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Saturday 29 March 2014

Risks of High Creatinine Level

Creatinine is a chemical waste molecule in the blood which passes through the kidneys and is filtered and eliminated through urine in right condition.  Creatinine is generated from muscle metabolism. Women mostly have lower creatinine as  compared to men , since women have less muscle tissue. Because there is constant muscle mass in the body from day to day, the production of creatinine normally remains unchanged on a daily basis. The kidneys are responsible in maintaining the blood creatinine in a normal range.  Thus, creatinine  may be regarded as a reliable indicator of kidney function. High creatinine level indicates impaired kidney function or kidney disease. .If kidneys are not working properly, an increased level of creatinine may accumulate in the blood.

Symptoms of high creatinine

Symptoms of increased levels of creatinine in the blood are similar to the kidney failure symptoms.  Some patients with high creatinine may have the following symptoms:
*Shortness of breath
*Confusion
*Dehydration
*Weakness or fatigue

Normal Blood Creatinine Levels

Normal range of creatinine in the blood is approximately 0.6 to 1.2 mg per dL in adult males and 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per decilitre as found in adult females. Middle-aged adults or muscular young may have more creatinine in their blood than the general population.  On the other hand, elderly persons may have less creatinine in their blood as compared to the norm. In people suffering from malnutrition, severe loss in weight, and long term illnesses, the muscle mass tends to reduce over time and, hence, their creatinine level may be lower than that expected for their age

A person having only one kidney may have a normal level of 1.8 or 1.9mg per dL. Creatinine levels that exceed  2.0  in babies and 10.0 or in adults may imply severe kidney impairment and a need is created for a dialysis machine to remove wastes materials from the blood.
Causes of High Creatinine.

Usually, creatinine levels in the blood remain the same from day to day because the muscle mass stays the same .The main causes of having high creatinine may include:
  • Eating a lot of meat
  • Taking certain medicines
  • Building the muscles through weight training
Medicines and excess consumption of meat can only cause a temporary increasing in creatinine level. The creatinine level will regain its normal level if the influencing factors are removed. High creatinine because of large muscle mass is not a health concern.

                                            
Apart from these high creatinine levels may also occur due to

1. Dehydration or lack of water caused due to high fever and sweating can cause blood concentration and less blood flow in the kidneys.  Thus, creatinine will increase.
2. Over-tiredness or lack of rest can cause increase in creatinine level.
3. Urine abnormalities can also be accompanied by high creatinine.
4. Intake of drugs having renal toxicity can cause high creatinine which even can be irreversible.
5. If renal dysfunction patients suffer from infections such as pneumonia, cold, urinary tract infections or intestinal infection can increase creatinine level in short time.
6. Badly controlled high blood pressure may also cause high creatinine.
7. Kidney disease patients suffering from recurrent illness conditions may have high creatinine levels

Best Tips For Improving Blood Circulation

Good blood circulation is extremely vital for every single part of the human body. This is because blood brings oxygen and nutrients to the various tissues and organs, and helps remove waste products from our body.  When your blood circulation isn't so good, there occurs a condition called Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD). A number of problems results from PVD, like numbness, coldness, and tingling in the extremities which might lead to amputation in some cases.

The circulatory system pushes the blood through the human body. It consists of a network of arteries and veins that work along with the heart to provide oxygen and other nutrients. For the best functioning of this network, following are a few tips to promote good circulation.

1. Quit Smoking:  Smoking can damage one’s body. The topmost cause of poor circulation is the nicotine that is found in tobacco products. Quitting can be difficult,  Many smokers show 'optimistic distortion’, which is, they fool themselves that their wheezing chest,  hacking cough, rapidly wrinkling skin, and poor blood circulation "has no connection with" smoking cigarettes. Once they stop kidding themselves and realize that tobacco is a life destroyer then they have a chance of escape.

