Affecting the small intestine, bowel disorders affect the way in which food is digested and absorbed by human body. Bowel disorders not only affect small intestine but also other parts of the digestive tract. It is important to note that bowel sickness is curable. However, first, it’s essential to have a clear idea of the problem that you are facing. Common symptoms of bowel disorders are constipation or diarrhea. Other symptoms include: Discomfort or pain in abdomen Abdominal bloating Bleeding from back passage Blood in stool Alteration in bowel habits Lump in the tummy Tiredness and unexpected weight loss It is best advised to make an appointment with the doctor if any of the above-mentioned systems persists. They can help diagnose the disease better and accordingly recommend a treatment plan. There are different types of bowel disorders depending on the symptoms. Common ones are: Celiac Disease Crohn’s Disease Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Intestinal Obstruction Celiac Disease – It is an autoimmune disorder wherein gluten generates an undesirable reaction. In this type of bowel disorder, when food having gluten, a type of protein, is consumed, the immune system attacks the inner lining of the small intestine. In such cases, a person consuming grains such as barley wheat and rye feel uncomfortable and experience unexplainable pain in the tummy. Crohn’s Disease – An autoimmune disorder, Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. In this disorder, the body is seen to attack its health tissues, thus injuring tissues in mouth, intestines, and anus. IBS – Another type of bowel disorder, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as IBS, affects both small as well as the large intestine. It is a group of intestinal symptoms that usually happen together. Gastrointestinal problems are common when suffering from IBS. This type of bowel disorder is also known as irritable colon, spastic colon, spastic colitis, and mucous colitis.

Caused by a virus that infects the liver and spreads through the blood, hepatitis C has been known to affect approximately 3 million people in the country as per studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, nearly 75% of the affected people are unaware of the presence of hepatitis C virus in their body. A virus can be present for years or decades before any symptoms become evident. This is the reason why hepatitis C is also known as the “silent killer.” Since the virus remains undetected for a long time, the disease is often diagnosed at a late advanced stage. The CDC estimates that nearly 15,000 of people die every year due to liver disease related to hepatitis C. This mortality rate due to hepatitis C is more than that of HIV. Here are some common hepatitis C FAQs. What does hepatitis mean? This is a common hepatitis C FAQ as many aren’t aware of what hepatitis C is. The inflammation of the liver is called as hepatitis. Hepatitis can be caused by viral or bacterial infection, excess consumption of alcohol, exposure to toxins, and certain medications. The group of viral infections that damage the liver is known as hepatitis. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are the common types of hepatitis. Each of these types of hepatitis is caused by different factors, and each of these has different symptoms. What is the difference between hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C? Hepatitis A: Hepatitis A is caused by the consumption of contaminated food, specifically food contaminated by raw shellfish and fecal matter. There is no permanent liver damage caused by hepatitis A, and there is no occurrence of chronic disease. Once diagnosed and treated, recovering from hepatitis A is possible in three to six weeks.

Swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum causing a lump are called hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are also commonly known as piles. Hemorrhoids can affect your body in many ways: one of the common effects is that your rectum does not feel empty after a bowel movement. Hemorrhoids cause excess pain in the anus as it causes blood clots to be protruding out of the anus. With pain, there is a lot of itching and discomfort that hemorrhoids cause. In most cases, people who have hemorrhoids cannot sit properly as the clot hurts when there is any kind of pressure implied on it. There are ways to know or identify if one has hemorrhoids or not. For the treatment of hemorrhoids, noticing the symptoms and appropriate and timely diagnosis is important. Here are the symptoms of hemorrhoids: One would notice blood in their bowel movements when someone is affected by hemorrhoids. If you find any trace of blood in the stools or tissue, it could be an indication of growing hemorrhoids, and you must turn to the treatment of hemorrhoids to prevent it from getting worse. You will feel an itchy and irritated sensation in your anal area. You are also likely to feel reckless itching. If there is a pain in that area and you feel discomfort while standing, walking, or sitting, you should get a diagnosis done. If you feel that there is a lump near your anus that is very sensitive to touch, it is probably because you are developing a condition of hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids and external hemorrhoids are the prominent types of hemorrhoids that affect many people. There are also various treatments for hemorrhoids that are available. Internal hemorrhoids : This hemorrhoid occurs inside the anus and does not protrude outside the anus. It bleeds whenever one feels itching and irritation in the internal hemorrhoids.

