My album for today is dedicated to my dear wife, Olwyn, on her birthday. Her first album (mine too) was "Hunting High and Low" by Norwegian heart throbs, A-HA. It is a remarkable synth pop recording that stands the test of time insofar as it is, in my opinion, beyond dating - it has a timeless quality that ensures it never sounds old.
Yes, it is 30 years old ... and it is a product of its time and place ... but it is what is for me: an extravagant, vivacious slice of pure joy.
So come and enjoy the day – your support will help us rebuild the lives of people affected by brain injury.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common but poorly understood disorder that causes a variety of symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, bloating, gassiness and cramping. Because these symptoms may be caused by a number of different bowel diseases, IBS is usually diagnosed only after your doctor rules out the possibility of a more serious problem.
The severity of the disorder varies from person to person. Some people experience symptoms that come and go and are just mildly annoying, while others have such severe daily bowel problems that IBS affects their ability to work, sleep and enjoy life. In addition, symptoms may change over time. A person may have severe symptoms for several weeks and then feel well for months or even years. Most people are never cured of IBS, but the disorder is not related to any other disease, and does not develop into any other disease, such as ulcerative colitis or colon cancer.
IBS usually starts in early adulthood. It affects twice as many women as men. Approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of the population suffers from IBS, but at least half of all people with the condition never seek medical care for their symptoms.
No one knows what causes IBS. Doctors cannot easily identify specific abnormalities of the bowel that produce the symptoms of IBS. Some studies suggest that the nerves of the colon may be much more sensitive than usual in people with IBS. The normal movement of food and gas through the colon causes greater than usual pain, intestinal spasms and an irregular pattern of bowel movements.
In the past, it was thought that stress might cause IBS. That is no longer the case. Stress does not cause IBS, but stress can increase the symptoms, especially pain.
Although the symptoms of IBS often change over time, people tend to develop their own particular pattern, such as mostly diarrhea, mostly constipation, or abdominal pain without a major change in bowel movements.
No single test — or even a battery of tests — can offer a definite diagnosis of IBS because there are no measurable physical changes that occur with the syndrome. Instead, doctors usually make this diagnosis when a person has the typical symptoms, and other disorders that can cause similar symptoms have been ruled out.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms to determine if your symptoms match those typical for IBS. Your doctor will examine you, testing your abdomen for tenderness, feeling to determine whether internal organs are larger than normal. The doctor will check for fever or weight loss. If you have any of these signs, you may have something other than IBS.
Depending on your medical history, your doctor may do tests to eliminate other diseases that may cause similar symptoms. These tests might include:
Sigmoidoscopy, in which a flexible, lighted tube with a tiny camera on the end is inserted into the rectum and up the left side of the colon, or a colonoscopy, in which a longer tube examines the entire colon to look for internal abnormalities
Barium X-ray, in which a chalky solution is swallowed or pumped into the rectum to coat the inside of the gastrointestinal tract and highlight abnormalities
Asking you to stop eating or drinking certain foods for up to three weeks to determine if your diet is contributing to your symptoms (for example, lactose intolerance)
IBS symptoms may be a daily problem throughout a person’s life or symptoms may occur sporadically and last a day, a week or a month before disappearing. Treatment may get rid of symptoms, and dietary changes may help to reduce the frequency or severity of symptoms.
Because no one knows what causes IBS, it is impossible to prevent the disorder. Once diagnosed with IBS, a person may be able to reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms by reducing stress or changing the diet.
One of the easiest ways to treat IBS is to change your diet to reduce the likelihood that an IBS attack will occur.
Everybody has different “trigger” foods that tend to create IBS symptoms. Doctors recommend monitoring what you eat so you can find out what you ate before an attack. After you discover your particular trigger foods, eliminate them from your diet. Some common IBS trigger foods include:
The way you eat may help to create IBS symptoms. Eating large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea, so eating smaller meals more often may help some people with IBS. Eating quickly can cause you to swallow air, which can cause belching or gas.
Adding fiber to your diet, especially if constipation is one of your main symptoms, can help to loosen stools and reduce abdominal pain. At first, fiber will increase the amount of gas in your system, so add fiber gradually. Over time, the body adjusts to the effects of fiber and the gassiness will decrease. Fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads and cereals are good food sources of fiber. Your doctor may recommend a fiber supplement. The fiber methylcellulose creates the least amount of gas, and often is recommended for people with IBS. Psyllium is also a good source of fiber, but may create more gassiness at first.
If your symptoms are not relieved after you eliminate trigger foods and add fiber, your doctor may prescribe medications. Depending on what your most difficult symptoms are, medications can include:
Antianxiety medication to help reduce stress that may be contributing to symptoms — lorazepam (Ativan)
In addition, two other prescription medications are available for women with symptoms that do not respond to other therapies. Both drugs target a branch of the nervous system in the gastrointestinal tract that may be active only in women.
Two other prescription medications are available for women with symptoms that do not respond to other therapies. Both drugs target a branch of the nervous system in the gastrointestinal tract that may be active only in women. Women with constipation related to IBS can take tegaserod (Zelnorm) for a limited time. (Women with a history of bowel obstruction, active gallstones, severe kidney or liver impairment, active diarrhea and bowel adhesions should not take Zelnorm. If abdominal cramps worsen with the medication, you should stop taking it immediately.) The other medication, alosetron (Lotronex), is limited to women with IBS in which severe diarrhea is the most common symptom. It requires enrollment in a special program because of rare cases of life threatening complications.
See a doctor if you have blood in your stool, if abdominal pain is accompanied by vomiting, dizziness or fainting, if abdominal pain or diarrhea awakens you from sleep, or if you have unexplained weight loss or fever.
There is no cure for IBS, but symptoms can be managed with dietary changes, stress reduction and, if necessary, medication. Often, just knowing that the symptoms are not a sign of a major disease is enough to make people feel more at ease.
Your HR staff can rely on our independent team of highly trained medical experts to verify the validity of leave requests, ensuring that the diagnosis qualifies according to FMLA regulations. Our FMLA Support program protects against invalid claims.
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What is ulnar nerve neuritis, and what can you do if you have this condition? The ulnar nerve is located in your arm, and when this nerve becomes inflamed you will start to develop neuritis symptoms. These symptoms can include pain, swelling, and tenderness near the elbow and in the forearm. You may also notice a numbness or weakness in the hand on the side where the nerve is affected. This condition is caused by motions and activities which place repetitive strain on the ulnar nerve, either at the wrist or elbow. This condition can also be caused by repetitive movements done for long periods of time which may aggravate and inflame the nerve can cause symptoms to appear.
Treatment for ulnar nerve neuritis can include medications to control the pain and inflammation, and the affected area should be rested until the symptoms are gone. A sling or splint to immobilize the affected arm can also be beneficial. Peripheral neuropathy and ulnar nerve neuritis are not the same thing, because only the ulnar nerve is affected instead of the nerves going to all of the extremities. You will only experience weakness, tingling, and pain in one arm instead of both, and with the peripheral version the nerves in your legs will also be affected in most cases.
The first signs of ulnar nerve neuritis will appear as numbness or tingling on the little fingers of your hand, and a sensitivity in the area that most people refer to as their funny bone. Placing your elbow on a surface may cause the pain to become more severe, and this is also true if you perform motions which involve your ulnar nerve. Cubital tunnel syndrome is another condition caused when this nerves becomes irritated and inflamed. The treatment for ulnar nerve neuritis involves eliminating the inflammation in the nerve and allowing your tissues to recover with rest. Over the counter medications for pain can help with any discomfort, and in severe cases corticosteroid injections may be needed.
While most individuals are in the real estate market looking to fulfill the dream of owning a home, others find themselves in the market when they need to get rid of the house. When one is in the real estate market looking to sell a home, there is the need to learn your options, and ensure that you only settle for the best selling approach. The approach that one should consider the best when they are in the real estate market looking for a buyer is the selling method that will take you the shortest duration and also help you to retain some dollars.
Regardless of the reason why one is in the real estate market to sell their house, they will want to use the least possible duration to get … Read the rest