Atrial Fibrillation Treatment and Symptoms

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Symptoms Requiring Atrial Fibrillation Treatment

Unlike a condition with prominently displayed symptoms like cancer, skin diseases and physical ailments, atrial fibrillation may be occurring within your body without your knowledge. This condition impacts the lives of millions of people across the world each year, and more and more are being diagnosed each day. This is a condition that occurs when your heart’s rhythm is irregular, and changes from day to day. Though it may not happen frequently, even a few instances of irregularity can be dangerous and detrimental to your health- and your life.

Some of the symptoms that do manifest include fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, strokes, blood clots and even weakness and anxiety. Though these symptoms do not always occur, when they do, they are consistent across different cases of AF, making it possible to diagnose and test for the presence of this condition. Atrial fibrillation is a condition that may worsen over time or even correct itself, depending on the severity of the symptoms and the state of your heart.

Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Options

Atrial fibrillation treatment does not have to be complicated, and it does not have to be something that takes over your life. The best treatment options will be listed by your doctors, and they can walk you through any questions or concerns that you may have about the methods that you ultimately choose. It all depends on the severity of your condition and the length of time it has been present, as some methods will not work as well as others. Before you begin treatment for AF, it is important to establish and discuss your goals with your health care provider so that you have an idea of what is expected to happen.

Along with other treatment options, medications are often the first choice for doctors and patients. These medications are meant to decrease the likelihood that blood will clot, causing further problems. The medications may also decrease blood pressure and allow the heart to beat on a more normal rhythm over time.

Another option for Afib treatment are nonsurgical procedures like electrical cardioversion, which happens when patients get an electrical shock that is meant to “knock” the heart back into a regular rhythm, otherwise known as resetting it. Ablation or inserting a catheter is also used in some cases in order to destroy malfunctioning tissue by scarring specific areas of the heart. These scars can no longer send irregular signals, decreasing the chances for an irregular heartbeat.

Surgical procedures include the insertion of pacemakers, and open heart maze procedures (a procedure where a “maze” of scar tissue is created in order to disrupt the electrical impulses). These are often “last resort” choices, and will only be used in severe AF cases or when other options have proven unsuccessful.

Crohns Disease: Facts and Figures

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Understanding Crohns Disease

Though many people have heard of this condition, the exact specifications and symptoms may not be clear to everyone involved. Crohns disease is a condition that impacts the GI tract, its health and its function. The intestinal walls may become inflamed, resulting in stomach pain, cramps, diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and a general feeling of being unwell. More than half a million Americans are impacted by this disease, for which there is no known cure. There are ways to treat it and manage the condition, but there is not definitive cure as of right now. This condition is distressing to those that experience it, but it is possible to live a normal life with some vigilance and a carefully constructed care plan.

Who Gets Crohns Disease?

Typically, this condition is diagnosed before the age of 30, but it can set in at any stage of life. More common in males than females, Crohns disease symptoms can vary in severity, but are almost always enough to disrupt your routine. This means feeling ill or in pain after eating specific foods, having to take frequent bathroom breaks throughout the day during a flare up, or even being unable to leave the home during the worst of things. People of all ages strive to be in good health, but with Crohns disease, this is not always possible.

Crohns disease treatment plans are created on an individual basis, although there are specific things that have been shown to work across the board. Medication types can be used to dull the symptoms, making it easier to get through the flare ups. In addition to this, stronger medications may cause the disease to go into “remission” - though it is still present, the symptoms are managed and often go away for months at a time. In case of the body becoming resistant to treatment methods over time, it is important for individuals to keep working closely with their medical teams in order to keep things covered.

If you’re having Crohn’s disease symptoms, you should be sure to get tested for the condition. There are a variety of tests that can be performed to accurately diagnose the problem including blood work, fecal tests, a colonoscopy, and CT scans. Each of these tests will approach the problem from a slightly different angle, but will give specialists (and you) a good idea of exactly what you’re dealing with, which is a step in the right direction.

Recovering from Hip Surgery

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Just Had Hip Surgery?

Many people are in the same position as you, and have had hip replacement surgery. This is an extensive surgery that requires a lot of recuperation, meaning that you’ll have to change some things around in your routine to ensure that you heal properly and that your body has adequate time to accept the new hip. The prospect of waiting and waiting for your life to go back to “normal” may seem daunting, but there are a few things that you can do to make sure that things progress as they should and that you are able to get back to your life on schedule. Hip surgery is a common procedure, so there is plenty of information available about how to make the most of your down time.

Hip Surgery Recovery Tips

First, you’ll need to listen to your doctor and surgeon. They will be able to advise you about how quickly you’ll be able to start walking around and putting weight on the hip, as well as what you can expect during the first few days after the hip replacement surgery. Hip replacement surgery DC procedures have the same rules and regulations as those done elsewhere; the only thing different will be the type of facility that you’re in and who is taking care of your procedure.

Next, listen to your body. Sure, you want to get up and do things like run errands, take care of your home, be out in public and even get back to exercising, but you’ll need to make sure that you’re not overdoing it. Your body will let you know if you’re putting too much strain on it, and give you some warning so that you can settle down and take it easy. You’ll be starting things slowly, not getting right back into your daily routine the day after you come home from the hospital, but as long as you don’t overdo it, you should be well on your way to recovery in a few short days.

Find things to keep you busy. This may be something as simple as getting a few good books to read or finding low-activity things to do around the home that won’t require you to stand or walk for long periods of time. Hip replacement surgery Washington DC doctors will often have ideas to keep your mind off of your limited mobility, making it possible to get through the recovery process without driving yourself insane.