Aging comes with many health problems including mild hearing loss. Usually, this mild hearing loss does not come alone. According to medical studies, adults, particularly males with hearing loss, mild or severe, are at a higher risk of developing Dementia and Alzheimer s disease. The risk increases as the hearing loss worsen. People with mild hearing loss are at twice the risk of developing dementia compared to people with normal hearing.

Dementia is a group of symptoms and diseases that affects the thinking, memory and social abilities that interfere with the daily functioning of an individual. However, memory loss alone does not mean that one has Dementia. Out of the many causes, Alzheimer s disease is usually the cause of Dementia. Alzheimer s disease is a progressive disease that affects the brain cells to degenerate and dies, destroying memory and other mental functions. 

How Hearing Loss Causes Alzheimer s?

According to medical studies, hearing loss causes several brain changes which increase the risk of developing Dementia. Hearing loss can lead to brain shrinkage, the process in which the section of the brain responsible for hearing becomes inactive. This condition leads to loss of tissues and alterations in the brain structure, developing as the first connection between hearing loss and Alzheimer s. Studies show that the brain of people shrinks more quickly who have hearing loss as compared to the brain of an individual with normal hearing. 

The second link created with an overwhelmed or overloaded brain. In hearing loss, the brain works overtime in understanding what others are saying. When the brain strains too much only for hearing every time and every day, it exhausts an individual s mental energy and snatches the brainpower required for other important mental functions, such as thinking, remembering and acting. This can further lead to Dementia, Alzheimer s and other mental disorders. 

Hearing Aids to prevent Dementia and Alzheimer s

According to various studies, hearing aids are not only helpful in improving one s hearing but they can also preserve an individual s mental and emotional health. Early diagnosis and treatment of a possible hearing loss help reduce risks later in life.

At times, the symptoms of undiagnosed hearing loss are mistaken with the symptoms of Alzheimer s. Hearing impairment makes it challenging for an individual to listen and respond to verbal signs. It increases the feeling of confusion, paranoia, and isolation. 

Hearing aids can relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer s. According to a study hearing aids slow down the rate of memory loss and improve an individual s quality of life.

Takeaway

Adults, especially males with hearing loss have a greater tendency of developing Dementia and Alzheimer s. Hearing loss causes brain to overwork leading to the loss of important mental functions. Hearing impairment can worsen the symptoms of Dementia and Alzheimer s. 

Hearing aids do help in improving the condition and symptoms of Alzheimer s and improve one s quality of life. A timely diagnosis can make a big difference.

Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease In Elderly - Could Hearing Loss A Reason?

A migraine is one of the worst form of headache. It is reported that over 90 percent of people who suffers from a migraine are unable to work. The intense pain totally makes them vulnerable. A mammoth 113 million workdays are wasted globally due to this problem. This being said, if the pain is slowly starting to set in, it is possible to manage it at the workspace.

Here is a convenient guide to do just that:

1. Pain Medication: If you are a migraine patient, it is likely that you have your migraine medication with you. The first step is to try the medication. If on the other hand, the medication is not available basic painkillers can be given a shot to manage the pain. Basic pain medications, such as ibuprofen are easily available over the counter and are capable of providing temporary relief.

2. Educate co-workers: Despite awareness about migraine pain, many organisations continue to turn a deaf ear about the problem. Instead of fighting with the whole organisations, it makes sense to educate your immediate colleague about a migraine. All you require is 1-2 people who have your back.

3. Control the environment: With the onset of the pain, it becomes more and more difficult to resume work. Few environmental changes such as adjusting the monitor to the eye level, using a sachet of odour neutralizer and switching off the nearest light will help you to manage the pain for few hours.

4. Staying hydrated: Migraine tends to increase multifold if the body is not hydrated. It is, therefore, essential to drink as much water as you can. Apart from the water, a few other drinks such as lime juice and green tea can be of great assistance to hold the pain back for quite some time. The best time to drink green tea is in the morning as it helps in improving mental alertness.



5. Small snacks: Although eating during a migraine can be tough because of the buzzing pain it is a good idea to have small snacks throughout the working hours. An empty stomach creates acidity and further aggravates the pain. Small time snacks such cookies and chocolate bar can come really handy at this time.

6. Get enough air: A centralized workplace can be claustrophobic and intensify the pain for many. Get out of the workspace to get some fresh air. A sudden gush of oxygen can be a welcome relief from the monotonous and crowded office floor.

7. Apply water on the skull: While this might sound like a crazy idea, applying a small amount of water in the middle of the skull can give temporary relief from the throbbing effect of a migraine. If ice is available in the office pantry, make no hesitation in applying it on the migraine side of the forehead. Ice is capable of spreading a cooling effect throughout the forehead and the skull. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Migraine - 7 Ways You Can Deal With at Workplace

One of the most debilitating conditions that anyone can experience is migraine. They can severely limit you by affecting your personal and professional life as you are in constant pain. Migraine can manifest in a type of headache with intense pain, an acute sensitivity to light, vomiting and nausea. Often described as a severe throbbing pain in the head, it may stop you from completing regular daily tasks and may delay or postpone your work.

How can migraines be treated?
The exact cause for these debilitating migraine pain hasn't been pointed out yet, but certain triggers such as stress, hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, sun exposure, bright or flashing lights, among many others have been identified. The first line of defense for you would be to understand and identify what your triggers are. Once that is done, you can try and avoid them. If these still trigger a migraine or are about to trigger one, you can immediately take medications or steps to control it or at least lessen the pain to go through your day. Some of the options you can employ to this effect are mentioned below.

Medications to prevent a migraine attack: The medications mentioned here are specialized treatments and can only be taken after a consultation with a doctor. If you are deemed as a candidate for preventative medication for migraines, then either one or a combination of drugs from the following may be prescribed to you.
Valproate and Topiramate are anti-seizure medications which can be used to prevent migraines.
Propranolol, a type of beta blocker and used for cardio vascular problems, has proven to be very effective in preventing migraines.
Onabotulinumtoxin A or a type of Botox, has shown a lot of promise in preventing migraines and is being slowly rolled out as a proper drug as a treatment option.
Certain antidepressants have also shown to be quite effective in reducing the symptoms of migraines as well.
Medications to relieve pain: Some of the go to medications that help relieve your pain from migraine are mentioned below. Although some of them are OTC (over the counter) drugs, it is best advised that you consult with your doctor for medications which suit you better. The side effects of these medications can be bad and thus, it is not advised to continue them in the long run and to find other means to control pain from migraines. Some of the medications to relieve pain temporarily are:
Triptan is a drug used to treat severe migraines
Caffeine along with Ergotamine can also help dull the pain and deal with it.
Ibuprofen and aspirin and Acetaminophen are common pain killers that you can use
Codeine, which contains opioids are also used to treat this problem.
Metoclopramide and chlorpromazine are two examples of anti-nausea medications as vomiting along with nausea may frequently accompany your migraine.
Always remember that these medications can have strong side effects if not taken properly, therefore do not just pop a pill, consult your physician first and know which one should you take and how frequently. 

Severe Headache - Can it Be Migraine?

As parents, it is important that you should arrange for an early intervention if you notice that your child is suffering from any of the below-mentioned signs as they can be an indicator of autism in your child:

Not being able to utter a sound even after 6 months
Unresponsive to stimulants, whereby the child fails to make any gestures
Incoherent blabbering which fails to make any sense even after the child is 24 months old
An autistic child is way more sensitive than other children. Dealing with them can be challenging for the parents but it is not impossible. To deal with an autistic child effectively, follow these tips:

Early intervention is a must: As soon as you detect that your child is suffering from autism, seek help. There are various methods to treat autism like behavior therapy, speech-language therapy, play-based therapy, occupational therapy amongst others. As parents, you have to figure out which therapy is better for your child or to which therapy is your child responding to. Based on your observation and the evaluation of the therapist, you need to engage your child and encourage changes.
Repeat at home what your child learns at school: Often an autistic child learns certain skills at the school but fails to apply them in other environments, both social and personal. You need to get acquainted with the kinds of therapeutic methods that are being taught to him/her and repeat them in your home or within a social milieu to encourage proper implementation.
Reward them: An autistic child needs a lot of support from the parents in order to function in a healthy manner. Therefore, reward his/her positive behaviors with items that the child cherishes, like his/her favorite toys or stickers. Show the child that you care, in whichever way you find it fit.
Observe the body language of your child: Autistic children will make certain gestures to convey their feelings. You need to observe your child and understand what kind of stimulus irks him/her and what kind of stimulus makes him/her happy. Based on your observation you need to keep your child away from negative spurs and bring in more positive impetuses in his/her life.
Engage your child in recreational activities: An autistic child is no different from a normal child as far as his/her need for fun time is concerned. Maintain your child s schedule regularly and allocate time for recreational activities, most preferably games. Let your child mix with other autistic children. A happy disposition will help your child turn his/her obstacles into opportunities.

Autistic Children - 5 Effective Ways You Can Handle Them!

