Baylor Health Care System

March 2009 News

What to Know About Endometriosis

Endometriosis is more than just painful cramps. It’s a chronic disease that affects 12 million women in the United States - and contributes to infertility, extreme pain or incontinence. Baylor offers comprehensive services for all stages of women’s health, including treatment for endometriosis.

A woman’s uterus is lined with endometrial tissue, which builds up every month to provide a place for an egg to grow. If a pregnancy does not occur, the endometrial tissue sheds as blood every month. This process is known as the menstrual period.

Endometriosis occurs when endometrial cells which line the uterus grow on other organs. This can be caused by a backup in the menstrual flow, which forces the fluid to spill into the abdominal cavity, and allows the endometrial cells to attach to other organs. Even though the cells are no longer where they belong, hormones still force the cells to shed every month, which can cause extreme pain in the other organs. The cells may also form scar tissue or cysts, which can rupture and spread the cells even further. 

The only way to conclusively diagnose endometriosis is a surgical procedure called laparoscopy, which allows the physician to find the scar tissue or cysts. Treatment includes anti-inflammatory pain medicine, such as ibuprofen, laparoscopic surgery or hormone therapy. To find out more about endometriosis, visit our online health encyclopedia. To find a women’s specialist on the medical staff at Baylor, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or search online.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease which affects the brain and spine, the body’s central nervous system. Baylor’s neuroscience programs offer treatment plans for treating MS and a variety of other neurological conditions.

MS is a type of autoimmune disease in which the body destroys the protective sheath around the neurons in our brain and spine. This protective sheath, myelin, allows the brain and spinal cord to communicate efficiently and effectively with the body’s other nerves. Over time, MS causes decreased coordination, memory, motor skills and other symptoms due to patches of destroyed myelin.

MS symptoms usually appear between the ages of 20 and 40, and affect more women than men. Symptoms and severity of MS vary from person to person, which makes it difficult to diagnose. The majority of people with MS, 70 percent, have a form called relapsing-remitting, or RR, where they have periodic relapses where symptoms worsen. The remaining percentage has progressive and chronic symptoms which worsen steadily over time. The most common symptoms are loss of coordination, incontinence or tingling or numbness in the limbs.

View medical illustrations and find out more about MS in our online health encyclopedia. To find a specialist on the medical staff at Baylor, search online or call 1.800.4BAYLOR. 

Seeing Stars?

A concussion is more than just a bump on the head-it’s the most common form of brain injury. Brain injuries may be less severe, like a concussion – or they may be traumatic injuries with long-term impacts. Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation is the flagship rehabilitation facility for the North Texas Brain Injury Model System – and offers comprehensive treatments for brain injuries.

Usually, concussions are caused by a sudden blow to the head which shakes the brain against the skull. Since the brain is soft, an unexpected blow may cause bruising, bleeding or other damage to the brain, either temporarily or permanently causing the brain to function improperly. Car accidents, physical attacks, sports and other accidents at home or work are the most common causes of brain injury and can be accompanied by spine injuries as well.

Symptoms of brain injuries usually develop over a period of several hours. People who have withstood a head injury of any kind should be closely monitored for 24 hours. Even if there is no external damage, the following can be warnings of serious trauma:

• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Unusual drowsiness
• Vomiting
• Loss of consciousness
• Clear or bloody drainage from the mouth, nose or ears

Always remember to use helmets, seat belts and other safety equipment when participating in activities. If you suspect a serious injury call 911 or your physician immediately. To find out more about our traumatic brain injury programs, call 1.800.4BAYLOR.

National Nutrition Month

Maintaining a healthy diet is essential to your health, but even we admit that it’s hard to keep track of all the latest nutritional news and tips. Baylor offers an online diet and nutrition assessment as well as educational classes and events throughout the year to help you stay happy and healthy.  

Nutrition plays an important part in warding off disease and signs of internal and external aging. Antioxidants found in berries and other fruits may combat free radicals (unstable cells) in the body, which are created by environmental pollutants and other stressors. Vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in unprocessed, whole foods may help protect you from chronic diseases, stroke and even cardiovascular diseases.

Feel and look your best with these four nutrition tips:

• Take a daily multivitamin, but don’t substitute the vitamin for healthy fruits and vegetables
• Drink plenty of water to help digestion, increase energy and keep your skin and joints healthy
• Try to eat at least two omega-3 meal rich meals per week, such as grilled salmon
• Sneak in five servings of fruits and veggies per day

The Centers for Disease Control is also a great resource for nutritional information, such as a fruit and vegetable of the month calendar, which can introduce you and your family to new nutritious fruits and vegetables. For information on classes and events at Baylor, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or search online for classes near you.