2. Stay Hydrated: Dehydration or lack of water can be a serious medical problem. Plasma that makes up more than half of total blood is about 93 percent water. It is recommended that one must drink at least eight glasses of water each day; however, this can increase depending on one’s level of physical activity or the weather. It must be kept in mind that alcohol and caffeine can have a dehydrating effect on a person’s body.


3. Get Plenty of Exercise: When we perform aerobic exercises, such as running, cycling, rowing swimming or brisk walking, it will increase our heart rate and give our circulatory system a boost. Gentle aerobic exercises also help in managing stress, and contributor a lot to circulatory problems. Exercise develops smaller blood vessels which can avoid any blockages.

                                                                              







4. Reduce your stress: Prolonged and intense stress is awful for your circulation. Cutting down the stress level in your life lowers our blood pressure and improves our circulation. We must get plenty of sleep, take our time off from work sometimes and avoid unhealthy foods. Finding a low-impact hobby can also help us to counterbalance the stress that we come across elsewhere in our lives.

5. Natural Treatment for Poor Circulation: There are many treatments that are being used for centuries to improve blood circulation. They are very simple and can be adopted by anyone.

Elevate feet: Keeping our feet propped  up for short periods of time can enhance circulation by allowing blood trapped in the lower parts of the body to flow back to the heart.

Take a warm bath: Heat received from a warm bath increases the blood flow by making the blood vessels dilate.


6. Try natural circulation boosters: Certain foods like garlic, oranges, pumpkin seeds, salmon and avocados, have shown tendencies to boost blood circulation naturally. We must avoid too many processed carbohydrates and eat a good balanced diet full of antioxidants

7. Make your health your priority: Blood circulation is an indicator of good health. We must have regular blood pressure checks, eat healthily, take exercise, watch obesity and stress, and use self-hypnosis. Because as said once by Mahatma Gandhi: "It is health and not pieces of gold and silver that is real wealth."

What Causes Paralysis

The word “Paralysis” comes from the Greek which means “disabling of nerves”. Paralysis is mainly caused due to loss of muscular function in any part of the body. There is a lack of sensation in that part of the body that makes it immobile. Muscles in itself cannot cause paralysis, since muscles are controlled by nervous system. The nervous system, comprising of nerves spinal cord and brain, processes messages to and from the brain and other parts of the body. Hence, paralysis occurs mainly due to some sort of nerve damage, that is, there is a problem with any nerve or when any part of the spinal cord is injured.

In human beings the spinal cord consists of 24 vertebrae. How severe the impact of paralysis is on a person depends upon how high up on the spine the injury occurs. For instance, if a person gets injured in the upper part of the spine, he/she may be paralyzed from the neck below. Similarly a person with a middle back injury may have functional muscles in the upper part of the body, whereas his/her lower part may be immobile. Paralysis may be localized or general, temporary or permanent, partial or complete, and spastic or flaccid. The extent or type of paralysis depends upon the kind of damage that has occurred to the nervous system.

There may be numerous causes to paralysis, for example, accidents, poisoning, infection, blocked blood vessels and tumours. However, there are four main causes which are as follows.

• Stroke: Paralysis due to stroke occurs when there is a disruption in the flow of blood to the brain. The brain receives oxygen and nutrients that it requires to function, through the blood. The blood supply stops when there is a blood clot or the weak blood vessels have burst.

• Head Injury: Paralysis may also occur when the part of the brain that controls specific muscles of our body gets injured. In this case , the messages or signals transmitted to and from the particular muscles cannot be received or interpreted by the brain.

• Spinal Cord Injury: The spinal cord is one of the main part of the central nervous system that transmits signals to and from the brain and other parts of the body. When there is an injury in the neck or spine, the brain is unable to transmit messages to and from the other parts of the body resulting in  paralysis. Such problems may occur in cases of accidents, falls or certain diseases which can damage the spinal cord.

• Multiple Sclerosis: This is a disease that causes damage to the nerves. When there is an inflammation that scars the nerves, there is a disruption in the communication between the brain and the muscles and a paralytic disease known as multiple sclerosis occurs.

