Pathways to Healing Lung cancer starts in the lungs but can spread to other regions of the body. While there is no single cure, there are different treatment options that can be used. In this article, we will look at treatment options, as well as symptoms of lung cancer Roughly 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer. While smoking can increase the likelihood of getting a diagnosis, non-smokers are not exempt from this condition. There are many different causes of lung cancer, and people of all ages can be diagnosed. Unfortunately, there is no specific cure for lung cancer. Beating cancer is a little more complicated than taking a few pills or going to a doctor’s office. The disease is more serious and requires more intense intervention techniques. Different Lung Cancer Treatment Options Depending on the progression of the cancer and the patient's general health, a physician may recommend several treatment options. Know that with all treatment options, there is a risk of harsh side effects and a chance that the treatment does not work. Still, these are the best options when it comes to defeating lung cancer, with increased chances of success in cases of early detection. Treatments can be used in combination with one another, or as a standalone option depending on the particular case. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy has been one of the most common treatment options for a long time. It works by using strong chemicals that target rapidly dividing cells. When introduced into your body, chemotherapy drugs will attack all rapidly dividing cells. Unfortunately, these drugs cannot differentiate between cancer cells and healthy cells that just happen to be dividing. The side effects of such treatments can be unpleasant, but most reverse when the treatment ends or can be reduced during the treatment. Common side effects include: Nausea/vomiting. Hair loss. Mouth sores. Pain. Bowel disturbances (diarrhea/ constipation). Loss of appetite. Bruising easily. [youmaylike] Harsher and potentially permanent side effects include: Organ damage (heart, lung, kidneys). Nerve damage. Infertility. Heightened risk of a second cancer. Side effects will also vary depending on the type of drug that is used in your treatment and the way you “take in” the drug. The most common chemotherapy drugs for lung cancer include the following: Afatinib. Bevacizumab. Ceritinib. Crizotinib. Erlotinib. Chemotherapy for lung cancer can be done in the following ways: Injected: Most often this is administered through infusions (IV) but can be given through shots. Implanted: Thin wafers containing the drug can be inserted directly into the site of a tumor or surgery. Pills: Pills and capsules containing the drug are sometimes available. Radiation Radiation is another treatment method. Radiation therapy uses beams of energy to damage cells in targeted regions of the body. The intense energy beams aim at precise locations in the body and damage the cells in that region. While this, unfortunately, means that healthy cells will also be attacked, they are often able to “bounce back” from the damage where cancer cells will be killed. As it is a targeted treatment, side effects are often limited to the region in which the treatment was applied. This means that patients can expect skin problems in the area of application as well as fatigue; these are mostly short-term side effects. Specific side effects characterized by treatments aimed at the chest include: Breast soreness. Stiff shoulders. Difficulties swallowing. Respiratory problems. Radiation fibrosis (permanent lung scarring). There is a low chance of developing long-term side effects, such as the development of a second cancer, as an effect of radiation exposure. Surgery If the cancer is caught early enough, then it can be treated by removing the cancerous tissue at the initial site. The operation can only be successful if the cancer has not yet spread to other regions of the body. The side effects of this treatment will depend on the depth of the removal, the nature of the removed tissue, and its size. For example, removing a tiny bit of the lung will not be as hard to recover from as removing a large piece. Other Lung Cancer Treatment Options Other treatments are being developed that aim to keep the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation treatments without the harsh side effects. While some remain experimental, recently emerging treatments, such as immunotherapy, offer the potential to battle lung cancer. Talk to a licensed care physician to get the most valuable recommendations on which cancer treatment is right for you. Everybody has a different experience and treatments are decided on a case-by-case basis.
What Triggers Seizures?
This article will explore the common triggers of seizures, as well as a treatment option like FINTEPLA, a prescription medicine used to treat seizures associated with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Dravet syndrome (DS) is a severe form of epilepsy characterized by frequent, prolonged seizures often triggered by high body temperature.
What is a Seizure?
