Although triglycerides are fats (a.k.a. lipids) are present in bloodstreams much like cholesterol, they differ from one another in that triglycerides provide energy while cholesterol is a crucial component in building cells and producing some hormones. Kept at appropriate levels, both, triglycerides and cholesterol are critical for good health. However, their access promotes heart disease and other health challenges.

Triglycerides and Health Issues

When individuals consume more calories than their bodies can use, triglycerides accumulate to unhealthful levels and high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream has been directly associated with atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, which is a medical condition that is characterized by thickening of arterial walls due to the buildup of fatty matter, is then associated with heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Also attributed to high levels of triglycerides is an inflammation of the pancreas (an organ of the digestive and endocrine systems) that is known as pancreatitis.

Triglycerides are, in a way, important measures of heart health and at high levels they are often manifested as obesity and the metabolic syndrome (a wide-scoping group of conditions such as surplus fat around the waist, high blood pressure (hypertension), high triglycerides, high blood sugar (diabetes) and high cholesterol levels.)

Often, high levels of triglycerides are directly caused by overeating of fatty foods but that is not always the case. In some patients, high triglycerides are caused by poorly controlled type 2 diabetes; an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism); certain liver and/or kidney diseases; a genetic dysfunction which affects how the body converts fat to energy; or a side effect of some medications which may include beta blockers, birth control pills, diuretics, steroids or tamoxifen (a drug administered to breast cancer patients).

According to the American Heart Association and its guidelines for triglyceride levels; the normal levels of triglycerides are in ranges of less than 150 mg/dL and less than 1.69 mmol/L. Ranges of between 150 – 199 mg/dL and 1.70 – 2.25 mmol/L are borderline high levels of triglycerides. Anything beyond those borderline levels requires urgent attention.

Lowering Triglyceride Levels

The most effective ways for lowering triglyceride levels are:

1. Dieting. Weight loss and reduction of caloric intake by: (a) reducing or eliminating the intake of refined sugars and simple carbohydrates (processed sugars and white flour) which raise the production of insulin which, in turn, increases triglycerides; (b) reducing or eliminating the intake of foods which are high in cholesterol (red meats, saturated fats, egg yolks and dairy products); (c) replacing the consumption of saturated fats with monounsaturated which are found in olive, peanut and canola oils and fish; (d) staying away from trans fats that are found in fried foods and pre-packaged snacks; and (e) avoiding alcoholic beverage whose smallest amounts raise triglyceride levels significantly.

2. Participating in regular and routine daily exercise.

3. Controlling existing medical conditions, particularly diabetes and high blood pressure.

4. If all of the above are insufficient to lower high triglyceride levels, cholesterol lowering drugs such as niacin or fibrates may be prescribed.

Among organs which can be transplanted today are the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, and intestine as well as penis and eyes. But organs are not the only body parts which are transplantable; tissues of various types such as bones, bone marrow tendons, cornea, heart valves, veins, arms, hands and skin are also being transplanted successfully.

Types of Transplants Available Today

The types of transplants which are available in modern day medicine include the following:

Autograft. A patient’s own tissues are transplanted from one area to another and it involves excessive tissues or those tissues which are capable of regenerating. The most common among autografts are skin and vein as well as the patient’s own blood which had been stored prior to surgical procedures and is then used as needed during and/or after the surgery.

Allograft. This encompasses most standard human organ and tissue transplants as it involves transplants of organs and/or between the same species as in human to human.

Isograft. This involves organ and/or tissue transplants between identical twins. This is the safest transplant with the highest success rate as it does not trigger immune responses.

Xenograft. This is the transplant of organs and/or tissues from one species to another.

Split Transplants. This involves the splitting of a single donated organ or tissue (such a liver or skin) and transplanting it into two patients.

Domino Transplant. This involves juggling of organs as one patient received both lungs and heart but since the heart of the patient is healthy, it is then transplanted into another patient.

