Diseases & Conditions - Good Health Weekly

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

An unbelievably large number of people fall prey to Generalized Anxiety Disorders, which adversely affects their daily functioning. This can be overcome with self help, medication and therapy.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated and irrational worry and tension even when there is little or nothing to justify it. People with generalized anxiety disorder simply seem to be unable to shake off their concerns about normal everyday things such as health, family / friends problems or work related issues. People with a generally pessimistic outlook and low self confidence often succumb to generalized anxiety disorder but it can affect almost anyone. They worry endlessly that worse things might happen in future and simply don’t have hope for the future. Such a looming sense of helplessness destroys the person and is typically characteristic of generalized anxiety disorder.

Going crazy or about to die?

Dangerous symptoms of anxiety panic attacks are heart pain and in some cases a sense of impending death. Anxiety panic attacks may push you to the point that you think you are going crazy or even about to die. These are characteristic symptoms of anxiety panic attacks. Intense anxiety panic attacks often lead to fear of an impending attack. This fear of fear leads further to panic attacks and a vicious cycle of fear ensues.

You are not alone in your quest

The symptoms of anxiety panic attacks are physical and anxiety sufferers often mistake their condition for a medical illness. A patient suffering from a panic attack therefore will not go crazy or die regardless of the symptoms. An unbelievably large percentage(about three fourths) of people have had at least one incidence of an anxiety panic attack

Fear of fear

Once you have generalized anxiety disorder it is imperative to seek medical help as it is a very real disorder that tangibly affects your ability to function and relax. Rarely self help strategies are enough to get anxiety under control. Self help and therapy can be effectively combined as treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. Different types of therapy are available including cognitive-behavioral therapy which can provide long term remedy by examining distortions in your way of perceiving the world and particular situations. Medicines are used in the initial stages to relieve symptoms and then therapy is used for long term results.

Types of help

Cognitive-behavioral therapy trains you to anticipate and be prepared for the bodily sensations that trigger panic attacks. Medications alter the pattern of chemical interaction in the brain and can reduce or prevent anxiety panic disorder.

If you have exhausted all your own mental power to overcome Anxiety on your own, there is still help for you. The best course of action for you at this point is to seek out professional help through your trusted family physician. He will tell you what you should do and the best steps for you to take to have fulfilling life with a dash of Anxiety on the side ;-).

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Atlanta Neurology and Neurological Diseases

Atlanta Neurology at Emory seeks to help patients who suffer from behavioral and cognitive neurological problems. The Emory neurology team consists of a multi-specialty group of physicians, neuropsychologists, nurses, and social worker with specialists from Neurology, Psychiatry, Pathology, and other departments from both Emory and Morehouse Medical Schools. The Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology program offers state-of-the art and comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, education, and support for patients with dementia and their families. The center also provides outpatient consultations and evaluations include clinical examination and cognitive screening assessment provided by a multi-disciplinary team.

Neurology consists of more than just cognitive conditions. Behavioral neurological conditions are also of importance. Emory’s Dizziness and Balance Center is part of the Neurology Department and consists of a multi-specialty group of physicians and physical therapists with specialists not just from Neurology but also from Physical Therapy, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.

The Center specializes in treating patients with dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders. Dizziness can include lightheadedness and motion sickness. The center also has several ongoing research projects. Specific focuses of the center include Meniere’s disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (caused by calcium debris in the inner ear), vestibular neuritis, ototoxicity, nystagmus, balance and falls. Read more about Atlanta Neurology and Neurological Diseases →

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A Few Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

As a person advances in age, their memory and ability to concentrate naturally deteriorates. It can often be difficult to recognize the signs of Alzheimer’s due to the subjective nature of diagnosing this illness, proper diagnosis requires the aid of a medical professional. There are some simple signs to look for, which indicate that it may be time for you or your loved one to be examined by a medical professional.

Generally, those with Alzheimer’s will have a much more difficult time with memory recall than the average aging person. While everyone has senior moments as their age progresses, moments which are frequent and impact one’s daily life negatively can be a sign of a larger problem. Since recognizing this illness is mostly a subjective process, it is important to obtain the involvement of a loved one, who can recognize serious changes in behavior.

Unusual dress can be an obvious sign of Alzheimer’s disease where one may wear improper clothing for the season, such as a winter coat during a summer day. Read more about A Few Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease →

Several Common Misconceptions About Alzheimer’s Disease

In the modern day, it is surprising to see the sheer volume of misconceptions regarding Alzheimer’s disease. With a little education; however, these falsehoods are easily debunked. It is important to have quality information when treating Alzheimer’s disease, in order to better manage the disease for you or those you love who suffer from it.

It was commonly thought in the past two decades that Aspartame, which is an artificial sweetener included in such products as NutraSweet, can cause memory loss in elderly individuals. The United States Food and Drug Administration gave the green light to this product in 1996, but many people were skeptical of early studies. After 10 years of testing, the FDA found that Aspartame does not have a causative factor in Alzheimer’s disorder and is safe for people to eat.

A myth over forty years old is that aluminum found in common household products such as pots, pans, and cans can factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. As there were a great number of health concerns regarding this issue, many government studies were conducted to investigate any possible health risks. The US government found that in every day uses aluminum does not pose a health risk to humans, and there exists no increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s as a result of its use. Read more about Several Common Misconceptions About Alzheimer’s Disease →