Gallbladder Problems
Posted by admin in Gallbladder Disease on January 14, 2012
Could cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal surgery) be the new trend or fad in today’s medicine? When I was a kid the medical question most asked was “do you have your tonsils?” Then it became “do you have your appendix?” And now it seems to be, or is at least becoming, “do you have your gallbladder?”
When Rock was knocked down with a “stomach ache” and diagnosed with a gallbladder problem, I started taking notice. I’ve had friends comment for years about their gallbladder aches and pains, but never took notice because it wasn’t “me”, as in my family. It’s closer to home now so I’m looking into this situation. Once you start paying attention you become aware of just how many people have had their gallbladders removed.
According to Merck.com there are more than 500,000 cholecystectomy’s done annually in the US. While the incidence of gallbladder disease has remained fairly constant, according to LaparoEndoscopy.com, the performance of cholecystectomy has increased dramatically. Laparoscopic surgery revolutionized cholecystectomy and the treatment of gallbladder disease. That approach was introduced into the US in 1989, and is now one of the top 10 surgeries performed in the US. Read the rest of this entry »
Facts About Gallbladder Disease
Posted by admin in Gallbladder Disease on January 14, 2012
Gallbladder disease is one of the leading causes of problems with digestion that result in hospital admissions. Did you know that around 10% of the population (on average) in most Western countries has gallstones? Most of these are “silent” but about 4% of patients with stones develop symptoms each year. For about half of them, the symptoms reoccur within 12 months. More men than women suffer from acute gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis), whereas more women than men experience gallstones (men have more kidney stones), and married women with children have more gallstones than unmarried women. The term “gallbladder disease” is in one sense a misnomer, for it is the liver, bile ducts and gallbladder that form the system that enables your body to digest fats and all are likely to participate in gallbladder problems.
I have always said that doctors generally see health problems as conditions with symptoms requiring drugs, whereas surgeons see health problems as conditions requiring the knife, and when a patient is admitted with abdominal discomfort surgeons are often keen to remove the gall bladder as it is believed that it ‘serves very little purpose’ and that the patient can “live comfortably without it”. This is a ridiculous and very untrue notion however, and I want you to think twice about having your gallbladder removed, because over half of people I have seen who had their gallbladder removed still had the same digestive problem they started with in the first place unresolved, yet now without their gallbladder. Once it is out that is it, it does serve a purpose like every organ you were born with and having your gallbladder removed will affect your health to some degree. For some patients, the removal of their gallbladder had a major consequence on their health down the track. For others, it was a minor consequence. Read the rest of this entry »
High Blood Pressure – The Silent Killer
Posted by admin in High Blood Pressure on January 13, 2012
Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Veins, on the other hand, carry the de-oxygenated blood from the rest of the body to the heart. The arteries themselves when healthy are smooth and flexible; this insures blood flow is unobstructed. This flow puts pressure on the elastic arterial wall. The measurement of this force is what is known as blood pressure.
The pressure is not recorded as a single number, but as two, double figure digits. The higher number is known as the systolic pressure. This records the pressure in milimeters of Mercury when the heart beats and sends blood forcibly to the arterial wall. The lower number is known as the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure exerted in the space between the heartbeats. This is the resting phase and thus registers the relaxing pressure. A normal blood pressure would be 120/80. Higher readings such as 135/86 indicate a warning that something might not be quite right and deserves further attention. A single reading is seldom to be trusted as blood pressure can fluctuate. For a more accurate picture, readings need to be taken over a few days to show a more precise trend. If the blood pressure is drifting off to the high side, then remedial steps need to be taken.
High blood pressure can damage the arterial and venous system and this puts the individual at increased risk of stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease and can sometimes predict a heart attack. The alarming fact is that high blood pressure is rarely discernible, and that’s why it is referred to as “the silent killer.” As a safety precaution it is necessary to have the numbers verified on a regular basis You can do this by going for check-ups with your Doctor or health care professional and to make matters even easier many pharmacies now offer blood pressure testing as an over the counter service. If you find that your blood pressure is on the high side, say 150/90 then you need to make some positive changes and you need to make them quickly! Read the rest of this entry »