Numeric Facts about Organ Transplants

Organ transplants in humans became a reality and an enormous medical breakthrough which saves countless lives began with several kidney transplants in the early years of the 1950s. This incredible medical advancement opened up many doors for other organ transplants and the procedures have become more and more fine tuned and progressively gained higher success rates while adding more years to patients’ lives. Today, organ transplants are common routines in just about every hospital around the world and, for the most part, they are very safe.

In the year 2000 and in the United States alone; 5,984 cadavers (deceased donors) were donated, plus 5,700 live donors made their transplantable organs available. Also in the United States during the year 2000, the following transplants of major organs were performed successful but there were many more patients waiting for their turn:

Lungs — transplanted 956, on the waiting list 3,812
Heart — transplanted 2,198, on the waiting list 4,139
Heart and lung — 48 transplanted, on the waiting list 213
Liver — transplanted 4,954, on the waiting list 18,752
Pancreas — 435 transplanted, on the waiting list 1,217
Kidney — 13,327 transplanted, on the waiting list 50,898
Kidney and pancreas — 911 transplanted, on the waiting list 2,451
Intestine — 79 transplanted, on the waiting list 183

As can easily be discerned, we are faced with a huge dilemma nowadays; supply does not meet demand as the need and request has become far greater than the availability of organs. There simply are not enough life-saving organs to go around because the rate of donation is much too low. With an average of 114 patients being added to the waiting list for donor transplants, many patients wait for months and even years for the chance at recovery and a new lease on life and many of them suffer and die (5,794 in the year 2000) before they ever reach the top of the long waiting list.

Transplantation Medicine

Having to deal with a number of sensitive issues, transplantation medicine is probably the most challenging fields of modern medicine as it faces multifaceted issues such as: (a) keeping the donated organ healthy and in a fully functioning state while preparing to transplant it from the donor to the recipient (the patient); (b) ensuring that the patient’s immune system does not reject the transplanted organ; and (c) the complex mechanics of the transplant procedure itself.

Transplantation medicine also faces an entire set of bioethical issues which question the definition of life vs. death; the means by which consent for organ transplants is given or gotten; the systems which determines who benefits from organ transplants, when and how; the fact that payment (large payment) is involved in organ transplants; and so on.

After the Transplant

Other than having to deal with the standard issues of recovery after surgery, transplant patients have to also deal with the fact that their immune systems may reject the newly transplanted organs and/or tissues. To help prevent rejection, donor recipients must take immunosuppressants which make them vulnerable to a wide variety of pathogens (disease causing agents such as germs, virus, etc.).

Trans fats are also found naturally in small amounts (approximately 2% to 5% of total fat contents) in various animal-based products such as meats of ruminating animals which include cattle, sheep and others, as well as in dairy products including butter and cream.

The food industry — restaurants, fast-food establishments, manufacturers of packaged and processed foods as well as bakeries all use trans fats because they are inexpensive, because they add extra flavor and pleasing texture, because they extend shelf-life and thus postpone spoilage of foods, because they can be reused many times over and because they adhere to the food restriction of those who abide by the dietary laws of the Judaism (kosher) and Islam (halal) as well as vegetarianism and veganism as ascribed by secular or religious groups such as belonging to Buddhism, Ahimsa, Jainism and Hinduism.

Today, trans fats are found to a larger or smaller degree in a wide variety of foods but most of all in those which are fried and / or baked. Examples of common foods containing trans fats are: doughnuts; French fried potatoes and onion rings; potato, corn and tortilla chips; pizza dough; pie crusts; biscuits, cookies and crackers; icing and whip cream, microwave popcorn; and, of course, margarines and shortenings.

The Harm Caused by Trans Fats

Whereas many dietary fats are essential and promote good health, trans fats are not. As a matter of fact, trans fats are not only unessential but they have also been proven to be harmful in a number of ways. Thus trans fats, which are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated but never saturated, are believe to be the worst kind of fats even worse than saturated fats which in reality also raise total cholesterol levels.

The solid aspects of trans fats are responsible for clogging up arteries and significantly increasing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) which is characterized by the failure of coronary circulation to sufficiently supply blood to the muscles of the heart and to the surrounding tissues. Trans fats are also associated with higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes and suffering a stroke.

