Will Wellness

ESWT for Plantar Fasciitis – Know the Facts

Posted by Will Wellness

More and more medical procedures can be undergone using non-invasive surgical techniques (preferred by many patients and doctors alike). In this world of wondrous medical technological breakthroughs there are many conditions that can be treated without ever breaking the skin. Heel pain is the primary reason people seek medical attention from a foot specialist. Roughly five million Americans are undergoing treatment for plantar fasciitis or heel pain. One of the most pedestrian of all disorders, plantar fasciitis, can be treated using sound waves. But these are not just any random noises applied to an injured body part – the sound waves needed to treat plantar fasciitis are ultrasonic. The treatment is called extracorporeal shock wave therapy (or ESWT for short).

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory disorder that occurs usually on the bottom of the human foot. The condition occurs in inflamed tissues beneath the skin’s surface in the arch anywhere along a line from the heel to the toes. Most people develop a plantar’s wart, a telltale sign of plantar fasciitis. The “wart’ is not like what is called the “common” wart (usually found on hands, and caused by viruses). The plantar’s wart is a callous growth created by the body in response to a tissue inflammation usually at the head of a foot-bone joint where the bone is perhaps prolapsed. It is usually a pea-sized or marble-sized mass beneath the skin, and walking on it can produce pain equivalent to stepping on a rock in a shoe (a stone bruise). Continue reading this post »

Tags: foot pain, plantar fasciitis

Are Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Inserts Effective?

Posted by Will Wellness

Plantar fasciitis is a very common foot condition that is also extremely painful for those suffering from it. Up to 10% of the US population suffers from the condition. Unlike a “true” wart (which is viral in origin) the “plantar’s wart” (the most common and visible sign of plantar fasciitis) is caused by a tissue inflammation. It can occur anywhere along the line in the bottom arch of the foot from the heel to the balls of the feet. Cures range from doing nothing to surgeries. A middle-of-the-road alleviator might be shoe inserts for plantar fasciitis pain. However, considering the deep-tissue nature of the disorder, are plantar fasciitis shoe inserts effective as treatment?

Because plantar fasciitis may exhibit only minimal outward signs (a lump in the skin accompanied by a painful feeling upon walking as if a stone was in one’s shoe) many patients either believe they have (or are misdiagnosed with) a bone spur or typical heel spur instead. Bone spurs (and heel spurs) are caused by a hook of bone that grows outside a normal spot, usually on the heel. Because many patients with plantar fasciitis experience their problems in similar areas a bone spur is often pointed up as the root problem. Interestingly enough (despite its common misdiagnosis) about 70% of all patients with plantar fasciitis are found to also have an underlying heel spur in further X-ray exams.

Beyond the normal pain associated with plantar fasciitis other conditions relating to gait and posture can result. People with a painful plantar’s wart, for example, may tend to walk more on the outside of the affected foot. This places great strain upon the muscles of the calf, and also stresses the hip on the side of the body affected. Furthermore, to compensate, many people develop a mild lateral curvature to the spine. Thus, back, hip, and leg pain can all stem from an untreated plantar’s wart. Continue reading this post »

Tags: foot pain, heel pain, plantar fasciitis

Symptoms of Bile Duct Blockage

Posted by Will Wellness

Symptoms of bile duct blockage may be confusing simply because they mimic those of other, more minor, digestive discomforts and disorders. A blockage in the bile duct may be temporary and cause of little or no lasting health problems. Greater obstructions, however, can lead to serious metabolic problems as bile is necessary for proper digesting and processing of food.

Bile is the substance made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It is a dark, yellow-green alkaline liquid. Bile (sometimes called “gall”) contains cholesterol, bile salts, some proteins, and urea. It also contains two pigments: a reddish one called bilirubin and a green, biliverdin. Bile passes through a duct into the duodenum (where the intestinal tract begins). Bile is used to break down fats, and it also neutralizes the stomach acid present in the nutritional sludge entering the intestines. A branch duct from this main bile duct leads to the gallbladder where the liver’s surplus production of bile is stored for later use.

Once a normal quantity of bile has been introduced from the main source, the liver, if there is a triggering amount of fat in the food passing through, a hormone is released that causes the gall bladder to contract, squeezing extra needed bile from the gallbladder into the intestine. This system, of course, works as it should in a nutritionally and physically healthy person. However, blockages in the bile duct, caused by poor diet or illness, can lead to some symptoms indicating a blockage is present. Continue reading this post »

Tags: bile, bile duct, bile stone

How Serious is an Allergic Reaction to a TB Skin Test?

Posted by Will Wellness

Tuberculosis, an often fatal disease, is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium. The most common test for determining exposure is a skin test. For some, this test can cause an allergic reaction. The question then is just how serious is an allergic reaction to a TB skin test?

Tuberculosis (TB) usually affects the pulmonary system. It is transmitted through inhalation of minute droplets of sputum (as from a cough or sneeze). More rarely it can be caught by drinking infected milk (cows can carry bovine tuberculosis). It can affect any part of the body, though it most commonly affects the pulmonary system, though. The bacteria builds up, dies, and scar tissue forms around the infection sites without causing any more tissue damage in those whose immunity relieves them of the bacteria. In those whose natural immunity does not engage, the disease spreads and causes vacuoles in the lungs, leading to death over time. Continue reading this post »

Tags: allergy, skin rash, skin test, tb skin test, tuberculosis

Can Diverticulitis Cause Back Pain?

Posted by Will Wellness

Diverticulitis and back pain at first blush may seem unconnected. Diverticulitis is a condition stemming from the lower intestine. Back pain, of course, may have any number of origins – muscle strain, tissue injury, or nerve damage. But, can diverticulitis cause back pain?

Diverticulitis (as part of a category of diverticular disease) is a condition that develops form diverticulosis. This early condition is characterized by the formation of intestinal polyps (diverticula) on the outside of the colon. High pressure in the colon pushes against the weaker spots in the colon where nourishing blood vessels flow through the muscle layer of the bowel wall, supplying blood to the inner wall. Diverticulitis develops when one of these normally benign polyps become inflamed; bacteria from the processed fecal matter in the colon may infect the outside of the polyp. The danger is these bacteria may infect tissues near the outside of the colon; if the infection spreads to the abdominal cavity an illness called peritonitis can develop. This is often fatal if untreated. Inflamed diverticula can also cause bowel obstructions leading to chronic constipation. Sometimes, an infected polyp may adhere to a nearby organ in the pelvic cavity, such as the bladder, or it may enmesh with other tissues. Continue reading this post »

Tags: back pain, diverticulitis, polyps

Low Dose Aspirin Side Effects

Posted by Will Wellness

Low dose aspirin therapies (involving the taking of a very small dosage of aspirin daily) are often recommended by doctors as preventive measures against many serious conditions. However, low dose aspirin side effects can also present health problems; it is these that need to be considered before committing to any daily aspirin regimen.

Aspirin is a salicylate. It is also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. It blocks a specific chemical in the human body; this reduces pain and swelling. Aspirin is also a blood-thinning agent. Doctors may recommend daily aspirin for patients who have recently undergone a stroke or a heart attack. The risks for recurrence of either condition can be greatly reduced with proper aspirin use. It is also recommended for patients who have recently undergone any kind of arterial surgery (bypass or having a coronary stent implanted, for example). Post-operative cellular debris, dislodging over the healing process, may cause blood clots. Regular aspirin doses will help prevent that. The connection between low dose aspirin and high blood pressure has also been studied recently.

Low dose aspirin benefits that arise from treatment sessions may vary widely between men and women. Women, especially those between the ages of 55 and 79 at risk for mini strokes (often called transient ischemia), should take a baby aspirin daily. These doses are about 80 mg per tablet – if a doctor advises, two of these can be taken daily. The blood-thinning properties of aspirin can reduce a woman’s risk of such a mini stroke by 17%. Regular use of aspirin also reduces the risk of dying of breast cancer by half. It also has been proven to protect against colon and pancreatic cancers. Men do not always enjoy such greatly reduced risks. Continue reading this post »

Tags: aspirin, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke

Causes and Treatments of Bile Duct Stones

Posted by Will Wellness

Biliary obstructions are those things which block the bile duct causing bile fluid (otherwise known as gall) to back up into the liver. The results of such blockages may lead to dietary anemia, jaundice, or biliary colic (a condition characterized be severe abdominal pain, profuse sweating, and vomiting).

Most of these conditions can be laid at the doorstep of bile duct stones, an obstruction formed by excess cholesterol and body salts. The causes and treatments for bile duct stones can be similar to those of gallstones, but the problem is distinct. Although it would be possible to have a bile duct stone without having a gallstone, it is unlikely. And the two problems tend to coexist.

The liver is responsible for producing bile. Bile is used to break down fats and to neutralize the stomach’s acidity in the material pushing into the intestines. The bile secreted directly from the liver is usually sufficient to break down the fats in an ordinary balanced diet; a reserve of fluid is stored in the gallbladder. When a certain level of fat is detected in the material passing into the intestines, a hormone is secreted that causes the gallbladder to contract, releasing an extra dose of bile into the mix. Continue reading this post »

Tags: bile, bile duct, bile stone, gallstone, liver

Vegetarian Anemia Prevention

Posted by Will Wellness

A vegetarian lifestyle can be rewarding for both mind and body, but there are certain conditions like vegetarian anemia that can be a real concern. Fortunately, a person on a vegetarian or vegan diet plan does not need to fear anemia once the causes are better understood and some basic tips for prevention are followed.

Vegetarianism, considered by many in the mainstream as a fringe or lunatic dietary practice, has been with humanity for millennia. Some religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, observe strict vegetarian regimens. In the modern world, interest in such dietary practices led to the formation of the Vegetarian Society of Manchester (in England) in 1848 to promote a healthier lifestyle through better food selections.

However, many non-vegetarians will argue that a person cannot get all of the required nutrients from a strictly vegetarian diet. Similarly, they will argue that only meat (animal flesh) or other foods with animal sources (eggs, dairy products) provides adequate supplies of protein. Although both suppositions are wrong, there is some merit to carefully selecting the amount and types of foods to eat in a balanced vegetarian diet to insure an adequate intake of nutrients. This will also prevent what is commonly called “vegetarian anemia”, a condition resulting from deficiencies in minerals and vitamins. Continue reading this post »

Tags: anemia, vegan, vegetarian

Low Red Blood Count Causes

Posted by Will Wellness

Red blood cells are those cellular structures in blood that, along with plasma and other antibodies and cellular units, comprise whole blood. Problems with red blood cell production can mean a reduced number of these cells in the body. Low red blood count causes are usually related to diet or disease. Genetic disorders may also play a factor. However, a vitamin deficiency – leading to anemia – can also be an underlying culprit.

Red blood cells (also called erythrocytes) are single cells of a rust color. They are roughly donut-shaped with a “closed” hole in the center (biconcave). Red blood cells get their characteristic rust-red color from the hemoglobin carried in each cell. It is the red blood cells’ job to transport oxygen to the body’s organs. Within the tissues and organs, the red blood cells exchange their oxygen for carbon dioxide; once depleted of oxygen they circulate back through the lungs, dumping their carbon dioxide load and picking up a fresh cargo of oxygen before continuing on. Continue reading this post »

Tags: anemia, sickle cell anemia

Can Women Get Jock Itch?

Posted by Will Wellness

There are many ailments that are normally thought of as being gender specific. The problem of jock itch is usually considered to be a male problem, but there should be concern among the female community as well. Women can (and do) get jock itch and the causes, symptoms and treatments are surprisingly similar to that of men.

Jock itch is a fungal infection, tinea cruris, and it thrives in warm, moist spaces such as locker rooms. It passes easily by sharing towels or from surface contact. It flourishes in the groin area because that is a warm, humid place. Like athlete’s foot, jock itch may manifest elsewhere on the body, such as the armpits. The rash, like prickly heat, alternately burns or is maddeningly itchy. The surface of the skin can become scabrous from excessive scratching – this invites secondary bacterial infections.

Female jock itch is actually the same disease that men get. And, like the male version, jock itch in women is caught in public places where fungus grows: spas, sports clubs, gyms, or aerobics classes, anyplace that a warm, damp environment invites fungal growth.

In women, the jock itch fungus may find at least one extra place of infection. As in men, women may develop jock itch along their inside, upper thighs, or their armpits. More annoying is the area directly under the breasts (where skin-to-skin contact between chest and breast creates dampness, and bra cups and bands may irritate). Continue reading this post »

Tags: infection, jock itch, rash, skin rash

ESWT for Plantar Fasciitis – Know the Facts

Are Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Inserts Effective?

Symptoms of Bile Duct Blockage

How Serious is an Allergic Reaction to a TB Skin Test?

Can Diverticulitis Cause Back Pain?

Low Dose Aspirin Side Effects

Causes and Treatments of Bile Duct Stones

Vegetarian Anemia Prevention

Low Red Blood Count Causes

Can Women Get Jock Itch?

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