BLADDER STONES CAUSES AND DIAGNOSIS

Bladder stones are small mineral masses that develop in the bladder, usually when the urine becomes concentrated. Urolithiasis refers to stones in any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, bladder or urethra. The stones can be called calculi. Spinal cord injuries that result in urinary incontinence, an enlarged prostate, or recurring urinary tract infections are common causes of concentrated and stagnant urine. If urine remains too long in the bladder, urine chemicals start clumping together, forming crystals which grow and eventually develop into bladder stones.

Bladder stones used to be much more common in the UK, USA and other developed countries, when people's diets lacked a good balance of carbohydrates and proteins. Today, however, most patients in industrialized nations with bladder stones have an underlying bladder problem.

Sometimes, patients with bladder stones first know about it after tests for other problems reveal them - they may exist without any symptoms. Signs and symptoms of bladder stones may include abdominal pain, pain when urinating, or blood in urine.

A tiny bladder stone may pass out of the body on its own. However, larger ones require medical intervention to get them out. Untreated bladder stones can eventually result in infections and complications.

CAUSES

Bladder stones generally begin when your bladder doesn't empty completely. The urine that's left in your bladder can form crystals that eventually become bladder stones. In most cases, an underlying condition affects your bladder's ability to empty completely.

THE MOST COMMON CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE BLADDER STONES INCLUDE:

Prostate Gland Enlargement: An enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), can cause bladder stones in men. As the prostate enlarges, it can compress the urethra and interrupt urine flow, causing urine to remain in your bladder.

DAMAGED NERVES (neurogenic bladder): Normally, nerves carry messages from your brain to your bladder muscles, directing your bladder muscles to tighten or release. If these nerves are damaged — from a stroke, spinal cord injury or other health problem — your bladder may not empty completely.
Other conditions that can cause bladder stones include:

Inflammation: Bladder stones can develop if your bladder becomes inflamed. Urinary tract infections and radiation therapy to your pelvic area can both cause bladder inflammation.

Medical devices: Occasionally, bladder catheters — slender tubes inserted through the urethra to help urine drain from your bladder — can cause bladder stones. So can objects that accidentally migrate to your bladder, such as a contraceptive device or stent. Mineral crystals, which later become stones, tend to form on the surface of these devices.

Kidney Stones: Stones that form in your kidneys are not the same as bladder stones. They develop in different ways and often for different reasons. But small kidney stones occasionally travel down the urethras into your bladder and, if not expelled, can grow into bladder stones.

DIAGNOSING BLADDER STONES

A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician), often the first health care professional the sufferer will go to, will interview the patient and carry out a physical exam. The doctor will feel the lower abdomen to determine whether there is any bladder distention (swelling). If the individual is male a rectal exam may be done, to check the size of the prostate.

If the GP suspects there may be bladder stones, the patient will be referred to a hospital for tests, which may include:

Urine test (urinalysis) - a urine sample is examined for blood, bacteria and crystallization of minerals.

Cystoscopy - a cystoscope, a slender tube with a tiny camera at the end is inserted through the urethra and into the bladder. Water flows through the cystoscope into the bladder, filling it up. This stretches the bladder wall so that the doctor can see the inside of it more clearly. With a cystoscope the doctor can determine whether there are any bladder stones, how many there are, what they are like, and where exactly they all are.

Spiral CT (computerized tomography) scan - the CT scanner uses digital geometry processing to generate a 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the inside of an object. The 3-D image is made after many 2-dimensional (2-D) X-ray images are taken around a single axis of rotation - in other words, many pictures of the same area are taken from many angles and then placed together to produce a 3-D image. It is a painless procedure. A spiral CT scans more rapidly and with greater definition - even tiny stones can be detected. This is considered the most sensitive test for detecting all types of bladder stones.

Ultrasound scan - this device uses ultrasound waves which bounce off tissues; the echoes are converted into a sonogram (an image) which the doctor can see on a monitor. The doctor can get an inside view of soft tissues and body cavities; which in this case would be the bladder and inside the bladder.

X-ray - may be used to determine whether there are stones anywhere in the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters and bladder. X-rays may not detect all types of stones.

Intravenous pyelogram (intravenous urogram) - a dye is injected into a vein in the arm. The dye flows into the kidneys, ureters and bladder, which are revealed in X-ray images. Several X-rays are taken, at specific points in time.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR BLADDER STONES?

