SearchExclusive.com

Types, symptoms, and treatment of neurofibromatosis

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic condition that affects the nervous system. The condition causes tumors, called neurofibromas, to form anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. These tumors are usually non-cancerous, but in some cases, they can be cancerous. Mutation in certain genes is the cause of neurofibromatosis. There are multiple types of neurofibromatosis, and here we’re looking at symptoms of each type and exploring different treatment options.

Types and symptoms

Neurofibromatosis is categorized into three types, and different symptoms characterize each type.

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1)

NF1 is the most common type of neurofibromatosis. Signs and symptoms of NF1 are often seen in early childhood, in most cases, shortly after birth. The severity of the symptoms can vary from one person to another. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of NF1 include the following.

Light brown spots on the skin, also called cafe au lait spots
Freckles in the armpits or groin area
Soft, tiny bumps on or under the skin
Lisch nodules, or small brown spots on the iris of the eye

Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2)

NF2 is less common than NF1 but more serious. People with NF2 often notice signs and symptoms in their late teenage years. The condition causes acoustic neuromas to form on nerves that go from the brain to the inner ear. This may lead to the following symptoms.

A gradual loss of hearing
Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
Loss of balance
Numbness and weakness in the limbs

Schwannomatosis

Schwannomatosis is a rare type of neurofibromatosis, with symptoms usually appearing between the ages of 25 and 30. In people with schwannomatosis, tumors form on the cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerves. Some common symptoms of schwannomatosis include the following.

Intense chronic pain anywhere in the body
Weakness or numbness in multiple areas of the body
Loss of muscle

Treatment

Currently, there is no cure for neurofibromatosis. However, several treatments are available that can help manage specific symptoms of neurofibromatosis. Some common treatment options include the following.

Surgery

Surgery aims at removing all or parts of tumors to help improve symptoms. For example, in an individual with NF2, doctors perform surgery to remove acoustic neuromas to enhance their hearing.

Stereotactic radiosurgery

This procedure is often used for removing acoustic neuromas in people with NF2. It’s a non-surgical radiation therapy that directly targets the tumor.

It’s important to note that some neurofibromatosis symptoms, such as café au lait spots, do not require treatment. Doctors usually monitor such symptoms and prescribe medications only when it’s necessary.

Related Reading

Tips for Buying the Best Dog Food

Most of the dogs do not have a food fuss and may eat almost anything that you feed them. Dogs are not choosy at all when it comes to food and nutrition. Hence, it is important to make sure that the food that you are purchasing for your dog is healthy. The landscape of dog food has been developing by leaps and bounds in recent times. There is a wide variety of options to choose from in the online and offline market. Given the wide range of options that are available today, buying the best dog food might seem to be a confusing task indeed. All the commercial pet food that is available in the market today is regulated by the FDA. Therefore, most of the products do contain nutritious, healthy, and safe ingredients. But it does help to know certain basic factors you should look for while buying food for your dog. Prioritize on the nutritional guarantee The best dog food, which meets the dog’s needs adequately has a statement written on the label of the product, from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Buy from some of the best dog food brands, such as Fromm Family Foods, Earthborn Holistic, Nature’s Variety Instinct, and The Honest Kitchen.

Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets Available for Your Home

The most important aspect when designing your kitchen is deciding on the type of cabinets. In addition to functionality, kitchen cabinets score on aesthetics as well. Once the layout is planned, you can go ahead with choosing the cabinets. If you’re remodeling your home or just the kitchen, what you need to consider are the types of cabinets that furnish your kitchen. Here are a few types of kitchen cabinets that you can choose from. Base cabinets These kitchen cabinets are mounted on the floor and they are placed after checking out the floor plan. A major part of your job in the kitchen is on these base cabinets, which hold and support the countertops. These base cabinets are combined to carve out kitchen islands. A number of base cabinets are fused/set against one another and installed on site. The base cabinets, in addition to supporting the countertops, serve as drawers to hold your cutlery and appliances. Wall cabinets Mounted on the walls, these cabinets can store everything, right from your cookware to cookbooks. In terms of design, they offer utmost flexibility. Wall cabinet kitchen is available in varying heights, multiple widths, and custom depth options. This customization helps you to fit in your stuff of varying shapes and sizes into the wall cabinets.

How to Pick the Right Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

In today’s world, where you are presented with over a dozen choices for every item you would purchase for your own kitchen, it is not surprising that you have an equal number of options for your dog’s food. However, choosing the perfect brand and formula for your dog out of a range of options in the market is not an easy job. Your pet depends on you and trusts you to make the right choice for them. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your research about the products available in the market, understand what your dog needs, know what might be your pet’s problems, and then make a sound decision. What is a sensitive stomach? Dogs are known to have voracious and large appetites. Keeping that in mind, it is normal to assume that they have strong stomachs. They can eat close to anything be it sweets, bakes, chewy gum, hard leather or even woolen socks for that matter! It always so happens that the strongest of them are prone to allergies and can develop a disorder which is medically translated as a sensitive stomach. This might be due to a sudden change in the food habits or even due an infection picked up from somewhere.

All You Need to Know about Cat Food

For cat owners, cat food is a hot topic. You need to think about it in different aspects. The best thing is to know which ingredients are good for cat food and which are harmful. If you are aware of this, you can get an idea about the quality of the cat food just by going through the label. It is always sensible to stick to one brand of cat food. However, you may also want to try and prepare cat food yourself. There are also various options for wet cat food as well. Cat’s love for fish is universal, so you can do without going for expensive cat food. Nevertheless, whether you buy it or prepare cat food at home, you need to ensure that the food contains enough nutrition and calories. You would need to have some idea about the ingredients that must be present in cat food and make a worthy selection for your cat. Basic ingredients present in good cat foods Cats need a variety of nutrients to stay healthy and active; they need various vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and oils. The following is a brief explanation of the basic ingredients that should be present in cat foods.