Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood flowing in the blood vessels. Blood vessels carry blood pumped by the heart to all parts of the body. Proper supply of blood requires an optimum level of blood pressure and anything above or below this level is a cause of concern. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg, where 120 is systolic pressure and 80 is diastolic. Blood pressure measuring 130-139/80-89 mmHg is considered as the first stage of hypertension, and pressures above 140/90 mmHg are considered as the second stage of hypertension. Pressure above 180/120 warrants immediate medical treatment. Prolonged hypertension results in thickening of the blood vessel walls (atherosclerosis). Other health complications caused by hypertension are a stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure. How to lower your blood pressure? This is an important question faced by those affected by hypertension. Read on to understand the causes of high blood pressure and ways to control high blood pressure. Causes of High Blood Pressure Hypertension is classified as primary and secondary hypertension. Primary or essential hypertension develops over time with no particular cause, whereas secondary hypertension occurs rapidly and becomes more severe than primary hypertension. Although the exact pressure cause of high blood pressure is not known, several risk factors are attributed to hypertension. When looking for information on how to lower your blood pressure, the common causes of hypertension should be understood first: Being Overweight Being overweight is a predisposition to developing high blood pressure. Excess body fat overloads the heart, which results in increased blood pressure. Smoking High blood pressure is among other health disorders caused by smoking. Lethargic Lifestyle Those leading a lethargic lifestyle without any physical workout are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Unhealthy eating habits combined with a lethargic lifestyle result in fat deposits in blood vessels, which in turn narrow blood vessels.

It is quite hard to deal with nail fungus. It starts off as a yellow blemish and spreads to the entire nail if it is left untreated. It can cause discomfort, pain, and tenderness. Many home remedies can help you treat this issue, and the most popular item among them is hydrogen peroxide. Why is hydrogen peroxide effective at treating toenail fungus? Hydrogen peroxide is a household item that is applied to sanitize minor injuries and wounds. Its antifungal properties destroy the fungus, allowing the broken part of your nails to grow back again. This liquid has numerous applications as an antiseptic, disinfectant, oxidizer, bleaching agent, and as an antifungal agent. Depending on the severity of the infection, you can restore your nails within weeks or months with constant use of hydrogen peroxide. To prevent further fungal infections, it is advised to keep practicing this therapy for a few months even after your nail has recovered. Even though there aren’t many scientific studies proving the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide for treating toenail fungus, several people have tried and tested this home remedy. Here are some treatments for toenail fungus that use hydrogen peroxide: Soak your feet in a hydrogen peroxide solution You will require 3% hydrogen peroxide, distilled water, plastic tub, and tissues for this method. Stir equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water in a plastic tub. Make sure that the hydrogen peroxide that has a concentration of 3% or less, otherwise it may damage your skin. Dip the infected nails in this solution and wait for 30 minutes until they are soaked. Wipe and dry your nails with a tissue. Make sure that the affected nails are dry before you cover them. Repeat this method every day, even after the problem subsides. Getting relief from nail fungus is not that simple and will require a lot of patience and persistence.

The presence of dark circles under the lower eyelids is quite common among men and women. When you have dark circles, you may look much older than your actual age. This visible discoloration of skin is quite hard to eliminate. Most people will face this situation at some point in time. It is essential to know how you could prevent this and what are the various treatment options available. In this article, let’s have a look at the causes and treatment options for dark circles. Risk factors for dark circles Dark circles could affect anybody. Primarily, they affect the following people: People who are old People with a family history of dark circles Causes of dark circles Many people associate fatigue as the sole reason for the appearance of the dark circles. However, apart from fatigue, there are numerous reasons because of which dark circles could appear. Here are some of them: Age Aging is one of the causes of dark circles. When you start to get older, your skin naturally becomes thinner than before. You will start losing collagen and fat which are needed to maintain your skin’s elasticity. When this happens, the dark vessels inside your skin will become more and more visible. Because of this, dark circles will appear underneath your lower eyelids. Too much strain on your eyes When you work on your computer for about 10 to 12 hours per day, you tend to strain your eyes. Also, watching television for a long duration of time will put similar pressure on the eyes. Because of this strain, the blood vessels in and around your eyes will become enlarged. As a result of this, you start getting dark circles. Fatigue Fatigue is one of the more prominent causes of dark circles. Oversleeping, staying awake after your usual bedtime or being extremely tired could result in dark circles.

The human body has a peripheral nervous system that connects the nerves from the brain and the spinal cord with the rest of the body. They are connected everywhere including hands, legs, mouth, face, and internal organs. These nerves deliver signals of physical sensation back to the brain. Neuropathy or peripheral neuropathy refers to a disorder that occurs due to the malfunctioning of the nerves. If they get damaged or destroyed, they send wrong signals, like signals of pain when there is no pain and no signal when there is a pain. An injury, infection, inherited disorder or systemic illness may cause peripheral neuropathy. This disorder is a troublemaker and obviously uncomfortable, but with proper diagnosis and treatment, it can be cured. For the accurate neuropathy treatment, it is of utmost importance to find the root cause as the causes are different for different people, and their treatment is also different. Types and symptoms of neuropathy There are around 100 different types of neuropathy. Each of them has unique symptoms as well as treatments. They are classified into two types based on the type of nerve damage involved. The three types of peripheral nerves are sensory nerves that connect with the skin, motor nerves with muscles and autonomic nerves with the internal organs. Peripheral neuropathy affects one or all nerve groups. Mononeuropathy is the condition of one damaged nerve; on the other hand, multiple nerves are damaged during polyneuropathies which are more common. Various symptoms can be noticed like tingling and numbness in hands and feet, sharp stabbing pain, buzzing sensation, drop of blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, thinning of skin, diarrhea, and difficulty in digestion, constipation, and excessive sweating. When you go to the doctor, make sure to tell him about all the symptoms to get proper treatment. Diagnosis In order to determine the required treatment, it is important to diagnose the causes behind the disorder.

Poison ivy is a toxic plant widely found throughout the country. This plant, upon contact with human skin, causes a painful rash, known as contact dermatitis. The rash is caused by an allergic reaction to an oily resin, called urushiol, which is found in the leaves, roots, and stem of the plant. If you come in contact with the oil, wash your hands immediately to avoid the rash. In case it develops, it may be extremely itchy and last for weeks. Mild cases of poison ivy rash can be treated at home, using cool baths and soothing lotions. However, if the rash becomes widespread and severe, you may require proper medical evaluation and suitable medication. Common symptoms of poison ivy rash Usually, the rash appears after 12 to 48 hours of the contact and lasts up to 2-3 weeks. The most common symptoms include: Swelling Redness Itching Blisters Difficulty in breathing. This usually happens if you have inhaled the smoke produced from the burning of poison ivy. The severity of the rash depends upon the amount of urushiol that comes in contact with your skin. If this oil is more, the rash will be more intense. Usually, the rash looks like a straight line because of the way the plant brushes against your body. If you come in contact with urushiol through pet fur or some piece of clothing, the resultant rash will be more widespread. This rash can be spread to other parts of your body through your fingers. Treatment of poison ivy rash There is no specific poison ivy treatment available on prescription. The rash generally clears up on its own with 2-3 weeks. However, there are some options that can help to lessen the severity of the symptoms. Changing clothes and showering It is important to take a shower and wear fresh clothes after coming home from outside.

Whether you have a short-term pain or chronic pain on your knees, it’s just a reminder of the amount of stress you have to put on your knees throughout the day. Treating the excruciating pain on your knees should be your primary goal because it can really hamper your day to day works. If you want to get a quick remedy from the pain, then the best option you have is home treatment. Therefore, in this article, let’s explore some of the home-based knee pain treatment. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective treatment measures for your knee pain. Whether you apply it topically or consume it, it will help you to get rid of that knee joint pain. Apple cider vinegar is a rich source for acetic acid. It exhibits tremendous anti-inflammatory properties that are essential to keep the knee joint pain away. It also helps you to reduce the swelling of the knee. Ginger The use of ginger in knee pain treatment has proven quite effective. Many who have tried ginger to cure their knee pain have met with wonderful results. It helps most people who have knee pain because of osteoarthritis. Ginger has a compound called gingerol, which is much powerful for analgesic remedy. Gingerol also has anti-inflammatory properties which make it effective for reducing pain. Turmeric For many years now, turmeric has been used by people to reduce pain in various parts of their bodies. It is also a great knee pain treatment option. Turmeric has a compound called curcumin, which is an anti-inflammatory element. Moreover, many studies conducted on the effects of turmeric on alleviating knee pain have shown that due to the presence of curcumin, consuming turmeric is a wonderful option for treating knee pain. Cayenne Pepper Cayenne pepper could be considered an excellent choice for knee pain treatment.