Epilepsy is a disorder of the nervous system which is characterised by the tendency of a person to have seizures. Seizures occur due to abnormal and excessive nerve cell activity in brain. The result is abnormal behaviour and sensations, including loss of consciousness. There are a variety of seizures with different symptoms depending on the part of brain involved. Progressive myoclonus epilepsy is an epilepsy syndrome, which is caused by genetic disorders. It features a combination of myoclonic and tonic-clonic seizures along with progressive neurological decline. It is often characterised by unsteadiness, muscle rigidity, and mental deterioration. Such a type of epilepsy is quite rare. Seizures are difficult to control and patients often lose thinking abilities as well.

Also in such a condition patient may have more than a dozen different diseases. The symptoms get worsened over time. Such a disorder can be present in any of the sexes. It can appear in infants as well as adults.
Progressive myoclonus epilepsy is not a single disorder but is a combination of syndromes with various names. Some of them are severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy which is also called Dravet syndrome, then is Unverricht-Lundborg disease also called Baltic myoclonus, Lafora disease and finally Mitochondrial encephalopathies.

Causes and triggering factors of epilepsy seizures
The main causes of Progressive myoclonus epilepsy include Lafora body disease, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses, Unverricht - Lundborg disease, sialidoses, storage diseases, and some inborn metabolism issues. These seizures can be triggered by light, noise, sleep loss, alcohol intake and cigarette smoking.

Top natural homeopathic remedies for epilepsy

Cicuta is considered by far the best homeopathic remedy for epilepsy where violent distortions occur in the body. The distortions are most frightful. The person is totally unconscious. The face may be blue and the jaw appears locked.
Artemisia Vulgaris is considered for treating epilepsy with Petit Mal seizure. The main symptom is frequent brief episodes of seizures in a short time period.
Stramonium is used for epileptic convulsions which arise after exposure to bright light or shining objects. The patient in this case is conscious but experiences jerk in the muscles of upper body.
Cuprum Met is used for seizure attack in knees.
Bufo Rana is of great help when the patient experiences attacks during sleep.
Hyoscyamus is used in case of epileptic fit.
Homeopathic medicines for epileptic fits during fever (Febrile seizures)
Belladona and Nux Vomica are the natural Homeopathic medicines that are very beneficial in cases of febrile seizures.
Natural homeopathic medicines as per type of seizure in Epilepsy
The natural Homeopathic medicines for treating Petit Mal Seizures are Artemisia, Belladona, Zincum, and Hyoscyamus. Agaricus and Cuprum are prescribed for Clonic Seizures. Cicuta and Plumbum are helpful in case of Tonic Seizures.

Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy - How Homeopathy Can Help You?

Dementia refers to the progressive loss of memory in a human being. It does not refer to any particular disease. It is rather a cumulative representation of symptoms which signify that the person is losing his or her memory. Dementia occurs in seven stages. Read on to read more about them:

In the first stage, there is no cognitive decline and the person is mentally sound. There is no memory loss as well.
In the second stage, there is a very mild cognitive decline leading to normal forgetfulness that is often associated with progressing age.
In the third stage, there is a mild cognitive decline. The person has an increased forgetfulness and may find it difficult to concentrate on things.
In the fourth stage, there is moderate cognitive decline and the person starts forgetting even the most recent events. They cannot even travel alone or manage their own finances.
In the fifth stage, there is moderately severe cognitive decline. The person going through this stage often requires help even with their daily activities. People tend to forget even the most common things like phone and email passwords.
In the sixth stage, there is severe cognitive decline. This stage is also called middle dementia and there is prominent memory loss. People cannot even count from 1 to 10. Their speech becomes slurry. They also start having delusions.
In the seventh stage, there is very severe cognitive decline. This stage is also called late dementia. The psychomotor skills are also lost at this stage and the person may not even be able to walk properly.
Some of the early signs of dementia are listed below:

In the initial days of dementia, the person usually tends to get confused when it comes to choosing the right words. This makes them take much longer time to conclude their speech.
There might also be a change in the mood of the person.
Depression is also one of the early signs.

The person will have a tendency to forget even the most recent events that took place in his or her life. This means that they might remember what happened ten years before but they might not remember what they did in the morning.
Early signs also include failure to sense directions. People often tend to forget their addresses and the landmarks and thus become lost when they travel alone.
Confusion is also one of the common signs and this is directly correlated to the loss of memory because when a person cannot remember familiar faces, it leads to a lot of confusion within his own mind.
So, if you suspect that someone in your house is suffering from dementia, then you must look out for these early signs and seek medical help immediately. Early treatment can keep the condition from worsening.

Dementia - Stages and Early Signs!

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