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Archive for the ‘Lymphoma’ Category

Lymphoma is a very difficult disease if watched from the symptoms perspective. That is to say that besides being quite “ugly”, these lymphoma signs can also be attributed to other medical conditions as well. Cat scratch fever has similar symptoms to lymphoma, making this disease even that more difficult to diagnose. There are two types of lymphoma for which symptoms are presented: non- Hodgkin’ s lymphoma and Hodgkin’ s lymphoma.

The symptoms for lymphoma disease are as follows:

- general tiredness and lack of your energy; these apply in both lymphoma cases;

- swelling of the lymph node; the upper parts of your body are more often affected, but any node that is related to the lymph organ can swell; this is not painful at all, opposite to the lymph nodes that get infected; these symptoms as well can be found in both lymphoma types;

- loss of weight is another symptom that applies to both lymphoma diseases; if you suffer from lymphoma, you are very likely to loose at least six percent of your body weight in a very short period of time;

- you will also suffer from chills and fever if suffering from any of the lymphoma diseases; the fever that you will have is not persistent;

- itching is another lymphoma symptom, but it applies more to Hodgkin’ s lymphoma, than to the other lymphoma type; the itching is more deep in your skin and it can affect almost any part of your body;

- sweating at night, for apparently no reason is another lymphoma sign, that as the one above, refers more to the Hodgkin’ s type of lymphoma;

Besides these lymphoma symptoms, that are the most common ones, there are also some other signs, which are less common:

- pain in the lower back is a sign for both lymphoma types of disease; this happens because the lymph nodes that are expanding actually press your nerves;

- in the Hodgkin’ s lymphoma case, after consuming alcohol, you may suffer from pain in your lymph nodes;

- lesions, itching and even skin patches are also symptoms of lymphoma, but this time of the non- Hodgkin’ s type of lymphoma;

To diagnose lymphoma by it’ s symptoms alone is quite difficult if not impossible. This is why x- rays or some tests must be used as well. At present, there are almost 35 different lymphoma types. The treatment used differs from a type of lymphoma to another.

Incoming search terms:

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the lymphocyte cells that play a role in the immune system, and primarily represents cells involved in the lymphatic system of the body. Lymphomas are of two types: Hodgkin lymphoma, which develops from abnormal B lymphocyte cells; and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which develops from either abnormal B or T lymphocyte cells, and is distinguished by unique genetic markers. There are five sub-types of Hodgkin lymphoma and about 30 sub-types of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Old age; infections; medical conditions which compromise the immune system; exposure to toxic chemicals; and a family history, are risk factors for this condition. Common symptoms include painless and enlarged lymph nodes, spleen enlargement, fever, chills, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, tiredness and itching. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and biological therapy are the standard line of treatment for this condition.

The Ayurvedic treatment of lymphoma is aimed at treating the tumor and improving the immune status of the body. Kanchnaar-Guggulu, Triphala-Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu and Punarnavadi-Guggulu are used in high doses in this condition. The herbal medicines, Kanchnaar (Bauhinia variegata) and Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), form the main stay of treatment for this condition, and these medicines too are used in high doses for prolonged periods. In addition, medicines like Indrayav (Holharrhina antidysentrica), Patol (Tricosanthe dioica), Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Patha (Cissampelos pareira) and Musta (Cyperus rotundus) are used, which act on the blood and lymphoid tissue. Triphala (Three fruits), which comprises of Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and Behada (Terminalia bellerica); and Trikatu (Three pungent herbs), which comprises of Sunthi (Zinziber officinalis), Marich (Piper nigrum) and Pippali (Piper longum) are also very useful in this condition.

Hemgarbha-Ras, Bruhat-Vat-Chintamani-Ras, Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Abhrak-Bhasma, Heerak-Bhasma, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Bhrungraj (Eclipta alba) are used to improve the immune status of the body and reduce the lymphoma cells.

When combined with modern therapy, Ayurvedic treatment can reduce symptoms, reduce the side effects of conventional treatment, improve the immune status of the body, improve quality of life, and prolong survival. Prolonged treatment is required to get significant therapeutic results, and courses of treatment may need to be repeated in order to prevent relapses. All patients need to be under the regular care and supervision of an Oncology team.

Would you know if you had lymphoma? Do you even know what to look for? Below is a short description of lymphoma and information on the symptoms to look for, how the doctor will diagnose it and the possible treatments available today.

What is lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphocyte cells of the immune system. It generally originates in one or more of the lymph glands and causes them to swell to the point that they become uncomfortable although not painful. The common lymph glands that are first affected include those in the neck, in the armpit area and in the groin. Unfortunately the cancerous lymphocytes can break away from the main growth in the lymph glands and travel around the body in the lymphatic system and in the blood. This means that lymphoma often affects the entire body and causes symptoms in areas far from the original site of growth.

What are the common symptoms of lymphoma?

There are a number of common signs and symptoms that are associated with lymphoma however it must be pointed out that these symptoms can also be caused by numerous, less severe conditions and so anyone suffering with any of the following symptoms should not self-diagnose lymphoma. The common symptoms include:

Swollen lymph glands – although these often develop in the neck, armpit and groin areas they can also develop in the chest and these lymph glands can not be felt externally. This means that they can be swollen for some time without causing any external swelling that can be felt with the fingers. Fever and night sweats – because cancerous cells are present in the body the immune system launches an attack and this causes the body’s internal temperature to rise, which is felt as a fever. Unexplained weight loss – lymphoma can affect any system within the body and occasionally it affects the digestive system which then fails to function at its best. This means that food is not absorbed properly and the body begins to lose weight. Tiredness and fatigue – again this can occur when the digestive system is affected and the impaired food absorption leaves the body with little energy. It also occurs because the body is constantly trying to fight the spread and development of cancerous cells.
How is lymphoma diagnosed?

Usually the doctor will have an idea of the diagnosis from your description of the symptoms and from performing a physical examination i.e. to feel for swelling in the lymph glands. From here he/she will refer you to the hospital for further tests which may include x-rays, CT and MRI scans to see how far the cancerous cells have spread, blood tests and even bone marrow biopsies. These tests will be able to confirm the presence of lymphoma and they will pinpoint exactly what type of lymphoma you have and how far it has progressed.

How is lymphoma treated?

There are a number of ways that lymphoma can be treated however the exact course of treatment will depend on a number of factors including what type of lymphoma is present, how far it has spread, how fast it is growing and your general state of health. The options include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplants however every case is different and your course of therapy will be individual to your illness so that you have the best chance of recovery possible.