No specific generalization can be made regarding the risk of occurrence of paralysis. Such a disease may be caused due to family history, ethnicity, and pre existing conditions. Some people are more prone to a temporary facial paralysis known as Bell’s palsy. Such people might have a family history of the disease or might be the third trimester of pregnancy or have cold, influenza or diabetes. Similarly, older people who have high blood pressure, diabetes, or those who are overweight may have stroke, thus leading to paralysis. Thus a healthy life, healthy food habits and a good deal of exercise may considerably reduce the risk of such diseases.

                                                                                                 
     

The Side Effects of Teething

Teething is a normal part of development. Teething occurs when the milk teeth emerge through the gums. Although the milk teeth develop when the baby is in the embryo stage, the teeth only start to grow out of the gums when the baby is 6-9 months old. When the teeth grow, special chemicals are released by the body, which makes part of the gums to separate and so allows the teeth to grow through. The teeth grow throughout the gums in stages. Mostly the lower front teeth come out first, followed by the middle teeth at the top. The other teeth follow over in the following months. A child’s age is  usually around 2½ or 3 when they have their full set of first teeth.

Teething is one of many milestones every baby will go through at some point in their young lives. Because teething cause pain, many babies drool or chew to relieve the pain of teething symptoms. Symptoms of teething often occur a few days (or even weeks) before the tooth comes through the gum. Common symptoms of teething include:
  • Red and swollen gums.
  • Red flushed cheek or face.
  • Rubbing their ears on the side from where the tooth is coming through.
  • Dribbling more than usual.
  • Waking at night and generally being very unsettled.
  • Inconsistent feeding.
  • Rubbing their gums, chewing, biting  or sucking more.
There is little evidence that fever and mild diarrhoea are caused by teething. Teething should not make your child to become unwell. If your child is in pain with his/her teething, then we may give paracetamol or ibuprofen. These should be given according to the recommended doses for their age.
The side effects of teething occur as a result of the teething process. Teething causes gum and tooth discomfort, and its side effects usually occur as a result of this discomfort. Some of the possible side effects of teething include:
  • Excessive drooling
  • Irritability/crankiness
  • Hand biting
  • Biting or chewing on anything
  • Night wakening
  • Ear pulling
  • Gum rubbing
  • Hardening of the lower gum line
  • Facial rash (drool rash)
  • Low-grade fever (below 100.4ºF or 38ºC)
  • Sensitive and painful gums
  • Feeding difficulties

Babies are known for being fussy and cranky while teething. Irritability and fussiness symptoms usually come and go throughout the teething process. The baby may be restless throughout the night and refuse to eat. Babies may often put their hands in their mouths or bite their hands. When molars are coming out, teething babies often rub their cheeks or ears. Teething can cause babies to develop a low-grade fever of no more than 100.4°F (38°C). Fevers higher than this are generally not a side effect of teething. Massaging your teething baby's gums is a great way to relieve the pain of teething. There are teething gels available which contain a local anaesthetic or mild antiseptic. These are thought to be safe to use in children and may provide some relief.

What Causes Miscarriage

A miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of foetus before it is viable. A foetus is viable when it has the potential to survive outside the womb. The medical term for a miscarriage is spontaneous abortion. Usually, a miscarriage is the loss of a foetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. Miscarriage is one of the most common complications associated with early pregnancy. It is said that 50% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage -- most often before a woman misses a menstrual period or even knows she is pregnant. More than 80% of miscarriages occur within the first trimester of the pregnancy. Although miscarriage is relatively common, it can cause extreme mental trauma and devastation.