Bladder stones should not remain in the bladder. Small ones may usually be flushed out by drinking more water - at least 6 to 8 glasses (1.2 liters) of water a day. Patients should be guided by what their doctor tells them.

If the bladder stone is too large to be flushed out on its own, the doctor may need to remove it through surgery.

WHY WOMEN GAIN WEIGHT AFTER MARRIAGE

It's becoming a norm for a woman to gain weight after marriage.
She used to be very slim, and her friends used to call her lepa (a slim person). In fact, the maximum weight she recorded before she got married was 35kg, even at 32 years, and by hereditary, she didn’t look like someone who would likely grow fat because her parents and siblings had similar stature and outlook. But, soon after she got married, the story changed.

To the amazement of many, someone who used to be like a broomstick is now robust. Not only did she add weight, it became so obvious that some people thought she might have taken some pills, and anyone who never knew her would easily assume that she has always been fat.

This story is similar to what many newlyweds experience, especially women. Apart from the attendant weight addition that comes with pregnancy, studies have shown that women, more than men, are likely to experience weight gain after wedding.

The question then is "why do women add more weight after wedding?" There have been many explanations for this, ranging from change in lifestyle, feeding habits and other factors, while some people also argue that semen deposit, occasioned by increased sexual intercourse, could make the woman add weight. The proponents of the latter theory argue that there are certain ingredients in the sperm that could make a woman add weight.

But, in a study by the Ohio State University in the United States, the researchers, who sought to know whether marital change (marriage and divorce) have any effect on weight gain, examined about 10,000 men and women aged between 14 and 22 between 1986 and 2008, to measure their weight gain in the two years after their marriage or divorce.

The participants were asked to comment about their health and noticeable weight changes yearly between the time they got married and about two years after marriage.

The examining showed that women are more likely to put on weight after marriage, while men are more likely to add weight after a divorce. Suprised?  The researchers explained that there is an established relationship between weight and life events.

It was discovered that apart from lifestyle, habits, diet and physical activity, women tend to have less time to exercise so as to keep fit, whilst eating well. They found out that women tend to focus on taking care of their husbands than focussing on themselves, noting that men who are divorcees tend to add more weight largely because of their lifestyle.

The researchers, sociology professor, Zhenchao Qian, and his doctoral student, Dmitry Tumin, said, “Clearly, the effect of marital transitions on weight changes differs by gender. Divorces for men and, to some extent, marriages for women promote weight gains that may be large enough to pose a health risk if unchecked.

“Women may tend to eat more and exercise less after getting married because of the stress of starting a family and maintaining a household, coupled with the more duties they have around the house than men, which also deprive them of time to exercise.

“Marital transitions have an impact on people. There is a shock to these events, and our research shows that men and women deal with them differently. While women are more likely to add weight after marriage, men are more likely to add weight after a divorce because, for example, the wife who forces him to eat green food and helps him to stay off some drinks, is no longer there, giving room for unguided living and feeding style.

“For women in the mid-20s, there is not much of a difference in the probability of gaining weight between someone who just got married and someone who has not married. But later in life, there is much more of a difference. Thus, we found the effects to be strongest among those who were 30 or older at the time they married or divorced.

The researchers found that women are likely to be fatter after marriage because they tend to care less about their appearance unlike when they didn’t have a husband. They note that once women find their kind of man and they end up being married, the motivating factor for keeping in shape tends to drop.

A marriage educator and management consultant, Patty Newbold, on quora.com, observed that many women enjoy cooking for their mates and that they are more likely to eat more than they did before they got married.

Dr. Asha Jain a gynaecologist says when people get married, the comfort of being in a relationship and the associated sense of security make people to add weight. She advises that newlyweds who do not want to add weight after marriage to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.

Commenting on the study, a medical practitioner, Dr. Rotimi Adesanya, notes that though there is no basic medical explanation for the weight gain after wedding, it could be attributed to the settled state of mind at that point in time.

“It is believed that once there is peace, the body tends to work well, and even those who don’t eat much ordinarily are likely to eat more, which is also applicable to men, and in the process, adding weight. But, there is no medical explanation that sexual intercourse or semen has a role to play in the weight gain,” he said.

Also, a consultant endocrinologist, Dr. Michael Olamoyegun, explained that for both men and women, weight gain sometimes come with age even though it tends to go down again, say after 50 years of age.

He added, “Beyond that, most of the hormones responsible for pregnancy are anabolic (associated with weight gain) in nature. So, when they get pregnant, they add weight and most people don’t lose that weight even after pregnancy. Also, some women in this part of the world see weight gain as a sign of affluence.”

