Author Archives: lsmith

Aug
12
2013

Menorrhagia Relief

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Disorders of the female reproductive system are very vast and complicated.  One disorder that is associated with abnormally heavy and long menstrual cycles are typically termed menorrhagia.  Symptoms for this disorder include soaking through feminine hygiene products hourly, passing large blood clots, and regular activities have to be stopped due to painful cramping or the effects of anemia.  Treatments for this condition include costly hormonal therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and contraceptives. (1)  Recently doctors tested a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device to see how effective it would be at relieving some of the symptoms associated with menorrhagia.

A group of 571 women who were diagnosed with menorrhagia were divided and treated with two different methods. One method was levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device and the other was typical medical treatment.  The typical medical treatment included combination estrogen-progestogen, progesterone, or differing acids.  Treatment methods were done for two years and showed an overall improvement both short and long term for those who received the levonorgestrel-IUS.  (2)

The levonorgestrel-IUS offers woman a more cost effective and convenient method for those affected monthly with this disorder.  A simple intrauterine device now offers relief as well as birth control without painful shots or hormone therapy.  Regular checkups are needed to ensure that the device is still positioned correctly as well as effective.

 

 

 

  1. Menorrhagaia. Mayo Clinic Staff. October 20,2012. Menorrhagia: Definition, Symptoms, & treatments. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menorrhagia. August 4, 2013.
  2. Gupta, Janesh M.D. Kai, Joe M.D. Middleton, Lee M.Sc. Pattinson, Helen Ph.D. Gray, Richard M.Sc. Daniels, Jane M.Sc. January 10,2013. “Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System versus medical Therapy for Menorrhagia.” New England Journal of Medicine. January 2013. Retrieved from  http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1204724.  August 4, 2013.
Aug
06
2013

Ulcerative Colitis

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Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition of inflammation that affects the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum.  Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include abdominal pain, bloody stool, and diarrhea that is unresponsive to OTC medications. (1) UC is a progressive disease that has no known cure.  Treatment for UC involves a variety of medications that include anti-inflammatory drugs, immune system suppressors, antibiotics, and anti diarrheal medication.  If drug therapy and life style changes do not relieve the symptoms of UC surgery of the colon and rectum is a potential means of treatment. (1) However, doctors are testing a drug named Tofactitnib that affects the number of proteins in the immune system that causes UC. (2)  It is the newest approach to treating the proteins that make up and suppress the immune response associated with irritable bowel syndrome.

The tested group was 194 patients from around the world that were required to be at least at the age of 18 and diagnosed with UC.  Candidates were required to have undergone previous treatment for their disease. The trial lasted for 8 weeks, and consisted of patients receiving a placebo or 3 mg, 10mg, or 15 mg dose of Tofactitnib twice a day orally.  The results showed that the most effective dose of Tofactinib that increased the remission rate was 15 mg.  Due to the success of this study it has been moved to study the long term effect and maintenance associated with treating UC in phase III trials.  (2)

Tofactinib was originally tested to help relieve the symptoms associated with another inflammatory disease called rheumatoid arthritis.  However, due to efficiency in treating the proteins associated with immune system response it has shown to be a diverse treatment.  Ongoing medical research and differing approaches to treating chronic diseases that have no known cures help relieve the painful symptoms associated with chronic inflammation whether it be in the GI tract or joints.

 

 

  1. Ulcerative Colitis. Mayo Clinic Staff. Oct 20, 2012. Ulcerative Colitis: Definition, Symptoms, & Treatments. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ulcerative-colitis/DS0059 .  July 30,2013.
  2. Rex, Douglas K M.D. August 15, 2012. Tofacitinib Effective for Ulcerative Colitis. New England Journal of Medicine 2012 August. Retrieved from http://www.jwatch.org/jg201208150000001/2012/08/15/tofacitinib-effective-ulcerative-colitis. July 30, 2013
Jul
03
2013

Developing Learning Behaviors in Autism

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Autism is a neurological disorder that affects how the brain collects information and organizes it between the synapses in the brain.  Autism can cause severe delays in communication, social interaction, and disabilities in learning information.   Some characteristics of Autism are repetitive behavior, decreased eye contact, unresponsitivity to some emotions, and decreased nonverbal communication. (1)  The diagnosis of autism is on the rise due to the awareness and the age (typically before three years) in which symptoms start becoming recognizable. Since autism is a developmental disorder, a preferred method of treatment is educational curriculum for both family and the individual.

Geraldine Dawson has developed a curriculum to help bridge the learning gap of children with mild autism.  The Early Start Denver Model consists of children who are 18 months old and work with trained counselors twice a day for two hour sessions, five days a week.  Once these individuals received two years of training, their IQ was tested.  Findings showed an average improvement of 17.6 points. This led Dawson to theorize that since there was an improvement in IQ, there must also be an improvement in brain activity.  Dawson selected a group of 48 toddlers with autism who were between the ages of 18 months and three years of age.  The group was divided into 2 controlled groups in which one trained using the ESDM while the other was trained with traditional educational methods. Electroencephalography readings were taken of each group after two years of training.  Most findings report that the brain becomes highly active when looking at a toy versus a human face.  However, individuals who received the ESDM showed exact opposite.  The results closely resembled the brain waves of an individual that is not diagnosed with autism. (2)

Autism affects not only the individual but the family as whole.  This curriculum offers hope to improve the learning and recognition factors associated with this developmental disorder.  It also helps the science community to display the plasticity of the brain and how it can be redirected toward normal development.  ESDM can offer an individual with autism a better way to communicate and recognize different individuals, as well as improve their learning capabilities.  Unfortunately, it is not a cure, but a very effective tool to improve the overall lives of families affected.

 

  1. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. 26 June 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism#Management .
  2. Park, Alice. “Behavior Therapy Normalizes brains of Autistic Children”.  Time Magazine Health & Family. 26 October 2012. Web. 26 June 2013. http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/26/behavior-therapy-normalizes-brains-of-autistic-children/ .
Jul
03
2013

Interstitial cystitis

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Interstitial cystitis can be defined as a condition of the bladder in which symptoms closely reflect those of a typical bladder infection or urinary tract infection.  These symptoms consist of frequent and urgent urination as well as moderate pain/ pressure in the lower pelvic area. (1)  There is no known cure for IC, but there are different treatment methods.  IC varies from patient to patient making it hard to pin point the causes of this diagnosis.  However, physicians have found a common link in stress/hormonal and genetic triggers that can flare up the symptoms of IC.

Treatment methods include adhering to a diet low in acidic foods such as tomato based products, alcohol, chocolate, and caffeine. Others also monitor stress triggers as well as menstrual cycles.  Female patients with IC have reported a decrease significantly in their symptoms while breastfeeding.  Physicians theorize that this is due to a decreased level of stress that is associated with women while breastfeeding.  Thus they are testing whether or not oxytoxin can help relieve the symptoms associated with patients who have IC.  Dr. Meredith Robbing of the University of Birmingham is currently testing 50 patients with an intranasal 40 mg spray of oxytoxin or saline nasal spray as the placebo.  Oxytoxin is typically used to relieve pain but it is also known to help relieve anxiety. (2)

Treatment varies from person to person due to differing stages of I.C., ulcerative or non ulcerative I.C., as well as drug allergies.  Some medication can be directly administered into the bladder, other methods use antihistamines, homeopathic remedies, as well as anti depressants. (1)  Severe cases require surgery in conjunction with physical therapy.  If this treatment proves effective it will be the first methods to treat IC via intranasal.  Not only would it would be a first of its kind, but it would be a solution a more convenient and cost effective treatment of a condition that has no cure.

 

  1. Interstitial Cystitis Association. Diagnosis & Treatment. 16 June 2010. Web. 25 June 2013.www.ichelp.org.

 

2.Robbins, Meredith, PhD. “Intranasal Oxytocin for the Treatment of Pain Associated With Interstitial Cystitis.” 25 Febuary 2013.   Web.   26 June 2013. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00919802.