Signs and Symptoms of Miscarriage
  • Miscarriage may be recognised mainly by vaginal spotting or bleeding, which can vary from a slight brownish discharge to very heavy bleeding. Some other symptoms include:
  • Cramping and pain in the abdomen
  • Fluid discharge from the vagina
  • Tissue discharge from the vagina
  • Feeling faint or light-headed
  • Fever
  • Weakness
  • Backpain
Causes of Miscarriage

The causes of miscarriage are not well understood. There can be various causes of miscarriages, some of which are enumerated below.
  • Chromosomal Abnormalities: Chromosomes are tiny structures inside the cells of the body which carry many genes. Genes are responsible for a person's physical characteristics, such as sex, hair and eye color, and blood type. Sometimes, when the egg and sperm meet, either one of them is faulty and then the chromosomes are not set properly. In that case, the resulting embryo has a chromosomal abnormality and the pregnancy usually results in a miscarriage. Miscarriages that occur during the first trimester are mainly related to chromosomal abnormalities in the baby.
  • Uterine Abnormalities: Abnormally shaped wombs and the development of fibroids in the womb can put a developing foetus at severe risk. If you have a uterus that is “abnormally” shaped miscarriage occurs because the embryo either can’t implant or once it gets implanted, it can’t get the nourishment it needs to survive.
  • Incompetent Cervixes:  The cervix is the neck of the womb. When the muscles of the cervix are weakened, they tend to open up too early during pregnancy resulting in miscarriage. Towards the end of the first trimester the foetus has grown large enough that the cervix starts to bulge. If the cervix gets weak, it can’t hold the foetus in.
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Women with PCOs have too-high levels of the male hormone testosterone which can also cause irregular ovulation and menstruation. This occurs when the ovaries are very big which causes hormonal imbalances in the womb.
  • Placental problems: If abnormal development of the placenta occurs then the blood supply from the mother to the baby is limited. This can also be a cause of miscarriage.
  • Lifestyle factors: habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illegal drugs can lead to miscarriage.  Women who work in certain environments—like operating rooms, farms, dental offices and hospital laboratories—have a higher rate of miscarriage for unknown reasons.

Miscarriage Myths
There are many misconceptions regarding miscarriage. Many people believe that indulging in sex and/or exercising can result in miscarriage, when in reality there is no evidence to suggest this. Some women believe that their mood can affect their baby - which isn't true. Nearly half of miscarriage cases have no apparent cause.

What Causes Lip Twitching

Lip twitching is caused by spontaneous, sudden muscular contractions in or around the lips. When there is lip twitching, the muscles in or around the lip contract, making it feel like it is quivering. If the twitching is fast, it may not appear to be twitching to others, but it may still be felt. Sometimes the contractions are more noticeable to others and may be have other symptoms too.

Quivering of the lips is a sudden involuntary tightening of the lip muscles. It may also be caused by tightening of the muscle fibres due to direct stimulation, irritation and/or injury of the nerve reaching upto these muscles. Lip twitching are unusual irregular contractions of muscle of the lips. Twitching may occur suddenly even when the lips motionless or may happen after direct stimulus to the lips, like pressure, electrical, chemical or heat. Lip twitches are usually speedy, almost unnoticeable movements of the lips that happen during a focused action such as pursing of lips and may show muscle fatigue.

Causes of Lip Twitching

  • The common causes of lip twitching include :
  • Stress.
  • Severe anxiety
  • Fatigue.
  • Potassium deficiency.
  • Emotions, such as anger, amusement, fear.
  • Excessive intake of coffee, soft drinks, tea or chocolates
  • Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
  • nicotine withdrawal
Other causes of lip twitching maybe :
  • Damage to the facial nerve due to any reason.
  • Bell’s palsy may also cause occasional lip twitching. It may also be accompanied by facial droop.
Involuntary movements of the face, including quivering of the lips, occurs in this condition which may be increased or caused by fatigue or anxiety. It might also occur in case of facial tic. A facial tic may engage the eyes or muscles of the face and lips. There is repeated tremor of the involved muscles. Tics occur often in childhood and resolve on their own but they may sometimes continue throughout life. Anxiety is known to exaggerate this condition.

Twitching or tremor of the lips may occur in Parkinson’s disease, as rhythmical, spontaneous, movements affecting one or both lips, along. This tremor of the lips takes place at rest and may stop while performing activities like eating or speaking. Twitching of the lips is not noticed when the patient is asleep. In later stages of the disease, lip tremors may continue even while the patient is talking or eating.

