Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and damages it. This leads to inflammation of the liver. The virus that causes this condition is the hepatitis C Virus (HCV). This disease was identified in the year 1989 until when it was termed as non-hepatitis A and non-hepatitis B. HCV is one amongst the well-known hepatitis strains of hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. As of 2015, about 2% of the world, that is, around an estimate of 143 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C. Though there are various methods of treatment available for this disease, there is no availability of vaccines to prevent the occurrence of this disease. The disease is spread by direct blood to blood contact. It is a highly contagious disease. The spreading of the disease occurs majorly due to organ transplant, blood transfusion, sharing needles (usually with the usage of intravenous medicines), body modifications (tattooing with unsterile needles, nose/ear piercing), shared items (sharing items such as razors and toothbrush), during childbirth (the mother can pass down the virus to the child), and sexual contact (if it involves the exchange of blood). There are various methods of treatment for this disease. Few do not need a treatment because the antibodies produced as a natural phenomenon by the body take care of fighting off the infection. They are given antiviral medications and are constantly monitored. The identification of the presence of these antibodies in the blood is a method of detection. For the patients whose level of liver scarring is high, a liver transplant is recommended. Symptoms of hepatitis C In humans, the symptoms of hepatitis C are not obvious and are dormant for a long term. In order to be able to avail proper treatment for this highly contagious disease, here is a list of symptoms of hepatitis C.

Osteoporosis makes your bones fragile and brittle by reducing the quality of your bones. Read on to know more about the different osteoporosis symptoms. Osteoporosis is a disorder that causes your bones to become so weak and brittle that sometimes, even activities like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. Some of the most common fractures associated with osteoporosis happen in your hip, wrist, and spine. About 200 million women all over the world suffer from this debilitating disorder, and it is more common in white and Asian women. As the bones are living tissue, the old bones in your body are constantly being broken down to create new bones and this rebuilding process is termed as ‘remodeling’. However, when the remodeling pace does not keep up with the pace of the breaking down of the bones, the bones become weak, brittle, and fragile, leading to osteoporosis. It is clear how this disorder develops over a period of time, however, what is not clear is what exactly causes osteoporosis. There are, however, certain risk factors that are associated with the development of this disorder. These are your race, body frame size, age, family history, sex, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and eating disorders. Osteoporosis is typically diagnosed by a bone density test, which involves the use of X-rays to scan the body. The treatment methods that are generally used for osteoporosis mainly depend upon your risk of a fracture. If your risk is low, the treatment plan will mainly involve lifestyle changes and modifications that can reduce the risk factors related to osteoporosis. If you are at a higher risk of breaking a bone, the doctor will prescribe you medications like Actonel, Binosto, Boniva, and Fosamax. Osteoporosis is mainly regarded as a silent disease because there are no telltale signs and symptoms in its early stages.

Haemophilia is not a condition that you can take lightly. If you have these haemophilia symptoms, it is time to see medical attention now. Haemophilia is a medical condition in which the body’s natural ability to clot blood is severely compromised. This causes the patient to bleed profusely even when the injury is a slight or minor one. Generally caused due to the lack of a specific blood clotting factor, haemophilia is mostly a hereditary condition. Our bodies have a total of 13 clotting factors. Haemophilia A is caused by the lack of blood clotting factor number 8, while haemophilia B is caused by a lack of factor 9. More than 80 percent of the cases of haemophilia are categorized as being the A type. If you have this inherited blood disorder, you will see a number of haemophilia symptoms. Depending on the severity of the lack of clotting factors, haemophilia symptoms may be severe, moderate, or mild. In any case, if you see any of these signs or haemophilia symptoms, visit a doctor immediately, so your treatment can begin in earnest. Haemophilia Symptoms and Signs People with mild haemophilia usually only bleed post-surgery or after a major injury. They may not even have a bleeding problem. However, those with moderate haemophilia symptoms tend to have a bleeding problem at least once a month, while those with severe haemophilia symptoms may even bleed one to two times every week, with no cause or trauma at all (spontaneous bleeding). People with severe haemophilia also tend to bleed into their joints or muscles frequently. The general signs and haemophilia symptoms include the constant presence of deep or large bruises all over the body, and unexplained and heavy bleeding from seemingly minor cuts or injuries. This bleeding may be spontaneous, or happen after dental work or surgery.

Flu is an illness that is not very easily detected among children as its symptoms are often confused with a cold. However, flu tends to develop faster and get more intense than a simple cold. Here’s everything you need to know about getting flu shots for children. Influenza (flu) is an infection that is caused by a virus called influenza. It is said that there is a specific time of the year that children are more susceptible to the infection. Pandemic is an instance where people across the globe and of all ages are infected by influenza, and fall sick for a couple of months. Pandemics are witnessed on very rare occasions. In general, children in the age group of 6 months – 5 years of age are at a higher risk of catching the flu. Many children get infected by the seasonal influenza that in certain rare cases may result in death. Influenza manifests in symptoms such as sudden cold and dry cough, fever, muscle pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, chills and shakes and sore throat. The impact of influenza worsens the health of the child over a span of 2-3 days itself. Influenza virus is generally found in the throat and nose. It is contagious, and can be caught from any infected person in the surrounding. Flu vaccines are safe to use, and may or may not have certain mild side effects such as slight fever and muscle pain for around a day or two. Vaccination helps in building the child’s immune system within 2 weeks so as to effectively fight the influenza virus. There are various types of flu shots given to children depending on their age and the severity of their condition. The following are the two types of vaccinations available for children, which include flu shots that use dead viruses, and nasal spray vaccines that use weak live viruses to help combat the disease.

Hair loss is caused as a result of various problems with genetics or even the onset of diseases or infections. However the good news is that there are a number of women hair loss treatments available in order to help in the improvement of hair growth in the patients. Excessive hair loss, especially for women is definitely the most frustrating and depressing of all things as often women’s hair is considered to be their best asset that adds to their beauty. There are different types of hair loss that occurs among women that include a gradual thinning of hair to going bald completely. Hair loss in women is caused because of some genetic problem, excessive levels of stress, any medical condition or even due to severe medical treatment. Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is the most common type of hair loss found in women across the globe. This illness is caused among women that are diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia, a condition where women experience diffused thinning of hair in most parts of the scalp. In this type of hair loss, some women may also encounter diffused thinning of hair in combination with distinctive patterns of baldness as well. The following are various women hair loss treatments that are recommended to reduce hair loss, increase the strength of the scalp and promote healthy growth of hair. Minoxidil Minoxidil in pills or drugs was used earlier as an antihypertensive medication to treat high blood pressure. It was later observed that the intake of minoxidil pills caused patients to experience a side effect which involved excessive hair growth (hypertrichosis) which led to the discovery of its obvious use. Many women experienced a significant amount of thick hair growth, and gradual reduction in balding due to the use of minoxidil medication. Provided that the medication is continued, this type of women hair loss treatment can help in stimulating the scalp that promotes re-growth of hair.

Bleeding disorders can cause abnormal bleeding inside and outside the patient’s body. You probably do not know about these strange bleeding disorders. Bleeding disorders occur when the blood clotting process of the body is damaged. As a result of this breakdown, some patients may bleed profusely inside or from their joints, muscles, and other areas of the body. Platelets are a type of blood cells that stick to each other and form a plug in areas where injured blood cells are located. Proteins are the blood clotting factors that help in the formation of a fibrin clot called a gel plug which helps the blood platelets stick in place. Not only does this promote healing in the injured blood vessels, it also helps prevent the blood from escaping outside the blood vessels. Bleeding disorders are generally caused due to reasons like low red blood cells count, deficiency of vitamin K, anticoagulants (medicines that can interfere with the blood clotting process) and also as a result of certain after-effects of traumas or injuries. The following are the 2 most prevalent types of bleeding disorders in the world: Von Willebrand Disease This is a type of a bleeding disorder that is inherited. It occurs when the protein that helps in the clotting process (named the Von Willebrand factor in the blood) and which is also responsible for carrying other clotting properties is absent or not functioning properly. Von Willebrand bleeding disorders can be categorized in three types, namely type1, 2 and 3. Of these, type 1 is the mildest form of the bleeding disorder, while type 3 is the most severe condition. Women are more commonly diagnosed with this type of bleeding disorder, especially during menstruation. Intake of drugs containing aspirin and ibuprofen without a doctor’s approval is strictly not recommended for patients suffering this bleeding disorder as it may cause aggressive bleeding in the patient.