All that is due to the fact that trans fats are known to: (a) increase the levels of the “bad” cholesterol that is often also referred to as the LDL cholesterol; (b) decrease the levels of the “good” cholesterol which is also known as the HDL cholesterol; and (c) contribute to weight gain and obesity more than any other types of dietary fats.

Nutritional Advisory

In their 2002 “Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids,” the NAS (the National Academy of Sciences which is an official advisory board on nutrition, public health policies and labeling of food products) expressed grave concern over trans fats which was based on two main points. The first point being the fact that trans fats provide no known health benefits to humans, whether derived from animals or produced artificially. The second point was focused on the fact that trans fats raise the bad cholesterol while at the same time lowering the good cholesterol and in doing that multiply the risk of coronary heart disease.

Thus, the NAS, which was also backed up by the New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that no level of trans fats is acceptable and should, therefore, be avoided whenever and wherever possible.

There is not much to defining the term “tick bites” because it is quite self explanatory — tick bites are bites sustained by ticks. The term may be simple but there is nothing simple about tick bites or, rather, about the saliva that is delivered with such bites.

With the existence of well over 800 known species of ticks, they are all around us and they are potential carriers of a variety of very serious diseases. It is reported that in the United States, ticks are the leading carriers of disease to humans while second only to mosquitoes throughout the world.

Two Distinct Groups of Ticks

Hard Ticks. These types of ticks carry a hard plate on their backs and their feeding sessions can last from a number of hours to several days. The disease which they may carry does not usually get passed onto to their hosts until the end of their feeding. The most common among hard ticks are: American dog tick, wood ticks, deer ticks, and lone star ticks.

Soft Ticks. Soft ticks are more rounded than the hard ticks and they do not carry the same hard plate on their backs. Their feeding time usually last no more than one hour but they transmit whichever disease they carry within the first minute of the feeding. The most common soft ticks that are found in the United States are the pajaroello ticks and the spinose ear ticks.

Symptoms of Tick Bites

There are usually no symptoms when the ticks latch on and begin their feeding. However, once the ticks have completed their meals they fall off and the attacked site may display redness, itching, burning, swelling and, in rare cases, pain.

When disease is transmitted by the tick the initial warning signs may include: flu-like symptoms; numbness of the limbs; skin rashes through the body; mental confusion; overall weakness and lethargy; painful and swollen joints; intense headaches; heart palpitations; shortness of breath and panting; as well as nausea and vomiting.

The Disease Carried and Transmitted by Tick Bites

Ticks and their saliva are guilty of carrying and transmitting diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, Texas fever (a.k.a. babesiosis), ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Colorado tick fever and Powassan (a form of encephalitis).

In addition, the saliva that is delivered at the site of the tick bite may contain neurotoxins which may lead to tick paralysis and/or death due to asphyxiation.

Dealing with Tick Bites

When a tick is discovered, it should be removed as quickly as possible. And such removal process should be approached with much caution or the tick may be provoked to transmit its disease carrying saliva before it originally intended.

The best method to remove a tick is by using tweezers to turn it over on its back and then to pull it straight out. In the likelihood of become ill, it is wise to keep it taped to a piece of paper and, when necessary, to show it to the doctor for a more accurate diagnosis. If the head remains imbedded, it may need to be removed by a medical professional.

The site of the tick bite should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected and an antibiotic ointment should be applied and, sometimes, a topical antihistamine.

When symptoms are more severe, antibiotics and antihistamines may be administered orally or through IVs and a series of tests may be performed to identify or rule out transmitted tick-borne disease.

Preventing Tick Bites

It is not always possible to prevent tick bites but certain precautions should be taken to reduce their likelihood. It is, therefore, advisable to use a repellent containing DEET; when out of doors, to wear light colored clothing that covers as much of the skin as is possible; and to avoid possible areas where ticks may be present, especially during the months between May and September.

TIA does not always precede a major stroke but statistics show that approximately 35% of those who have suffered a TIA will also have a major stroke at some later date, usually within one year. However, accurate diagnosis, effective treatment of TIA and preventive measures can somewhat reduce the risk of a major stroke.