 Another cause of lip twitching is drug induced tremors which may be present as a result of opiate withdrawal. It can be severe during the phases of detoxification. It may also continue after rehabilitation as is seen among recovering addicts, along with other symptoms such as head tremor,  tongue, voice and lip tremor, causing difficulty with speech.

Emotions can also trigger lip muscle contractions. People might experience this when they indulge in strong feelings of anger, fear, joy, or happiness. It can also occur with over tiredness as well as stress and anxiety. Thus lip twitching can be quite a disturbing symptom even if, in most cases, the reason behind it may not be serious.

Causes of Finger Twitching

Twitching fingers occur lesser than benign muscle spasms, deficiencies in diet, or electrolyte inequality. Spontaneous twitching might also be a symptom of injury in the nerve or central nervous system disorder. Numbness or tickle sometimes goes along with the twitching. Affected individuals may seek a perfect diagnosis when the twitching increases in harshness, continues beyond the fingers, or is comes along with pain.

Nutritional shortcomings can alter electrolyte levels, which might lead to twitching fingers .Levels of Magnesium, calcium and Potassium  that are below normal often cause twitching or muscular  cramps. Diets low in calcium or high consumption of carbonated soda can add to abnormally low blood calcium levels and consequently muscle twitching or cramping.
Causes of finger twitching  
  • Muscle Cramps – Small muscle contractions often result in muscular cramps in the finger which is a common causes of the twitching. This is normally not a cause for concern.
  • Carpel Tunnel Syndrome – If we have carpel tunnel syndrome, then there is a nerve that is nicked in the wrist that passes through our carpel tunnel. This is mostly done to help relieve the pressure related to the median nerve. In doing so, it sometimes lead to twitching of the thumb or index finger.
  • Nutritional Deficiencies – Certain nutritional deficiencies can result in an electrolyte inequality which can often leads to muscle spasms and cramps.
  • Filament – A spontaneous twitching in the finger's muscle that is controlled by a filament or a single motor nerve fibre can often lead to finger twitching.
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome –In this disease there is an intense pain or burning sensation in either the legs or arms or both. Uncontrollable quivering of the fingers is often a symptom.
  • Multiple Sclerosis – This central nervous system disease has characteristic features of loss of muscular coordination and numbness. Finger twitching, in this case, is one of its easiest detected symptoms
  • Parkinson's Disease – It is a genetic disease that originates either in our rib or shoulder area and then travels to the other body parts such as your fingers or thumbs.
  • Side Effects – Certain drugs may cause twitching in our fingers as their side effects. These may or maynot revert back upon stopping the use of those drugs.
  • Caffeine – It is said that too much caffeine or  sometimes withdrawals of caffeine can cause muscle twitching. This takes into account  coffee, soda and chocolate.
  • Myopathy – This is a muscle disease that slowly leads to weak muscles. If our fingers are affected, twitching may occur.
  • Exercise – If we exercise or overwork any of the muscles in our fingers, cramps can occur as well as muscular pain, spasms and fatigue.
Muscle twitching is thus caused by minor muscular contractions in the area, or involuntary twitching of a muscle group that is connected to a single motor nerve fibre. Muscle quivering is minor and often goes unobserved. Some are common and usual, but others are signs of a nervous system disorder.

Common Causes of Swelling under the arms

Swelling under the arms is mainly caused due to swelling in the lymph nodes. These swollen nodes are noticed first in the am pits and neck, but the swelling can occur in other parts of the body including the groin or the abdomen The. lymph nodes are small, spherical, or bean-shaped stacks of tissue. They are a component of the lymphatic system that helps our body fight against infection and disease. As lymphatic fluid flows through the body, immune cells, or lymphocytes,  in the lymph nodes entrap bacteria, viruses, and other harmful substances and obliterate them to help prevent their multiply. They also maintain fluid balance within limit. There are numerous other lymph nodes spread throughout our body. The areas where we may feel swollen lymph nodes include behind the ear, under the jaw, lower part of the back of the head, armpits, groin.

Normally we are unable to feel our lymph nodes. They measure only about a half-inch transversely. When we get sick they swell – sometimes upto two to three times their normal size -- to the point where we can noticeably feel them. Other symptoms of swollen glands are:

  • Tenderness or pain when pressed
  • Symptoms of the core infection such as sore throat, fever and mouth sores
  • Red, swollen, warm skin over the lymph node
  • Lump
  • Painless inflammation in a lymph node
  • Chills/temperature variations
  • periodic Fevers
  • too much sweating at night
  • Not deliberate weight loss
  • Loss of appetite
  • constant tiredness and
  • Lack of energy
  • Breathlessness and Coughing
  • Persistent itching all over the body without an obvious cause or rash
  • General exhaustion
  • Enlarged tonsils
  • Headache

Inflamed lymph nodes that are softer and tender, and move easily are generally a sign of infection or swelling. A firm lymph node that does not move and cause no pain needs further assessment by our health care provider. The inflamed lymph node sometimes leads to other symptoms by pressing against a vein which causes swelling of an arm or leg, or against a nerve which causes, numbness, pain or tingling in an arm or leg.

Causes of Swollen Lymph nodes
  • The most familiar causes of swollen glands are:
  • Bacterial infection like strep throat
  • Mouth sores or even tooth infection
  • Viral infection like mononucleosis  or "mono"
  • Skin infection
  • Infection in the ear
  • Sexually transmitted disease
  • Cancers such as leukaemia, and breast cancer
  • Immune system disorders such as HIV infection, or  rheumatoid arthritis
  • consequence of a vaccine or from certain medications 
Swollen Glands Treatment

Once the basic illness has been treated, the glands should reduce to their normal size. Cure of swollen glands depends on their cause. To relieve the uneasiness of swollen glands and the illness that cause them, a few home care methods may help. For instance, apply a warm, wet cloth to the area, get enough rest so that your body can recover from the disease, etc.

By knowing our nodes, we will better understand our lymphatic system.  If signs and symptoms are detected early, there is a greater possibility for quicker diagnosis, cure and overall survival.

What are Mood Disorders

A Mood Disorder is a psychological disorder where there is an elevation or lowering of a person’s mood. A true clinical depression is a mood disorder which can have an impact on a person’s daily life. Life has its own share of highs and lows in everyone’s share, but people with mood disorders experience them with greater intensity and for longer periods of time than most people.

There are four major forms of mood disorders. They are Depression, Cyclothymia ( a mild form of bipolar disorder), SAD (seasonal affective disorder), and mania (euphoric, over inflated ego, hyperactive and unrealistic optimism).

  • Depression: Depression is a major feature of mental illness or psychiatric disorder, whatever its nature and origin. A person having some psychiatric disorder has a very high chance of developing  a major depression. A person feeling depressed feels very low. The symptoms may include feelings of hopelessness, changing the eating habits, disturbed sleep, tiredness, thoughts of death snd suicide.

  • Cyclothymia: People with bipolar disorder have periods of feeling low and periods of feeling unusually high or elated. At times of elation people often behave recklessly, and sometimes also have financial loss or have trouble with the law.At high times the symptoms are extreme irritability, overspending, decreased need for sleep, and sense of inflated self esteem. During the low phases people feel social disinterest, sad mood, and low energy and lethargy.
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD): In this case people’s mood are affected by the weather. Sunshine elevates one’s  spirit while a dull, rainy day makes a person feel gloomy. Usually these variations do not affect our ability to cope with the daily activities. However, in some cases, people have depressions that show a seasonal pattern. This condition is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

  • Mania: In this condition people are often found to be suffering from hallucination and delusions. They are euphoric, hyperactive, have inflated ego or suffer from unrealistic optimism. They usually feel that they are being plotted against, want to broadcast their feelings so that others can hear them, seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not actually there, or show disorganised speech or behavior.