Allergies among children of various age groups is a very common phenomenon, but it hampers the immune system of the child and allows other infections to enter the body. Parents must keep a close eye on various child allergy symptoms for the better health of the little one. An allergy is a condition where the immune system abnormally treats certain substances as irritants which may not necessarily be harmful to the body. The patient is said to have developed an allergy to a particular substance when the immune system overreacts by producing antibodies in the bloodstream as if fighting a foreign element or an invader that has entered the system forcefully. Airborne allergies are the most common type found among children which causes a condition known as allergic rhinitis. Child allergy symptoms of allergic rhinitis reportedly affect nearly 10 percent of children in the United States. The child allergy symptoms can be anywhere from mild effects on the patient to being a potential threat to their quality of life. Hence it is imperative for parents and guardians to know about these allergies, so as to provide intensive care and proper medication to the child on time. The following are certain child allergy symptoms that can be diagnosed in the early onset of the illness to prevent the allergy from worsening. Breathing Difficulties Breathing difficulties are one of the most common child allergy symptoms. In the case of respiratory signs, child allergy symptoms include irritable airways in the child that leads to uncontrolled coughing, wheezing, tightness of the chest, and also shortness of breath. Child allergy symptoms such as breathing difficulties are often encountered in allergic asthma, which is recorded as the most common type of asthma. Nasal Congestion Postnasal drip is a very common child allergy symptom which is caused when there is an irritant or allergen that has entered the nasal passage causing nasal congestion.

World’s first case of Brazil nut allergy transmitted via sexual intercourse has much to teach us. An anaphylactic reaction to Brazil nuts has the potential to kill you, at worst. Even in best case scenarios, the allergic reactions caused by consuming Brazil nuts are not pretty or comfortable. While you already know enough to protect yourself from consuming them directly or indirectly so as to avoid a Brazil nut allergy, you probably did not know this – a Brazil nut allergy can be sexually transmitted . One of the most frequent causes of nut allergies across the world, a Brazil nut allergy can actually be transmitted via intercourse. A 20-year old woman in the UK became the first person to ever suffer an allergic reaction to Brazil nuts through having sexual intercourse. The Truth about Brazil Nuts The Brazil nut is sourced from the Amazon jungle in South America. It is actually the seed of a giant tree found there. The three-sided seeds are about 6cm long each, and about 8-25 seeds are found inside the pod of the tree. Brazil nuts are popular owing to their rich flavor that comes from the fact that the seed contains more than 70 percent of oil and 17 percent of protein. The seed stays fresh for a short time, and becomes rancid quickly owing to the high oil content. The exportation of Brazil nuts began in the 1600s, and they were first taken off land by the Portuguese and the Dutch. However, there are millions across the globe who have nut allergies, and a Brazil nut allergy is known to be one of the severe ones out there. When it comes to staying away from Brazil nuts, the process is not as easy as you would like it to be. This is because of the fact that the Brazil nut is actually used in a multitude of products.

People tend to develop black holes and spots under the eyes after a certain age. This happens as the fat which is present as a support to the eye moves to the lower eyelid. This makes the eyelid puffy, and sometimes fluid accumulates below the eye, which also adds to this swelling. Removing bags under the eyes is easy with the natural remedies. Here are some tips to help you easily remove the bags under the eyes. Take care of allergies A person who is allergic to any condition knows well as to when the allergy will flare up. Some natural remedies can be tried to avoid this condition. This includes the use of essential oil for removing allergies. If you use these essential oils on a regular basis, the eye bag formation does not take place. Use salt sparingly The use of salt is normally related to the development of high blood pressure. Sodium present in the salt can, however, lead to retention of fluid. This further leads to puffiness in the area surrounding the eyes. Therefore, to remove bags under the eyes, soil intake has to be limited. Foods which have a high content of salt as pizza and soups should ideally be avoided. You may increase the intake of fresh vegetables like celery, which will, over a period help in curbing the desire for consumption of salt. Correct sleep posture If you sleep on the back, it will prevent the gravitational forces from letting the fluid building up around the eye region. An extra pillow can also be put under the head. If the sleep posture is correct, it will definitely help to remove bags under the eyes, if these have already formed. Remove the makeup Irritation in the eye area can also persist in case the makeup is not removed.

Probiotic supplements are evaluated on the basis of certain criteria that can help a person decide the best possible option for them in terms of using probiotics. These criteria include packaging and delivery system of the probiotics and probiotic strains included in the probiotic supplements. Packaging and delivery system One of the most important factors in choosing a probiotic supplement is understanding the different ways in which manufacturers package and deliver probiotic supplements. No matter what product is chosen, the packaging and delivery system is of key importance since probiotics need to be maintained under specific conditions. Also, the system of delivery is important as it refers to the form in which the product is created and how it enables the bacteria to remain alive and healthy as it sits on store shelves, or when it is in transit to reach the part of the gut in the human body where it is supposed to get activated. A waste of money would be a probiotic supplement that is full of dead bacteria or unstable bacteria that die in the stomach acid. Caplet, which is a controlled release tablet, is one delivery system that has worked particularly well in the recent years. The new Beadlet technology is another viable option while the capsule formulation has come a long way since the days when the capsules were instantly destroyed by the stomach acid. Good delivery systems for probiotic supplements are created in a way wherein they ensure that a right amount of bacteria will reach the intestines alive and work properly, making it an important selling point. The details on the packaging or marketing materials of a product are a good indication of this since any company that is willing to explain the manner in which its product works is most likely to be selling a product that works.

Heartburn in the stomach is caused when the acids in the stomach move up into the esophagus area. This is a primary symptom of acid reflux which can cause burning sensation in the esophagus region which is a tube connecting the throat and stomach area. The intensity of pain depends upon the acid levels in the esophagus area. This condition of acid reflux can also cause nausea, sour taste in the mouth, chest pain, dry cough, sour taste in the mouth, etc. These conditions can cause Barret’s esophagus or esophageal cancer in some cases. A chronic and severe form of acid reflux is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Some of the factors like smoking, pregnancy, obesity and certain kinds of food can affect the functioning of the esophagus. The acid reflux in the esophagus can also cause a hiatal hernia and other complications in the stomach and esophagus region. Let us look at some of the home remedies for heartburn: Apple cider vinegar is readily available, and this can be used to treat the heartburn efficiently. It helps in digestion and balances the pH level in the stomach which helps in minimizing the acidity in the stomach. All you have to do is dilute a tablespoon of raw or unfiltered ACV in the water and drink it. This has to be followed as a routine for few months, and this needs to be done 30 minutes before having a meal. A cost-effective home remedy for heartburn, baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate is a natural antacid which is easily available. Sodium bicarbonate provides relief from heartburn and other symptoms of acid reflux. One teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water provides instant relief. However, people with high blood pressure should not take baking soda as there is a risk of raising the blood pressure.

What comes to your mind when you first hear the word “bacteria”? Ailments, illness, and diseases! Yes, big-time most of us associate the word bacteria with various kinds of health problems. Our body is a complex and, at the same time, a fascinating machine. Investigations on our gut have revealed the fact that our stomach linings are infested with different types of bacteria. Now please do not go hyper! These bacteria are in fact friendly and rather beneficial for our systems. It has been proven that these bacteria can be much helpful for our digestive systems and can boost the health of our large intestines and our guts. Probiotics are supplements that provide the friendly bacteria so that they can thrive on the walls of the intestine and can balance the adverse effects of the bad bacteria. In most cases, we see that probiotics are taken in the form of supplements. They come in various forms such as tablets, capsules, drinks, and powders. They are intakes that come with a cost and are meant for long-term benefits. Research and investigations have proven the fact that probiotics are often good support elements and can contribute to improving your overall health and the digestive condition. However, probiotics must not be mistaken for medicines that can provide complete cure to the health problems. What is ulcerative colitis? Ulcerative colitis is a condition where the large intestine is affected and is bloated in proportion. In most cases, the person affected by such a problem experiences stomach cramps and a feeling of inflammation in the stomach and guts. The person can also have bloody diarrhea. The problem is a rather chronic and unremitting one. In other words, it means that at times you will get respite as the symptoms will lie low, but yet again there will be times when you will experience acute inconvenience and problems.