The Effects of COPD on the Lungs

As a chronic disease affecting the respiratory system, COPD can impact your quality of life. This condition affects the lungs in several ways, which can lead to various side effects. Thankfully, COPD can generally be prevented and successfully treated by your doctor when it’s identified in its early stages. 

A COPD Overview

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an inflammatory lung disease. It obstructs the flow of air from the lungs, leading to symptoms including coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and mucus production. 

The most common cause of COPD is tobacco smoking. In developing countries, COPD is often caused by exposure to fumes from burning fuel in homes lacking ventilation. 

The Effects of COPD on the Lungs

COPD causes inflammation in the airways of the lungs. Eventually, these airways thicken and become less elastic. As a result, when you exhale, some air remains trapped in the lungs. With COPD, it’s more difficult for the body to expel carbon dioxide, which is a waste gas. 

The inflammation of the lungs’ airways can irritate the nerves in the lungs. This irritation causes coughing as the body tries to force air out through the airways. 

The Effects of COPD From Bronchitis

Patients with COPD caused by bronchitis experience increased mucus production in the airways of the lungs. As a result of irritation in these airways, the mucus can accumulate, especially overnight. This buildup of mucus in the lungs is why many people with COPS cough a lot in the morning. 

The Effects of COPD From Emphysema

In patients with COPD caused by emphysema, the tiny air sacs that transfer oxygen into the blood, called alveoli, can become destroyed. This causes the development of bullae, which are large air pockets in the lungs. Since the bullae can’t transfer oxygen to the body and inhibit the elasticity of normal lung tissue, they can significantly inhibit the normal function of the lungs.  

If you’re experiencing symptoms of COPD or general respiratory discomfort, schedule an appointment at Florida Wellness Medical Group for an evaluation today!

Heart Disease: What Are the Differences in Men and Women?

Heart disease is a term used to describe any condition that impacts the heart or its blood vessels. Since heart disease comes in many forms, it can vary greatly from person to person. That said, there are several notable differences in heart disease in men when compared to heart disease in women. This article will discuss these differences and how they impact the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

Heart Disease Symptoms

Men and women often experience significantly different symptoms of heart disease. Specifically, women are far more likely to have abnormal symptoms of a heart attack, such as:

  • Back, neck, jaw, throat, or abdominal pain
  • Indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Sweating

A higher likelihood of having atypical heart attack symptoms can present challenges for the diagnosis of women with heart disease. These symptoms may be more understated and difficult to identify. 

Cholesterol Plaque Buildup

Another key difference in heart disease for men vs. women is in the areas in which cholesterol plaque accumulates. Men most often experience cholesterol buildup in the largest arteries, which deliver blood to the heart. Women, on the other hand, have a higher chance of having cholesterol build up in the microvasculature, which are the smallest blood vessels of the heart. This shows that cholesterol plaque buildup isn’t the only factor in the development of heart disease for men and women and inflammation is also a key contributor to the development of heart disease.  

Heart Disease Risk Factors

There are several risk factors for heart disease that apply to both men and women, including obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and family history. However, some heart disease risk factors mainly impact women far more often than men. These include:

  • Increased hypertension during menopause
  • Autoimmune diseases, which are more prevalent among women
  • High-stress levels or chronic stress
  • High levels of testosterone before menopause
  • Depression, which is more common among women

Improving awareness of the symptoms and risk factors of heart disease can help prevent it among both men and women. Visit Florida Wellness Medical Group to learn more about your heart disease risk today. 

How Often Should Men Have a Prostate Screening?

As one of the most common types of cancer among men, prostate cancer is routinely screened for. This type of cancer is highly treatable when identified early, which further increases the importance of regular prostate screenings. 

Understanding the right time to start having prostate screenings will help you protect your health as you age. Here, we’ll discuss prostate screenings and how often men should undergo them. 

Understanding Prostate Screenings

Prostate screenings are intended to detect prostate cancer in men. The main type of prostate screening is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, though some doctors also perform digital rectal examinations or DREs. 

  • PSA test

The PSA test is a blood test that measures the amount in the blood; PSA and is often found in higher amounts in the blood of men with prostate cancer. However, other prostate conditions can also cause elevated PSA levels. 

  • DRE

A DRE involves your doctor inserting a finger into the rectum to identify abnormalities, which may indicate prostate cancer. 

