Drinking and Driving

Drinking and Driving

Drinking and driving has become and have been a big problem in our world. It has became such a issue that statistically, every 53 minutes on average someone is killed in a drunk driving crash(9,878 total in 2011).Drinking and driving needs to be stopped immediately since it is a danger to the driver and a danger to people on the streets. Alcohol affects the brain and slows the reaction time of people. This effect has a big impact when it comes to driving. Driving under the influence is illegal and a crime.  Over 86.5 of all alcohol related deaths are pedestrian accidents, falls, fires, homicides, alcohol overdose,and health related deaths.Stop drinking and driving. 

MM disease

MM Disease:Cori Disease

Causes:Cori disease is inherited disorder that is caused by the buildup of a complex sugar called glycogen in body's cells. The buildup is structurally abnormal and impairs function of certain organs, especially the liver. There are different types of this disease:IIIa, IIIb, IIIc,IIId.

Symptoms:

• Enlarged liver and kidneys
• Low blood sugar
• High levels of lactate, fats, and uric acid in the blood
• Impaired growth and delayed puberty
• Bone thinning from osteoporosis
• Increased mouth ulcers and infection

Treatment:There is no specific treatment for Cori disease. Usually, diet therapy is very useful. A good diet may reduce liver size and allow reduction in the symptoms. As of now, this is the only treatment that is proven to be useful. 

Reference:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fghr.nlm.nih.gov%2Fcondition%2Fglycogen-storage-disease-type-iii&ei=tpVeVZDTLYbUsAWJz4DIBQ&usg=AFQjCNF0JIrUPZbQ4d5Njbw6E8F4rkxvow&sig2=pl65dq7BK5Ung9khgY-dQA

Digestion/Excretion Disease - Crohn's Disease

Digestion/Excretion Disease - Crohn's Disease

Causes:Today, there is no knowledge of the exact cause of Crohn's disease. Before, scientists believed it was due from diet and stress but results have shown it aggravates the disease but doesn't cause it. There are two possible causes for this disease.The immune system and heredity can be used as a possible cause for Crohn's disease.

Symptoms: 

• diarrhea
• fever and fatigue
• abdominal pain
• blood in stool
• mouth sores
• reduced appetite/weight loss
• perianal disease

Treatment:The most common treatments used are drug therapy and surgery. However, there is no cure for this disease. Once diagnose,the doctor will prescribe drugs that will help reduce inflammation that triggers symptoms of the disease.It can also help improve long term prognosis and lead to symptom relief.

Prognosis:If medication doesn't work for the patient, surgery may be required.  Surgery is considered the last result for symptom relief. The only time surgery is advised if the patient's symptoms are sever or medication isn't working for him or her. After surgery, there is no signs of symptoms.

Reference:http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/basics/definition/con-20032061

Digestion/Excretion Career

Digestion/Excretion Career - Gastroenterologist

Day in Life: Gastroenterologist are physicians who focuses on the subject gastroenterology. Their patients are people  who have trouble with their digestive systems, which can be esophagus, intestines, pancreas, colon, and accessory glands. Patients usually complain about pain.bleeding, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach upset.

Training:To become a gastroenerologist, it is required to have a bachelor's degree in science. They also need 3 year of medical residency and 2-3 years of specialized training in gastroenterology. Some continue to pursue studies in another field and specialized training to become a surgeon in the field of study.

Salary:$500,000

Reference:http://patients.gi.org/what-is-a-gastroenterologist/

NS Disease

NS Disease:Aphasia

Causes:Aphasia is a communication disorder that results from damage to the brain. Aphasia is usually caused by a stroke or damage to parts of the brain that deals with language. It may also be caused by brain tumor, brain infection, or dementia. Aphasia is also linked to epilepsy as a symptom. 

Symptoms:

• Trouble speaking
• Struggling with finding the appropriate term or word
• Using strange or inappropriate words in conversation
• Hard time understanding what others are saying 
• difficulty with handwriting 

Treatment:There is limited treatment for aphasia. The most common treatment for a person who's cause was a stroke is therapy. Speech-language pathologist will arrange sessions with the patient and help them communicate and speak better throughout the span of sessions. For people with brain tumors as a cause, surgery will be done for treatment.

Prognosis:People with post-stroke aphasia improves to some extent after recovery. Most improvements happen first few months but tapers off after the 1st year. The severity of aphasia correlates with the long-term deficit. The more intense  the aphasia is, the more intense treatment is given.

References:http://www.webmd.com/brain/aphasia-causes-symptoms-types-treatments?page=2#1 

  

NS Disease

NS Disease:Epilepsy

Causes: Epilepsy is a disease that causes frequent seizures. The causes are

• Low oxygen during birth
• Head injuries that occur during birth or from accidents during youth or adulthood
• Brain tumors
• Genetic conditions that result in brain injury, such as tuberous sclerosis
• Infections such as meningitis or encephalitis
• Stroke or any other type of damage to the brain
• Abnormal levels of substances such as sodium or blood sugar

Symptoms:There are different symptoms for different types of epilepsy. Usually, it is a seizure where the victim can stare blankly for awhile. Other symptoms are loss of consciousness, arm and leg twitching, and temporary confusion. 

