Kidney Pain Location

Kidney stone pain is sometimes mistaken for pain that is coming from other organs. In order for you not to be confused, kidney pain is usually located isolated at the lower back. However, the pain felt digress from person to person. Persons who have kidney pain are most often associated with infection, kidney disease, injury or kidney stones. The pain felt by these people is located at the lower or mid back portion and radiates either to the sides, upper portion of the back and other areas of the person’s body.

Kidney pain is different from back pain because back pain are located predominantly at the back as a result of muscular, nervous, joint and bone problems. While in the kidney pain is a pain that is experienced at the lower back at the left and right side of the spine and above the hips or gluteus maximus.

Picture 1 – Kidney pain location (front & back side)

Kidney Pain Causes & Risk factors

When one experiences kidney pain, it may be because they are suffering from the following disorders:

Arteriosclerosis

When fats accrue in the walls of the artery, it leads to the disease called arteriosclerosis. It is when the arteries get blocked. When this happens, the blood supply is blocked and cut off leading to severe kidney pain.

Kidney Infection

It is also known as pyelonephritis. This infection greatly affects the urinary bladder and goes up all the way to the kidney. When that happens, the kidney tissues will swell leading to the person manifesting kidney pain. If not treated as soon as possible, it will lead to damage of the kidneys which will be permanent.

Urinary Tract Infection or UTI

This disease condition is common in women. It will affect generally the bladder yet will still spread to the kidneys. When the kidneys become affected, the person will manifest abdominal kidney pain.

Kidney Stones

When there is an imbalance in fluids and electrolytes, it will lead to crystallization because the urine will solidify. This solidification or crystallization is commonly known as kidney stones. When the kidney stones block the flow of the urine, it will make the person feel kidney pain. In addition, some person would report that the kidney pain would occur commonly at late night or in early in the morning.

Polycystic Kidney

This kind of kidney disorder is inherited. It causes the kidneys to hypertrophy or enlarge because there is a formation of several cysts. People who have this will lead to the manifestation of aching and dull kidney pain.

Kidney Cancer

This kind of disease condition occurs rarely. What happens is that a tumor grows and damages the kidney’s capsule leading to constant, dulling kidney pain.

The difference between the back pains from a kidney pains is that back pain’s etiology is due to injury of the back that is caused by mild sprain to severe condition such as slip disc and the like. In addition, back pain does not need any medical attention especially when its mild back pain unlike kidney pain.

Kidney Pain Symptoms & Signs

Persons having this kind of disease condition will manifest the following symptoms:

1. Urinary problems such as blood in the urine or abnormal urine color
2. Fatigue
3. Painful menstruation period
4. Joint Pain
5. Nausea
6. Dull and sometimes sharp kidney pain
7. Vomiting
8. Piercing and dull pain at upper back
9. Swelling in either hands, face or feet
10. Fever
11. Weight loss
12. Loss of Appetite
13. Frequent, difficult and painful urination
14. Foul and excessive urine
15. High blood pressure
16. Nail abnormalities
17. Dribbling every after urination
18. Sediment in the urine
19. Decrease urine flow
20. Pain, burning during or relieved upon urination

While when a person experiences back pain he or she manifest a continuous and dull pain that becomes worst upon movement.

Kidney Pain Diagnosis

In diagnosing and confirming if the person is really experiencing pain that is associated with the kidney organ, the physician will conduct the following diagnostic tests:

Intravenous Pylogram

It is a special x-ray examination that focuses only on the KUB or kidney, ureter and bladder. The physician will let the patient undergo this test for him to determine if there are any kidney stones, blockages or abnormalities that is the reason why the patient is experiencing pain.

Renal Arteriography

It is also called as renal angiography and it is known as a special x-ray diagnostic examination of the kidney’s blood vessels.

Urine Examination

It is a routine exam that will include the pH, WBC or white blood cells, and sugar. Here, the midstream urine is taken and given to the laboratory.

Ultrasonography

It is an ultrasound based diagnostic examination. It is done to visualize the body structures, in this kind, specifically the kidneys.

Blood Examination

It is done through the CBC or Complete Blood Count where in the physician requests this to be done in order to know the blood cellular information of the patient.

CT or Computerized Tomography Scan

It is actually a medical imaging that uses tomography which gives 2-D to 3-D images of a slice of an object. Hence, this is a preferred by some physician because of the accuracy it gives.

Kidney Pain Treatment

In treating a person who is experiencing kidney pain, the main treatment will greatly depend on the etiology and medical condition of the person having this kind of disease. Some modes of treatment can be done with disease condition includes:

Allopathic Treatment

It is a kind of treatment that treats the disease condition by suppressing the symptoms of illness. An example of allopathic treatment is surgery.

Homeopathic Treatment

Homeopathy is a popular holistic system of medicine. It is the opposite of allopathic treatment; it encourages the body’s reaction to an illness. It is a method of treating this disease by the use of drugs that produce similar symptoms of kidney pain. Its aim is to address the cause and susceptibility of the individual per se.

Other Alternative modes

Alternative methods in treating kidney pain include acupressure, acupuncture, yoga, ayurveda, naturopathy and the like.

What is Pemphigus Foliaceus?

Pemphigus foliaceus is a type of Pemphigus, a group of autoimmune disease wherein the skin and the mucous membranes are affected. PF or Pemphigus foliaceus is a benign type of Pemphigus where the intercellular adhesion is lost causing formation of blisters. Typically the skin looks healthy but when rubbed, there is a Nikolsky sign or blister formation.

This condition is very rare since most of the autoimmune diseases do not form blisters but in pemphigus, there is a formation of desmoglein. The desmoglein then forms “glue” and it attaches to the epidermal cells of the skin. Then the antibodies will attack the desmoiglein causing blisters and eventually skin sores.

Types of pemphigus

There are 3 types of pemphigus. Theyare the

1. pemphigus vulgaris
2. pemphigus foliaceus and
3. paraneoplastic  pemphigus.

The most severe amongst the three is the paraneoplastic pemphigus. This is a complication of a certain type of cancer like lymphoma. The most common is the pemphigus vulgaris where it originates in the oral cavity specifically the mouth. It makes the person have difficulty when eating. Least severe is the pemphigus foliaceus wherein it originates in the scalp then goes down to the face, moving to the back and chest. Other times, this condition can be misdiagnosed with eczema or dermatitis by the physicians since this is a very rare condition.

Pemphigus Foliaceus in Dogs, Cats

Pemphigus Foliaceus in Dogs

Like in human beings, pemphigus foliaceus in dogs will also produce blisters but it is filled with pus. For the canines, this is an autoimmune disease that their antibodies will attack the desmoiglein I, a compound found in their body naturally. This can just happen due to reactions on certain medications or it can happen without a cause. Pemphigus foliceus is common in dog breeds like Akita, bearded collies, chow chos, dachshunds, Newfoundland dogs and even Finnish spitz.

Vets would do a skin biopsy by taking a sample on the affected area to diagnose the problem. then the treatment goal will include suppression of the immunity to  avoid attacking the canine’s body. Corticosteroids will also be given like prednisone but dog owners should be watchful of the side effects like weight gain, excessive thirst and even heavy panting amongst the dogs. But as long as the treatment plan works for the dog, the canine’s prognosis is good.

Pemphigus Foliaceus in Cats

Pemphigus foliaceus in cats will appear in isolated places that may be difficult to see at first but it usually appears in the cat’s nose bridge or on their ears. Then following the symptom, the cat’s nose will lose its normal structure and color. After a while, the feline will then experience different types of infection especially skin infections. And lastly, the development of blisters and pus will be visible around the cat’s body and when it ruptures, it will immediately drug and turn to crust.