Mood Disorders greatly affect people’s personality. People are more easily demoralised by depression or mood disorder and slower in recovering from such depression. Most people under depression show signs of anxiety, which shows need for help. This turns into despair if they are dissappointed. Anxious people may also go in for drugs and alcohol that can further cause depression.

Depression is a major feature of mental illness or psychiatric disorder, whatever its nature and origin.A person having some psychiatric disorder has a very high chance of developing  a major depression. Depression not only affects adults but also affects children. Children may find it difficult to cope with the pressures of school and growing up. Depression in children may lead to loss of appetite, aches and pains and lack of energy.

Different Causes of Vulvar pain

Vulvar pain or vulvodynia is a persistent and unexplained pain of the vulva, which is the skin surrounding the vagina. There is as yet no obvious cause to this pain, but help may be provided to relieve the pain so that it no longer problematic. Vulvar pain affects women of all ages, ranging  from 20 to 60, but it often starts in women less than 25 years of age. It can be very distressful and significantly affect the quality of life.

Symptoms of Vulvar pain


The symptoms of vulvodynia often include pain that may be experienced as burning or stinging. The pain may also be of an aching or throbbing nature. Sometimes, the pain may be associated with itching.

The pain may occur constantly, or it may come and go. It can also occur during certain activities including sex or  exercise. It may also take place when at rest. Some women complain of pain that is concentrated to one side or one area of the vulva, while others experience a more generalized and widespread pain.

There are generally no physical signs or changes that might accompany vulvodynia, but sometimes there may be evidence of inflamed skin.

Possible Causes


The causes of vulvodynia is yet to be understood. There is a possibility that it is caused by:
  •     A nerve problem – Oversensitive nerve endings in the skin of the vulva, irritation or damage of the nerves around the vulva, or (less likely) a trapped nerve in the spine
  •     Previous surgery to the vulva- This occurs especially if it resulted in scarring
It is not understood why some women suffer from vulvodynia. It is not considered to be related to sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), though some women with vulvodynia might have had multiple STDs. Some theories imply that vulvodynia may be related to irritation or damage of nerves, abnormal responses to inflammation or irritation, allergic reactions, a history of sexual abuse, muscle spasms or frequent use of antibiotics. Familial or genetic factors may also play a role in vulvodynia.

Managing Vulvodynia

A combination of treatments can help to get relief from the symptoms of vulvodynia and lessen its impact on our lives. These may include prescription medication, gels and lubricants, and physiotherapy. Some antidepressant relieve the pain of vulvodynia for some women. However, there are possible side effects of drowsiness, weight gain and dry mouth. For some women application of certain anaesthetic gels  to their vulva 15–20 minutes before sex may make intercourse possible, although there can sometimes irritation in the area. Vaginal lubricants and aqueous cream may also soothe the area and help to moisturise the vulva in case of dryness. The physiotherapist may teach some pelvic floor exercises such as squeezing and releasing the pelvic muscles, to help relax the muscles around the vagina. Apart from these certain lifestyle changes may also be helpful, such as using 100% cotton underwear, loose fitting skirts and trousers, avoid scented hygiene products, and avoid prolonged cycling. These remedies may bring relief to the affected person to some extent.

The Key Points in Selecting a Software Product for Your Manufacturing Company



It is not easy finding and implementing a software for your manufacturing needs, and it requires you to observe strict guidelines and know what kind of questions you have to ask. If you don’t get it right from start, you may end up choosing a program that does not suit your manufacturing functions. Drilling down the things you have to check can help you in selecting the right software that serves the purpose. One of the question you have to ask yourself is; what kind of manufacturer you are.

To get the answer, you have to check whether you make stock on a repetitive standard for products or you make to order or you configure to order. You may also want to check whether your manufacturing involves a simple job shop that is all custom, mixed or a combination of both the custom and Original Equipment manufacturer-OEM products. In addition, your manufacturing process could entail recipe batch-like food chemicals or a beverage industry. Defining your manufacturing process is so critical in obtaining the right software for the manufacturing function.

