Hepatitis C is a viral infection caused by inflammation of the liver. In some cases, it can lead to serious liver damage in people with the condition. The disease mainly spreads through contamination of blood. Earlier the treatment of hepatitis C involved weekly injections that were given to patients and certain oral medications. However, many hepatitis patients could not take these medications due to their other health problems and due to side effects. Chronic HCV is curable using oral medications that are taken daily for at least two months. There are about half of the people suffering from HCV, and they don’t know they are infected. This happens when a person experiences no symptoms of the problem. Symptoms can take a decade to appear in many students. This is why the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention ask a person to get a one-time screening of blood test for those who can be at increased risk of infection. The largest group at the risk of the situation is born between 1945 and 1965. A population is five times more likely to get infected with the problem than people born in other years. Symptoms of hepatitis C There are many factors by which can determine if a person is suffering from hepatitis C. People suffer from long-term infection with hepatitis C virus. It is also known as chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C remains silent for many years. This becomes evident sometimes when the virus has damaged liver enough to cause signs and symptoms to appear. Here are a few signs and symptoms of the condition. Easy bleeding Easy bruising Fatigue Poor appetite Discoloration of skin and eyes, a form of jaundice. Urine that is dark colored Itchy skin Abdomen fluid build up Leg swelling Weight loss Drowsiness Confusion Slurred speech Spider-like blood vessels in the skin or spider angiomas.

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord. Since it is a serious health condition, it requires immediate medical intervention. Causes of meningitis The swelling may be caused due to viral or bacterial infections. However, in some cases, injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections can also lead to meningitis. Commonly, acute viral and bacterial infections cause the inflammation of tissues. Fungal meningitis is rare which causes chronic meningitis. The signs of meningitis vary from person to person, depending upon his or her age and the cause of the infection. Bacterial meningitis is a serious illness and can be life-threatening. It spreads to the brain through nasal mucus and throat secretions. It can build up in over a few hours or several days. In infants, the most common causes are Group B strep, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Neisseria meningitides (meningococcus) are often the causes of meningitis in adolescents. If left untreated for long, many complications may arise. The possible complications might include: Loss of hearing Epilepsy Brain damage which can cause learning disabilities in children Memory problems Renal failure Gait issues Hydrocephalus or fluid buildup and brain swelling Myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscles (only if the infection reaches the heart) Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis and is often less severe than bacterial meningitis. There is no report of severe long-term issues associated with viral meningitis. Affected people recover on their own (without any medical treatment). There is no specific treatment as antibiotics do not help viral meningitis. However, they are crucial in treating bacterial meningitis. Viral meningitis is a communicable disease. Signs of viral meningitis are cold, diarrhea, fever, blisters, sore throat, and influenza. The most common virus that causes viral meningitis is a group known as enteroviruses or common stomach viruses.

Peyronies is a medical ailment of the penis which is caused due to scar tissues known as plaque. This plaque gets formed inside the penis and can make the penis to bend in upward or downward direction. However, it does not mean that men who suffer from peyronies cannot have sex. It is only that they will have difficulty in having sex. Cause of Peyronies The exact reason for peyronies is not known. However, people who have done some research on this topic agree with the assumption that the plaque formation which eventually leads to peyronies occurs after trauma. This trauma leads to bleeding which occurs inside the penis. Diagnosis of Peyronies The patient will have to tell the doctor about any injury that might have occurred before the symptoms of peyronies came up. An x-ray or ultrasound of the penis might have to be done for diagnosis of peyronies. Sometimes the diagnosis by a doctor is also not able to list out the symptoms of peyronies and thus the doctor might have to perform a biopsy. In a biopsy, a small bit of tissue from the affected region is removed and could be sent to the lab for further result analysis. Is Peyronies Treatable? There are some peyronies disease remedies but sometimes the disease gets cured on its own among the men. The pain that occurs in peyronies is mild and usually withers away in few minutes of beginning. Peyronies Disease Remedies Surgery and medicine are the two viable options for treating peyronies. A pill such as Pentoxifylline or Potaba might be prescribed by the doctor for treating a condition related to peyronies. In case these do not show the desired results a shot of collagenase in the scar tissues of the penis will help. If none of the above mentioned peyronies disease remedies give a viable cure from this problem, surgery is recommended which a doctor will most likely perform in cases when doing sex with the partner gets difficult.

Dual diagnosis is a combination of two illnesses. These illnesses usually comprise either depression or bipolar disorder or any mental illnesses and an issue (or addiction) related to substance abuse. The problem is a combination of two illnesses and both illnesses require separate treatments. This means that a person suffering from dual diagnosis requires consulting a specialist who is capable enough to treat both the illnesses separately. Even though it is an extreme condition, it is not rare. Often it is found that a person with a mental disorder also suffers from an addiction or vice versa. What people don’t usually realise is that this combination is very dangerous. It is also not a rare occurrence that people suffering from dual diagnosis often attempt suicide. Hence, the treatment of this illness needs to be done carefully and thoroughly. Moreover, to treat it, it becomes all the more necessary to identify where the majority of symptoms of dual diagnosis are coming from, the mental disorder or the addiction. Therefore, the treatment for dual diagnosis should be commenced at the earliest as the patients are high-risk ones. No time must be spared to initiate the treatment as the results can be fatal if dual diagnosis not treated in time. Since precaution is always better than cure, it is understood that proper treatment should begin even before the condition turns into the illness of dual diagnosis. If a person is suffering from any mental disorder, chances are that it won’t be long before it is combined with an addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, or sex. However, this situation can be avoided if proper and timely treatment of the mental disorder is done. Another important thing that must be kept in mind is that most of the drug rehabs are not capable enough to deal with the issue of dual diagnosis.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that hampers with a child’s ability to move by affecting motor nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. This disease is progressive in nature and is caused by the loss of specialized motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brainstem. This affects a child’s ability to perform motor activities such as sitting up, jumping, walking, crawling, and controlling head movement. SMA mainly causes muscle wasting and weakness. Moreover, some people who suffer from severe cases of SMA face difficulty in breathing and swallowing as the muscles used for these functions are also affected. Below is some information on different types; diagnosis and treatments of SMA that can help families of the affected children understand the disease better. Types of SMA SMA can be classified into five different types: 0, I, II, III, and IV. Each type is categorized on the basis of different symptoms, and physicians often determine the type by understanding the symptoms. Type 0 Type 0 SMA is one of the most severe types. It is identified on the basis of symptoms such as decreased fetal movements, joint abnormalities, inability to swallow properly, and respiratory failure. This type occurs in a child before birth or within the first few months of birth. Type I Type I SMA is also called the Werdnig-Hoffman disease. It is one of the severe types of SMA that affects a person since their birth or within the first few months after birth. It is quite similar to the type 0 SMA as type I affected infants also face delayed physical developments. Children with this type exhibit symptoms such as breathing and swallowing problems that can cause choking. Other symptoms include diminished limb movements, fasciculation, tremors, hypotonia (severely reduced muscle tone), and lack of tendon reflexes.

Pneumonia symptoms, whether mild or severe, should be immediately examined by a physician. A medical professional will suggest the right tests for diagnosing this disease. One should strictly follow the post-treatment precautions recommended by the doctor. Symptoms of pneumonia The symptoms of pneumonia range from mild to severe. Other factors that affect the signs of this condition are the type of pneumonia, the age of the patient as well as the state of health. Here are some signs of pneumonia: Cough Patients experience incessant coughing. It is accompanied by mucus, which may be green or yellow. There might be traces of blood in the mucus. It is one of the classic symptoms of bronchitis or pneumonia. Fever Another symptom of pneumonia is a fever. It could range from mild to high fever. Chills along with shaking Patients who have pneumonia are likely to feel extremely cold, and they are also likely to shiver or shake with it. Labored breathing You might feel short of breath while climbing a flight of stairs. Sharp pain in the chest Deep breathing or coughing could induce sharp or stabbing chest pain. Headaches There might be headaches which are of different intensities. A high amount of sweating People report sweating and moistness of the skin. Poor appetite Patients have no desire to eat. They also experience reduced energy levels and a lot of fatigue. Confusion Senior citizens may experience a feeling of confusion with other symptoms of pneumonia. Types of pneumonia Bacterial pneumonia In this type of pneumonia, temperatures reach alarming levels of up to 105 degrees. It could be accompanied by an excessive amount of sweating. The intensity of breathing goes up, and so does the pulse rate. Because of a deficiency of oxygen in the blood, the lips, as well as nail beds, might turn blue.