When bough to the vet clinic, the doctor will then take a complete history and perform physical assessment along with the skin biopsy. Pets will be given anesthesia since biopsy is very painful. Once diagnosed, the treatment should start immediately but treating cats with pemphigus foliaceus can be quite challenging. The treatment plan includes taking of corticosteroids like prednisone. This can be given orally especially in milk cases of pemphigus foliaceus. If there are bacterial infections, antibiotics may also be given.

Pemphigus Foliaceus Treatment

When it comes to treating patients with pemphigus foliaceus, the dermatologist needs to take the necessary data first before starting the treatment. Taking a skin biopsy is needed in order to ensure that the problem is not cancer and then the samples will be taken and studied in the laboratory.

Prevent complications

The main goal of treatment is to prevent complications since ruptured blisters will result to sores making the body susceptible to bacterial infections. This can be fatal.

NSAIDS

Initially, a non-steroidal treatment would be the first choice. Mestinon may be given in order to slow the progression of the problem and treat mild cases of the PF.

Corticosteriods

If there is no progression, then corticosteroids may be given. This can be topical or can be taken orally depending on the patient’s preference. Ointment such as clobetasol cream 0.05% is helpful when applied twice a day.

Antibiotics

Antibiotic treatments should also be done in order to avoid further infection through the sores of the ruptured blister.

Pemphigus Foliaceus Pictures

Pemphigus Foliaceus on dogs

What is a Bleeding Ulcer?

Ulcers, which are sores that are like craters, are a manifestation when there is erosion in the gastrointestinal system particularly in the upper digestive tract. Its size is generally within ¼ inch to ¾ inch in width or 1 to 2 inches in width. In this case the ulcers we are going to discuss are ulcers that can be found in the stomach, lower esophagus, or duodenum. When an ulcer occurs in the stomach, it is known as gastric ulcer.

When it occurs in the small intestines in the duodenum, it is called duodenal ulcers. When it occurs in the esophagus it is termed as esophageal ulcers and lastly when it occurs in both stomach and duodenum, it is referred to as peptic ulcer. Without medical intervention or treatment, the ulcers can enlarge and may lead to very severe and serious complications such as bleeding ulcers. There would be severe bleeding complications when the ulcer or lesion attacks and grows on blood vessels.

When you have a bleeding ulcer it can vary in degrees of bleeding from life threatening hemorrhage to slow chronic blood loss. Both of which are a clinical problem that needs to be medically intervened and it frequently requires hospital stay or hospitalization.

Symptoms and Signs

When a person has a condition called as bleeding ulcer, he or she will manifest the following signs and symptoms:

• Sluggishness
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Pallor or paleness of skin
• Fatigue
• Light headedness
• Malaise
• Cramping Pain
• Anemia
• Nausea
• Intestinal upset
• Extreme Stomach discomfort
• Low blood pressure
• Vomiting Blood or Hematemesis
• Black colored stools or coffee ground looking stools or Melena
• Acid indigestion
• Confusion

Causes

Anyone who has ulcers has a high risk in developing a bleeding ulcer. A lot of this ulcer developed from an infection of the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori. Bleeding ulcer needs to be given a medical attention or else it will progress to the death of the person, in most severe cases. Some of the etiologies linked to having a bleeding ulcer are categorized into lifestyle habits and medications.

Lifestyle Habits

Alcoholic Persons

Drinking alcohol a lot will erode and irritate the mucous lining of the stomach and it will tend to increase the stomach acid level. Studies shows, that a person who drinks alcoholic beverage and take NSAIDs can lead to developing bleeding ulcers.

Smoker

When one smoke, the nicotine found in cigarettes and tobacco will increase the concentration and volume of the acid found in the stomach. It also will slow down the recuperation of an ulcer.

Medications

Persons who take NSAIDs, blood thinners or oral anticoagulants all at the same time is a greater risk of having bleeding ulcer. The NSAIDs works as to inhibit the cyclooxygenase enzyme which produces prostaglandins. Prostaglandins will help in protecting the stomach from physical and chemical injury.

