Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder caused by the absence or deficiency of full-length survival motor neuron protein (SMN). SMN is essential for developing growth or protrusions in the nerves called dendrites and axons. Dendrite and axons transmit impulses to and from neurons (brain cells) and from neurons to muscles. The absence of SMN disrupts this process, and the muscles do not receive signals from the brain. The muscles stop growing and begin to weaken, and then start shrinking. Children and infants with spinal muscular atrophy are unable to perform motor movements as they grow. They also have problems breathing and swallowing. Some types of SMA can lead to fatalities within a few weeks of birth. There is no cure for SMA yet. However, treatment aims to increase life expectancy and their quality of life through increased SMN production. Treatment begins immediately on a diagnosis. Read on to know the treatment options for spinal muscle atrophy. 1. SMN enhancing treatment The goal of this treatment is to increase the production of SMN1. Such protocols are known as SMN-enhancing treatments. Nusinersen was the first approved drug to treat both children and adults. The drug is administered into the fluid around the spinal cord.

The National Headache Foundation has found out that a sizable number of people listed weather as their top trigger, along with one or more of the 16 most common migraine triggers. Sudden or unusual humidity changes, temperature, dust or rainstorms, and a very dry environment can trigger a migraine. Along with the weather, medication, lifestyle, and stress are too major migraine triggers. Where you can live can improve or worsen your migraine symptoms. Cities in the US with a risk for migraine: 1. Augusta – Unstable barometric pressure Cities are more prone to dips in barometric pressure during storms and typhoons. Some had migraines the day after the typhoon made landfall when the winds were still strong. Augusta in Maine, Rapid City in SD, and Montpelier in VT were the top three cities for having the most days with barometric pressure variations. Honolulu, Miami, and San Diego are the safest cities with the least barometric pressure variations. 2. Nashville and Cincinnati – Abnormal weather condition If cities have fewer thunderstorms, extreme summers, and winters, those cities are considered safe for migraine. Cities with high environmental pollutants are also not considered safe for people with migraines. Extended sunshine during winters is a migraine trigger for some.

Asthma, as well as any chronic pulmonary condition in general, essentially develops due to one’s living conditions and the air quality surrounding their place of residence. Diverse factors can contribute to poor air quality in any city. The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) has taken into account a few notable ones such as particle pollution, ozone levels, pollen dispersions, uncontrolled tobacco regulations, poverty rate, and more and has come up with a list of cities that are deemed the worst to live in with asthma and allergies. 1. Springfield, MA Springfield lies in a valley in Massachusetts where there are relatively high collection levels of carbon dioxide along with unusually high pollen count in the air throughout the year. The American Lung Association (ALA) has termed living in the city as having a constant “sunburn on your lungs.” “Springfield and the greater metropolitan area’s undesirable asthma prevalence is thus a result of numerous circumstances such as the geography, infrastructure, housing stock, lack of access to long and short-term health care and poverty,” says Jesse Lederman, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee in the city. Around 60-80% of kids suffer from asthma, and about 50% of the adults have allergic asthma.

Contrary to the common misconception, arthritis is not merely an old man’s disease. It is a collective inflammation of the joints that can affect anybody. Apart from making time for enough physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet, one’s living conditions play a significant role in the road to recovery. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has compiled a list of worst cities for people with arthritis. Here are three of them. 1. Atlanta, GA One of the important reasons arthritic patients generally fear Georgia is its unpredictable weather shifts. The city is known to exhibit bipolar weather multiple times in a single day, such as fine, sunny mornings and rainy afternoons. Another reason why patients should entirely avoid Georgia is the highly unfair ratio of patients to rheumatologists. More than 26 percent of adults in Atlanta have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Between 1999 and 2008, more than 2000 adults are known to have died, with arthritis being the primary cause. Though Georgia is quite beautiful to live in, considering the statistics mentioned above, it can be safely advised that the state be strongly avoided by arthritis patients everywhere else in the country. 2. Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma revels in making its residents’ lives particularly miserable if they suffer from chronic arthritic conditions and joint pains, especially.

Arthritis is a disease characterized by the inflammation of joints. There are many types of arthritis, like age-related arthritis, autoimmune arthritis, arthritis linked to uric acid (gout), and osteoarthritis. And all of them induce joint pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion as some of the symptoms. Some people might experience redness and irritation of the joints, too. Arthritis has many risk factors, including family history and obesity. Women are more likely to suffer from it, and advanced age also increases the risk of developing this disease. Here are some foods of the worst foods to eat when suffering from arthritis. 1. Nightshade vegetables Those who have any arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, will benefit from eliminating nightshades. These include bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. These vegetables contain solanine, a compound that can potentially stimulate arthritic pain. However, this is not always the case. Doctors often advise patients to avoid all of these vegetables for a week and then reintroduce them, one after the other. It will help to check which one causes a reaction. 2. Gluten Individuals with celiac disease, the inability to process gluten, suffer from inflammation. It shows a direct link between inflammation and gluten consumption. Hence, doctors often advise those with arthritis to avoid gluten.