There are a variety of factors leading to the development of the symptoms of fibromyalgia, and it is important to determine the underlying symptoms. If anyone experiences symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as the ones listed below, a timely diagnosis has to be made before treatment can be initiated. Fibromyalgia symptoms checklist The following are some of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia: Widespread pain A dull ache that has persisted over 3 months is not supposed to be concluded as a symptom of fibromyalgia. The pain must be present on both the sides of the body as well as below and above the waist. Fatigue Even after getting sufficient sleep, patients who are suffering from fibromyalgia have complaints of fatigue when they wake up. In most cases, patients with fibromyalgia symptoms could be suffering from other disorders such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. Difficulties with cognition Patients with fibromyalgia suffer from “fibro log” which leads to an impairment of the ability to focus, problems in paying attention, as well as concentrating on tasks involving the mind. There are certain coexisting health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, various types of headaches including a migraine, interstitial cystitis which is also known as a painful bladder, as well as disorders of the temporomandibular joint, so these can be considered symptoms of fibromyalgia as well. Risk factors that can cause fibromyalgia There could be a plethora of factors that could lead to the development of fibromyalgia: Genetics : One could be prone to acquiring fibromyalgia through various gene mutations which tend to run in the family. Infections : Fibromyalgia can often be triggered by certain illnesses. Trauma : Traumatic incidents like car accidents could contribute to the development of fibromyalgia as well. It could also occur as a result of psychological stress.

Experiencing sudden swelling or inflammation in your joints? Is the painfulness is accompanied by fatigue or gastrointestinal problems? Well, then it can be a symptom of lupus. An autoimmune disease, lupus can show different signs and symptoms in patients. Other than a few exceptional cases, the symptoms are usually mild and often get neglected. Detecting lupus is quite easy as the symptoms of lupus are extremely bothering in the initial stages and fade with time. It recurs periodically. Anyone in their late teens can be affected by this condition. The risk of getting lupus continues even in the days of adulthood. For an easy diagnosis of lupus, you can keep an eye on the following few symptoms associated with it. Low-grade fever This is one of the earliest symptoms of lupus and often gets neglected as a sign of a common cold. However, unlike the symptoms of common cold, fever associated with lupus always remains low-grade and has no visible cause associated with it. In most of the cases, fever recurs at intervals, and the maximum temperature for lupus fever is 38.3 degree Celsius or 101 Fahrenheit. Therefore, if you get a recurrent fever, you need to consult a doctor. Fatigue Feeling tired for no particular reason or frequent fatigue symptoms can also be an indication of lupus. People with lupus mostly sleep too much in the daytime and gets insomniac at night. Afternoon nap, once in a while should not be considered as an indication of lupus. Lesions or rashes If fatigue and fever are associated with rashes on your cheeks and nose bridge, it is high time to consult a doctor. Almost all patients with lupus get butterfly rashes on cheeks and nose. As the rashes get aggravated after sunlight exposure, many people mistake it as a heat rash.

There might be many reasons for the bottom of foot pain, and it is important to remember that not all of this pain gets originated in the toes or upper and lower region of the foot. These also do not necessarily develop due to injury in the foot. Bottom of foot pain also arises at times due to problems in the lower back region. Sometimes foot pain arises due to associated pain in the legs. Symptoms of bottom of foot pain symptoms Limited ability to bring the foot up Patients who suffer from this symptom are not able to move the feet forward and sometimes face numbness in the foot. This condition occurs when one of the spinal nerve roots in the lower back gets pressed. Foot heaviness and weakness This pain originates in spinal nerve root in the lower back; foot heaviness produces pain that radiates down over the top of feet and goes to the bottom of feet. Difficulty in walking on tiptoes Bottom of foot pain also occurs in case the sciatic nerve spinal nerve root gets pressed. Some of the typical symptoms of this condition include weakness of gastrocnemius muscles, and it makes walking on tiptoes difficult. The person who suffers from this medical complication is also not able to raise the heel from the ground and finds it difficult to walk and move around. Causes of foot pain Bottom of foot pain occurs due to varying diseases and deformities or wearing of improper footwear. Infectious diseases, fungi, and bacteria also cause pain in the foot. Plantar warts and athlete foot are some of the foot diseases which are caused by virus and bacteria. All of these lead to the bottom of foot pain. An ingrown toenail is also a common cause of foot pain. Systemic diseases as gout, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus also result in foot pain.

