An anxiety disorder can loosely be described as a condition where feelings of anxiety can get in the way of normal, everyday life. Many things can cause or even be classed as an anxiety disorder, and these can include phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Anxiety attacks can be caused by a variety of conditions, both mental and physical. On the mental side of things, problems such as alcohol dependence, depression, substance abuse (including drugs, nicotine and caffeine) and medicine withdrawal can all cause anxiety. Physically, a person could be affected due to illnesses or cosmetic reasons such as appearance. It can also be brought on by stress due to traumatic events like bereavement.

Anxiety

There are some physical symptoms attributed to being anxious and these occur due to the body’s natural “fight or flight” response due to the release of adrenaline. These can include dry mouth, diarrhoea, tightness in the chest, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, shaking, the need to urinate more frequently and swallowing difficulty.

A few psychological symptoms associated with anxiety include uneasiness, insomnia, irritability, tiredness, lack of concentration and a fear of “going mad”. Sometimes, when anxiety disorders and other conditions such as schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder occur together, suicide or self-harm can often be the regrettable outcome.

Kidney stones are described as stone-like lumps which can form in either one, or both kidneys. They are quite common, but to understand what they are, we have to discuss the function of the kidneys.

First of all, the kidneys are approximately four inches long and are shaped like a bean. There are two of them in the body and they are located near the back of the abdomen area, one on each side of the spine. The job of a kidney is to remove waste products from our blood and then pass this waste into the bladder along with excess fluids to be disposed of in the urine.

Kidney stones can be categorized into four main types. Calcium stones which are made up of calcium and phosphate or oxalate; struvite stones which are made of ammonia and magnesium (these ones can often be quite large); uric acid stones (the smallest and softest type of kidney stone); and cystine stones which are normally yellowish in color and look like crystals as opposed to stones. All kidney stones can come in different shapes, colors and sizes – from the size of a grain of sand to (in some extreme cases) the size of a golf ball.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are formed when the waste products collected by the kidney do not dissolve properly in the fluid that will make up the urine, which then forms little crystal-like substances that can accumulate in the kidney. Over time these can form a hard lump that looks like a stone – the kidney stone.

When kidney stones are formed, they will very often try to leave the body via the urinary system, which can create problems, especially if they become blocked.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder otherwise known as trisomy and it is where an individual has inherited an additional or extra copy of a particular chromosome. In the case of Down’s syndrome, the affected individuals have three copies rather than two of chromosome 21. The consequence of this additional copy is that it changes the balance of the body resulting in characteristic intellectual and physical features.

Down Syndrome

There are three kinds of Down’s syndrome: regular trisomy 21 which is where all the cells in the body have an extra chromosome 21 and is the most common type of the condition with nearly 94% affected with Down’s having it; translocation, which is where extra chromosome 21 material attaches to another chromosome, and four percent have this type; and mosaic, which is where only some of the cells have additional chromosome 21. This usually has milder features than the other two types and only two percent of affected individuals have mosaic.

Down syndrome sufferers look different to normal people and usually have a flat type of facial profile with eyes slanting upwards. Smaller ears, protruding tongue and a flat back of the head are other features. Individuals affected tend to be shorter than normal, have poor muscle tone and have broad, short hands. Half the affected individuals have a heart defect, which can be treated in some, but not others. Some have problems with their gut, making it difficult to eat while increasing the risk of constipation and thyroid problems.

There is no cure for Down syndrome but there are treatments available for the accompanying symptoms as well as support for the learning difficulties.