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Stages, diagnosis, and prevention of addiction

There are three terms that one can relate to addiction – reward, motivation, and memory. Addiction is when the body craves a behavior or substance in an obsessive pursuit of a reward. The person will have little concern about the consequences of the particular behavior or substance.

Things to note in case of addiction

Some of the attributes that one can relate with addiction include an inability to stay away from the substance, lack of self-control, an outrageous desire for the substance or behavior, ignorance towards the problems that the behavior might be causing, and a growing tendency to ignore the emotional response.

Addictions have been known to interfere with daily life and there are also cases of relapse and remission. The complications of addiction can be physical, emotional, as well as financial.

Stages of addiction

There are five main stages of addiction. These include:

Experimentation
Every addiction starts with experimentation and during this stage, one cannot understand that this is the beginning of an addiction. One cannot be sure that this will turn into something serious, and hence no necessary steps are taken at this stage. A simple way to find out how this will turn into addiction is understanding the reason for experimenting and how often a person experiments with new substances.
Regular use
This is the stage where substance abuse or behavior will form a part of the daily life of an individual. The regular use will slowly begin to become a reason to worry and with periodic stops, a person might start using the substance or exhibiting the behavior again.
Risky use
Risky is a subjective term and this is where the problem lies with this stage of addiction. An individual who is addicted to a substance might not see the risks. However, another person might see the change in behavior and that’s where one knows that this stage has arrived.
Dependence
Both the mind as well as the body get addicted to the substance. There are obvious and dangerous behavioral changes in a person and substance treatment options become mandatory at this stage.
Addiction
This is the final stage and a person requires professional help to get rid of the addiction.

Diagnosis of addiction

The first step of diagnosis is a suggestion from a family or friend, or the addicted person himself. This can sometimes turn tricky and may require intervention from a group of friends or family persons. A visit to the doctor will be followed by different questions about frequency, impact on social life, and day-to-day activity. There might also be questions about withdrawal symptoms. There will be a physical examination that will determine whether medical treatment is required.

Prevention of addiction
Prevention is easier at the early stages, rather than later in the cycle. If you want to prevent addiction, you must delay the first use, whether it is substance abuse or behavioral addiction. In terms of substances, one must not use them before an age when the brain has not fully matured.

Apart from this, in the case of teenagers, other factors must be avoided. These include substance given by a caregiver to a child. childhood trauma, and a lack of social attachment. If any of these traits are observed, one must be treated specially and cautiously to avoid the onset of addiction.

Understanding arthritis – A common joint condition

The joints are constantly working while we move our limbs, so, understandably, people may develop certain joint conditions that cause pain and compromise mobility, especially with age. One of the common joint conditions is arthritis, which leads to joint inflammation and mild to severe pain. While there are several types of arthritis, the two most common types are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Stages Rheumatoid arthritis has four stages: Stage 1: At this stage, inflammation occurs inside the joints, and swelling, stiffness, and joint pain are the common symptoms. Stage 2: The inflammation of the joint lining, synovium, aggravates at this stage and results in cartilage damage. The affected jointsâ range of motion is also compromised, causing pain and discomfort. Stage 3: At this stage, the severity of the joint condition increases, and it leads to bone damage. This results in more pain, loss of mobility, and weakness of muscles. The bones rubbing against each other can cause bone deformity as well. Stage 4: This is the final stage where the joints stop functioning completely. It leads to more pain, stiffness, and swelling, and the bones may even fuse, which is known as ankylosis. Osteoarthritis also has four stages of progression: Stage 1: Wear and tear may affect the knee joints, and minor spur growths on the affected bone can also be seen, but the condition does not cause too much pain at this stage. Stage 2: The bone spur growths increase and cause pain, and the knee joints become stiffer. Stage 3: This stage is characterized by joint inflammation leading to increased pain and stiffness. Walking can also cause poppingÂ sounds in the joints. Stage 4: The space between the bones in the joints becomes very narrow, causing the cartilage to wear down. Also, a chronic inflammatory response caused by the breakdown of cartilage aggravates discomfort and pain. Diagnosis of arthritis These joint conditions can be diagnosed using several tests. A physical examination reveals whether a patient has red, warm, and tender joints, and this test also helps examine the fluid around the joints. A rheumatologist can analyze the level of inflammation in the joints to determine the type of arthritis an individual is affected with. Also, blood tests are undertaken to check for antibodies like anti-CCP, rheumatoid factor, and antinuclear antibody. In addition, X-ray, CT scans, and MRI are also performed to check the condition of the cartilage and bones. Prevention of arthritis A family history of joint conditions like arthritis or aging can increase oneâs risk of developing arthritis, but making certain lifestyle changes can also help lower the chances of developing the condition. To start with, one should include more foods with omega-3 fatty acids in their diet as these healthy fats are anti-inflammatory. One should also exercise regularly, keep their weight under check, reduce stress on their joints, and try to avoid injuries. Also, if one notices any symptoms of arthritis, they should consult a doctor immediately as early diagnosis goes a long way in managing the condition effectively through timely treatment.

Allergies – Stages and prevention

The immune system of our bodies is constantly fighting against viruses and bacteria to keep us healthy. However, in certain cases, the immune system may also end up fighting some substances that are not always harmful. When this happens, you experience an allergic reaction. The allergens are the substances that cause the reactions. With a little carefulness, you can prevent the allergies effectively. The allergic developmentEven though an allergic reaction can vary from person to person, it generally progresses in the same five stages:Stage 1The allergen enters your body through food, air, or touch, and contact the cells in your body.Stage 2Your immune system creates immunoglobulin E, which is a type of antibody. Stage 3This antibody enters your gastrointestinal tract or respiratory tract but does not do anything. Stage 4The next time when you are exposed to the same allergen, the immunoglobulin E treats it as a harmful substance and reacts with it. Stage 524 hours after the reaction, the immune system cells move towards the areas that were affected to release certain chemicals to treat it. How to diagnose allergiesYour allergies can be diagnosed by a doctor. Before visiting him or her, you must recognize the symptoms of an allergic reaction. A mild allergy can lead to red and itchy spots on your skin, nasal congestion, rash, scratchy throat, and watery or itchy eyes. However, a more serious allergy can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, face swelling, palpitation, breathing difficulties, anxiety, weakness, or other symptoms. If you believe that you are having an allergic reaction then you must contact your doctor.The doctor performs different tests to determine the kind of allergy you have and what has caused it. Elimination tests, blood tests, and skin tests are the most common form of tests that the doctor may order. The elimination test involves excluding different food items from your daily diet to determine which one causes your allergy. During a skin test, the suspected allergens are applied to your skin to observe how your body reacts. However, if the result from your skin test is inconclusive or it cannot be done for any reason, then the doctor orders a blood test. This test looks for antibodies in the blood to determine what kind of allergens you might have been exposed to. Once it is found, the doctor can help you treat or manage your allergy. PreventionOnce you know what kind of allergies you have, you can start taking preventive steps to manage them. The most important thing is to avoid the allergens that result in your allergy. You must also regularly take the medicines that your doctor prescribes. If you experience severe allergic reactions, then your doctor will prescribe an epinephrine injection, which you must always carry with you. It is also important to wear a medical alert bracelet when you are going out so people around you are made aware of your condition. Having allergies can be discomforting and scary. However, by taking the right preventive steps and medicines, you can lead a normal and healthy life.