He also said that there is no scientific explanation to support the claim that sex or semen could make a woman add weight. He added, “There are no studies to show that, and they are not related. The number of times a woman has sex has nothing to do with her weight. As an expert, I can tell you that there is nothing in sperm that could make a woman add weight.”

To most women, marriage is like a war. They take years preparing for it (keeping fit), immediately the wedding is gone, it could be like winning a war, coupled with the relaxation that comes with being victorious. It’s a time of relaxation, because all the fears and energy-sapping thoughts associated with getting a husband and wedding would have gone, which make them relaxed and put on weight.

Watch yourself, your body is all you have after all. Take care of it and stay in shape.

SALT AND YOUR HEALTH.

Sodium chloride, or table salt, supplies the electrolyte sodium to your diet. This mineral is essential for maintaining fluid balance within your cells, for contracting your muscles and for transmitting nerve impulses. It also plays a critical role in helping your digestive system absorb nutrients. Although you need a significant intake of sodium each day – up to 1,500 milligrams, or the amount contained in 3 grams of salt – most Americans consume far more than this, and ingesting too much salt can lead to adverse side effects.
It is a misconception that sea salt has a lower sodium content than table salt — they are both almost entirely sodium

WATER RETENTION

Sodium is concentrated on the outside of your cells, in contrast with potassium, which exists predominantly inside your cells. The amount of sodium in the extracellular fluid helps determine the amount of water your body retains. If your sodium intake is high, your kidneys cut back on releasing water into your urine so you can balance out the excess sodium surrounding your cells. This results in an increased blood volume due to water retention. Symptoms include edema, or swelling, in various parts of your body.

DEHYDRATION

Water retention can occur with high sodium intake when you are well hydrated; if you are not, however, or if you have a disorder or take medication that causes you to excrete too much water into your urine, you may experience dehydration. In this case, the extra sodium you consume still needs water to balance it out, but without sufficient water in your diet, your body may pull water from within your cells. You may then experience extreme thirst, nausea, dizziness, stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea as your system is unable to rid itself of excess sodium.

HYPERTENSION

Related to its role in maintaining blood volume, sodium can also affect blood pressure. Hormones act on your kidneys to help regulate how much sodium and water they excrete into urine. The higher the sodium level in your blood, the higher your blood volume, because your kidneys excrete less water in order to dilute the sodium in your blood. The increase in blood volume, in turn, raises blood pressure. Ingesting too much sodium, especially over long periods of time, can lead to a chronic increase in blood pressure as your body continually battles to maintain water balance. In addition, long-term overconsumption of sodium can damage the walls of your blood vessels and predispose you to developing high blood pressure, or hypertension.

CONSIDERATIONS

Consuming too much sodium in the presence of other disorders or dietary factors might increase your risk of stomach cancer, kidney stones or osteoporosis. Chronic high salt intake can damage the lining of your stomach, making it more susceptible to infection by Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that can cause inflammation and lead to tumor growth. In addition, consuming excess salt can increase the amount of calcium you excrete in urine and may contribute to the development of kidney stones. This effect is also related to osteoporosis, as your body may leach calcium from your bones to make up for that lost in your urine.
Take your time and read the labels on your packaged foods, this will help you on knowing the amount of salt.

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS (HSV)?

WHAT IS HERPES SIMPLEX?
The herpes simplex virus, also known as HSV, is an infection that causes herpes. Herpes can appear in various parts of the body, most commonly on the genitals or mouth. There are two types of the herpes simplex virus. HSV-1, also known as oral herpes, can cause cold sores and fever blisters around the mouth and on the face. HSV-2 is generally responsible for genital herpes outbreaks.

WHAT CAUSES HERPES SIMPLEX?
The herpes simplex virus is a contagious virus that can be passed from person to person through direct contact. Children will often contract HSV-1 from early contact with an infected adult. They then carry the virus with them for the rest of their life.

Infection with HSV-1 can happen from general interactions such as eating from the same utensils, sharing lip balm, or kissing. The virus spreads more quickly when an infected person is experiencing an outbreak. Additionally, it is possible to get genital herpes from HSV-1 if the individual has had cold sores and performed sexual activities during that time.

HSV-2 is contracted through forms of sexual contact with a person who has HSV-2. It is estimated that around 20 percent of sexually active adults within the United States have been infected with HSV-2, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). (AAD) While HSV-2 infections are spread by coming into contact with a herpes sore, the AAD reports that most people get HSV-1 from an infected person who is asymptomatic, or does not have sores.

WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING HERPES SIMPLEX INFECTIONS?

Anyone can be infected with HSV, regardless of age. Your risk is determined almost entirely based on exposure to the infection.

In cases of sexually transmitted HSV, people are more at risk when they participate in risky sexual behavior without the use of protection, such as condoms. Other risk factors for HSV-2 include:

having multiple sex partners
being female
having another sexually transmitted infection (STI)
having a weakened immune system
If a mother is having an outbreak of genital herpes at the time of childbirth, it can expose the baby to both types of HSV, and may put them at risk for serious complications.

RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS OF HERPES SIMPLEX
It is important to understand that although someone may not have visible sores or symptoms, they may still be infected by the virus and may transmit the virus to others. Some of the symptoms associated with this virus include:

blistering sores (in the mouth or on the genitals)
pain during urination (genital herpes)
itching
Additionally, you may experience many symptoms that are similar to the flu. These symptoms can include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, tiredness, and lack of appetite. HSV can also spread to the eyes, causing a condition called herpes keratitis. This can cause symptoms such as eye pain, discharge, and a gritty feeling in the eye.

HOW IS HERPES SIMPLEX  DIAGNOSED?

This type of virus is generally diagnosed with a physical exam. Your doctor may check your body for sores and ask you about some of your current symptoms. Your doctor may also request HSV testing, also known as a herpes culture, to confirm the diagnosis if you have sores on your genitals. During this test, your doctor will take a swab sample of fluid from the sore and then send it to a laboratory for testing.

Blood tests looking for antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 may also be used to diagnose these infections. This is especially helpful when there are no sores present.

HOW IS HERPES SIMPLEX TREATED?
There is currently no cure for this virus. Treatment focuses on getting rid of sores and limiting outbreaks.

It is possible that your sores will disappear without treatment. However, your doctor may determine that you need one or more of the following medications:

acyclovir
famciclovir
valacyclovir
These medications can help infected individuals reduce the risk of spreading the virus to other people. The medications also help to lower the intensity and frequency of outbreaks. These medications may come in oral (pill) form, or may be applied as a cream. For severe outbreaks, these medications may also be administered by injection.

THE LONG-TERM OUTLOOK FOR HERPES SIMPLEX.
People who become infected with HSV will have the virus for the rest of their lives. Even if it does not manifest symptoms, the virus will continue to live in an infected person’s nerve cells. Some people may experience regular outbreaks. Others will only experience one outbreak after they have been infected, after which the virus may become dormant. Even if a virus is dormant, an outbreak can be triggered by certain stimuli, such as:

stress
menstrual periods
fever or illness
sun exposure or sunburn
It is believed that the outbreaks may become less intense over time because the body starts creating antibodies. If a generally healthy individual has been infected with the virus, there are usually no complications.

PREVENTING THE SPREAD
Although there is no cure for herpes, you can take precautionary measures to avoid becoming infected, or to prevent spreading HSV to another person.

If you are experiencing an outbreak of HSV-1, try to avoid direct physical contact with other people. Do not share any items that can pass the virus around, such as cups, towels, silverware, clothing, makeup, or lip balm. Doctors also recommend that infected individuals should not participate in oral sex, kissing, or any other type of sexual activity, during an outbreak. Additionally, if your hands have come into contact with your sores, you should wash them thoroughly and apply medication with cotton swabs to reduce contact.

Individuals with HSV-2 should avoid any type of sexual activity with other people during an outbreak. If the individual is not experiencing symptoms but has previously been diagnosed with the virus, a condom should be used during intercourse. Although a condom may be used, it may still be possible to pass herpes to your partner from uncovered skin. Women who are pregnant and infected may have to take medicine to prevent the virus from infecting their unborn child.

CLAIMING YOUR OWN.



In a recent conversation, I was telling a woman to pluck up courage and to reach out for a certain good thing for which she had been longing for many years, and which, at last, appeared to be in sight. I told her that it looked as if her desire was about to be gratified - that the Law of Attraction was bringing it to her. She lacked faith, and kept on repeating, "Oh! It's too good to be true - it's too good for me! She had not emerged from the worm-of-the-dust stage, and although she was in sight of the Promised Land she refused to enter it because it "was too good for her." l think  I succeeded in putting sufficient "ginger" into her to enable her to claim her own, for the last reports indicate that she is taking possession.

But that is not what I wish to tell you. I want to call your attention to the fact that nothing is too good for YOU - no matter how great the thing may be - no matter how undeserving you may
seem to be. You are entitled to the best there is, for it is your direct inheritance. So don't be afraid to ask - demand - and take. The good things of the world are not the portion of any favored sons. They belong to all, but they come only to those who are wise enough to recognize that the good things are theirs by right, and who are sufficiently courageous to reach out for them. Many good things are lost for want of the asking. Many splendid things are lost to you because of your feeling that you are unworthy of them. Many great things are lost to you because you lack the confidence and courage to demand and take possession of them.

"None but the brave deserves the fair," says the old adage, and the rule is true in all lines of human effort. If you keep on repeating that you are unworthy of the good thing - that it is too good for you - the Law will be apt to take you at your word and believe what you say. That's a peculiar thing about the Law - it believes - what you say - it takes you in earnest. So beware what you say to it, for it will be apt to give credence. Say to it that you are worthy of the best there is, and that there is nothing too good for you, and you will be likely to have the Law take you in earnest, and say, "I guess he is right; I'm going to give him the whole bakeshop if he wants it - he knows his rights, and what's the use of trying to deny it to him?" But if you say,
"Oh, it's too good for me! The Law will probably say, "Well, I wouldn't wonder but that that is
so. Surely he ought to know, and it isn't for me to contradict him." And so it goes.

Why should anything be too good for you? Did you ever stop to think just what you are? You are a manifestation of the Whole Thing, and have a perfect right to all there is. Or, if you prefer it this way, you are a child of the Infinite, and are heir to it all. You are telling the truth in either statement, or both. At any rate, no matter for what you ask, you are merely demanding your
own. And the more in earnest you are about demanding it - the more confident you are of receiving it - the more will you use in reaching out for it - the surer you will be to obtain it.

Strong desire - confident expectation - courage in action - these things bring to you your own. But before you put these forces into effect, you must awaken to a realization that you are
merely asking for your own, and not for something to which you have no right or claim. So long as there exists in your mind the last sneaking bit of doubt as to your right to the things you want, you will be setting up a resistance to the operation of the Law. You may demand as vigorously as you please, but you will lack the courage to act, if you have a lingering doubt of your right to the thing you want. If you persist in regarding the desired thing as if it belonged to another, instead of to yourself, you will be placing yourself in the position of the covetous or envious man, or even in the position of a tempted thief. In such a case your mind will revolt at proceeding with the work, for it instinctively will recoil from the idea of taking what is not your own - the mind is honest. But when your realize that the best the Universe holds belongs to you as a Divine Heir, and that there is enough for all without your robbing anyone else; then the friction is removed, and the barrier broken down, and the Law proceeds to do its work.

I do not believe in this "humble" business. This meek and lowly attitude does not appeal to me - there is no sense in it, at all. The idea of making a virtue of such things, when Man is the heir of the Universe, and is entitled to whatever he needs for his growth, happiness and satisfaction! I do not mean that one should assume a blustering and domineering attitude of mind - that is also absurd, for true strength does not so exhibit itself. The blusterer is a self-confessed weakling - he blusters to disguise his weakness. The truly strong man is calm, self-contained, and carries with him a consciousness of strength which renders unnecessary the bluster and fuss of assumed strength. But get away from this hypnotism of "humility" - this "meek and lowly" attitude of mind. Remember the horrible example of Uriah Heep, and beware of imitating him. Throw back you head, and look the world square in the face. There's nothing to be afraid of - the world is apt to be as much afraid of you, as yell are of it, anyway. Be a man, or woman, and not a crawling thing. And this applies to your mental attitude, as well as to your outward demeanor. Stop this crawling in your mind. See yourself as standing erect and facing life without fear, and you will gradually grow into your ideal.

