Medical Writing

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

2011-12-02T11:06:00.001-08:00

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Definition

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a medical conditionin which a compression in the median nerves is caused by work activities suchas typing, playing that involves wrist movements, driving and sewing-likeactivities. Anatomically, the Carpal tunnel is a narrow passage in the wristbones and the median nerve is present inside this carpal tunnel. In case ofextreme wrist movement without rest, the strain can cause compression in themedian nerve which can cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. With some of the lifestyleand work place modifications, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be prevented easily.The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is also called entrapment neuropathy.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The exact underlying neuropathology of the CarpalTunnel Syndrome is still unknown. But compression of the median nerve in thecarpel tunnel is believed to be the cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In some cases,irritated or inflamed tendonic ligaments can cause the symptoms of CarpalTunnel Syndrome. The activities that need extreme wrist movements such as playingtennis and shuttle cork, sewing, driving and typing can increase the incidenceof Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Symptoms

Numbness or tingling, pain-like sensation in the fingers, particularly in the thumb.
Burning sensations
Loss of grip strength
Numbness
Pain radiating to the other parts such as the elbow
In the long-term, there will be muscle wasting (i.e.) abnormal loss of muscles in the affected area

Diagnosis

Electrophysiological tests such as EMG
Nerve Conduction velocity
X-ray of the wrist
Phalen’s test of the wrist
Medical examinations and clinical correlation of the symptoms

Treatment Options

The treatment options of Carpal Tunnel Syndromeare medications such as NSAIDS and corticosteroid injections in the affectedarea with supportive therapies such as wearing splints, hot and coldcompression in the affected area. Surgical interventions are opted, if ligamentsare involved. If the cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is by ligament compressionon the median nerve, surgery is needed.

Prevention

Youcan prevent the incidence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by avoiding or reducing the number of wrist movements and theactions and by avoiding some of the sports activities that involve numerouswrist movements. Alternatively, you can use the wrist guards and supportive toolsthat are ergonomically designed to reduce the risk of wrist injury. Some of thecommonly available Ergonomic aids such as split keyboards, keyboard trays,typing pads for computers and wrist braces while playing sports such as tennisand shuttle cork may be used to improve wrist posture. While using a computeror a typewriter, try to take frequent breaks and stop all the wrist movingactivities immediately, if you experience tingling or pain. Avoiding sleeppositions such as laying head on the wrist.

Prognosis

The symptoms of Carpal Tunnelsyndrome often improve with medical treatment. But in more than 50% of theCarpal tunnel syndrome patients’ surgical intervention is required. Therecovery from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and the surgical trauma may take somemonths but there will a complete cure. Hence the prognosis of Carpal TunnelSyndrome is good.

When to see a doctor

If you experience, numbness, painor an abnormal loss of muscles/tissues from your fingers or if the symptoms getworsen, even after you took the medications, you need to consult a doctor rightaway.

Brain Tumors

2011-12-02T11:04:00.001-08:00

BRAIN TUMORS

Definition

Brain Tumors are the solid mass that may growon the brain, which may lead to life-threatening complications. Brain tumorscan develop in any part of the brain such as the upper portion of the brain,blood vessels, in the nerves or deep inside the brain. Some of these Braintumors are benign (non-cancerous) in nature and they cannot spread throughblood vessels, but they are still dangerous. But some malignant forms such as meningioma,glioblastoma multiforme, oligodendrocytoma and other similar types of cancercan spread to the distant organs. In adults, brain tumor can occur in the ageof 40–60 years. Brain tumors can form in children and some forms of braintumors are untreatable. Brain tumors are classified into Primary and Secondarytumors. In adults, the primary brain tumor can form in the cerebral hemispheresand in children it may be in the posterior cranial fossa; if it is in pituitarygland, hormonal dysfunctions may occur depending on the gender. The Secondarytumors are the metastatic tumors and they can spread rapidly.

Causes of Brain tumors

In children, the causes of Brain tumors are believedto be genetic mutations. But in adults, the exact molecular pathology is stillunknown and some of the unconfirmed scientific reports suggest that use of cellphones with high SAR can cause brain tumors.

Symptoms

If theBrain tumor is metastatic is nature, the patient may experience:

Headache
Seizures
Paraplegia
Nausea or vomiting
Changes in vision, taste, smell and voice patterns
Tremors
Vertigo-like symptoms with lack of coordination
Troubled walking, standing and speaking

If theBrain tumor is benign or if it is present in the pituitary gland:

Obesity
Hormonal changes with absence of menstruation, male voice, hair in the body and face, etc.
In male, gynecomastia, nipple discharge and obesity can occur.

Diagnosis

CT
MRI
CSF analysis
CT guided–Brain tissue biopsy (an invasive test)
Serum blood glucose levels
Clinical and medical examinations

X-ray
Neurological examinations to assess sensory and reflex functions

Treatment Options

In adultswith cancerous Brain tumors:

Chemotherapy
Surgery
Radiation
Physical therapy, if needed
Palliative care, if untreated.

In children with benign tumors:

· Painmedications such as NSAIDs

· Anti-convulsants

· Corticosteroidsto reduce inflammation

· Diureticsto reduce edema

· Antacidsand anti-secretory drugs to reduce gastritis and ulcers

· Physicaltherapy

· Ifuntreatable, Palliative care with narcotics.

Prognosis

The prognosis of Brain tumor depends on thetype of the tumor and the staging. If the brain tumor is benign and if it ispresent on the upper side of the brain, the tumor can be surgically removed andthe prognosis is good. If it is in deep areas, surgery may difficult orimpossible. In this case, the prognosis is poor. In case of Metastatic cancer,the tumors will not respond to chemotherapy and the survival rate is poor.After the diagnosis of brain tumor, the average survival life span is less than2 years. The prognosis of brain tumor in children is very poor and themortality is comparatively higher than the adults.

Prevention

As of now, there are no preventive measures forboth the Brain tumors.

When to see a doctor

If you experience abnormalheadache, vision, sensory, taste, smell changes or disability in any of the bodyfunctions with pain or fatigue, you need to consult a Neurologist or aPhysician, right away.

BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES

2011-12-02T11:03:00.001-08:00

BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES

Definition

The Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries can causedamage to the brain nerves and compression and contusion of the spinal bonesand these conditions can impair the neurological functions of the brain and thespinal cord. The main cause for Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries is traumaticinjury. The Traumatic Brain injury (TBI), as result of mechanical or sportsinjury, can damage the skull that may result in fracture, cracks orintracranial hemorrhage, blood clots and lesions. This may cause impaired brainfunctions and coma, and it can be fatal. The Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) can bea result of trauma that can cause damage in the signal transmitting nerves, andthe functions of the spinal cord and its associated organs may get impaired. Thespinal cord injuries are classified according to the degree of spinal damage.They are: Complete, incomplete, incomplete with muscle grading of less than 3,incomplete with muscle grading more than 3 and normal grading.

Causes of Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

The common causes of brain injuries are riskysports events such as skidding and ice skating, trampoline, motor and roadtraffic accidents, slip or fall, work place hazards and events of violenceassaults. The common causes of Spinal cord injuries are sports related, workenvironment accidents, physical activity-related injuries such as slipping andfalling, trampoline, physical assault and degenerative spinal disease withinflammatory reactions.

Symptoms

The traumatic braininjury can cause:

Fracture or cracks in the skulls
As a result of skull fracture, bruising of the brain or contusion can occur
Brain shift
Paralysis
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Lack of coordination and acute memory loss
Unconsciousness
Coma
Impaired voluntary functions

Thetraumatic spinal cord injury can cause:

Compression of the spinal cord bones
Tearing of the nerve fibers
Bladder or bowel dysfunction
Disc prolapse or herniation
Motor deficit
Sensory deficit
Tetraplegia
Pain
Paraplegia
Loss of functions in the lower extremities
Breathing difficulties
Bleeding of the spinal cord
Fecal and urinary incontinence

Diagnosis

For Brain injuries:

CT
MRI
Serum blood glucose levels
Clinical and medical examinations.

