Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is often referred to as pain and fatigue to the extreme because it is chronic. Muscle pain and tender points are felt throughout the body.  The constant pain and fatigue is crippling to the point sufferers do not want to do anything. According to the National Institutes of Health, 80-90 percent of those diagnosed with it are women. No one knows why it is like this, but researchers believed that females are more likely to get it compared to their male counterparts due to genetic, hormonal, and immune system differences.  Common symptoms   The Pain: The chief complaint...

The Trouble with Hypothyroidism We all have cells and organs in our bodies that work to keep us alive and healthy. The thyroid, for example, is a butterfly-shaped gland situated in the neck is responsible for the quality of our voice. Most importantly, it is the powerhouse that secreted two hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4).  Both have a role in muscular activity, growth and brain development during childhood, metabolism (BMR), heart and digestive function, bone maintenance, and heart rate, but are most noted for their role in metabolism, namely basal metabolic rate. When someone is diagnosed with hypothyroidism, it...

Every Parent's Nightmare Picture this: you’re driving up to the daycare, ready to drop off your toddler for the day so you can head to work and you feel the dread begin to creep in.  You send up a silent prayer, “Please let it be a  good day”, and keep your fingers crossed.  Your toddler, who up till now has been happily munching on Cheerios, realizes where he is and begins his daily resistance.  You carry him to his room, all the while giving hugs and kisses and trying to calm his fears, but as soon as he sees the...

  Will I Always Live with Psoriatic Arthritis or is There Treatment? Psoriatic Arthritis commonly affects 30% of those who are diagnosed with psoriasis; nonetheless,  it can be found in those who do not have the skin disorder (though chances are significantly higher when psoriasis is found in the family).Like psoriasis, it is characteristically described as red patches along the skin and silvery scales, but feelings of joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are the chief symptoms that often  appear  apart from psoriasis rather than being seen together (it is rare if they do). Although feelings of pain may occur anywhere inflammation...

What makes Autoimmune Inflammation Different from Inflammation?   Inflammation is a necessary and vital response of the immune system whenever the body is being attacked. It is the body's way of healing itself in the aftermath, and we need it to protect ourselves from viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria by repairing the damaged areas. It would be disastrous if we never had a inflammatory response as it would invite infections that could become deadly. The four characteristics often found in inflamed areas  are swelling, redness, heat, and pain that occur because of the activity of proteins, like cytokines, that signal...

It is possible for Kids to Contract Hypothyroidism Many people talk about hypothyroidism in adults, but there is less talk about hypothyroidism in children although it is just as common. Congenital hypothyroidism starts from birth, but is often asymptomatic so a parent may not notice it until the infant grows older.  The disorder is only detected in 5% of infants by clinical criteria where a diagnosis is later confirmed.  Hypothyroidism may also be acquired  as your child gets older and may or may not be due to genetics. The underdeveloped thyroid gland ultimately does not produce adequate thyroid hormone to...