There is nothing that is too good for you - not a thing. The best there is, is not beginning to be good enough for you; for there are still better things ahead. The best gift that the world has to offer is a mere bauble compared to the great things in the Cosmos that await your coming of age. So don't be afraid to reach out for these playthings of life - these baubles of this plane of consciousness. Reach out for them - grab a whole fistful - play with them until you are tired; that's what they are made for, anyway. They are made for our express use - not to look at, but to be played with, if you desire. Help yourself - there's a whole shopful of these toys awaiting your desire, demand and taking. Don't be bashful! Don't let me hear any more of this silly talk about things being too good for you. Pshaw! You have been like the Emperor's little son thinking that the tin soldiers and toy drum were far too good for him, and refusing to reach out for them. But you don't find this trouble with children as a rule. They instinctively recognize that nothing is too good for them. They want all that is in sight to play with, and they seem to feel that the things are theirs by right. And that is the condition of mind that we seekers after the Divine Adventure must cultivate. Unless we become as little children we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The things we see around us are the playthings of the Kindergarten of God, playthings which we use in our game-tasks. Help yourself to them - ask for them without bashfulness demand as many as you can make use of - they are yours. And if you don't see just what you want, ask for it - there's a big reserve stock on the shelves, and in the closets. Play, play, play, to your heart's content. Learn to weave mats - to build houses with the blocks - to stitch outlines on the squares - play the game through, and play it well. And demand all the proper materials for the play - don't be bashful - there's enough togo round.

But - remember this! While all this be true, the best things are still only game-things - toys, blocks, mats, cubes, and all the rest. Useful, most useful for the learning of the lessons - pleasant, most pleasant with which to play - and desirable, most desirable, for these purposes. Get all the fun and profit out of the use of things that is possible. Throw yourself heartily into the game, and play it out - it is Good. But, here's the thing to remember - never lose sight of the fact that these good things are but playthings - part of the game - and you must be perfectly willing to lay them aside when the time comes to pass into the next class, and not cry and mourn because you must leave your playthings behind you. Do not allow yourself to become unduly attached to them - they are for your use and pleasure, but are not a part of you - not essential to your happiness in the next stage. Despise them not because of their lack of Reality - they are great things relatively, and you may as well have all the fun out of them that you can - don't be a spiritual prig, standing aside and refusing to join in the game. But do not tie yourself to them - they are good to use and play with, but not good enough to use you and to make you a plaything. Don't let the toys turn the tables on you.

This is the difference between the master of Circumstances and the Slave of Circumstances. The Slave thinks that these playthings are real, and that he is not good enough to have them. He gets only a few toys, because he is afraid to ask for more, and he misses most of the fun. And then, considering the toys to be real, and not realizing that there are plenty more where these came from, he attaches himself to the little trinkets that have come his way, and allows himself to be made a slave of them. He is afraid that they may be taken away from him and he is afraid to toddle across the floor and help himself to the others. The Master knows that all are his for the asking. He demands that which he needs from day to day, and does not worry about over-loading himself; for he knows that there are "lots more," and that he cannot be cheated out of them. He plays, and plays well, and has a good time in the play - and he learns his Kindergarten lessons in the playing. But he does not become too much attached to his toys. He is willing to fling away the worn-out toys, and reach out for a new one. And when he is called into the next room for promotion, he drops on the floor the worn-out toys of the day, and with glistening eyes and confident attitude of mind, marches into the next room - into the Great Unknown - with a smile on his face. He is not afraid, for he hears the voice of the Teacher, and knows that she is there waiting for him - in that Great Next Room.

12 KIND OF PEOPLE YOU MUST NEVER MARRY.

Easiest time to prevent a divorce or an unhappy marriage is before marriage, not after. There is no gain saying that love can have such a drunken effect on the about-to-wed that clear danger signals become unimportant to them, while hope becomes the only commodity. After all, is it not said that love conquers all? Great! But what type of love is meant there?

There are traits that some people cannot drop. It is like hoping that a right-handed spouse will one day become left-handed: a classical case of waiting for God!

If you are looking for a wife or a husband, please be wary of these groups of people.

Those who can never say, “sorry”

They would hurt you, annoy you, disappoint you, but would never apologise, because they believe that it would belittle and demean them. When you are wrong, you apologise to them, and when you are right, you still apologise to them, hoping that they would change. But they never do. You start to feel irritated and agitated. The love and respect you felt for them start to wear away.

Those who can never say, “Thank you”

Whatever you do for them, they are never grateful. “Why should I say, ‘Thank you’ when you are just doing your duty?” Some would say that their gratitude is in their heart. Do you have to open a heart to see the gratitude and get it? Such an attitude causes irritation and frustration and unhappiness.

Such people also believe the world owes them a lot. They go around their activities with an entitlement mentality. They are difficult to please.

Those who have excessive libido or inadequate libido

Sexual intercourse is a very important factor in marriage, but when you have a spouse that needs it for breakfast, lunch and supper, it is difficult to have any peace in the family. Infidelity also knocks on door. On the other hand, when you have a spouse that hates sex or thinks that sex should only be had once a year during the wedding anniversary or birthday celebration, there is also trouble in the house, and infidelity is usually a challenge.