Symptoms and Warning Signs of Transient Ischemic Attack

Depending on which area or areas of the brain are involved and on the victim’s age, gender, overall health, and a whole lot of other factors; symptoms of TIA can vary tremendously but they are quite similar to those of a major stroke. The most common symptoms which come on suddenly and with no forewarning are: difficulty speaking (aphasia) or putting the right words into sentences that make sense; confusion and disorientation; brief loss of sight in one or both eyes; severe weakness (hemiparesis), tingling and/or numbness (paresthesia) on one side of the body or the other; trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance and/or coordination; partial loss of consciousness; and severe and agonizing headache; as well as paralysis of the face and tongue.

Causes of Transient ischemic Attack

TIA is most often caused by a blockage (embolus) that shuts off the flow of blood in an artery of the brain. Such a blockage is usually caused by atherosclerotic plaque (fatty deposits) that breaks off and becomes lodged in a major artery in the head or neck. TIA can also be caused by a blood clot (thrombus) in the heart that is caused by atrial fibrillation (abnormal rhythm of the heart).

Other, less frequent, causes of TIA may be a variety of blood diseases that cause the blood to thicken. Also, TIA is somehow linked with hypertension (high blood pressure), a number of heart diseases, migraine headaches, tobacco use (smoking or chewing), high cholesterol and diabetes mellitus.

Treating Transient ischemic Attack

The first line of treatment for TIA is administration of anti-platelet drugs (such as aspirin, clopidogrel or ticlopidine) which prevent blood cells (platelets) from clotting. This treatment is then followed up with anticoagulatns (such as heparin and warfarin) which are also intended to prevent blood from clotting. Often anti-platelet drugs and anticoagulants are combined for quicker and more effective results. However it is essential to determine the cause of the TIA so that more specific treatments can then be prescribed.

In patients with moderate to severe narrowing of the neck arteries, a preventive surgical procedure called carotid endarterectomy is recommended in order to remove the built up plaque deposits.

In some cases carotid angioplasty or stenting is a feasible option and it involves the use of a ballooning device to open a clogged artery and then to insert a stent (a tube) which will keep it open.

The Various Types of Thyroid Nodules

Collid nodules are merely overgrowths of the thyroid tissues and they may become large but never spread beyond the grand itself.

Follicular adenomas are also benign nodules of the thyroid gland.

Inflammatory nodules develop as a result of chronic or acute inflammations of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis, subacute thyroiditis or postpartum thyroiditis).

Thyroid cysts are growths which can either be completely filled with fluids or only partially. Those which are all fluid are usually benign while those masses which are partially or fully solid may sometimes be malignant.

Thyroid cancer are malignant nodules which are rather large and painful and quite rare. However, their propensity increases where there is a family history of thyroid or other endocrine cancers, in men who are under the age of 30 and those who are over the age of 60, as well as in those who have had radiation treatments to the head and/or neck.

Multinodular goiter is often caused by a large number (cluster) of thyroid nodules whose presence appears as a large swelling at the base of the neck and often causes tightness in the throat and difficulties breathing and/or swallowing.

Hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules lead to conditions known as toxic adenoma, toxic multinodular goiter and Plummer’s disease which are all related to hyperthyroidism and the excessive production of the thyroid hormones.

Problem Causing Thyroid Nodules

For the most part, nodules are fairly small but when they become very large, they may press on the windpipe and make swallowing difficult and they may become visibly seen at the base of the neck.

Furthermore, some thyroid nodules imitate their hosting thyroid gland by producing the same hormone, thyroxine, which is naturally produced by the gland itself. This results in excessive disbursement of thyroxine which then causes a thyroid disorder known as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) whose signs and symptoms are the following: (a) unexplained and unexpected weight loss; (b) nervousness, anxiety and agitation; (c) excessive sweating; (d) trouble sleeping, a.k.a. insomnia; (e) weakness of the muscles; as well as (f) irregular and accelerated heartbeat and palpitations.

A rather small percentage of thyroid nodules are cancerous or malignant in which cases they display signs and/or symptoms such as: (a) the nodules become visible suddenly as they grow rapidly; (b) the formed nodules are hard and solid masses; (c) the affected individuals become hoarse; (d) swallowing become difficult and sometimes even the breathing; and (e) the nearby lymph nodes in the jaw and neck areas become inflamed and swollen.

