a blood test or urine test to measure the levels of glucose and insulin in your body. High levels of glucose indicate that either type 1 or type 2 diabetes is prevalent. High levels of insulin coupled with high levels of glucose suggest the presence of type 2 diabetes.
Common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Increased fluid intake
• Feelings of extreme hunger
• Severe fatigue
• Unexpected weight loss (type 1 diabetes)
• Skin irritation in the legs and genital area
• Slower healing of superficial wounds

Blurred vision is another common symptom of diabetes. When blood glucose levels are high for an extended period of time, the shape of the lens of the eye can change and result in vision changes.
The symptoms for type 2 diabetes develop more slowly than the symptoms for type 1 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, the symptoms may start to appear when people become older. You may notice that your symptoms disappear or improve when you change your diet or begin exercising. Even though type 2 diabetes is most common among older adults, young adults and adolescents are still sometimes affected, especially if they are overweight, living a sedentary lifestyle, and consuming a large amount of sugar.
People with type 1 diabetes tend to develop symptoms as children. You may, very suddenly, begin to feel exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. You might experience a frequent urge to urinate, and you may start to lose weight, even if you are not trying. Your eyesight might become blurry, and your feet might develop a tingling sensation or numbness. Many people with type 1 diabetes are hospitalized when they are first diagnosed with the condition because the symptoms are so severe.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are taking insulin, you are at risk of developing low blood sugar. The symptoms of this condition include headaches, hunger, palpitations, trembling, sweating, and weakness. If you start to feel these symptoms, your blood sugar level might drop below 70, becoming dangerously low.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar is dangerously high, you may experience symptoms that include trouble breathing, dry skin, dehydration, flushing in the face, stomach pain, and nausea.

Warning Signs

When your body fails to produce insulin properly, you may feel weak and exhausted. The glucose will remain outside of tissue cells in the bloodstream, and you will feel tired because your body is not processing energy correctly.
If your vision is blurred, then you might have sustaining levels of high glucose levels in the bloodstream. Neurological damage can also occur as a result of diabetes. When glucose levels continue to remain high for a number of years, irreversible nerve damage can occur.
You can tell whether you have nerve damage if you start to experience tingling and numbness in the hands, legs, and feet. Numbness can cause problems by increasing your risk of injury and infection. You may cut yourself and developing an infection without noticing. You may not be able to notice heat or cold.
People with diabetes also develop foot problems. Your skin might change color, and you may develop calluses that eventually become ulcers. Poor circulation is another problem that can make it difficult for you to fight infections. If you have open sores, you can develop severe infections. Some diabetes patients, when they develop infections, need surgery to amputate the affected limbs.
If you have diabetes, it is important to be under the care of a doctor. If you start to develop any abnormal symptoms, you should consult a medical professional as soon as possible to prevent your symptoms from becoming serious.

Diabetes Types

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that can begin as early as childhood. Most people are diagnosed by the time they reach early adolescence; however, some people are diagnosed as adults. The condition is lifelong and cannot be cured. In any case, treatments are available to help patients maintain healthy and balanced lives. Many people learn, from a young age, how to use treatments to keep their symptoms under control.
This condition occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. Normally, insulin assists glucose in entering tissue cells to produce energy. With type 1 diabetes, there is an insufficient amount of insulin available to facilitate this process.
As a result, people experience symptoms of exhaustion, hunger, extreme thirst, blurry vision, frequent urination, numbness, and tingling in the feet. Type 1 diabetes also causes unexplained weight loss. Even if you experience an increased appetite, you may lose a substantial amount of weight.
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes typically appear very suddenly. You might become very sick, and you may not understand why. If your blood sugar is high, you may experience stomach pain, nausea, flushing in your face, dry skin, dry mouth, and difficulty breathing. If you are taking insulin, you may be at risk for low blood sugar. If your blood sugar level falls below 70, you might start to experience a headache, nervousness, trembling, weakness, palpitations, sweating, and overwhelming hunger. Because the condition is severe and sudden, many people who are newly diagnosed may need to stay overnight at the hospital for treatment.
After diagnosis, patients typically must treat the condition for life. Type 1 diabetes patients must be careful to plan meals, monitor blood sugar levels, and take insulin injections when necessary.
Even though there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, there are treatments available to keep you regulate your condition. The treatments will help you prevent symptoms and avoid complications that include kidney failure, nerve damage, heart disease, and blindness.
It is recommended that people with type 1 diabetes eat at around the same time every day and monitor food intake. This practice will prevent blood sugar levels from fluctuating. Exercise can also help people maintain a healthy body weight and keep symptoms under control. You may need to conduct regular self-tests to assess your blood sugar levels. Work with your doctor to establish a diet, exercise, and blood sugar testing schedule.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes occurs as a result of risk factors that include age, weight, diet, and lifestyle. Many people will develop diabetes as a result of obesity and a high-glucose diet.
While type 1 diabetes occurs because the body does not produce enough insulin, type 2 diabetes occurs when there is a problem with the body's hormonal feedback mechanisms. A person with type 2 diabetes is insulin-resistant, which means that the fat, liver, and muscle tissue do not respond normally to insulin. As a result, the pancreas will produce an excess of insulin, and blood sugar will continue to accumulate in the bloodstream. Consequently, people with type 2 diabetes have high levels of insulin and sugar in their bodies.
Like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is related to factors including family history and genetics. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes occurs gradually and worsens over a period of months or years. Some people will eventually require medications or surgery, while others can effectively control symptoms through diet and exercise, alone. Maintaining a fitness routine, losing weight, and eating a diet that is low in sugar can help you prevent symptoms of diabetes.
If you have type 2 diabetes, you will need to work with a dietician and doctor to plan your treatment. You will need to learn how to perform self-tests to assess your blood glucose levels, what to eat, when to eat, how to take medications, and how to take care of your health supplies. You will also need to plan ahead for when you become sick and when your blood sugar levels are high.

Type 3 Diabetes

Type 3 diabetes is a newly classified condition. With this condition, the brain stops sending signals to the pancreas to produce insulin. It is believed that type 3 diabetes is linked to Alzheimer's.

What Is Diabetes?

If the diagnosis of diabetes is already impacting your life, take heart in knowing this is one disease for which resources can be found in abundance.