Treatment:The most common treatment are medications. However, the medication will vary depending on the severity of the seizures. Depending on the type of seizures the patients receive, they will be prescribed seizure pills. Another possible treatment is surgery where they can perform surgery on the part of brain that is affected during seizure. 

Prognosis:Patients that have epilepsy controlled usually have normal life spans. The long term life span usually lowers once the medication fails to stop the seizures. The lower survival rate is due to higher than average risk for death due to accidents and suicide.

Reference:http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/guide/epilepsy-treatment-care  

NS Disease

NS Disease:Multiple Sclerosis

Causes:The causes of MS is unkown. MS is a autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. For MS, it destroys the myelin sheath which is the surrounding of the spinal cord and surrounding of the neuron's axons.Without the myelin sheath, the messages traveled along the neuron will be slowed or even blocked.It still isn't clear today why MS develops in certain people and not others but scientist believes it deals with genetics and environment.

Symptoms: 

• Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or the legs and trunk
• Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement
• Double vision or blurring of vision
• Tingling or pain in parts of your body
• Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially bending the neck forward
• Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
• Slurred speech
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Problems with bowel and bladder function

Treatment: For attacks, Corticosteroids reduce nerve inflammation. 

To modify progression, beta interferon is injected into the skin to prevent relapses. Glatiramer acetate can also help block the attack onto the myelin sheath. 

Prognosis:There is no cure for MS today, but studies have shown that people who have MS  have a normal life span. MS affects the quality of life more than the longevity. With a normal life span, people usually have pain and aches but can live long.

Reference:http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/basics/treatment/con-20026689

NS Career

NS Career:Neurological Surgeon

Day in the life:A neurosurgeon is a physician who diagnose disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system and then perform surgery on the patient. These disorders include congenital anomalies, trauma, tumors, vascular disorders, infections of the brain or spine, stroke, or degenerative diseases of the spine. 

Training:To become a neurosurgeon, it requires a lot of education. A neurosurgeon has 4 years of pre-medical education at a college/university, 4 years of medical school, one year internship in general surgery, and 5-7 years in neurosurgery residency program. Some neurosurgeons continue their education by completing a fellowship in a particular area.

Salary(median):$395,000

References:https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/highland/departments-centers/Neurosurgery/What-is-a-Neurosurgeon.aspx

NS Career

NS Career:Neuropsychologist

Day in the Life:The duties of a neuropsychologist vary depending on their specialties.Some work as only researchers while others study the healthy humans and animals with brain injuries or illnesses. They can also work at a clinical setting where they help assessing and diagnosing the patients. This can be done by observing specific symptoms and using sophisticated technology, such as brain scans. After the the diagnosis, they can recommend a course of treatment that can be therapy, medication, or surgery. 

Training:To become a neuropsychologist, it is usually required to have a 4 year bachelors degree in psychology,pre-med, biology, or neuroscience. However, most neuropsychologist don't secure a job until they have received more advanced degrees. Most neuropsychologist start their career with masters degree in neuropsychology  and pursue in other fields for a P.h.D. 

Salary: $77,500- $80,700

Reference:http://careersinpsychology.org/becoming-a-neuropsychologist/

NS Career

NS Career-Neuroscience Nurse

Day in Life: A neuroscience nurse helps patients that are suffering from a neurological pain. This can include injuries, such as head and spinal trauma from accidents, or illnesses, such as Parkinson’s disease, meningitis, encephalitis, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.Neuroscience nurses also give assistance to people who had injuries or an event that affected their nervous system. 

Training:In order to become a neuroscience nurse, the applicant must be a registered nurse by receiving a nursing degree  or passing the NCLEX-RN. To be certified as a neuroscience nurse, the applicant must need at least 2 years of full experience with direct/indirect neuroscience nursing setting.

Average salary:$58,000 

Reference:http://nursewithoutborders.org/becoming-a-neuroscience-nurse/

Respiratory Disease

Respiratory Disease-Asthma

Causes:Scientists aren't sure what is the cause of asthma but believe it is a combination of genetics and environment. Some of the triggers of asthma is airborne allergens, respiratory infections, physical activity, cold air, and air pollutants. 

Symptoms: The most common symptoms of asthma are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness,pain,or pressure. The early symptoms of asthma are  frequent coughs at night, losing breath easily, wheezing/coughing after exercise, decreases of lung functions, trouble sleeping, and signs of cold or allergies. 

Treatment:Some treatments for asthma are anti-inflammatory drugs like inhaled steroids and bronchodilators. Inhaled steroids reduce the swelling and mucus production in airways which prevents asthma attacks. Bronchodilators is a treatment since it relaxes the muscles that tightens the airway. 

Prognosis: Asthma usually last in a person's life.One study reported that 72% of men and 86% of women with asthma had symptoms 15 years after an initial diagnosis. Death is very uncommon from asthma and most death asthma are preventable.

References:http://www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm