Best Prostate Cancer Treatment
Prostate Cancer Treatments
Of the prostate cancer treatments available, your doctor will recommend the treatment option that is best for you. The decision will depend on your overall health and how far advanced your cancer is. If the treatment recommended for you is not something you’re comfortable with, for instance you may not be comfortable with external beam radiation therapy; you can give your doctor your opinion. It’s important that you are at ease with the decision. Discuss it with your family as well, particularly the possible side effects and cure rate.
Oncologists specialize in certain fields. The one you are referred to will be a specialist in the treatment prescribed for you.
Watching and Waiting
The first strategy in most treatment plans is watching and waiting. The signs and symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer are also indications of other problems such as an infection in or close to your prostate. Watching and waiting is to determine which condition your symptoms are from.
During this period, blood samples will be tested for PSA levels and tissue samples may be sent for a biopsy.Elevated levels of the prostate specific antigen may point to a less serious medical problem. This is why a tissue sample may be taken; to verify or to rule out the presence of cancer. Remember that early treatment usually has a better possibility of cure.
Surgery
Men who are the best candidates for prostate cancer surgery are the ones most likely to achieve a successful recovery from the procedure. These are men with good overall health and who do not have secondary conditions that may interfere with recovery like heart problems. Surgery can lead to some serious side effects including incontinence and impotence.
Radiation
There are 3 different types of radiation therapies. External beam therapy is typically a stream of X-rays aimed at your pelvis from a device outside the body. The X-rays burn away cancer cells through repeated treatments over several weeks.
An alternative external beam therapy is Proton Beam Therapy. Instead of using X-rays, protons, which are charged particles or ions, are streamed at your pelvis, again from a device outside your body.
Brachytherapy is the introduction of several radioactive seeds directly into your prostate. They are implanted with a series of injections while you are under a general anesthetic.
All of the radiation treatments above work on the principle of burning cancer cells away with high energy particles. Radiation treatment can take place over time, and is subject to the same side effects as surgery. Read the rest of this entry »
All About Medical Clinics
Posted by admin in Clinic Health on May 11, 2012
One of the most important advancements in the world that have taken place in the past 100 years is the advancement of medical science and the treatments that are now available to treat a wide variety of diseases that in past times almost certainly meant death or permanent disability. Medical care has now reached one of its best states in the history of human civilization with new treatments being available every single day and further more advanced versions of existing cures coming out almost every other day, with each new method making sure that there are even fewer side effects and even quicker relief from symptoms.
Medical clinics are the forefront of this modern medical revolution. These are the places where the majority of cases are seen and dealt with on a daily basis so that people can have the best possible health and stay in the best possible shape. Medical clinics are like a smaller version of fully fledged hospitals and are hence the initial choice for people who are sick as they are much more numerous and easier to access than hospitals. Clinics can also be for emergency purposes wherein they provide patients with crucial first aid that is necessary to keep them alive till they get to a hospital. Read the rest of this entry »
Benefits of Natural Supplements
Posted by admin in Supplements on May 10, 2012
For decades mankind has been dumping all sorts of toxins and chemicals into the environment. Finally, someone got smart, and such federal legislation as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act were enacted. However, there are still many questionable and unnatural ingredients can be found in our food, health supplements and medications. There has been an ongoing debate about natural vs. synthetic vitamins going on for years. Natural brands omit the artificial colors which is a positive thing. Natural forms of vitamins and other natural health supplements are usually superior to synthetic forms. For example, Vitamin E’s natural form is D-alpha tocopherol and the synthetic form is DL-alpha tocopherol. Evidence has shown that the natural D-alpha form is much more useful to the body than the synthetic DL-alpha form. Be sure to read the label to see what you have.
In an effort to get healthier, many people have started to exercise and eat right. A part of this quest to achieve a healthier lifestyle often includes weight loss supplements. Synthetic weight loss pills have been shown to have numerous side effects that may be harmful. Natural Supplements are safe for long term use simply because they are composed of natural herbs and other ingredients. But artificial diet pills may have chemical ingredients that can cause unpleasant side effects, and some of those may be fatal. Synthetic diet pills have been shown to cause high blood pressure, racing heart beats, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, insomnia, nervousness and depression. These and other symptoms can be avoided by using natural supplements as an alternative. Read the rest of this entry »