For asthma patients, there are several short-term as well as long-term asthma relief systems available. Knowing about these treatments for faster and persistent asthma relief can be helpful for you or your dear ones, and you can consult your doctor more confidently as knowing can give you a better idea when to call a specialist in the event of an asthma attack. Steroids and anti-inflammatory medicines: Asthma medications have several types, and these can be divided into two broader groups, namely steroids and other anti-inflammatory medicines. The second group, mainly the inhaler ones, are very much vital for maximum patients and act by decreasing swelling as well as mucus generation in the air passages. Bronchodilators: These are effective by relaxing muscles that tighten the airways and opening the passages. The short-acting inhalers are known as rescuers and important for faster asthma relief from coughing or chest congestion, breath shortness. People getting affected by exercise-induced asthma can be treated with these inhalers. But using more than two times in a week can be depicted as an uncontrolled condition. Whereas, the long-acting inhalers or bronchodilators can be used in combination of inhalable steroids/corticosteroids in case of persistent cases. These aren’t prescribed or used alone for asthma relief treatments. Asthma inhalers: Undoubtedly the most common and useful technique to introduce asthma medications into the lungs. While some inhalers use one medicine, others use combination of drugs Asthma nebulizer: These with mouthpiece/mask are prescribed when patients have difficulty in using smaller inhalers. Kids and older patients use these machines; these alter the drugs into a mist for making it easy to be inhaled into the lungs. Though asthma is very common, serious conditions need proper checkups and aimed diagnosis as well as treatment. Here’s a list of available medications for asthma relief. The appropriate medicine will allow patient to live a normal life.

The joints in the human body play a very important role in holding the structure and posture of the entire body. When it comes to the joints of the body, the joints in the legs are the most crucial ones as they help us in standing on our own feet, for real. Over the years, due to wear and tear, the joints and the other various parts of the body do not function like they used to. Hence, the joints in the legs tend to cause a lot of pain and discomfort to the affected person. Excessive physical activity and injury to the joints can cause this often. Also, one of the biggest problems you might face is a meniscus tear. What is meniscus tear? The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that holds and binds all the bones forming a joint in the knee. So, for all the joints in the legs to connect, the meniscus is the only way. It is very important to prevent any injury or stress in this region. But even after considerable care, the meniscus tends to tear during physical activities like sports, intense exercising, and prolonged kneeling. This can be prevented by a brace for a meniscus tear. There is hardly anything that can be done to prevent meniscus tear, but knowing the exact causes might help in the meniscus tear treatment. Causes of a meniscus tear Playing sports like cricket, tennis, football and so on can lead to a meniscus tear. Sometimes, even while exercising, a person’s meniscus can get affected. Weight lifting, squatting and twisting leads to the tear sometimes. However, care and early treatment can help. In order to be sure of a meniscus tear, you will need to know the various symptoms of it. Symptoms of a meniscus tear Unbearable pain when moving the joint area of the leg The affected person will not be able to move the leg even slightly in case of a meniscus tear.

Deep vein thrombosis or DVT occurs when there is a blood clot in one of the deep veins in your body. Here is everything you need to know about the different methods used for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis. When you have a blood clot in one of the deep veins, you are suffering from deep vein thrombosis or DVT. Typically, DVT affects the deep vein in your leg, and may cause swelling and pain in the leg without any other symptoms. You are at a higher risk of developing DVT, if you smoke, are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle, and are over the age of 60. It is extremely important that you keep an eye out for the possible signs of DVT, if you have a high risk of developing it. Deep vein thrombosis is considered to be a serious medical condition because if the blood clots break loose from your vein, they can travel to your lungs and block the blood flow there, leading to a life-threatening complication called pulmonary embolism. Therefore, it is crucial to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of DVT. DVT can show no symptoms in some of the cases, at least initially. However, when you do experience symptoms they will mostly be a pain in the leg that starts in your calf, and swelling in the leg that is affected. Some of the risk factors that are associated with deep vein thrombosis include prolonged bed rest, surgery, inheriting a blood-clotting disorder, pregnancy, smoking, heart failure, age, and cancer. In order to confirm the diagnosis of DVT, you may have to have tests such as duplex ultrasound, MRI and venography. Duplex ultrasound is a painless diagnostic test that uses sound waves to produce pictures of your blood vessels to check for clots.

