A look at the problem of ordinary people. What can I expect from a visit to the doctor

Associate Professor of the Department of Urology medical center Langon at New York University Benjamin Brucker (USA), urinating more than seven times a day - dangerous symptom. (Same as abrupt change in the toilet schedule.) Another sign of danger is frequent, more than twice, nocturnal awakenings with a desire to pee - most healthy people able to sleep through the night without going to the bathroom.

Okay, this is about me. What is the problem?

When bladder fills up, the brain receives a signal that it is time to pee. But if you have an overactive bladder (and in the US, for example, every sixth man has one), this signal comes even when the bladder is not full. Although medical contraindications frequent urination no, it may affect general quality your life. The causes of an overactive bladder are not yet known, but the likelihood of getting it increases with age. Among the others possible causes of note are diabetes, urinary tract infections, and prostate enlargement. The enlarged gland compresses the urethra (the tube through which urine goes), which means that your bladder has to try harder, which causes inflammation of the nerves and the very feeling that you need to run to the toilet. The pressure also keeps you from emptying your bladder all the way, which means you'll go to the toilet more often. Frequent but not abundant urination may also indicate scarring in the urethra after surgical intervention, injury or sexually transmitted infection. If you don't treat it disease state you can get kidney problems.

Sounds scary. Or maybe I just drink a lot during the day?

In general, yes. This may be the reason. Especially if you drink diuretics such as tea, coffee or alcohol. Eating them at night can make you rush to the bathroom in the middle of the night. If you want to have a restful sleep, it is best to stop drinking these drinks four hours before bedtime. For some people, the urge to urinate becomes more frequent during periods of excitement or stress. They may be advised to think about something else or use the soothing breathing technique.

So when should I see a doctor?

As soon as the problem starts to interfere with your life. (Let's say if you can't sit through any meetings.) You should also visit a doctor if you experience pain when urinating or see blood in your urine. This could be a sign bacterial infection in urinary tract or something more serious like bladder cancer.

What can I expect from a visit to the doctor?

A blood test for diabetes, a swab for infection. Maybe, rectal examination prostate. Nothing particularly pleasant, but you'll survive. The doctor may prescribe ultrasound procedure to check for kidney stones. Then he will be referred to a urologist for further tests. Treatment depends on the diagnosis: antibiotics for a bacterial infection, Kegel exercises for an overactive bladder. Although an overactive bladder cannot be completely cured, it can be managed to improve quality of life and reduce the number of trips to the toilet during the day.

Which is better for the skin general health of a person: to be an "unwashed barbarian" or a "clean"?
Does our skin need to be washed frequently?

Upper layer skin, - the epidermis, - consists of several layers of cells. New ones form in the lower one, and then, moving to the surface, they gradually turn into horny scales and eventually fall off.
Normally, horny scales mix with sebum and form a kind of protective film on the surface of the skin.

Also, some microorganisms are constantly present on the skin - representatives of the normal microflora. She performs important features: supports normal level acidity of the skin and displaces pathogens.

Studies show that if a person takes a bath every day for several weeks or does not wash during the same time, this does not affect the state of his permanent normal microflora.

Some micro-organisms may be temporarily present on the skin, but eventually the normal microflora will crowd them out. If the skin is damaged and its protective functions are reduced, then these bacteria and fungi can colonize it and form a new one, pathogenic microflora. They are capable of causing disease. AT normal condition skin has a pH of 5.0. This is very important for her protection.

It turns out that, on the one hand, when taking a shower or a bath, we remove everything “extra” from the skin: dust, sweat, horny scales, “foreign” microorganisms that have settled on it. In the same time frequent washing leads to the fact that we erase the natural protective layer from the skin, and it simply does not have time to recover. However, it is not the washing itself that is important, but the quality of the water and the composition of the hygiene products that you use.

The water you wash with

In accordance with sanitary regulations and the norms approved in Russia in 2002, the water that enters your tap must be “safe in epidemic and radiation terms, harmless in terms of chemical composition and have favorable organoleptic properties.

The main indicators and the content of a number of chemicals in tap water are regulated, standards are set, but in reality water does not always meet these criteria (especially in small towns and villages). Even more at risk are people who have to take water from standpipes and wells.

Exceeding the content of certain substances in water is a threat not only to the stomach and intestines, but also to your skin if you often like to sit in the shower or in the bath.

Chlorine is used to purify water from microorganisms in a centralized water supply system. Indeed, there are more safe technique, - with help ultraviolet radiation, - but it is so expensive that its widespread implementation is still unlikely.

If a person washes with water high content chlorine, the hair will be the first to react. They will fall out more, lose natural shine become brittle, and the ends begin to split. The skin becomes dry, tight, irritated, an allergic reaction may occur.

The action of chlorine on the skin also has long-term consequences - it destroys normal microflora skin and reduces its protective properties. May appear acne and . Chlorine - good disinfectant as it is a powerful oxidizing agent. Once in the body, it forms free radicals that damage living cells. And this is one of the mechanisms of aging and development malignant neoplasms, in particular, .

Second common problem tap water- high hardness associated with a high content of calcium and magnesium salts. Young children react most strongly to swimming in hard water - by the age of three months they may have the first symptoms, which transforms into eczema with age.

Frequent washing in hard water destroys the natural protective layer of the skin. In addition, such water washes away the soap applied to the skin worse. Outcome: increased dryness, irritation and allergic reactions, increased risk the occurrence of cracks and penetration into the skin of infection.

Soap and shampoo: friend or foe?

The labels of shampoos and shower gels usually state that they contain " natural ingredients”, “herbal extracts” and other healthy substances. Few read the fine print describing full squad. And there, by the way, you can find a lot of interesting things.

Many disinfectant soaps contain a substance called triclosan. In 2014, scientists from the University of California-San Diego conducted a study during which they found that triclosan does not in the best way affects the health of laboratory mice: it can cause fibrosis and liver. Of course, when you bathe and apply soap to your skin, the body receives a small dose of this substance, which is almost harmless. But frequent washing for several years can affect health.

In 2008, American scientists were alarmed by another discovery. After examining the urine of 163 children, they found that phthalates are present in many samples - chemical substances found in baby shampoos. Penetrating into the body, they can disrupt the development of the organs of the reproductive system.

In the manufacture of soaps and shampoos, various surface active substances. At frequent use they can be bad for skin and hair, especially if they're cheap. The first symptoms: itching, dandruff, dry skin,.

Of course, the composition of hygiene products is not limited to those listed above. The lower the cost of a soap or shampoo, the more likely it is to contain harmful ingredients. With a single and infrequent use, they most likely will not lead to problems. But often it is better not to use them.
The worst effect on the skin hygiene products, which include many alkalis (as we have already said, the skin has a pH of 5.0, that is, slightly acidic). Contact with alkalis leads to an increase in pH and a decrease in protective functions skin. If you wash several times a day, then the acidity of the skin simply does not have time to return to normal.

Of course, you need to bathe regularly. Especially in summer, when the skin is actively sweating and covered with dust. But in everything you need to know the measure:

• Prioritize a shower over a bath. It's more hygienic.
• Do not use a solid shower head. Pathogenic microorganisms can accumulate in it, so it must be collapsible, it must be washed regularly.
• Use soap and shampoo only when needed. During the daily morning and evening shower, it is quite possible to do without them.
• Choose hygiene products carefully. Look at their composition. Do not buy products that contain a lot of alkalis, harmful components.
• It is advisable to give preference to children's and organic means hygiene. They usually cost more, but we are talking about your health.
• Pay attention to the quality of the water you wash with. If you live in an area where tap water contains a lot of impurities - consider installing a cleaning system.

The choice of household chemicals really needs to be given Special attention. According to the latest data, it contains up to 15 substances hazardous to health.

A group of researchers from Lund University began their study of the effects of alcohol on health from purely practical questions. Scientists have tried to find out what is the difference in medical costs of those who drink alcohol every day in small doses, and those who do not drink it at all. In addition to their own research, they used data obtained during the 2002 project. The project was aimed at obtaining information about the alcohol-related losses that Sweden incurs every year.

The results of the work done by scientists have shown that the medical costs of people who do not drink are lower than those of people who consume daily a small amount of alcohol. Thus, the prevailing opinion that alcohol in small quantities is good for health becomes very doubtful.

Previous studies have found a link between alcohol consumption and wage levels. Scientists have found that the earnings of people who periodically drink alcohol are higher than those who do not drink. Then scientists explained this fact by the fact that alcohol has a beneficial effect on health and people who use it spend less time on sick leave. However, new data obtained by scientists from Lund University completely refute this theory. Scientists have proposed to take into account diseases in which drinking even in small quantities can cause a serious deterioration in health. This approach radically changed the picture and showed that alcohol still damages health. Thus, a direct relationship between more high level income and alcohol consumption is highly questionable. Perhaps, in some cases, some relationship between these two indicators does exist, but there are much more factors influencing each of them than are presented in the simplified alcohol-income model.

French scientists, after a series of studies, also issued a disappointing verdict: beneficial features small doses of alcohol - a myth. So scientists from France found that there is a relationship between the incidence of cancer and the constant use of alcoholic beverages. For example, it has been found that drinking a glass of wine daily increases the risk of cancer by 168%. oral cavity or throat. Moreover, it was proved that daily use a small amount of alcohol is even more harmful than large doses drunk from time to time.

American scientists have established the effect of constant alcohol consumption on the brain. The studies were conducted among people over 55 years old, in total, about 2800 people took part in it. The subjects were carefully medical examination, as well as the amount of tobacco and alcohol they used. As a result of their work, scientists have found that even a small amount of alcohol consumption leads to brain atrophy.

Canadian scientists have found that the risk of binge drinking in people who regularly consume even very small amount alcohol, much higher. The constant use of alcohol has such an impact on both men and women, it also does not depend on age.

For more exact definition the amount of alcohol consumed, the researchers introduced a special unit of measure, which they called a drink. 1 drink was set equal to 5 ounces (~142g) of wine, 1.5 ounces (~42g) of liquor, 12 ounces (~340g) of beer and 3 ounces (~85g) of port. Thus, Canadians found that those who rarely drink, on average, drink no more than two drinks at a time.

Canadians themselves call the desire to cheer up the main reason for drinking alcohol. The main danger of such a daily improvement in mood lies in the fact that alcohol is addictive, which means that in order to feel the influence of alcohol, a person will need to drink more and more each time. Gradually, the amount of alcohol consumed reaches 4-5 drinks at a time, which inevitably harms health. Accordingly, it can be confidently stated that the regular use of alcohol, even in the smallest amounts, is indirectly harmful to a person.

According to international studies, detrimental to female body is a dose of 4 drinks. This amount of alcohol has an irreversible effect on the body, even if it was drunk only once.

It is also impossible not to say about the delusions that can so often be heard in our latitudes. Many parents believe that a small amount of low-alcohol drinks is not harmful, and may even be beneficial for young children, especially if the child himself expresses a desire. There is an opinion that children know better what their body needs and if they reach for a mug of beer, it means that their body lacks any useful substances contained in this drink. Also, many believe that after tasting a tasteless drink, the child himself will no longer want to drink it.

However, studies conducted among 6,000 families have shown that in the future, the level of alcoholism among children who consumed even a small amount of alcohol with their parents and with their permission is significantly higher than those who were strictly forbidden to drink alcohol by their parents. According to statistics, children who have tried alcohol in the presence of their parents and under the age of 15 are more likely to suffer from alcoholism.

Thus, the verdict is disappointing. Is it harmful frequent use alcohol in small quantities? As far as alcohol is concerned, scientists all over the world show amazing unanimity: alcohol is harmful even in small doses.