Better Health

The first step to obtaining better health is understanding conditions and options for treatment. Doctors of Choice presents a simplified overview of the most common inquiries about issues affecting adults. Whether we cover a health topic of particular interest to you here, Doctors of Choice stands ready to help you get started with a search for a physician within any of a number of particular specialties.

Read an overview: Arthritis Diabetes Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Obesity

Arthritis
Arthritis, generally thought of as painful inflammation of joints, can limit the ability to do normal activity for some people. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis are two different types of arthritis, with some symptoms, such as aching joints, in common and some symptoms unique.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation of membranes or tissues lining the joints while Osteoarthritis breaks down protective cartilage in the joints until the bones themselves are damaged through the process of rubbing directly against one another. There is also a form Rheumatoid Arthritis that affects children called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

To learn more about how treatment varies according to the type of Arthritis, and to get more information in general, seek the assistance of a qualified medical professional. We here at Doctors of Choice stand read to help you search for a doctor in the event you don't already have one.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects how well the body uses glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream to feed the body's cells for energy. The pancreas, an organ behind the stomach, normally produces the hormone insulin which is essential to helping glucose enter the cells. With Diabetes, insulin is absent, not at a sufficient level, or cannot be used properly by the body. The result is that glucose rises to unhealthy levels in the blood stream.

There are two common types of Diabetes. In Type I Diabetes, the pancreas produces very little or no insulin. These patients must use insulin injections to control sugar. In Type II Diabetes, insulin is present but it is not used properly by the body. Use of medications to help the body's use of insulin is common. In some cases, insulin injections are also required to supplement the body's supply. In all cases, the active management of diet, weight and exercise are steps patients should take to help the body.

To learn more about diagnosis, treatment and management of Diabetes, and to get more information in general, seek the assistance of a qualified medical professional. Doctors of Choice can help you search for a doctor including specialists.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood flowing through your blood vessels against the vessel walls. It depends on your blood flow (how much blood is pumped by your heart) and the resistance of your blood vessels to blood flow. If the pressure is high, your heart must work much harder to maintain adequate blood flow to your body.

The causes of high blood pressure can vary, and most of the time, the cause isn't known. This form of the condition is called "essential hypertension." It might be due to a narrowing of the arteries, more blood than normal, or the heart beating more forcefully or faster than it usually should. Any of these conditions can raise the force of the blood against the artery walls.

Sometimes high blood pressure can be caused by another medical problem, such as kidney disease. When this happens, the condition is called "secondary hypertension." As the name indicates, treating the main problem makes the blood pressure go down.

Your heart can beat more than 100,000 times a day. Each time it beats, a surge of blood is pumped from your heart into your arteries. This increases the pressure in your arteries. In between heartbeats the pressure in your arteries decreases.

That is why blood pressure is reported as two numbers, e.g., 120/80. The first, higher number (systolic) is the pressure of the blood against the artery walls when the heart contracts (e.g., 120). The second, lower number (diastolic) is the pressure against the artery walls when the heart relaxes between beats (e.g., 80).

120/80, read as "120 over 80" is the desirable healthy blood pressure reading. Any blood pressure reading that consistently stays at 140/90 or higher is considered high blood pressure and should be treated medically. If you don't yet have a doctor or would like to find one that specializes in Hypertension treatment, please try our search for a doctor feature.

Obesity
In medical terms, obesity occurs when there is too much total body fat. The more obese a person is, the more likely he or she is to have health problems. Some serious medical conditions linked to obesity include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. It is also associated certain forms of cancer, gallbladder disease and gallstones, osteoarthritis, and other medical conditions.

The most common measure for assessing obesity is the Body Mass Index, or BMI. The BMI is based on height and weight but instead of the older "Ideal Weight" charts, the index number reveals whether you are at a healthy weight, overweight (but not obese) or obese. BMI is based on the metric system of kilograms and meters but you can calculate your BMI based on U.S. Measurements (weight in pounds, height in inches)

  Weight / (Height x Height) x 703 = BMI
  Example: 6'1" tall [73" tall] person weighs 180 lbs.
  180 / (73x73) x 703 = 23.7   
  This person's BMI is 23.7

An ideal BMI according to the National Institutes of Health is 23 and maintain a BMI under 25 is healthy. BMI's of 25 to 27 have entered risk categories those between 27 and 30 are at greater risk. A BMI that is over 30 is at extremely high risk and is medically speaking considered obese. Over 1/3 of adults in the U.S. today are considered obese.

One other factor to consider is waist size. A man's waist size should be less than 40 inches and a woman's less than 35 inches. This has nothing to do with appearance but rather the body's shape. A person with this "apple shape" will carry more fat in and around the abdominal organs. Excess abdominal fat increases the risk of many of the serious conditions associated with obesity.

If your BMI is over 25 you should consider weight and exercise programs to lower your BMI. If your BMI is over 30, or if you exceed the waist sizes indicated, understand that fighting obesity should become a life-long goal and should not be handled with "just another diet." to get under 30. Talk to your doctor, we stand ready to help you with our search for a doctor as a starting resource.