Diagnosis

The physicians are the ones that are capable in diagnosing this disease condition. The first thing that the physician will do is to conduct thorough assessment by asking the patient’s medical history and doing a total physical examination. It will ask of any related symptoms of this disease. After that, diagnostic tests will be followed to confirm the assessment gathered. Such diagnostic procedures expected to be done in associated with this disease condition are as follows:

1. Upper Endoscopy
2. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
3. Colonoscopy
4. Sigmoidoscopy
5. Anoscopy
6. Barium X-Rays
7. Biopsy

Treatment

Minimize Bleeding

The treatment of bleeding ulcer deals with the aim of minimizing bleeding and replacing fluids that was loss.

Treat cause

1. With regards to the treatment of an acute or chronic bleeding ulcer, it usually goes hand in hand with the cause or etiology of how you have gotten the ulcer.
2. If for example the cause of bleeding is due to too much alcohol consumption plus ingestion of gastric irritating medication, then to treat the bleeding, you must stop taking or consuming them.
3. If for instance, the cause of the bleeding is cancer then to treat it would be through the usual course of treatment which is the removal of the tumor itself.
4. And lastly, if the bleeding is due to peptic ulcer, the physician may prescribe medications in treatment of Helicobacter Pylori, recommendation of a change in diet and if possible a lifestyle change.

Medications

1. Other medications that can be prescribed by a physician are proton pump inhibitors, which are used to decrease the acid in the stomach.
2. While acid blockers decreases also the hydrochloric acid in the gastric system.
3. Antacids which can also be prescribed, on the other hand, will neutralize the acid.

Diet

1) stay away from acid rich foods

In healing a person with bleeding ulcer, he or she must change his or her diet. It doesn’t have to be a permanent diet change. In this diet you need to stay away from acid rich foods since the ulcer are caused by damage from acid.

An acid rich food includes

1. tomatoes and
2. citrusy foods

2) No to alcoholic beverage consumption

You also need to have at least zeroed alcoholic beverage consumption.

3) Eliminate caffeine rich beverages

It is also advice that you must cut down or at least eliminate caffeine rich beverages. Caffeine rich beverages and products include

1. coffee
2. chocolate
3. tea
4. mint and
5. soda

Prevention

There are six important tips in prevention of having a bleeding ulcer. These are as follows:

Watching your diet

Avoid foods that irritate your stomach and cause it to become upset. Such food includes consumption of spicy, greasy foods, or salt-rich processed goods.

Avoid Alcohol consumption

Alcohol tends to irritate your stomach lining and will further interfere in the production of the natural stomach secretions. It is best that you avoid alcohol.

Limit or reduce Caffeine intake

Caffeine found in tea, coffee, soda pop and chocolates should be taken in lesser content as it will irritate and weaken the lining of the stomach.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking aggravates the bleeding ulcer condition and it slows the natural healing process of the body. It also delays the clotting of blood.

Avoid taking irritating medications such as NSAIDs

It is a big contributor with the development of ulcers. An example of NSAIDs is aspirin which thins the blood and leads to an increase bleeding.

Lower Stress levels

Stress will reduce and prevent the development of ulcer.

What is Body Fat?

Body fat, which is made up of fatty acids and glycerol, is an essential energy source for muscles.

The essential fat will regulate the temperature of your body, which also serves as insulator of the organs, acts as a cushion, and is a storage area for energy. It is known to be the essential component of the human body. This is what is measured when using those methods mentioned awhile ago.

How much normal body fat should be present?

The normal body fat percentage depends on the frame and height. Generally, the male’s average body fat should fall under 6-13%. Meanwhile, females should normally have to be in between 14-20% of the essential body fat weight to be considered healthy.

This will differ when it comes to athletes. The acceptable range in the body fat percentage is within 25-31% for females and 18-25% in males. More than that, they are considered to be in the obese range.