Diabetes, also referred to as diabetes mellitus, can affect both men and women at any age. Even children can develop diabetes. There are two basic types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. We tend to hear about type 2 diabetes the most. It develops gradually, there is a strong link to obesity, and it tends to affect older adults as a result of diet, lifestyle and genetics.
Without treatment, a person with diabetes will have abnormally high levels of glucose (blood sugar), especially after eating starchy foods like rice, potatoes, and bread, not to mention sweets. In the short term, such as when first being diagnosed with diabetes, high blood glucose levels can cause you to experience blurry vision, thirst, exhaustion, and hunger. You might have weight gain, weight loss, or a frequent and overwhelming urge to urinate. Over the long term, high glucose levels, if not controlled, can be much more sinister.
By comparison, type 1 diabetes is not as common, can affect people of all ages, and many people develop their first symptoms as children or young adults. You might need to make dietary changes with type 1, but this form of diabetes is typically not caused by diet; rather, the condition occurs because of genetics, and possibly a combination of genes and the environment. You can’t use diet and exercise to help avoid type 1 diabetes, but many people can and do ward off type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes

If you’re ever in doubt about which type of diabetes someone is talking about, you can guess type 2, and you’ll be right most of the time. But that’s not to diminish the importance of type 1, which is still the most common type of diabetes in childhood. Both forms of diabetes result in high blood sugar.

Type 1 diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin, and that is the main problem. The cells in the pancreas that make insulin are destroyed by the immune system in type 1. No one knows for sure why this happens, but genes and viruses are thought to be involved.

Type 2 diabetes
With type 2 diabetes, the main problem starts not with the pancreas (and its ability to make insulin), but with the body’s cells and their response to insulin. In type 2 diabetes, fat, liver, muscle, and other cells begin to ignore insulin, even though it’s plentiful and circulating in the blood stream. As a result, over time, the pancreas produces more and more insulin, while the body’s cells respond less and less to the insulin (insulin resistance), and sugar builds up in the blood stream -- because insulin is what helps sugar get transported into your cells.

Symptoms and warning signs of diabetes

The symptoms of diabetes come from having too much glucose in your blood. Since type 2 diabetes is so gradual, and screening practices have become more advanced over the years, most people nowadays find out they have type 2 diabetes from a blood test, rather than because of symptoms. In contrast, since type 1 diabetes tends to happen in a flash, relatively speaking, glucose begins to surge without much notice, and symptoms tend to be more prominent.

Most common presenting symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are due to the high glucose levels and include:

• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Increased fluid intake

Other symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Feelings of irritability
• Severe fatigue
• Unexpected weight loss
• Feelings of extreme hunger
• Irritation of the skin in the genital area
• Slower healing of superficial wounds

Weight loss tends to be seen most commonly with Type 1 diabetes, and children who develop type 1 diabetes often appear slightly ill and have a history of weight loss, tiredness, and frequent thirst and urination. A serious condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, can occur in people with these symptoms.

Causes and risk factors

The exact cause of diabetes is unclear, but several risk factors are evident, especially in type 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, scientists can’t point to anything that can be done in the way of prevention, but with type 2, the risk factors are better known, and many of them can be changed.

Genes play a role, and if a parent has diabetes, you are much more likely to develop it yourself. Pregnancy is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, as is being over the age of 45. You’re also at risk for type 2 if you are overweight, don’t exercise, smoke cigarettes, don’t get enough sleep, or have a poor diet. People who eat a lot of red meat, high fat dairy products, and sweets – even if they aren’t overweight – may be at higher risk than those who eat more fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, and whole grains.

Obesity is the strongest risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and this is especially true when the extra weight is distributed around the waistline. Scientists believe the fat cells send chemical signals throughout the body to tell the other cells it’s ok not to respond forcefully when insulin comes knocking at the door. As a result, glucose stays outside the cells, in the bloodstream, and levels rise.

What about family history as a risk factor? Well, you can imagine a family might be at increased risk if, for instance, they are a big fried food family. Or maybe diabetes runs in the family despite eating healthy, because of genes. But while genes and diet can explain a lot, researchers say they don’t fully explain all the extra risk of having diabetes in your family tree. Something else is also at work that hasn’t yet been discovered.

Prevention and treatment

Many people can prevent type 2 diabetes by eating a healthy diet and by maintaining a regular exercise routine. But if you can’t prevent diabetes, then you have to control your blood sugar.

Patients with type 1 diabetes will need insulin injections. Patients with type 2 diabetes can often control their glucose with oral medications alone, but some will need insulin as the disease progresses. Control is crucial to avoid the silent, sinister effects of years of high blood glucose. Poor control is linked to diseases of the eyes, kidneys, heart, arteries, and the smallest of blood vessels throughout your body. The list of potential complications from diabetes can be daunting, but it’s encouraging to know that you can prevent many of them by controlling blood sugar.

In addition to glucose control, screening and treatment may be needed for complications including heart problems, kidney disease, eye disease (diabetic retinopathy), and other conditions such as diabetic foot ulcers, infections, and neuropathy.

Treatment and prevention depends on individual factors like disease severity, diet, and lifestyle. Even if you exercise and maintain a balanced diet, you may need to take medications to treat your type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes or a family history of diabetes, it is important that you remain under the care of your doctor.

Many countries have a national diabetes association available to help patients and professionals find resources. In the United States, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) provides information about food, fitness, and living with diabetes.

Tests and diagnosis

With type 1 diabetes, often a child or a young adult will have symptoms and a history that strongly suggests diabetes, and the test results make the diagnosis official. With type 2 diabetes, this is not often the case, and early detection is very important.

Blood tests are used both to screen for and diagnose diabetes. These tests include an A1C (hemoglobin A1C), FPG (fasting plasma glucose), or a 2-h OGTT (two-hour oral glucose tolerance test).

According to ADA recommendations, testing for diabetes or prediabetes should be done in all overweight adults (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) who have one or more additional risk factors for diabetes (for instance, family history of diabetes), and all people regardless of risk factors after age 45. If screening tests are negative, you don’t need to be tested for another 3 years.

Take the next steps

New cases of type 1 diabetes impact thousands every year, and type 2 diabetes and its prevention is becoming a fact of life. Its important to know the basics, even if nobody you know has diabetes yet. Whether you are interested in prevention for yourself or for someone you care for, your interest is likely to pay off in a big way. Early detection and good control of blood glucose is key.

If the diagnosis of diabetes is already impacting your life, take heart in knowing this is one disease for which resources can be found in abundance. Learn more about how you can track your condition and how you can work with your doctor to help keep diabetes in check and complications out of the picture.

Consider making use of the online community. If a diagnosis is new to you, or even if you’ve had diabetes for years, sometimes it helps just to connect with other people who’ve lived with diabetes, to get new tips or share tips of your own.

Meningitis

Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges, which are the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Although this inflammation is most commonly caused by a viral infection, meningitis may also occur as a result of a bacterial or fungal infection, an adverse reaction to certain drugs, or physical injury. The severity of illness can differ depending on the cause, although some symptoms such as fever, headache and a stiff neck occur in a majority of cases regardless of the cause of meningitis. Treatment and duration of the illness may also vary depending on the infectious agent. Bacterial meningitis can be life threatening, therefore if you suspect that you or a family member may have meningitis, seek medical attention right away.