Most people suffer from knee pain in their lives at some point in time. Exercise, sports, etc. cause tendinitis, muscle strains and serious injuries to cartilage and ligament. Many people are so severely affected by knee pain that their daily activities are restricted. There are others for whom even mild knee pain is a matter of concern as they hinder the active lifestyle they want to live. It is important to investigate the reason that is causing the knee pain and treat it immediately to avoid further damage. Given below some of the most common causes of knee pain: Knee ligament injuries The ligaments connect your thigh bone to the lower leg bones. They hold the bones together and also keep the knees stable. In sports, sprains and knee ligament tears are extremely common and occur to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). If you suffer from any of these injuries, you would experience extreme pain in the knee and may need surgery as well. Knee cartilage tears Other injuries like tears can happen in the cartilage. It is a semi-hard tissue which covers the end of the bones. There are two menisci on both sides of the joint- the lateral meniscus found on the outside of the knee and the medial meniscus positioned on the inside of the knee. Meniscus tear causes knee pain. A knee cartilage tear is a quite common and needs surgery to treat it. Arthritis of the knee Arthritis causes severe knee pain and sometimes disability as well. It is a degenerative condition that needs surgery eventually. There are three main kinds of arthritis. These are osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Any of these conditions can result in swelling, the stiffness of the knees. You may find it difficult to bend the knees as well.

Ticks are found in the outdoors, living in grass, leaf piles and shrubs. They have a strong affinity for humans and their pets and easily migrate from one to the other. While these bugs may seem tiny and harmless, in reality, they literally suck your blood for sustenance. Ticks attach themselves to the victim and bite, drawing blood till their appetite is sated, growing in size, sometimes as big as a marble. Tick bites are mostly harmless, but some tick bites can cause allergic reactions and even more serious diseases, both in humans and their pets. A rash from tick bites is a major symptom of a more serious reaction. While a rash from tick bites can cause irritation, itching and a burning sensation on the affected skin, it’s often an indicator of a more serious, harmful disease’s onset. Below, we’ve mentioned some of the other consequences and diseases that a tick bite can leave you with. If you experience a rash from tick bites, keep an eye out for these diseases. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) RMSF is the most serious of all tick-borne diseases. It’s more common in the south-eastern parts of the United States. It is not contagious, but it can pass through ticks bites, from humans to their pets, and vice-versa. The symptoms appear between 2 to 14 days after the bite, and include: High fever persisting for 2 to 3 weeks Chills Fatigue Abdominal pain Nausea Muscle aches A headache The characteristic feature of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the rash from the tick bite. The rash comprises of small red spots on the palms, ankles, wrists, and soles. The rash starts 2 to 5 days after the bite and spreads across the torso. This is usually coupled with a high fever. After a week of the infection, a second rash can develop from the tick bite.

Melanoma, or malignant melanoma, is a type of cancer that grows in the melanocytes and can develop anywhere on the skin. Although less common than other types of cancers, melanoma is the most dangerous condition because it can metastasize at a rapid pace and cause a serious illness, leading to death. Typically caused by overexposure to sunlight, the DNA in the skin cells get damaged and begin to grow out of proportion. The condition is widely diagnosed among a larger population of adults under the age of 40. Moreover, people with a lighter skin tone and females have a greater risk of suffering from melanoma. The condition also has a genetic link; people who have a family history of melanoma are likely at risk to be affected. When melanoma spreads to other parts of the body or is at an advanced stage, it is considered as metastatic melanoma. It may also popularly be referred to as stage IV melanoma. In metastatic melanoma, the disease often spreads to the lungs, liver, brain, skin tissues, and lymph nodes. Melanoma occurs on the surface of the skin and thus, it can be can be seen. However, in the early stages, there are no signs and can lead to late detection. In metastatic melanoma, patients are often the first to recognize and diagnose the condition. If one views a spot that changes in appearance over time, he/she must show it to the doctor without any further delay. It is better to take the necessary precautions than be sorry. The symptoms of metastatic melanoma will be noticeable when the disease begins to spread to different body parts. Usually, the first symptom that is seen includes the feeling of hardened lumps of flesh under the surface of the skin. The lymph and nodes appear to be swollen and one will experience pain.