Picture 1 – WHO classification of BMI of underweight, normal, overweight, obese people (Asians only)

Picture 2 – Normal Body Fat ranges for Underfat, Healthy, Obese, Over fat People

Image Source -Healthruby.com

Different methods to measure body fat percentage

With the many luscious and affordable dishes, it’s easier to get fat than get thin. Obesity is the number one problem of the people nowadays. However, there are ways to get the desirable healthy weight. There are products sold in the market that will help you lose excess fats. You can also opt to do some exercise to be able to shed off that weight. Whatever ways you plan to burn those extra pounds, experts says that you must be able to keep note of your weight and your body fat.

It is very much important that you also measure your body’s fat. There are numerous equipments that will help you this goal. You can use either of the following methods:

Picture 3 – Body Fat Analyzer & scale for body weight & fat measurement

Image Source – wellpromo.com

1. Skin Fold Caliper

The skin fold caliper uses the body fat caliper to measure the body fat percentage of your body. It is called as the “pinch” test. When using it, you pinch a fatty are with the use of your fingers and let the caliper measure the thickness of the pinched area, either in your thighs, hips, arms and several other areas in the body.

It is measured in millimeters. After getting the millimeter measurement, you then will compare that with a specified chart. The results are reliable if the one who is getting the measurements is a trained person or has experienced in using this kind of equipment. Otherwise, the results will be capricious.

Picture 4 – Skin Fold Calipers for measuring body fat

2. Anthropometric Measures

The anthropometric measure is one of the oldest tests that are widely known. This makes use of the circumference of the body with the use of a measuring tape or tape measures. It is the simplest way to measure your body fat.

3. Height or Weight Charts

This is merely done as checking the tables found in the chart and then getting the height versus weight plot equivalent. It has been used for many years, but experts say it’s not fiduciary.

4. BMI (Body Mass Index)

The BMI method is calculating your height and weight. It will use the formula height in meters divided by weight in kilograms. With this method, you are able to know if you are in the normal, overweight, or obese category. The advantage in using this method is that it is free and easily made available. However, not everyone can use this method. The short people or the people who are muscular will have much less accurate results.

5. BIA (Bioelectric Impedance Analysis)

Using the BIA method will impel impedance of electricity, or the opposite electrical flow of the current in your body. The muscle, having water content that is high and conductive, while the fat has lower content of water and isn’t that conductive. In a matter of seconds, it will calculate the body fat.

6. Hydrostatic Weighing

With this method, it is required that you need to be submerged in a special tank filled with water. Its idea is that the bones and muscle are denser than water; persons having large percent of fat free mass weigh more in water and thus, will eventually produce a low percent of body fat. It is considered as the “gold standard” measurement.

7. DEXA SCAN

DEXA scan or Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry is the newest breed of technology that measures your body fat. What happens here is that it divides the body into three parts: total body mineral, fat tissue mass and fat free soft mass. The advantage of using this method or equipment is that it is very accurate. However, the disadvantage of this is that it is very expensive.

8. Bod Pod

This is the newest equipment which relies on the displacement of air. This is contrary to the Hydrostatic Weighing. What you need to do is that you step inside the Bod Pod chamber, be very still and you must control your breathing. We don’t want the results to be affected. The hydration level before the test can also affect the results. There is little accuracy when one uses this method.

Excess Body Fat Problems

1. Stroke
2. Heart attack
3. Heart Failure
4. Arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis)
5. Kidney failure

Picture 5 – Over body fat complications

Ten Steps to Lose Body Fat

To effectively reduce the excess body fat mass naturally, the individual needs to exercise to be able to extend energy. You need to spend energy more than what you are consuming. Burning calories shall be your goal. Once your goal is established, you need to discipline yourself in eating less and exercising more.

Experts suggest that you can ten important steps to consider when you want to decrease body fat through eating:

1. Don’t run away from cravings. You should not let the food that you are craving, stop you from eating it. We suggest that you eat that food so that it won’t bother you ever again.

2. Work with your hunger pains. When you feel that your stomach is rumbling, the best way to solve it is to eat. Don’t starve yourself, you are only slowing your metabolism and storing the food that you had consume, which should not be the case.

3. Acknowledge the fact that you have fat phobia. Avoiding the foods that you think that could cause you to gain fats, is not the solution to reducing body fats. You have to be wise enough not to give in for it will cause you grief and it will remove the aim of producing unwanted fats results.

4. Eat Veggies and Salads. These are good for you.

5. Drink lots of water. It will keep you refreshed and hydrated.

6. Enjoy your protein intake. Protein doesn’t only be found in meats and poultry. You can get protein from numerous protein drinks.

7. Schedule your calorie reduction cycle. Some decrease their calorie intake on the odd days and increase them on even days. In this way, you let your body do the guessing while you stimulate your metabolism.

8. Portion size eating. You have to eat by portion. You can either do this by gauging a portion size of a mobile phone, for instance, as the amount of food you are to consume. Not too little, not too much. In this way you will be able to watch what you are eating.

9. Add variety to you meals. To spice up and entice your taste buds. It is advised that you try on other country’s dish

10. Good friends and Good Food. There’s nothing more enjoyable when your eating out with your friends.

How to Prevent Excessive Body Fat?

Excess body fats are due to excess consumption of calories. Eating the wrong kind of food is the leading cause of why there are excess body fats. Understand and gaining knowledge on what food to avoid is necessary in preventing such accumulation of excess unwanted fats. Foods that you should avoid are foods high in sugar or sweeteners, fats, starches and processed carbohydrates.

Sugar should be avoided since sugars are known to convert to fats when not in used. Wrong kind of fats such as saturated ones will lead to excess storage of body fats. While the carbohydrate and starches, just like sugars, are easily converted to fats when not in used by the body.

Five suggested steps to prevent body fat

There are five suggested steps that one must follow in order to prevent body fat accumulation, such steps are:

Step 1: You do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity of exercise per week. You can either do brisk walking or engage in jogging activities.

Step 2: You need to watch what you eat. It is important to watch what you eat so that you are able to notice which food can cause you more body fats. We suggest you research of foods that have lower calories or consult a nutritional expert and ask help from them with regards to calorie counting procedures or methods. Experts, advised to eat at least 500 calories less per day than you burn.

Step 3: Next eat a cup of blueberries every day, as much as possible. According to studies, the polyphenols that is found in blueberries helps in preventing the growth of new fatty cells and promoting breakdown of fat cells.

Step 4: Eating grapefruits, that is fresh, after meals or during snacks. According to studies, it will help in effectively reducing body fats.

Step 5: You have to stay hydrated. The suggested water intake per day is at least eight cups of water per day. Water is good for the body. It helps in intoxication and will keep the body system, such as digestive system and metabolic system, from functioning well.

Heart Skips a Beat

Skipping a heart beat which is sometimes called as either heart palpitation, or premature atrial or ventricular contraction are very common occurrences. They may or may not be accompanied by heart conditions or heart problems.

When one experience a skipping of the heart beat or what is commonly known as premature ventricular contraction, it may be described as a feeling of flip flop motion or fluttering in the chest area. You may feel that your heart just stopped for a minute or two and then resumes in a much faster heart beat. Whatever the experience may be, one thing is for sure, there are causes why some would normally skip a beat. This includes the following:

1. You are seriously diagnose of having a heart disease problem such as injury to the heart muscle
2. You have a high blood pressure
3. Too much ingestion or mere ingestion of any caffeine rich beverage will affect the beating of your heart
4. Ingestion of cold and allergic medications
5. Intake of prescribed medication for persons with high blood pressure or hypertensive persons
6. Intake of asthma medications such as bronchodilators
7. Intake of nicotine, alcohol, illegal drugs, and diet pills can cause heart to skip a beat
8. Having an over reactive thyroid
9. Having lower blood sugar level
10. Being anemic
11. You have chemical imbalances in your body
12. You often do strenuous exercises
13. Being too anxious
14. You Smoke
15. Someone you had inkling to or your crush suddenly approached you can trigger the heart to skip a beat.

Symptoms & Signs

Patients who reportedly have infrequent mild skipping of heartbeat or the so called premature contraction are often are asymptomatic or reports as having no symptoms at all. They are most of the time unaware that their heart has already skipped a beat or beats for that matter. It is only when one is placed in an ECG or EKG or electrocardiogram where it is evident to the physician that the person is really experiencing the premature ventricular contraction or skipping of heart beats phenomenon.

Some people manifest the following symptoms:

1. Palpitations felt in the chest and neck and is apparent in the carotid region
2. Weakness
3. Short of breath
4. Dizziness
5. Fainting
6. Unusual sweating

And yet some would experience a flip flop, fluttering, pounding or jumping, skipping of beats that will lead to a more increase awareness that you are really experiencing skipping of the heartbeats which will lead to a further endangering of the heart. As one becomes completely aware of the condition, one might begin to panic. Panicking will lead to further seriousness of the disease condition.

Diagnosis

Assessment and Physical Examination

The start of the diagnosis is when the patient, upon thorough gathering of assessment, says that she or he is experiencing the so called “skipped beats”, pauses or palpitations. The palpitations usually occur in an irregular manner. After taking into consideration the patient’s full history the standard physical examination has to been done next.

ECG, EKG or Electrocardiogram

Followed by the use of 12 lead ECG or EKG or electrocardiogram which is a non-conclusive type of diagnosis since it considered being as a not very sensitive device.

Holter device

The Holter device is far better in diagnosing a skipped heart beat occurrences. It records the usual rhythm of the person’s heart for as long as 24 hours for 30 days or indefinite monitoring time whichever the doctor prefers.

Exercise Stress Test

This is the combination of exercise and Electrocardiogram or ECG or EKG. Here the patient will walk or run or even pedal in an exercise bike with attached electrodes in the position of your heart that connects to the ECG equipment. When the skipping of the heart beat disappear on the time of the exercise test was conducted, it means that the condition is harmless. Meanwhile if there are additional extra skipping of the heart beats or extra beats, it connotes a much serious rhythm of the heart problem.

Even Recorder

It is actually a portable kind of ECG that monitors the activity of your heart. It records the electrical activity of the heart just like that of an ECG. It is here that the person is told to push the button whenever symptoms of this disease are felt. When a person pushes the button, the brief ECG strip records it. This will help your physician to look at the heart’s rhythm during the presence of your symptoms or when you are experiencing the symptoms that are associated with this disease condition.

Treatment

Most of the time, the person having symptoms that links to a skipping of the heart beat, which occurs in a non serious way, will require no treatment at all. However, people who usually have bothersome symptoms would be treated to help him or her to feel a whole lot better minus the skipping of the heart beat phenomena. The treatment that is most effective is eliminating the causes or the triggering factors which are already mentioned in the “causes” section of this article. Aside from that, you can also treat it with:

Pharmacological Agents

The Beta blockers is a known treatment for this kind of heart condition, acts as a suppressor to premature or early contractions of this disease condition. Other pharmacological treatment includes antiarrhythmic agents that will change the electrophysiological of the heart to make it be normal. Another drug, which may treat this condition, is the calcium channel blockers.

Electrolyte Replacement

Under this electrolyte replacement includes magnesium and potassium supplements which will prevent in your heart to skip a beat.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation treatment
Lifestyle modification
It is the mere elimination of the triggering factors or etiology of the heart skip beat condition.

The need for this persons having skip heart beats phenomenon to be watched over. Persons who are not watched might have the tendency to progress into a more serious heart condition.

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is steroid hormone found mainly in mammals. This is commonly found in males where it is secreted by the testes but females also have testosterone which are secreted from the ovaries. In females however, they are more sensitive to hormones like estrogen and progesterone. In males, testosterone is the primary sex hormone and it plays a crucial role in the development of the male reproductive organs as well as the promotion of male sexual characteristics during their puberty.

