Protecting Your Eyes from Myopia: Prevention Tips

What's myopia?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common eye disorder that blurs distant objects but not close-up ones. Light entering the eye focuses in front of the retina rather than directly on it.

Distance vision is diminished, yet near vision is clear due to an eye refractive defect. Since the eyeball is too lengthy or the cornea is too curvaceous, light cannot focus on the retina.

Symptoms: 

• This results in blurred vision when viewing distant objects.
• Eye strain, headaches
• See clearly by squinting

Risk factors

• A family history of myopia is a risk factor.
• Long hours of near work, reading, and screen time
• Limited outdoor time

HiHigh myopia can lead to complications such as retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma.

An eye exam conducted by an optometrist or ophthalmologist confirms the diagnosis.

Treatment Choices

• Eyeglasses and contact lenses are the most common and effective methods for vision correction.
• Refractive Surgery (LASIK, PRK, SMILE): Adjusts corneal focus permanently.
• Children may utilise low-dose atropine eye drops to delay advancement.

Outlook and prevalence

• Myopia affects 30% of the world and is rising rapidly. Nearly half of the global population may be myopic by 2050.
• Most cases of myopia stabilize in early adulthood, but the condition persists for a lifetime.

Nearsightedness risk factors

Family history, lifestyle choices like prolonged near employment, and limited outdoor activity are the main risk factors for myopia. Family history increases the risk of developing or worsening myopia.

Key Myopia Risk Factors

• Family History/Genetics
• Children of parents with myopia are at risk.
• Onset Age
• Myopia begins in childhood or adolescence and can persist into early adulthood.
• Little Outdoor Time
• Sunlight-deprived kids are more prone to acquiring myopia. Sustained viewing of distant objects and exposure to natural light appear to offer protective benefits against myopia.

Eye Growth and Shape

• An extended eyeball or a steep corneal curvature causes light to focus in front of the retina.

Environmental Factors

• Urban living, high educational demands, and lifestyles that heavily involve screens contribute to the increase of myopia worldwide.

Extra Notes

• The majority of myopia stabilises between the ages of 20 and 40; however, severe cases may continue to worsen.
• Life-threatening complications: High myopia increases the risk of retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma.
• Prevention: Outdoor play, screen time limits, and eye exams can reduce risk or slow growth.

Main Myopia Causes

• Abnormal Eye Shapes
• A lengthy eyeball is the most common cause of myopia. Light focuses before the retina when the eye is excessively long from front to back.
• Too steep corneal curvature bends light excessively, pushing the focal point forward.
• Lens thickness: A thick or strong lens can potentially cause focusing issues.

Steps to Diagnose Myopia

• Visual Acuity Test
• You must read letters on a distant Snellen chart to assess your vision.
• At the end, myopia may make it difficult to read small letters.

Retinoscopy

• Retinoscopes shine light into your eye to observe retinal reflections.
• This helps the doctor diagnose whether a patient is nearsighted or farsighted.

Phoropter Refraction Test

• You look through a phoropter that contains many lenses.
• The optometrist swaps lenses to find the best prescription for clear vision.

Comprehensive Eye Exam

• Eye health, muscular coordination, and retinal dilation are assessed.
• It detects myopia and rules out other eye problems.

Key Points

• During routine eye exams, diagnosis is straightforward.
• Myopia commonly occurs with growing; thus, kids and teens should be evaluated often.
• With heavy screen use or near employment, adults may develop or aggravate myopia.

Nearsightedness treatment and correction

The video is about ways to treat nearsightedness.

Nearsightedness (myopia) can be corrected with glasses, contacts, or surgery, and some treatments may halt its progression in youngsters.

Correction without surgery

• Eyeglasses
• The most common and straightforward treatment is contact lenses.
• Light focuses correctly on the retina when using concave (minus) lenses.

Contacts

• Offer superior cosmetics and wider eyesight.
• Contacts can be designed in soft, stiff, gas-permeable, or orthokeratology styles.

Specific Treatments

• Orthokeratology
• The cornea is temporarily reshaped with overnight rigid contact lenses.
• This allows for clear vision without the need for glasses or contacts during the day.
• Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops
• This condition slows down the progression of myopia in children.
• This condition is typically prescribed under medical supervision.

Surgical Options

• Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a procedure that reshapes the cornea to correct vision.
• This procedure is popular for mild-to-moderate myopia due to its quick recovery time.
• PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) is the same as LASIK, but it eliminates the corneal surface layer before reshaping.
• This condition is particularly beneficial for individuals with thin corneas.

New minimally invasive laser procedure: 

• SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction).
• This condition alters the curvature of the cornea by generating and eliminating a tissue component that resembles a lens.
• Implantable Collamer Lenses (ICLs) are artificial lenses inserted into the eye to correct excessive myopia or when corneal surgery is not feasible.

Lifestyle & Prevention

• Children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop myopia.
• Limiting close work and observing the “20-20-20 rule” (looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes) are screen habits.
• Regular eye exams are important for early detection and correction of vision problems.

Also, read https://eyewiki.org/Myopia.

Vision protection

• Protect your vision by having regular eye exams, making healthy lifestyle choices, practising safe screen habits, and using UV protection. These steps help to avoid common eye disorders and preserve vision as people age.

Important Vision Protection Methods

• Regular Eye Exams
• Complete dilated eye exams reveal early indicators of glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
• Every 2–4 years for adults under 40, 1–2 years for 40–65, and annually for those above 65.
• Nutrient-Rich Diet
• Omega-3s, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C, and E help eyes.
• Leafy greens, eggs, almonds, salmon, tuna, and citrus fruits are excellent.

Eye Protection against UV Light

• Protect your eyes by wearing 100% UVA/UVB sunglasses.
• Exposure to blue light raises the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
• Practice Screen Safety
• Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, gaze at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Adjust the screen brightness and maintain a proper distance to reduce digital eye strain.
• Avoid Smoking
• Cataracts, visual nerve damage, and macular degeneration are conditions that increase with smoking.
• Eye Injury Prevention
• Wear protective eyewear whether working with chemicals, playing sports, or doing home maintenance.
• Handle Chronic Conditions
• The blood vessels can be damaged by diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
• Regular eye exams can prevent diabetic retinopathy and vascular eye damage.

Lifestyle Choices for Vision Health

• Physical activity lowers ocular pressure and improves blood circulation.
• Proper hydration helps maintain tear film and prevents dry eyes.
• Lighting is important for reading and working.
• Alcohol can deplete eye nutrition, so it is advisable to drink less.

Does myopia cause blindness?

• Myopia can lead to blindness, but this occurs only when it progresses to high myopia and results in serious complications. Normal myopia, when controlled with glasses or contacts, does not lead to blindness.

Progression of Myopia

• Regular myopia affects most individuals, who typically have mild to moderate cases that can be easily corrected with lenses or surgery.
• Its form does not blind us.

Progressive/High Myopia: 

• Vision deteriorates as the eyeball elongates.
• High myopia, defined as over 6.00 diopters, increases the risk of structural damage to the eye.

Problems That Can Cause Vision Loss

• Stretching the retina makes it more brittle and prone to tearing or separation.
• Myopic Macular Degeneration: Damage to the macula can lead to permanent vision impairment.
• Glaucoma, characterized by high eye pressure, can damage the optic nerves in individuals with myopia.
• Patients with extreme myopia may develop cataracts at an earlier age.

Key Findings

• Complications resulting from high myopia may lead to irreparable visual loss.
• Early detection and treatment for children, including outdoor time, screen limits, atropine drops, and orthokeratology, can minimize the progression of myopia.
• Regular eye exams monitor retinal health and help identify problems early.

Safety & Security

• Encourage children to play outside to slow the progression of myopia.
• Practice screen safety (20-20-20).
• Regular dilated eye exams can detect retinal changes early.
• Flashes, floaters, or shadows may indicate retinal detachment. Seek immediate medical attention.

Conclusion

Although it is common and controllable, increasing myopia can endanger long-term vision. Vision protection and blindness prevention require early identification, correction, and intervention.