Both men and women produce testosterone. Low levels of testosterone in the body can be an indication of an underlying health issue. Having too low levels of testosterone can impact bodily traits in both men and women. The substance is responsible for traits such as strength, body hair and muscle mass. Too little of it in men can cause a reduction in these traits, while too much of it in women can cause these traits to be more predominant in appearance. If you are suffering from the symptoms of low testosterone levels in the body, you can choose to either visit a doctor to get yourself tested, or make use of testosterone test kits. Taking a test to determine your testosterone levels is recommended so that you can take a course of action to get it back on track as it can be having a telling impact on your day to day activities and routine. It may affect your mental health as well. In this article, we will explain the utility of testosterone test kits and why you need to purchase one today. Testosterone Test Kits There are several testosterone test kits available in the market today. These devices are used to test your testosterone levels at home before visiting a doctor to seek treatment in case your testosterone levels are low. Unlike tests conducted by doctors, testosterone test kits do not involve the drawing of blood. These test kits make use of your saliva for testing purposes and are just as effective as conventional blood testing procedures. You will need to collect saliva samples for testing and the number of samples you need may be dependent on the product you buy. Once you have collected saliva samples, you are required to mail these collections to a lab for testing.

Premature ejaculation is a common issue that men face these days, and it is treatable with medications. However, it is essential to consult a doctor before taking medicines for this condition. Read on to find out about premature ejaculation, its causes, and treatment options available. What is premature ejaculation? It is a condition that occurs during sex when a man climaxes pretty quickly. When this happens, the said individual can no longer continue having sex. Thus, it may leave both partners unsatisfied. Moreover, many men may find it embarrassing and frustrating to talk about this problem. In some cases, even the relationship can be affected due to this. However, one does not have to deal with this problem for the rest of their lives. By taking medication for premature ejaculation, one can prevent such incidents from happening. On an average, about 35-40% of men experience it at some point in their life. If it is a rare occurrence, then one does not need to worry about it. What are the causes of premature ejaculation? Before one starts taking medications, it is essential to know about the causes of premature ejaculation. While the exact reason for this problem is not known, there are speculations on what can lead to it. If the level of a chemical called serotonin in the brain is low, then it may lead to quick ejaculation. Emotional factors are also known to play a role in causing premature ejaculation. Here are some emotions which can cause it: Relationship problems Depression Stress Guilt Performance anxiety Men who have erectile dysfunction may also experience this problem. Treating this condition may provide a solution to premature ejaculation. Several medications are used to treat erectile dysfunction. The options include tadalafil, vardenafil, and sildenafil. These can treat erectile dysfunction and also help avoid premature ejaculation.

Are you unable to lift your hand above your head without feeling any discomfort? Well, this can be a symptom of a frozen shoulder or a rotator cuff injury or a dislocated shoulder. As per an estimate, about 67% of people in the country suffer from shoulder pain at some point over the course of their lives. The shoulder is made up of bones secured in place by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It is one of the most mobile joints. The well-combined joints and muscles help you perform all activities like allowing the shoulder to move freely in different directions, raising your arms over your head, throwing a baseball, or scratching your back. Joints are used in almost every day-to-day activity, and their regular wear and tear can create a lot of problems and pain. Here are a few reasons for shoulder pain symptoms. Rotator cuff tendonitis There are several reasons for shoulder pain, and the most common of these is the rotator cuff. A recent study showcased two-thirds of people having shoulder pain had a rotator cuff problem. The rotator cuff is a tough sheath of tendons and ligaments that support the arm at the shoulder joint, keeping the ball of your upper arm bone centered in your shoulder socket, making it easy to raise and rotate your arm. Performing some motions regularly can lead to inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons, also known as tendonitis, which can cause shoulder pain. With tendonitis, shoulder pain symptoms and weakness are often mild at first and barely noticeable when you move the joint; after a while, they can grow more severe and occur all the time. Change in activities to avoid provoking the pain can help heal the tendons. The good news is that rotator cuff tendonitis can improve with time.

When your eyes are red and itchy and if there is swelling on your eyelids, you may be having eye allergies known as allergic conjunctivitis. Eye allergies may be caused or triggered by pollen from trees, weeds, grass, etc. It may also be caused by irritants like perfumes, cigarette smoke, or diesel exhaust. When your eyes release histamine along with other substances, it leads to itchy, red watery eyes. This can be seen evidently from the reaction of your eyes to some form of allergies. Symptoms of itchy eyes It is important to be aware of the symptoms of itchy eyes so that you can seek timely treatment for this problem. Itchy eyes are characterized by symptoms such as itchiness, burning sensation in the eyes, watery discharge from the eyes, a constant feeling that something is in your eyes, photophobia or aversion to light, production of mucus, redness, and puffiness. Itchy eyes treatment and management Itchy eyes treatment involves avoiding exposure to any of the above-mentioned factors that may be responsible for triggering the allergy. Itchy eyes treatment involves staying indoors in order to avoid being exposed to pollens that float around in the atmosphere. Pollen grains are mostly present in the air during early evenings and mornings. Window fans can also be responsible for letting pollens and other allergy-causing substances into your house. Avoiding the use of such fans can be effective itchy eyes treatment. Instead, you should close your house windows and use air conditioners to keep these allergy triggers from entering the premises. Whenever you are heading out of the house, an effective itchy eyes treatment is wearing sunglasses. These will help avoid pollens from coming in contact with your eyes and thus prevent allergies. Even while traveling, keep your car windows rolled up to prevent the pollens in the air from entering into your eyes.

Nail fungus can be diagnosed with either yellow or white spots around the nails of the toes or fingers. If one does not get undertake timely treatment for the spots around the fingernails or toenails, then the nails could become discolored, thick, or might start breaking around the edges. As long as they do not cause any kind of severe pain, one can easily treat toenail fungus at home. Fungi usually thrive in warm and moist environments. It does not need sunlight to grow or spread. Therefore, people who sweat a lot or those who swim a lot have more chances of being affected by toenail fungus. A dermatophyte is one of the types of fungi that can cause nail fungus. Molds and yeast can also be a prominent cause for this condition. This type of fungi affects the toenails more than the fingernails; therefore, in most cases, one suffers from a toenail infection. There are a number of home remedies for toenail fungus that one can try out before the condition gets worse or before the nails become discolored or start to smell. 10 effective toenail fungus remedies One may not have to visit a doctor if they notice the symptoms of toenail fungus in the earlier stages. However, it can be really bothersome if one does not get rid of it. Fortunately, one can make the most of a number of natural cures for toenail fungus. Some of the popular remedies have been listed as follows: Baking soda Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is known for its antifungal properties. There are different kinds of fungal species and any of them can cause toenail fungus. Baking soda can be a good option as one a toenail fungus remedy. Using water and baking soda, one can make a smooth paste and apply it on the affected area.

Sinuses always come in pairs of two and are found in four main areas of the face namely the frontal (in your forehead), ethmoid (between your eyes and across your nose), maxillary (in your cheeks), and sphenoid (behind your eyes and along the back of your head). If you feel a sharp sensation in the head and pressure around your eyes, forehead or even cheeks, a sinus infection could be one of the reasons. Sinus pressure mainly occurs due to seasonal allergies or a common cold. Pain due to sinus pressure is the outcome of blocked nasal passages. When your sinus cannot drain, it becomes hard, leading to swelling in the lining of the nose and sinus. In turn, this leads to inflammation and pain in your head, nose, and face. Home remedies to relieve sinus pressure Steam Pain due to sinus pressure could be a result of dry air which causes your sinuses to become drier. Steam adds moisture to the air and helps to soften your sinus passages and mucus that may have thickened over time. Sometimes, a hot shower can provide temporary relief from sinus pain. Breathe in the hot steam to reduce the pressure caused by a hard mucus layer inside your sinuses. You can also use a humidifier to relieve sinus pressure. To speed up your recovery, you can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil in your bathing water, as this oil contains cineole which is one of the main ingredients for healing acute sinusitis. Saline flush One treatment method for getting relief from pain due to sinus pressure and congestion is to cleanse your nose and sinuses with saline water. Saline water contains salt that helps to moisten your nasal linings and sinus pathways, and hence, it will reduce the sinus pressure. To make a saline spray at home, you will need an 8-ounce glass filled with distilled or sterilized lukewarm water.