Artherosclerosis, Oedema, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Diabetes Mellitus

What Is Atherosclerosis Heart Disease?

Atherosclerosis (ath-er-o-skler-O-sis) is a disease in which plaque (plak) builds up inside your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body.

Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your arteries, limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body. This can lead to serious problems, including stroke, or even death.

Artherosclerosis formation

What Is Oedema?

Oedema is the medical term for fluid retention in the body.

It occurs when there is a build-up of fluid (mainly water) in the body's tissues, causing swelling to occur in the affected area. As well as swelling or puffiness of the skin, oedema can cause:

• skin discolouration
• fluid-filled areas of skin that temporarily hold the imprint of your finger when pressed (known as pitting oedema)
• aching, tender limbs
• stiff joints
• weight gain or weight loss
• raised blood pressure and pulse rate

Oedema is often a symptom of an underlying condition. It can also be caused by a variety of factors such as high salt intake in the diet or being immobile for long periods of time and of course because of the problems with the lymphatic system of ones.

Oedema patient

What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones and makes them susceptible to fracture. Literally translated, osteoporosis means “bone that is porous” (osteo= bone and porosis= porous). This disease affects both men and women; however, 80% of those affected are women. This may be because women generally have smaller bones than men, and because at menopause women lose their estrogen protection, which is a major contributor to bone strength.

Comparison between healthy bone and person with osteoporosis

The most common locations where breaks occur are the hip, spine, and wrist. Fractures due to osteoporosis of the spine usually affect women after the age of 50, while fractures of the hip start later, usually in the 70′s. Not only can these fractures be associated with pain, but also with limitation in movement. The decrease in mobility that can occur leads to further deconditioning, which in turn further weakens muscles and bones. In addition, the constant pain and reduced mobility caused by these fractures can lead to clinical depression.

What Is Arthritis?

 Arthritis is a term that includes a group of disorders that affect your joints and muscles. There are more than 100 diseases that cause pain, stiffness and swelling from the inflammation of a joint or the area around joints. Arthritis symptoms include joint pain, inflammation and limited movement of joints. When a joint is inflamed it may be swollen, tender, warm to the touch or red. The three basic types of arthritis that may cause knee and hip pain: osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis (most commonly rheumatoid arthritis), and traumatic arthritis.

Arthritis patient hands's

For most people arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided as the body ages. In fact, most people over the age of 50 show some signs of arthritis. Arthritis can be managed through a combination of medication, exercise, rest, weight-management, nutrition, and, in some cases, surgery. Your doctor can tell if you have arthritis through blood tests and x-rays. He or she will then be able to help you decide on the best treatment for your case.

What Is "Diabetes mellitus"

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the pancreas no longer produces sufficient insulin or cells stop responding to the insulin which is produced, so which glucose in the blood cannot be engrossed in to the cells of the body.