For Spinalcord injuries:

X-ray
CT and/or MRI
Neurological examinations to assess sensory and reflex functions

Treatment Options

The main treatment options for brain injuriesare: Mechanical ventilation, sedatives, analgesics, paralytic drugs, infusionof Norepinephrine and other drugs for the symptomatic treatment of thecondition. In many cases, surgery will be prescribed. The post-traumaticfollow-ups include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy andother rehabilitary procedures.

The treatment options for spinal cord injuriesare NSAIDs, therapeutic hypothermia, vassopressors and corticosteroids. Therehabilitary medicine can be useful in most of the patients.

Prognosis

In the brain injuries, the prognosis depends onthe degree of epidural, subdural and arachnoids hemorrhage. Some of theinjuries such as injury in the fourth floor of the ventricle can be treatablein a fall injury but in a sharp object attack/assault, the prognosis is usuallyfatal and even surgical procedure may not be useful. In the spinal cordinjuries, the patients with incomplete injuries can recover with medicine andphysical therapy but in case of complete injuries, some of the spinal functionsmay be permanently impaired.

Prevention

The brain-related injuries can be prevented bywearing helmets while driving and in hazardous work place, avoiding too riskysports activities especially in the rainy seasons, avoiding trampolines andrefraining from violence activities. The Spinal cord injuries can be preventedby safe and slow driving practices, work place safety, avoiding slippery placesin the home and once in a year medical check-up for osteoporosis events thatcan lead to pathological spinal cord fracture.

When to see a doctor

If you accidentally fall down in a hard surfacethat causes pain or bleeding in the head or severe pain in the back withnumbness or abnormal changes in the lower extremities or urinary or fecalincontinence with dizziness or bleeding from the nose or ear, it may be amedical emergency and you need to rush to the hospital immediately.

What is BOTOX

2011-12-02T10:58:00.001-08:00

BOTOX

Definition

Botox is a drug made from a toxin produced by thebacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is a microbial toxin that causes alife-threatening type of food poisoning called botulism and it can be amedicine for many diseases and disorders, if used in therapeutic dosage. Botoxis prescribed in conditions such as common headaches of unknown origin,migraine, sweating disorders, motor nerve problems and spasms. You should takeBotox only under close medical supervision. Most of the medical conditions needcontinuation of Botox treatment in a regular interval.

Side effects and symptoms

Botox cancause side effects that are usually temporary, except the Botox-inducedallergic reaction.

Headache
Bruising that is usually temporary
Drooping of eyelid
Anaphylactic reactions
Pain and/or itching in the site of injection

How Botox will work

The mode of pharmacologicalaction of Botox injections is by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or byblocking the actions of certain nerves. These effects will last about three tofour months and the patient may need the Botox re-treatment.

Diseases/disorderstreatable by Botox

Temporary removal of facial wrinkles.
To prevent headaches in adults that last 4 or more hours, daily
Severe underarm sweating
Muscular spasms
Cervical dystonia - a neurological disorder that causes severe neck and shoulder muscle contractions
Upper motor neuron syndrome
Upper limb spasticity
Blepharospasm or uncontrollable blinking and Strabismus
Chronic migraine
Strabismus or misaligned eyes

Contraindications ofBotox

Side effects can include pain atthe injection site, flu-like symptoms, headache and upset stomach. Injectionsin the face may also cause temporary drooping eyelids. You should not use Botoxif you are pregnant or breast feeding.

Prognosis after Botoxinjection

Most of thesymptoms are treatable by Botox injections and the cosmetic therapy of Botoxfor wrinkles is a temporary treatment and it needs continues treatment. Thetreatment of Strabismus and Blepharospasm may need once in three yearsinjection of Botox. In general, Botox can improve the symptoms or delay theprogression of the disease.

When to avoid Botox

If you are a known patient ofAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), myasthenia gravis,or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious sideeffects including severe dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and respiratorycompromise (difficulty breathing)

When to see a doctor

If you feel abnormal weakness inhands, legs or in any of the muscles or severe headache or changes in bowelmovement or difficulty in breathing or any abnormal allergic reactions after aBotox injection shot, you need to consult a Physician right away.

Bells Palsy

2011-12-02T10:57:00.001-08:00

BELLSPALSY

Definition

Bells Palsy is a neurological disorder in whichthe facial nerve (Cranial nerve VII) is damaged and the functions of the nerveget impaired or paralyzed and most of the time the facial paralysis istemporary. Bells Palsy is a single nerve disorder and in Bells Palsy thefunctions of the Cranial nerve VII such as smiling, blinking, salivation,secretion of lacrimal gland and raising the eyebrows are impaired. The affectedpart of the face will be paralyzed for sometime and the functions are returnedto normal in a short period of time.

Causes of Bells Palsy

The causes for the pathogenesis of Bells Palsyare Lyme’s disease pathogen, viral meningitis, Herpes-Zoster virus, humansimplex virus and Epstein-Barr virus. Some of the environmental toxins, stress,accidental injuries and metabolic disorders can cause Bells Palsy by affectingthe seventh cranial nerve.

Symptoms

Inability to control facial activities
Inability to control facial muscles
Inability to smile
Inability to control laughing and crying.

Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis is required to identifythe exact cause of Bells Palsy and to rule out the other viral causes and itscomplications. Hence, clinical and physical examinations are to be correlatedwith the signs and symptoms of the Bells Palsy patients and the Physicianshould follow the diagnosis of exclusion to confirm Bells Palsy.

Treatment Options

The treatment for Bells Palsy patients arecorticosteroids such as prednisone until the patient recovers from the problemsand then antiviral therapy is prescribed to eliminate the Herpes and VaricellaZoster virus. It is important to prevent the remission of the viral attack,which can cause recurrent facial palsy attacks. These can improve Bells Palsyand the patient can recover from Bells Palsy symptoms soon. If not, Physicaltherapy exercises such as muscle re-education and soft tissue-specificexercises for the Bells Palsy patients are prescribed and it is found to bebeneficial in some patients.

Prognosis

The prognosis of Bells palsy is often very goodwith medical treatment support. But the prognosis of Bells Palsy depends on thedegree of nerve damage and in some Bells Palsy patients the problem will gowithout any medical treatment or with a short-term treatment of 2–3 weeks. Insome Bells Palsy patients, a total cure is evident after a treatment period ofhalf a year and episodic relapse is very uncommon.

Prevention

There is no specific prevention procedure; butsome of the causes of Bells Palsy such as Herpes infection and Lyme’s Diseasesare preventable and hence if you prevent the underlying medical conditions, youcan prevent the incidence of Bells Palsy.

When to see a doctor

If you experience abnormal and involuntaryfacial reactions and if you are unable to control the facial muscles or if youfeel the facial muscle is paralyzed or if these symptoms exist or worsen evenafter you took the medicines, you need to consult the doctor immediately.

Back Pain

2011-12-02T10:55:00.001-08:00

BACKPAIN

Definition

The Back pain is a common symptom in which apatient can feel the pain in the back of the body and the origin of the pain canbe from any of the spine portions such as the neck, upper and/or lower back orin the coccyx or the tail bone of the terminal spine. Back pain is medically termed as Dorsalgia and it is very common worldwide. Inthe United States,one in five people complain back pain during their hospital/Physician visit. Mostof the symptoms of Back Pain are acute and in some cases such as lumbarcompression, cancer, herniated or protruded discs, the symptoms may persist fora longer duration and these problems need medical interventions.

Causes of Back pain

Some of the factors that can contribute to BackPain are cervical or lumbar or sacral bone compression, lumbar herniation, discprolapse, malnutrition, poor stature and posture in work environment andwalking and/or standing, degenerative changes or calcification in the discs,multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and some of the psychological factors.Also, previous medical history of traumatic injury can also cause Back Pain.

Symptoms

Pain starts gradually and becomes intense
Pain or discomfort while sitting
Pain upon bending or standing in the same position for sometime
Onset of back pain while driving a car
Numbness in the lower extremities
Stiffness-like sensation in the affected area that may spread to other parts.
Intense pain while waking up in the morning.

Diagnosis

Back pain needs to be differentially diagnosedfrom other medical conditions with similar symptoms. But in some cases such as non-discogenicproblems, these radiological examinations are not useful and disease-specificdiagnosis should be done to identify the exact cause and origin of the disease.Some of the common diagnostic tests for Back pain are:

X-ray of the lumbar or cervical spine to diagnose the degenerative changes
CT or MRI of the affected Spinal bone(s)

Treatment Options

The drugs to treat Back pain are NSAIDS andanalgesics such as acetaminophen, centrally acting opioids, pain killers andmuscle relaxants. Other non-pharmacological approaches such as hot water packapplication, water bath and yoga-like exercise, ayurvedic massage, good postureand general exercise are reported to be useful in patients with Back Pain.

Prognosis

In most of the cases, Back Pain can be managedwell and most of the symptoms will subside by medications, maintaining goodposture, exercise, physical therapy and lifestyle alterations. If theunderlying cause of the Back Pain is Cancer or Disc protrusion, a surgical andother medical procedure may be required. Usually, most of the patients withBack Pain can be treated effectively with simple analgesic and anti-spasmodicmedications.

Prevention

The incidence of Back Pain can be prevented bymaintaining good posture in day-to-day tasks such as walking, avoiding heavyobject lifting and climbing on the stairs, avoiding sitting directly in theopposite side of the air condition, avoiding wearing footwear with high-heels,instead of abrupt bending trying to sit down slowly and taking the objects on thefloor. By these simple ways, you can avoid Back Pain up to 90%.

When to see a doctor

If you experience abnormal and persistent painin the neck, lower or upper back or if you cannot do the daily tasks includingstanding in the same position for a while, bending, pain in the back whiledriving a vehicle or if your symptoms persist or worsen even after you tookyour medications, you should get medical attention immediately.

Alzheimer’s disease

2011-12-02T10:54:00.001-08:00

ALZHEIMER’SDISEASE

Definition

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, biochemical,degenerative disorder of the brain and it is the most common form of Dementia. Thepatient with Alzheimer’s disease experiences frequent loss of memory, cognitivefunctions, inability to understand other’s language, etc. Alzheimer’s disease iscommon in the older age group and it is incurable, and due to the inability to perform daily activities,the patient may need caregivers and palliative care in the advanced stages. Currently,there is no effective medical treatment for Alzheimer’s disease; but medicalmanagement can delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Many patientsdevelop the disease in the age group of 50–62 years.

Causes of Alzheimer’s disease

The reason for the development of Alzheimer’sdisease is overproduction and decreased elimination of a biochemical called BetaAmyloid protein. The biochemical pathology of Alzheimer’s disease is theprotein mis-folding that leads to accumulation of the beta Amyloid protein withoutthe respective degrading enzymes. This can damage the brain nerve cells thatresults in the initiation of the disease. However, other factors such as advancedage, genetic factors and family’s medical history of Alzheimer’s disease,decreased blood supply and oxygen supply to the brain due to blood pressure,stroke and other carotid circulatory failures can contribute to the developmentof Alzheimer’s disease.

Symptoms

Acute and short-term memory loss
Cognitive inability, poor judgments, mood swings.
Changes in sleep patterns and difficulty in reading and speaking
Behavioral changes and sudden social withdrawal
Confusion, delirium, loss of initiative and aggression.

Diagnosis

There is no disease-specific laboratory orradiological diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease. But some of the co-existingdisorders that can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease can be diagnosed, and itcan be clinically correlated with the existing symptoms. These include decreasein blood circulation to the brain, stroke-like medical conditions,encephalitis, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological problems of the brain.

Treatment Options

The available medications can treat thesymptoms temporarily but the medicines cannot cure or delay the development of Alzheimer’sdisease. Some of the medicines prescribed for Alzheimer’s disease areCholinesterase inhibitor and Partial glutamate blockers. The Cholinesteraseblockers such as Galantamine,Rivastigmine, Taccrine and Donepezil are useful to mask the symptoms of Alzheimer’sdisease. The Partial glutamate antagonist such as Memantine can be useful.Other medicines such as anti-anxiolytic drugs, sedatives, stimulants and moodstabilizers can be useful for the symptomatic treatment. Some of thealternative therapies such as Yoga, music therapy and brain functionstimulations such as cognitive rehabilitation are reported to be useful; butthere is no scientific evidence for the beneficial effects of these therapies.

Prognosis

The prognosis of Alzheimer’s disease is usuallyprogressive and it invariably results in a decrease in the brain functions andneurological synaptic transmission that result in permanent disability. Most ofthe patients in the initial stages can manage to do their daily activities butin the advanced stages they need a caregiver for medical, palliative careassistance and to alleviate the psychological stress.

Prevention Strategies

There is no effective prevention method for Alzheimer’sdisease but some of the modifiable risk factors of the disease can be prevented,which can decrease the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. These include preventionof blood clotting by using Aspirin-like drugs under medical supervision,monitoring the cardiovascular and stroke biomarkers to prevent the incidence ofAlzheimer’s disease, refraining from smoking and alcohol with low carbohydrateand oil-free diets and intake of foods rich in antioxidants can be helpful tosome extent.

When to see a doctor

If you feel something abnormal in your dailyactivities, frequent memory loss, inability to tell the words or word-findingdifficulties, cognitive disabilities including poor judgment, abnormalpsychological behaviors such as aggression, confusion, disability to do aparticular or daily activity, you may need to seek medical advice immediately.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

2011-12-02T10:51:00.001-08:00

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease)

Definition

The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also calledas Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurological disorder that can affect thevoluntary activities, which are controlled by the brain and the spinal cord. InAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, due to the neuronal damage, the nerve cannot functionproperly and also the muscular functions associated with that nerve areimpaired. According to a Medical survey report, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosisaffects 1 in 100000 people worldwide. It mainly affects the young people andthe incidence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis after the age of 60 years isuncommon.

Causes of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The exact cause for Amyotrophic LateralSclerosis is still unknown to the medical community and some of the geneticcauses are considered to be the inheritant causes of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Symptoms

Difficulty in breathing
Difficulty in swallowing
Choking
Paralytic attacks
Profuse muscular weakness
Changes in vocal cord and voice patterns
Weight loss

Diagnosis

Genetic diagnosis
Electromyogram (EMG)
Nerve Conduction studies
Swallow tests and breathing tests
Laboratory and radiological examinations to rule out other medical problems

Treatment Options

As of now, there is no cure for AmyotrophicLateral Sclerosis and the available medicines can delay the progression of AmyotrophicLateral Sclerosis or mask the symptoms. Some of the medicines prescribed forAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are Riluzole, amitriptyline and otheranti-spasmodic drugs. Other options such as physical therapy and rehabilitationof the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients can be helpful to cope with thedisease symptoms. Some of the other supportive therapies such as occupationaltherapies are useful to swallow the food as it is impossible to take liquiddiet all the time. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis can cause intense weight lossand a nutrition specialist’s advice is required to take food and therecommended dietary allowance of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients is alsomore than the normal individuals’ to equalize the weight loss.

Prognosis

The prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosisis usually poor even after the proper diagnosis and treatment procedures. Mostof the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients will survive till 4–6 years afterthe diagnosis and in this period, the patient tends to lose all the abilitiesand body functions.

Prevention

As of now, there are no prevention proceduresavailable and we can diagnose the asymptomatic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis bygenetic diagnosis and counseling to prevent the genetic diseases in our babies.

