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Addiction is a behavioural disorder with psychological, genetic, and psychosocial aspects. Addiction is characterised by tolerance, the need to engage more and more in the addictive behaviour and withdrawal symptoms. Addicts cannot control their addictive behaviour even despite harmful consequences. Learn about addiction.

Definition

Addiction is a disease that can be determined by inheritance or environment or both. Addiction has been typically classified as physical dependence or psychological dependence. Some drugs can clearly induce a physical dependence and an abstinence syndrome.

However, tolerance and withdrawal also results from addictive behaviours, such as gambling, that do not require ingesting psychoactive substances.

Different addictions

The range of addiction is wide from substance additions, for example to alcohol, benzodiazepines, caffeine, nicotine or cannabis, to behavioural addictions, for example to gambling, gaming, eating, sex, exercise or shopping.

Symptoms

Medical symptoms of addiction include:

• Tolerance:The use or the need to engage in the addictive behaviour is increased to obtain a similar effect.

• Withdrawal: Removing the substance or stopping the activity results in physical or psychological symptoms, such as tremour, seizure, or depression.

• Difficulty in cutting down or controlling the addictive behaviour.

• Time is spent in obtaining, using, or recovering from the effects of the addiction.

• Important social and occupational roles are sacrificed because of the addiction.

Addicts will continue engaging in the behavioural addiction or using substances in spite of adverse consequences and will lose control.

Effects

Depending on the addiction, the effects will range from mild, such as feeling hangover or being late to work, to severe, such as being homeless.

Usually, the addiction grows more serious over time. The brain of addicted people has been modified in such a way that taking the drug has become indispensable. Individuals who suffer from addiction often have related health problems.

Drug abuse

Drug abuse can also cause serious health problems for others, including negative effects of prenatal drug exposure on infants and children or increased spread of infectious diseases. Drug abuse may trigger or exacerbate mental disorders. Other consequences include problems with relationships, money, and work.

Detoxification

Detoxification is the first step in recovering from addiction, followed by treatment and relapse prevention. Medication and behavioural therapy are important parts of the addiction treatment.

Final word

In conclusion, addiction is a biological, psychological and social condition which affects not only the addict, but the addict’s family, friends, co-workers and society at large with more or less severe consequences. Addiction treatment centres or programs can help addicts to change their behaviours.

Arthritis is a painful condition of the joints that refers to more than 100 different diseases. Approximately 350 million people worldwide are affected by arthritis. There are many treatment options depending on the type of arthritis and the patient. Learn about the causes of arthritis and how it can be treated.

Arthritis is an illness of the joint. There are many forms of arthritis with over

100 different forms of the disease described so far. Some examples of such diseases are osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, gout arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and juvenile arthritis. The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis.

Causes include:

• Injury leading to degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease.
  
  
• Inheritance such as in familial Mediterranean fever.
  
  
• Abnormal metabolism such as in gout arthritis.
  
  
• Infection, such as in septic arthritis and arthritis of Lyme disease.
  
  
• Autoimmune reaction, such as in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Treatment plans for arthritis depend on the type of arthritis and the patient. Arthritis causes a slow deterioration of the joints that can result in the complete deterioration of the cartilage. The goal of arthritis treatment is to reduce joint inflammation and pain, maintain joint function, prevent or minimise joint damage and deformities, and slow the progression of the disease.

Treatments of arthritis include:

• Medications, such as NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) are used for treating arthritis. Aspirine is still one of the most effective anti-inflammatory medications available. Other drugs used for treating arthritis include the COX-2 inhibitors, corticosteroids and DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs).

• Injections can be given locally into a joint. Viscosupplementation, a procedure that involves the injection of hyaluronates, or local steroid injections can be used.

• Physical therapy and occupational therapy help to maintain joint mobility and daily activities. Exercise is essential to improve physical function and muscle strength. Devising a dietary plan is also important so as not to overstress the joints and for bone health.

• Natural treatments, such as dietary supplements or acupuncture, are also used for treating arthritis.

• Surgery may be necessary when joint damage is severe and when pain interferes with daily activities. It is usually the last resort option.

Final word

In conclusion, arthritis refers to many different individual diseases that involve joint damage and pain with different features and treatments. Appropriate treatment plans can help people with arthritis to live a normal life.

Mercury poisoning from fish and dental amalgam fillings are most common. Acute mercury exposure is rare but results in immediate and severe symptoms. Chronic mercury poisoning is quite common and can also lead to serious damages to the health. Learn about the symptoms and treatment of the various forms of mercury poisoning.

Mercury exists in different forms: methylmercury, elemental mercury, organic and inorganic mercury. The effect on health depends on various factors, such as the health and age of the person exposed, the chemical form of mercury, the dose, duration and route of exposure.

Symptoms of methylmercury poisoning includes impairment of the peripheral vision, disturbances in sensations such as paresthesia, itching, burning or pain, lack of coordination of movements, impairment of speech, hearing, walking and muscle weakness. Methylmercury exposure is particularly damaging for the foetus during pregnancy.

Symptoms of elemental mercury poisoning include tremors, emotional changes, neuromuscular changes, headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, and performance deficits on tests of cognitive function. At higher exposures of elemental mercury there may be kidney effects, respiratory failure and death. Liquid elemental mercury primarily causes health effects when it is inhaled as a vapour.

High exposures to inorganic mercury may result in damage to the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the kidneys. Organic mercury compounds are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of high exposures to inorganic mercury include kin rashes and dermatitis, mood swing, memory loss, mental disturbance and muscle weakness.

In acute exposures, the first step in treatment is removing the mercury source and clothing. The contaminated person should also be thoroughly cleaned. Acute inhalation of mercury vapour may require emergency respiratory support.

Treatment varies with the form of mercury poisoning. Ingestion of an inorganic form of mercury usually begins with the removal of the source. Activated charcoal is used to bind and inactivate the toxin. Acute organic forms are treated with charcoal and a laxative. Ingestion of elemental mercury usually has no effects on gastrointestinal cells and is removed by a laxative. Medical treatment usually involves chelating agents, such as dimercaprol or DMSA, that bind most toxic forms.

In conclusion, symptoms of mercury poisoning are various and the extent of toxic effects depends on several factors. Mercury poisoning is usually difficult to treat and can lead to serious damages to the health and death.