The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) spreads through bodily fluids like blood and genital discharges. It attacks the immune system and can even lead to death on progressing into stage 3 HIV, commonly referred to as AIDS. Therefore, timely detection and management are crucial. Keeping this in mind, we have listed some of the early symptoms of an HIV infection and a few nutritious foods to eat to delay its progression. Early and uncommon signs of an HIV infection The first symptoms of HIV usually develop within two to four weeks after contracting the virus. The initial stage is also known as acute HIV infection and often includes symptoms like fever, headache, tiredness, sore throat, skin rash, mouth ulcers, swollen lymph glands, diarrhea, and muscle and joint pain. Some people in the initial stage experience symptoms linked to health conditions like esophageal candida, herpes zoster, and HIV wasting syndrome, which are usually seen later on. Some patients may also show non-HIV-associated gastrointestinal and central nervous system symptoms, such as gallbladder inflammation, severe gastric bleeding, kidney failure, brain inflammation, and meningitis. Remember that not everyone with the virus exhibits symptoms in the early days of an HIV infection. Foods to slow down HIV progression These foods can help improve overall health and delay the progression of an HIV infection: Kale This dark leafy green is among the most nutritious veggies. Kale is packed with compounds that boost immune health and keep inflammation levels in check, decreasing the risk of complications associated with HIV. Lean beef Lean protein is necessary to build muscles and bolster the immune system. An excellent source of high-quality protein is lean cuts of beef. Other good sources include fish, eggs, beans, and nuts. Brown rice Unlike white rice, brown rice is a whole grain full of fiber and B vitamins.

It’s the final and most fatal form of cancer, but did you know these facts about your breast cancer metastasized diagnosis? While being diagnosed with any type of cancer is a frightening experience, learning that you have reached the breast cancer metastasized stage can be very overwhelming for anyone. As you battle the feeling that your worst nightmare has come true, it is important for you to know a few essential things about MBC or breast cancer metastasized. Education and active management of this condition has ensured that many women continue to live active and full lives even after their breast cancer metastasized diagnosis. Here are a few things that you probably did not know about your breast cancer metastasized diagnosis that will help you understand your forthcoming journey better. Breast Cancer Metastasized is Fatal Accepting the truth about your condition is perhaps the first step to understanding, and then aiding your own recovery journey. Breast cancer metastasized diagnosis means that your breast cancer has reached its final stage or Stage IV. This fatal stage means that your cancer has metastasized or spread to areas beyond the breast. More often than not, breast cancer metastasized spreads to parts such as the brain, liver, lungs, and bones. Accounting for approximately 40,000 annual deaths in the United States alone, this cancer is chronic, progressive, and eventually fatal. There is No Cure Scientists and researchers are yet to understand exactly why the breast cancer metastasized outside the breast area. Once the breast cancer has metastasized, there is no cure to be had. However, this does not mean that there is no hope. There are a number of treatment options that are designed to control the condition and allow you to live a rich life even after your breast cancer metastasized diagnosis. Being aware and educated about breast cancer metastasized becomes even more important when you consider that it is a disease that will need to be treated for the rest of your life.

Known as a “silent infection”, you may not even know that you have hepatitis B. Watch out for these hepatitis B symptoms. Even though they have hepatitis B, more than 69 percent of the affected individuals face no hepatitis B symptoms at all. Moreover, another 30 percent may see hepatitis B symptoms but confuse it with symptoms of other common afflictions such as the flu. Only about 1 percent of people who have hepatitis B will go on to develop a life-threatening form of the condition called fulminate hepatitis. This unfortunate 1 percent may suffer liver failure, and need emergency medical care. Hepatitis B is characterized as a “silent infection” because most people see no visible and distinct hepatitis B symptoms once they are infected. Since they do not know that they have this condition, it is very possible that they pass it on to other people around them. One can contract hepatitis B through contact with contaminated blood. This infectious disease is caused by the HBV or Hepatitis B Virus. In general, there are two possible stages of this condition which are acute hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis B. Acute refers to the fact that the infection is in its nascent stages. If they do come up, most people notice hepatitis B symptoms within 1 to 4 months after coming into contact with the virus. Most cases of acute hepatitis B get resolved after the hepatitis B symptoms disappear in about a few weeks or months. Chronic hepatitis B, on the other hand, describes an HBV infection that lasts longer than 6 months at a time. Once the infection reaches the chronic stage, the hepatitis B symptoms may never disappear completely. Children are at a much higher risk of developing chronic hepatitis B symptoms. Why You Need to Know About Hepatitis B Symptoms?