When to see a doctor

If you experience respiratory arrest,irregularities in breathing, abnormal weight loss, ARDS-like symptoms ordifficulty in breathing and/or swallowing food with muscular cramps or if youare a known Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patient experiencing similar symptomseven after you took the medicines or if you feel your symptoms are worsened,you need to visit a Physician immediately.

Hazards of Cellphone Radiation

2011-12-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

Strength of radiofrequency signal: A better marker of mobile phone radiation

Prakash Janakiraman, Tamilnadu, India (Ph.D in Biochemistry)
S.Manimaran, Tamilnadu, India (M.E. in Electrical Engineering)

The dynamic use of mobile phone worldwide brought into a growing concern about the long-term exposure to radiofrequency (RF) field around the phone and its implication with possible adverse health effects, particularly brain and other intracranial tumors (Takebayashi T, 2006; Klaeboe L, 2007; Sadetzki S, 2008)[8, 5, 7]. Electromagnetic field produced by the antenna of mobile phone has several components. Only one of these actually propagates through space as radiofrequency signal while the other components remain near the antenna. The strength of the RF signal decreases rapidly with distance, however the entire field strength near the antenna can be relatively high and pose a hazard to the human head [Morega M, 2002][6].

When the exposed head is near the antenna, the electromagnetic field is distributed due to the electric properties of the tissue. Some of the energy in the electromagnetic waves emitted by phone is absorbed by the head, mostly in superficial tissue and is quantified by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) [Watts/kg]. Scientific data indicate that, during exposure to radiation from a mobile phone, variety of biological effects occur at energy levels that may or may not cause local increase in temperature. Differences between experimental electroencephalography
EEG, with and without the use of cell phone, have been observed [Bardasano J.L, 2005][1]. The distribution of the absorbed energy in the head varies with the design of the phone and to which side of the head it is held (Vrijheid M, 2009)[9]. The radiofrequency range normally used in mobile phone is 0.9 – 1.8 GHz while the maximum power that is permitted to transmit is 2W for 0.9 GHz and 1W for 1.8 GHz. These powers are reduced by the help of adaptive power control (APC) and discontinuous transmissions. The APC continually adjust the power from phone, such that the transmitted power for clear signal is a minimum [Morega M, 2002; Wiart J, 2000][6, 10]. APC employed by the second-generation GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) networks have the ability to reduce the output power of mobile phone handsets by 2 fold on average (Vrijheid M, 2009)[9].

For a phone to pass FCC certification and be sold in the United States, its maximum SAR level must be less than 1.6 Watts/kg. In Europe, the level is capped at 2 Watts/kg, while Canada allows a maximum of 1.6 Watts/kg. The SAR level varies between different transmission bands (the same phone can use multiple bands during a call), and between different models of handset that’s offered by multiple carriers. The exposure to RF signal depends on the output power of the phone, which is directly related to the exposure level (call duration) and absorbed dose, and
may vary by a factor of 1000 during a call (ETSI, 2007)[3].

The base station will regulate the output power of the mobile phone depending on the received signal strength. Factors that may influence the APC are the distance between hand set and base station, attenuation of the signal, length of the call (the phone transmit maximum allowed signal at the onset of each call), and change of connecting base station, ‘‘handover’’ (the phone will temporarily increase output power when connecting to a new base station). Some researchers advise against using phone in areas with poor coverage since phones emit more radiation
12 when searching for a signal. Thus, calls made in locations with larger distance to base stations such as rural areas, and while in a moving vehicle may achieve substantially higher output power (Vrijheid M, 2009; Hillert L, 2006)[9, 4]. When the RF signal strength is weak, the emitted
radiation can be 1000 fold higher as in the case of distant places from base station, moving vehicles and heavy traffic in base station. The variation of emitted radiation can best be monitored by strength of RF signal, which varies by a factor of 1000 than SAR of the specific cell phone, which differs by a maximum of 20 fold. Though the signal level does not tell the exact amount of radiation, it indicates that the radiation is higher when the signal is weak. A high or good signal level improves the safety of user from radiation related hazard. In order to ensure user safety from mobile phone radiation, a simple application is constructed that alerts the user about the lower signal level, when initiating a call. This application will prompt the user to postpone the call or switch to hands free equipment, when the signal is below the threshold.
Several simple measures can be practiced to avoid cell phone radiation associated hazards, despite purchasing a handset with a low SAR. Text message instead of placing a voice call, use a wired headset or speakerphone whenever possible, and hold the phone at least one inch away from your body. Use of hands free equipment may reduce the amount of absorbed energy in the head considerably (more than a 90% reduction) (Bit-Babik et al., 2003)[2]. Children, who have smaller and thinner skulls, should limit cell phone use, and all users, should not sleep with an active phone next to their bedside or under their pillow.

