Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a potentially life threatening heart rhythm disorder. Ablation is a procedure to interrupt the pathways that allow it to happen. People prone to sustained VT may have an underlying heart problem, such as coronary artery disease or heart failure. Treating those conditions further reduce the risk of VT recurrence.
Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of the bone, usually due to infection. Infectious osteomyelitis is treatable and curable with antibiotics and, in some cases, surgery. Factors affecting the curability of osteomyelitis include the nature of the infectious organism, the health of the person with the infection and the duration of infection prior to the start of treatment.
These two conditions are quite different.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, meaning that the affected person’s overactive or misguided immune system appears to be responsible for the disease. Immune cells attack the joints and other parts of the body, causing joint damage and bodywide inflammation. It’s much more common in women and most commonly begins during middle age. Multiple joints are affected, especially those in the hands, wrists, knees and feet. Of note, the joints linking the fingers to the hand (called the metacarpal-phalangeal, or MCP, joints) are characteristically affected. Prolonged morning stiffness is common, often lasting more than 30 to 60 minutes. The affected joints may be warm, swollen and have limited motion. Autoantibodies, called rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated protein, are found in the blood of most people. X-rays demonstrate a particular type of damage (called “erosions”) at the edges of the joint with reduced bone thickness. Treatment generally requires anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive medications.
By contrast, osteoarthritis is considered a degenerative joint disease due to age-related “wear-and-tear.” Women develop osteoarthritis more often than men but the difference is much smaller than with rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is not autoimmune in origin and it is not a cause of bodywide inflammation. It usually affects the finger joints (but not the MCPs), hips, knees, feet, upper and lower spine. The joints have far less inflammation by examination and bony enlargement is apparent, especially in the fingers. Morning stiffness is usually quite brief (less than 30 minutes) and there are no arthritis-related autoantibodies in the blood. X-rays may demonstrate narrowing of the affected joints with extra bone formation at the edges. Medication treatment focuses on pain control rather than suppressing the immune system.
While they are quite different, there are some similarities: the loss of joint mobility may lead to loss of function and difficulty with everyday activities. Physical therapy and exercise are recommended in both conditions. Joint replacement surgery may be necessary in either condition if the joint damage is sufficiently severe.
Borderline personality disorder causes different clusters of symptoms in different people. The disorder has three major clinical components: a fragile sense of self that impairs relationships with other people, impulsiveness, and emotional volatility. Borderline personality disorder is a challenge to treat. Psychotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment, including cognitive behavioral approaches and psychodynamic therapies.
Dehydration occurs when you body loses more fluid than it takes, which can interfere with normal bodily functions. Causes include recurrent vomiting, diarrhea, profound sweating, poor fluid intake, fever, excessive urination, and certain medications. People suffering from dehydration may experience thirst, lightheadedness, fatigue, dry mouth, infrequent urination, and dark yellow urine. Dehydration can be incredibly dangerous and lead to kidney failure, seizures, coma, and even death, so if you develop symptoms of dehydration, please seek medical attention right away.
Standard treatments for sciatica of recent onset include:
• A short course of acetaminophen or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen or naproxen
• Rest, balanced with gentle stretching – maintaining physical activity (as symptoms allow) is important though activities that worsen symptoms should be avoided
• physical therapy
Some physicians prescribe a brief course of steroid medication for recently diagnosed sciatica.
Other treatments, such as steroid injections or surgery, depend on the severity of symptoms, the progress made with the conservative treatments above, and whether the results of imaging (such as MRI) demonstrate a specific cause.
When sciatica is longstanding, other treatments that may be beneficial include a stress reduction program, massage, acupuncture, duloxetine, tramadol or a muscle relaxant.
Most new-onset lower back pain improves on its own regardless of treatment.
When a serious or dangerous cause is suspected (such as when lower back pain is unrelenting and debilitating, follows major trauma or is accompanied by fever), it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Reasonable initial treatments of non-urgent, recent-onset lower back pain include a number of non-medication approaches, including:
• heat
• massage
• acupuncture
• spinal manipulation
• gentle exercise including stretching
• physical therapy may be appropriate for those who need or prefer a supervised exercise program
• remaining physically active (as much as symptoms allow)
If symptoms don’t improve, a short course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen may help. A muscle relaxant can be considered if other treatments aren’t effective.
When back pain persists despite treatment and the passage of time, further evaluation is warranted to rule out serious causes of symptoms and to determine a specific cause that might warrant a particular treatment.
Unfortunately, there are no specific exercises known to reliably cure sciatica. However, there are exercises that can help, including:
• walking, swimming, cycling
• yoga, tai chi, Pilates
• stretching exercises, including bridge and knee-to-chest exercises (see below)
To perform a bridge stretching exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your palms flat on the floor next to your hips. Keep your back straight as you lift your buttocks as high as you can off the mat, using your hands for balance. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower your buttocks not quite to the floor, then lift again. Repeat three times.
To perform a knee-to-chest stretch, lie on your back with your knees gently bent and feet on the floor. Place both hands behind the lower right thigh near the back of the knee and gently pull the knee up toward the chest. Hold for 15 seconds. Then repeat for the left knee and continue alternating for 3 cycles.
Schizophrenia is a chronic (long-lasting) brain disorder that is easily misunderstood. Although symptoms may vary widely, people with schizophrenia frequently have a hard time recognizing reality, thinking logically and behaving naturally in social situations. Untreated, the person will continue to have some or all of these symptoms:
• Delusions (distorted thoughts, false beliefs)
• Hallucinations (disordered perceptions) that may involve any of the five senses, including sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste
• Disorganized speech
• Unusual motor activity or disorganized behavior
Sarcoidosis can cause a number of symptoms, including daily fatigue. This is likely due to chronic, systemic (bodywide) inflammation. Other common symptoms include:
• cough, shortness of breath, chest pain
• fever
• weight loss and poor appetite
• skin rashes
• eye dryness or inflammation or changes in vision
• muscle weakness, low energy, inability to exercise
• parotid gland swelling – this is a salivary gland located near the jaw
• palpitations, passing out or feeling faint
• joint pain (with or without swelling)
Of note, up to half of people diagnosed with sarcoidosis have no symptoms at the time of diagnosis. In such cases, the condition is detected incidentally, such as when a chest x-ray is obtained for an unrelated reason.