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage: Looks Serious, Heals Naturally

Overview

A little bleed under the clear surface of the eye (conjunctiva) is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It is often innocuous and will go away on its own within one to two weeks. Although a striking red spot appears on the eye's white surface, it rarely causes pain or impairs vision; however, it may look concerning.

When a small blood vessel bursts just under the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that covers the sclera (the white part of the eye), it causes a subconjunctival hemorrhage. A red spot appears on the surface of the eye, easily visible in a mirror or by those in your immediate vicinity. It may look scary, but in most cases it's harmless and goes away on its own.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage

Warning Signs

• A red spot in the sclera can be seen.
• Typically, there is no discomfort, reddening, or blurring of vision.
• On rare occasions, you can get a slight itchiness or a sensation similar to a sore throat.

Final Findings

• Typically determined by a visual inspection.
• If the problem persists or is unexplained, doctors may prescribe blood pressure checks or coagulation tests, which are extremely rare.

A subconjunctival hemorrhage typically occurs when a small blood artery bursts beneath the conjunctiva as a result of abrupt stress, mild trauma, or preexisting medical conditions.

Popular Reasons

• Vasovagal maneuvers, which involve sudden changes in pressure:
• The risk of venous pressure spikes and ruptures increases with physical exertion, such as when coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or even laughing violently.

Minor eye trauma: 

• Rubbing the eye too hard, hitting the eye by accident, or irritation from anything foreign.
• Conditions that raise the risk include diabetes, high blood pressure, and bleeding problems.

Medication: 

• Medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin, warfarin, and clopidogrel, increase the risk of bleeding in the blood vessels.
• It can sometimes be brought on by eye-related treatments or diseases, such as infections, contact lens use, or eye surgery.
• Idiopathic, meaning "without apparent cause," refers to the fact that, particularly in the elderly, there is often no identifiable cause.

Is it risky to have a subconjunctival hemorrhage?

• In most cases, subconjunctival bleeding poses no threat.
• A striking crimson spot on the eye's white is actually rather innocuous and usually goes away after a week or two of its own will.

Arguments in Favour of the Generally Low Risk

• No discomfort or blurred vision: Looking in a mirror usually brings it to the attention of the majority of people.
• Restricting itself, Like a bruise, the blood is absorbed naturally.
• If the irritation is minimal, artificial tears may help, but other than that, nothing needs to be done.

Given That It May Indicate More

• Usually harmless, it can sometimes indicate more serious problems:
• A bleeding condition, uncontrolled hypertension, or diabetes could be indicated by recurring haemorrhages.
• An eye exam is critical in cases related to trauma, particularly when there are changes in vision or pain.
• Medications that thin the blood can lead to weakened blood vessels and an increased in risk.

It is recommended to seek medical assessment for systemic symptoms if they are accompanied by easy bruising, nosebleeds, or continuous bleeding in other areas.

Warning Signs of Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

In order to help educate patients and raise clinician awareness, we have created this structured checklist of symptoms that may indicate subconjunctival hemorrhage:

Warning Signs (When to Get Medical Help)

• Changes in pain or eyesight
• Visual disturbances such as double vision, blurred vision, or abrupt blindness.
• Chronic bleeding
• Hypertension, diabetes, or coagulation issues could be the cause of several episodes in a short period of time.
• Systemic bleeding symptoms that may be present
• The ability to bruise easily, bleed often from the nose or gums, or have tiny cuts bleed for an extended period of time.
• Background of traumatic experiences
• In particular, severe head trauma or ocular trauma.
• The use of medicine that thins the blood
• Anticoagulants such as warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, and others can increase the risk of serious bleeding.
• Significant or worsening bleeding
• When the red spot spreads rapidly or covers a large portion of the sclera.
• Lasts longer than two to three weeks
• When symptoms persist for more than a week, it's time to consult a doctor.

Related systemic signs

• Hypertension that is not under control, vertigo, severe headache, or symptoms of vascular illness.
• Protective Functions (Typically Mild)
• One little red spot.
• There is no discharge, discomfort, or alteration in vision.
• Fixes itself in a week or two.

Underlying bleeding accompanied by discomfort

A warning sign is the presence of discomfort together with a subconjunctival hemorrhage. Subconjunctival bleeding isn't usually dangerous or painful. There may be a more serious issue at hand if pain is evident.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage Pain: What Could Be Causing It?

• Exposure to chemicals, bleeding, or piercing trauma are all potential causes of ocular damage.
• Inflammation or infection
• In addition to redness and pain, conjunctivitis, scleritis, or keratitis can also produce inflammation.
• Increased pressure within the eye
• Symptoms of acute glaucoma include alterations in vision, redness, and pain in the eyes.
• Problems with the eye's blood vessels or the circulatory system
• Very high blood pressure, very thin blood vessels, or bleeding issues.
• Related corneal surface disease
• When the cornea is damaged, it can lead to discomfort and alterations in vision.

Also read https://www.ojaseyehospital.com/blog/subconjunctival-haemorrhage/.

Warning Signs to Keep an Eye Out for Intense, Sudden Eye Pain

• Reduced or distorted vision
• A fear of light, also known as photophobia
• Past experiences with chemical or physical injuries
• The agony of recurrent bleeding
• Additional systemic symptoms (such as a headache, vertigo, or uncontrolled hypertension)
• Management of subconjunctival hemorrhage
• Most occurrences of subconjunctival bleeding resolve without medical intervention, therefore treatment is usually straightforward.

Manage according to the standards

• Just an observation:
• In about a week or two, and maybe as long as three, the blood is absorbed naturally again.
• Lubricating eye drops, sometimes known as artificial tears, can alleviate minor itching or discomfort.
• Nothing specific needs to be taken:
• It is not necessary to use antibiotics or steroids unless there is another eye issue.

When It's Time for an Assessment or Treatment

• Bleeding repeatedly: It may be necessary to monitor blood pressure, evaluate diabetes, or do coagulation investigations.
• When dealing with trauma, it is crucial to do an eye exam in order to detect any deeper injuries.
• When it comes to blood thinners, doctors may check your clotting status or adjust your dosage.
• Staying for more than two or three weeks: Reviews by an ophthalmologist are necessary.
• Problems with pain or eyesight: Portends the presence of another eye disorder (such as glaucoma, scleritis, or corneal involvement).

Methods for Avoidance

• Manage diabetes and blood pressure.
• Rinse your eyes gently.
• Always wear safety goggles when engaging in potentially hazardous tasks.
• Follow your doctor's orders when you cough, sneeze, or strain.
• Cold compress for the treatment of subconjunctival hemorrhage
• Subconjunctival bleeding is typically not treated with a cold compress.

Regular Administration

• Just an observation: In about a week or two, the red area will go away on its own.
• Lubricating eye solutions help alleviate moderate irritation, which is caused by artificial tears.
• No particular treatment: It is not necessary to use antibiotics or steroids unless there is another eye issue.

Does Applying a Cold Compress Help?

• Not usually advised: The bleeding will not stop any faster after applying a cold compress.
• It could be reassuring: An eye can be soothed with a cold compress if there is slight swelling or discomfort caused by rubbing or damage.
• Be careful not to put too much pressure on your eye. For gentle, interval-applied cooling, use a clean towel dampened with water or wrapped in ice.

Important Reminders

• Seek medical attention if the bleeding is painful, happens again, or causes changes in your vision.
• The body will reabsorb the blood naturally, so there's no need to worry about treating the underlying bleed with cold compresses; they're just comforting.

Conclusion

Subconjunctival hemorrhage is a frequent and typically innocuous eye disorder in which a bright crimson patch appears on the sclera due to a tiny blood artery breaking under the conjunctiva. In terms of health, subconjunctival bleeding is less of an issue than a cosmetic one. But you should see an eye doctor if it hurts, happens often, or lasts for a long time; these symptoms could indicate a more serious problem with your eyes or the rest of your body.

Natural Remedies for an Upset Stomach

Overview

Gas and stomach pain can be embarrassing and painful. Too much gas in the stomach can cause cramps, pain, and even heartburn. Such symptoms can occur due to indigestion, bloating, or acid reflux. Many people take over-the-counter medicines for stomach pain and gas, but natural home treatments can work just as well. This blog post will discuss the best home remedies for gas issues, natural ways to alleviate stomach gas, and simple lifestyle adjustments to prevent gas problems.

