The carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy can be the two problems which cause numbness in the fingers. The median nerve at the base of the hand passes through the carpal tunnel. If the tunnel is pinched or narrow, the nerve may be tightened, which affects the functioning of the fingers. The numbness, pain, and sensations in the fingers can be due to the neurological disorder in the body.

How Can I Relieve Numbness in My Hands?

The numbness in the hands and fingers can be very uncomfortable, especially when you are writing or driving. Many medications will relieve your numbness, but you can also try effective home remedies which have no side effects.

  Apply ice on the numbness or just dip your hands in the ice-cold water for a few minutes.

  You can also try heat massage by heating a massage pad or salt bag and applying on your numbed fingers.

  Daily stretching and exercise of hands and fingers can also relieve you from finger pain.

  Regular meditation and walk can relieve you from pain and refresh your muscles from stress.

  Avoid lifting heavy weights because it may tighten your tunnel.

There are also various ways to relieve your numbness in the thumb and fingers of the hands by means of using acupressure and herbal tea.

What Causes Numbness in Fingers While Sleeping?

Many reasons cause numbness in the fingers. Waking up with numb fingers or hands is generally not worrisome, if you do not have any other nerve symptoms. Many times, the sleeping position puts extra pressure on your hands or fingers, which causes numbness.

The nerve compression is very common while sleeping. This happens due to the position of sleep or the sharing of the bed. If you are experiencing other symptoms like weakness in the hands and legs or pain, this may lead to some serious nerve damage disease.

What Causes Numbness in Tips of Fingers?

The main reason for numbness in the tips of the fingers is the ulnar nerve compression. The ulnar nerve is responsible for the pain and shock to the hand that gives grip to the fingers. If you sleep with folded arms or legs inwards, then it is possible that you might have numbness in the tips of the fingers. The ulnar nerve reacts when pressure is put on the elbows or knees. What Does it Mean When You Wake up, and Your Fingers are Numb? Many people think that numbness in the fingers and hands are caused due to some disorder or serious illness. But, it is very common. Numbness in the fingers happens when the nerve compression is applied for a longer time.

Takeaway

Numbness is not always a problem. However, if it occurs with other significant nerve symptoms, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.

Finger Numbness - What Should You Know?

Epilepsy is a condition that starts in the brain and causes seizures in which the patient loses consciousness and has convulsions. He also jerks his arms and legs along with trembling and frothing from the mouth.
The lesser known fact about epilepsy is that there are many types of epileptic conditions-over 40 - and similarly, there are numerous drugs available to treat your epileptic disorder and prevent seizures. Your doctor will diagnose your type of epileptic disorder and prepare a treatment plan for it.

Types of epileptic seizures
Epileptic seizures are generally categorized as either partial or primary, generalized depending on where they originate in the brain. Partial seizures are less intense and they start in one section rather than the entire brain. If you have this type of seizure, you will be aware of what s happening to you. The other type of seizure affects a larger part of the brain. Here you may have difficulty understanding what's happening to you. Since these spread to the entire brain, you lose consciousness and start convulsing.

Having a seizure can put you at risk for serious injuries including head injuries.
So, if you close to you suffers from epilepsy, it's critical to your health and well being to educate yourself about your condition and have an action plan in place to tackle the seizures which can happen anywhere, and sometimes with no one to assist you or him actively.

Here is what you can do to manage epilepsy-

Educate yourself: You must know as much as possible about your condition. Know your symptoms and learn to recognize the symptoms preceding a seizure. Also, educate your friends and family about epilepsy so that they can support you during a seizure. Educate your family to do the right things when you have a seizure.
Make a seizure response plan: This plan should list the names and numbers of your doctors and two emergency contacts.
Other things you can do as an epileptic:
Antiepileptic drugs are quite successful in preventing seizures but they should be taken as prescribed. Don t change your dosage before talking to your doctor.
Sleep properly as lack of sleep can trigger seizures.
Exercising regularly can help keep you physically healthy and reduce depression and also help in managing seizures.
Manage your stress levels, limit alcohol and cigarettes.
On the other hand, if your family member or friend has epilepsy, this is what you can do:

Roll the person onto one side during a seizure.
Place something soft under the person s head.
Loosen tie and top buttons.
Don t put an object in an epileptic s mouth. It can hurt his/her teeth.
Don't try to restrain him during a seizure.
Clear away stones and other dangerous objects if the patient is thrashing around.
Time the seizures and be calm during them.
Don t leave the patient alone.

Epileptic Conditions - How To Deal With Them?

Acoustic vestibular schwannoma or the acoustic neuroma is a kind of tumour. But this tumour is benign which means it is non-cancerous. The vestibular nerve connects your ear to your brain, it is responsible for hearing and balancing. An acoustic neuroma develops on the vestibular nerve. And it can cause hearing impairment.

How does acoustic Vestibular Schwannoma occur? 
The vestibular nerve is lined with Schwann cells. Sometimes, these cells start to develop rapidly. This forms a mound on the nerve, it slowly becomes large enough to prod against the brain, and this adversely affects the actions of the brain.

What are the Symptoms?
In the early phases, the tumour does not trigger any symptoms. They begin to manifest once the tumour starts expanding. Here is a list of the symptoms of acoustic vestibular schwannoma-
  Gradual hearing loss
  Misalignment and losing balance
  Ringing in the ears.
  Regions of numbness in your face
Even though these tumours are benign, sometimes they enlarge to such an extent that they can be harmful to the brain. As soon as you witness the above-mentioned symptoms, book an appointment with a doctor.
With timely treatment and medication, doctors can reverse the growth of an acoustic vestibular schwannoma. 

What triggers this Disease?
The exact cause of this disease is not known. It could be any one of the following-
  A chromosomal anomaly or a malfunctioning gene
  Inhibition in the function of the protein suppressor that regulates the growth of Schwann cells

How is Acoustic Vestibular Schwannoma detected?
Your doctor will recommend these tests-

  Audiometry -
The audiologist will present sounds at different frequencies and you will have to make a gesture whenever you hear a sound. This will reveal the state of your hearing.

  Magnetic Resonance Imaging -
An MRI can detect the presence of a tumour that is 1-2 mms in diameter. If MRI causes pain or discomfort, a CT scan will be done.

Treatment -
If the tumour is tiny, your doctor won t prescribe medicines but your tumour will be monitored and imaged regularly so that the proper action can be taken as soon as it begins to enlarge.

  Surgery -
If the tumour is large, then you might have to undergo surgery. Not only will the tumour be removed, but also care will be taken to preserve the facial nerve so that facial paralysis does not set in.
You will be placed under general anaesthesia. The surgeon will drill a small hole in your skull near the ears and extract the tumour through your inner ears.

  Radiation -
If the tumour is small or if the patient is elderly and surgery can cause complications, doctors suggest radiation therapy. In this therapy, gamma rays are directed towards the tumour to shrink it.
Acoustic vestibular schwannoma can be treated if diagnosed on time. So, if you have noticed any symptoms, talk to a doctor right away.

Acoustic Vestibular Schwannoma - All You Must Know About It!

Obesity is the new-age lifestyle disease with multiple ramifications. While its effects on the physical aspects are very evident, the damage it does to the brain are more severe, though not obvious. Read on to know some harmful effects of obesity on the emotional well-being.

Leads to binge eating: There is a certain pleasure in eating sugary and fatty food, and this is lost with depression. Therefore, to get that emotional satisfaction, people tend to eat more chocolates, cookies, milkshakes, and other weight-accumulating food items, which further add to obesity. Greater the weight gained by a person, lesser the response or happiness from such food products.
Increases impulsivity: The area of the brain known as orbitofrontal cortex, which is in charge of controlling impulsivity, shrinks in obese people. This results in people eating more impulsively.
Affects immunity: Obesity is a major cause of inflammation, leading to damage in certain parts of the brain. This impairs the immune system, making the affected person more prone to infections and tissue damage. This leads to increased chances of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleeping disorders, eating disorders, etc. The chemical known as C-reactive protein increases as seen on MRIs in obese people, and which is usually seen in patients with chronically increased inflammation.
Effects on memory: As the BMI increases, there is a decrease in scores of memory tests. This effect is more obvious in women after menopause. With increased fat accumulation, more hormones are released, which affects the memory. Increased inflammation also affects cognition and memory.
Increased risk of dementia: With more belly fat accumulating, there is extra stress on the body to burn the visceral fat. This reduces brain size and causes certain hormones to release, which further affects the body s ability to remember things. It has been proven that people with smaller brain size are at greater risk for developing dementia.
Weight loss stress adding to more stress: When obesity sets in and the BMI goes up, there is an added pressure to lose weight, which further ups the stress levels. During these dieting days, the brain is constantly alert and finds ways to eat more. This also leads to excess eating. Moreover, there are indications that there could be genetic changes during this phase, which may leave a permanent mark in the person s composition.
Depression: When a person is not happy with their reflection in the mirror, the chances of feeling good and happy are very less. In this age, where aesthetics plays a major morale booster, an obese image staring back does not help at all.
So, if you have a risk of obesity, watch out. It is not just how you look, but how you feel is also altered.

