A gout is a form of arthritis caused by an imbalance of uric acid in the body. It is commonly known as gouty arthritis. The condition is characterized by tender and sore joints, often in combination with severe pain. When the body produces too much uric acid, it is crystallized and deposited around the joints in specific areas of the body. It causes pain and discomfort. The uric acid deposits swell and are tender to touch. Gout is found in the big toe of your feet, ankles, knees and other joints. The pain and stiffness recur at random intervals and in differing levels of severity. Over time, gout causes permanent damage to muscles, tendons, and joints if left untreated. Treating Gout with medicines The very first step to deal with gout attack is to get a clinical diagnosis by a medical practitioner. The expert will take a sample from the swollen joint to test for the presence of urate crystals. A blood test is also recommended to check for uric acid levels in the body. The treatment course for gout includes two kinds of medicines – Anti-inflammatory ones like Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Corticosteroids and medications that lower the levels of uric acid in the body. The anti-inflammatory medications help to relieve the sudden pain and swelling caused by a gout attack. They are given right after the pain starts. The other medicines, however, are usually started after the gout attack is over. Along with these medical treatment courses, you can also use natural home remedies to alleviate the symptoms of gout. Read on to find out how to treat gout naturally. Eat right It is always sensible to prevent a gout attack before it troubles you. Purines are a chemical compound found in meat and dairy products. It can increase uric acid level in the body, and lead to gout.

Diarrhea is a condition characterized by frequent and watery bowel movements. It is caused by bacteria such as salmonella; viruses such as norovirus and rotavirus; or parasites like giardia. They infect the bowel and cause irresistible urges to use the toilet. This can also cause abdominal pain, bloody stool, vomiting, weakness, and tiredness. What Is Chronic Diarrhea? Usually, diarrhea gets resolved on its own within a week. But if the symptoms persist for more than four weeks, it is a case of chronic diarrhea. Chronic diarrhea can be dangerous especially when it leads to extreme dehydration. The frequent watery bowel movements cause excessive loss of water from the body, which leads to dizziness, reduced the amount of urine, lethargy and other problems. This can further lead to multiple infections in the body. What Causes Chronic Diarrhea? The recurring diarrhea episodes can be a result of an underlying health condition such as inflammation in the intestines due to gluten or lactose intolerance, bowel cancer, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome. Other causes of chronic diarrhea include certain antibiotic and anticancer drugs. How Is Chronic Diarrhea Diagnosed? Chronic diarrhea is diagnosed by examination of the blood and the stool. Sometimes sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is advised to rule out the presence of the inflammatory bowel disease. How Can Chronic Diarrhea Be Treated? Treating Chronic Diarrhea At Home: If you are suffering from chronic diarrhea, it is essential to take proper care of yourself so that the symptoms do not aggravate further. You can make individual steps at home to treat chronic diarrhea or stop it from exacerbating. Avoid Dairy Products If your diarrhea is aggravated by lactose intolerance, try to avoid dairy products like milk and other milk products. This is a great way to treat chronic diarrhea. Go For Gluten Free Food Items If gluten is the cause of diarrhea, avoid foods such as pasta, bread, crackers, wheat starch, and semolina.

We grew up hearing the about benefits of drinking a lot of water. Not only does it keep us hydrated, but it also keeps our bodily functions running smoothly. Water also flushes out the harmful toxins from the body via urination. Urinating frequently is usually a good sign. It helps you keep away from the diseases, but the constant urge to urinate and frequent trips to the toilet can become annoying. What is frequent urination? Frequent urination is the urge to pass more urine than usual, more often than usual. Frequent urination can be an irritating interruption to your daily routine, your sleep quality, and can also be a sign of more serious medical problems. Many people live with the problem of frequent urination. When someone urinates more than 3 liters in a day, it’s called polyuria. How do you identify if you have an overactive bladder? Your bladder can store up to 400-600 milliliters of urine. A healthy person visits the toilet between four to eight times in the day, and once at night. But, if you have the urge to visit the toilet more often than mentioned, or are unable to hold back your urine, and experience leakage during urination, or if you are urinating several times during the night, then you should immediately consult a doctor to diagnose your condition. How to stop frequent urination? The nature of treatment for frequent urination depends upon two factors: If the diagnosis indicates that you may have diabetes mellitus, then the treatment would aim to regulate and control your high blood sugar levels. In case of a bacterial kidney infection, the treatment would include either painkiller therapy or antibiotics. However, if you’re suffering from an acute case of overactive bladder, then medication such as an anticholinergic might be recommended. These would ultimately stop the abnormal and involuntary bladder muscle contractions from happening.

Bronchitis is an acute condition in the respiratory system and over millions of people across the world suffer from it. Every year, health practitioners note an alarming increase in the number of patients who visit chronic bronchitis treatment centers. Bronchitis can be of two types, acute and chronic. Chronic bronchitis is also said to be a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is a long-term disorder which can be managed efficiently with changes in lifestyle, medication, and therapy. The doctors at the chronic bronchitis treatment centers aim at providing relief to patients by treating the symptoms and slowing down the progression of the disease. Chronic bronchitis and its causes The bronchial tubes are the main lifeline of the lungs. These tubes carry air that is breathed into the lungs. Inthe case of a patient suffering from chronic bronchitis, the bronchial tubes get blocked or inflamed and develop secretions of mucus, that narrows the passage in the tubes. This disrupts the flow of air to the lungs. This shortage of air can lead to frequent coughing, which often brings up mucus. A patient is said to be suffering from chronic bronchitis if he or she has a cough several times a day with sputum production that has lasted for more than three months. The experts at leading chronic bronchitis treatment centers suggest that cigarette smoking as the main reason that causes chronic bronchitis in people. Other reasons may be the inhalation of bronchial irritants along with the air. This could include passive smoking, airborne chemicals, industrial pollutants, smog, and dust. Certain infrequent causes may be viral or bacterial infections, several bouts of acute bronchitis or pneumonia, diseases like heart failure, asthma, immunodeficiency and others. Signs of the disease Usually, people above the age of 45, are commonly found to suffer from chronic bronchitis.

Cancer can affect any organ and all forms of cancer follow the similar modus operandi. However, the time taken for cancer to progress can vary according to the type of cancer. One of the deadliest forms of cancer manifests itself in the form of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that affects the tissue lining of the internal organs and is considered to be quite fatal. Although there are several mesothelioma treatment options available, for those diagnosed at a later stage the treatment is rendered useless. Usually, mesothelioma only affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs (pleura), and this form of mesothelioma is known as pleural mesothelioma. The rare types of mesotheliomas affect the tissues in the abdomen, around the heart, and the testicles. When an individual is affected by mesothelioma, several symptoms start surfacing. The signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are as follows: Shortness of breath Chest pain under the rib cage Painful coughing Unexplained weight loss Presence of unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on the chest When these symptoms begin to surface and after a confirming the presence of this illness with a diagnosis, the doctor would recommend the patient to undergo either of the effective mesothelioma treatments depending on the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed and the location of the cancerous tumor. As mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, a complete cure isn’t always possible. However, several mesothelioma treatment options are devised to control the patient’s cancer and make them more comfortable. The following mesothelioma treatments have proven to be effective in controlling cancer and relieving its symptoms: Surgery – When diagnosed at an early stage, the doctor might recommend removing the tumor through surgery. In some cases, this can even cure cancer. However, there are instances when removing the cancerous tumor is not possible, and in such cases, the doctor will ask the patient to undergo a surgery to reduce the symptoms of this deadly disease.