References

[1] Bardasano J.L., Álvarez-ude J., Gutiérrez I., Goya R. New Device Against Non-Thermal Effects from Mobile Telephones. The environmentalist, December 2005, Volume 25, pages 257-
263, ISSN 0251-1088

[2] Bit-Babik G., Chou C.K., Faraone A., Gessner A., Kanda M., and Balzano Q. Estimation of
the SAR in the head and body due to radiofrequency radiation exposure from handheld mobile
phones with hands-free accessories. Radiat Res 2003: 159: 550–557.

[3] ETSI. Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Radio transmission and reception (3GPP).2007; ETSI TS 145 005 V7.11.0 (R7). http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/htmlinfo/45005.htm (accessed 29 Jun 2009).

[4] Hillert L, Ahlbom A, Neasham D, et al. Callrelated factors influencing output power from
mobile phones. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2006;16:507–14.

[5] Klaeboe L, Blaasaas KG, Tynes T. Use of mobile phones in Norway and risk of intracranial
tumours. Eur J Cancer Prev 2007;16:158–64.

[6] Morega M, Machedon A Specific Conditions for EMF Modeling in Human Exposure from
Mobile Phone Technology, Advanced Topics in Electrical Engineering ATEE 2002, Bucharest,
Romania, Nov. 2002, 7 pg., Proc. CD-ROM

[7] Sadetzki S, Chetrit A, Jarus-Hakak A, et al. Cellular phone use and risk of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors—a nationwide casecontrol study. Am J Epidemiol 2008;167:457–67.

[8] Takebayashi T, Akiba S, Kikuchi Y, et al. Mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma risk in
Japan. Occup Environ Med 2006;63:802–7.

[9] M Vrijheid, S Mann, P Vecchia, et al. Determinants of mobile phone output power in a multinational study: implications for exposure assessment Occup Environ Med 2009;66:664–671. doi:10.1136/oem.2008.043380

[10] Wiart J, Dale C, Bosisio AD, et al. Analysis of the influence of the power control and discontinuation transmission on RF exposure with GSM mobile phones. IEEE Transactions on Electomagnetic Compatibility 2000;42:376–85.

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"India has a pool of qualified, talented and experienced medical scientists. India, each year, produces approximately three million graduates, 700,000 post-graduates and 1500 PhDs in the scientific stream. This includes around 18,000 medical graduates passing out from 200 medical schools. Many Indian professionals have thorough knowledge of good clinical practices, drug development, experience with basic and clinical sciences and good writing skills. Many of them also possess industry experience and consequently know how to put together reports and analyze safety data.

"Further, English is the primary language of these professionals and they can communicate and produce good quality, scientific documents just like their American and British counterparts. An interesting fact is that according to some estimates, 15% of the scientific population of pharma and biotech companies in US is of Indian origin.

"Further, due to cost advantages and competitiveness, India is being considered as a destination for medical writing and other CRO services that are needed for the growth of the biopharma segment. Indian professionals have already made their mark in Information Technology and Medical Tourism and now the world is looking at us to be a partner in Clinical Research and Medical Writing.

Medical Writing Jobs

2010-06-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

We undertake Medical/Scientific Writing jobs, safety data, Medical Reviewing, Medical Web Content writing jobs. Please contact for the price quote:

E-Mail: prakashbioc@yahoo.com