Symptoms

Meningitis is characterized by the sudden onset of a fever, headache, and a stiff neck. These classical meningitis symptoms may also be accompanied by:

• Sensitivity to light
• Nausea and vomiting
• Altered mental status
• Loss of appetite
• Sleepiness
• Skin rash

Newborns and infants may not exhibit the hallmark symptoms (headache, fever, or stiff neck) of meningitis, but instead may present with the following:

• Constant crying
• Excessive sleepiness
• High Fever
• Inactivity or sluggishness
• Lack of interest in feeding
• A bulge in the soft spot on top of a baby's head
• Stiffness in a baby's body and neck
• Seizures

Causes

Meningitis can be caused by the following the infectious agents:

• Bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is the most severe and serious type of meningitis. It occurs when bacteria migrates to the brain and spinal cord from the bloodstream. In some cases, bacteria can directly invade the meninges as a result of physical trauma to the skull or from an ear or sinus infection. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States and affects all age groups. The bacteria Neisseria meningitides is highly contagious and is another leading cause of meningitis, but mostly afflicts teenagers and young adults.
• Virus. Viral meningitis is the most common cause of meningitis. Thirty percent of viral meningitis cases in the United States are caused by enteroviruses. Other viruses that cause meningitis include herpes simplex virus, La Crosse virus, and West Nile virus. In many cases of viral meningitis the viral agent was not identified.
• Fungi. Fungal meningitis is uncommon and causes chronic meningitis. Cryptococcal meningitis is a common fungal type of meningitis and mostly affects immuno-deficient people. Fungal meningitis can be life threatening.

Meningitis may also be caused by such noninfectious agents as:

• Cancer
• Drug allergies
• Physical injury to the skull
• Inflammatory diseases

Diagnosis

A doctor can initially diagnose meningitis based on a comprehensive medical history and a physical exam. However, in order to confirm their diagnosis and identify its cause, the following diagnostic tests may be ordered.

• Blood cultures. Blood is placed in a special dish to see if it supports the growth of microorganisms, particularly bacteria. A sample may also be placed on a slide to which a Gram's stain is added and then examined under a microscope for bacteria.
• X-rays and CT scans of the head, chest or sinuses. These imaging techniques may reveal swelling or inflammation in the central nervous system.
• Spinal tap (lumbar puncture). This is one of the most important and definitive diagnosis tools utilized for diagnosing meningitis. In this procedure a medical professional will remove a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid from within your spinal canal for laboratory analysis. Usually, if a patient has meningitis they will exhibit low levels of glucose as well as an increased white blood cell count and protein. This procedure also enables the doctor to discern what type of bacteria is causing the meningitis.

Treatment

Treatment for meningitis may vary according to the type of meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis: Bacterial meningitis requires immediate treatment with intravenous antibiotics and cortisone-like medications. The antibiotic or combination of antibiotics that your doctor may choose depends on the type of bacteria causing the infection. Your doctor may recommend a broad-spectrum antibiotic until he or she can determine the exact cause of the meningitis.

Viral meningitis: Viral meningitis is not life threatening and will often resolve itself within two weeks without any medical interventions. Treatment of mild cases of viral meningitis usually includes:

• Rest
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Over-the-counter pain medications to help reduce fever and relieve body aches

If the cause of your meningitis is a herpes virus, there's an antiviral medication available.

Other types of meningitis: If the cause of your meningitis is unclear, your doctor may preemptively begin antiviral and antibiotic treatment while a cause is being determined.

• Anti-fungal treatments are often associated with adverse side effects, so treatment is often deferred until a laboratory can confirm that the cause is fungal.
• Non-infectious meningitis due to allergic reaction or autoimmune disease may be treated with cortisone-like medications. In some cases, no treatment may be required, because the condition can resolve on its own. Cancer related meningitis will also resolve itself when the underlying cancer is treated.

Sleep Apnea

• What Is Sleep Apnea?
• Sleep Apnea Types
• Sleep Apnea Causes & Risk Factors
• Sleep Apnea Prevention & Treatment
• Sleep Apnea Symptoms & Warning Signs
• Sleep Apnea Tests & Diagnosis

Sleep Apnea Tests & Diagnosis

General Tests

When you experience symptoms of fatigue and irritability, the doctor will begin exploring your condition with a general exam. You will need to be prepared to answer a series of questions related to your personal and family medical history. These questions will help a doctor determine what tests to conduct and whether you should undergo a sleep study to diagnose sleep apnea.

Physical Exam

Doctors recommend that people undergo a routine physical exam at least once a year. During this office visit, your physician will assess your overall health and determine whether additional tests or questionnaires are necessary. Make sure that you talk to your doctor about any unusual symptoms such as excessive fatigue or heart palpitations.
If you visit your doctor regularly for your physical, you may be able to prevent your sleep apnea or other resulting conditions from escalating into more serious disorders. A physical can help doctors catch problems relating to the heart, nervous system, lungs, airways, and more.
Your physical will also help you keep up to date with your general health. The doctor will identify whether you have gained a substantial amount of weight and whether you are following healthy living habits. If you are overweight, the doctor may recommend that you exercise, adopt a diet, and lose weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight can help you reduce or eliminate your sleep apnea, since excess tissue may be causing your air passageways to constrict.

Questionnaires

A doctor might ask you to complete a series of questionnaires that are related to your sleeping patterns. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is one of these questionnaires. This study will assess how likely you are to doze off in the following situations: white sitting, reading, watching television, sitting inactive in a public place, as a passenger in a moving vehicle, while lying down to rest, while talking to someone, after lunch, and in a car while stopped in traffic. Based on your responses, you will be assigned a sleepiness value, which may be used to indicate whether you have sleep apnea. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is also used to diagnose other conditions such as narcolepsy.
Other questionnaires will ask you about your lifestyle, snoring, sleep behavior, and how you feel throughout the day. You might not know the answers to these questions, so you should consider asking your friends and family about whether you snore or wake up at night.

Blood Test

A blood test cannot directly diagnose sleep apnea. In any case, a doctor may issue a blood test to rule out other conditions that produce similar symptoms of exhaustion and fatigue. A blood test can effectively identify thyroid conditions and anemia, which both cause sleeping problems and daytime fatigue. A blood test can also identify blood sugar levels to rule out problems such as diabetes. Thyroid problems, diabetes, and anemia can worsen symptoms of sleep apnea, so it is important that you know whether you have these conditions. If other conditions are left untreated, sleep apnea can cause higher levels of damage to the heart.