What makes your stomach upset?

Eating too much, eating too quickly, eating greasy or spicy foods, getting food poisoning, getting an infection, being stressed, taking certain medicines, or having a digestive problem like indigestion, constipation, or acid reflux can all make your stomach upset.

Reasons Why Your Stomach Feels Bad

1. Triggers in the diet

• When you eat too much or too quickly, your digestive system gets too busy, which can cause bloating and pain.
• Foods that are oily, spicy, or greasy irritate the lining of the gut and make digestion slower.
• Too much caffeine, wine, or chocolate: Makes your stomach make more acid, which makes indigestion worse.
• Poisoning or intolerances in food: Food that is contaminated or allergies (like lactose intolerance) can make you sick and give you diarrhea, cramps, or both.

2. Problems with the intestines

• If you have indigestion, you may feel burning or full after eating because your stomach has too much acid.
• Constipation or gas: Bloating and pain are caused by squishy or airy stools that get stuck.
• Heartburn, also known as acid reflux, occurs when stomach acid flows back up into the throat and causes pain.
• When you get the stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis), you feel sick, throw up, and have diarrhea.

3. Drugs and medications

• Painkillers, antibiotics, and supplements: Can hurt the lining of the stomach or mess up the bugs that live there.
• Smoking: Lessens blood flow to the stomach and makes it take longer to heal.

4. Physiological and environmental factors

• Anxiety and stress can cause gut muscle spasms and change the way digestion works.
• Motion sickness: throws off the inner ear's balance, making you feel sick.
• Morning sickness during pregnancy: Changes in hormones make you feel sick and make you throw up.
• Migraines: Often come with feeling sick and having stomach problems

How to Treat an Upset Stomach Naturally

Ginger tea, peppermint, chamomile, staying hydrated, eating bland foods (like bananas or rice), and taking probiotics are all natural ways to settle an upset stomach. These can help with feeling sick, getting rid of gas, and soothing irritated stomach tracts.

How to Treat an upset stomach Naturally

1. Herbal Teas

• Drinking ginger tea can alleviate nausea and inflammation. It helps with gas, bloating, and feeling sick while travelling.
• Peppermint tea eases gas and bloating by relaxing gut muscles and stopping spasms.

2. Staying hydrated

• Warm water: Taking small sips of warm water can help your body get rid of toxins and digest food better.
• Fluids that are high in electrolytes: Coconut water or oral rehydration products can help if you are throwing up or having diarrhea.

3. Same old food (BRAT Foods)

• Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast are easy on the stomach, calm it down, and help bind stool if you have diarrhea.
• Plain yogurt: It has probiotics that help your gut get back in balance.

4. Pure Soothers for Digestive Problems

• Seeds of fennel: Feena helps your body digest food and gets rid of gas.
• Caraway seeds have been used for a long time to help with cramps and gas.
• Apple cider vinegar that has been diluted may help digestion and control stomach acid.

5. Changes in lifestyle

• Stress makes stomach problems worse, so rest. Deep breathing or meditation can help.
• Keep irritants away: While your symptoms are getting better, cut back on caffeine, booze, and spicy or oily foods.
• Take your time: It stops you from taking too much air and eases indigestion.

What are the best ways to treat stomach pain at home?

Water with asafoetida (hing): 

• It stops spasms and keeps gas from building up.
• Easy Treatments in the Kitchen
• Aloe vera juice soothes irritability and helps keep your gut healthy.
• Plain yogurt: It has probiotics that help your gut get back in balance.

Way of life and relaxation

• Heating pad: The warmth relaxes the muscles in your stomach and eases the pain.
• Yoga stretches: poses like child's pose and wind-relieving pose help get rid of gas that is stuck in the body.
• Deep breathing and dealing with stress: Stress makes stomach pain worse; relaxation methods can help.
• Changes to your diet: Stay away from fatty, hot, or processed foods, and eat more small meals more often.

Water Cumin (Jeera)

• Cumin seeds help your body digest food better and stop acid reflux. Cumin water, which is made by boiling cumin seeds in water, can help ease stomach pain and gas. For quick comfort, you could also chew on roasted cumin seeds mixed with warm water.

Baking soda

• Baking soda neutralizes stomach gas and makes you feel less bloated. If you drink half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with warm water, it will help right away with acidity and gas.

Cloves

• Cloves help digestion and reduce bloating by stopping the production of too much gas. For gas relief, chewing two to three cloves after a meal or drinking water with cloves in it can help.

Chamomile Tea: Feels good on the stomach

• Chamomile tea eases gas and calms the muscles in the digestive tract. If you drink chamomile tea before bed, it can help ease stomach pain and improve digestion.

Changes in your lifestyle can help stop gas and bloating.

• Simple things you can do every day can help keep your digestive system comfortable by stopping gas from building up and preventing bloating.

Slow down and chew your food well.

• When you eat too quickly, you swallow air, which causes bloating and gas buildup. It's easier to digest food and less likely to give you indigestion if you chew it well.

Don't drink carbonated drinks.

• Soda and other fizzy drinks make your stomach make more gas, which makes you bloated. For good digestion, drink water, herbal teas, or fresh juices instead.

Cut down on high-gas foods.

• Beans, lentils, cabbage, dairy (for people who can't handle lactose), and fried and processed foods are some of the foods that can cause too much gas. Limiting these things can help keep your stomach from hurting.

Drink water.

• Getting enough water helps your body digest food and keep you from getting constipated, which can help with gas problems. To keep your gut system working well, try to drink at least two to three liters of water every day.

Regularly work out

Yoga, walks, and light stretching can help get rid of gas and improve digestion. The Wind-Relieving Pose (Pavanamuktasana), the Diamond Pose (Vajrasana), and the Cat-Cow Pose are some of the best yoga poses for gas release.

If you feel sick after eating nuts, you may have a food intolerance.

Most stomach pain caused by nuts is unlikely to be a food allergy, which affects your immune system and can cause an anaphylactic (or whole-body) reaction. Anaphylaxis is extremely dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.

If you really are allergic to nuts, you might have stomach pain and other GI signs like wheezing or coughing, hives, or your tongue swelling up.

2. You ate too many

• In one sitting, how many nuts do you eat?
• If you eat quickly, your body might have trouble breaking down a lot of fat all at once. When you eat too many nuts at once, it could mean that your diet is missing something.

3. You're not used to having a lot of fiber

• Nuts have a lot of nutrition. Fiber can help keep your bowel movements regular and improve the health of your gut, so this is generally a good thing. [5]
• But high-fiber snacks like nuts can make you gassy and bloated if your body isn't used to getting a lot of them. And that gas can make your stomach hurt.

How to Stop Nuts from Making Your Stomach Hurt?

• Simple foods that won't make you feel bad include toast, bananas, rice, applesauce, and apples.
• Add lemon to warm water and drink it.
• Have a cup of chamomile, mint, or ginger tea.
• A heat pad or a hot water bottle should be put on your stomach.

How and When to Get Medical Help

• For mild, short-term pain, natural treatments work best. Get help from a doctor if you have:
• Strong or long-lasting pain
• Gut or stool with blood in it
• A fever
• Dizziness, dry mouth, and less urine are all signs of being dehydrated.

Conclusion

People often have problems with gas and stomach pain that are easy to treat at home. Small changes can have a big effect. For example, using spices like ginger, ajwain, and hing and changing your habits, like drinking less soda and eating more slowly, can make a big difference. These natural treatments will help you feel better in a healthy way if you've been having trouble with gas or bloating.

How can people living with PNH improve their lives?

Introduction to PNH.

PNH stands for Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria. It is a rare blood disease that impacts the bone marrow and blood cells. PNH is a complex illness, but we'll explain its causes, symptoms, testing, and diagnosis in simple terms.

Red blood cells in PNH patients

What does PNH mean?

• Red blood cells in PNH patients are more easily broken and less stable. In PNH, the bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells that contain a protein that protects them from the immune system. When the body doesn't have this protein, its defense system attacks these red blood cells and breaks them apart. This procedure is known as hemolysis.
• PNH patients experience issues with their bone marrow, leading to the destruction of their red blood cells. There is a link between it and aplastic anaemia, a rare disease in which bone marrow loss makes it difficult for the body to produce enough new blood cells.

