Diseases Treatment

Treatment of Vomiting

Simple vomiting from intestinal upsets can usually be arrested by the following steps:

Nothing by mouth for 3/2 hours after last vomiting spell.

Then start with one-half tablespoon of medium strength tea, ginger ale or a cola drink. Increase by a half table­spoon every 20 minutes until four tablespoons are reached. Then cereal, crackers, toast or apple sauce may be offered. Gradually increase the diet but only if the child desires it. Do not give undiluted milk or orange juice until the stomach is settled.

There are a number of medications which can be given by mouth, rectum or by injection which are very effective in arresting a vomiting attack. These are prescribed by the physician.

Treatment of Diarrhea

Most diarrhoeas treatment can be done with comparative ease if the cause is known. For instance, there are milk substitutes for infants who have a hypersensitivity to cow’s milk; there are medications that will soothe an irritation of the gastrointestinal tract; there are other medications that kill intestinal bacteria; the diet can be arranged to temporarily eliminate laxative foods such as spinach, prunes and apricots. Often a simple diarrhea may be eliminated quickly by bringing the child’s milk to a boil and letting it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (at times boiled skim milk produces faster results). Gradually solids may be added. In many cases of diarrhea, paregoric may be given to slow down the rapid action of the intestines. The dosage depends on the age and weight of the child and should be used at the direction of the child’s doctor. Diarrhea associated with ulcerative colitis, cystic fibrosis or celiac disease requires careful and specific medical care.

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease in which the mineral content of the bones progressively decreases so that the bones become brittle and are easily broken. It is linked to more than 1 million fractures of the hip, spine, and other bones each year. Vertebral bones in the spine shrink and fracture, causing a deformed spine. Bones in the wrist are also common fracture’ sites. Some 25 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis, 80% of whom are postmenopausal women. Although postmenopausal white and Asian women are at highest risk, men and women of all ages and ethnicities can be affected.

Though bones may seem hard, they are made of living cells that require calcium and vitamin D (necessary for optimum absorption of calcium) to grow and stay strong. Almost all of the body’s calcium stores are located in bone. During growth and development, bones typically receive more calcium than they give up. By age 25, when bone density peaks, calcium absorption levels off; at age 30, the bone-building process is over. This is when bone mass maintenance and calcium are especially important. If blood levels of calcium drop, the body withdraws what it needs from its bones. With adequate dietary intake of calcium, bones are spared the effects of calcium depletion that may accelerate osteoporosis.

Calcium is not the only factor associated with bone loss. Estrogen depletion during menopause triggers bone loss up to 1 % a year. By the time a woman is 80, she may have lost 30% to 40% of her bone mass. When bone-mass loss becomes excessive, it may not take even a fall to fracture bones. Simply bending over and lifting 25 pounds-a heavy bag of groceries-could cause injury. During menopause, hormone-replacement therapy in the form of estrogen supplementation is recommended for many women as protection against osteoporosis.

Because nicotine is thought to decrease blood levels of estrogen, smoking also contributes to bone loss. Smokers go through menopause on average at least 2 years earlier than nonsmokers. Genetics may also play a role in osteoporosis. Researchers have identified an osteoporosis gene that determines how well vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium. People who have the gene are more resistant to absorbing available calcium. Caffeine and alcohol have also been implicated in bone loss. A recent study found that women who drank two or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day and drank no milk experienced significant loss of bone density after menopause. The effects of caffeine can be negated with consumption of milk. In the same study, coffee drinkers who drank at least one glass of milk per day had 6.5% higher bone density than the coffee only group.
Osteoporosis Treatment

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends several simple steps to reduce the risk of contracting this disease. First, consume adequate amounts of calcium, preferably from food. If this doesn’t work, calcium supplements are recommended. The Foundation suggests 1500 mg, which is almost double the amount given in the RDA. 25 Second, consume enough vitamin D (400 IU) to permit absorption of the calcium. Third, consider hormone-replacement therapy (estrogen) and discuss its use with your medical doctor, especially if there is a family history of osteoporosis. And fourth, participate in weight-bearing activities, such as walking, running, and weight training, to prevent bone loss. In one study, women who participated in a year-long exercise program and received daily doses of estrogen experienced a 7% increase in bone density and fared better than women on estrogen alone. Physical exercise forces bones to adapt to the stresses imposed on them, and they hypertrophy in response. Bones atrophy when they are unstressed.

People with osteoporosis can and should exercise, but the type of physical activity and the intensity of exercise must be carefully selected. Forceful contractions of muscles and high-impact activities should be avoided because they may stress the bones beyond their breaking point. Swimming, water aerobics, stationary cycling, walking, and light weight training are good starting activities for those with osteoporosis.

Kidney Tumors are not uncommon. They may be benign, or they may be malignant that is, cancerous, with ability to spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). The benign tumors are essentially cysts of the kidney, fluid­filled sacs. These may occur in one kidney or both, and may produce a large mass in the abdomen of the patient.

Malignant tumors practically always affect only one kidney. They arise in functioning tissue of the kidney. In general, kidney malignancies occur in two periods of life, in infancy, and in mid-adult life. Broadly speaking, there are two types: the so-called Wilms’ tumor of childhood, and the malignancy of the adult; the so­called hypernephroma, which occurs primarily in persons over the age of 40. There are other malignant tumors which need not be discussed, because they are extremely rare and their effects are quite similar to those of Wilms’ and hypernephroma tumors.
Kidney Tumor Symptoms

Evidences of such kidney tumors are primarily pain in one side or the other, bloody urine, or appearance of a mass in the abdomen in the region of the kidney. The symptom of bloody urine may not be accompanied by pain. There may be periods when there is no blood in the urine, and precious time may be lost in hope that the symptom will “go away.” It is always a symptom that calls for immediate investigation, although it may originate from quite another cause than cancer.
Kidney Tumor Cure

As with all cancers, the best hope of cure lies in early treatment.A mother is often the first to discover a Wilms’ tumor, as an abdominal mass, in the course of caring for her baby. The tumor usually occurs before the age of seven. A mass that can be felt in the abdomen is not necessarily a Wilms’ tumor. A very large hydronephrosis, which we will discuss later, can also produce a mass and is much more common than Wilms’ tumor. Congenital cysts of the kidney also may produce a large abdominal mass. Every child who has a palpable mass in the abdomen should be investigated promptly. The treatment for Wilms’ tumor and hypernephroma is removal.