Sleep Studies

During a sleep study, a doctor will keep you at a laboratory for one or many nights to monitor what happens while you sleep. During a sleep study, a doctor will order a polysomnography, which is a test that documents the electrical activity of your brain, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, breathing, air flow, and blood oxygen levels. A polysomnography is the most accurate and conclusive test available to diagnose sleep apnea.

Allergy Tests

Your allergies can cause sleep apnea symptoms to become worse. If you have seasonal allergies or if you are allergic to something specific, your airways may constrict excessively. You may be able to control your sleep apnea symptoms more effectively if you

Electrocardiogram

Al electrocardiogram (EKG) is a test used to check the condition of the heart. Typically, a doctor will use an EKG to check your heart after you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea patients are at a high risk for heart failure and other heart problems, but it is difficult to assess the extent of the damage since symptoms tend to be silent. An EKG will help a doctor assess whether your heart is experiencing problems related to sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms & Warning Signs

Symptoms

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea and occurs when the tissues of the pharynx obstruct breathing patterns during sleep. When you are unable to breathe due to an obstruction in your windpipe, the oxygen level in your blood will drop, and you will either wake up to take a breath or gasp for air in your sleep.
One of the most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea is loud snoring, a noise that occurs when air cannot move through the nose, mouth, and throat smoothly. The amount of snoring does not necessarily correlate with the level of sleep apnea - your condition might actually be more severe if you snore quietly. Some people who snore do not have sleep apnea, and some people who have sleep apnea do not snore.
Snoring can help identify pauses in breathing during sleep. Typically, when breathing stops, snoring will subside. After this pause, the sleep apnea patient will gasp for air and then resume breathing.
You may not realize that you have sleep apnea since you experience symptoms while you are sleeping. In many situations, your partner will need to point out whether you are snoring. You may wake up in the night due to shortness of breath or loud snoring, but you may not remember doing so. Because the symptoms of sleep apnea occur when people are sleeping, the condition can be difficult to diagnose. Many people will go years - even decades - before realizing that something is wrong. Even a doctor, at first, may not realize what is causing your problems. Only a sleep test can conclusively reveal whether you have sleep apnea.
If you have sleep apnea, you may feel sleepy in the day time, even after you have received a full night's sleep. When you wake up, you may have a headache or feel groggy. You may feel dehydrated and experience dry mouth or a sore throat. You may have trouble concentrating at work or at school, and you may even fall asleep throughout the day while watching television, working, or focusing on projects. Your partner might complain that you are snoring very loudly or gasping for air every so often.
In the long term, if left untreated, sleep apnea can cause substantial damage. As a result of sleep apnea, people can develop cardiovascular problems such as heart palpitations and heart failure.
Furthermore, scientists believe that the brain sustains injuries due to lowered levels of oxygen. According to recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, people with obstructive sleep apnea will lose tissue in areas of the brain that regulate memory.
Children can also experience sleep apnea with symptoms that are different from adults. Children with sleep apnea may sleep longer, need more effort to breathe, experience hyperactivity, have difficultly focusing, and become temperamental. Children with sleep apnea may also wet the bed, have trouble growing, and complain of headaches.

Warning Signs

With central sleep apnea, the brain does not signal the body to breathe, so snoring might not occur. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to other symptoms including sleepiness after a full night's sleep, morning headaches, dry throat when waking up, difficulty remembering, problems concentrating, and unexplained irritability. People can develop central sleep apnea after experiencing a head injury or stroke.
If you experience sleep apnea, it is important that you seek medical attention. If your sleep apnea goes untreated, you may develop brain problems or memory loss. Over time, problems may be irreversible.
Heart palpitations may indicate that you are developing problems in your cardiovascular system. You may also develop hypertension, a condition that causes chronic high blood pressure. If you have cardiovascular complications as a result of your sleep apnea, it is possible for low oxygen levels to trigger a potentially fatal cardiac emergency.
Many people with sleep apnea experience exhaustion throughout the day. You may have trouble at work, or you may have trouble getting through school. Your sleepiness can kick-in at inopportune and potentially dangerous times, while you are at work or while you are driving. If you experience fatigue throughout the day, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may experience problems in your life, and your symptoms may become potentially dangerous for you or your family - especially if you are at risk of falling asleep while driving.

Sleep Apnea Prevention & Treatment

How to Prevent Against This

In many situations, sleep apnea is not preventable. Many people experience sleep apnea because of heredity and environmental risk factors. Sleep apnea also tends to run in the family, so a genetic link might be a possibility for some patients. You may experience sleep apnea for a variety of reasons, including the shape of your air passageways, bones, and nasal passages. Even though you may not be able to prevent sleep apnea, measures can be taken to reduce the impact of problems related to sleep apnea. If you keep your symptoms under control, and if you catch the condition early, you should be able to treat your sleep apnea with success.
To prevent sleep apnea, you need to maintain a healthy body weight. When a person is overweight, their windpipes can become constricted. Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces this risk. If you are overweight, you should work with a dietician or doctor to find a plan that can help you get your weight under control.
You can also prevent symptoms of sleep apnea by keeping your allergies under control. Many people experience sleep apnea because of inflammation and problems related to allergies. Talk to your doctor about options that are available to kept you control your allergies, especially if you notice them becoming worse in the day time.
Lifestyle changes can be sufficient in regulating mild sleep apnea. Avoid alcohol and medications than cause drowsiness. These substances can interfere with the throat's ability to stay open when a person is sleeping. Sleep apnea patients should also avoid smoking.
If you have central sleep apnea, you should avoid taking sleep aids. These medications can be fatal for people with neurological conditions.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you should get it under control as soon as possible. Sometimes, obstructive sleep apnea can cause central sleep apnea. By catching obstructive sleep apnea early, you can eliminate the possibility that you will develop more serious conditions in addition to the one that you already have.
If you think that you might have sleep apnea, or if you feel unexplained fatigue, you should talk to a doctor about undergoing a sleep test to monitor your sleeping cycle. You will benefit from a conclusive diagnosis for your sleep apnea or other sleep disorder.

Diet Tips

Obesity is a major cause of sleep apnea. When a person is overweight, their windpipe can become constricted, reducing air flow to the lungs. For this reason, it is important to maintain a healthy weight and balanced diet. If you are overweight, you can prevent and treat sleep apnea by getting in shape and losing weight. A dietician can work with you to create a diet plan that can help you lose weight.