What effects does PNH have on the body?

• Too many red blood cells are lost too quickly, resulting in a shortage of these cells in the body. Many of the signs of PNH are caused by this lack of new blood cells. One of the most obvious signs is hemoglobinuria, which means that the urine looks dark or red because of haemoglobin from the dead red blood cells, especially in the morning. Hemoglobinuria is a very scary sign that can help doctors figure out if someone has paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
• Due to PNH anemia, other signs include feeling worn out, short of breath, and pale. Some people may also experience stomach pain, difficulty eating, and blood clots, all of which can lead to more serious health issues. 

Problems with the bone marrow and PNH

Aplastic anemia is a bone marrow disease that cannot produce enough new blood cells. PNH is closely linked to this disorder. Individuals with PNH may have previously experienced aplastic anemia, or they may develop it in the future. Because of this link, understanding and diagnosing PNH is important for better management and treatment of these related diseases.

Why does PNH happen?

A change in a gene called PIGA leads to paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. This gene is necessary to make the protective protein that stops hemolysis. This abnormality is not passed down from parent to child; it happens on its own in some people. This mutation renders the affected blood cells easy targets for the body's immune system. This gene mutation is what causes the signs and complications of PNH blood disease.

How to Diagnose and Treat PNH

• People with PNH are often given blood tests to look for signs of hemolysis and other problems with their blood cells. 
• There is a test called flow cytometry that can find the missing protective proteins on the surface of blood cells. Click here to find out more about how to test for PNH.
• Managing symptoms and avoiding problems are the main goals of treatment for PNH blood disease.
•  This can include medicines that stop bleeding, blood transfusions for people with serious PNH anemia, and even bone marrow transplants in some cases. 
• You should always talk to your doctor about your treatment choices.

How PNH Can Cause Thrombosis

When blood thickens and sticks together, it is referred to as a clot. It's a normal process that helps stop bleeding, but it can be dangerous when clots form in the veins or arteries. This type of condition is called thrombosis. Several things can cause this unwanted bleeding to happen in PNH.

Red Blood Cells Being Killed

• Red blood cells are always being killed in PNH. When these cells split, they release chemicals into the bloodstream that cause it to clot. One of these is hemoglobin, which can hurt the walls of blood vessels and make them sticky, which makes clots more likely.

Activation of Platelets

• Platelets are small cellular fragments that aid in blood clotting. IIn PNH, platelets can become overly active and easily adhere to one another. Since PNH is associated with bone marrow issues, clots are more likely to form.

Add to System Activation

• Complement is a component of the immune system that helps eliminate germs and damaged cells. When someone suffers from PNH, their immune system attacks red blood cells, which causes swelling in the body. This swelling can also lead to blood clots.

Getting rid of nitric oxide

• NIO is a molecule that helps keep blood vessels open and stops blood clots from forming. Red blood cells die in PNH and release haemoglobin. Haemoglobin binds to nitric oxide and makes it less available. This condition makes blood vessels thin and raises the risk of clotting.

Also, read https://www.icliniq.com/articles/blood-health/paroxysmal-nocturnal-hemoglobinuria.

Why does paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria happen at night?

The "nocturnal" aspect of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) refers to the increased presence of hemoglobin in the urine that occurs while a person sleeps, making this condition most noticeable in the morning. This happens because hemoglobin is released when red blood cells are killed in PNH. Because people do not urinate at night, their urine becomes more concentrated by morning when they first use the restroom. This makes the dark colour from the hemoglobin build-up easier to see. TThe destruction of red blood cells that causes this sign to appear most prominently at night also occurs during the day.

The amount of hemoglobin increases because red blood cells are destroyed while people with PNH sleep, causing hemoglobin to accumulate in the bladder. When a person doesn't go to the bathroom for a long time, the urine containing this hemoglobin becomes more concentrated.

Changes that can be seen include a level of hemoglobin that causes the urine to appear red, brown, or dark, indicating hemoglobinuria, which is most noticeable upon waking.

Hemolysis, the breakdown of red blood cells, is not limited to occurring at night, despite the term "nocturnal" in its name referring to when the symptoms can be observed. The term "nocturnal" in the name indicates when the sign is visible, rather than when the underlying process occurs.

Thrombosis in PNH: Signs and Treatment

When you have thrombosis, the affected area will hurt, swell, turn red, and feel warm. Between 15% and 30% of individuals with PNH experience blood clots. Recognising these symptoms early is critical for getting help and managing them on time. Managing thrombosis in PNH involves both preventing clots from forming and treating them when they occur.

Treatments 

The video about Advances in Science and Treatment of PNH

To treat PNH, most doctors try to ease the symptoms and prevent problems from happening.  How you are treated will depend on how severe your symptoms and illness are.

 If you only have a few signs of anemia, you may need to take certain actions:

 Folic acid can help your bone marrow, make more healthy blood cells

 Extra iron to help the body make more red blood cells

Soliris contains eculizumab.  This medicine stops red blood cells from breaking down.  Blood clots can be avoided, anemia can get better, and people may not need blood donations at all.  It may make you more likely to get meningitis, so you might need to get protection against it.

Empadelli, or pegcetacoplan, is a targeted therapy that can be given to people who have never been treated before or who are moving from eculizumab or revulizumab.

Ravulizumab (Ultomiris).  Ravulizumab is very much the same as eculizumab, but it has been shown to last longer.  Patients no longer need treatments every two weeks; they only need six or seven a year.

These are some other treatments:

These treatments include blood transfusions.  These treatments help manage anemia, the most common issue associated with PNH.

 These treatments aim to reduce blood levels.  These drugs lower the risk of blood clotting.

Stem cell transplant from bone marrow.  This is the only way to treat PNH.  You can get one if you can get a healthy person, like a brother or sister, to give you stem cells to replace the ones that are dying in your bone marrow.  These aren't "embryonic" stem cells.

Doctors usually only give bone marrow transplants to young people with severe PNH because they are very dangerous to their health.  If your doctor says it might help you, talk to them about the pros and cons.

If your PNH doesn't get better with the normal care, you might want to ask your doctor if you can join a clinical trial.  New ways to treat PNH are being tried out in these tests before they become available to everyone.  Before you sign up, talk to your doctor about what's involved and what you should think about.

Living with PNH

People who have PNH need to see a doctor regularly and be monitored to keep their symptoms under control and avoid complications. Getting help from medical professionals and talking to other people who have PNH can make a big difference in how well you handle this situation.

Conclusion

Rare and dangerous, Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria is caused by a single genetic mistake in a stem cell.  Things have changed in the world today.  Complement-inhibiting therapies have transformed PNH into a chronic illness that many people can manage. These therapies have greatly reduced the most dangerous complications of the disease and improved the quality of life.

How Older Women Can Regain Energy

Overview

Women may feel less energetic as they age. That emotion is not necessarily a sign of ageing for many women. People often fatigue more with age. It's because they're not sleeping enough, eating well, or exercising—not because they're older. Many lifestyle and health variables can induce weariness and poor energy in women, especially as they age. Talk to your doctor about treating weariness that worries you or affects your daily life.

As my next paragraph will show, a simple daily habit will boost your energy.

What are the symptoms of low energy?

Fatigue causes energy and motivation deficits. While sleep-related disorders may cause fatigue, this is different. Fatigue can cause lethargy in the body and mind. Hormonal imbalances can cause it.

Other low-energy and weariness symptoms:

• Stress or burnout
• Boredom or mental inactivity
• Overstimulation
• Change in diet
• Dehydration
• Loneliness
• Depression, anxiety, and mental illness

Reasons Older Women Lack Energy

Lifestyle changes can lower energy. It can sometimes indicate more significant health difficulties, especially as you age.