Timing and Frequency of Prostate Screenings

Men typically don’t need to undergo prostate screenings until the age of 40. Men who are found to have a PSA level of under 2.5 ng/mL may only need retested every two years. However, men with PSA levels over 2.5 ng/mL should undergo prostate screenings every year. 

If levels of PSA start to increase with each retest, your doctor will likely recommend that you undergo a follow-up test or even a biopsy. This is because rising levels of PSA in the blood are a potential sign of prostate cancer.  

Your doctor will consider your overall health and wellbeing, not just your age when making decisions about your prostate screening. To schedule an appointment with one of our skilled medical providers, contact Florida Wellness Medical Group today. 

Cell testing for disease prevention

The popular saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, has never been more true! Early detection of illness is now possible through cell testing technology. Our health data is stored in our blood cells. By analyzing various markers at a cellular level we can detect diseases that have not yet symptomatically manifested.  Detection of disease and illness before they become an issue is at the heart of holistic health and disease prevention.

Who should undergo screening

Cell level testing is appropriate for everyone! People of all ages can benefit from early detection of potential threats. By identifying imbalances early on, patients, physicians, and caregivers can better regulate and manage health.

It’s imperative to undergo testing prior to experiencing symptoms to tackle issues before they even begin. Early detection and addressing underlying cause of disease, rather than merely treating symptoms, allows beneficial and effective treatment, as well as disease prevention and control.

In many cases, correcting diet and physical activity is all that is needed to prevent an issue from becoming a bigger problem.

Benefits of cell testing

Early detection

Cell testing utilizes blood cells over plasma because disruptions are more easily detected in the cells. Early detection is crucial to stopping disease in its tracks!

Healthy life

Cell testing encourages a healthy lifestyle by providing information specific to each individual. Testing will reveal nutrient deficiencies or hormonal imbalances whereby a dietary or supplement regime can be specifically tailored to each individuals need.  Understanding your health status on a cellular level can direct healthy lifestyle changes that you know will work!

Long-term information

Disease diagnosis merely takes into account symptoms.  Cell testing allows us to work faster and prevent symptoms before they manifest. Cell testing also allows us to understand the cause of symptoms and treat the cause of the disease.

Specificity

Cell testing ensures the right diagnosis and treatment of disease. There’s no guesswork, no trial and error when it comes to treatment methods.  Physician are able to use evidence to understand what is actually going on inside the body and can ensure treatment is made base on individual need.     

How Does Stress Increase Cardiovascular Risk?

The world is a complicated place. Every aspect of a person’s life, from relationships and family, to work and finances, has become extremely demanding. This leads to unwanted anxiety and stress. It wouldn’t be wrong to say stress has become a constant ‘companion’ in the lives of many, and when an individual is subjected to chronic stress, the health risks multiply fast. Negative emotions affect every part of the body, but the organ that bears the brunt of the damage is the heart. Stress increases the chances of cardiovascular diseases, and in this blog  we will tell you how.

Bad Habits

A person who is subjected to constant tension and worry will likely take up poor habits such as drinking and smoking, which in turn are major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Busy lives reduce the amount of time people have to prepare proper meals, so many resort to junk food snacks like cookies or potato chips and fast food restaurants.  Moreover, high-stress levels are capable of altering the normal behavioral pattern of the body. This results in imperceptible changes to the blood and the nervous system. The outcome does not bode well for heart health.

Irregular Heartbeat

In any environment, acute stress triggers will reduce the flow of blood to the heart, thereby causing erratic heartbeats. If left unchecked, it could lead to blood clotting, which is extremely dangerous and can cause stroke, heart attack, organ damage, or even death.

Piling on the Stress

Patients who are already suffering from acute stress or atherosclerosis may sometimes experience chest pains. This is due to the arteries in the heart contracting and decreasing the normal flow of blood. If this continues over a prolonged period, it could cause irreparable damage to the blood vessel lining. This makes the blood vessels weak and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases by a significant degree.

A change in habits and behavior, wherever possible, is the only way to decrease the risk of heart disease. However, this is easier said than done and requires suitable attention and effort on your part. If you have further questions or need guidance to adopt lifestyle changes, get in touch with the expert physicians of Florida Wellness Medical Group.  Our Primary Care Providers can conduct thorough examinations through blood tests and consultation to learn about your risk factors and provide you the tools to lead a healthier, longer life.