Category Archives: Health

What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) represents an enlargement of the prostate gland. In men, prostate has the role of producing the liquid in which semen swim. It is placed directly under the bladder and in front of the rectum.

Prostate growth is a natural phenomenon. First, it doubles in size during puberty, when the other sex organs become active. Next, it starts a secondary, gradual growth phase after the age of 25.

The name benign signifies that this type of prostate enlargement is not cancer related, thus it does not pose a threat for your life. However, it brings forth a series of unpleasant symptoms, among which frequent urination during the night.

How Widespread Is Benign Prostate Hyperplasia?

BPH is one of the most frequent conditions associated with advancing in age for men. Around 50% of men aged 60 have BPH. The percentage goes as high as 95% by the age of 85. However, around half of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia suffer from symptoms which need to be treated.

Why It Is Important to Have BPH Properly Diagnosed?

Since it is such a widespread condition, why do you need to have it diagnosed? Is it not part of the natural process of aging? The problem is that BPH and prostate cancer have many similar symptoms.

Therefore, it is important to see a doctor and find out whether you are simply part of the general statistic, or you need to receive a specific treatment protocol. Thus, starting with the age of 55, you should start getting screened on an annual basis. The screening is painless, involving a quick physical exam and several urine and blood tests.

The Most Frequent Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

How do you realize that you have BPH? You should consider going to get screened if you are over 50 and experience:

Frequent urination
Increased frequency of urination at night
Sensation that your bladder is not empty after urination
Weak urine stream, dribbling at the end of urination
Difficulty starting urination.

Some rarer and more severe symptoms include inability to urinate at all and noticing blood in the urine. In these extreme cases, you must see a doctor immediately.

What Can You Do to Prevent BPH?

Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to prevent BPH. However, you may delay its onset or limit its symptoms by:

Maintaining an active lifestyle
Keeping your weight under control
Choosing a healthy diet, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

These simple choices will also allow you to live longer and have an improved quality of life.

BPH treatment

How Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treated?

Depending on your specific case, your doctor will recommend medication, especially alpha blockers or treatments for erectile dysfunctions. If your symptoms are moderate to severe, you may be recommended minimally invasive surgery to remove layers of the prostate, compress its size or cause it to shrink.

One of the most recent BPH treatment procedures of this type is called embolization. The blood supply to and from the prostate is selectively blocked, thus it will decrease in size.

What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

HRT Highlands Ranch doctors

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment used primarily to relieve the symptoms of menopause in women. This is achieved by restoring the levels of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) which are decreasing as menopause is approaching.

When Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Recommended?

This form of therapy is recommended by doctors for women who complain of the side effects of menopause. Such unpleasant symptoms include:

Hot flashes
Mood swings
Sweating at night
Reduced libido
Dry vagina.

Left untreated, these symptoms take a few years to wear off naturally. However, they can affect the patient’s quality of life and self-confidence – often, to a greater extent than one might imagine – and this is why hormone replacement therapy is prescribed to them.

How Many Types of HRT Treatments Exist?

There are many ways of administering hormone replacement therapy. This is a highly personalized form of treatment, because the doctor will take many factors into account.

Thus, HRT Highlands Ranch board certified physicians may recommend a treatment consisting of only one type of hormone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Also, the treatment plan may involve taking the medicine continuously, or in cycles.

There are various ways of taking hormone replacement therapy:

Tablets
Skin patches
Vaginal creams or rings
Gels

This variety takes into account the way patients respond to the treatment and the specific symptoms they may complain of.

Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Safe?

The hormonal system has a delicate balance and upsetting it can cause many side effects in the human body. Some years ago, there was even a controversy that HRT may cause breast or ovarian cancer, but it was properly explained by the American Cancer Society: it all depends on the patient’s risk level and the type of therapy prescribed by the doctor.

However, there are situations when preexisting conditions are incompatible with HRT. These are:

Blood clots
Heart or liver disease
Stroke
Pregnancy
Heart attack
Breast, uterine or endometrial cancer.

What Kind of Side Effects May Patients Experience?

Any kind of hormone-based treatment comes with various side effects, some milder, some more serious. In the case of HRT, the most common side effects that patients have reported:

Bloating
Headaches
Mood changes
Nausea
Breast tenderness or swelling
Vaginal bleeding.

It is important to inform your doctor of any such side effects. These may be solved by changing the dosage or even the type of treatment or the way you administer it.

Who Should Take Hormone Replacement Therapy?

While primarily used by women at menopause, there are other categories of patients who may benefit from HRT. Among these, we mention:

patients who went through gender reassignment surgery,
men suffering from prostate cancer,
as a form of birth control for women.

Various studies indicate that hormone replacement therapy may also prove beneficial for:

patients with muscle function problems
patients with risk of heart failure and heart attacks
prevention of premature skin aging.

However, the results for this last category of benefits listed are not 100% conclusive yet – more research is needed to confirm them.

Best Methods to Whiten Your Teeth

Everyone wants a superstar smile. You know it: wide, white and so bright that it shines brighter than photographers’ flashes. In theory, everyone gets white teeth as they start growing. Onwards, hygiene and lifestyle choices make some people lose that bright shining of perfectly clean teeth.

There are many reasons why teeth turn yellow. From the teeth cleaning routine, to the foods and drinks people choose, all these causes have a compounded effect on the teeth. Also, certain chronic illnesses and medications that people need to take have a negative impact on the aspect and health of teeth and gums.

Teeth Whitening – Do Not Fall Victim to Unproven Methods

The internet can be a source of lots of information, both true and false. It is no different when we are talking about teeth whitening. A simple search would leave the person puzzled: some websites recommend a method; others say that it must be avoided.

This is why people should always seek professional advice and read articles on reputable websites, such as dental clinics and public health authorities. The problem with unproven methods is that they can do more harm than good. In the worst case scenario, the enamel that covers the teeth may become damaged. This makes the teeth vulnerable to bacteria that cause cavities and other health problems.

What Are the Recommended Ways to Whiten Your Teeth?

The first step towards maintaining your teeth white is a proper teeth cleaning routine. It involves: brushing, flossing and using mouthwash. Tooth brushing alone is not sufficient, even for a basic hygiene of the mouth, let alone teeth whitening.

Littleton dental

Other tested and proven methods are:

Teeth Whitening Kits from Pharmacies

DIY teeth whitening is fraught with risks if you buy no-name kits on the internet. The only products you should trust are those sold in pharmacies. These kits have been tested and certified as safe to use by consumers.

Even in the case of certified teeth whitening kits, you should be careful to read the instructions. Improper use may not harm your teeth, but you won’t achieve the desired effect.

Whitening Toothpaste

Many toothpastes promise to whiten your teeth. Some of them contain activated charcoal (so farm an unproven method according to professional dentists’ associations), others, abrasive particles.

People with sensitive teeth should avoid the latter type of whitening toothpastes. The abrasive particles may thin their enamel and leave their teeth even more sensitive to pain.

Give Up Smoking

Nicotine has many negative effects on health, including on your teeth. Heavy smokers can be easily identified by their yellowing teeth. Thus, the best solution is to give up smoke altogether and save both your health and your money.

If you feel you cannot do it, then remember to wash your teeth more frequently, especially right after smoking several cigarettes in a row. E-cigarettes are also an alternative you should explore, as you inhale vapors not burnt nicotine smoke.

Professional Teeth Whitening at the Dentist’s

Last but not least, the safest method for teeth whitening, and with the best effect, is going to your dentist. Littleton dental offices have specialized equipment and substances that whiten the teeth without injuring the enamel. Plus, you dentist knows your teeth and can select the best method to give you a superstar smile.

Why Do Sedation Dentistry Experts Have Such Recognition Among Patients?

Why do dentist Centennial sedation practitioners have so much respect in the field? Even though they aren’t in charge of managing all the challenging tasks that a regular dentist might be dealing with, they are often sought out by patients. In fact, sometimes a patient might actually choose a less experienced dentist just because the clinic offers better sedation dentistry solutions.

In most cases, the answer is obvious: patients prefer offices with better solutions for sedation dentistry because they have more peace of mind, and they don’t have to worry about becoming stressed or anxious during the procedure. However, there might be more to the story than one might think.

woman inhalation sedation at dental clinic

The Lesser Known Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Although sedation dentistry has been around for a long time, a lot of people are only just starting to discover the many options out there. But why do sedation dentistry experts offer so much? What makes them so special, and why would you consider moderate or deep sedation as an alternative to traditional sedation practices?

First of all, by making sure that multiple levels of sedation are possible, your dentist will open up the option to control the level of awareness you have of the procedure. Now, depending on the complexity and difficulty of the procedure, as well as the anxiety you have when faced with a dentist’s chair, this can something most patients will welcome with open arms.

The sedation expert can make sure you won’t have to worry about anything during the procedure. In fact, in some cases you might not even remember it at all! This is what is called Anterograde Amnesia, and it can be a very desirable outcome according to patients who prefer deeper levels of sedation, but wouldn’t like to be unconscious during the procedure.

Finally, one of the less commonly referred to benefits of sedation dentistry has to do with the gag reflex. If you opt for moderate or deep sedation, your dentist will typically work much more easily when having to reach into deeper cavities – something that the gag reflex would normally prevent.

Faster Results and More Accuracy

A lot of the time, slow results are obtained when the patient is awake because the dentist actually has to put in more effort and be more attentive in order to avoid making a mistake. With a deeper level of sedation, this isn’t a problem anymore.

Your dentist will be able to work more easily, unhindered by your reactions to the procedure. In the case of patients who have a significant level of anxiety or a phobia that prevents them to relax when they’re in the dentist’s chair, this is a welcome respite for both the dentist and the patient. Basically, you’ll be nearly unconscious, and you won’t remember any pain or discomfort from the procedure. At the same time, the whole process will go smoothly, and there will be next to no risk that anything could go wrong.

Considering the points raised above, it’s easy to see how and why sedation dentistry became so popular overall. If you plan on going to the dentist for surgery, and you have a higher degree of anxiety about dentists and dental procedures, just make sure you opt for medium or deep sedation, and you’ll be all set.

The Advantages of Hormone Replacement Therapy – Benefits for Men, Women and Transgender Individuals

Hormone therapy is the treatment used for supplementing the body with the hormone that it is unable to produce in sufficient quantity and a treatment that can bring about positive effects almost instantly – here are the most important advantages of hormone replacement therapy.

Significant Improvement for Menopausal Symptoms

Hormone replacement therapy is the standard treatment option for women suffering from the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, sleeping disorders, fatigue, anxiety or depression, decreased sex drive, vaginal dryness and pain experienced during sexual intercourse.

The hormone that needs to be supplemented in the case of women in perimenopausal age is estrogen, a hormone that is responsible for much more than female fertility. Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone density at healthy levels and in assuring the healthy functioning of the metabolism and of the cardiovascular system, therefore estrogen replacement therapy can be efficient in preventing osteoporosis and heart disease in menopausal women and it can be efficient in the treatment of insulin resistance, and thyroid disorders.

Transgender Hormone Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy is an essential component of the treatment of transgender patients who could not transition to the gender they identify with without supplementing the necessary hormones from external sources. The hormones supplemented this way are estrogen for transgender women and testosterone for transgender men.

Androgen Replacement Therapy

The male body also undergoes significant changes with age, many of which are caused by decreasing levels of male hormones, mainly testosterone. Androgen replacement therapy is used for the treatment of male hypogonadism, a condition caused by the diminished activity of the testicles and manifesting through symptoms, such as the loss of muscle mass and bone density, the thinning or loss of body hair, diminished sex drive, erectile disfunctions, mood swings, fatigue, depression and the abnormal growth of the male breast tissue. The treatment usually yields positive results very soon after starting the therapy – with hormone supplements of the right composition, the positive effects are almost instant.

Other Advantages of the Products Used in Modern Hormone Therapy

The modern preparations used in hormone replacement therapy contain bio-identical hormones that consist of molecules identical with the hormones naturally produced by the human body. According to some experts, these bio-identical molecules are easier for the body to process and the treatments that use them come with reduced risks of causing adverse effects or side effects than the synthetic hormones used in older medications.

Flexibility in terms of administration is another benefit of hormone replacement therapy. Modern hormone products are available in digestible tablet form, in the form of gels administered topically, the form of creams, in pessaries or in the form of patches applied transdermally as well as in injectable form. The wide range of administration methods allow medical professionals to choose the form of medication that works best for each patient.

The advantages of hormone replacement therapy are nowadays available for everyone – contact your family doctor for recommendations regarding the integrative medicine Denver expert to turn to or contact an endocrinologist directly and your doctor will know how to handle your issues.