Obesity - How It Affects The Human Brain?

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition that affects your brain cells which produce dopamine and thus hampering all kinds of motor functioning and other emotional responses. After the disease is diagnosed, medication and therapy can help to provide relief from the symptoms to a large extent but a permanent cure is not possible.

Causes:

The disorder does not have a definite set of causes. A small percentage of the cases have been related to hereditary factors and others have a range of environmental causes associated with them.

1. Genetic factors:

Specific gene mutations and gene variations have been proved to cause Parkinson's, such as SNCA, PARK2, PARK7, PINK1 and LRRK2. These make or recycle proteins which are linked to the disease.

Research shows that men are at a 1.75 times greater risk of developing the condition than women are. Also, age plays a role with most cases occurring after the age of 60.

2. Environmental factors:

Regular exposure to inorganic insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals or other toxins may cause the disorder. In rare cases, Parkinson's disease occurs in the aftermath of a severe head injury or immune disorders.

Symptoms:

The symptoms can be classified into two broad categories-

1. Motor symptoms:

The hand tremors when in resting position
The grip loosens
Walking slows down
Facial muscles freeze partially
Speech is slurred
Balance is disturbed
Swallowing is painful
Urination is abnormally frequent
Dementia-like symptoms are seen
There is involuntary twitching of the fingers and toes
Repetition of the same movement in quick succession is nearly impossible
2. Non-motor symptoms:

Dental problems
Vision impairment
Skin disorders
Panic attacks
Excessive secretion of saliva
Extreme weight loss or gain
Sexual problems
Loss of sense of smell
Lowering of the pitch of the voice
Fatigue

Causes and Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease

For diabetics, healthy eating is essential. This can be the most important tool available in managing diabetes and blood sugar fluctuations. This is because what a person eats has a direct effect on their blood sugar levels. When food is digested, it is broken down into a form of sugar known as glucose. This powers the body and acts as an energy source. For this, the body needs insulin. In the case of diabetics, insulin does not function the way it should or is not present in the required amounts. This causes the glucose to remain in the blood and in turn spikes blood sugar levels. The good news is that diabetes can be controlled. This is where the person s diet plays an important role.

Not all food causes an increase in blood sugar levels. The effect of a food item on a diabetic depends on how it affects the body s ability to process glucose. Processed foods, fatty foods, food with added sugar etc. can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. However, fruits and vegetables do not have the same effect. Foods that have a high glycemic index do not keep a person satiated for long but cause blood sugar fluctuations. On the other hand, foods with a low glycemic index do not cause blood sugar fluctuations and keep hunger satiated for longer. Hence, the former should be avoided as far as possible. Replace processed grains with whole grains, red meat with lean meat or fish and add plenty of beans and legumes to your diet. Trans fats should also be avoided.

Eating right can also help with weight management. Being overweight puts additional pressure on the insulin available which leads to frequent blood sugar fluctuations. Eating right accompanied by regular exercise is crucial to weight management. Keeping your weight under control can even help prevent diabetes especially in cases, where a person has a high genetic risk of developing diabetes. This can also help reduce the risk of further complications.

When it comes to diabetes, eating at the right time is as important as eating the right food. Diabetics should not leave long gaps between their meals. This is because having a gap of more than 3 hours can destabilize blood sugar levels and be dangerous for the patient. Hence, a diabetic should eat smaller, more frequent meals. It is also a good idea for a diabetic to monitor sugar levels before going to sleep and after waking up.

Importance Of Diet Management In Diabetes!

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