“Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD) is caused by meningococcal bacteria, and is almost always meningitis or septicaemia (also known as sepsis), less frequently pneumonia or infection in other parts of the body. Although it has been widely known that meningitis and septicaemia can cause death swiftly, recent analysis from a team of researchers at PHE quantified precisely how swiftly the disease acts in different age groups. The research helps highlight the importance of rapid treatment.  This new study shows that for most of those who die of this leading cause of meningitis, the disease comes on suddenly and advances rapidly, with a very limited time window to administer life-saving treatment, underlining the importance of prevention=Vaccine.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

“Meningococcal meningitis is a rare but serious bacterial infection.  Meningococcal, serious illness caused by a bacteria (Neisseria meningitidis). It can cause meningitis, which is an infection of the brain and spinal cord, and it can also cause blood infections. It causes the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed. Each year, approximately 1,000 people in the U.S. get meningococcal disease, which includes meningitis and septicemia (blood infection).

Meningococcal meningitis can be fatal or cause great harm without prompt treatment; as many as one out of five people who contract the infection have serious complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control, even with antibiotics, 10 to 15% of those infected will die and about 1 in 5 of those who survive are left with long-term disabilities that include deafness, brain damage, neurological problems, and even loss of a limb.  There is a way to prevent it.” (which will be discussed tomorrow on our blog).

NMA – National Meningitis Association

“A brain injury is any occurrence that causes damage to your brain. The scope of what qualifies as a brain injury is fairly large. Brain injury can be anything from a mild concussion to traumatic brain injury, also known as craniocerebral trauma. Mild traumatic brain injury may affect your brain cells temporarily. More-serious traumatic brain injury can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain. These injuries can result in long-term complications or death (like bullet, shattered piece of skull, .

Not all brain injury results in TBI. In fact, some low-grade concussions may heal just fine on their own but any head hit or injury have checked by MD or ER.”

MAYO CLINIC

“National Brain Injury Awareness Month! Every year the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) proudly leads Americans throughout Brain Injury Awareness Month. The theme for this year is #ChangeYourMind. And its goal is to:

• Help de-stigmatize brain injury in the community,
• Share the stories of those who are living with brain injuries, and those that care for them,
• And spread awareness of the ways people living with brain injuries can receive support.”

BrainForest (brainforest.com)

“The most common condition among children is largely preventable! According to the AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry), dental caries/cavities are four times more common than childhood asthma and three times more likely than childhood obesity. As a dental hygienist, NCDHM is a great opportunity to spread the word about how poor oral health and caries impact our kids’ health and quality of life.”.

American Dental HealtAdvocacy – adha.org

“The heart’s pumping action moves oxygen-rich blood as it travels from the lungs to the left atrium, then on to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body. The left ventricle supplies most of the heart’s pumping power, so it’s larger than the other chambers and essential for normal function. In left-sided or left ventricular (LV) heart failure, the left side of the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood.

Right-sided or right ventricular (RV) heart failure usually occurs as a result of left-sided failure. When the left ventricle fails, increased fluid pressure is, in effect, transferred back through the lungs, ultimately damaging the heart’s right side. When the right side loses pumping power, blood backs up in the body’s veins. This usually causes swelling or congestion in the legs, ankles and swelling within the abdomen such as the GI tract and liver (causing ascites).”

Americasn Heart Association (www.heart.org)

“Your risk for some eye diseases and conditions increases as you grow older, and some eye changes are more serious. Keep your eyes as healthy as possible by getting regular eye exams so any problems can be spotted early.”

NIH – Natonal Institute on Aging  (https://www.nia.nih.gov)

“As you age, it is normal to notice changes in your vision. A few common changes for older adults include:

• Losing the ability to see up close
• Having trouble distinguishing colors, such as blue from black
• Needing more time to adjust to changing levels of light”

NIH – National Institute of Hearing  (https://www.nia.nih.gov)

“An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn’t a disease, but rather a sign of another condition. Certain conditions may cause the heart muscle to become thicker or cause one of the chambers of the heart to dilate, making the heart larger. Depending on the condition, an enlarged heart may be temporary or permanent.

An enlarged heart may be treatable by correcting the cause. Treatment for an enlarged heart can include medications, medical procedures or surgery.”

MAYO CLINIC

“Teen Dating Violence is defined as the physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional aggression within a dating relationship, including stalking.”

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention