Creaky Knees

Do your knees make you sound? If there is no pain involved, your creaky knees may be a sign of some benign temporary mechanical maladjustment. For example, the soft tissue in the joint (the patella) is slightly misaligned and rubbing up againt neary tissue. Or it may be that these elastic like soft tissues, such as the tendons and ligaments, are snapping back around the knees after momentarily sliding out of place. Or, similar to what happens when crackling the knuckles, tiny gas bubbles normally found in the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints, pop out.

But noisy knees can also signal the onset of Osteoarthritis of the knees. Knee Osteoarthritis and other knee problems are more prevalent in women than men and tends to increase around menopause. There are some evidence that the drop in estrogen is to blame.

Here are some other differences between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis usually affects joints symmetrically. For example, both hands or both knees are likely to be affected. Osteoarthritis usually affects only one side at a time.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis can cause fatigue and low grade faver. Osteoarthritis does not.
• Osteoarthritis causes joint and muscle pain that worsens as the days activities go on. Rheumatoid Arthritis tends to be equally bad throughout the day.
   

Stiff Joints

While some people have extremely flexible joints, other people's joints are so stiff it is as though they are frozen. But having stiff joints can be a benign sign that you have overindulged in your favorite sport. Or it may signal the opposite, you have not been active enough. Unfortunately, stiffness may discourage people from being more physically active, which in turn can worsen the stiffness. If joint stiffness is accompanied by persistent joint pain, you can be pretty sure something is wrong.

If you are past middle age, stiff joints are most likely yet another annoying, but usually benign, sign of aging. What keeps your joints capable of moving through a full range of motion with ease and comfort is synovial fluid, which is secreted by the membranes surrounding the joints. With aging, there is less of this lubrication, and moving the joints becomes more difficult. Joint stiffness, regardless of your age, is often worse in the morning or after being inactive for long periods of time, as when sitting in a theater or on a plane. As you move about during the day, the stiffness usually dissipates.

While chronic morning stiffness can be a sign that you need a new mattress, it is also a common sign of arthritis. In fact, morning stiffness is its hallmark. If the morning stiffness lasts for less than 30 minutes, it is likely a sign of Osteoarthritis. Often called the "wear and tear" form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis also known as DEGENERATIVE  ARTHRITIS. It is the most common form of more than 100 different types of arthritis. It destroys the cushioning cartilage between the joints, which eventually causes bone to rub up against bone, leading to pain, deformity, and loss of function. While osteoarthritis can involve any joint in the body, the hips, knees, feet, and fingers are most often affected. It occurs more often in men than women before the age of 45 but is more common in women over the age 55.

If morning stiffness lasts longer than 30 minutes, it is more likely to be RHEUMATOID  ARTHRITIS, a progressive, debilitating immune disease that can affect not only the joints but other parts of the body, including the tear ducts and salivary glands, as well.

Stiff joints any time of day can signal a number of muscular, skeletal, or neurological conditions. These can include the inflammatory conditions Lupus and Sarcoidosis as well as the muscular condition Fibromyalgia.

Joint stiffness can also be a reaction to a number of drugs, including antibiotics such as minocycline, statins (used to lower cholesterol), and aromatase inhibitors (used to treat breast cancer).

The knees are the largest joints in the body.

If a painless joint hurts when you apply pressure on it, you may have osteoarthritis.

People with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

Double Jointedness

Have you ever seen people bend their fingers all the way back or even twist their whole bodies like a human pretzels? They may be displaying the classic signs of HYPERMOBILITY  SYNDROME, aka  HYPERFLEXIBILITY  or DOUBLE-JOINTEDNESS. People with this condition do not really have a double set of joints; rather the ligaments and muscles around their joints are superflexible, resulting in the ability to bend and stretch like a contortionist. This is generally a benign condition that usually becomes evident in childhood and tends to run in families. Up to 20% of normal children have hyperflexible joints, as do many athletes. However, some people develop hypermobility in later life if their ligaments become injured, weakened, or overly stretched. Regardless of when or how it occurs, people with hypermobile joints may be at increased risk for joint dislocations and pain.