Neuropathy is a condition or a disease where the nerves are affected by either a disease or a malfunction. An injury or disease anywhere in the body can damage the nerves as they are present everywhere in the body taking the signals from central nervous system (that is located in the brain) and sending it to the end organ that has to act or react. Neuropathy is often classified based on the nerves that are affected because of an injury or a disease. Neuropathy affects around 8 percent of people after they turn 55. Here are some types of neuropathy that you should know of to be able to identify the problem based on the causes and symptoms: Peripheral neuropathy – When there is a problem in the nerves and the effect is seen on the nerves that are outside the brain and spinal cord, it is called peripheral neuropathy. You can identify this with neuropathy symptoms like weakness, numbness, and pain in the feet and hands. At times, it may also affect other body parts as well. Proximal neuropathy – There are twelve cranial nerves. When any one of the nerves gets damages, it can cause proximal neuropathy. Cranial nerves come straight out of the brain and hence cause damage in these nerves which in turn can cause problems like Bell’s palsy and third, fourth, and sixth nerve palsy in which your eyes are affected. Proximal neuropathy symptoms can be found out by noticing the functioning of eyes and ears, and if there is abnormality felt, it could mean that one of the cranial nerves are impacted. Autonomic neuropathy – There are nerves in the involuntary nervous system and when there is damage to those nerves, one suffers from autonomic neuropathy. Functions that are controlled by these nerves include blood circulation, digestion, bowel function, bladder function, perspiration, and sexual response.

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.

No underlying disease triggers eczema. Eczema occurs when a patient’s immune system overreacts to some irritant. By taking some preventive measures, one can avoid or relieve the symptoms of this condition. Symptoms of eczema In most cases, eczema comes with itchy skin, irrespective of which body part is affected. One may also develop rashes on the face, behind the knees, hands, wrists or feet, and sometimes, this could be preceded by itching. The affected area has a dry, scaly or thickened appearance. Initially, it has a reddish appearance before becoming brown for people with fair skin. People with a dusky complexion may face a change in pigmentation. The affected area may either get lighter or darker. An oozing crust may also form on the skin, and in the case of infants, this symptom may appear on the face and scalp. Patches, however, can develop anywhere. Causes of eczema While the definitive cause for eczema is not known, it usually appears when the immune system overreacts to an irritant. People with a family history of allergies or asthma face a higher chance of developing this condition. Problems in the skin barrier allow germs and moisture to enter the skin, leading to eczema. Particular conditions or substances are also responsible for triggering itchy rash in some people. Itchiness can also occur when the skin comes in contact with coarse or rough materials. Other triggers include the feeling of excessive heat or cold, being exposed to harsh household items like detergent or soap. Animal dander can also lead to eczema flare-ups. An infection in the upper respiratory tract could also lead to rashes. These rashes could get worse due to stress. While there is no sure shot cure for eczema yet, patients can manage this condition with the help of medication as well as by avoiding irritants.

