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How to prevent high blood pressure
Upper back pain — treat the cause
Factors behind bad odour from the mouth
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How to prevent high blood pressure A disease which carries with it such degree of risk/the question arises whether anything can be done to prevent a person from getting high blood pressure. A number of risk factors ranging from heredity, body built, race, sex, obesity, faulty diets, hormonal and emotional disturbances, smoking and alcohol have been considered. Compared to the essential form of hypertension the secondary hypertension is due to various causes like renal, endocrinal and congenital factors. This type of hypertension is treatable provided the cause is found at the right time since most of the time such persons consult a doctor at a late stage or when a number of complications have already developed. Hypertension runs in families. Children of hypertensive patients are more liable to inherit the disease. Almost all persons with hypertension are descendents of one or more parents or grandparents who have had this disease. There is a strong history of cardiac deaths in such families. Figures of hypertension are three times as frequent among siblings of hypertensive people as compared to those with normal blood pressure. Besides heredity, the environment also plays a role in the causation of hypertension. Observations have shown that blood pressure levels are strongly influenced by where you live for most of your lives than where you were born and brought up. People who migrate from less industrialised to industrialised ones develop hypertension subsequently. Similarly, people belonging to primitive and less urbanised societies like those living in New Guines, Bahamas, Panama and some pacific islands have less incidence of high blood pressure. The various factors which may help in the prevention of developing high blood pressure include weight control, dietary control over fat and salt intake, leading an active physical life and preferably stress-free or less stressful life. Weight control Obesity has a definite relationship with high blood pressure. There are no two views about having weight control. Obese people not only suffer from various heart ailments but also run the risk of an early premature death. So, all the susceptible individuals who are at risk must be impressed upon to maintain an ideal weight as per their age and sex. This can be done by sustained efforts. Diet Diet, especially high fat diet, plays a major role in the causation of high blood pressure both directly as well as indirectly by changes in blood lipid levels. A controlled diet containing less fats and rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and fibre and high in polyunsaturated fats is beneficial. Leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and lean meats, including poultry and fish, should form a major part of the diet along with legumes and lentils. Take diets rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium but low in salt (milk, leafy vegetables, etc). Salt It is a well accepted fact that a high intake of salt may lead to the development of high blood pressure. Societies where consumption of salt is low, the incidence of age-related increases in blood pressure is low. Physical activity Lack of physical activity and leading a sedentary life are important factors in the development of high blood pressure. Leading an active life combined with weight reduction will go long way in prevention of high blood pressure. Exercise need not be strenuous. What matters is the regularity. Brisk walking daily for 30 to 60 minutes is enough. A person may engage in other outdoor activities like cycling, swimming, running and playing outdoor games. Smoking Smoking in either form (cigarettes, bidis, hooka, cigars) is harmful and predisposes to the development of high blood pressure probably through the nicotine-induced release of nor-epenephrine from nerve endings, and over-stimulation of the sympathetic system. Smoking is a very important risk factor in the development of high blood pressure. All those at risk must avoid both active and passive smoking. Alcohol Excessive use of alcohol and its related forms is injurious. A relationship irrespective of other factors between high blood pressure and the amount of alcohol consumed exists. With increasing consumption of alcohol, blood pressure levels go up. So, people at risk must weigh the pros and cons of taking alcohol. Emotional factors Emotions play a great role in the causation of high blood pressure. Persons prone to developing high blood pressure are generally high strung, over-anxious and always under great stress. Most of these people are always striving hard to achieve certain objectives and deadline, thus putting extra strain on their hearts. Long continued and sustained emotional stress, especially due to anger, fear or resentment, brings about a rise in blood pressure. Thus, people with suppressed hostility and assertiveness and those who are over-anxious must adopt a calmer attitude towards life. The writer is a former Professor and Head, Department of Medicine-II,