Causes of Thyroid Nodules

No one really knows with any measure of certainty what leads to the formation and/or development of the thyroid nodules but the most suspected factors are: (a) the deficiency of iodine in the diet; (b) an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s disease, which results in a chronic inflammation and also leads to the thyroid gland’s under-activity (hypothyroidism) and the formation of nodules; (c) a genetic dysfunction of the receptors which release the hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland known as the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH); and (d) repeated radiation treatments to the head and neck area during the developmental stages of childhood.

Treating Thyroid Nodules

Treatment options for thyroid nodules take into consideration the type of nodules which are involved and they may include the “watch and wait” tactic, thyroid hormone suppression therapy for nodules that produce the thyroid hormones, radioactive iodine for hyper-functioning adenomas or multinodular goiters and, finally, surgery for the total removal of the thyroid nodules along with a partial removal of the thyroid gland, in which case levothyroxine must be taken for the duration of the patient’s life.

Classifications of Thyroid Disorders

When the thyroid gland malfunctions for any reasons, it leads to any number of thyroid disorders and the most common among them are the abnormal production of hormones which are categorizes as either hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).

Hyperthyroidism can take on several different forms to include:

1. Graves’ disease — Over production of thyroid hormones.
2. Pituitary gland malfunctions — The thyroid gland is controlled by the pituitary gland and its malfunction may lead to overproduction of thyroid hormones.
3. Cancerous growths in the tissues of the thyroid gland.
4. Subacute thyroiditis — Inflammation and swelling of the thyroid causes it to temporarily produce excess hormones.
5. Toxic adenomas — Nodules which develop on the thyroid gland begin producing thyroid hormones and upset the body’s chemical balance.

Hypothyroidism can also take on several different forms and those include:

1. Excessive iodide — Certain drugs (cold and sinus medicines and heart medications) as well as contrast dyes which are administered prior to X-ray procedures may expose patients to excessive iodine. Such instances may lead to reduced production of thyroid hormones.
2. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis — This is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own thyroid tissues and thus they result in reduced production of thyroid hormones.
3. Lithium — This drug has been blamed for the slowing of the thyroid hormone production.
4. Removal of the thyroid gland — In cases where the thyroid gland has been removed or its functions have been severed, there is no natural production of thyroid hormones.

Modern medicine has come to appreciate just how dangerous hypothyroidism is to newborns and infants as it can lead to mental retardation (cretinism), hindered growth (dwarfism), myxedema coma as well as death in extreme cases. Therefore, many hospitals check thyroid levels of newborns as part of their routine and, if necessary, begin treatment right away.

Other thyroid disorders include goiter (an outwardly prominent protrusion of the thyroid gland) and cancer of the thyroid.

Symptoms of Thyroid Disorders

The symptoms of thyroid disorders vary from one condition or form to another. In hyperthyroidism, symptoms include weakness of the muscles and fatigue; tremor of the hands; rapid heartbeat; weight loss; diarrhea or frequent bowel movements; irritability, agitation and anxiety; low tolerance to heat and excessive sweating; and irregularity of menstrual cycles and infertility.

Not surprisingly, the symptoms of hypothyroidism are almost the exact opposite from those in hyperthyroidism and they may include depression; sluggishness; feeling cold; weight gain, dryness of hair and skin; and constipation,

Treatments for Thyroid Disorders

As unpleasant as they are, thyroid disorders are quite treatable. Hyperthyroidism is usually treated with antithyroid drugs, beta-blockers, radioactive iodine and, in the most severe of cases, with surgery.

Hypothyroidism is treated by artificially replacing the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) which the thyroid gland is failing to produce.