If one has been taking several trips to the bathroom within a few hours and is experiencing a burning sensation while passing urine, then one probably has contracted a bladder infection. A bacterial infection within the bladder is termed as a bladder infection. A weakened immune system invites yeast and bladder infections. Bladder infections may be contracted by using unhygienic toilets where Escherichia coli bacteria thrive. In some cases, the bacteria can move from the intestines to the urinary system. Bladder infections treatment is fairly easy. Once a proper diagnosis is done to confirm bacterial infection in the bladder, the physician may prescribe antibiotic medication. Apart from medication, one may need other home care remedies to completely heal from the infection. When left untreated, a bladder infection may turn into a life-threatening condition when it spreads to the kidney or bloodstream. Symptoms of bladder infections A urinary tract or bladder infection symptoms vary with the severity of the infection. Common symptoms are as follows: Pain or burning sensation while urinating Bloody or clouded urine Foul smell from urine Frequent urination Frequent urge to urinate Pressure or cramps in the lower abdomen and back. Causes of bladder infections As mentioned above, bladder infections are caused due to E. coli bacteria. This bacterium enters the bladder through the urethra or from the anus. Once it enters the bladder, it attaches itself to the walls of the bladder and multiplies rapidly. Using unclean toilets is one of the main ways of contracting the E. coli. Consumption of unhygienic food could also result in intestinal infections, which in turn, causes a build-up of E. coli bacteria. Treatment for bladder infections Bladder infections treatment varies with the severity of the infection. From drinking plenty of water to heating pads, there are a number of simple home care techniques to fight bladder infections.

Pneumonia is a health condition where the lungs or one of the lungs get infected. The infection causes the inflammation of air sacs. The sacs get filled with fluid or pus which makes it difficult to breathe. The infection can be caused by bacteria, fungus, virus, etc. The Pneumonia symptoms can vary from patient to patient depending on the intensity of the attack. The Pneumonia symptoms can be a cough, cough with phlegm, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, sweating, chills, fever, etc. The Pneumonia symptoms differ depending on the age of the patient and the type of pneumonia. Let us look at the classification of pneumonia based on the germs that cause the infection. Pneumonia symptoms caused by bacteria : The bacteria called Streptococcus pneumonia can cause the Pneumonia. The other kinds of bacteria such as Chlamydophila pneumonia and Legionella pneumophila can also cause bacterial pneumonia. Pneumonia symptoms caused by the virus : Pneumonia caused by viruses is less dangerous than bacterial pneumonia. Viral pneumonia usually affects children and older people as the lungs are weaker when compared with the younger and middle-aged people. Pneumonia symptoms caused by Mycoplasma : Pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma is less severe when compared to pneumonia caused by bacteria and virus. The adults and children above 12 years get infected with this kind of pneumonia. Pneumonia symptoms caused by the fungus : People with weak immune system get infected with this type of pneumonia where the fungi from the soil, bird droppings or any other source can cause the infection. Let us look the classification of Pneumonia based on the place where it was acquired: A person can get infected with bacteria during his/her stay in the hospital. This infection is dangerous as the bacteria would have become resistant to all kinds of medicine. A person can get infected with Pneumonia in an environment other than the hospitals which make it less dangerous comparatively.

Most people would have experienced a bladder infection at some point in their life. Bladder infections are quite common, and so you should watch out for the signs of bladder infections. Bladder infections are also called urinary tract infections (UTIs). Urinary tract infections can affect any part of the urinary system. Infections that affect the lower part of the urinary system are called bladder infections, whereas those that affect the upper portion of the urinary system are called kidney infections. Bladder infections occur when bacteria enters the urinary system. These infections are more common in women but can affect anyone and at any age. The bacteria enter via the urethra which is a tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body. Urinary tract infections can be cured with a combination of medications and home remedies. To prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, certain precautions need to be taken, like—drinking enough water and maintaining personal hygiene. A popular home remedy is cranberry juice for bladder infections. In a given year, up to 10% of women, will experience a urinary tract infection. These infections are most common in the ages of 16 to 35, and recurrent cases are common. Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infections The most common symptom of a urinary tract infection is pain or a burning sensation during urination. Other symptoms include frequent urination, an urge to urinate even with an empty bladder, and passing small amounts of urine. A kidney infection will also have pain along the flank, and cause fever. There may be changes in the color of the urine. Urine may be cloudy, instead of clear. The color may be pink, red, or brownish, which can indicate the presence of blood in the urine. In some cases, if the infection becomes severe, there may be pus in the urine.