Hepatitis C also known as the chronic liver disease is caused by hepatitis C virus. It is the most serious type of viruses among A, B, and C. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver which is caused by infection, medication or accumulation of toxins in the body. According to a recent survey conducted, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has affected around 3.5 million people in the country. It is also the cause of 12,000 deaths in a year across the country. Types of hepatitis C Hepatitis C has mostly two main discourses. These are acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis C. The symptoms of acute hepatitis C are more short-termed ranging from six months up to a year. On the other hand, symptoms of chronic hepatitis C can last a lifetime. Acute hepatitis if left untreated, leads to chronic hepatitis in most of the cases. The hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus and occurs as the result of transdermal transmission of the hepatitis C virus through infected blood. It is a contagious disease and the virus can easily enter into the bloodstream of another person through the skin. Transmission It is transmitted by injecting drug through sharing of infected injection. It can also be transmitted through blood and its transfusions. Through the reuse of unsterilized syringes, injections, and other medical equipment. Through dialysis or any kind of organ transplant. Through Intranasal use of drug( snorting) Through any kind of body piercing or injecting ink into a person’s skin also known as tattooing. Through sexual contact. From an infected mother to her baby. Not maintaining personal hygiene and sharing of personal things such as garments, razors, toothbrushes and other items Hepatitis C is not transmitted through breast milk unless the skin of the nipple is percutaneous. It is also not spread through sharing of food or water of the infected person.

Non-small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung carcinoma is the most prevalent type of lung cancer. There are mainly two types of lung cancers, which are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer. Lung carcinoma is a condition in which the lung cells become abnormal, as a result, grow out of control. These abnormal or cancer cells develop rapidly and spread to other parts of the body. Prevalence and causes of non-small cell lung cancer Among the lung cancer cases in the country, almost 80-85% are of non-small cell lung cancer type, and only about 10-15% is of the small lung cancer type. The symptoms and treatment for these two types of lung cancer vary. There are many subtypes of NSCLC, namely, adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and sarcomatoid carcinoma. The NSCLC type is a serious condition that cannot be reversed but prevented from getting worse. Majority of those affected by this type of lung cancer are smokers or have been exposed to smoke. Exposure to radon, asbestos, air pollution, metal or mineral dust, or radiation is likely to cause this disease. Symptoms of non-small cell lung cancer It is difficult to detect this disease during the early stages because the symptoms are not easily detectable. Often, the symptoms are confused with those of other illnesses like pneumonia or collapsed lung. However, common symptoms of NSCLC are as follows: A cough that worsens or a persistent cough : Continuous bouts of a cough or coughing symptoms that worsen with time may be a symptom of NSCLC. This type of cough may not be associated with a recent spell of cold or flu or other infections. Chest pain : Another classic symptom that is often confused with other diseases. Chest pain due to NSCLC may increase with cough or when one takes deep breaths.

Bed bugs are nocturnal insects that are flat and shaped like an almond. They feed on human blood, and are generally found in household furniture like bed, couch, upholstered chairs and other such items. If the infestation is severe, signs of bed bugs can be found in cupboards, wall-mounted furniture, table lamps, screw holes, light fittings and other places around the house. Bed bugs generally come out at night, to feed on their host. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to spot them in the day. Their small size helps them to hide in plain sight, without raising any alarm. Adult bed bugs are as small as 1 to 7mm in size. The eggs and nymphs are even smaller. Their eggs and nymphs are so tiny, that they can be mistaken for dirt particles. This makes it easy for them to hide along the seam lines of mattresses, and at other places without being caught. The eggs of these stealthy bed bugs are covered in a shiny and sticky substance, that helps them stick to the surface of the mattress. This makes it hard to remove them, even after taking appropriate cleaning measures. Bed bugs are also difficult to spot because of their feeding pattern. Each bed bug goes through six stages before reaching adulthood. For every stage, they need to feed at least once, before reaching the next stage. This means that they don’t need to feed daily. The bite marks, are not consistent and you can not guess if it’s because of bed bug infestation. Bite marks appear days after the bedbugs bite a human being, because they inject a small amount of anesthesia into the body before biting. This gives the bed bugs enough time to infest your house completely, before you realize that there is a pattern to the bite marks you have.

Human shoulder is considered as one of the most mobile of all joints which can bend in all possible directions. As shoulder is flexible its muscles are also important for normal functioning, movements, and coordination. Shoulder pain is a condition which arises when our muscles are not strong enough or uncoordinated in proportion to our body. It’s a very common problem followed by an injury. The shoulder can move in various different planes. The shoulder pain causes pain and comfort as it restricts its free movement. It’s a ball-and-socket joint and one of the most flexible joint in our body. The shoulder consists of three bones namely humerus, clavicle and scapula. These bones have a covering of cartilage and consist of two main joints. The shoulder joint is basically ball-shaped and lies in between humerus bone and scapula respectively. Shoulders get their elasticity from rotator cuff which is made of tendons that connect muscles to bone. Shoulder pain or injury happens during vigorous exercise, manual labor, playing sports, lifting heavy items etc. Most of the times disease of neck, liver or gallbladder, run through the shoulder causing it to pain which makes it difficult to twist or bend. Pain also arises due to heart attack, spinal cord injury, arthritis or breaking a shoulder etc. Mostly pain in the front or outside of the shoulder is due to some problem in rotator cuff which can lead to difficulty in raising your arm. Shoulder pain is considered as a life-long problem if correct diagnosis and treatment are not taken. Treatments like popping painkillers, using ice packs, physiotherapy, injections of steroids, or surgery etc help to reduce inflammation or swelling and also relieve pain. Sometimes medical history of the patient, physical examination and few tests like X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, arthroscopy etc can help for better diagnosis of the pain and its treatment.

Skin rashes can be uncomfortable, hard to get rid of, and embarrassing. They occur in various forms and different parts of the body for various reasons. They can be caused by bacteria, virus, or even fungi. Keeping yourself educated on the types of skin rashes and the reasons why they occur can help you prevent many of them. Here are five types of skin rashes you must know about. Contact dermatitis Contact dermatitis is one of the common types of skin rashes that occurs when a person’s skin is directly exposed to the substance they are allergic to. This can also happen with anything else that causes irritation. If it is an allergic reaction, your immunity system will be under attack. A rash will develop, starting from the area of contact. Common reasons for contact dermatitis include poison ivy, soaps, latex rubber, and nickel. Nickel is commonly found in some types of jewelry. Once you figure out what you are allergic to, make sure to not expose yourself to the allergen. Psoriasis Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease where we see skin cells multiplying at a much faster rate. This is one of the types of skin rashes in which the volume of the cells makes the skin look red and patchy with heavy flaking. Psoriasis is usually observed at the elbows, knees, and scalp. There are four types of psoriasis-pustular, guttate, inverse, and erythrodermic psoriasis. Pustular psoriasis is when the patient is observed with red, scaly skin on the hands and feet accompanied by tiny pustules. It is a very rare type of skin disease. Guttate psoriasis can be caused due to a number of reasons from tonsillitis to beta-blocker medications. It usually starts at a young age and the rash is mainly observed on the torso and the limbs.

Metastatic breast cancer is also known as Stage IV breast cancer or advanced breast cancer. This is the most advanced stage of breast cancer, where the cancerous cells have spread to the other parts of the body and are no longer present only in the breast region. In most cases of metastatic breast cancer, the cancerous cells have spread to the brain, liver, bones, or lungs. Despite spreading to the rest of the body, it is treated under metastatic breast cancer treatments. Nearly 154,000 people have been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in the US. It has been observed that metastatic breast cancer reoccurs a few years after the completion of treatment for early stages of breast cancer. Thus, a person with a previous history of breast cancer is at extremely high risk of metastatic breast cancer. No metastatic breast cancer treatment ensures a complete cure for cancer. All treatments are aimed at improving the quality and length of life of the patient. The goal of every type of metastatic breast cancer treatment is to slow down the progress of cancer with minimal pain and side-effects. The type of metastatic cancer treatments depends on the characteristics of the cancerous cells, the extent to which the cancer cells have spread, general health of the patient, age, the symptoms of the disease, and previous treatments of breast cancer. Hormonal therapy This type of metastatic breast cancer treatment is used in cases of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. This is usually the first treatment for this type of metastatic cancer. In this treatment, hormone therapy drugs are administered to prevent cancer cells from receiving estrogen required for their growth. Depending on their menopausal status and previous hormonal treatment for early stages of breast cancer, women can choose the type of hormonal therapy they want.

