Overactive Bladder

Do you or someone you love suffer from an overactive bladder and end up finding yourself getting caught in embarrassing situations?  Well, you’re not the only one.  Overactive bladder is a problem many people experience at some point in their life, and although aging is inevitable…having an overactive bladder is not a normal part of aging.  Overactive bladder is a problem with bladder-storage function that causes you to have a sudden urge to urinate, and now!  The urge may be hard to stop, causing an overactive bladder to lead to an involuntary loss of urine (incontinence), where you are unable to make it to the bathroom in time.

If you have an overactive bladder you may feel embarrassed or begin to limit yourself from working or your social life.  The good news in all this is that seeking attention from your provider and undergoing a brief examination can determine whether or not there is a specific cause for your overactive bladder symptoms.  Generally there is no one certain specific cause, but rather more than one that could is most likely causing your issues.  Another good thing is that management of this condition begins with you and the things in your daily routine you can modify to help improve your symptoms! 

Overactive bladder occurs because the muscles located in the bladder begin to contract involuntarily even when there isn’t much urine in your bladder.  The involuntary contraction is what signals an urgent need to urinate whether you’re close to the bathroom or not!  Total Home Health has a program that is right for your needs and concerns related to your diagnosis of an overactive bladder.  We believe that management of this condition begins with things as simple as these first-line strategies which may include:

-  Fluid Schedules.  This could be something as simple as limiting or stopping your fluid intake after 6:00 p.m. in the evening, or limiting fluids when you are planning a day out.

-  Timed Voiding.  As an example, this strategy could be as simple as making sure you visit the bathroom at least every 2 hours in order to empty your bladder and reduce urges.

-  Bladder-holding Techniques.  This can be done by voluntarily contracting your pelvic floor muscles; it will help to tone the sphincters where your urine exits in order to reduce incontinence episodes.

If those first-line efforts are ineffective and there is no improvement in your overactive bladder symptoms, don’t worry because there are more treatments available for you!  The symptoms you have will depend on the severity of your overactive bladder condition itself.  These symptoms may include:

-  A sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control.

-  Experiencing urge incontinence, or the involuntary loss of urine immediately following an urge to urinate.

-  Frequent urination, which would be considered 8 or more times in a 24-hour period.

-  Awakening two or more times during the night to urinate (nocturia).

You will probably find this private information to be hard to discuss with your provider.  However, if you experience any of the symptoms above, it would be advised to seek medical attention because it could make a difference in your life…especially if having an overactive bladder has disrupted it. 

There are several conditions that may contribute to signs and symptoms of an overactive bladder, they may include:

-  Neurological disorders.  This includes diagnoses including Parkinson’s disease, history of a stroke, and/or multiple sclerosis.

-  High urine production.  This could occur from high fluid intake, poor kidney functioning, or diabetes.

-  Medications.  Some medications may cause a rapid increase in urine production, such as Lasix…or some may require that you take them with increased fluids.

-  Infections.  Acute urinary tract infections can cause symptoms similar to an overactive bladder.

-  Obstructions.  An enlarged prostate or constipation could cause an obstruction of your urine flow.

-  Drinking.  Excess consumption of caffeine and/or alcohol could lead to overactive bladder symptoms.

-  Cognitive function.  A decline in your cognitive functioning due to aging, for example, could make it more difficult for your bladder to understand the signals it receives from your brain, resulting in incontinence.

-  Difficulty walking.  This could lead to bladder urgency if you’re unable to get to the bathroom right away.

With Total Home Health we know that any type of incontinence can affect your overall quality of life.  Our professional team wants to see to it that you can maintain the most optimal quality of life.  We will all work together to find ways for you to cope with your overactive bladder, while also learning to accept that parts of your routine may have to be slightly altered in order for you to lead your most satisfying way of life.  Be proud of your age and of the life you have lived, do not let something we can help you to control cause you to lose your motivation now.  Enroll with Total Home Health today and you’ll be on the right path for a better tomorrow!

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the medical term that refers a seizure disorder.  You or your loved ones may be familiar with this condition or you may just be finding out what it is all about.  Either way, once you enroll…Total Home Health will be by your side to provide you with the best care possible to ensure you are safe while caring for you in your comfortable home environment. 

Epilepsy is a neurological (brain) disorder that affects the central nervous system (the brain and spine).  This condition results in nerve cell activity in the brain becoming disrupted, which ends up causing the person affected to have a seizure episode.  Seizure episodes can vary widely…they can be dramatic with noticeable symptoms such as violent shaking, loss of control, and loss of consciousness…or there may be hardly any symptoms at all.  For example, some people with epilepsy may simply have a blank stare for a few seconds, while others may repeatedly twitch their arms or legs. 

If you have a single seizure that will not automatically classify you as having epilepsy.  Generally, in order to be diagnosed with epilepsy you must have at least two unprovoked seizures…meaning that there was nothing you were doing or anything you were consuming at the time that could have caused the seizures to occur.  Having epilepsy can be very dangerous and harmful to the safety of both you and those around you.  Even mild seizures may require treatment due to the risk they impose, because if you were to be doing an activity such as swimming or driving and were to begin to seize…that could be extremely dangerous and life-threatening.  While there is no absolute and complete cure, there are notable treatment options that can control epilepsy very well if you strictly abide by the regimens you are prescribed.

Seizures can affect any process that is coordinated by your brain because they are caused by abnormal activity that can occur anywhere within your brain cells.  Signs and symptoms of seizures may include:

 - Temporary confusion

-  Staring blankly

-  Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs

-  Loss of consciousness or of awareness of surroundings

-  Psychological symptoms

Of course there are different types of seizures that an individual could possibly have, which makes the symptoms vary accordingly.  In the majority of cases though, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure each time…which will make the symptoms similar and easier to catch on to with each recurring episode.  When you bring your signs and symptoms to the attention of your provider, they will generally classify your seizure as focal or generalized, based on how the abnormal brain activity begins. 

Your provider or our professionals at Total Home Health would be more than happy to provide you with more information related to these specific types of seizures if you or your loved one suffers from them…please do not hesitate to ask.  Basically, the type you have (focal or generalized) will depend upon how many areas of the brain are involved when the abnormal activity is triggered.

The cause of epilepsy really is not identifiable in the majority of cases.  However, the condition could possibly be related to various factors such as genetics, experiencing head trauma, brain tumors, having a stroke, or having an infection such as meningitis.  Keep in mind that suffering from a stroke is a leading cause of epilepsy in adults older than age 35; while the onset of epilepsy can occur at any time, it is most common during the early childhood years or after age 60.  In addition, older adults with dementia will also be at an increased risk of developing epilepsy.

In order to correctly diagnose you with epilepsy, your provider will thoroughly review your symptoms and medical history and order several tests to determine the cause of your seizures.  A neurological exam will occur, along with various blood tests.  In addition you may go through various imaging studies to also see inside your brain, and these could include:

ü  Electroencephalogram (EEG)

§  Most common test used to diagnose epilepsy.

§  Electrodes will be attached to the scalp and will record the electrical activity of your brain.

§  Test may be done if you are either awake or asleep.

ü  Computerized tomography (CT) scan

§  Uses x-rays to obtain images of your brain.

§  Can reveal abnormalities in your brain that could be causing your seizures.

ü  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

§  Uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create a detailed view of your brain.

ü  Functional MRI (fMRI)

§  Measures changes in blood flow in your brain.

§  May be used before surgery to identify exact locations of critical functions such as speech and movement so surgeons can avoid injury to these areas.

ü  Positron emission tomography (PET)

§  Use a small amount of low-dose radioactive material injected into a vein to help visualize and detect areas of brain abnormality.

Treatment will be individualized from person to person and may include everything from non-pharmacological therapies to surgical procedures.  The best option for your specific case will be chosen by your healthcare team.  Total Home Health will be there for you upon your return home in order to ensure your safety by treating your symptoms and preventing possible factors that may trigger you to have a seizure.  Our health care professionals will always be ready for anything you throw at us.  For the best care in your home that is possible…don’t wait any longer and enroll today with Total Home Health and we’ll prove it!

Fibromyalgia

Muscle pain and tenderness unfortunately sound all too familiar with the aging process don’t they?  You can probably relate because with age you just don’t tend to bounce back from strenuous activity as well as you did back in your younger years.  Fibromyalgia is a very common condition in the United States that could possibly be the cause of that widespread muscle pain and tenderness you’ve been feeling. 

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain that is accompanied by fatigue, sleep issues, and possibly problems with your mood and memory.  It is possible that fibromyalgia may amplify painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.  Women are much more likely to develop this condition than men, and this condition tends to run in families.  Many individuals who have fibromyalgia also have complained of having tension headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression…no fun at all! 

So what could cause fibromyalgia and how does it progress?  Events such as physical trauma, surgery, infections or other significant psychological stressors could all fuel fibromyalgia to develop and run its course.  In other cases, symptoms may slowly develop and build upon one another over time without having one specific event serving as the trigger.  Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia will vary person to person; they may include but are not limited to the following:

o   Widespread pain

§  Fibromyalgia pain is often described as a constant dull ache that has been noticed for at least 3 months.

§  In order to be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body, and both above and below your waist. 

o   Fatigue

§  Individuals with fibromyalgia typically awaken tired, despite reports of sleeping for long periods of time.

§  Sleep is often disrupted by an increase in pain, sleep apnea may even result.

§  Restless leg syndrome may be a result of this condition, making it difficult to rest and sleep.

o   Other problems

§  Fibromyalgia may impair an individual’s ability to focus, pay attention and may make concentrating increasingly difficult.

§  Depression, headaches, and pain/cramping in the lower abdomen area may also stem from fibromyalgia.

Currently there is no cure for this condition, however a variety of medications are available for use to help control its symptoms.  Non-pharmacological interventions (those carried out without using medication or invasive procedures) should always be tried first in treatment of conditions due to carrying less risk factors than other more invasive and/or medication options.  Individuals affected by fibromyalgia may observe improvement in their symptoms with simple interventions such as exercising, increasing relaxation, and finding ways to reduce stress.  With Total Home Health, we’ll work together to find the techniques that are the best for you.

In order to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia you may have to go through a long line of physicians and exams until you receive a true diagnosis…do not get discouraged.  You need to get several opinions because the various signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia are similar to those found in other conditions too.  Your physician will ask you to describe your symptoms and want to know how long they have been present.  Keep in mind that various blood tests may also be needed to aid in your diagnosis.  Once you are diagnosed, your provider will most likely refer you to a rheumatologist in order for you to receive continued care that is more specialized to your condition. 

Total Home Health understands just how much of an inconvenience having fibromyalgia can be.  Due to the widespread, chronic pain…you may find that this condition is interfering with your ability to function as you once did in your home.  You may become frustrated because your daily routine has been disrupted by an unwelcomed change, and having to learn to adapt to a condition that is often misunderstood with no absolute cure can be very irritating.  Our knowledgeable staff will work aligned with your provider in order to carry out your treatment plans and reach goals to make positive progress during your course of fibromyalgia.

Total Home Health and our professionals know that having to rely on someone else to help you with your daily household routine may be a shot to your self-esteem and cause you to lose some pride you once had in yourself.  Do not get discouraged though, because you will become a part of our family and we will work together to maintain your health so that you can continue to go about your daily routine, hopefully even being able to forget on some days that you even have fibromyalgia.  Enroll with us today to see for yourself!