• Unequal hormones
• Fatigue can result from endocrine system or hormone disorders.
• Hypothyroidism, which disrupts TSH, causes weariness.
• Women over 60 who are pregnant are most likely to have hypothyroidism.
• Rapid progesterone changes might also cause weariness.
• Adrenal insufficiency and Addison's disease can cause fatigue. This condition may be because your adrenal glands produce insufficient cortisol or aldosterone.
• Low estrogen and testosterone levels can induce exhaustion, mood swings, and poor sleep.

Sleep Problems

• Chronic sleep deprivation also hinders the release of growth hormone, which is essential for your body to rebuild itself at night. For example, not getting enough sleep can lead to fatigue.
• Adults still need 7–9 hours of sleep most nights. Only after the age of 65 does the average sleep duration drop to 7–8 hours.
• Your sleeping needs differ, though.
• Young adults have expanding brains and bodies, increased physical activity, and faster metabolisms, which require more sleep.

Sleep improvement suggestion

• Sleep quality, as well as sleep quantity, can have an impact on energy levels. Adjusting your sleep habits may help you get enough sleep if you have difficulties falling asleep, wake up frequently, or wake up weary.
• Poor energy may be the cause of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. Ask your doctor about sleep studies and treatments if you snore, experience leg movements, or have other sleep disorders.

Menstruation, menopause

• Days before your period, your energy usually drops. This frequently causes women to feel weary. Some women have heavy periods, which can reduce iron levels and make them tired.
• As your monthly cycle ends, your energy levels may alter during perimenopause and menopause. Body hormone fluctuations may cause this. Other menopausal symptoms also drain vitality.
• Perimenopause and menopausal symptoms like hot flashes can impair sleep, making women weary.

Exercise

• Romm says she sees it in her 30- and 40-year-old patients: lack of activity makes you sleepy.
• Regular exercise boosts energy because muscle maintenance produces mitochondria, which affect energy. Exercise increases brain oxygen flow, which boosts energy.
• Most individuals need 150 minutes of moderate exercise and two muscle-building days each week. Walking and doing housework are moderate physical exertions.
• Ask your doctor for an activity plan if you're worried about your capacity.

Also, read https://www.griswoldcare.com/blog/fatigue-in-elderly-adults/.

Diet

• If your diet lacks minerals and protein, you may feel tired. Anaemia, dizziness, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath can result from low iron.
• A diet high in fats, sweets, and simple carbs may lower your energy. Simple carbs momentarily improve energy but lower it when blood sugar drops.

These foods to be avoided

• White pasta and bread are processed grains.
• Candy
• Yogurt sweetened with fruit
• Sugary cereals
• Cakes and cookies
• Both alcohol and coffee can boost or lower energy. They can also influence sleep schedule and quality, causing exhaustion.
• Complex carbs, such as those in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, stay in your body longer and give more energy.
• Consult your doctor and a registered nutritionist before making major diet changes. Remember: No diet works for everyone. There are probably hundreds of healthy diets and cultural eating styles.

Stress

• Stress affects many elements of mental and physical health, including energy. Stress and fatigue feed each other and intensify their consequences.
• Stress, sleep disorders, depression, worry, and lack of exercise can all create fatigue. It can also disrupt hormones.
• Stress can come from home, work, and everything in between for many women. Not all sources are related to aging.
• In addition to psychological concerns, intestinal issues, nutritional shortages, and hormone imbalances can cause stress.

Boost Your Energy

• You may consume sugary energy drinks or coffee to boost your short-term energy levels. These options may cause additional weariness later.
• When trying to enhance your energy, evaluate the sources of your exhaustion. 

You might want to:

• Adjust your sleep schedule or nap. Even short sleeps can boost alertness, especially for shift workers, according to research.
• Get a brief workout to increase blood flow.
• Eat eggs, almonds, and skinless, lean chicken to counteract weariness.
• Daily activities should be healthy for your body and mind. 

Gentle recommendation

• Go outside for some sun.
• Socialize.
• Do enjoyable or meaningful tasks.
• Reduce stress.
• Mindful breathing exercises.

When to Call the Doctor 

• You may be more weary than usual for more than just your age. If lifestyle adjustments don't work and fatigue persists, other causes may be involved.
• After trying these simple procedures and failing, see a doctor. You either haven't done enough of those things and need expert help, or there's a greater issue.
• Your doctor may inquire about your daily schedule and emotions. They may also test for thyroid disorders.
• Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, can make it difficult to carry out daily tasks. 3.3 million US adults may have ME/CFS, although over 90% are undiagnosed. You should see a doctor if you can't boost your energy. Chronic problems are tougher to treat.

Practicing pranayama and meditation can effectively alleviate low energy levels. A daily 30-minute commitment works wonders.

Conclusion

Lifestyle and health issues can cause weariness, especially in older women. Low energy may be caused by hormone imbalances or menopause. Lack of exercise, diet, and stress may contribute. Fixing the cause of your exhaustion is better than drinking more coffee or energy drinks, which might worsen it. Discuss treatment with your doctor if lifestyle changes worsen your fatigue or impair your daily life.

Myelofibrosis Explained: From Bone Marrow to Everyday Life

Myelofibrosis: Definition

Myelofibrosis is a rare form of blood cancer that makes the bone marrow, which is the soft, spongy tissue in the middle of most bones, scarred.  People consider myelofibrosis to be a type of chronic leukemia that affects tissues that make blood.  Myeloproliferative neoplasms are a group of blood cancers that are linked to this one.

Melanofibrosis signs

• Anemia-related symptoms:
• Fatigue and weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Pale skin
• Abdominal pain or fullness.
• Quick satiety after eating
• Easy bruising
• Constant nosebleeds or gum bleeding

Systemic and bone symptoms:

• Bone ache
• Night sweats
• Fever
• Unusual weight loss
• Abnormal white blood cells increase the risk of infection.

Rare yet Important Symptoms

• Discomfort and digestive issues.
• Rapid cell turnover raises uric acid.
• Chronic weariness affects daily living.

Symptom Variability

• Symptomless people are diagnosed with standard blood tests.
• Others may deteriorate as bone marrow scarring increases.
• Marrow fibrosis and organ involvement determine severity.

Methods of Treatment

• Medication to reduce spleen size, improve anemia, or control abnormal blood levels.
• JAK inhibitors like ruxolitinib can control symptoms.
• Stem cell transplant: The only solution, but risky and reserved for younger, healthier individuals.
• Support: Transfusions, growth factors, lifestyle changes.

Internal Body Events

• Scar tissue replaces healthy stem cells, limiting the marrow's ability to create red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
• The body produces too many faulty blood cells, crowding out normal ones.
• As the marrow fails, the liver and spleen try to generate blood cells, causing them to expand.

Impacts on Different Systems

• Blood and Circulation:
• Severe anemia causes weariness, weakness, and breathlessness.
• Low platelets cause easy bruising and bleeding.
• Abnormal white cells increase infection risk.
• Liver and Spleen: Splenomegaly: Causes abdominal pain, fullness, and early satiety.
• Hepatomegaly: Can cause stomach difficulties and pain.
• Immune System: Abnormal white blood cells can reduce infection resistance.
• Marrow alterations can cause bone and joint pain in the skeletal system.
• Systemic symptoms include night sweats, fever, weight loss, and energy reduction.

Long-term impact

• As marrow scarring increases, myelofibrosis worsens.
• It may become acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a more aggressive blood malignancy.
• Life quality: Chronic weariness, discomfort, and organ enlargement impair daily life.

Types of MF

Myelofibrosis can be primary (develops on its own) or secondary (arises from other blood malignancies such as polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia).

M. fibrosis types

• De novo Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF) occurs without a preexisting blood condition.
• Usually caused by JAK2, CALR, or MPL mutations that cause aberrant blood cell proliferation.
• Scarring in bone marrow reduces blood cell generation.
• Post-Essential Thrombocythemia Myelofibrosis after polycythemia vera

Complications of other myeloproliferative neoplasms:

• Polycythemia vera (PV): Excess red blood cells.
• The disease of excessive platelet production is essential thrombocythemia (ET).
• These disorders can progress to myelofibrosis with marrow scarring and systemic symptoms.

Clinical Differences

• Feature Primary MF Development of secondary myelofibrosis is independent. From PV/ET evolves
• Gene mutations. JAK2, CALR, MPL. Similar mutations after progression
• Onset typically occurs later in life. Symptoms after years of PV or ET. Systemic symptoms, anemia, splenomegaly Similar but frequently after a long PV/ET history.

Why Classification Matters

• Diagnosis: Determines main or secondary disease, which affects prognosis.
• Treatment: Secondary patients have a longer disease history and may require JAK inhibitors, transfusions, or stem cell transplants.
• Prognosis: PV or ET duration affects secondary myelofibrosis chances.

Main causes

Mutations in genes:

• The JAK2 mutation, which is observed in half of the cases, leads to abnormal blood cell proliferation.
• CALR mutation: Found in 25–30% of cases; related to platelet problems.
• The PL mutation is rare, but it plays a crucial role in regulating blood cells.
• Mutations in bone marrow stem cells cause them to proliferate uncontrollably, leading to fibrosis.
• First vs. second myelofibrosis
• Mutations cause spontaneous primary myelofibrosis.
• Conditions such as polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia can lead to secondary myelofibrosis.

Possible Risks

• Adults over 50 years old are most commonly diagnosed with myeloproliferative neoplasms.
• The risk of other blood cancers increases for individuals with a history of Polycythemia Vera (PV) or Essential Thrombocythemia (ET).
• Environmental factors: While genetic mutations are the primary cause, chemicals and radiation can also occasionally contribute.

How it causes disease

• Mutated stem cells cause the synthesis of abnormal blood cells.
• The overproduction of damaged cells leads to scarring in the bone marrow.
• Scarred marrow may hinder the production of healthy red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
• The body produces blood cells in the spleen and liver to compensate for the impaired production in the bone marrow, which leads to organ enlargement and systemic symptoms.

Myelofibrosis diagnosis

Myelofibrosis is diagnosed through blood tests, imaging studies, bone marrow biopsies, and genetic research to confirm the presence of scarring and mutations.

Steps in Diagnosis: 

• Medical History & Physical Exam
• Doctors look for symptoms such as exhaustion, nocturnal sweats, weight loss, and abdominal fullness.
• Physical exams may detect an enlarged spleen or liver.

Blood tests

• Anaemia, aberrant white blood cells, and low platelets are common in CBCs.
• A peripheral blood smear shows leukoerythroblastosis and aberrant blood cell morphologies.
• Marrow Tests
• Biopsy with bone marrow aspiration:
• Presents fibrosis.
• Platelet-producing megakaryocytes are aberrant.
• This method is considered the gold standard for the confirmation of myelofibrosis.
• Gene & Molecular Testing
• It identifies JAK2, CALR, or MPL mutations that cause aberrant cell growth.
• It distinguishes myelofibrosis from other myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Imaging Exams

• Imaging exams, such as RI or ultrasound, measure the size of the spleen and liver.
• Tracks illness development.
• Additional Tests
• Analyzes chromosomes for abnormalities.
• IPSS, DIPSS, and MIPSS risk scoring: A prognostic and therapeutic tool.

Diagnostic Challenges

• Early signs of myeloproliferative neoplasms may resemble those of other blood diseases.
• Some asymptomatic patients require routine blood tests for diagnosis.
• Clinical, laboratory, and genetic findings must be integrated.

Treating MCF

The video about the latest advancement in treating Myelofibrosis 

Treating myelofibrosis involves managing symptoms, improving quality of life, and slowing disease progression. In some situations, stem cell transplantation is the only solution; however, JAK inhibitors like ruxolitinib are standard treatment.

• Current Treatment Options: 
• JAK Inhibitors (Standard of Care):
• Ruxolitinib lowers spleen size and systemic symptoms but may aggravate anaemia.
• Rutolitinib-intolerant patients can take Fedratinib.
• Momelotinib can boost haemoglobin, which is beneficial for anaemia sufferers.
• Patients with low platelet counts benefit from pacritinib. 

Risk in treatment

• Interferons that are pegylated provide long-lasting molecular reactions.
• This treatment is particularly beneficial for younger driver mutant patients (JAK2, CALR, MPL). 
• Stem cell transplantation is the only curative treatment available, but it carries significant risks.
• This condition can affect younger, healthier patients as well as those who are aggressively ill.
• Blood transfusions for anemia are considered supportive care.
• Erythropoietin and G-CSF are used to stimulate the growth of blood cells.
• Rarely, spleen enlargement requires splenectomy or radiotherapy.

New therapies and trials

• New drugs under study include combinations of JAK inhibitors.
• These diseases primarily target fibrosis and inflammation.

ASCO & SOHO clinical trials: 

• Promise to extend therapy options, especially for anaemic or thrombocytopenic patients.

Treatment Goals

• Spleen pain and size reduction.
• Improve blood levels and anemia.
• Manage systemic symptoms such as fatigue, night sweats, and weight loss.
• AML progression can be delayed.
• Boost life quality.

Also read https://www.health.com/myelofibrosis-8405280.

Cure for Myelofibrosis?

Stem cell (bone marrow) transplantation may cure myelofibrosis. Most treatments aim to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and limit disease progression.

Curative Choice

• Allogeneic stem cell transplant (bone marrow transplant) is the only treatment that may cure myelofibrosis.
• It replaces damaged bone marrow with healthy donor stem cells.
• Complex surgery with risks includes infection and graft-versus-host disease.
• Ideal for younger, healthier, aggressive illness patients.

Effective Non-Curative Treatments

• JAK inhibitors (ruxolitinib, fedratinib, momelotinib, and pacritinib): Improve quality of life, lower spleen size, and control symptoms.
• Transfusions, growth factors, and anemia/platelet medicines are supportive therapy.
• Splenectomy or radiation is rarely performed to treat significant spleen enlargement.
• Clinical trials are currently testing new fibrosis medications aimed at increasing patient survival.

Facts of Cure

• Most myelofibrosis patients experience a chronic, progressive illness that is managed with medications and support.
• The cure, a stem cell transplant, is not for everyone owing to hazards.
• Some patients experience a long-term moderate condition, whereas others may develop acute leukaemia.

Myelofibrosis complications

Myelofibrosis can cause severe anemia, enlarged spleen, bleeding risk, bone discomfort, and acute myeloid leukemia.

• The main complications of myelofibrosis include severe anemia.
• Scarred bone marrow cannot produce enough red blood cells.
• Causes weariness, weakness, and breathlessness.
• Splenomegaly (Enlarged Spleen) When the marrow fails, the spleen produces blood cells.
• Causes stomach pain, fullness, and early satiety.
• Can strain on adjacent organs, causing back or belly pain.

Blood Issues

• Low platelet counts can cause nosebleeds, easy bruising, and persistent bleeding.
• Painful bones and joints
• Chronic pain can result from fibrosis and abnormal marrow activity.
• Extramedullary Hemopoiesis
• Non-marrow blood cell production (liver, spleen, lymph nodes).
• Noncancerous tumors can impair organ function.

Portal hypertension

• An enlarged spleen and irregular blood flow might increase portal vein pressure, causing digestive issues.

Gout

• Rapid blood cell turnover raises uric acid levels, causing joint pain.

Infections

• Abnormal white blood cells reduce immunity, making patients more susceptible to infections.
• Progress to AML
• Myelofibrosis can become aggressive AML in 10–20% of patients.

Conclusion

Myelofibrosis, a rare and persistent blood cancer, leads to scarring of the bone marrow that impacts blood cell production. Myelofibrosis can develop independently or from other myeloproliferative diseases.

Progressive myelofibrosis disrupts blood cell production and organ involvement, affecting the entire body. Most treatments try to manage symptoms and enhance quality of life, but stem cell transplantation is the sole cure. Patients can better manage this complex disease with early diagnosis, thorough monitoring, and individualized treatment.

A Guide to Gonorrhoea Awareness and Treatment

 What is Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhea is a common STI that is spread through sexual contact. It is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It usually affects the groin area, but it can also happen in the throat or anus (rectum).

Gonorrhea can be transmitted through oral, anal, or vaginal sex.

Babies who come into contact with an infected mother's birth canal during labour can get gonococcal conjunctivitis, which means their eyes will be red and sore. If you don't treat it quickly and correctly, it could lead to vision loss.