Esophagus is the muscular tube that connects the throat and the stomach. Esophageal cancer is a form of cancer that affects this muscular tube. It is rare cancer that can also lead to life-threatening complications. Most patients are diagnosed with this condition in its advanced stages as this type of cancer does not show symptoms in the initial stage. Keep reading to learn more about some common alarming signs of esophageal cancer. Warning signs of esophageal cancer Difficulty swallowing Also known as dysphagia, facing trouble swallowing is one of the most common signs of esophageal cancer. Dysphagia can occur because of a tumor that makes it difficult for food to pass through by obstructing the esophagus. The pain and difficulty in swallowing may be because of damage to the nerves that control the movement of esophageal muscles. Alternatively, it can also happen because of physical obstruction. As the tumor grows, the patient might experience increasing pain and difficulty swallowing solid food and eventually face problems with liquids. However, this symptom can also be attributed to several other health conditions. Acid reflux Acid reflux is considered one of the common indicators of esophageal cancer. It occurs when the contents of the stomach or the hydrochloric acid in the stomach go back up into the esophagus. It can cause irritation and inflammation of the food pipe. Chronic acid reflux can result in Barrett’s esophagus. It is a condition in which the esophageal lining changes, making it more susceptible to developing cancer. Chest pain Another symptom of esophageal cancer is chest pain. This results from cancer cells have invaded the chest or the back wall. This chest discomfort can be constant, or it may come and go. Some might even experience worsening pain over time. However, various other conditions share this symptom, so it is important to have yourself examined by a health expert immediately.

Castrate-resistant prostate cancer, or CRPC, is a type of cancer that continues to grow even after one’s testosterone levels have fallen considerably. This is in contrast to initial-stage prostate cancer, which needs normal testosterone levels for the cancer cells to multiply. This type of cancer may be metastatic or non-metastatic. Metastatic CRPC is when the cancer has spread to other body organs, while non-metastatic CRPC or nmCRPC is still restricted to the prostate. Signs and symptoms Problems with urination Many patients with nmCRPC may experience abrupt pain in the prostate region while urinating, blood in their urine, or extremely weak urine flow. Swelling of the lower body When prostate cancer spreads to other body parts, it often reflects in the form of swelling of these parts, including the hips, lower back, and pelvis. Fatigue One of the most common symptoms of nmCRPC is fatigue or tiredness, which worsens with cancer interventions. Staying hydrated and having healthy fluids like soups and fresh fruit juices can help manage this symptom. Treatment options NUBEQA® This is an oral intervention oncologists often prescribe for those with nmCRPC. This type of treatment is effective only when cancer hasn’t begun spreading to other organs but no longer responds to other interventions. Androgen deprivation therapy Since prostate cancer requires testosterone to spread, oncologists may recommend androgen deprivation therapy, a type of hormone remedy that aims to stop the production of this hormone secreted by the testicles. But it may not always work for those with this condition, as the cancer usually continues growing regardless of hormone levels by this stage. In general, prostate cancer has several causes and risk factors, such as a person’s age, family history, genetic mutations, etc. Besides following a systematic treatment course, those healing from CRPC should stay active, eat low-fat and lean-protein foods, and avoid processed and deep-fried foods for better symptom management and recovery.

Scabies is an infestation caused by an itch mite known as Sarcoptes scabiei. It involves a high amount of itching, and this skin disease is a highly contagious one. Mites are parasites with small eight legs, and these tiny creatures make small holes to get into the skin which leads to severe itching. The itching tendency becomes really worse at night. You cannot see the scabies with your naked eyes and it can be seen only using a microscope or magnifying glass. These creatures only scrawl but they are incapable of jumping or flying. When the temperature levels are below 20-degree Celsius, they cannot move, but scabies can survive for an extended period of time even during hostile temperatures. If you want to know how this infection looks like, you can see a scabies rash photo online and it clearly reveals the exact nature of infestation. This problem is a worldwide phenomenon. Age, sex or race does not matter, and more than 300 million cases are being reported every year. Causes of scabies Skin contact is the most popular type of transmission and scabies remain very sensitive to the environment. It means that you get affected by this infestation when you are in close contact with an infected individual. It does not mean that you will get this infestation by shaking hands with an infected person or hanging your clothes next to an individual who is already an affected person. At the same time, you will get this skin disease easily with physical sexual contact. It is the most popular method of transmission when it comes to sexually active young people. Other types of physical contacts like a mother hugging her baby are adequate for spreading this infestation. Close relatives of the affected person are more vulnerable to this disease because of increased close contacts.