PGIMS, Rohtak. Useful tips l Control your weight ll Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables l
Stop smoking l Maintain moderation in alcohol consumption l
Lead an active life full of physical activity l
Exercise must be done regularly l l
Limit excess salt consumption
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Upper back pain — treat the cause The neck and upper back region is an extremely complex area of the body because of many joints working in coordination. Lower-back pain affects one’s movement whereas upper-back pain affects the performance of day-to-day activities like reading and driving. Most common causes for upper back and neck pain are trauma and muscle imbalance, the latter is usually responsible for postural dysfunction. Postural dysfunction leads to abnormal/ incorrect alignment of the head and shoulders, and abnormal positioning of the joints, resulting in excessive wear and tear of the muscles/ligaments, joints and discs. Upper-back and neck pain barring injury cases do not happen overnight. A poor posture is the most important contributor to upper- back pain. The causes of a poor posture are prolonged sitting as in the case of desk jobs, strenuous bending or twisting of the upper back. The following conditions can also cause upper-back pain: (a) Scheuermann’s disease is a condition where the vertebrae cannot grow as fast as the back of the spine (Posterior aspect), thus bending them a wedge shape. (b) Juvenile disc disorder entails a disorder where there is a disc herniation causing pain at a fairly early age. (c) Ankylosing spondylitis patients suffer from morning stiffness and upper back hump. Symptoms Local pain with radiation along the part of innervating nerve. Weakness and pain of the arms. Pain/irritation on all movements related to the upper body. Morning pain and stiffness. Pain on deep breathing or during strenuous activity. Treatment: The goal is to achieve a balanced body alignment which relieves stress off the muscles, joints and ligaments. Exercise and physical therapy. Braces can alleviate pain on one hand and also support the upper back. Ice and/ or heat therapy. Trigger point massage is extremely effective. Cortisone injections are also beneficial. Ultrasound and electrical stimulation help relieve pain. Exercises l
Crossing hands over chest and rotate. l
Hold a stick behind the neck and rotate the trunk. l
Standing back towards the wall, sliding arms on the wall. l
Prone- raise both arms. l Wall push -ups. l
Rowing exercise with stretch hand. l
Shoulder shrugs (with barbell/ band). l
Lateral rows — holding band and raising sideways. Most treatments usually are not effective as they only address the symptoms and not the cause of the affliction. No pill or injection can create postural balance in the body which is mandatory to take the pressure off the nerve or facilitate the functioning of the joints, muscle or ligaments. Surgery is the last resort and is considered only if the severity of the condition warrants it. The writer runs a pain management clinic in Chandigarh. Email: chadha_r
2003@yahoo.co.in
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Factors behind bad odour from the mouth Bad breath, technically called halitosis, is a common complaint, and generally puts off your partner and friends. If you have this problem, chances are that you yourself are put off by the exaggerated smell in the morning immediately after getting up from sleep. Why does the mouth smell? The smell from the mouth is the result of over-population of bacteria. To understand this, you should know that bacteria are normally present in every mouth. Their number remains small if you brush regularly and appropriately. If you neglect your oral hygiene, the bacterial presence increases. Bacterial over-population and its by-products result in bad odour. The mouth starts smelling. Where do the bacteria live in the mouth? Though bacteria are present in every nook and corner of the mouth — and even in saliva — there are three areas in the mouth where bacteria congregate. These are the surfaces of teeth, top/dorsal surface of tongue and gingival sulcus. Gingival sulcus is a small space of 1-3 mm at the meeting place of tooth with the gum. This space is located below the margin of the gum all around the tooth. Your mouth’s temperature is about 37º C, which is ideal for the health and growth of bacteria. Bacteria do not reproduce like human beings — i.e., father and mother will produce a child. The bacteria replicate exponentially — one bacterium will divide and produce two. The two will further divide and become four and so on. Saliva is a very helpful commodity. A large number of harmful bacterial metabolic products are neutralised by the various components of saliva. In stress, the salivary secretions tremendously decrease, so the mouth smells during this period. Another factor that affects the odour from your mouth is the health of your tonsils. In fact, it is two-way traffic — meaning that the health of your tonsils is dependent on your oral hygiene. Helpful hints
To check bad breath from your mouth, your aim should be to reduce the number of bacteria to the minimum. The first recommendation is to brush your teeth regularly and thoroughly. Dry brushing is necessary to achieve this goal, i.e., initially brush your teeth without toothpaste and keep spiting. Brushing in this way dislodges the bacteria from the teeth and are spat out, thus reducing their number in the mouth. After this, apply toothpaste and brush again. Flossing and/or interdental brushing is necessary to clean all the surfaces of teeth. Thorough brushing like this is required at least once a day. At other times brushing for a little while is needed. Clean your tongue as well after brushing The top surface of the tongue is closely studded with papillae, which have many functions apart from housing taste buds. Bacteria lodge between the papillae. Aerobic bacteria resides on the anterior part of the tongue and the anaerobic type on the posterior part. Regular cleaning of the tongue has been seen to reduce the total population of bacteria on the tongue and also change the ecology of the back portion from anaerobic to aerobic. The method to clean the tongue is to brush the tongue from its posterior to the tip in a forward movement with the same brush you use to clean your teeth. Only light pressure is employed for this purpose. Forceful cleaning is avoided as it would lead to the enlargement of the papillae. The enlarged papillae will in turn gather more bacteria. The third area of aggregation of bacteria is the gingival sulcus. This gets cleaned automatically when correct methods of brushing are employed. When salivary secretions become less in times of stress, and also during “exam times”, when the mouth remains closed for prolonged periods of time, the mouth starts smelling. Frequent brushing and increasing the intake of water solves the problem. The writer, Head of the Dental Department, The Apollo Clinic, Chandigarh, is a former Head, Oral Health Sciences Centre, PGI, Chandigarh. Email:
chawlahs@gmail.com
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Health Notes London: Scientists are conducting clinical trials of a new form of radiotherapy in the UK, which could almost eliminate side-effects of blood-cancer treatments. If the trials are successful, the highly targeted radiotherapy can be given at much greater doses to destroy cancerous cells in the bone marrow without harming healthy cells. In fact, Pauline Pain, 58, from the Isle of Wight, who has a cancer of the blood called multiple myeloma, has become the first patient in the world to receive the radiotherapy. Pain could return home after her radiotherapy so that she could go for her bone marrow transplant later. On the other hand, a conventional total body irradiation would have meant a long stay in hospital.
— ANI
Binge drinking can lead to long-term brain damage
In a first of its kind study, scientists have identified that brain damage can result from consuming more alcohol than official safe limits. “We know large numbers of people in this country binge drink. This should be a wake-up call to the millions of people whose lifestyle means they get drunk regularly,” The Guardian quoted Prof Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, as saying. — ANI
Diet rich in mushrooms could help shed pounds
London: Want to shed those extra pounds? Well, then start taking a diet rich in mushrooms, suggests a new study. In the study, it was found that volunteers who had mushrooms rather than meat in four otherwise identical meals a week shed almost 13lbs (6kg) over five weeks, with one losing 1.5 stone (9.5kg). The study also found that one man and nine women, aged between 25 and 61, shed a total of 127lbs (57.6kg) over the course of the trial. In another recent trial, Margaret Hill, a 25-year-old mother of two from Dagenham in Essex, went from 13st 6lbs to 11st 1lb.
— ANI
Common food additive may increase cancer risk
Washington: A diet high in inorganic phosphates, which are found in a variety of processed foods — including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products — can increase the risk and spread of lung cancer, according to a new study. The study, using a mouse model, indicated that inorganic phosphates might speed the growth of lung cancer tumours, and even contribute to the development of those tumours in individuals predisposed to the disease. Conducted by Myung-Haing Cho and his colleagues at Seoul National University, the study also suggested that dietary regulation of inorganic phosphates might play an important role in lung cancer treatment.
— ANI
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Millions of people suffer from high blood pressure all over the world. High blood pressure is a major health problem since it carries with it a high degree of risk and increased chances of mortality. High blood pressure — also called hypertension — targets major organs in the body and predisposes to heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease along with a major risk factor in causing heart failure.
London:
While binge drinkers are already known to be at increased risk of accidents, violence and engaging in unprotected sex, it has now emerged that only a few sessions of heavy drinking can impact a person’s ability to pay attention, remember things and make good judgments.