The ammonia test is used to detect an elevated level in the blood that can be caused by severe liver disease, kidney failure, Reye syndrome or a rare genetic disorder of the urea cycle. It may be used to help investigate the cause of an individual's changes in behavior and consciousness. This test may be used to diagnose the cause of a coma or to help support the diagnosis of Reye syndrome or hepatic encephalopathy caused by various liver diseases. The test can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment of hepatic encephalopathy.
It is strongly advised that you should not smoke prior to the collection of blood specimen. Also, it is recommended that you should either wear a sleeve-less or a short-sleeved shirt. Wearing a shirt with full-sleeves that can easily be rolled-up is also fine. There is no need to disturb your diet routine before the test. You can eat and drink normally. Though, if the blood taken is also to be used for further different tests, the doctor will inform you in prior. In that case, you only need to fast for few hours.
The test detects the following: In infants, high level of ammonia in the blood is associated with an inherited urea cycle enzyme deficiency. An increased ammonia level and decreased glucose level may indicate the presence of Reye syndrome in symptomatic children and teens. An increased concentration may indicate an undiagnosed enzymatic defect of the urea cycle.
In children and adults, an elevated ammonia level may indicate that severe liver or kidney damage has impacted the body's ability to clear ammonia and that the brain may be affected. A decreased level of ammonia may be seen with some types of hypertension.
The ammonia test can be done at numerous sites such as the doctor's clinic, test center, and infirmaries: An alcohol pad is used to clean the skin. A needle is injected through the part of rinsed skin in to your vein. The blood is dragged out from the needle by a nozzle, saved in a vessel and sealed with your name. This sample is carried to the research laboratory for examination.
Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
---|---|---|---|
Ammonia
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
|
15 - 45mcg/dl
|
Modern women want to have it all, in personal and professional life. They want to experience the joy of motherhood but not the pain associated with normal delivery. For such women, epidural analgesia during labour is a blessing. Epidural analgesia/anaesthesia is given to pregnant women during childbirth. Epidural painkillers stop the pain signals transmitted nerves from uterus. This stops the pain sensation of labour. For epidural analgesia, a catheter (small tube) is inserted into the epidural space in the spinal cord. It is through this tube that the drugs (painkillers) reach the desired nerves.
Types of Epidurals:
Epidurals can be
Merits and demerits of having an epidural--
Merits:
Demerits:
Though epidurals make childbirth easy, one cannot overlook its demerits.
Thus, they may take longer than usual to push the baby. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Pain Management Specialist.
The Internet has glorified our lives in numerous ways, but at the same time, too much of information available online has also become very appalling in certain cases. One of the main scenarios that have borne the brunt of information overload is sexual health. Now-a-days, the adolescents or the teenagers have become very much vulnerable to increasing sexual risks owing to exposure to excessive online information.
Sexual Studies: The eternal curiosity about sexuality amongst the humans along with the unnecessary stigmas or taboos related to these have together led to a severe situation where people are resorting to a wrong form of information by misusing the internet.
How are the teenagers affected?
This has mounted up, especially amongst the teenagers because this is the transitional stage of a child to an adult where one goes through the maximum hormonal changes in the body. These hormones affect the metabolism and development of sexual maturity in those who are passing through this sensitive stage of puberty.
The superficial study of biological sciences and the changes felt by the adolescents have compelled them to dig more about sexuality by making use of the wonder weapon today, the internet. However, the social and other digital media contain sexual contents and information in a distorted manner and this has proved to be extremely pernicious in the following ways:
Studies have shown the present social media is flooded with illicit sexual content to the extent of almost 80% in the movies and 60% in the videos that are creating a severe psychological impact on everyone, irrespective of the gender. This is reaching to such an extent that sometimes they are getting addicted to watching these that is undermining their overall mental health.
Probable remedies: Now-a-days, various sexual awareness programmes are coming up and sexual orientation programme is becoming a part of the course curriculum in schools as well. Yet, unless and until the hush-hush mentality of the society regarding this particular aspect decreases, there will not be a significant change. There is always hope at the end of a dark tunnel and anybody who feels disturbed due to these issues can always consult and take help of the psychiatrists and sexologists who can handle such issues with the utmost consideration and under strict confidentiality.
However, one needs to open up completely before them or else, the treatment or counselling, whichever is applicable, will not be fulfilled in a proper manner. One has to break the boundaries, get enlightened, confront the facts and in turn, lead a healthier sexual life. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.
Supplements are just a way to add vital nutrients in your daily nutritional intake, but are not the only solution. First of all, it is important to note that your sex life does not depend on supplements. Various other factors can both positively and negatively affect your sex life. Exercise, weight and medications you take can have both adverse and positive effects. Try to improve your sex life by altering these aspects before you use supplements. Nevertheless, here are some supplements which may be beneficial for your sex life.