Seasonal allergies may cause symptoms like runny nose, excessive cough, cold, fever, and itching of the eye and nose areas. With the help of seasonal allergy medication, you can get relief from these symptoms. It has been reported that one out of every 5 people in the United States suffers from a condition called seasonal allergic rhinitis, also termed as hay fever. Hay fever occurs when the patient is exposed to outdoor allergens like pollen. These allergens cause the immune system to overreact and result in various seasonal allergy symptoms. Diagnosis of hay fever is easy as compared to other allergies since it is only present during a certain time of the year. Some of the symptoms of hay fever include skin rash, watering of the eyes, chest tightness, digestion problems, runny nose, and cough, itching of the eyes, throat and the nose. However, there are many more seasonal allergies that are not quite as common as hay fever. In order to treat the patient with seasonal allergy medication, it is important to know what exactly is causing the allergy by examining the triggers. Changes in the climate can also influence the severity of the seasonal allergy symptoms. The following are a few seasonal allergy medications that are recommended in order to treat these symptoms before they worsen. Nasal Steroids This is a seasonal allergy medication that helps in reducing the inflammation of the nose that is caused by certain types of allergens. Nasal steroids are used in the initial stages of allergic rhinitis or hay fever allergies. This kind of seasonal allergy medication has significant effects on the patient as they not only work on the nasal passage but also on the macro-passages, leukotrienes, mast cells, and the like in order to ensure that the inflammation of the nose is under control.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that generally appears on the surface of your skin. But not always. Known as the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanomas are responsible for the deaths of more than 10,000 people per year in the United States alone. Caused mainly due to exposure to occasional yet intense UV rays, melanoma symptoms are more likely to appear in people who are genetically predisposed to getting this condition. When it comes to skin cancers like melanomas, the common idea that the masses go by is that it is a “skin” cancer, and therefore can only appear on patches of skin that are directly exposed to the sun. However, this is not true when it comes to melanoma symptoms! In general, when skin cells suffer unrepaired DNA damage that triggers genetic mutations, the affected skin cells become cancerous, start to multiply at an exponential pace, and result in the development of malignant cancers. Melanoma symptoms are generally seen in the form of moles. The cancer develops in the melanocytes that are located in the basal epidermal layer of the skin. Where You Might See Melanoma Symptoms According to cancer research, the most common area for men to develop melanoma symptoms is the back/trunk area. Meanwhile, women reported their legs to be the most common site to see melanoma symptoms. While diagnosing melanoma due to irregular moles on the trunk or legs is not an easy prospect, these melanoma symptoms can definitely be watched out for. But you probably didn’t know that melanoma symptoms can appear inside one of the most delicate parts of your body – your eyes . Not only can your eyes be the place where melanoma symptoms manifest, they can also be the original source site of the melanoma cancer. Melanoma symptoms may either appear in the iris area of your eyes (colored ring around the pupil) or even inside your eye.

Prostate cancer is the cancer that starts in the prostate gland and is one of the most common cancers in American men. Here is a list of the prostate cancer symptoms that you should be on the lookout for. The prostate gland is the male sex gland that is responsible for producing the thick fluid that helps sperms propel out of the penis during sexual intercourse. It is almost the size of a walnut, and is located below the bladder, just in front of the rectum. You are diagnosed with prostate cancer when the cells in these glands become cancerous and start multiplying out of control. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer that affects American men, and is the second leading cause of cancer death in them. According to the American Cancer Society estimates, around 221,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year. Prostate cancer is mainly diagnosed in older men, it is extremely rare for it to be diagnosed in men younger than 40 years of age. There are no known causes of prostate cancer, however, there are certain risk factors associated with it. These are your age, family history, ethnicity, diet, smoking, and obesity, exposure to toxins, vasectomy, and infections that are transmitted sexually. Even though the exact cause of this cancer is not known, you can still reduce the risk of developing it by managing the risk factors that are in your control. There are two diagnostic tests that are commonly used for prostate cancer, digital rectal exam and ‘prostate-specific antigen’ or PSA blood test. These are just the initial tests, the diagnosis is confirmed by performing a biopsy and examining the prostate cells. The treatment of prostate cancer does not follow the premise ‘one size fits all’. There are different treatment options available, and the one that is ideal for you depends upon your age, your overall health, size of your tumor, and the stage of the cancer.

Keeping an eye out for these common bladder cancer symptoms can be effective in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The bladder in your body is a balloon-shaped organ that stores urine, and it is located in your pelvic region. When cancer cells start to develop inside this organ, the condition is termed as bladder cancer. Since the bladder holds urine until it is passed out of your body, it plays an important role as part of the urinary tract. Hence, developing bladder cancer can have a serious effect on the function of your body (particularly the kidneys and bowel), and if left untreated, it can spread fast to other parts of your body. This disease affects both men and women, although men are more likely to develop it. Also, old age increases your chances of developing bladder cancer as it is more commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 65. Bladder cancer usually starts developing when healthy cells in the lining of your bladder change and starts to multiply at a rapid pace. This forms a mass called a tumor, which can either be benign or malignant. A benign tumor is one that can grow in size, but will not spread to other areas, whereas a malignant tumor refers to a cancerous growth that can affect other parts of your body. The types of bladder cancer are broadly categorized depending on the extent to which the disease has invaded your bladder wall. The two types of bladder cancer are– Non-invasive : This type of the disease is basically a cancer that is still contained in the inner layer of cells in the bladder (the transitional epithelium), and has not progressed into the deeper layers. This type is easier to treat. Invasive : This type of bladder cancer means one that has the potential to spread to other parts of your body, including the lymph nodes, liver, and the lungs.

