The most common blood disorder in the world, anemia is a condition in which a person has a deficiency in red blood cells, or hemoglobin. Because red blood cells are oxygenated, a decreased amount results in less oxygen to organs, often causing weariness, increased fatigue, accelerated heart rate, yellow skin, breathlessness, lightheadedness, chest pain, headache, and cold hands and feet. The leading cause for anemia is iron deficiency. Without sufficient iron levels, the body cannot produce the hemoglobin needed to produce red blood cells. However, an iron deficiency is not the only type of anemia. There are over 400 types of anemia, among the other main types are: Vitamin deficiency anemia due to low B12 for healthy red blood cell production. Pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disease due to lack of the intrinsic factor that helps the body absorb vitamin B12 in the intestine. Aplastic anemia, a life-threatening anemia that occurs when the body doesn’t produce adequate red blood cells. Hemolytic anemias, where red blood cells are destroyed faster than bone marrow can replace them. Sickle cell anemia, an inherited condition caused by a defective hemoglobin that makes abnormal crescent (sickle) shaped red blood cells that die prematurely. Bone marrow anemias, such as leukemia or myelofibrosis.

According to research from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, approximately 30,000 people are living with cystic fibrosis, or CF, (and more than 70,000 globally) with roughly 1,000 new cases of CF diagnosed annually. CF is generally detected in infancy, which means 75% of patients are diagnosed before 2-years of age. While there is no absolute cure, cystic fibrosis treatments ease the havoc caused by the condition. For patients with the disease, it is advisable to conduct early screening that leads to aggressive treatment intervention. Almost all states do a screening of newborns, which would reveal the levels of chemical immunoreactive trypsinogen responsible for cystic fibroids. The genetic makeup of a patient may also confirm diagnosis, as there are specific gene defects that predispose an individual to CF. Doctors can evaluate a patient’s’ condition and recommend different cystic fibrosis treatment options that prevent and control infections in the lungs. The following treatment options often result in removal and loosening of mucus in the lungs that allow for more efficient breathing. The digestive system is one of the areas that is also affected by CF patients, who report symptoms of indigestion and stomach upset so treatment often includes clearing of blockages in the intestines.

Hepatitis is a condition that affects the liver and is typically caused by viral infection. Hepatitis is classified as an inflammatory condition that can be caused by various reasons including alcohol, medication, toxins, drugs, and infections. The liver is an essential body organ that performs various body functions. Without a functional liver, one’s health deteriorates, and other health conditions may develop (i.e., liver cancer, cirrhosis, and hepatitis). Consider these functions that the liver performs: Production of bile for digestion Breaking down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins Synthesizing blood proteins Bilirubin excretion Activation of enzymes Many Americans are not aware that they may have hepatitis. We recommend regular checkups with your healthcare professional if symptoms of chronic fatigue, unexplained flu-like symptoms, abdominal pain, lack of appetite and sudden weight loss, dark urine or pale stool, and jaundice occur. Detecting hepatitis early means managing the symptoms and prevention disease progression. The following are the major hepatitis types: 1. Hepatitis A This type of hepatitis is caused by infection with HAV (Hepatitis A Virus). The common cause of this disease is the consumption of water or food that has been contaminated by feces. The feces usually contain the virus from a person with Hepatitis A.

Hemophilia is among the rarest genetic disorders in the world. It results in the impairment of blood clot production, which means a patient with hemophilia is unable to stop bleeding. Hemophilia is a direct result of deficient blood-clotting protein, or anti-hemophilic factor, which should be at 100% to properly clot and stop bleeds. Approximately 1% of patients are affected by severe hemophilia. Because Hemophilia makes the blood clotting difficult, there are cases when a minor injury can be fatal to a hemophiliac patient, especially if that person is not aware of his or her condition. Prolonged bleeding, easy bruising, and interior bleeding inside joints are the most common effects of this disorder. Fatal injuries may include internal bleeding to the brain and other organs. Men are more prone to hemophilia compared to women. In fact, females who inherit hemophilia are usually “carriers” that can pass the disorder onto their male children. Hemophilia occurs in several types, which are classified into three categories based on the defective clotting factor behind the disorder: 1. Type A hemophilia Type A hemophilia is the most common type, affecting 1 in every 5,000 male patients. This type is caused by the missing or defective factor VIII protein and is inherited.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that can be very unpredictable and life-changing. It is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system by causing miscommunication from our brain to our body. There is no current cure for this disease, but a neurologist can prescribe medications to relieve MS symptoms and possibly slow down the progression of the disease. Common MS treatments include: 1. Physical Therapy Many patients with multiple sclerosis find exercise helps to strengthen our muscles in order to improve our balance and coordination. Short walks and getting circulation flowing by moving different parts of the body are all part of MS physical therapy. 2. Occupational therapy OT for MS treatment can be difficult and stressful. From bathing and dressing ourselves to washing dishes and folding laundry, OT helps patients figure out and cope with new ways of handling everyday tasks. OT may also feature massage. 3. Medications Medications for MS do not cure the disease, but help to slow the progression and relieve symptoms. Since the disease varies from person to person, different forms of medication can be more useful than others. Most common are disease-modifying drug (DMTs) which help delay progression of MS, reduce the number of relapses, and limit new lesion activity as seen on MRIs.

Spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disorder that’s referred to as a fatal autosomal recessive disorder. It attacks the nerves cell system, leading to progressive weakening of the motor neurons. Patients suffering from SMA may experience difficulties standing, walking dressing, swallowing, and breathing. Ideally, SMA symptoms are noticeable when the child is under 6-months old. Statistically, one in every 10,000 children are born with SMA. While the cause of SMA is unknown, almost 95% of SMA cases disorder are the result of the inadequate production of a specific protein known as survival motor neuron protein (or SMN). Patients with spinal muscular atrophy lack SMN1 and SMN2 genes found in chromosome 5, which produces survival neuron protein (SMN). Also, alteration of SMN1 and SMN genes may cause SMA. Primarily motor neuron cells are found in the spinal cord. These cells control skeletal muscle within the body, however, if there are low survival motor neuron proteins, the motor neuron located in spinal cord shrink and dies resulting in spinal cord complications. The SMA symptoms are: Difficulties swallowing food Breathing problems Mobility issues (i.e., difficulty walking) Frequent and uncontrolled tongue movement Abnormal bending of the spinal cord (causing standing issues) SMA occurs in several main types, which are determined by the onset of symptoms, they include:

In a comparison of hyperthyroidism vs. hypothyroidism, that there are quite a few differences between the two despite the similarity in the names. To be clear, hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. When this happens, metabolism slows leading to unexplained fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, swollen face, muscle weakness, and sensitivity to cold due to lack of thyroid hormone production, of T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, occurs when the body produces excessive thyroid hormones, cause increased heart rate and heart palpitations, breathlessness, increased appetite, irritability, excessive sweating, and unexplained weight loss. However, with proper medication and treatment, the thyroid will function more efficiently and symptoms of both hyper- and hypothyroidism will be reduced greatly. Treatment options for thyroid disease may include: 1. Radioactive Iodine This medication can actually help shrink the thyroid, but it can take about 3- to 6-months to begin working effectively. About 70% of adults with this condition take this type of medication to help keep hyperthyroidism under control. The radioactive iodine works to kill off excessive thyroid cells, thus leaving the thyroid to produce less hormones. 2. Antithyroid drugs These medications help to block the production of thyroid hormones and take about 3-months to work for treating hyperthyroidism.

Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that is formed in plasma cells, or white infection-fighting cells. The cancer cells for multiple myeloma accumulate and divide in the bone marrow. These are not mature cells, therefore they produce abnormal proteins that cause complications. Patients with multiple myeloma may show early warning signs, including: Constipation Fatigue Sudden weight loss Bone pain and tenderness Lack of appetite Nausea Frequent infections Treatment Displaying any of these symptoms require an immediate visit to your doctor or healthcare professional who can administer the proper blood and urine tests to determine a multiple myeloma diagnosis. There are various treatment options available for multiple myeloma, depending on the severity of the cancer, they may include: 1. Targeted cancer treatment Targeted cancer treatment is a drug treatment that focuses on abnormalities in the cancer cells that make them multiply and survive. Some of the drug treatments we recommend are carfilzomib, bortezomib, and ixazomib. These drugs ensure that the myeloma cells are not able to break down proteins in the body. This ensures that the myeloma cells die. This form of treatment is administered through injection or pills. 2. Bone marrow transplant Since this is a bone marrow cancer, it affects the bone marrow, and one may get a bone marrow transplant to eliminate all cancer causing cells in the body.

Parkinson’s disease can be a terrible illness with many patients dealing with painful symptoms and a greatly reduced quality of life. Unfortunately, many people living with parkinson’s disease also end up developing a condition known as dyskinesia as a result of taking certain medications to treat the disease. Dyskinesia has been linked to the long term use of a particular medication used to treat parkinson’s disease symptoms. Studies show that when the medication, Levodopa, is taken over the long term, uncontrollable muscle tremors, head swaying and bobbing, and twisting or writhing of the arms or legs. This is what’s known as dyskinesia, and although it may overlap with parkinson’s tremors is a direct result of long term levodopa use. This still leaves us with the question, what causes dyskinesia in parkinson’s disease patients? Many researchers attribute dyskinesia to long term levodopa usage because the drug has been shown to develop in patients who’ve been diagnosed with parkinson’s at a younger age and prescribed levodopa for extended periods. Scientists speculate that serotonin, glutamate, and particularly dopamine play a vital role in dyskinesia development. While levodopa aims to restore dopamine levels destroyed by parkinson’s disease (particularly dopamine-producing cells), levodopa may cause variations in dopamine levels, which is behind the involuntary movements of dyskinesia.

Statistics from the National Psoriasis Foundation indicate that an estimated 8 million Americans suffer with psoriasis, and approximately 30% of those patients are at risk of developing psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is an arthritic condition that affects patients who also have psoriasis. However, oftentimes, arthritis symptoms (i.e., joint pain, swelling, and stiffness) begin to appear prior to psoriasis symptoms (i.e., redness, inflammation, dry, scaly skin). Psoriatic arthritis (PA) must be treated and managed, or permanent joint damage can occur. This condition is also similar to other forms of arthritis (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis) in that it’s marked by periods of flare ups, followed by durations of time where no symptoms are evident, known as remission. Also similar in nature to rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition, which is triggered when the immune system regards healthy tissues and cells as a threat, and launches an attack on these tissues in response. In the case of psoriatic arthritis, the immune system targets the skin and joints, leading to a domino effect of joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and immobility followed by skin symptoms (i.e., inflamed, red and white dry patches of itchy skin). Psoriatic arthritis flare ups are often triggered by an external factors, such as: