Hospital worker with dangerous condition helps to raise awareness

11:00am Thursday 10th May 2012 in Bradford by Claire Lomax

Cath Seal in her mobility scooter, which she bought after being diagnosed with vasculitis

ing a national drive during May to raise awareness of vasculitis – a rare disease which can kill.

The awareness month is being led by Vasculitis UK, which supports sufferers.

Cath Seal, 47, who works at Airedale Hospital near Steeton, has spoken about her diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome – a form of vasculitis, as part of the campaign.

Vasculitis is the overall name for a group of potentially life-threatening diseases. it involves an overactive immune system and inflammation of the blood vessels, which can cause blockages and death of tissue.

different types of vasculitis can cause loss of sight, deafness, kidney failure, skin scarring and damage to lungs, the brain, nervous system and the heart and ultimately loss of body parts. The cause is not known and there is no cure, but it can usually be controlled by drugs such as steroids and immune suppressants.

some of the common symptoms include: flu-like with muscle and joint pains; fever; unexplained weight loss, ulcers that do not go away; immense fatigue; palpitations; weakness in limbs; sinus problems; persistent cough and shortness of breath.

John Mills, chairman of Vasculitis UK, said: “Vasculitis affects people of all ages and both sexes. it can cause serious illness, even death, if not dealt with promptly. The problem is the symptoms are easily confused with other illness and so the disease can go unrecognised for a long time.”

The charity will be launching a ‘route map’ for the disease at its annual meeting on Thursday, May 17 which has been commissioned and funded by the Department of Health as part of an encyclopaedia of rare diseases useful for health professionals and patients.

Vasculitis UK is revamping its website this month – vasculitis.org.uk – and has recently set up an online discussion group for members at vasculitis-uk.healthunlocked.com.

it also runs a Facebook page, email and telephone helpline for vasculitis patients every week. Contact pat.fearnside@btinternet.com for more information.

Cath Seal is slowly returning to work eight months after being diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome – a form of vasculitis.

She has had to buy an automatic car and have it adapted as she has completely lost the sensation in her right foot due to the disease. Her job requires her to get around the large site of Airedale Hospital and so she has bought a scooter to make sure she is mobile. She still takes high doses of drugs to keep the disease under control and is under the care of Airedale Hospital’s rheumatology team.

The 47-year-old had suffered from allergies including rhinitis for a long time and they had recently got much worse causing her to have regular sneezing fits. then she suddenly developed asthma in February and had a flu virus which lasted for a couple of months leaving her totally wiped out. She developed sciatic pain after going on holiday to Turkey last September which grew worse.

She said: “I was lucky as they caught my disease early. it came to light in a blood test which showed that my cells, which were supposed to be attacking foreign bodies as part of my natural immune system, were actually attacking healthy cells.

“The problem with vasculitis is that it is incredibly difficult to diagnose as it can affect many parts of your body.

“Because it is such a rare disease most health professionals have never even heard of it. this does make it very scary and difficult to get accurate information about the disease. I recently went along to the Yorkshire support groups held in Doncaster – and was impressed by what a wonderful job is being done by a few dedicated volunteers who run Vasculitis UK.”

Question by Aztec Soldier: Landon Donovan has the swine flu what do you think about that?

mediotiempo.com/futbol/internacional/noticias/2009/08/13/landon-donovan-tiene-influenza-h1n1

NOTICE: he got it in the US before he travel to Mexico

Best answer:

Answer by Bungalow Billreally?that’s a pity, he’s the best player of US

What do you think? Answer below!

Related Posts:

Tagged with: about • Donovan • Landon • Swine • think

Filed under: Cold flu

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!

Lyme disease and its symptoms are classified into multiple stages, the first stage is considered to be the early stage, the next is considered to be the second stage, the last and third stage is officially known as chronic Lyme disease.

To learn more about chronic Lyme disease symptoms, please go to lymediseaseblog.com/lyme-disease-symptoms/.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted through a tick bite, which can normally be treated with antibiotics. if not treated immediately or the disease remains without medication, then in such cases infection can cause complications and long term disabilities. to help you avoid this unwanted condition, it helps a lot to be aware of the stages, from early to chronic Lyme disease symptoms.

First signs and symptoms

If you are bitten by an infected tick, the early stage of Lyme disease lasts for four weeks after. A red, circular rash that looks like a bull’s eye may be one of the symptoms associated with chronic Lyme disease. The red rash is called erythema migrans. It is wise to look for any symptoms after a tick bite because not everyone develops the rash. you may experience flu-like symptoms including headache, muscle ache, fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes. you should promptly consult your physician prior to the beginning of symptoms once you are sure have bitten by a tick.

When there is a delay in the treatment of Lyme disease, or no symptoms present in the early stage of the disease, it can transition to the second stage. this usually occurs between one to four months after the tick bite. The symptoms during this stage include joint pains, headaches, muscle pains, numbness in the arms and legs, fainting, fatigue, low concentration, memory loss and conjunctivitis.

Third stage, or Chronic Lyme disease

Lyme disease can become chronic especially in the elderly or have poor health. this later stage in Lyme disease could also be caused by very late diagnosis and treatment of the infection or persistent infection despite medication. In this period, symptoms are actually quite serious, including:

* Arthritis-With advanced Lyme disease, it is possible to develop arthritis. you will experience redness, swelling, and pain in your joints, as well as stiffness of your shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees, as well as in smaller joints.

* During the second stage, you will find your neurological problems may increase. you may feel more severe numbness in your arms, legs, and in other parts of your body, accompanied with itching and burning sensation. there may be more headaches, and there could be problems talking, remembering things and feelings of depression, anxiousness and panic. Additional neurological indications could be Bell’s Palsy, or facial nerve paralysis, and aseptic meningitis.

* Conditions which are serious symptoms and are a part of chronic Lyme disease include heart inflammation, visual dysfunction causing blurred vision, chronic fatigue, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), abdominal pain, pelvic pain, irregular heartbeat rate, hearing loss,urinary frequency,shortness of breath, fever, sweats, Diarrhea and irritable bowel

Most studies do not indicate that death is common in Lyme disease cases Lyme disease is not life-threatening, but it’s symptoms and complications can be very serious. you need to know what signs to watch for at the beginning so you can get treatment right away and then you won’t have undesired permanent results.

Make sure to explore other articles in the Alternative Medicine category or contact us to suggest a website or a service to review.

What cause it?
What are the symptoms of Malaria?
Where in the world can you get it?
What is the treatment?
How can you prevent it?

Go to malariahotspots.co.uk – tells you all you need to know.

look it up.

Malaria is a serious, infectious disease spread by certain kinds of mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills , headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. People around the world get it every year. Mefloquine is used to treat malaria. Avoid going outdoors without protection in the evening, when mosquitoes are typically more active. Medicine is also available to help prevent malaria.

search.yahoo.com/search?p=Malaria…