Kidney cancer is one of the cancers that may or may not cause kidney cancer symptoms in the initial stages of the condition. This makes early detection and a good prognosis difficult. Be aware, and do not ignore these kidney cancer symptoms. Kidney cancer is a result of your kidney cells becoming malignant (cancerous). These cells then begin growing abnormally out of proportion to form a stubborn tumor. The medical term for this disease is ‘renal cell carcinoma’. In most cases, kidney cancers appear in the minute tubes of the kidney. The good news is that if detected at an earlier stage, before the cancer has metastasized (spread) to other organs, the chances of successful surgical treatments are much higher. However it is also true that the exact cause of this disease is unknown. This means that a very important piece of this Big C puzzle is missing. Added to this, there are little to no kidney cancer symptoms in the early stages. Furthermore there are some kidney cancer symptoms that you may mistake for signs of other conditions. Keep an eye out for these kidney cancer symptoms, and do not delay seeking help from a doctor at the earliest if you notice one or more of these symptoms. Weight loss The clue is to notice any kind of unexplained weight loss. If you have not changed your diet or appetite recently, but are still experiencing a drastic weight loss (about 5 to 10 percent of overall body weight), get off the weighing scale and get to your doctor to check for signs of kidney cancer symptoms or other conditions. Intermittent fever If you keep getting fever that lasts for a long time, and that has not been caused by any other infection such as cold, flu or any other disease, it may be one of the elusive kidney cancer symptoms.

An extremely common complaint, heel pain has several common causes. It is vital to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of the symptoms in order to get appropriate and timely treatment that is directed at the exact cause of the problem. Once the source of the heel pain is clear, a more targeted treatment plan can help in a speedy recovery. Furthermore, knowing the right and the exact cause of the symptoms may help in taking steps to prevent the condition from reoccurring. Below is some information about the common causes of knee pain and the treatment and remedial options. Causes Heel pain can sometimes be caused by an injury like a fracture or a sprain. The most common causes of heel pain are caused by medical conditions like: Plantar Fasciitis – The plantar fascia is a large ligament in the foot that stretches from the heel bone to the balls of your toes. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of this ligament, causing pain in the underside of the heel. Achilles tendinitis – The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone. Overuse or stress of this muscle can cause wear and tear in this tendon, causing severe pain at the back of the heel. This condition can lead to a gradual degeneration of the Achilles tendon. Bursitis – Bursae are the fluid-filled sacs that surround the joints. Bursitis is a condition that causes inflammation in these sacs. The foot has 33 joints, so foot bursitis can cause severe pain. Stress fracture – A stress fracture is caused by heavy and rigorous activities involving the feet. Runners are prone to this condition. Continual stress to the feet weakens the muscles and their ability to act as shock absorbers. Eventually, the bones begin to feel the impacts directly, which can lead to tiny fractures.

The state of having excess levels of uric acid in the blood is known as hyperuricemia. What is the reason behind the increased presence of uric acid? If your liver produces a higher amount of uric acid, you have to face this problem. Another reason is the reduced excretion of uric acid through your kidneys. If this issue remains unattended, you may have to deal with health problems like kidney stones, gouty arthritis, hypertension, renal failure or cardiovascular diseases. How to lower uric acid levels? Eat plenty of vegetables Research studies have shown that foods rich in fiber reduce the amount of uric acid levels in the blood. When your vegetable consumption increases, you are assisting your body’s effort to lower acidity. It restricts the uric acid formation effectively. At the same time; you should not consume vegetables that are highly rich in purine. For example; vegetables such as cauliflower, peas, asparagus, mushrooms, and spinach contain a higher amount of purine. If you are wondering how to lower uric acid levels, it is advisable to restrict the consumption of these veggies. All other vegetables can be consumed to lower uric acid levels in your body. Increase your water or fluid intake Water intake is an essential aspect when it comes to reducing uric acid levels. When you drink a lot of fluids and water, your urine output increases and it helps your body remove the unwanted uric acid. It is a well-known fact that water is an excellent detoxifying agent and it removes most of the toxins from your body. Your water consumption must be between 10 to 12 glasses every day. If you find it tough to consume a lot of plain water, you can depend on lime juices and other types of fluids that contain natural and mild flavors.