Men who think women are to be seen but not heard

Some men still live in the 18th century, in spite of the depth of education they profess. It is true that marriage is not a zone for feminist crusade, but if a man has archaic views about women, then, please avoid him like an Ebola patient. Watch out for statements like: “How can an ordinary woman want to be the CEO?” “How can a woman chat with men?”

Women who believe they don’t need men in their lives

Such women believe that they are self-sufficient in all things. They have the I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude. Men feel ill at ease when they are with women who don’t allow a room in their lives for a man to fill. Such women find it difficult to express love. They fly into quarrels easily. This creates frustration and conflicts.

Men who are looking for housemaids, not wives

These are men who still live in the 15th century. They have an archaic idea of what the role of wives is. They believe that women are only meant to cook, clean the house, bear children, and serve the men.

They believe that when the men talk, women must just obey. The man can keep mistresses, but the woman should keep quiet and not even be seen greeting a man. A woman should not work, should not step out of the house, and should not complain whatever the man doles out to her.

Those who can never trust anybody

These are those who believe that everybody is a dangerous enemy that has evil designs against them. They have an obsession with fear of people, including their spouse, that it is irritating. Once a spouse cannot be trusted, there can never be joy in the family.

Those who have no respect for others

People can mouth love, but without respect, a marriage can never be happy. Women who love to prove a point by insulting their husbands, or men who believe in treating their wives without dignity in the name of cutting their wives to size: such people make terrible marriage partners.

Women who see all men as competition that must not be given an inch

Marriage is not a place for activism. A woman who sees a man as a competitor rather than a complement is a dangerous person to marry. When a man has to contend with a woman every minute, when a man is always too conscious of what to say or do to his wife, then there is a problem.

Those who can’t control their temper

Hot-tempered people are dangerous. They can utter anything in anger. They can do things that they will regret for life. They can be violent. Their words can be venomous. They can put you in trouble.

Those who cannot forgive

Forgiveness makes us look superhuman. But there are those who cannot forgive, no matter the circumstances. Not only can they not forgive, they can also not forget. Because they can’t forgive, they usually think of how to get revenge.

Those who have not been weaned by their parents

Age has little to do with maturity in marriage. Those who have not been “weaned” by their parents make poor marriage partners. They are full of “Mummy said”, “Daddy said”. They take every family discussion to their parents. They cannot do anything unless their parents approve. They allow their parents to run their homes in the name of showing respect to the mother-in-law or father-in-law.

Those who are tied to the apron strings of their parents make marriage tasteless. Such spouses are as a constant source of frustration and sadness. You will always be wrong. You will always be vilified.

In summary, marriage is not a bed of roses. There is nobody without some faults or idiosyncrasies. But it is foolhardy to walk into a landmine with one’s eyes open, praying and hoping that the explosive would not go off.

To avoid heartache, neither blind love nor desperation to get married should push a bachelor or spinster to jump into a marriage with someone that will cause nothing but pain, sadness, and sorrow.

EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE (EVD)

EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE (EVD)

Key facts:

Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus.
Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.
Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.

Genus Ebolavirus is 1 of 3 members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus), along with genus Marburgvirus and genus Cuevavirus. Genus Ebolavirus comprises 5 distinct species:

Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)
Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)
Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)
Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV).
BDBV, EBOV, and SUDV have been associated with large EVD outbreaks in Africa, whereas RESTV and TAFV have not. The RESTV species, found in Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, can infect humans, but no illness or death in humans from this species has been reported to date.

TRANSMISSION

Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.

Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness.

Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced.

Among workers in contact with monkeys or pigs infected with Reston ebolavirus, several infections have been documented in people who were clinically asymptomatic. Thus, RESTV appears less capable of causing disease in humans than other Ebola species.

However, the only available evidence available comes from healthy adult males. It would be premature to extrapolate the health effects of the virus to all population groups, such as immuno-compromised persons, persons with underlying medical conditions, pregnant women and children. More studies of RESTV are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the pathogenicity and virulence of this virus in humans.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS.

EVD is a severe acute viral illness often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.

People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. Ebola virus was isolated from semen 61 days after onset of illness in a man who was infected in a laboratory.

The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms, is 2 to 21 days.

DIAGNOSIS.