Treatment & Relief Methods

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea patients must wear this device whenever they sleep in order to regulate air pressure in the throat. The CPAP machine is portable, so it can be used at home and during travel.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the windpipe narrows as a result of the muscles becoming relaxed during sleep. As a result, blood oxygen levels become lowered, and sleeping patterns are disrupted. The CPAP machine treats this problem by blowing air at a prescribed pressure. In general, a physician determines the prescribed pressure during an overnight sleep test in a sleep laboratory. This pressure will counteract obstructive sleep apnea and help maintain healthy sleeping patterns. Many patients will notice an improved quality of life after a single night's CPAP treatment.
Some patients with mild sleep apnea do not need CPAP treatments at all. Nasal sprays and allergy medicines can help keep breathing passages open.
A mouthpiece can help people keep their airways open by regulating the jaw and tongue. Mouthpieces may require frequent adjustments.
If sleep apnea is a result of an underlying neurological condition, the patient may need to take medication that facilitates breathing. These kinds of patients should avoid taking sleeping pills or sedatives.

Common Surgeries

Some sleep apnea patients need surgery to widen the airways. These surgical procedures generally involve removing, shrinking, and stiffening excess tissue. Surgical procedures for sleep apnea result in painful side effects. If you are considering surgery, it is important that you consult with a doctor.

Sleep Apnea Causes & Risk Factors

What Are the Causes?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

When a person is awake, the throat muscles keep the airway open so that oxygen can flow freely into the lungs. When a person is asleep, the throat muscles relax. For most people, the airway remains open so that air can continue to flow freely. In contrast, for people with obstructive sleep apnea, the airways can become blocked or constricted.
The throat muscles and tongue might be relaxed more than normal, and the tongue and tonsils might be enlarged. If you're overweight, your excess fatty tissue can cause the windpipe wall to become thicker. The shape of your head and neck can also cause the airway to be abnormally small. As you age, the brain signals that control your throat muscles might become weak. All of these reasons, alone or combined, can cause you to develop obstructive sleep apnea.
As a result of these causes, people experience reduced air flow to the lungs. When the airways are fully or partially blocked, a drop in blood oxygen levels can result, and snoring, choking, or snorting can occur. Some people may snore loudly, and some people may snore lightly. Periodically, throughout the night, you may experience pauses in your breathing - sometimes as many as five in one hour - throughout the night. Night after night, these breathing problems can affect your heart, mental, and neurological health. You may think that you are getting enough sleep, and you may be unaware that you're experiencing sleeping problems.
The drops in oxygen levels and lowered quality of sleep can raise stress hormone levels, putting people at risk for hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and heart palpitations. After a number of years, people will develop heart failure and other severe problems. For this reason, it is important that you see a doctor to have your sleep apnea diagnosed. It is important to determine the specific cause for your condition so that you are treated effectively.

Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea results in similar short-term and long-term consequences to obstructive sleep apnea; however, the causes are different.
Central sleep apnea occurs when the signals of the brain experience an interruption. As a result, people will experience pauses in breathing throughout the night, causing in complications such as neurological problems, heart failure, palpitations, and hypertension. As with obstructive sleep apnea, you may not notice that you have central sleep apnea. When you do not notice this condition, your sleep apnea can become worse, and the damage to your system can intensify.
The causes of central sleep apnea are neurological. Strokes, head injuries, and nervous system disorders can all affect your breathing while you sleep.
Central sleep apnea is rarer than obstructive sleep apnea, which is a relatively common condition.

Mixed Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea, when left untreated, can cause central sleep apnea to develop. In this situation, a patient will have both central and obstructive sleep apnea. This type of sleep apnea, although rare, is extremely dangerous and can significant problems.

Who's at Risk?

People who are overweight are at high risk for developing sleep apnea since excess fat can cause the windpipe to become more constricted. People with allergies may develop enlarged or irritated tonsils that can cause blockages to the windpipe opening.
People who are aging are at risk for developing sleep apnea. As you grow older, the brain signals that keep the throat muscles stiff can weaken, especially during sleep. As a result of these weakened brain signals, the throat muscles will relax, causing the windpipe to become constricted.
Sleep apnea can cause complications for people with preexisting heart problems or hypertension. When oxygen levels drop and sleep patterns are disrupted, complications such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, and heart palpitations can occur. People with a predisposition to heart failure may experience complications.
People with a family history of sleep apnea are likely to develop sleep apnea. It is important to keep track of who in your family has developed sleep apnea and why.
If you have sleep apnea and you remain undiagnosed and untreated, you are likely to develop severe complications, especially if your sleep apnea has gone undiagnosed for an extended period of time. When sleep apnea is untreated, your body is unable to use energy efficiently, putting you at risk for problems such as obesity.

Sleep Apnea Types

Overview

There are three types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of the condition while central sleep apnea and mixed sleep apnea are significantly rarer. All three types can cause severe health problems; however, mixed sleep apnea is the most dangerous.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea, affecting people of all ages and genders.
Symptoms occur when the tissues of the pharynx obstruct breathing during sleep. Because of this obstruction, patients will experience momentary lapses in breathing - sometimes as often as five times in one hour.
A combination of other factors can cause a person to develop obstructive sleep apnea. Physical causes include a constricted airway, obesity, bone structure, tonsil shape, and excess tissue in the airway. Blocked nasal passages can also cause sleep apnea patients to experience difficulty breathing.
An obstructed air flow passageway will produce a variety of symptoms. Because you are sleeping, you may not notice that you are experiencing complications. Your partner may complain that you are snoring softly or loudly, or your snoring may wake you up every so often throughout the night.
With obstructive sleep apnea, patients also experience shortness of breath. You may wake up intermittently throughout the night because you are having trouble catching your breath.
You may also not notice your symptoms because you are sleeping. For this reason, many people will go years - sometimes decades-without seeing a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
When you are awake, you may feel tired throughout the day without understanding why. Even if you get a full night's rest, you will feel as though you did not. You may feel tired at work or at school, and you may have trouble concentrating. You may even fall asleep throughout the day while watching television, relaxing, or working.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you may have a headache as soon as you wake up in the morning. You may also feel that you are dehydrated or that your mouth is dry.
Over time, obstructive sleep apnea can cause depression, irritability, insomnia, hypertension, and weight gain or loss. Serious complications such as congestive heart failure and abnormally low blood oxygen levels are also possible.
People who are at risk for OSA are men above the age of 50, women who have gone through menopause, and individuals who are overweight. Obstructive sleep apnea can affect heart health by causing hypertension and heart palpitations. Jaw shape and the size of the windpipe are also factors that affect sleep apnea.
Lifestyle adjustments such as weight loss, diet, and exercise can help treat OSA.

Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea is much rarer than obstructive sleep apnea. This type of sleep apnea causes the brain to malfunction and interfere with regular breathing. Like obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea will cause people to stop breathing multiple times throughout the night.
Central sleep apnea is a neurological condition that occurs for a variety of reasons. You may develop central sleep apnea as a result of a head injury, stroke, or nervous system disorder. Heart failure can also cause central sleep apnea. You may not notice that you have central sleep apnea since the symptoms affect you while you are sleeping.
With this type of sleep apnea, the brain periodically stops sending signals to the muscles that control breathing. A person who experiences central sleep apnea will show many symptoms that are similar to obstructive including restlessness, insomnia, daytime fatigue, and headaches. If a sleep apnea patient has an underlying neurological problem, he or she will show additional symptoms including trouble swallowing, changes in voice, weakness, tingling, and numbness. People with central sleep apnea do not always snore.
For this type of sleep apnea, a patient may need to take medications that help facilitate breathing. Patients with central sleep apnea should avoid using sedatives.
Central sleep apnea can develop from regular opiate use.

Mixed Sleep Apnea

People with mixed sleep apnea experience both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. This disorder is rare and can cause permanent damage.
Mixed sleep apnea can occur for a variety of reasons. In some situations, enduring obstructive sleep apnea can actually cause central sleep apnea to develop as a secondary disorder.

What Is Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a chronic condition and sleep disorder that causes breathing pauses throughout the night. These pauses can last for several seconds or minutes and can occur multiple times in an hour.
Most sleep apnea patients also experience shallow breathing while asleep. If you have sleep apnea, after a night's sleep, this shallow breathing can cause you to wake up feeling tired - as if you have not received a full night's sleep. In the long term, you may feel chronically fatigued, and your blood oxygen levels may become slightly or drastically lowered.
Because sleep apnea patients are sleeping, they may not realize that they are experiencing breathing problems. Sleep apnea can only be diagnosed by observation. Your partner may notice that you are snoring or experiencing breathing pauses while you sleep. To diagnose sleep apnea, you will need to undergo a sleep study in which the doctor will monitor your sleeping patterns.
Sleep apnea is common and can be very serious in the long term, putting patients at risk for hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and congestive heart failure. Other potential damage involves permanent brain injury. You may have trouble staying awake at school or at work, and you may have no idea that sleep apnea is causing your problems. Most cases of sleep apnea remain undiagnosed, and most people have unaware that they have the condition until they start to exhibit serious symptoms.

Types

There are three different kinds of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) results when the pharynx tissues obstruct breathing. Central sleep apnea is rare and causes the brain to malfunction with breathing.
In rare situations, patients might develop mixed sleep apnea, which is a combination of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. This type of sleep apnea can be extremely dangerous.
All types of sleep apnea are serious and require treatment. No matter the type of sleep apnea that you have, you may experience symptoms for years - even decade before realizing that you have a breathing problem.
No matter the type, sleep apnea can cause snoring, pauses in breathing, and sustaining fatigue. If you are tired, you should talk to a doctor about undergoing a sleep study as soon as possible to determine whether you have sleep apnea or another condition.

Symptoms & Warning Signs

Loud snoring is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of sleep apnea. Some sleep apnea patients experience no snoring at all.
The typical symptoms of sleep apnea include sleepiness, morning headaches, dry throat, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and unexplained irritability.
Over time when left untreated, side effects of sleep apnea can cause you to develop symptoms that are more serious, including hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and congestive heart failure.
You should consult a doctor if you experience loud snoring, trouble breathing that causes you to wake up, and excessive fatigue throughout the day. You may need to undergo a sleep test for sleep apnea, or you may have another problem that requires treatment.

Causes & Risk Factors

Sleep apnea is most common among men. Men above the age of 65 and women who have completed menopause are the most commonly affected group. Obesity is another strong risk factor. People with large tonsils and irritated nostrils are more likely to develop problems related to sleep apnea. You may develop sleep apnea when your throat muscles and tongues relax more than normal due to alcohol and sedatives. People with a family history of sleep apnea are likely to develop the condition.

Prevention & Treatment

Lifestyle changes can help prevent and treat sleep apnea. It is recommended that sleep apnea patients limit alcohol, lose weight, and stop smoking. Patients might also see improvements after changing sleeping positions. It is recommended that sleep apnea patients avoid sleeping on their backs. Most sleep apnea patients will need to sleep with a mask that provides pressurized air to stop the airway from collapsing. In some cases, patients require surgery.

Tests & Diagnosis

Before consulting a doctor, you should ask your sleep partner to document you're the severity of your snoring. No lab tests are available to diagnose sleep apnea; rather, the doctor will document your family history, monitor your symptoms, give you a general physical exam, and order a sleep test to check for common symptoms of sleep apnea.

Acid Reflux

• What Is Acid Reflux?
• Acid Reflux Types
• What Causes Acid Reflux And Are You At Risk?
• Acid Reflux: Tips for Prevention, Diet, Treatment and Relief
• Acid Reflux Tests & Diagnosis
• Acid Reflux Symptoms & Warning Signs

Acid Reflux Symptoms & Warning Signs

Acid reflux affects both adults and children. In fact, some reflux up from the stomach is a normal process…unless it occurs frequently enough to cause damage, or causes symptoms that interfere with a person’s wellbeing or quality of life.

With adults, symptoms are easier to recognize since children may have trouble explaining the symptoms that they are experiencing. Most commonly, adults will feel heartburn, the sensation of intense burning in the chest under the breastbone and upward. This burning pain or discomfort might intensify with changes in position such as lying down or bending. When symptoms are mild and very infrequent, antacids may provide some relief.

You might notice that your heartburn occurs after you eat certain foods or for no reason at all. You may experience heartburn in the morning, at night, or throughout the day. No matter when you experience heartburn, if you experience the symptom for multiple weeks, then you could have acid reflux.

But sometimes, the symptoms of acid reflux are difficult to distinguish from other conditions such as indigestion and stomach ulcers. If you have indigestion, then your heartburn may occur more sporadically. Stomach ulcers, on the other hand, can produce symptoms that last for a period of several weeks. A detailed examination is necessary to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of an ulcer or acid reflux.

Additionally, a large number of other stomach and intestinal disorders can lead to symptoms of burning, nausea and vomiting. When vomiting, a person might also regurgitate bits of food or feel as though food is stuck in the upper chest. Other symptoms possibly linked to reflux include difficulty swallowing and excessive salivation. Blood in the vomit indicates potentially serious esophageal or stomach damage. When a person with reflux has symptoms like these – trouble/painful swallowing, recurrent vomiting, or bleeding – these are all signs that a closer look might be needed, and indications for upper endoscopy imaging studies.

GERD

Chronic or persistent symptoms are a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can eventually cause long-term injury. The esophagus can become scarred together at points, called strictures, or the tissue lining the esophagus can start to become pre-cancerous (Barrett’s esophagus).

As the acid reflux affects other areas, complications in the respiratory system, throat and mouth may develop. Chronic cough, hoarseness, asthma, dental problems, damaged teeth, and sinus problems may be indicative of reflux, in addition to the damage to the esophagus.

Symptoms may worsen or improve at night. With supine acid reflux, symptoms become worse when a person is lying down and sleeping. With upright acid reflux, symptoms begin when a person is upright and conscious.

In one recent study, people who had damage – erosive esophageal reflux disease –had more frequent episodes of reflux, longer lasting episodes, and more episodes happening at night when lying down, as compared to the people who had reflux but no erosive damage.

Because you are asleep, you may not notice that you are experiencing heartburn. Other people experience heartburn that is so painful that it is difficult to sleep through the night. Many people with persistent heartburn are unable to get a full night's rest.

Certain foods may trigger the onset of symptoms. These include greasy foods, meats that are high in fat, butter, mayonnaise, cream-based sauce, salad dressing, chocolate, dairy products, and beverages with caffeine. Citrus and acidic foods can also trigger symptoms.

Warning Signs

Sometimes, a heart attack feels like heartburn. If you or someone in your care is having heart attack symptoms, get medical help immediately by dialing 911.

Barrett's esophagus is a condition that results from acid reflux over the longer term. The normal esophageal lining becomes damaged and replaced with a lining that is typical in the intestines. Those with Barrett's esophagus are 30 times more likely to develop a type of esophageal cancer known as esophageal adenocarcinoma. Warning signs include weight loss, pain while eating, problems swallowing, and blood in the vomit.

According to the American Gastroenterological Association, people with multiple risk factors for this kind of cancer should be screened for Barrett’s esophagus. Risk factors include:

• people age 50 or older,
• male,
• white,
• chronic GERD,
• hiatal hernia, and
• overweight/obesity.

Take the Next Steps

Talk to your doctor about the heartburn symptoms. Frequent heartburn may require medication. If the symptoms are mild and occasional, lifestyle changes might be recommended. If you notice that certain fatty foods are causing your heartburn, then you should do your best to avoid them. If you notice that large portions are causing your acid reflux, then try to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Stress can also cause symptoms of heartburn, so try to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Giving Care

The stress and lack of sleep that sometimes come with caregiving are not good for heartburn. If you are burning the candles at both ends, step back, listen to your body and look into your symptoms. Also, consider reaching out to others for help so that you can get a good night sleep, or to allow for a bit more time for yourself.

Caring for someone with heartburn and a heart condition can be especially nerve-wracking. It might help your confidence at home to have a good, long talk with your doctor about cardiac warning signs and alert symptoms, specifically with your loved one in mind. Doing so can boost your ability to give reassurance when appropriate.

Acid Reflux Tests & Diagnosis

Questionnaires

Several tests assist in diagnosing acid reflux. First, the doctor will ask you a series of questions about your family and personal health history. Based on the description of your symptoms, the doctor will determine whether you are suffering from indigestion or whether there is a possibility that you have GERD.
Detailed medical and health history records are important documents that can help illustrate the progression of a problem. Health records can help illustrate whether symptoms have become worse over time and whether more extensive tests are necessary.
Keep track of your symptoms so that you can help the doctor determine what is wrong. Be sure to take note of whether your symptoms occur in the morning, at night, or throughout the day. Try to keep track of whether your symptoms occur when you eat certain foods.

Heartburn

Heartburn is the symptom that the doctor will focus on to diagnose you with acid reflux. You should be able to recognize this symptom as a burning sensation in the chest. If you have persistent heartburn, then the doctor may prescribe or recommend that you take an over-the-counter medication such as an antacid. If no treatments can effectively treat your heartburn, then you may have GERD. You may also have GERD if your heartburn responds to medications that block the production of stomach acid.
Clues about your heartburn may help a doctor look for the underlying cause for your symptoms. You may have an ulcer instead of GERD, and these conditions each require different treatments. Even though different treatments are necessary, some patients will notice an improvement in their symptoms after the doctor begins treatment, even if it is not precise to an ulcer or acid reflux.

Monitoring Tests

In order to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a pH monitoring test is necessary to keep track of acid levels in the esophagus. This test can help assess whether acid reflux disease is present and what treatments might help. It is possible to monitor pH in the esophagus and changes in pH levels for a period of up to twelve hours. Esophageal pH monitoring tests can be performed as an outpatient procedure.

X-Rays

A barium swallow x-ray is a test that is used to identify problems including stomach pain, weight loss, and blood in the vomit. Barium is a metallic element that an x-ray can detect. A person undergoing a barium test will swallow a liquid, and the x-ray will track this liquid as it passes through the digestive tract. A barium test will reveal damage to the esophagus, ulcers, and the presence of a hiatal hernia, a problem that occurs when the stomach moves above the diaphragm.

Endoscopy

Some people, especially patients who have already been diagnosed with GERD or acid reflux, will need to undergo a specialized endoscopy called an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). This test requires the use of a scope to visually inspect the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. An EGD can help explain the extent of damage to the digestive tract.
In general, the patient is asleep during this process. The doctor will place a tube into the patient's mouth and down the gastrointestinal tract. This tube usually contains a camera or other tool that allows the doctor to see inside the patient's esophagus and stomach. The doctor will use this test to examine whether any damage has occurred in the gastrointestinal tract, esophageal lining, stomach, and duodenum in the small intestine.
A biopsy is required to detect certain kinds of inflammation, cell disorders, and pre-cancers. Barrett's esophagus, a tissue disorder that occurs when tissue that lines the intestine replaces the tissue that lines the esophagus, can be diagnosed using a biopsy.
An esophageal manometry is used to identify whether the sphincters are functioning properly. This test measures sphincter pressure to determine whether the connection between the esophagus and stomach is opening and closing properly.

Routine Tests

Routine tests are sometimes necessary for patients who have received a diagnosis. Regular tests can help explain whether a person has endured any temporary or permanent damage. Tests are necessary to assess what treatments are necessary and most effective. Only a doctor can determine when and whether certain tests are necessary.

Tips for Prevention, Diet, Treatment and Relief

How to Prevent Against Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is a condition that is different from acid indigestion and sporadic cases of heartburn. While acid indigestion occurs as a result of environmental factors, diet, and lifestyle habits, acid reflux is a condition that occurs as a result of a malfunctioning esophageal sphincter.

Normally, when people swallow, the esophageal sphincter relaxes so that food and liquid can flow from the esophagus into the stomach. For some people, this normal process can be problematic. The sphincter may not relax properly or it may be too weak to close completely. As a result, stomach acid and partially digested contents may flow backwards into the esophagus.

Acid reflux occurs as a result of a variety of environmental, genetic, and physiological factors. You may not be able to prevent the condition because it may not have anything to do with your diet or lifestyle.
People with acid indigestion are able to control their symptoms through diet and lifestyle modifications. If you experience frequent indigestion, it may be helpful to avoid foods that are high in fat. By eating smaller portions as part of a balanced diet, you may be able to control your acid indigestion.

For many people, the symptoms of acid reflux, like the symptoms of acid indigestion, are triggered by certain foods, habits, or situations. Even stress and cigarette smoking can aggravate your acid reflux. If you have acid reflux or GERD, you may notice that certain foods trigger your symptoms. By avoiding these foods and habits, you can keep your condition under control - sometimes without the use of medications.

Many people are able to keep their acid reflux and GERD under control through diet, exercise, and other lifestyle modifications. Some people will need over-the-counter or prescription medications. Some people with severe damage, sphincter malfunctions, and cases of acid reflux will require surgery to repair abnormalities and stomach acid damage.

Diet Tips

Certain foods instigate acid reflux symptoms. These include alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, chocolate, acidic food, milk, creamy foods, some vegetables, garlic, carbonated beverages, and mint. Large meals can also case your acid reflux symptoms to worsen.

Eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of big meals can help alleviate symptoms of heartburn, nausea, and acid reflux. Avoid smoking, since smoking can cause the esophageal sphincter to become weak or malfunction.

Eating less than two hours before bedtime can cause supine acid reflux.

Treatment & Relief Methods

Three types of treatments are available to help relieve symptoms for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux. The first involves changes to diet and lifestyle, the second requires medications, and the third involves surgery.

Sometimes, altering sleeping positions can help alleviate symptoms. Studies reveal that raising the head can help relieve symptoms. The head must be raised enough to prevent gastric juices from flowing back down the esophagus to the stomach.

Losing weight can help alleviate symptoms among people who are obese. People with obesity in the abdominal areas should avoid tight-fitting clothing. Smokers should quit smoking.

Medications that are commonly prescribed for acid reflux include antacids, proton pump inhibitors, prokinetics, mosapride citrate, and sucralfate. Different medications will help different kinds of symptoms among patients. Medications will vary in effectiveness for all patients, and a doctor's expert advice is necessary for choosing the right combination of drugs.

Some patients respond well to over-the-counter heartburn medications such as antacids and H-2 receptor blockers. Some medications can prevent acid production altogether. Common side effects of these types of medication include constipation and diarrhea. If these medications do not work, then a stronger, prescription medication is necessary. Commonly prescribed medications include proton pump inhibitors and medications that strengthen a weak esophageal sphincter. Patients may need to take one medication, a combination of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, or no medicine at all.

Common Surgeries

Surgical treatments include Nissen fundoplication, a procedure where the top part of the stomach is moved to support the sphincter in order to prevent symptoms and fix a hiatal hernia. Another possible surgery is a transoral incisionless fundaplication (TIF), when a doctor uses a device to repair the connection between the stomach and diaphragm.

The doctor may perform surgery to strengthen the esophageal sphincter or create a barrier to prevent the backup of stomach acid.

What Causes Acid Reflux And Are You At Risk?

What are the Causes?

Acid indigestion is a condition that produces similar symptoms to acid reflux; however, the underlying causes of both conditions are different. Acid indigestion occurs intermittently or periodically and results primarily from diet. Acid reflux, on the other hand, is a condition that results from a malfunctioning esophageal sphincter.
Normally, when a person swallows food, the esophageal sphincter that surrounds the entrance to the stomach will relax and then close. For patients with acid reflux, the esophageal sphincter will malfunction. It may be weak, and it may be unable to close completely. As a result, stomach bile and particles of food may flow back from the stomach, through the sphincter, and up the esophagus.
The backflow of stomach acid and food particles create uncomfortable symptoms of heartburn in addition to a feeling that something is stuck in the throat. Over time, the chronic backflow of bile will cause permanent damage to the lining of the esophagus and throat. This damage is typically worse for people with supine acid reflux since the stomach acid flows up and down the esophagus. Upright acid reflux tends to be less dangerous since gravity can help a person hold stomach content down.
Both acid indigestion and acid reflux produce symptoms of heartburn, which can last for minutes or for hours. Foods that can trigger indigestion include fatty foods, creamy foods, citrus, oily foods, spicy foods, and fried foods.
Chronic acid indigestion is a sign of acid reflux disease. As with indigestion, acid reflux symptoms can be triggered by certain foods that are high in fat, creamy, oily, or spicy. A person who suffers from chronic indigestion or acid reflux may be able to identify certain foods as more problematic than others. In general, a person should avoid these foods to prevent symptoms. While certain foods can trigger symptoms of heartburn, it is important to understand that acid reflux is ultimately the result of a malfunctioning esophageal sphincter.
A malfunctioning esophageal sphincter can be temporary or permanent. The precise cause will vary from person to person. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to acid reflux disease, and other people may have been exposed to environmental factors that can cause acid reflux.
You may not be able to tell whether you are experiencing acid reflux or acid indigestion. Generally, people with acid reflux will experience symptoms for a period of at least several weeks. Acid reflux may produce symptoms that are more severe than acid indigestion.

Who's at Risk?

Groups at high risk include those with a family history of acid reflux or gastroesphageal reflux disease (GERD). Other causes include hiatal hernias, pregnancy, obesity, and scleroderma.
Even though acid reflux is caused by a malfunctioning sphincter, your symptoms may become worse if you consume foods that are high in fat or in large quantities. People who are obese tend to be at risk for developing GERD.
Certain medications can also cause acid reflux. Beta blockers, bronchodilators, sedatives, antidepressants, and motion sickness medicines can cause intermittent or persistent acid reflux. Smokers are at a high risk for developing complications since smoke and carbon monoxide can cause additional damage to the esophagus.
Chronic acid reflux results in GERD, which puts people at risk for long-term damage to the esophagus and throat. When there is injury to the esophagus, people might start to wheeze, cough, lose their voice, or become hoarse. Constant regurgitation of stomach acid can also cause damage to the teeth and sinuses.
Supine acid reflux causes twice the damage of upright acid reflux. With supine acid reflux, stomach acids travel to and from the stomach and esophagus twice. If you are a heavy sleeper, you may not realize that you are experiencing acid reflux while you are sleeping.
With upright acid reflux, stomach acid is less likely to flow back down or up the first place because gravity keeps the stomach acid stable.
It is impossible to quantify how much damage someone with acid reflux will endure. It is also impossible to create a statistical measure for the likelihood or probability that a person will develop acid reflux in the first place. Diet, environmental factors, heredity, lifestyle, and overall health are all components that play a part in causing the disease.