Urinary tract infections (UTIs), also known as cystitis, are fairly common, especially among women. In fact, half of all women in the world suffer from a UTI at some point in their lifetimes. UTIs occur when bacteria, that are usually found in your gastrointestinal tract and pelvic region, enter into your urinary system. The bacteria don’t have much to travel to infect the woman’s bladder. As a result, it causes the inflammation of the bladder. Although UTIs are mostly caused by bacterial infections, they can also be caused by several other factors, such as chemical irritants, fungal infections, foreign bodies (e.g., kidney stones), and trauma. Symptoms of urinary tract infections Typically, UTI symptoms include the following: – Suprabic pain, which is the pain in lower abdomen – Dysuria, which is pain or a burning sensation upon urination – Needing to urinate urgently and frequently – Sometimes, the urine could be bloody or even cloudy Having said that, the symptoms can differ by age. Infants suffering from a UTI usually develop a fever, become fussy or feed poorly. Moreover, the elderly might experience fatigue, become incontinent or may even develop dementia. Urinary tract infection treatment options Step 1: Diagnosis The first and foremost step for the treatment of a UTI is a positive diagnosis. According to the diagnosis, the appropriate cure is suggested. There are a few tests for diagnosis of a UTI: Urine analysis You might need to have a urine culture taken to be evaluated for a possible infection of your kidneys. Once you get a urinalysis done, there might be signs of Pyuria—the presence of white blood cells in the urine, which can make the urine appear cloudy. Having a couple of WBCs in the urine can be normal, however, if there are more than 5 WBCs per high powered field is considered abnormally high.

A stye is a small, red, tender bump, either inside or outside of of the eyelid. Stye pops out when the area under the base of the eyelashes or the glands get clogged or irritated. A stye can occur only in one eye or both the eyes at the same time. Medically known as Hordeolum, Stye is caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium that occurs inside the eye and is more painful than the one on the outer side of the eyelid. The factors that contribute to the occurrence of styes include diabetes, stress, and chronic blepharitis. Symptoms At the outset, the area near your eyelid becomes red and there is tenderness in that area. Other indicators are a red bump with a pus spot in the center, excessive tears, feeling of some foreign particle in the eye, crusting along the eyelids, sensitivity to bright light, itchiness around the eye, and more. Treatment options In most cases, styes burst go away on their own. They heal in about a week. What you should, however, religiously do is just to clean up the pus. If you want to get rid of the stye faster, you can try one of the remedies listed below. Soak a clean washcloth in very warm water and apply it over the stye for about 5 to 10 minutes. Do this several times a day. When the washcloth is over the eye, try to do a gentle massage. Take a cotton swab. Dip it in watered-down baby shampoo and clean your eyelids. Avoid regular soaps and shampoos because sometimes they might cause burning. Keep the eyes and face clean. Scrub away the crust around the eye. Home remedies on how to get rid of a stye Styes are painful and cause discomfort but these don’t cause any damage to the eye.

Tear ducts are a complex system that carries tears out of the eyes and into the nasal canal. The duct begins in the eye sockets and continues down and back. Excess tears drain into the tear ducts and end in the inferior nasal canal. Tear ducts are also called the nasolacrimal ducts and they are important for healthy eyes. The nasolacrimal ducts provide a connection between the eyes and the nose, and even indirectly to the throat since the nose connects to the throat. This is why the nose gets stuffy when you cry, and that is why allergies cause watery eyes. This is also why you sometimes taste eye drops. Sometimes the tears ducts can get blocked or obstructed. This can happen at any age, and may even be present at birth ( congenital blocked tear ducts ). Blocked tear ducts can cause an overflow of tears, and congenital cases may evolve into a cystic expansion of the duct. Blocked tear duct treatment depends on factors like underlying cause, age, and severity. Structure Of The Tear Ducts The eyelids push tears across the eyes when they move, i.e., when a person blinks. The tears keep the eyes lubricated, and help to flush out dust and other impurities. These tears flow into drains found at the inner corner of the eye called puncta . Puncta are present both at the upper and lower edges at the inner corner of the eye. These drains empty into channels called canaliculi, that connect to the nose. The channels terminate at the lacrimal sac, that lies on either side of the nose. The lacrimal sac narrows to form the lacrimal duct, which enters the nostril through the nasal bone. Symptoms Of Blocked Tear Ducts Signs and symptoms that may indicate a need for blocked tear duct treatment are:

Tinnitus, the constant buzzing, ringing, hissing, or whistling sound that only you can hear, is a bothersome health condition to live with. Caused primarily by continuous exposure to loud noises, tinnitus may also occur owing to injuries to the head, consumption of ototoxic drugs, certain underlying health problems, and stress. Quite often, the condition leads to physical, attentional, and psychological side effects. Although no unfailing cure for tinnitus is available at present, there are a number of treatment options that effectively diminish the intensity and burden of the health condition. Here is a quick look at how to treat tinnitus using the following therapies. Addressing Underlying Health Issues As a first step to treating tinnitus, your physician will attempt to diagnose any existing, treatable health problems that might be causing the symptoms associated with the condition. Some such treatable health issues include: Removal of any obstructions in the ear canal. These include excessively accumulated earwax or any loose strand of hair that is impacting against the eardrum. Treating a vascular problem through drugs or surgery. Treating injuries to the neck and head via medications, surgery, chiropractic treatment, osteopathy, and physical therapies. These treatments help alleviate symptoms caused due to improper flow of blood or nerve and muscle damage. If tinnitus occurs owing to a dysfunctional joint in the jaw, a dentist may realign your bite or provide other suitable dental treatments to ease the symptoms. At times, ototoxic drugs may induce temporary tinnitus. In such cases, although symptoms disappear once the drugs are fully metabolized, doctors may prescribe other medications to provide interim relief. Using Medications Medications prescribed for tinnitus help decrease the severity of its symptoms. Normally, psychoactive medications are recommended as they relieve depression, stress, and anxiety related to the condition. Antidepressant drugs such as clomipramine and desipramine and anti-anxiety drugs such as alprazolam and clonazepam enable the patient to better handle its emotional impacts.

Psoriasis is a chronic condition that is the result of an increase in the lifecycle of skin cells. The growth of skin cells is much faster than normal when you suffer from psoriasis, causing an irritable feeling. Due to the multiplying of skin cells on your body, you will feel itchy which might even be painful at times. The rapid growth of the skin cells is mainly due to the chemicals released by white blood cells and primarily affects the scalp, elbows and knees. Psoriasis is of the following types: Plaque psoriasis: Is the simplest form of psoriasis that causes red, scratchy, and irritable feelings on parts of the body, including the soft tissue in your mouth. This can be painful at times depending on the spread of psoriasis and your body type. Nail psoriasis: As the name states, this form of psoriasis affects the hand and thumb nails. It causes abnormal growth of nails due to an increase in nail skin cells, leading to crumbling of the nail. Inverse psoriasis: This may occur due to a fungal infection and generally gets worse with sweating and friction. Inverse psoriasis mostly affects the area under the breast and groin causing inflamed skin and smooth red patches. Pustular psoriasis: This is a more uncommon form of psoriasis where there is a continuous spread of patches on your back, hands, or legs. Erythrodermic psoriasis: This is the most uncommon form of psoriasis where your entire body is covered with red patches, giving you an itchy and irritable feeling. It becomes important to understand the cause of psoriasis before moving towards the treatment of psoriasis. Research shows that psoriasis is primarily caused by problems of the immune system. This can be a result of trauma or stress. Other triggers are smoking, infections, injuries, and certain medications that do not suit your body.

Lupus is a complicated and often debilitating condition that affects many people. Catching the first symptoms of lupus early is important for initiating treatment of this condition. Lupus is a collection of autoimmune disorders rather than one single disease. In an autoimmune disorder, the body’s immune system attacks the body itself. Lupus is a chronic condition, and the most severe and most common form of lupus is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. The first symptoms of lupus can manifest in a variety of ways. Since the autoimmune reaction causes inflammation to a number of different areas like the joints, skin, heart, kidneys, and lungs, it becomes hard to pinpoint one specific indicator as a sign of lupus. These vague first symptoms of lupus also make it hard to diagnose the condition accurately, since it can mimic a number of other diseases and conditions. The first symptoms of lupus manifest in early adulthood or the late teens, but some late-onset cases develop in the 30s. More instances of lupus occur in women than men. People with lupus experience flare-ups of the condition, followed by periods of remission that can last for months, or even years, followed by more flare-ups. This can make it easy to overlook the first symptoms of lupus. First Symptoms Of Lupus The first symptoms of lupus can manifest in many ways depending on the part of the body that is affected. These are a few of the more generalized first symptoms of lupus: Fever Joint pain Fatigue General discomfort Hair loss Swollen lymph nodes Sensitivity to sunlight Other Symptoms of Lupus Butterfly rash The butterfly rash is the most common indicator of lupus and is quite specific to this condition. However, in a few rare cases, the rash may not develop at all. The rash is red and bumpy and extends from the bridge of the nose across the cheeks, which gives it the appearance of butterfly wings.

Sinus infection or sinusitis is medically known as rhinosinusitis. It is a result of swollen, inflamed and infected nasal cavities. Sinusitis is often caused by a virus. The issue persists even after the respiratory symptoms are gone. Sinus infection rarely but may cause by fungus and bacteria as well. Other conditions like nasal polyps, allergies and tooth infections can cause sinusitis. Chronic Versus Acute Acute sinusitis will last from a short period of time only, which is less than a month as per the American Academy of Otolaryngology. An acute infection is generally a part of any respiratory illness or mere cold. Chronic sinus infections, on the other hand, last for more than three months and recur often. Specialist confirms the sinusitis is responsible for infected nasal discharge, facial pain, and congestion. There are many symptoms of sinus infection which are common to both chronic and acute sinusitis. When you feel or found out that you have certain symptoms that may be due to sinusitis, get in immediate touch with your doctor. He would be able to confirm whether you have an infection or not. If you have an infection, he would tell you the cause of the same and suggest you a treatment plan. Symptoms of Sinus Infection A headache is one of the symptoms. It happens when there is pressure in partially or fully blocked sinuses. The pain increases when the person bends over. There would be facial swelling or tenderness when the areas above the sinus zones are touched. Pain or pressure due to the pressing of mucus on the sinus tissue or sinus inflammation. Fever caused due to sinus tissue inflammation and infection. In bacterial sinus infections, you would always find a cloudy and discolored nasal drainage. Congestion occurs with both non-infectious and infectious sinusitis. Sinusitis causes post nasal drip, which is basically mucus overproduction which flows to the throat thereby irritating throat tissue.

Pain over the back of the heel is a common problem worldwide, and it is usually nothing serious. It is the most common type of foot pain. Posterior heel pain commonly affects the back or underside of the heel. There are a few causes of posterior heel pain. Pain over the back or underside of the heel can cause difficulty in walking, running, and standing. Wearing tight shoes often aggravates the problem. Posterior heel pain is prevalent in older people and overweight people. Commonly associated symptoms of this condition are swelling, tenderness, redness, and pain in the heel. These signs and symptoms worsen with activity and weight-bearing situations like prolonged standing. Posterior heel pain is not a diagnosis itself, but instead, it’s a sign of other conditions like plantar bursitis, Achilles tendonitis, etc. Back of heel pain treatment focuses on identifying the underlying cause and relieving pain and discomfort. Back of heel pain treatment involves medication, physiotherapy, and home remedies. Common causes of posterior heel pain Back of heel pain treatment depends first and foremost on an accurate diagnosis. Since posterior heel pain is a relatively vague symptom, it has a vast differential diagnosis. The three main causes of posterior heel pain are commonly called ‘terrible triad.’ They are—Insertional Achilles tendonitis, Retrocalcaneal Bursitis, and Haglund’s deformity. Insertional Achilles Tendonitis The Achilles tendon is a long and strong tendon that connects the large muscles of the calf to the heel. It is the largest tendon in the body and is regularly subjected to heavy forces up to 24 times a person’s body weight. Repetitive stress on the Achilles tendon, especially in athletes, causes wear and tear over time. This weakens the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon tends to degenerate the most, at its insertional point in the heel called the calcaneus.

Huntington’s disease is a life-threatening disease, related to neurodegeneration, which is caused by an imbalance in nucleobases such as cytosine, adenine, and guanine. This leads to a repeated expansion of the Huntington gene, which is commonly known as the HTT, and leads to the production of very toxic chemicals, which is known as the Huntington protein—mHTT. This mutant HTT (mHTT) protein is responsible for progressively destroying neurons in the brain. This greatly affects neuromuscular and cognitive abilities that start rapidly declining. Therefore, it is important to know some essential facts about Huntington’s disease. In this way, you can be better informed about this condition and how it can be managed. Statistics of people affected It has been reported that Huntington’s disease affects about 1 in 10,000. There are about 30,000 people in the country who have shown the symptoms of the disease. Moreover, there are about 200,000 people in the country who have the chances of inheriting this deadly disease. Family history Every human being has the gene that is responsible for causing the disease, in their body. However, this disease can only be developed by people who have inherited it and can even potentially pass on to the next generation as well. Anyone who inherits the expanded Huntington gene has a chance of developing Huntington’s disease. Solution for newborns For newborns, there are screenings that can help in searching or detecting any kind of serious health condition. There will be relevant treatment options available for that as well, which can provide a clear advantage. The testing will be state-run. Complications of the disease Deaths caused due to this disease mainly occur due to the complications that are caused by the disease, and not due to the disease itself. The most common symptoms that occur as a result of this disease is difficulty in swallowing.