Other diseases that should be ruled out before a diagnosis of EVD can be made include: malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, cholera, leptospirosis, plague, rickettsiosis, relapsing fever, meningitis, hepatitis and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.

Ebola virus infections can be diagnosed definitively in a laboratory through several types of tests:

antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
antigen detection tests
serum neutralization test
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
electron microscopy
virus isolation by cell culture.
Samples from patients are an extreme biohazard risk; testing should be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.

VACCINE AND TREATMENT.

No licensed vaccine for EVD is available. Several vaccines are being tested, but none are available for clinical use.

Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.

No specific treatment is available. New drug therapies are being evaluated.

NATURAL HOST OF EBOLA VIRUS.

In Africa, fruit bats, particularly species of the genera Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata, are considered possible natural hosts for Ebola virus. As a result, the geographic distribution of Ebolaviruses may overlap with the range of the fruit bats.

EBOLA VIRUS ON ANIMALS.

Although non-human primates have been a source of infection for humans, they are not thought to be the reservoir but rather an accidental host like human beings. Since 1994, Ebola outbreaks from the EBOV and TAFV species have been observed in chimpanzees and gorillas.

RESTV has caused severe EVD outbreaks in macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) farmed in Philippines and detected in monkeys imported into the USA in 1989, 1990 and 1996, and in monkeys imported to Italy from Philippines in 1992.

Since 2008, RESTV viruses have been detected during several outbreaks of a deadly disease in pigs in People’s Republic of China and Philippines. Asymptomatic infection in pigs has been reported and experimental inoculations have shown that RESTV cannot cause disease in pigs.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL.

Controlling Reston ebolavirus in domestic animals
No animal vaccine against RESTV is available. Routine cleaning and disinfection of pig or monkey farms (with sodium hypochlorite or other detergents) should be effective in inactivating the virus.

If an outbreak is suspected, the premises should be quarantined immediately. Culling of infected animals, with close supervision of burial or incineration of carcasses, may be necessary to reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission. Restricting or banning the movement of animals from infected farms to other areas can reduce the spread of the disease.

As RESTV outbreaks in pigs and monkeys have preceded human infections, the establishment of an active animal health surveillance system to detect new cases is essential in providing early warning for veterinary and human public health authorities.

Reducing the risk of Ebola infection in people
In the absence of effective treatment and a human vaccine, raising awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take is the only way to reduce human infection and death.

In Africa, during EVD outbreaks, educational public health messages for risk reduction should focus on several factors:

Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.
Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature of the disease and about outbreak containment measures, including burial of the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried.
Pig farms in Africa can play a role in the amplification of infection because of the presence of fruit bats on these farms. Appropriate biosecurity measures should be in place to limit transmission. For RESTV, educational public health messages should focus on reducing the risk of pig-to-human transmission as a result of unsafe animal husbandry and slaughtering practices, and unsafe consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn when handling sick animals or their tissues and when slaughtering animals. In regions where RESTV has been reported in pigs, all animal products (blood, meat and milk) should be thoroughly cooked before eating.

Controlling infection in health-care settings
Human-to-human transmission of the Ebola virus is primarily associated with direct or indirect contact with blood and body fluids. Transmission to health-care workers has been reported when appropriate infection control measures have not been observed.

It is not always possible to identify patients with EBV early because initial symptoms may be non-specific. For this reason, it is important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients – regardless of their diagnosis – in all work practices at all times. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (according to the risk of splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus should apply, in addition to standard precautions, other infection control measures to avoid any exposure to the patient’s blood and body fluids and direct unprotected contact with the possibly contaminated environment. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with EBV, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from suspected human and animal Ebola cases for diagnosis should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

WHO RESPONSE

WHO provides expertise and documentation to support disease investigation and control.

Recommendations for infection control while providing care to patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola haemorrhagic fever are provided in: Interim infection control recommendations for care of patients with suspected or confirmed Filovirus (Ebola, Marburg) haemorrhagic fever, March 2008. This document is currently being updated.

WHO has created an aide–memoire on standard precautions in health care (currently being updated). Standard precautions are meant to reduce the risk of transmission of bloodborne and other pathogens. If universally applied, the precautions would help prevent most transmission through exposure to blood and body fluids.

Standard precautions are recommended in the care and treatment of all patients regardless of their perceived or confirmed infectious status. They include the basic level of infection control—hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment to avoid direct contact with blood and body fluids, prevention of needle stick and injuries from other sharp instruments, and a set of environmental controls.