Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs when stomach acid or the juices of the stomach flow back into the oesophagus, which is the tube that connects the throat and the stomach. This can occur after eating too much or bending over soon after eating and can leave a sour taste in the mouth. When this process only happens occasionally, it is known as heartburn, but having it occur at least a couple of time each week means it is gastroesophageal reflux disease. If this is the case then it is imperative to get it treated because GERD can actually lead to damage of the oesophagus or can cause ulcers.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD

Diagnosis of the condition is usually in the form of a physical examination by a doctor, who will also question the patient about their overall health. Depending on the severity of bouts, the doctor may or may not suggest further tests. The doctor may prescribe medication that helps block or reduce stomach acid – if the heartburn disappears then the individual will probably be diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Apart from the medication the doctor can prescribe, there are certain over-the-counter solutions available such as antacids and H2 blockers. A change in lifestyle is also very effective at controlling the condition, with losing weight and changing the diet two leading ways to do this.

Atopic eczema is the most common form of eczema and is identified by skin inflammation that causes the associated symptoms. Atopic is just a description for specific allergic tendencies some people may have. However, having atopic eczema is not in itself the same has having a simple allergic type of condition as people with this also have a larger risk of developing other types of atopic conditions like hay fever or asthma.

Atopic eczema has a few symptoms that are related to it. These include dry skin, red inflammation, itchiness where the skin is inflamed, blisters on the inflamed region, and sometimes infections may occur. The most commonly affected regions of the skin when it becomes inflamed are skin creases like those which are found in front of the wrists and elbows, behind the knees and around the neck area. This isn’t to say other areas of skin cannot become affected.

Atopic Eczema

Sufferers tend to find that inflamed areas have a tendency to flare up on occasions then seem to settle down. Obviously the duration and severity of the “attacks” varies in different people.
People with eczema usually suffer mild cases, where flare ups may cause just a couple of areas of inflammation and only occur occasionally, or sever cases where attacks can stretch for several weeks, covering large areas of the skin. It is normal for people with atopic eczema to be somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.

The heart is a pump that is designed to force blood through the body and as with any type of pump, it works by generating pressure. In the body, the blood is pumped through the arteries to all major organs, but if there is too much pressure it can put a strain on the heart itself or the arteries, causing all sorts of problems.

Blood pressure is dependent on two things. The first is the force with which the heart pumps the blood around the body, and the second is the narrowness of the arteries. Hypertension happens when the blood is forced with increased pressure through the arteries.

When blood pressure is measured, it is done so using two numbers, an example being 120 over eighty. The first number listed is the systolic blood pressure which is the maximum pressure exerted on the arteries when the heart beats, and the second number listed is the diastolic blood pressure, or the minimum amount of pressure on the arteries when the heart is relaxed. The example above is of a normal blood pressure reading.

Blood pressure can be considered high when the systolic blood pressure reading is constantly above 160, and/or the diastolic blood pressure reading is above 100. One of the biggest problems with high blood pressure though, is the fact that it doesn’t always cause any symptoms meaning it may go unnoticed until a later complication such as a heart attack or stroke.

Other complications arising from high blood pressure can be an aneurysm, heart failure, eye damage, kidney failure or atherosclerosis, which is the narrowing of the arteries. Some factors that could contribute to high blood pressure include hereditary reasons, obesity, kidney disease, diabetes, excessive salt intake, lack of exercise and high intake of alcohol.

High Blood Pressure