When cells mutate and grow out of control, a cancer tumor may develop. When such a cancerous tumor develops in the throat it is known as throat cancer. Due to its proximity, however, throat cancer can also affect the voice box (larynx) — a structure made of cartilage that houses the vocal cords which vibrate to generate the sound of talking, singing, laughing, etc. Also because of its anatomical nearness, throat cancer can likewise develop in the cells of the epiglottis — the cartilage covering for the windpipe.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 24,000 people get newly diagnosed with throat cancer every year in the United States. Roughly 50% of these throat cancers affect the pharynx, a very small percentage of them affect the epiglottis and the rest of the throat cancers affect the larynx.

The Different Types of Throat Cancer

Throat cancer is a relatively general term which refers to a cancer that develops in the throat (pharyngeal cancer) as well as that which develops in the voice box (laryngeal cancer). However, based on the location where the throat cancer actually began, more specific classifications have also been assigned such as: nasopharyngeal cancer, oropharyngeal, hypophayngeal cancer (laryngopharyngeal cancer), glottic cancer, supraglottic cancer, and subglottic cancer.

Signs of Throat Cancer

Largely depending on its location, the signs of throat cancer are wide and varied. However, the most common of them are: dry and unproductive cough; the voice becomes hoarse and raspy; swallowing becomes progressively more difficult; pain in one or both ears; a sore throat that would just not go away; a swelling or an open sore that refuses to heal; inexplicable weight loss.

Causes and Risk Factors of Throat Cancer

There is no conclusive evidence that points to any one cause or even a set of causes for throat cancer. However, the factors which have been known to increase the risk for its development are:

Tobacco. Smoking (cigarette, cigar or pipe) and/or chewing tobacco.

Alcohol. Extreme consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Dental Hygiene. Poor or inadequate dental hygiene.

HPV. HPV IS the human papillomavirus which is a sexually transmitted disease.

Dietary Deficiency. Low intake of fruits and vegetables.

Toxins. A variety of toxins but most specifically asbestos which is a fiber that is used in manufacturing and construction.

Treatments for Throat Cancer

The treatments for throat cancer depend on the stage of the disease, on the patient’s general health condition and on the type of cells which have been affected.

Radiation. For the most part, radiation therapy to destroy the cancer cells is prescribed for most throat cancer patients, and it can be administered externally or internally.

Surgery. Surgery is another treatment option for throat cancer patients and it may be a mere endoscopic procedure when only surface cells are involved; laryngectomy (the partial or total removal of the voice box); pharyngectomy (the removal of part of the throat or the entire throat); or neck dissection for the removal of affected lymph nodes;.

Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancerous cells and it is often used along with radiation treatments because combining the two increases each of their effects.

Medications. There are several medications (targeted drugs) which are used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells by either depriving them of blood supply or essential nourishment.

As the name infers, testicular cancer is cancer which involves the testicles and its cause is unknown. The good news about testicular cancer is twofold; it is quite rare and, when compared to other types of cancer, it is most treatable. The bad news about testicular cancer is that it is the most frequently appearing cancer in young man of 15 to 40 years of age.

Testicular cancer is classified by four stages of the disease:

Stage I: The cancer has not moved beyond the testis (or testicle).
Stage II: The cancer has metastasized and can now be found in the testis as well as the lymph nodes in the groin area.
Stage III: The cancer has metastasized beyond the local area and is now present in the testis, the lymph nodes in the groin area and beyond. This stage is further classified as bulky stage III and none-bulky state III.
Stage IV: The cancer has metastasized and can now be found in the liver and/or the lungs as well as the testis and the lymph nodes of the groin area.

Signs and Symptoms of Testicular Cancer

The classical and most frequently reported signs and symptoms of testicular cancer are:

1. The appearance of a mass, a swelling or a hardening in one testicle or the other but rarely in both.
2. An uncomfortable dull or sharp pain in the groin area (the testicles and/or the scrotum) as well as the lower part of the abdomen.
3. An unusual feeling of heaviness which seems to be based at the scrotum.
4. A swelling of the breasts which may or may not be accompanied by tenderness and sensitivity.
5. A relentless pain in the lower back (lumbago).
6. An inexplicable collection of fluids in the scrotum or tunica vaginalis (hydrocele).
7. A pronounced size discrepancy between the two testicles — the one affect by the tumor may grow to three times its normal size while the other may noticeably shrink due to deprivation of blood supply.
8. Bloody semen.
9. A general feeling of unwellness; lack of energy, weakness and fatigue.
10. Diminished interest in sexual interaction or a complete withdrawal.

Treating Testicular Cancer

As mentioned above, relative to all other cancers which affect both men and women, testicular cancer is the most curable. Based on US national statistics, testicular cancer affects nearly 8,000 men every year and almost 100% of them are cured if and when discovered in its earlier stages. In cases where the testicular cancer metastasized and spread to other areas of the body, the cure rate is as high as 85% to 90%.

There are two main reasons for testicular cancer being so very treatable and they are: (a) its lumpy growth is readily detectable by self examination which is recommended on a regular basis; (b) it responds very well to the conventional treatments and those may include surgery (orchiectormy to remove the tumor or the entire testicle), radiation therapy (to destroy the cancerous cells or to slow their growth), chemotherapy or systemic therapy (the use of drugs to obliterate the unhealthy cancer cells), and/or stem cell transplantation (the introduction of healthy blood cells).

Tendons are very strong and have much elasticity to withstand quite a bit of stress and tension but they are by no means infallible.

What is Tendinitis?

Tendinitis is sometimes referred to as tendonitis and it is the clinical condition which characterizes an inflammation or an irritation in a single tendon or a group of tendons. Although tendinitis most frequently occurs around the body’s major joints such as the shoulders, the hips, the elbows, the wrists or the heels; it can occur anywhere else just as well.

Symptoms of Tendinitis

Symptoms of tendinitis vary from one individual to another and they depend on the severity of the condition and its location. The most commonly reported symptoms are pain and tenderness as well as stiffness and swelling. Such symptoms of tendinitis will be further aggravated by movement.

Tendinitis present in different part of the body produces the following more specific and localized symptoms:

Achilles tendinitis — This is also known as Achilles heel and causes pain which is just above the heel.
Adductor Tendinitis — This is tendinitis of the groin area which is where the pain would also be felt.
Patellar Tendinitis — This type of tendinitis is commonly referred to as jumper’s knee and it exhibits its symptoms of pain just below the kneecap.
Rotator Cuff Tendinitis — Tendinitis in the rotator cuff displays its symptoms of pain in the shoulders. Rotator cuff tendinitis is a common complaint of professional as well as non-professional swimmers and baseball pitchers.
Tennis Elbow — This is a common name for tendinitis near and around the elbow and the pain is felt near the elbow and on the outer side of the forearm.
Golfer’s Elbow — This type of tendinitis is similar to tennis elbow but the pain appears on the inner part of the forearm.

Causes and Risk of Tendinitis

The sheaths which surround tendons have a tendency to wear and tear through the normal aging process but also through injuries such as direct blows; overuse incurred during repetitive motions of sports, play or work which is the most common cause; and a variety of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and many others.

Treating Tendinitis

Plenty of rest, ice packs and over-the-counter pain relieving medications are usually enough to ease the symptoms of tendinitis and to give it sufficient time to heal on its own. However, when tendinitis becomes chronic it can cause the tendons to rupture and/or it may lead to permanent damage of the tissues. Chronic tendinitis is medically renamed as tendinosis or tendinopathy.

If symptoms of tendinitis fail to subside with home remedies, professional assistance is in order and the following treatments may be prescribed:

Corticosteroid. Corticosteroids may reduce the inflammation while decreasing the pain and they may be administered via injections near and around the affected site. Corticosteroids may also be administered via topical solutions applied directly to the affected area and driven through the skin by a procedure involving electric currents called iontophoresis.

Physical Therapy. Very specific set of exercises and massage are prescribed to strengthen the muscles around the affected tendons and to promote increased blood flow.

Autologous Blood Injection. This is a relatively new procedure which involves injecting the patient’s own blood into the affected area and thus promotes faster healing without drugs. The documented success rate of this procedure is approximately 70-80% of tendinitis cases.

Surgery. In cases where tendinitis is not relieved by any other methods, surgery may be prescribed. However, candidacy for surgery depends of the severity and location of the tendinitis as well as on the age of the patient.