Important Gonorrhoea Facts: 

Cause: Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

• Sexual contact can occur through vaginal, anal, or oral routes. The mother can pass the infection to the baby during childbirth.
• The infection can spread to the urethra, cervix, rectum, throat, mouth, and eyes, among other areas.
• It is commonly known as "the clap" or "the drip."
• Untreated complications can lead to infertility in both men and women due to damage to reproductive organs.
• Women may experience pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Male epididymitis.
• Increased HIV risk.
• This condition has the potential to spread to joints or the bloodstream, leading to serious disease.

Treatment & Obstacles

• Antibiotics can treat some strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, but antimicrobial resistance is spreading worldwide.
• Premediating problems requires prompt medical attention.

Prevention

• Use condoms regularly.
• Regular STI screening is crucial, particularly for sexually active individuals.
• It is important to practice monogamy with a partner who is not infected.
• Avoid sexual contact with symptoms.

The Global Burden

• Globally, 82.4 million people contracted new infections in 2020.
• STIs like gonorrhoea are common worldwide, and resistance is a worry.

Who is at risk?

Gonorrhoea can affect any sexually active person; however, particular groups and activities are more likely.

High-risk groups and situations

• Young persons under 25: Teens and young adults have more gonorrhoea.
• New or more sexual partners: Sex with new partners without barriers is risky.
• Vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse without condoms or dental dams is risky.
• MSM: Especially unprotected anal intercourse.

Susceptibility increases with STI history.

• Geographic exposure: Sexual activity with partners from gonorrhoea-endemic areas.
• Babies born to women with untreated gonorrhoea can contract it during childbirth.

The Vulnerability of These Groups

• Women may be asymptomatic, making detection and transmission tougher.
• Inconsistent condom use, several relationships, and delayed STI screening.
• Social factors: Stigma, healthcare access, and STI preventive ignorance.

Gonorrhoea symptoms?

Many people, especially women, experience no symptoms of gonorrhoea, which depends on the site of infection. The presence usually occurs within 2 weeks after exposure.

Symptoms in Women

• Urinating hurts
• Yellow or green vaginal discharge increases
• Between-period bleeding
• Pelvic or abdominal pain (potential pelvic inflammatory illness)
• Intercourse pain

Symptoms in Men

• Urinating burn
• White, yellow, or green penis discharge
• Rarely, painful or enlarged testicles

Other Site Symptoms

• Anal irritation, discharge, discomfort, or bleeding.
• Sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes (often minor or undetectable).
• Eyes: Pain, light sensitivity, pus-like discharge, swelling.
• Joints (rare spread infection): Pain, edema, fever.

How is gonorrhoea diagnosed?

Lab tests on urine or swabs from the afflicted area detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae, confirming gonorrhoea.

The Main Diagnostic Methods

• Urine test: A non-invasive, basic test.
• Urine bacterial DNA detection is useful for men with urethral infections.
• Swab tests involve sampling from the urethra, cervix, vagina, rectum, or throat based on symptoms and exposure.
• Lab tests verify infection with swabs.
• Under a microscope, a Gram stain of urethral discharge can reveal Gram-negative diplococci.
• In women, this process is faster but less sensitive.
• In culture testing, bacteria are grown in the lab to confirm the diagnosis.
• With drug resistance rising, antibiotic susceptibility testing is essential.
• The most sensitive and widely used approach is NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test).
• The test detects bacterial genetic material from urine or swabs.
• It can identify infections even in the absence of symptoms.

Extra Considerations

• Screening: Recommended for high-risk sexually active people (under 25, numerous partners, MSM).
• Co-testing: Often done with chlamydia testing because they often occur concurrently.
• Some locations offer at-home tests, but positive results must be confirmed by a doctor.

Why Diagnosis Matters

Early identification reduces pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and systemic infection.

The global surge in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea strains makes accurate testing crucial for treatment. NAAT is most accurate, although culture is essential for antibiotic resistance monitoring. Chlamydia screening and co-testing are common.

Gonorrhoea treatment?

The video about the treatment of Gonorrhea

For gonorrhoea, a single intramuscular injection of ceftriaxone is given, occasionally with oral doxycycline if chlamydia is suspected. Growing antibiotic resistance necessitates culture and sensitivity testing for therapy.

Standard Treatment

• First-line treatment: Ceftriaxone 1 g IM, single dose.
• If chlamydia remains, take 100 mg of Doxycycline twice daily for 7 days.

Alternative regimens: 

• Used when ceftriaxone is contraindicated or unavailable.
• Gentamicin plus azithromycin is less effective and only suggested in certain circumstances.

Culture & Sensitivity Testing is Important

• Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance is a global issue.
• Culture testing lets medics determine which drugs work for resistant bacteria.
• WHO and BASHH (UK) recommend surveillance and individualized treatment for resistance.

Additional Management Steps

• Test and treat sexual partners to prevent reinfection.
• Abstain from sexual activity until treatment is complete and symptoms subside.
• Culture test: Recommended for resistant cases, chronic symptoms, or pharyngeal infection.
• Besides gonorrhoea, patients are often tested for chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV.

Key Takeaway

Ceftriaxone IM injection is still the best, although resistance is rising.

Preventing reinfection and consequences requires partner therapy, abstinence, and follow-up testing.

Global health bodies emphasize antibiotic stewardship and surveillance to maintain treatment efficacy.

Reduce gonorrhoea transmission

Safe sexual practices, screening, timely treatment, and public health interventions reduce gonorrhoea transmission.

Key Transmission Reduction Strategies

• Consistent condom use
• Use condoms or dental dams for vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse.
• This is the best gonorrhoea prevention.

A regular STI screening

• Especially necessary for sexually active under-25s, MSM, and multi-partners.
• Early detection prevents unknowingly spreading illness.

Fast therapy

• Seek medical attention promptly if symptoms arise.
• Finish the prescribed antibiotics.
• Stop sexual activity until treatment is complete and symptoms improve.
• Partner notification/treatment
• Tell sexual partners to get tested and treated.
• Stops reinfection and spread.
• Restrict sexual partners
• Partner reduction reduces exposure risk.
• Monogamy with an uninfected partner protects.
• Avoid symptomatic sex.
• Treatment should be given for discharge, discomfort, or burning urination before sexual activity.
• Public health measures
• Antibiotic resistance monitoring.
• Symptom, risk, and prevention education initiatives.

Special Considerations

• Screening is necessary for pregnant women to prevent transmission.
• MSM, sex workers, and young adults benefit most from testing and education.
• Antibiotic resistance: Highlights culture testing and treatment protocols.

How often should I undergo gonorrhoea screenings?

Most sexually active adults should have gonorrhoea testing annually, although high-risk individuals may need more frequent screening.

General Screening Advice

• We recommend annual testing for all sexually active persons, especially those under 25 years old.
• More tests every 3–6 months:
• People with several or new sexual partners.
• guys who sex guys.
• Unprotected sexers.
• Screening is recommended for pregnant women during early pregnancy and in the third trimester if at risk.
• Post-treatment: Retesting is advised 3 months post-treatment to confirm cure and detect reinfection.

Regular testing matters

• Asymptomatic gonorrhea can spread without detection.
• Avoids problems: Early identification lowers pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and systemic infection.
• Transmission stops: Early infection detection protects partners and babies.
• Tracks antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.

Conclusion

• Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhoea, a common yet dangerous STI. Antibiotics can treat it, but antimicrobial resistance makes prevention and early detection crucial.
• Thus, gonorrhoea can be prevented, detected, and treated if people and communities practice safety, test regularly, and treat responsibly.

Comprehensive Approach to Huntington’s Disease Care

Describe Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease, a rare, inherited brain ailment, causes nerve cell disintegration and mobility, cognition, and behaviour issues. It usually starts between 30 and 50, but juvenile cases can start earlier, and symptoms intensify.

What Is Huntington's?

• Origin: Genetic mutations in the HTT gene create an aberrant huntingtin protein. The faulty protein produced by the disease affects neurons, particularly in areas related to memory and motor control.
• Autosomal dominant inheritance provides each child a 50% chance of inheriting the gene from one parent.
• Progression: This neurological condition worsens over time.