Testosterone Levels

Normal testosterone levels in men

Testosterone levels ranges between 300-1200 ng/dl but the active testosterone levels of male are at 8.7 to 25 pg/ml

Normal testosterone levels in women

It is at 15-70 ng/dl and its free or active testosterone levels are only at 0.5 to 5 pg/ml.

Since men have higher testosterone levels, and it plays an important function in the development of sexual characteristics, testosterones help in axillary hair growth; growth spurt; hair in the upper lips; formation of beard; adult body odor; leg hair; pubic hair which extends up to the umbilical area; deepening of male’s voice; having adam’s apple; increased muscle mass; improved strength; increased libido or sex drive; broadened shoulder; and others.

Low Testosterone Symptoms

Symptoms in Males

A low in testosterone level in male would interfere with the development of the genitals. They may have poor development in their scrotum and penis. Sometimes, it appears to be female genitalia when inside the fetus. Then during puberty, there are low testosterone level symptoms would include

1. poor muscle mass development
2. their voices are not deepened
3. they have poor hair growth which can cause alopecia
4. gynecomastia or enlarged breasts are observed and
5. poor development of the penis and the testes.
6. Sometimes, they have decreased libido for sex and infertility.

Symptoms in Females

Low testosterone level in women includes

1. irritability;
2. loss of sexual desire or libido
3. sometimes it affects their sleeping pattern.

Low Testosterone Causes & Risk factors

There are various causes of low testosterone levels in both male and females. One of which is the primary hypogonadism. This is means that there is a failure in gonads or sex organs to form. It can be due:

Injury to the scrotum

The scrotum is a sensitive part of the male sex organ and when it is injured, it might not produce enough testosterone needed by men to develop their sexual organs and secondary characteristics.

Undescended testes

The testes needs to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum during fetal development and in the first 2 years of child birth.

Ovary problems in women

There is a thing called premature ovarian failure wherein it lowers the level of testosterone levels in women.

Mumps

The virus causing mumps can inflame not only the jaw area but also the testes in males. Thus children need to be immunized to avoid injury to the testes wherein it can cause infertility if mumps are not treated.

Other Causes of Hypogonadism

There are also secondary causes of hypogonadism wherein the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, the two most powerful glands in the body that controls the secretion of testosterone are affected. This release of hormones in order to arouse the gonads is altered.

Low Testosterone Effects

Low Sex drive

As a result of low testosterone in both male and female, it is evident in their low sex drive during adult stage. This then becomes a problem in procreating since low testosterone levels will also lead to infertility. It is also noticed that they have more fat deposits in their body due to low testosterone levels.

Low Bone Density

Aside from the decreased sexual drive, low testosterone level also affect the bone mass of both male and females. There is a noticeable low bone density which puts them at risk for bone problems like osteoporosis.

To top it all, low testosterone has serious effects on the increased risk for cardiovascular problems. There are clinical studies that showed a healthy testosterone level is essential to maintain a healthy heart. A low testosterone level has serious effects on higher blood pressure, high cholesterol level and even putting themselves at risk for coronary artery problems.

Low Testosterone Diagnosis (Test)

History Taking & Examination

If either male or female are suspected to have low testosterone levels, their physician  will acquire a thorough history and perform an assessment.

Blood tests

Blood tests will also be taken to detect the testosterone level of either men or women.

Low Testosterone Treatment

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Among males, if they are detected to have low testosterone levels, they need to have a hormone replacement therapy with testosterone. This is usually given via intramuscular injection and health care providers should do his on a weekly basis. Sometimes, there are patches or gels prepared as a hormone replacement therapy and it is usually applied on the skin. But males should be advised that as a side effect of the therapy are acne and oily skin.

For women on the other hand, there are no FDA approved drugs that addresses women’s low testosterone levels. There are hormone replacements however that has a preparation that combines estrogen and methyltestosterone to address the hormone replacement.