The brain, comprising of nerve cells, communicates and functions by transmitting electrical activity from one nerve cell to another. This is how we are able to think, move and feel. When there is a disruption in electrical activity, this can affect our thoughts, feelings and movements. A seizure is an uncontrolled surge of electrical activity by the brain, which leads to changes in consciousness and involuntary movement of our muscles.
Seizures not only disrupt electrical activity but also disrupt oxygen transport and delivery. This is why, even though seizures usually resolve on their own, the aim is to prevent them from happening. Repeated seizures and seizures that occur for a prolonged period of time can lead to irreversible complications. The brain is one of the organs that continuously needs oxygen, and permanent brain damage can be observed in just minutes without an adequate oxygen supply. In severe cases, this can be life-threatening.
Seizure Symptoms
Seizures may present in various ways. The classic presentation of a person experiencing a seizure includes:
- Eyes that are rolled upward.
- Arms and legs exhibiting stiffening or jerking movements. This is due to the disruption in brain activity, which affects the muscles of the body.
- Sitting still and staring.
- Small, twitching movements in the fingers or face.
- A sudden stop in breathing or changes in breathing patterns.
- Loss of bowel and bladder control can lead someone to soiling themselves.
What Triggers a Seizure?
Once a seizure begins, there is little that can be done except wait for the seizure to cease or take the person to the nearest health facility. However, some seizures are more likely to occur under certain circumstances, wherein a pattern can be noted. In some cases, these situations can trigger a seizure, with increased chances of it happening. For people who have recurrent seizures, identifying these seizure triggers is helpful in seeing if a seizure might possibly happen and when these factors are removed, can the seizure be prevented. The following section discusses some common seizure triggers.
1. Stress
Although there are still debates as to whether or not stress can really trigger seizures, it is one of the most common factors perceived by people who experience recurrent seizures. Studies show that during periods of stress, there is an increase in the frequency of seizures experienced by patients with epilepsy. It is hypothesized that it can be due to the release of cortisol, which has excitatory properties that can further contribute to the occurrence of seizures.
2. Sleep Problems
Sleep problems have also been considered as another seizure trigger. Lack of sleep and disrupted sleep were found to contribute to the occurrence of seizures, even in the absence of other triggers or factors. Poor quality of sleep has also been perceived by patients to trigger some seizures, although data is not as strong compared to the quantity of sleep. Sleep deprivation as a seizure trigger is due to its effect on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. Some studies show that treatment of sleep problems also results in fewer occurrences of seizures.
3. Flashing Lights and Bright Lights
Exposure to bright lights or flashes of light can also cause seizures. This occurs in around
3% of people with epilepsy. This kind of epilepsy is called photosensitive epilepsy.
Examples of light sources that can trigger seizures include:
- Light from television screens or computer monitors.
- Strobe lights.
- Flashing lights in vehicles.
- Natural light or sunlight.
Avoiding these can be helpful in reducing the occurrence of seizures in susceptible patients.
When seeing a seizure, it can look scary at first. Most people panic when they see someone experiencing a seizure episode. However, knowing how to deal with this medical situation and knowing how to identify seizure triggers can be extremely helpful and lifesaving.
In Conclusion
Seizures are one of the most well-documented symptoms everyone is familiar with. It is one of the symptoms commonly shown in movies and shows and the most common acute neurologic problem in the U.S. Data shows that around 1 in 10 people will have a seizure not caused by an injury, such as a concussion, illness, or infection. This might make you ask, “What triggers seizures?” First, you need to understand that recurrent seizures, also known as epilepsy, are the third most common serious neurologic disorder and occur in 1 in 26 people. Around 3.4 million Americans live with this condition.
Although many people know what a seizure is, not everyone knows what to do when it happens, and even fewer know that some seizures can be anticipated or preempted. Knowing when a seizure will occur is important to prepare appropriately, and in some cases, even prevent seizures from happening. This article will discuss what a seizure is, what the symptoms of a seizure are and what triggers seizures.