It is long been believed that hyperflexible joints are harbingers of Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disorder. But this has not been proven, at least as far as the hands and fingers go. In fact, being double-jointed might protect against arthritis, according to a recent study. On the other hand having hyperflexible joints may be a forewarning of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a condition thought to be caused by a virus and characterized by excessive fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, and sometimes fever. A higher incidence of hyperflexible joints has been seen in both young people and adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Two potentially serious but often undiagnosed genetic conditions that are frequently associated with joint hypermobility are EHLERS-DANLOS  SYNDROME  and  MARFAN  SYNDROME.  Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder primarily affecting the joints, skin, and blood vessels. Other EDS signs, which range from mild to severe, may include very stretchable (lax) skin, easy bruising, joint dislcoation, scoliosis, eye problems, and ruptured arteries, bowel, or other organs. EDS is potentially debilitating and even life-diagnosed in an estimated 90% of people with the disorder until they seek attention for a medical emergency.

Hypermobile joints are also a sign of Marfan Syndrome, another rare connective tissue disorder. Other visible signs of Marfan may include flat long feet, a narrow face, scoliosis, long, thin fingers, and tall stature. Although Marfan's primarily affects the skeleton, it can cause eye, cardiac, and other problems as well. Indeed, many people with this condition are very nearsighted and/or have glaucoma or cataracts.

As with EDS, the subtle signs of Marfan's are often overlooked, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Many young athletes, for example, have hyperflexible joints and are tall with long extremeties - characteristics that help in sports. But some may have undiagnosed Marfan's. Sad to say, a number of these young athletes die suddenly and unnecessarily each year because they were unaware they had thhis condition. Aortic aneurysm - a ballooning and possible rupture of the body's largest blood vessels - is a major cause of early death in untreated Marfan's.

Stiff Gait / Rigid Gait

If you have ever seen a person who walks ramrod straight, like a tin soldier, he or she is probably suffering from STIFF-MAN  SYNDROME. This rare neurological disorder is also known as STIFF-PERSON  SYNDROME (SPS), which is not only more politically correct but also more accurate, because the condition affects both men and women.

Stiff-Person Syndrome causes recurring bouts of muscle stiffness and spasms and is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. Indeed, it is more prevalent among people who have other autoimmune diseases, such as pernicious anemia, insulin-dependent diabetes, and hyperthyroidism.

The signs of stiff-person syndrome usually appear first in the muscles of the trunk. As it progresses, it spreads to the limbs and may cause joint deformity, other joint and skeletal problems, and disability.

Attacks are often set off when the person is emotionally stressed or something, such as a loud noise, suddenly scares or surprises the person. Unfortunately, stiff-person syndrome is often misdiagnosed as a psychological disorder, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson's disease, thus delaying appropriate treatment.

Unsteadiness

If your elderly aunt seems unsteady on her feet, or tends to lean backward when standing or even sitting, it may be a sign of a newly recognized posture disorder named Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome (PDS). Hesitating when starting to walk and a tendency to take small steps with a shuffling gait, medically called MARCHE  A  PETITS  PAS, are characteristics of this condition. A fear of falling is also another characteristic sign of this disorder. Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome is sometimes mistaken for Parkinson's disease and other neuromuscular disorders.

Besides being a common sign of aging, PDS may point to a number of serious conditions, such as heart disease, dehydration, and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or other metabolic problems. PDS can also signal changes in the small blood vessels in the brain or even a brain tumor.

Researchers believe that inactivity may actually worsen or increase the risk of Psychomotor Disadaptation Syndrome. Being confined to bed for an illness can trigger it in older folks, too. This is confirmation of the use-it-or lose-it approach to health.



Different Sized Pupils

One in five people has one pupil that is smaller than the other, a condition known as ANISOCORIA. While most people with this sign are born that way, some develop it later in life.

The size of the pupils (the dark openings in the center of the eye through which light travels to the retina) is determined by the iris, which opens and closes to regulate the amount of light entering the eye. Pupils reach their peak size during our teen years ansd start shrinking until we are about 60. After that, they remain pretty much the same size.

Having different-size pupils is usually a normal inherited trait that generally does not cause any problems. But the pupil of one eye can change size as a result of physical trauma, or it can happen for no apparent reason (idiophatic). When such changes occur, they often revert back to normal on their own. Sometimes, however, a sudden change in the size of one pupil can signal a life-threatening condition such as a cerebral hemorrhage, brain tumor, meningitis, encephalitis, or aneurysm.

Seek immediate medical attention if you notice that you have two different-sized pupils in any of the following situations:

• After an eye or head injury
• Accompanied by a headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, or double vision
• Accompanied by fever, light sensitivity, stiff neck, or headache that worsens when you bend forward
• Accompanied by severe eye pain and/or loss of vision

Losing Chest And Body Hair

To the ancient Greeks and Romans, a hairless chest on a man was the aesthetic ideal, possibly because it represented youth. Today, however, chest hair on a man is considered a classic sign of masculinity and a source of pride in many cultures. As with head hair, if a man's chest hair starts to go, his ego may not be far behind. Losing chest and body hair can be a normal sign of aging or signal an androgen deficiency, which itself is often related to aging. It may also be a sign of alopecia areata. (see Spottty or Patchy Hair Loss, CLICK HERE ).

Shrinking Body

The Incredible Shrinking Man Movie entertained millions of moviegoers. But if you are the one who is shrinking, you are not likely to be amused. Losing height is a fairly common sign of aging. But, according to a recent British study, older men who lose more than one inch are at increased risk of death from heart and respiratory conditions.

Losing height is also a hallmark of osteoporosis, a serious disease that involves the loss of bone in both men and women. Women, however, are 4 times more likely than men to develop it because of menopause-related loss of bone mass. Because of the bone loss in osteoporosis, the spine can sustain tiny fractures, called Vertebral Compression Fractures. Over time, the spinal structures pancake on themselves, resulting in a noticeable loss of height.

Hunched Back

Have you ever noticed that many old people, especially women, walk hunched over and have a large rounded hump on their upper back? This deformity is commonly called a "dowager's hump" or

"window's hump" , medically known as KYPHOSIS. Unlike people with scoliosis, who look like they are tilting to the side, those with kyphosis look like they are bending forward.

Kyphosis is a classic sign of Osteoporosis. Unfortunately, osteoporosis has no early warning signs; its first indication may be the dowager hump, or a broken bone or hip. The hump can also be a telltale sign of tuberculosis, a spinal tumor or injury, or degenerative arthritis.

An osteoporosis-related hip fracture is a warning sign of increased risk of death. Nearly 1 out of 4 people older than 50 who break a hip die in the year following the fracture. Many of those who survive will require long-term care because they are left with significant trouble walking.

Curved Back / Scoliosis

A crooked back can signal SCOLIOSIS, a curvature of the spine. The curve is almost always noticed first by others and can be seen most easily when you bend over from the waist. Sometimes people with scoliosis will spy the problem themselves; for example, they may notice that one shoulder or one hip is higher than the other when they look at themselves in a mirror. While many people first develop it in childhood, this spinal deformity can begin, or can worsen and become more noticeable, in adulthood. Adult-onset scoliosis is another body sign of aging and is largely due to wear and tear on the structures that support the spine. Or it may be due to a degenerative joint condition. Whatever the cause, scoliosis can lead to difficulty walking and pain.

Sudden or Unexplained Weight Change

Seeing the numbers on our bathroom scales dipping can be a welcome sign of success in our battle against the bulge. But any sudden and unintended shift in weight, in either direction, is a sure sign that something is seriously wrong.

Of course, rapid, self-induced weight loss can signal an eating disorders, such as Anorexia or Bulimia. But unintended weight loss, with or withour loss of appetite, can point to depression, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, heart faiure, a nutritional disorder, or cancer. A recent study found that unexplained weight loss in women may be an early warning sign of dementia a decade later. And sudden weight loss can be a reaction to some drugs, both prescribed and illicit, including antidepressants and amphetamines. If an older adult loses weight suddenly, it may be a forewarning of dementia. While it is common for the elderly to lose weight as they age, usually less than a pound a year, losing more than that appears to signal the imminent onset of this neurological disorder.

We have probably all experienced putting on a few extra pounds, especially around the holidays. This is usually a benign sign of lack of restraint around the buffet table. But sudden weight gain can also signal some serious and not-so-serious systemic problems.

Putting on with in a matter of a day or two can be due to fluid retention (edema). Many women notice that both their breasts and belles bloat as they retain water just before their periods. But fluid retention can also signal Heart failure, the inability of the heart to pump efficiently. Although swollen feet and legs are classic signs of heart failure, heart-disease-related edama can build up around the abdomen as well.

If you have been putting on pounds and then dropping them dramatically without changing your eating habits, it may signal a number of physical or psychological problems. Up-and-down weight gain and loss can, for example be a clue that you have a thyroid disorder, an infection, a nutritional problem, or an eating disorder.

"Yo-yo" weight gain and loss is not just frustrating. In men, it can be a sign that they are at increased risk of developing gallstones. The large health Professionals Follow-up Study found that repeated weight loss and gain in men, particularly if they lost more than 20 pounds in a dieting episode, might increase their risk of gallsotnes by 50%.

Apple Shaped Body

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but if you are shaped like an apple, with extra weight around the midsection, you will want to keep your doctor around. This body type is medically known as CENTRAL or VISCERAL  ADIPOSITY or popularly as beer or potbelly.  Belly fat actually releases dangerous fatty acids that build up in the liver. This can hamper the body's metabolization of sugar and raise the risk of diabetes.

Having a fatty middle can signal Metabolic Syndrome, a cluster of diabetes and heart disease risk factors that includes insulin resistance, high blood presssure, high blood sugar, hight triglyceride levels, and low HDL (high density lipoprotein or "good" cholesterol) levels. Indeed, people who are apple-shaped are three times more likely to suffer a heart attacks than those who are pear-shaped, that is, carrying most of their fat in their buttocks.

An apple-shaped body is a serious sign that you are also at increased risk for colon cancer. In fact, belly fat is such an importatnt predictor of heart and other diseases that measuring waist circumference during a physical examination may soon become as commonplace as taking your height and weight, and much more revealing. Studies are now showing that waist circumference alone is a better predictor of future cardiovascular problems than just weight or other measures, such as body mass index (BMI) or waist-hip ratio (WHR).

Unfortunately, many menopausal women find that as their age creeps up, so does their weight. Besides being distressing, a gain of more than 44 pounds after menopause puts a woman at increased risk of breast cancer. And the extra pounds can be a forewarning of looming heart trouble. However, it is unclear whether putting on weight late in life is more harmful for women than being overweight for many years.

High triglycerides and low HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels are stronger risk factors for heart disease in women than in men.

A 40-inch waistline in men and a 35-inch waist in women places them at increased risk of heart disease. And women with a 36-inch or larger waist are at increased risk of gallstones.



Non-Milky Discharge In Breast

A greenish or dark, thick, sticky nipple discharge may signal clogged and inflamed milk ducts, a benign but unpleasant condition called MAMMARY  DUCT  ECTASIA. The discharge can come from one or more of the tiny ducts that lead to the nipple. But a pus-like, foul-smelling discharge may signal a breast infection, medically known as Mastitis. And a bright red, blood-like discharge from only one milk duct on the nipple is a classic sign of the non-cancerous growth called Intraductal Papilloma.

A reddish discharge, particularly from only one milk duct, may be a red flag for two forms of breast cancer, Paget's disease of the breast and Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. Finally, whether bloody or not, nipple discharge from several milk ducts is a common sign of fibrocycstic changes or other benign breast conditions.

Spontaneous discharge from one duct, which may or may not look bloody, is the hallmark of an Intraductal Papilloma, a non-cancerous growth in a milk duct. Although usually not noticeable, some women do describe seeing a small wart-like bump behind or near the edge of the nipple. Such bumps may appear on one or both breasts. Interstingly, younger women tend to have multiple growths, while older women usually have only one.

The only way to determine if a breast change is benign or more serious is what is medically known as "The Triple Test":

*A clinical breast examination, which is one done by a health care professional

*Imaging, a mammogram or ultrasound

*A nonsurgical biopsy, a fine needle aspiration and/or core biopsy

If any one of the results is positive, then further evaluation is needed. And remember, not just lumps need to be cheked out. So do any leaks or changes in shape, size, skin, or sensation.

Milky Discharge In Breast

A milky nipple discharge in a woman who is not pregnant or nursing, or in a man, is medically known as GALACTORRHEA. Usually this occurs in both breasts, and the discharge is thin and whitish, or possibly milky yellow or green. While in adults it is usually a sign of a medical condition, during puberty both girls and boys have a benign milky discharge. Interestingly, about 5% of newborn babies will leak milk from their breasts.

Usually galactorrhea is seen in both breasts, and the discharge is thin and whitish. Breasts can leak after vigorous rubbing, squeezing, or sucking. In which case it is a benign sign.

Galactorrhea can be a reaction to both prescription and illicit drugs, including birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, antipsychotics, antidepressants,, antihypertensives, marijuana, opiates, and steroids. A milky discharge can also be a sign you have been eating a lot of phytoestrogen-containing hebs, such as nettle, fennel, blessed thistle, anise, and fenugreek seed. The estrogen in these  herbs can cause milk to flow. Leaking milk can also signal several hormone-related conditions, including a pituitary tumor (prolactinoma) and hypothyroidism.

Women who adopt can breastfeed their babies. By stimulating their breast for several weeks with a manual or mechanical pump, a technique known as Induced Lactation, they can often produce small quantities of milk. If so, they and their babies can reap the emotional and health benefits of breastfeeding.

In men, a milky discharge is often the only sign of breast cancer. In women, however, having milky discharge without other signs is less likely to signal a serious problem.

Leaky Nipple

If you have ever breastfed, you know full well that leaky breasts are a telltale sign that your babay needs to nurse or that you need to pump milk right away. While leaky nipples in a new mother are a healthy sign of lactation, nipple discharge in others can be alarming at best and a sign of some serious conditions at worst. The type of nipple discharge, whether it is coming from one or both breasts, and from where on the nipple it is sprouting are all clues to the sign's significance. Medically, leaks from a nipple are classified as either milky or non-milky. While a milky leak is clearly milky-looking, a non-milky leak can be clear, yellow, straw-like, green, brown, pink, or bright red. Complicating matters, different types of discharge may occur in some breast disorders. in general, nipple discharge is considered to be Pathologic (caused by a disease) if it occurs on its own, only comes from one milk duct, happens repeatedly, or is bloody.

Of the women who have an abnormal nipple discharge, less than 10% actually have breast cancer. The older a woman is, however, the more likely it is that nipple discharge will be her only sign of breast cancer.



Crusty Nipples

Nipples and the areola surrounding them should be soft and supple. But if you notice some crusty or scaly skin, it can be a sign of Paget's Disease of the breast (sometimes called Paget's disease of the nipple), a type of breast cancer. The crusty skin actually contains cancer cells. Found primarily in women, Paget's disease of the breast is a medical condition that should not be confused with another disease called Paget's Disease, which is a bone disorder.

Typically, only one nipple is affected in Paget's disease of the breast. The nipple may be flattened or inverted any may produce a straw-colored or bright red discharge. Other signs include flaky skin, redness, itching, and burning, much like signs of the skin condition eczema. These signs may come and go, making a woman, and sometimes her doctor, think that she has just a simple recurrent skin condition. unfortunately, many women with Paget's disease of the breast have these warning signs for 6 or 8 months before their cancer is diagnosed. This may be because they put off going to their docotr, or their doctor initially attributed the signs to another disorder.

As with other forms of breast cancer, Paget's disease of the breast can be classified two ways: either as Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), which is a very early stage of breast cancer with cancer cells that are confined to the milk ducts, or as Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, a late-stage with cancer that has spread from the ducts into the surrounding breast tissue.

Besides a breast lump, here are other signs of breast cancer:

Crusty or Scaly Nipples

Inverted Nipples

Bloody Nipple Discharge

Redness or Swelling of the Breast

Breast Skin That Resembles The Texture of an Orange Peel (Peau D'orange)

Breast Assymetry

A Sore or Ulcer that Does Not Heal

Inverted Nipple

We all expect our nipples to look like . . . . . well, nipples like pointed and perky. But sometimes our nipples look more like dimples. Medically known as INVERTED NIPPLES, they can be a benign sign or signal something more serious.

Women and men who are born with "innie" rather than "outie" nipples usually have nothing to worry about. Although women may be embarrassed about having inverted nipples, and they may find breastfeeding difficult. However, if a normally pointy nipple changes and becomes inverted, this may be a warning sign of breast cancer, especially if there's also a bloody discharge or lump near the nipple.

Bluish veins visible on the breast are a healthy sign of pregnancy. In fact, they're one of the earliest. They signal the breast is getting ready to produce milk.

Tripple Nipples

Two's company, three's a .  .  . well, a weird sign when it comes to nipples. Tripple nipples, medically called SUPERNUMERARY  NIPPLES or POLYTHELIA, are often a very subtle birth anomaly. These non-fucntioning (vestigial), superfluous nipples are sometimes described as slightly deformed miniatures of the real thing. The extra nipple is usually found on the chest or the lower abdomen along what is known as the "milk line", that is, where nipples are usually located in other mammals. They can also pop up on the neck, armpit, or just about anywhere else on the body. Some even occur on the forehead, where they may look like little freckles or pimples. Occasionally the extra nipples, and tissue beneath them, develop into full-blown breasts when awash in sex hormones during puberty or pregnancy. There have been reports of extra nipples, as well as extra breasts, producing milk.

Triple, quadruple, or even more nipples are not that unusual. Indeed, an estimated 5% of children are born with them. They seem to be more common, however, among native American women.

While usually benign, multiple nipples may be a sign of a myriad of medical conditions, from skeletal deformities to ulcers, from migraines to gallbladder problems. And like extra breasts, extra nipples can be a sign of rare genetic kidney and urinary tract defects. These defects are more likely to be seen in men with supernumerary nipples than in women with them.

If you want to know if your odd bump is a freckle or a  triple nipple, place an ice cube on it. If it pops out, it is a nipple.

Extra Breasts

Many of us have marveled at the sight of a pack of pups suckling at their mother's teats. And we might have seen pictures and statues of fertility goddesses with rows of breasts across their chests. Perhaps we have thought that multiple breasts in humans were just the stuff of fantasies. But some people do have one or more extra breasts, medically called POLYMASTIA. Also known as SUPERNUMERARY  BREASTS, they can come with or without nipples and areolae. Most often these mammary marvels are not noticed until puberty, when they start to develop in response to sex hormones.

Extra breasts do not just arise on the chest; they can develop on the buttocks, neck, shoulders, and back as well. And both men and women can have them. While multiple breasts can certainly be a cosmetic concern, any problem that can develop in a normal breast, including cancer, can occur in an extra one as well. And defects in the kidneys and other organs are sometimes seen in people with extra breasts.

Enlarged Breasts In Men

Large breasts in women are often seen as a sign of sexiness. Indeed, big breasted women are likely to attract lots of attention, admiration, and even jealousy. But large breasts in men are medically known as GYNECOMASTIA. In gynecomastia, one or both breasts can be enlarged, and one can be even more enlarged than the other, resulting in breast asymmetry. Men with gynecomastia often have another, less noticeable sign: a button or disk-like lump under the nipple or around the areola.

This condition is especially common among obese men. Astonishingly, 70% of boys will experience a mild form of gynecomastia during puberty. In these cases, the enlarged breasts are usually benign signs of the natural hormonal fluctuations of puberty. Hormone related gynecomastia is also seen in older men and is a sign of what's been medically dubbed ANDROPAUSE, the male equivalent of menopause. Just as women lose estrogen as they agge and go through menopause, men lose androgen.

About 1 in 4 adult men with enlarged breasts appear to have no underlying medical problem. Enlarged breasts in men can also be a warning sign of a pituitary tumor, a liver disorder, or even testicular cancer. Gynecomastia can also be a reaction to any one of a myriad of medicines commonly prescribed to men including those to treat baldness, ulcers, heartburn, high blood pressure, depression, heart failure, or prostate problems. Or it can signal marijuana or steroid use and abuse.

Finally, breast swelling in men, as in women, may signal certain benign breast disorders such as Papillomas and Fibroadenomas (non-cancerous growths in the milk ducts),but it can also be a warning sign of breast cancer.

Because men with Klinefelter's syndrome havbe higher-than-normal-estrogen levels, they are at increased risk of breast cancer. If you have this disorder be on the lookout for signs of breast cancer, such as swollen breasts and nipple discharge.

Because the liver plays a critical role in hormone metabolism. men with liver disorders are at increased risk of developing gynecomastia and breast.

Swollen, Discolored Breasts

While swollen breasts are a common sign that a woman is about to get her period, red and swollen breasts, particularly if they are warm to the touch, may be a sign of a very aggressive form of breast cancer, INFLAMMATORY  BREAST  CANCER (IBC). Pink, reddish purple, or bruised-looking breasts can also signal IBC.

Another classic sign of this deadly, fast-growing form of breast cancer is what doctors call Peau D'orange, breast skin that has the kind of slightly dimpled surfacce and tiny indentations of an orange peel. Other IBC signs may include a feeling of breast heaviness or tenderness; burning, itching, or aching; change in the size or shape of the breast; and an inverted nipple. While many of these signs are also common during menstruation, IBC signs do not come and go. Rather, they tend to occur suddenly and increase steadily over weeks or months.

IBC is often missed or misdiagnosed as an infection or even an insect bite because its signs are commonly seen on the surface of the breast. To confuse diagnostic matters further, the major sign of most breast cancers, a lump in the breast, is uncommon in women with IBC.

Unlike more common forms of breast cancer, IBC tends to occur in younger women, particularly young African-American women. Inflammatory breast cancer rarely occurs in men, but when it does, it is usually found in older men.

It is estimated that Inflammatory breast Cancer (IBC) accounts for 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases in the united States. In the 1990s, the incidence of IBC rose, as did survival rates. Both of these increases may be due to greater awareness and the use of mammograms.

Lumpy Breasts

Many women notice lumpy breasts at certain times during their menstrual cycle as well as when they go through menopause. Some lumps in lumpy breasts can be precancerous. Usually, however, having lots of lumps (diffuse lumpiness) in the breat is more likely to signal a very common benign condition called Fibrocystic Breast Disease, or more accurately Fibrocystic Changes. About 30% of women in the United States experience these breast changes. Although their exact cause is unknown, they are believed to be related to cyclical hormonal changes. Women with fibrocystic breasts often describe a feeling of breast heaviness or tenderness, particularly around the time of their periods. Some women describe their breast as having a "cobblestone" feel. Sometimes women will also have nipple discharge. Fibrocystic breast disease, which can affect one or both breasts, tends to disappear after menopause.

If the skin around the lumps look red or bruished, it may be a sign of Fat Necrosis, literally the death of fatty tissue. This sign is usually caused by a physical injury to the breast, which can cause fatty breast tissue to disintegrate. A woman, particularly if she is obese, may not even realize she has a blow to her breast. However, some women may notice a nipple discharge on the breast that has been injured.

Lumpy breasts are hallmarks of two common benign breast conditions, Cysts (fluid-filled sacs) and Fibroadenomas (solid masses). While breast cysts tend to occur in clusters, only one fibroadenoma is usually found as a solitary lump. Both types of lumps feel round, small, and firm, and both tend to move around under the skin when you press on them. (In fact, fibroadenomas can be so mobile that they have earned the unfortunate moniker breast mice.) Like the lumpiness of fibrocystic disease, these lumps tend to come and go in rhythm with a woman's menstrual cycle. Fibroadenomas are common even among teenage girls. They often become larger during pregnancy and lactation, and older women may notice more cysts during late menopause, if they are hormone replacement therapy, or if they are very thin.

Mismatched Breasts

If you have ever looked closely at your breasts in a mirror, you have probably noticed that they are not mirror images of each other. One is often slightly larger, lower, or more off-center than the other. But if you find that one breast is a different cup size from its partner, it may be a sign of a usually benign condition, appropriately called BREAST ASYMMETRY. This discrepancy in breast size or shape can develop at any point but often first becomes apparent during puberty, when the breasts themselves are developing, or during pregnancy, when the breasts are preparing for breastfeeding.

Though rare, uneven breasts can also be a sign of a congenital defect called POLAND'S SYNDROME, in which the chest muscles on one side of the body are underdeveloped. Although present from birth, and sometimes hereditary, this type of breast asymmetry may go unnoticed until puberty when the breasts start to develop. Poland's syndrome is actually more common in men than women.

Sometimes other signs, such as, webbed fingers (syndactyly) on the same side as the small breast, are noticeable. In general, Poland's syndrome doesn't usually cause serious problems. But some people with this condition do suffer from kidney and bladder problems. Last, but not least, mismatched breasts in both men and women are in important warning sign of breast cancer.

Women with asymmetrical breasts should be especially diligent about having mammograms. British study found that even small irregularities in breast symmetry as measured by mammography may become an importatnt indicator of increased risk of breast cancer.

Only You Smells Smelly



Does you mom's apple pie smell more like pizza pie lately? Rather than blaming your mother, you may want to look to your own nose. You may have the classic sign of DYSOSMIA, a distorted sense of smell. But if your local greenhouse smells more like an outhouse, it may signal CACOSMIA, a condition in which things smell putrid or fecal to you but perfectly fine to others.

And if you are the only one in a room who smells something. It is probably a sign of PHANTOSMIA or PHANTOM  ODORS. Unlike phantom visions, which often involve cute animals or beautiful scenes, phantom odors are usually far from pleasant. In fact, for the most part, they are downright disgusting. Phantosmia sufferers describe such revolting smells as rotting flesh, feces, and vomit that seem to come out of nowhere.

In some people, the phantom odors may signal schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders. In these cases, the sufferers are likely to have visual and auditory hallucinations or other serious psychiatric signs as well.

Like hypersensitivity to smell, phantom odors, dysosmia, and cacosmia can be normal signs of pregnancy. But if you are not pregnant, they may signal epilepsy. Indeed, some people experience an odor aura just before a seizure. Interestingly, distorted or odd odors, as well as phantom odors, also can be signs of a certain type of epilepsy in which no seizure occur. They might also be harbingers of an impending migraine.

As might be expected, all these odor disorders can signal olfactory nerve damage, which can be caused by many of the same things, including infections, head trauma, surgery, environmental toxins, and drugs, that lead to loss of smell.

If the underlying condition can be treated, the smell distortions or hallucinations will probably disappear. But getting an early, accurate diagnosis is a key.

Severe odor disorders, such as those that make food smell rotten all the time, can so disrupt quality of life that they can lead to serious depression. A report from univeristy surgeon said that almost half of his patients who suffered from smell distortions had seriously contemplated suicide.



Supersensitive To Smell

Do you turn up or wrinkle your nose at smells no one else seems to notice? Just as the young woman in the Danish fairy tale "Princess and the Pea" was overly sensitive to touch. Some people are hypersensitive to odors. Medically known as HYPEROSMIA, smell sensitivity is usually a benign, albeit annoying, sign. However, if you have this condition, mildly unpleasant smells can make you nauseated. But pleasant smells come in stronger, too. For example, a person with hyperosmia can often detect the scent of a woman's perfume long after she is left a room.

Supersensitivity to smell is often thought to be a psychosomatic condition and a sign of neurosis. But do not be so quick to run off to a shrink. It can be a sign of pregnancy. And hyperosmia can signal Addison's disease, a serious but rare hormonal disorder that adversely affects the mucous membranes and skin.

The smell of rotting flesh is, literally, the worst smell in the workd, according to scent scientist.

Smelling Problem

Is your favorite perfume or aftershave no longer as fragrant as it used to be? Depending on your age, this might be yet another one of those unfortunate signs of growing older. As our hearing, sight, and memories fade with age, so does our sense of smell.

The decreased ability to smell is medically known as HYPOSMIA, while the total loss of smell is called  ANOSMIA. To confuse matters further, when the diminished ability to smell is age-related, it is called PRESBYOSMIA. While our sense of smell is fully developed at birth, it is most acute from our teen years to age 60. It goes downhill from there. By our 80s, we smell only half as well as we did when we were in our 30s.

Not surprisingly, smell loss, like a stuffy nose, is often a sign that your nasal passages are clogged from a cold, allergy, sinus infection, nasal polyp, or tumor. But it may also signal a zinc deficiency. (Zinc, in fact, is sometimes used to help restore the sense of smell.) Loss of smell from these causes tends to develop gradually and is usually temporary. Once the cause is treated, the ability to smell usually returns.

A sudden loss of smell in people over the age of 60 often signals an upper respiratory tract infection. But sudden loss of smell is also a fairly common sign of head trauma, especially in younger people. In fact, one in ten people who has had a head injury experiences smell loss, and, unfortunately, it can be permanent.

If your sense of smell is not as sharp as before, your nose may be warning you that you have been exposed to dangerous chemicals or environmental toxins. While smell loss from these culprits can be permanent, prompt treatment may be able to restore your ability to smell.

If you have recently had nasal surgery, a diminished sense of smell can alert you to the fact that something went awry during the procedure. It can also be a reaction to radiation therapy or chemotherapy, as well as to certain drugs such as decongestants and medications for hyperthyroidism. Speaking of drugs, smell loss, like a runny nose, can result from snorting cocaine or other illicit drugs. It can also be your body's way of warning you that you are smoking or drinking too much.

The loss of smell can also be the only warning sign of a type of brain tumor called OLFACTORY  GROOVE  MENINGIOMA. The good news is that this tumor is usually not cancerous and is treatable. The bad news is that if left alone, it can grow and affect not only your sense of smell but your vision as well. Olfactory groove meningioma occurs more often in women than men and usually strikes people between the age of 40 and 70.

Smell loss can also signal a whole host of other medical disorders including diabetes, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, lung disease, and even schizophrenia.

Finaly, loss of smell can be a very early sign of the neurological disorders Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. Unfortunately, both of these conditions are often missed or misdiagnosed in their early stages. Smell testing is an important diagnostic tool to help differentiate these neurological disorders from other disorders.

When your sense of smell goes, more is at stake than you think. You are likely to lose your sense of taste as well. Indeed, two-thirds of people who seek help for smell loss also complain about taste loss.

Because the sense of smell is critical to sniff out danger, anyone who has lost this sense should have smoke and natural-gas detectors throughout the home. Carefully dating all perishable food is important as well, to avoid eating spoiled food. these safety precautions are especially critical for those living alone and the elderly.

Our sense of smell is the most acute of all our senses. It is 10,000 times more sensitive than our sense of taste. Indeed, up to 90% of what we perceive as taste is actually smell.

In general, women have a keener sense of smell than men; it is most acute around ovulation.

People with a normal sense of smell can discern about 10,000 different odors.

Smoking can cause loss of sense of smell, not to mention loss of life. In additiion to lung and heart disease and cancer, smokers area at increased risk of causing and being in house fires.