Hypernatremia is a very disturbing condition that leads to the development of very discomforting symptoms. In the absence of treatment, it may even result in death. Read on to know all about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Hypernatremia.

Hypernatremia Definition

Medical researchers define Hypernatremia as a condition marked by a high concentration of serum sodium above 145 mM. In healthy people, normal concentration of sodium is 136-145 mM in the blood plasma.

In the United States, Hyponatremia is the most prevalent electrolyte disease.

Gigantism is a rare disease that is the subject of a lot of research and speculation. Know what is Gigantism, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

Definition of Gigantism

Gigantism Definition is given as an abnormal health condition that leads to excessive growth of a person due to presence of too much growth hormone in the body. This unique disorder is also known as Giantism.

This is an extremely rare disorder. Only 100 cases of this disease have been reported so far.

What Causes Gigantism?

As aforesaid, this disease arises due to the presence of growth hormones in abnormal quantities. Growth Hormones may be released in abnormal quantities due to health complications like

• Benign (non-cancerous) pituitary gland tumor
• McCune –Albright Syndrome (MAS)
• Carney Complex
• Neurofibromatosis
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN-1)

Pituitary tumor is one of the main causes of Gigantism in children.

Gigantism Symptoms

Typically, abnormal height is the most prominent signs of Gigantism disorder. The disease becomes evident in a child from a very early age. The child grows noticeably taller than his or her age and the growth is not only reflected in stature but also the organs and muscles. At full growth, the individual usually stands at over seven feet.

Some other symptoms of Gigantism include

• Retarded puberty
• Headache
• Difficulties in peripheral (side) vision
• Double vision
• Fatigue
• Thick facial characteristics
• A large jaw
• Thickness of toes and fingers
• Excessive sweating
• Big hands and feet

In women, the disease may also cause irregular menstrual periods and abnormal release of breast milk.

Gigantism Diagnosis

Gigantism is initially diagnosed by observation of the physical characteristics of the individual. Further testing is done by an MRI or CT scan of the head. Imaging helps reveal pituitary tumors. The condition also becomes apparent if an oral glucose test fails to inhibit serum growth hormone. Tests may also be conducted to check if the person has increased Insulin Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) or Prolactin levels.

Gigantism Treatment

Treatment for Gigantism mainly involves use of medicines, surgery and radiation therapy.

Medications

Dopamine drugs such as Cabergoline and Mesylate are normally used to lower release of growth hormones. These are, however, less effective than medicines like Pegvisomant or somatostatin analogs (Lanreotide or Octreotide). Pegvisomant obstructs the side effects of growth hormone release.

Surgery

Surgery for treatment of Gigantism is done in cases where tests reveal the presence of a Pituitary tumor. The aim of operation is to remove the tumor and reduce release of growth hormones.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is successful in making growth hormone levels normal. However, this method gives rise to various side effects like obesity, emotional alterations and learning disabilities in children. Moreover, it takes anywhere from five to ten years for the effects to show up. It also results in reduced levels of other pituitary hormones. This is the reason why it is kept as a last resort if all other ways of treatment fail.

Are you suffering from redness and inflammation in foot and ankles? Are you experiencing numbness in your affected feet? You may be having a condition known as Charcot Foot. Know what is Charcot Foot disease, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

Charcot Foot Definition

Picture 1 – Charcot Foot
Source – foothealthfacts

Charcot Foot disorder is a medical condition that leads to weakening of the bones in the foot. The disease is also known as Charcot Joint and Neuropathic Osteoarthropathy. It is a very severe disorder that can give rise to disability, serious deformity and amputation.

Charcot Foot History

Medical world had Charcot Foot named after French clinician Jean-Martin Charcot who is also regarded as the founder of modern neurology. Jean was the first person to describe the dissolution of joint surfaces and ligaments caused by injury or disease. The Charcot Foot original description as Neurogenic Arthropathy can be traced back to as early as 1869 and was restricted only to Syphilis patients.

Charcot Foot Symptoms

Some of the major symptoms of Charcot Foot condition are

Warmth to Touch

Charcot Foot Syndrome generally arises in one foot though it may affect both feet over a period of time. The affected foot feels warmer to touch than the other one.

Redness

The affected region in the foot is usually red in appearance. The redness is pronounced.

Swelling

There is inflammation in the area of the Charcot foot and ankle. Swelling becomes apparent where the disease makes itself visible.

Pain

Sufferers usually complain of soreness or pain in the affected foot area. However, pain may be temporary as numbness sets in into the leg.

Loss of Sensation

In the later stages of the disorder, people with Charcot Foot experience numbness in the affected foot.

As the disease progresses, it can give rise to other severe problems like fracture. The joints may collapse making the foot eventually take an unusual shape. The victim loses sensation in the foot but can continue walking which makes the disease worse.

Hypoparathyroidism is a disease that occurs when the parathyroid glands that are located in the neck behind the thyroid gland and are responsible for maintaining the level of minerals in the body, do not function properly. It may also be caused in case when the parathyroid glands secrete significantly low levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which is also known as Parathormone. Chronic hypoparathyroidism leads to a decreased level of calcium and an increased level of phosphorus to circulate in through the blood all over the body. This may have serious impact on the health of a person since calcium and phosphorus combine to form calcium phosphate that is responsible for strengthening the bones and providing energy to the body. In serious cases, one may suffer from hypoparathyroidism hypocalcaemia.

Hypoparathyroidism can be of several types depending on their specific cause such as transient hypoparathyroidism, congenital hypoparathyroidism, inherited or acquired hypoparathyroidism, pseudo hypoparathyroidism, and pseudo pseudo hypoparathyroidism. However, the type of hypoparathyroidism where the cause is not discernable is known as idiopathic hypoparathyroidism.

Hypoparathyroidism Signs and Symptoms

Some of the signs and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism may be enumerated as the following:-

• Pain in the abdomen or the stomach.
• Muscle contraction or tightening medically termed as Carpopedal or Tetanic contractions.
• Problems associated with the eyesight and cataract formation in the eyes.
• Headaches and extreme cases may lead to loss of memory. One may also suffer from a considerably decreased level of consciousness.
• One may also experience the twitching of the facial muscles.
• A tingling sensation of the lips, fingers and toes.
• The drying up of the hair and the skin forming scales.
• Weakening of the enamel of the tooth in children. One may also notice a delayed or no re-growth of the tooth at all once it has fallen.
• The brittle formation of the nails of both the hands and the feet.
• Women may experience painful menstruation and may have to undergo convulsions, commonly known as seizures.

Suffering from an abnormal lump on the neck that just refuses to shrink? You may be having a Thyroglossal Cyst. Read on and know all about Thyroglossal Cyst, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

What is Thyroglossal Cyst?

Picture 1 – Thyroglossal Cyst
Source – childrensspecialists

Thyroglossal Cyst is an abnormal growth on the neck that looks like a lump. It is the most common type of Nonodontogenic Cyst i.e. it is an oral cyst developing from epithelium which is nested in bony or soft-tissue joints during embryonal development.

A Thyroglossal Cyst is also known as a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst or Thyroglossal Tract Cyst.

Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Location

A Thyroglossal Cyst can generally be found in the middle of the front area of the neck. It can be generally seen at a spot that lies at equal distance from the chin and the top of the chest.

A Thyroglossal Cyst can arise at any spot along a Thyroglossal Duct. It can also develop on the floor of the oral region or within the tongue, both of which are rare spots.

Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Symptoms

The main symptom of this condition is the development of a lump on the neck of the affected person. The lump may be large enough to be visible after birth of a child or it may become noticeable in the later stages as the baby grows up. In cases of Thyroglossal Cyst infants generally do not have a visible lump.

The lump may be small in size, about the quarter of an inch. But larger cysts may be as big as half an inch or more. Such large lumps may give rise to Thyroglossal Cyst Symptoms like breathing or swallowing difficulties. A Thyroglossal Cyst causes pain in such cases.

In serious cases, a Thyroglossal Cyst duct may be infected. An infectious Thyroglossal Cyst generally becomes red and swollen. It may become tender to touch. Infection is one of the major Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Symptoms.

An infected Thyroglossal Cyst is usually filled with pus which is released at a later stage from the vesicle. The pus drains down the throat or gets released through a rupture in the swollen skin. Infectious Thyroglossal Cysts are very painful.