Most common medical conditions
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“It won’t happen to me.”
That’s the catchcry when it comes to serious illness or even mild illness.
And as individual managers of the vast array of organs in our bodily workforce, we do what we can to keep them happy.
Or at least we think we do in and around poor diet, excessive drinking, and sporadic exercise regimes. But remember, these organs are our private factory, our internal production line working for us and us alone, day and night without pay.
They keep us walking and talking and working and playing and reproducing. Yet, we hardly acknowledge their existence unless required to by a doctor. If our body was a business, our organs would surely go and work for someone else.
So let’s take our bodies and health more seriously. This starts with knowing a few things that can go wrong. Here are some of the most common medical conditions.
Allergies
The triggers can be foods, pollens, dust mites and molds among others; the result is, conditions ranging from hay fever and hives to eczema and allergic shock.
Allergies are generally treated with antihistamines, leukotrene blockers, and nasal sprays.
Alzheimer’s
Otherwise known as dementia, this nasty condition leads to the loss of intellectual abilities, including severe memory loss.
Sadly, there is no cure and Alzheimer’s drugs have very limited success. However, cholinesterase inhibitors can relieve agitation and depression.
Blood pressure
Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is low blood flow leading to dizziness and even fainting. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is responsible for most heart attacks and strokes.
Low blood pressure is often treated via dietary changes such as more salt, more non-alcoholic fluids, and less booze.
Treatment for high blood pressure starts with diuretics to remove excess water and sodium from the system. From there, medications include all kinds of blockers and inhibitors to help keep blood pressure at safe levels.
Cancer
Sadly, cancer is common and comes in a variety of forms from lung cancer to skin cancer. Lung cancer is responsible for more deaths than any other cancer form.
As we all know, success rates for cancer treatment vary greatly, but there is no shortage of options – surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy – and research continues to give hope.
Depression
Often misunderstood, depression is an illness, the main forms being major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder.
Short term, medications can offer relief. Long-term, depression sufferers can beat the illness through psychiatric therapy and even dietary improvements.
Diabetes
Basically high sugar levels in the blood, diabetes is a chronic illness that starts with excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and lethargy.
Treatment is more about control than cure. Type 1 diabetes is controlled using insulin. Type 2 diabetes can be relieved using non-insulin medications and strict diet plans.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency disease (HIV) is a retrovirus infecting via breaks in the skin or tissues and generally leading to AIDS.
Again, there is currently no cure for HIV. There are however antiretroviral therapies to help those with HIV to live longer and healthier lives.