Symptoms

Over time, Huntington's disease symptoms impair mobility, cognition, and behavior. Juvenile Huntington's disease can begin before the age of 20 and tends to progress rapidly.

Motion Symptoms

• Chorea refers to jerky, dance-like movements of the face, arms, and legs.
• Poor coordination: Problems with balance, gait, and fine motor skills
• Muscle issues: Stiffness, dystonia, and trouble moving
• Swallowing and speech issues: Choking, slurred speech, and weight loss from swallowing difficulties

Psychological and behavioural symptoms

• Depression, anxiety
• Impulsivity, aggressiveness, or irritability
• OCD (repetitive thoughts or acts)
• Social isolation and indifference

Child Huntington's (under 20)

• Instead of chorea, stiffness and slowness
• Seizures
• Rapid school performance decline
• Faster disease progression

Mind Symptoms

• Decline in executive function: Trouble planning, organizing, and prioritizing
• Memory issues: Short-term memory loss and learning difficulties
• Lack of focus: Concentration and processing issues
• Impaired judgment: Neglecting one's abilities and making poor decisions

Prognosis: 

• Symptoms typically start in mid-adulthood and progress over 10-25 years.
• Huntington's disease progresses faster in children, leading to seizures and stiffness.
• Deaths often result from pneumonia, heart disease, or falls.

Also, read https://patient.info/doctor/mental-health/huntingtons-disease-pro.

Causes

Huntington's disease is caused by an HTT gene mutation that produces an aberrant huntingtin protein that damages brain cells. Autosomal dominant disorders give children a 50% chance of acquiring the ailment if one parent has the faulty gene.

Genes Cause

• A mutation in the HTT gene on chromosome 4 involves a CAG trinucleotide repeat DNA sequence.
• This pattern repeats 10–35 times in healthy people.
• Huntington's illness produces an aberrant huntingtin protein by repeating 36 or more times.
• The toxic protein impact occurs when defective huntingtin protein accumulates in neurons, compromising normal cell function, particularly in the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex.
• This degenerates brain cells that control movement, cognition, and behaviour.

Genealogy

• A single copy of the mutant gene from each parent causes an autosomal dominant illness.
• All children of a parent affected by Huntington's disease have a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation.
• New mutations can cause Huntington's disease in families that do not have a prior history of the condition.

Child Huntington's

• Due to high CAG repeat levels (>60).
• Before 20, symptoms arise.
• Stiffness, convulsions, and cognitive deterioration accelerate.

Diagnose and treat

Since there is no cure, Huntington's disease is diagnosed through clinical evaluation, family history, and genetic testing and treated by managing symptoms.

Diagnosis

• In clinical evaluation, doctors evaluate motor symptoms (reflexes, muscle strength, balance), sensory function (vision, hearing, touch), and psychiatric condition (mood, mental state).
• Standardised neuropsychological examinations assess memory, reasoning, language, and spatial skills to detect cognitive impairments.
• A psychiatrist can assess mental health, including depression, anxiety, and behavioural changes.
• Genetic testing:
• Detects aberrant HTT gene CAG repeat expansion to confirm diagnosis.
• Imaging (MRI/CT scans) may reveal brain abnormalities, particularly in the basal ganglia and cortex, but they are not conclusive.

Treatment

The video explains the treatment for Huntington's

Although there is no disease-modifying medication, an interdisciplinary management approach aims to improve the quality of life for patients.

1. Medications

Motion symptoms:

• Chorea is reduced with tetrabenazine and deutetrabenazine.
• Antipsychotics like risperidone and olanzapine may help mobility and mental health.
• Psychiatric symptoms: Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs) for depression and anxiety.
• Mood stabilizers or antipsychotics for agitation, aggressiveness, or psychosis.

2. Treatments

• Physical therapy boosts strength, balance, and mobility.
• Occupational therapy: Maintains independence and adapts daily activities.
• Speech therapy: Aids swallowing and communication.

3. Support

• Weight loss from chorea and swallowing problems may require high-calorie meals.
• Counselling and social support: For patients and caregivers' emotional and practical needs.
• Genetic counselling: Families must understand hereditary hazards and testing alternatives.

Risk factors

The key risk factor for Huntington's disease is the mutant HTT gene inherited from a parent. Being autosomal dominant, the presence of just one copy of the faulty gene is sufficient to cause the disease.

Main risk factor

Parents with a mutant HTT gene have a 50% chance of passing the gene on to their children.

This makes family history the primary risk factor.

Genetic Info

• The AG repeat expansion refers to the HTT gene, which contains a three-nucleotide (CAG) DNA sequence.
• Normal: 10–26 times.
• 36 or more produce aberrant huntingtin protein, increasing risk.

Huntington's disease in kids:

• Because of massive expansions (>60 repetitions).
• Causes early onset and rapid development before 20.
• Age of Onset Symptoms often emerge between 30-50 years.
• Repeat counts increase with earlier onset.

Others to Consider

• Environmental and lifestyle factors will not cause Huntington's disease.
• Mutations alone dictate risk, unlike many illnesses. Diet, exercise, and exposures do not cause it.
• Once the condition develops, lifestyle and supportive care can affect symptom severity and quality of life.

Living with Huntington's

A degenerative disease that impairs movement, thinking, and emotions, Huntington's disease requires adaptation. Early management, supportive therapy, and caregiver involvement can enhance quality of life, but there is no cure.

Challenges of Daily Life

• Chorea, balance concerns, and muscle stiffness make walking, eating, and speaking tougher.
• Cognitive decline: Memory, planning, and decision-making issues affect independence.
• Psychological effects: Depression, anger, and anxiety are prevalent and require mental health treatment.
• Social changes: Stigma and communication issues may isolate patients.

Strategies for Coping

Medical treatment: Regular checkups, mobility and psychological drugs, and illness monitoring.

Therapies:

• Physical therapy for mobility and strength
• Occupational therapy for daily chores adaptation
• Communicative and swallowing speech therapy
• Weight loss from chorea and swallowing problems can be offset by high-calorie diets.
• Mental health: Counselling, support groups, and medications reduce stress.

A caregiver's role

• Assist with food, mobility, and personal care.
• Supporting patients through sorrow, frustration, and identity changes.
• Plan ahead: Managing financial and legal decisions when independence declines.

Adjustments to lifestyle

• Regular gentle exercise improves mood and mobility.
• Home modifications: Safety rails, adaptable utensils, and communication aids promote independence and reduce dangers.
• Manage cognitive deterioration with structured daily schedules.
• Community support: Patient and caregiver networks alleviate isolation and provide services.

Outlook

• Huntington's disease advances over 10–25 years, but early management and assistance can enhance independence and well-being.
• Gene-silencing and neuroprotective medication research gives hope for future treatments.

When should I call my doctor?

Contacting your doctor early helps manage Huntington's disease symptoms and prevent complications.

When to Call a Doctor

• Symptoms Change
• Increased chorea or stiffness suddenly
• New walking, balance, or coordination issues
• Speech or swallowing problems that cause choking or weight loss

Mental Health & Behavior

• Depressive, anxious, or suicidal symptoms
• Extreme irritation, aggressiveness, or impulsivity
• Sudden mood or personality changes affecting daily life

Cognitive Decline

• Impaired memory, judgment, or decision-making Difficulty managing daily chores or finances safely

Medical Emergencies/Complications

• Food/liquid aspiration or choking
• Epilepsy (particularly in juvenile Huntington's)
• Poor balance causes frequent falls and injuries.
• Fever, cough, elevated pneumonia risk

Concerns for family and caregivers

When considering genetic counselling for family planning, caregivers may feel overwhelmed or unable to adequately manage symptoms.

Conclusion

HTT gene mutations cause progressive neurological Huntington's disease. The symptoms intensify with time and impact movement, cognition, and behaviour. Early diagnosis, genetic counselling, and comprehensive care can help patients and families manage the illness, which has no cure.

No one can prevent Huntington's disease, but information empowers families. Understanding its genetics, recognising early signs, and getting medical and emotional assistance can enhance quality of life. Gene-silencing and neuroprotective therapy research encourages optimism for advances.