Secondly, you have to search for software vendors who offer excellent products that match with your manufacturing process. You can sort from a list of vendors you have identified and ensure that they have the profile that aligns to your company size while also ensuring that the prices of the software products match your budget expectations. This may not be easy because most of the vendors do not put in public their specific product cost, which can help you gauge the true worthiness in terms of value of the product.


The other thing you have to do is analyze the operation of your company and then identify the most pressing issues which can be addressed by the software. This may involved anything to do with tracking of customer contracts, scheduling, preparing quotations for customer protection to things like shipping and documentation.

The most immediate thing you want to achieve is improve the operational processes. After that, you request for information with a list of your primary requirements. The requirements should clearly be defined showing the expectations that you want to get from the program. These are the problems which the programs should address.

For instance, you may have one of the components in the list citing that you want a program which can easily and seamlessly interface well with Computer Aided Designs Systems or CADs. You need to ensure that the vendors get every detail clearly in order to enable them determine whether the program will offer the qualities and features you want in order to achieve your goals.

When you have received a return information for the request for information you had made, you can choose about two or three to do a demonstration. At this point, you have to prepare demonstration scripts that include input from every department or division of the manufacturing company. The vendors should be brought to the company and ask them to show you how the software is able to execute the demands you are searching for and whether the program meets the scripts.

You have to ensure that you record as well as qualify the promises which had been made by the vendors during the presentation of script. The last thing you need to do is check for references. You need to be sure that they are the recent ones and not outdated. Ensure that you do not waste time engaging with vendors who cannot offer a good fit based on the budget you have at hand.

How Do You Convert the Microsoft Money Files to the Microsoft Excel Files?



Microsoft Money is a program that was used by many people in the past to manage their personal or family finances. However, since Microsoft stopped creating new versions of this program in November of 2010, users have to adjust accordingly by switching to Microsoft Excel files. You can still get the files you created in that platform although it is no longer being updated. One thing with Microsoft Money is that it would allow you to export your finalized data or information into a spreadsheet.

However, you need to know the steps you follow to convert the Microsoft Money files and turn them into Microsoft Excel files.
  • First, you need to input the budget and money spending information right into the Microsoft Money. This will cover the entire period which you used the program in managing your personal finances.
  • Second, you create a report in the Microsoft Money, and this is done by right-clicking on the file name within the file directory. After that, you pres Export in order to create a text document. You then save the information to a separate file right within the directory.
  • The other step is that you get out of this file and then call up the Microsoft Excel program you are using. By simply selecting the file and then pressing “Open” you will be able to pull in the resulting text file right into your Microsoft Excel format.
  • Access the second line that is found near the bottom of that Window, and then go to “File” and navigate to “Save As” in order to save your file into Excel.
  • After that, select the line which says “Save As Type” and this will allow you to pick the version of Excel you want to use from the choices offered. Now select” Data” and then press “Import External Data”. By doing this, you will open up "Text Import Wizard." At this stage, you will need to save your file as "Delimited Text."
  • After you have saved the file, you can view the resulting file in order to see how it has been transferred. At times, when you transfer a text file to Excel, it may not bring out all of the formatting the same way. For example, text files may not often paste into same columns meaning that they could be found in one giant sentence or a paragraph.
  • If there is any formatting you need to make, you can make the chances while you are viewing the file on the screen. You may want to separate the data into columns, cells, and rows in order to suit your needs and formatting style.
The other method is that, you may choose a file from where you need information without the need for converting it. You achieve this by going to Microsoft Money, and then opening the file in "Report View." Using your mouse, you highlight the cells which you need to copy and then right-click on the mouse and choose to copy data. Now you right-click again when in the new Microsoft Excel workbook and choose “Paste”. Your copied text will then appear.

Any of these two methods are important if you are doing some sort of bookkeeping for another person.