A urinary tract is made up of bladder, kidneys, ureters and the urethra. An infection in any part of this tract is known as a urinary tract infection (UTI). In most cases, the infection is caused by two types of bacteria: Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli. However, sometimes, it can also be caused by a virus or fungi. UTI is more common in women than in men. This is primarily because the urethra, which is the tube that carries the urine out of the bladder, is shorter in women, making it more likely for the bacteria to enter and reach the bladder easily. Common symptoms of UTI In UTI, people generally experience the following: A burning sensation while urinating Frequent urination Dark colored urine with a potent odor Pelvic pain A feeling of incomplete bladder emptying In the case of any symptoms, it is imperative to consult medical help. Usually, antibiotics are used to treat the infection. But, a natural home treatment option for UTI that can also help in alleviating the agonizing symptoms. In this article, we will look at some effective home remedies to naturally treat UTI. Natural cure of UTI Consuming plenty of fluids Low fluid intake and irregular urination have been linked to increased chances of UTI. When one is adequately hydrated, the person passes sufficient urine that helps in flushing out the bacteria to prevent infections. Therefore, staying hydrated is the key to preventing the occurrence of UTI. To meet the fluid needs, it is best to drink water throughout the day. As per general recommendations, women should consume 91 ounces of water every day and men should take 125 ounces, which also includes water content from food. Increasing the Intake of Vitamin C This is another simple home treatment for UTI to speed up the recovery process.

Joint pain is an extremely troublesome condition and can be caused by injury or a ligament tear. This can be an arthritic condition if the joints are inflamed and the pain is extreme which can also lead to joint cancer. Shoulders, knees, and ankles are the common parts of joint pain and cause redness and swelling. There are several simple triggers to joint pain, and some of them are driving position, foam-soled sandals like flip flops and too much usage of smartphones as they cause continuous and high pressure on the muscles. Joint pain increases with age and worsens if it is unaddressed. It is critical to maintaining healthy joints for mobility. There are medications that help to relieve joint pain but are not best recommended as they have side effects. In this case, supplements can replace medications to cure and prevent joint pains. Below are some best joint pain supplements. Best joint pain supplements: Glucosamine Glucosamine is a fatty acid that is a part of the cartilage of the knee joints and is regarded as the best joint pain supplements for the knee. It helps prevent wear and tear of the cartilage and also rebuilds the bones. This fatty acid also prevents adjoining of the muscle and inflammation of the joints. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Collagenases is a form of the enzyme that causes damage to joints in our body. Omega-3 fatty acids prevent wear and tear on the joints and the flow of collagenases thereby strengthening the bones and the tendons. Omega fatty acids are naturally found in green vegetables and citrus fruits. SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine) SAMe is a coenzyme that has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. This helps to decrease inflammation and is mostly suggested for the treatment of arthritis. This coenzyme is known to reduce fatigue, muscle stiffness, and pain.

What is Sciatic Nerve? The sciatic nerve is a huge nerve which is the longest nerve found in humans. It originates in the lower back and runs its way through the buttock, down to the lower limb and the foot. The sciatic nerve connects the lower area, i.e., muscles and skin of legs, thighs, and foot to the nervous system. The sciatic nerve is responsible for providing sensation to the skin of the feet and legs, excluding the inner leg area. Pain due to pressed or petulant sciatic nerve, in the lower back area, is termed as sciatica. The most common cause of sciatica is spinal disc herniation, a medical condition in which the spinal disc develops a crack and pinches into the sciatic nerve. However, there exist some other lower back problems too, which may also lead to a sciatic nerve disorder, like a degenerative disc, spondylolisthesis or piriformis syndrome. Treatment for Sciatic Nerve Pain Acupuncture This is a Chinese treatment for sciatic nerve pain, in which painless, hair-like needles are poked into the skin near the area of pain. Acupuncture helps in improving or reviving the natural energy flow of the body and has been found to be an effective treatment that has been used for ages. For better results, warming acupuncture is recommended in which the needles used are heated. Heat or Ice Packs In case of acute sciatic nerve pain that you experience in the initial stage, applying heat or ice packs can be helpful, for reducing the pain to some extent. Apply the heat or the ice pack for at least 20 minutes and if needed, repeat it every 2-3 hours. Hot water bottles can be used for applying hot packs. For applying ice packs, one must keep the ice between a towel or any other thick cloth, to avoid the risk of ice burn.