What Could My Strange Obsessive Symptoms Mean?

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
When personality quirks start to get in the way of a person's productivity and quality of life, they may be the sign of a serious mental health disorder.

Behaviors such as attention problems, repetitive actions, and obsessive thoughts may signal several different conditions whose symptoms often overlap. While only a doctor can diagnose the actual root of these issues, here are a few of the most common causes.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
For people with full-blown OCD, this chronic anxiety disorder can be downright disabling: They become plagued by persistent, unwelcome thoughts—such a something bad happening to a loved one—and feel that the only way to prevent these thoughts is to engage in rituals such as repetitive hand washing or checking door locks, for example.

Body dysmorphic disorder
Sufferers of this condition obsess about a perceived flaw in their physical appearance, like moles, freckles, scars, acne, or body hair. People with the disorder frequently check themselves in the mirror, avoid having their pictures taken, and repeatedly check, touch, or measure the imagined flaw.

Hypochondria
This intense preoccupation with physical health can cause sufferers to worry that minor and imagined physical symptoms are signs of a serious illness. They aren't reassured when tests or doctors' diagnoses come back negative. Read one writer's experience with hypochondria.

Trichotillomania
People with trichotillomania have an irresistible urge to pull their hair from their head, eyebrows, or body. Pathological skin picking (also called neurotic excoriation, psychogenic excoriation, and dermatotillomania) is similar.

Tic disorders
This group of disorders includes Tourette syndrome, in which sufferers make impulsive sounds or movements—like blinking their eyes or shrugging their shoulders—over which they have little control. Although Tourette syndrome may be best known for the uncontrollable tendency to blurt out curse words or other inappropriate words or phrases, this symptom (called coprolalia) actually occurs in only a small number of patients.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
This condition is often misdiagnosed, especially in adults, because patients do not in fact have to exhibit symptoms of hyperactivity. Some adult ADHD sufferers can appear quite laid back, even lazy or lethargic, and without the ability to stay focused on important tasks. Instead, people with ADHD often "hyperfocus" on, or become obsessed with, trivial project details or hobbies.

For more information on mental health and anxiety disorders, visit our A-Z Health Library.

Respirator or Face Mask? Best Swine Flu Protection Still Debated

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
THURSDAY, Nov. 5, 2009 (Health.com) — A preliminary report suggesting that N95 respirators—filtering devices worn over the mouth and nose—protect against swine flu better than surgical face masks seems to be incorrect, researchers revealed during a meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

In fact, surgical face masks, which are cheaper and easier to wear, may be just as good as N95 respirators. At the very least, researchers can’t prove that one is better than the other. It’s the latest wrinkle in a continuing debate over how to protect health-care workers from the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.

Raina MacIntyre, PhD, a professor of infectious diseases epidemiology and the head of the University of New South Wales School of Public Health and Community Medicine, in Sydney, Australia, says the research team didn’t exactly retract the findings.

“We simply did the analysis of the same data differently for the final paper,” she explains.

For the new analysis, the researchers removed a control group of nearly 500 health-care workers and made other statistical adjustments. Ultimately, the difference in infection rates between mask and respirator users was not statistically significant.

“[The study] still shows a likely superiority of N95s, with half the rate of infection compared to surgical [masks],” MacIntyre says. “But the study was probably underpowered to pick up statistical significance when we removed the control group.”

“I would certainly wear an N95 respirator if I were exposed to infectious patients,” she adds.

IUD for Birth Control May Cut Cervical Cancer Risk

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Study Shows Intrauterine Devices May Lower Risk for Developing Cervical Cancer

Sept. 12, 2011 -- Women who use intrauterine devices (IUDs) for birth control, even for a short time, have a lower cervical cancer risk than those with no history of IUD use, new research suggests.

Compared to women who had never used an IUD, the international study found that those who had used the implanted contraceptive had almost half the risk for developing cervical cancer, which is caused by infection with the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV).

IUD use is known to reduce endometrial cancer risk. But the impact of the birth control method on cervical cancer and HPV infection has not been clear, says study researcher Xavier Castellsague, PhD, of Catalonia, Spain's Institut Castala d'Oncologia.

The study is published online The Lancet Oncology.

"The good news for IUD users is that this form of birth control does not increase the risk of HPV infection and it appears to lower the risk for developing cervical cancer," he tells WebMD.

Castellsague and colleagues analyzed data from 10 previously published studies that compared women with cervical cancer to women without the disease and 16 HPV frequency surveys conducted in 14 countries.

The researchers concluded that IUD use did not affect HPV infection risk. But IUD use reduces the risk for developing both major types of cervical cancer: squamous cell and adenosquamous carcinoma.

The risk for both cancers was found to be reduced by nearly half during the first year of IUD use. A similar level of protection was seen in women who had used the implanted birth control device for as long as a decade.

The researchers have several theories that may explain how the implanted contraceptive protects against cervical cancer.

IUDs are small, T-shaped plastic devices placed in the uterus by a health care professional to prevent fertilization and implantation of the egg. One type of IUD is wrapped in copper while another type contains a form of the hormone progestin.

One theory is that the procedure to insert or remove an IUD may destroy HPV-related lesions before they become cancerous. Another is that hormone-targeting IUDs affect the natural history of HPV infection.

It was not clear how many women in the studies used hormonal IUDs and how many used the copper-wrapped devices.

Castellsague says it is more likely that IUD-induced chronic, low-grade inflammation within the cervix could mobilize the immune system to fight HPV progression.

Chronic inflammation is believed to contribute to a host of health disorders including heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers.

But the researcher says since cervical cancer is caused by persistent viral infection, inflammation may help the immune system keep HPV in check by blocking viral replication.

More than 100 million women across the globe use IUDs for birth control, but less than 1% of women in the U.S. use the devices.

American Cancer Society (ACS) senior epidemiologist Edgar P. Simard, PhD, says it remains to be seen if the protection is similar for copper IUDs and hormone-containing IUDs.

He adds that while the research should reassure women who use the contraceptive devices, IUD use is not likely to become a strategy for preventing cervical cancer in the U.S.

That's because two highly effective strategies -- Pap smear testing and vaccination against HPV -- are already widely used.

"Routine Pap smears have resulted in historical declines in cervical cancer and future declines may be attributed to HPV vaccination of girls during childhood," he says in a statement.

Simard says the findings should be confirmed in regions where both IUD use and cervical cancer are more common.

"Despite the importance of these results, routine cervical cancer screenings and HPV vaccination remain the most prudent methods of cervical cancer prevention," Simard notes.

HEALTH SOLUTIONS PHARMACY

<

Health Solutions Pharmacy Network LLC is an online pharmacy that offers a wide variety of prescription medications prescribed by US Doctors and dispensed by licensed US Pharmacies. You can be sure of the quality of the medications you are receiving and orders generally ship within 24 hours of approval and a prescription benefit company committed to lowering drug costs, improving health and providing superior customer service in a manner that instills trust and confidence.

Health solutions network pharmacy supplies medications. Orders for Tramadol are filled by USA pharmacies without a prescription. Free next day shipping on all orders from Health Solutions Pharmacy. We care for your health and privacy. Free prescription and online medical evaluation with every order. Our sales representatives will never call you.

We employee a mass of pharmacies and Doctors in the U.S.A. to deliver only the highest quality medications. Health Solutions Network wants to be your one stop pharmacy providing customers with an easy to use shopping experience as well as the lowest price available. Your privacy is our number one concern. You will never be spammed by us or anyone else as a result of purchases you make here as well as your medical information will never be shared. Thank you again for visiting Health Solutions Network Pharmacy and if we can be of any assistance feel free to give us a call at 866-936-2313.

Chronic Pain Management:

Chronic pain is very common. Many people suffer from back and neck pain. Pain management is a practice that is becoming more popular in America and drug therapy is becoming more targeted. Health Solutions Pharmacy has prescription drugs available for pain. There is no longer a need to rush to the doctor for a new hospital bill.

With pain management becoming more mainstream so is the therapy. Chronic migraine headaches for instance are often treated with Fioricet and rest. Back pain which has been treated with surgery in the past can be managed now with medications like Tramadal, Ultram, or Ultracet. These solutions provide a better option than the heavy narcotics that were prescribed in past.
In past chronic pain therapy often resulted in drug dependence. Because of this history Health Solutions Network works hard to provide medications that have high results with low addictions. Tramadol can be taken daily with little side affects other than increased energy and awareness. Long term use of drugs like Ultram and Ultracet prove no major problems.
If you live with pain from arthritis or injuries from a car wreck and do not have insurance to cover medication costs then Health Solutions is a good option for you. We provide a free prescription with all orders as well as free Fedex shipping. Order all our drugs online without a prior RX with complete security. If you need help with an order please contact us.