The thyroid gland is a small formation at the base of the throat with a major role in the energetic metabolism of the cells. Diseases of the gland appear when the thyroid cells tend to work to fast or to slow and the adjacent symptoms in the body occur. Most of the thyroid conditions are not age related; though, elder persons tend to suffer from more difficult diseases and much more hard to diagnose because of the connected other affections.
Uncontrolled diabetes, bad nutrition, liver problems, heart failure and cancer are some of the conditions that harden the diagnose of thyroid diseases in older persons. Also heparin and drugs for epilepsy, Parkinson, arthritis and aspirin can produce changes in the thyroid testing even in case of a normal functioning gland. Symptoms of the thyroid dysfunction caused by different factors are often mistaken by aging signs and are commonly overviewed.
Although hyperthyroidism can also occur at any age, hypothyroidism occurs more frequent in elderly people. It represents an under-active condition with a lower secretion and release of thyroid hormones. The most common symptoms encountered in hypothyroidism are dry skin and coarse hair, sensation of cold, loss of the eyebrows and lethargy. Elder persons however can also present neurological signs like shaking and psychological effects such as depression. Other medical conditions and signs of the aging process can make the diagnose of thyroid dysfunction even harder.
The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is the administration of a synthetically hormone called thyroxin or levothyroxin that should bring things back to normal. The cure usually lasts for 6-8 weeks before any signs of improvement appear, but the treatment for hypothyroidism is life-long. Periodical examinations are done to check the efficiency of the drugs.
Hyperthyroidism also known as goiter is the reverse condition and evolves usually with changes in the eye area. The tissues of the gland are overactive or the gland goes to a swelling process. In geographical points like Germany or Eastern Europe hyperthyroidism is mainly caused by the deficiency of Iodine in the drinking water.
Most commonly encountered symptoms of an excessive working thyroid are the loss of weight and appetite, flutter of the whole body, heart failure, sweating, staring eyes, depression, lethargy and confusion. The precise diagnose is established after blood testing for the hormone level but doctors must carefully separate a thyroid condition from other diseases or caused by different medications.
The endocrinologist will firstly recommend drugs to rehabilitate the function of the gland but usually the treatment will last the whole life. Surgical removal of the thyroid or destroying the glandular tissue by radioactive Iodine is some of the methods available. Both ways are relatively risk-free; Iodine can occasionally produce pain, tenderness or thyroid swelling. Surgery is appealed at in case of a very large goiter.
Thyroid cancers are more frequent in old persons but can occur at any age in form of glandular nodules. The treatment will consist of surgery, chemotherapy and external radiotherapy.
Astronomy
The Moon revolves around the earth; the average inclination of its orbit to the ecliptic is 5°- 8'. Owing to this, the Moon assumes North latitude for half year and South latitude for the rest of the year.
The plane of the ecliptic and the plane of the Moon's orbit intersect at two points called Nodes. The line joining these points is called the Nodal axis. The point where the luminary crosses the ecliptic from South to North is called the North Node, and the other is the South Node. The former is named Rahu, the Dragon' head and the latter, Kethu, the Dragon's tail.
Does the Moon really revolve around the earth? In fact they orbit each other around a common centre of gravity about 3000 miles from the centre of the earth! The moon also wobbles like the earth and so the Nodes regress (move backwards) along the ecliptic. Hence the nodes always have a retrograde movement. The nodes take roughly about 18.6 years for one cycle.
Full Moon and New Moon occur when the luminary is aligned in line with the earth and the Sun, but not always at the nodal points, when eclipses take place (Moon assumes 0° latitude).
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The Myth
The emergence of Rahu and Kethu is depicted in the Puranas. The king of the Paradise, Indra was once riding on his elephant Airavata when he met sage Durvasa known for his anger. The sage offered him the garland of fortune. Not knowing the merit of the garland Indra put it on the elephant's trunk who in turn threw it on the floor.
Enraged by this, the sage cursed that he and his team of demigods lose all their power and fortune.
There is another story too! Vedha Vyasa is considered to be one of the exponents of 'Jyothish', vedic astrology. He has narrated the emergence of the nodes Rahu and Kethu in his 'Shrimad Baghavataham'. Once Sukracharya, the Guru of the asuras, the demons did a great penance and was rewrded the 'Sanjeevini Mantra'. He could by this raise the dead to life.
Knowing this, the demons wanted to defeat the demigods with the help of their guru. Without heeding to the advice of Sukracharya, they started the battle. Duty bound Sukracharya gave life to all the dead asuras and finally, the asuras won the battle.The demons headed by Bali, gained control of the Universe.
The demigods suffered innumerable insults and finally appealed to Lord Vishnu to help them, who advised them to do 'Sagar Manthan' to get the 'Amirdha'. They could regain their lost strength only if they drank Ambrosia, the nectar of immortality, by churning the Ocean of Milk. But it was a great task which could be accomplished only with the help of the demons. The greedy demons were willing to churn the ocean along with demigods. Their plan was to cheat the other party and have the nectar for themselves. But the divine plan was otherwise!
When the ocean was being churned with the Mandara Mountain as the rod and Vasuki, the snake, as the chord, many invaluable things, gods, and goddesses appeared. At the end Dhanvandiri rose with the pot of nectar.
The demons at once snatched the pot and began to fight among themselves. Lord Vishnu appeared as an enchanting woman (Mohini Avatar). Overcome by her charm, the demons agreed to her plan that the nectar be first offered to the demigods so that they could have all the rest. The demigods and the demons were seated on opposite rows and the elixir of immortality was being served to the demigods first, by the Mohini.
A wicked idea struck in the mind of one of the demons, Swarbhanu. He assumed the form of a demigod and stealthily sat in the row of the demigods. This was noticed by the Sun who told this to Moon. Moon reported to Lord Vishnu who got so angry that He cut the demon's head. But as the demon had already tasted the nectar he did not lose his life.
After fervent appeals by Rahu and Kethu, the head and the tail, they were offered the status of planets with instructions that they go to the ocean of Cancer, learn all the scriptures before assuming office. This was sincerely carried out by the nodes. So the node Rahu always chases the luminaries often trying to swallow them in vain, accompanied by his other part Kethu.
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