Addison s disease is a disorder caused due to significant damage in the adrenal cortex (located alongside the adrenal gland s perimeter that helps mediate stress reaction), which leads to a deficiency in the secretion of the hormones  aldosterone  (that regulates the sodium and potassium level of the body),  androgen  and  cortisol  (which control the body s reaction in situations of intense pressure) by the adrenal glands.

Causes
There are generally two stages of Addison s disease. The causes vary according to the stages:

In the primary stage of the disorder, the body s immune system attacks the adrenal cortex and significantly damages it.

Other significant causes are as follows:

This might occur as a result of the development of tumors and cancerous cells in the body
Resulting from certain infections
Long-term usage of glucocorticoids (inflammation reducing steroids) might result in the primary adrenal insufficiency
This might also be caused due to tuberculosis or severe bleeding in the adrenal glands.
Risk Factors

If you re suffering from any one of the following complications, your chances of contracting Addison s disease increase significantly:

Cancer or if you have undergone any surgery to remove parts of the adrenal gland
Tuberculosis or diabetes.
Frequent usage of coagulants
Treatments
The treatment of Addison s disease varies according to the cause of the disorder.
The most common treatments for the disorder include:

A prescribed dosage of glucocorticoids might be recommended
Replacement of the hormones that the adrenal glands are unable to produce: Cortisone acetate or prednisone might be used in order to replace the  cortisol  hormone.
Meditation or other relaxing techniques to ease excessive stress levels or manage any trauma that you have been through.

Addison's Disease - 4 Causes Behind It 

One of the most important decisions a couple takes is to start a family. It fills them with hope and joy of new future, but if the attempts have been unsuccessful for more than six months, it can take a toll on the relationship and the mental health of the couple. This is the time to seek fertility specialist who will be appropriate to analyze the situation and provide proper guidance. Read on to find out the exact indications to see a fertility specialist:

1. If a woman who is under the age of 35 is unable to get pregnant even after a year of having regular unprotected sex
2. A woman who has had more than three miscarriages
3. Someone who has suffered from blocked fallopian tubes and is in need of surgery
4. One who experiences irregular ovulation
5. A couple who has suffered from genital infections
6. A pregnant woman who has consumed an estrogen derivative
7. A man who has been diagnosed with low semen count, also known as poor motility
8. A couple who has not been diagnosed with any irregularity but is infertile

Which specialist should you visit?

If you or your partner or both have shown signs of infertility, then visiting the following specialists can be helpful:

Specialists for men

Urologists and Andrologists are specialists who treat men for infertility. Urologists conduct an analysis of semen quality, semen count, hormone levels, reproductive organs and abnormalities in bladder and kidneys. Andrologists are medical professionals who specialize in hormonal conditions and physiology of male infertility.

Specialists for women

Hormonal imbalance is one of the potent obstacles to pregnancy. If a general obstetrician/gynecologist has not been able to successfully treat a woman then she can visit a reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in hormonal disorders. Depending upon the nature of the problem, she can also visit a reproductive surgeon who deals with uterine abnormalities, endometriosis, and reproductive organ surgery.

When Should a Couple See a Fertility Specialist?

The body is controlled by chemicals known as hormones. These are produced in minute quantities by minute organs, but have great control on almost all body functions. There are different hormones, each determining different functions like how tall a person will grow, how strong the bones will be, how well a person can react to stress and the reproductive ages. There is also a master gland called the pituitary which is situated somewhere deep in the brain, which controls all these organs. Small variations in the amount of these chemicals in the body produce significant effect on their respective control organ.

Thyroid is one such major gland, which produces a hormone called thyroxine or T4 as it is commonly called. This controls metabolism and emotional health to a large extent. Reduced amounts of T4 is very common in women, and with altered metabolism, there is increased musculoskeletal pain in various joints.

Here are some of the best ways to reduce Joint Pain from Hypothyroidism:

Step Up to Low-Impact Aerobics: Twenty to 60 minutes of near-daily aerobics   really any exercise that gets your heart pumping   can help speed up your metabolism and counter weight gain, a common hypothyroidism symptom and a contributor to joint pain. But if you have joint or knee pain, choose low-impact aerobics. Swimming is the ideal low-impact aerobic exercise   the water buoys your body and cushions joints.
Strengthen Your Muscles: Strength- or weight-training exercises build muscle mass, which uses more calories than fat even at rest. That promotes weight loss and can ease the strain on your joints. Stronger muscles also directly help protect nearby joints. For example, strengthening exercises such as squats, lunges, and leg lifts develop the muscles that support the knees. Start slow with 15 repetitions of each exercise. Then build up to three sets of 15 reps each.
Get Plenty of Sleep: Sleep is the time for muscles and joints to recover. If you're not sleeping well, you are not recovering as fast as you could be. What's more, when you're sleep deprived, you're likely to crave junk and comfort foods that can contribute to weight gain, which adds stress to your joints and increases joint pain. Aim for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night.
Stick to a Healthy Diet: Replace the junk food that can lead to weight gain with choices that enhance your health. For example, add fatty fish to your diet. It's a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, known to decrease inflammation, which may be contributing to your muscle and joint pain. Coldwater fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna have some the highest amounts of omega-3s. Also be sure to get lots of fresh fruit and vegetables high in antioxidants, which may counter inflammation, too.
Practice Yoga: Yoga poses are a great way to provide relief for joint pain while also increasing flexibility. For shoulder pain, look for poses that open your chest, like this simple pose: Sit with your feet flat on the floor. As you inhale, stretch your arms over your head. Clasp your hands together over your head and then turn your palms up toward the ceiling. Drop your shoulders and straighten up as if pushing through your head. Hold for 30 seconds. Release your hands, bringing them down behind you. Next, clasp your hands behind your back and lift your arms. Hold for another 30 seconds.
Don't Let Fatigue Win: Fatigue is one of the most common hypothyroidism symptoms. Even though you might feel listless, you'll benefit from exercise because it will rev your metabolism and help you maintain flexibility despite muscle and joint pain. If you're too exhausted to complete a full exercise routine, break it up into several short bouts   even 10 minutes done three times a day will be effective. Also, stretching and relaxation exercises within two hours of bedtime may help you sleep better.
Meditate for Stress Relief: Having a chronic condition such as hypothyroidism can be stressful, and that stress can actually contribute to pain and tension. That's why it's important to find ways to reduce stress, such as the practice of mindfulness meditation. This form of meditation teaches you how to distract yourself from what's bothering you by refocusing your attention, often on your own breathing. 
Thyroid hormones help all your organs work well. They control how your body uses food for energy.

What Do Thyroids Do

Thyroid hormones affect your metabolism rate, which means how fast or slow your brain, heart, muscles, liver, and other parts of your body work. If your body works too fast or too slowly, you won t feel well. For example, if you don t have enough thyroid hormone, you might feel tired and cold. Or, if you have too much thyroid hormone, you might feel nervous, jumpy, and warm.

What hormones does my thyroid gland produce?

The thyroid gland produces thyroxine (T4), which is a relatively inactive prohormone and lower amounts of the active hormone, triiodothyronine (T3). Collectively, T3 and T4 are referred to as the thyroid hormones. Twenty percent of the body s triiodothyronine is made by the thyroid gland; the other 80% comes from thyroxine converted by organs such as the liver or kidneys.

The thyroid gland also produces calcitonin from cells called C-cells. Calcitonin is understood to play a role in regulating calcium levels in the body, but its exact function in humans remains unclear. Thyroid hormone is one such chemical which has effect on all organs of the body including the joints. Vague pains may be due to thyroid disorders. They are easy to manage with treatment.

Joint Pain Due to Hypothyroidism - Know How You Can Manage it!

Pregnancy brings with it a set of challenges, and for a diabetic woman, these only increase further. Earlier, the risks of dealing with pregnancy and diabetes as a combination were too high. However, over the last few decades, things have changed. The age at which women are choosing to have a baby has gone up. On the other hand, the age of onset of diabetes has come down drastically.
These days, there are many diabetic women who go through pregnancy smoothly without major complications. Of course, there is extra care and precaution required, but it is not something that cannot be planned and managed well between the doctor and the mother-to-be.

The following are some rough guidelines for a pregnant diabetic woman.
Potential complications

It increases the risk of polycystic ovaries, thereby making it difficult to conceive.
Fluctuating sugar levels can be a reason for not being able to conceive, as the body does not see itself as healthy.
It increased the chances of miscarriage.
There are higher chances of birth defects in the developing baby due to very high sugar levels in the first trimester.
Preparation
If you are planning for a pregnancy, meet with your doctor to review your sugar levels. Chalk out a plan with your doctor, taking into account your diet and nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and medications.

Diet: Ensure you cautiously decide what and how to eat ahead of your pregnancy. Moving away from refined carbohydrates and processed foods towards wholesome food items like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables will make a difference.
Exercise: Build an exercise routine to suit your body and keep yourself active. It is very important to stay active so that diabetes is under control.
Lifestyle: Quit smoking and reduce alcohol use. This helps in managing stress also, which can help keep diabetes under check.
Medications: Check with your doctor on the medicines you are taking and if dose adjustments are required to get sugar levels under control, plan them out.
During pregnancy, constant monitoring and vigilance is required to ensure diabetes is under control.

Let your gynecologist know about your condition (stable/fluctuating), and if you are doubtful about them being able to handle your condition, do not hesitate to change.
Many consider switching to oral medications as the risk of transmission to the baby is less and the control over sugar levels is better.
Constant monitoring for daily blood sugars is essential.
A regular, healthy lifestyle in terms of eating and sleeping should help keep the sugars under check.
Constant monitoring of the baby is essential to ensure its normal growth with no developmental defects.
Read up and train yourself on how to deal with low or high sugar levels. Happy sugary pregnancy!

Diabetes During Pregnancy - Know The Best Ways To Control It!

Addison s disease is considered to be a life threatening and serious illness. When one suffers from this disease, the amount of hormones like Aldosterone and Cortisol reduces rapidly due to the poor functioning of the Adrenal glands. The hormones that the Adrenal glands produce are necessary for the body to function normally. To better understand what Addison s disease is all about, below are some basic facts.

Fact 1: Addison s disease is often confused or linked with adrenal insufficiency. However, Addison s disease is more of an autoimmune disorder that later leads to adrenal insufficiency, which is a hormone-related imbalance.
Fact 2: Addison s disease can happen to anyone regardless of their gender or age. However, genetics may also have a role to play here, as those who have someone affected with Addison s in the family, face greater risks.
Fact 3: While for someone it may take years for totally disrupting the hormone production, for some it may grow worse very quickly. Though it is rare, it is possible.
Fact 4: The symptoms of Addison s disease often get unnoticed or misinterpreted, as the disease is very uncommon. This is a rare disease that occurs in one in a million.
Fact 5: When suspected of having Addison s disease, the screening process doesn t take much time. Generally, a normal blood test showing the amounts of ACTH and cortisol hormone will confirm the diagnosis.
Fact 6: Some very common symptoms of this disease are mild to severe pain in the bones and in the abdomen, weight loss, nausea, forgetfulness, low blood pressure and lack of energy. It is these common symptoms that can point to numerous other conditions that make its diagnosis a tricky one.
Fact-7: Sometimes, Addison's disease may cause the skin tone to become darker due to the hormonal changes. It is probably the only disease that can cause such darkening or skin discolorations of the otherwise normal skin.
Fact 8: People who have Addison s disease generally become dependent on the daily intake of cortisol medications or steroids. Without Cortisol, the stress hormone, the body may go into serious adrenal crisis.
Fact 9: When overlooked for a long time or not provided with the treatment and medication when needed, Addison's disease may lead to sudden organ failure. Therefore, understanding the symptoms and opting for a blood test is essential if this disease is suspected.
Fact 10: Lastly, Addison's disease can be easily cured and treated by introducing a few serious lifestyle changes and hormonal therapies. Sometimes when oral hormone supplements fail to get properly absorbed, injecting the supplements becomes necessary.
Studies have shown that around 140 people approximately suffers from Addison's disease out of every million. Therefore, knowing the above-mentioned facts becomes necessary for have a clear understanding of the disease which may help in dealing with it in the best way possible.

Addison's Disease - 10 Interesting Facts You Must Know!

There are two types of abortion, namely medical and surgical. In case of medical abortion, pills are taken to terminate the pregnancy; whereas surgical abortion is done if the pregnancy has reached an advanced stage when pills are ineffective. While generally there are no health risks or negative effects of abortion on fertility, there are rare cases of complications, which can give rise to severe symptoms post abortion. Following is the information you need to know about abortion and its effects on fertility:

When to seek medical assistance
It is advisable to seek medical help if you have the following symptoms post abortion:

Persistent pain in the lower abdomen, which lingers even after taking medication
Excessive bleeding
A high temperature
Possible effects of surgical abortion on fertility

Infection After Abortion: Infections post abortion like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) if left untreated for long can spread and harm your reproductive organs, thereby impacting your fertility. It can cause complications like infertility or ectopic pregnancy.
Damage to the cervix during abortion: Damage to the cervix during an abortion can cause cervical incompetence and consequently increase the risk of miscarriage.
Damage to the womb during abortion: There are chances of damage of the womb (uterus) during abortion, resulting in scarring, which can cause fertility issues if not corrected. This is more likely in case you had multiple abortions.
Apart from the above-mentioned complications, there are a number of other complications, which can happen due to abortion, preterm birth, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and low birth weight, etc. Further, infertility can also be a possible side effect of abortion pills, which happens due to scarring of the uterus during the procedure of forcible elimination of the fetus. In all such cases it is advisable to schedule regular check-ups with your gynaecologist.

Abortion And Infertility - Know More About it!

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