Toenail fungus is an infection that goes through the cracks in the nails; it may even cut the skin sometimes. The skin gets thicker than the normal skin, and the color of the toenail also changes. The fungus can be very painful and can cause immense discomfort. Since most of the time the toe area remains warm and damp, it gets easy for the fungus to spread. There are different kinds of fungi and yeast which can affect the nail area. If it is not appropriately treated, the infection can spread to various parts of the body. The infected part of the nails gets thicker and changes its color. The infection can make the nails fragile as well. If the fungus infects under the nails, it can separate it from the bed and spreads to the skin. Men are more prone to get this fungus than women, and the elderly population is at a greater risk of contracting this infection than the rest. Also, people with diabetes or a weak immune system have greater chances to catch fungus. Even, a person who has to stay a lot of time in water can also get affected by this fungus. People addicted to smoking, or if someone in the family suffers from this infection, the individual is also vulnerable to a fungus attack. Different types of toenail fungus cures If someone starts treatment at the early stage by approaching a physician for a proper consultation for taking care of the infected area, they can contain the infection. A specialist like a podiatrist or a dermatologist will give a better opinion on such matter. The doctor might advise the individual to go in for a lab test before prescribing medications. The sooner you opt for treatments, the quicker would you get the desired results.

A sudden bout of coughing accompanied by sneezing or breathlessness can be an indication of pneumonia. One of the most common types of lung infection, pneumonia affects people of all ages. Children and adults with low resistance power are more prone to this condition. However, medicines and cures are available for pneumonia and diagnosing it at an early stage does not make any life threatening impact on the patient. However, fatalities can occur if the infection is left untreated for several days or has led to severe inflammation of the lungs. Symptoms of Pneumonia Understanding the symptoms of pneumonia can help in diagnosing the condition at an early stage. Though the symptoms may vary depending on the age and health of patient or severity of the condition, the common signs mostly remain the same. When talking about common signs, one cannot ignore, coughing with mucus or phlegm, which is often mistreated as a common cold allergy. Apart from that, chest pain accompanied by difficulty in breathing also hints about the onset of this infection. Some patients also complain of fever, chills, and sweating. Symptoms of pneumonia may also at times vary with the cause of infection. While viral pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms including wheezing or high fever, sudden high fever along with profuse sweating may indicate bacterial pneumonia. Confusion, discoloration or bluish tint on nails and lips may also be a sign of bacterial pneumonia. Not just the underlying cause, symptoms may vary according to the age of the patients as well. Children below the age of five years may experience shortness of breath, vomiting or fatigue as indications of pneumonia. Some may also find difficulty in eating or drinking as well. However, older people are often found to have below normal temperature during the onset of pneumonia. Causes of pneumonia While detecting the symptoms of pneumonia helps in faster diagnosis of the infection, it is also important to learn the causes as well.

Kidneys are one of the most important organs of the excretory system in our body. They filter the urine and maintain the fluid content in our body. Kidneys filter out the blood and extract the excess fluid from it, which is excreted out of the body in the form of urine. If they stop functioning smoothly, the mineral levels and other chemicals in our body would be disrupted. This could result in the production of toxic substances, which can be extremely harmful to the regular functioning of the body. Some foods that damage our kidneys by putting too much pressure are salt, artificial sugar, and a large amount of meat products. Junk food contains too much salt, which forces the kidneys to retain a lot of water. Meat products are harmful, because of the heavy duty metabolism, that requires the kidneys to work extra hard, by adding extra load. Following a healthy kidney diet plan will keep the diseases at bay. Apart from unhealthy food intake, habits like smoking, consumption of painkillers, lack of drinking enough water, alcohol and drug abuse, can affect the kidneys and that could result in renal failure. To protect your kidneys from overworking, it is important to follow a balanced diet with a controlled amount of salt, sugar and other nutrients along with maintaining healthy habits. Try out the following healthy kidney diet plans to maintain good kidney health. Renal Diabetic Diet A lot of diabetes patients are diagnosed with kidney related diseases. High levels of blood sugar add too much load on the kidneys and therefore causing infections, inflammation, and kidney failures in most cases. A renal diabetic plan aims to maintain healthy blood glucose levels while minimizing the amount of fluids and waste processed by the kidneys. This diet requires a healthy amount of calorie and carbohydrate intake at specific time intervals to keep the blood sugar regulated.

Epilepsy, which is commonly known as seizure disorder can be a serious cause of concern if not treated at an early stage. A chronic problem of the central nervous system, epilepsy is caused when there is a sudden disruption of nerve cells present in the brain. Though epilepsy is known to be the fourth common medical issues experienced by the people in the United States, many people still hesitate to visit a doctor. There are others, who fail to understand the symptoms of a seizure. If you are also among them, who are not quite familiar with the signs of epilepsy seizures, checking the list of common symptoms mentioned below can be helpful. Seizure The name of the disease says it all. Seizures or a sudden stroke f illness is the prime symptom of epilepsy. Seizures are experienced all of a sudden and paralyze the patient for a certain period. Depending on the type of attack, seizures are further classified into two different types, viz. focal seizures and generalized seizures. Focal seizures Also known as a partial seizure, this type of attack is felt in a restricted area of the body. For ease of treatment, focal seizures are further sub-divided into two categories. One is the simple partial seizure or focal seizure in a conscious state, and the other is complex partial seizure or focal dyscognitive seizure. Simple partial seizure or focal seizure in a conscious state As the name says, the person experiencing this type of seizure does not lose consciousness. They may experience some changes in their mental state or might also feel some difference in sound, taste, feel, smell or look. Many people affected with this type of seizure also get sensory symptoms like flashes of light, dizziness or tingling sensation. Sudden involuntary jerk in the arm, leg or any other part of the body is also an indication of focal seizure.

3 Major Blood Cancer Types You Should Know Cancer in any form is life-threatening; approximately 38.5% of men and women in the country are diagnosed with one or the other type of cancer. It is common knowledge that when cancer is detected in its initial stages, there’s a possibility of curing it. However, when cancer becomes metastatic, it can only be controlled to a certain extent; it cannot be cured completely. Studies indicate that 10.2% of the total cancer cases are that of blood cancer. Approximately every 3 minutes an individual is detected with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. These are the different types of blood cancer that can affect an individual, and if left undetected can have life-threatening consequences. Blood cancers, or hematologic cancers, are known to affect the production and functioning of the blood cells. This form of cancer originates in the blood marrow before it starts affecting the blood cells. Before a disease can affect the individual in a full-fledged manner, various symptoms surface. An individual might display the following symptoms even b efore blood cancer makes itself evident. Persistent fatigue or weakness Fever and chills Night sweats Sudden weight loss Joint pain Loss of appetite Headaches Frequent infections Nausea Itchy skin or rashes on the skin Abdominal discomfort These are the common symptoms that surface when an individual suffers from blood cancer. Types of blood cancer As mentioned earlier, blood cancer originates from the bone marrow and later affects the production and function of the blood cells. Blood cancer is of three types- leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Leukemia It is a type of blood cancer that affects the blood cells especially the white blood cells and affects the production of these cells and prevents them from performing their functions. When a person suffers from leukemia, the bone marrow starts producing abnormal white blood cells, called leukemia cells.

Though progress in medical science has eradicated several life-threatening diseases, there are some ailments that cannot be cured entirely. Such chronic ailments cannot be treated, but there are innovative ways of bringing it under control and successfully coexisting with the said condition. One such chronic condition that alters an individual’s life is diabetes mellitus. This condition is a group of metabolic diseases that bring about dramatic changes in an individual’s blood sugar levels, either due to the inadequate production of insulin or because their body’s cells do not respond favorably to insulin. About 100 million people in the country are affected by diabetes or are in the prediabetes stage. Poor eating habits or one’s genetic predisposition make an individual more susceptible to developing diabetes at any stage of their lives. Though diabetes is a distressing health condition, with the right diabetes medication like metformin, insulin injections, and glyburide, a balanced diet, and regular exercise regime, you can bring the ailment under control. Moreover, there are medications to keep the complications associated with diabetes like heart problems or foot complications in check. In combination, all of these factors will ensure that you control this ailment’s progression. However, at times, even these medications and lifestyle choices aren’t enough to bring the elevated blood sugar levels in control or to stabilize its levels. At this point, your doctor might add Ozempic® (Semaglutide) to your diabetes medications. Ozempic® is a glucagon-like peptide receptor agonist which is engineered for people with type 2 diabetes as glucagon and insulin are the hormones that work in unison to bring the blood sugar levels under control, but in opposing ways. This glucagon-like peptide receptor agonist works by helping the body produce more insulin on its own. Ozempic® is available in the form of a prefilled pen and is administered subcutaneously.

Cancer is a life-threatening condition that typically forms particularly in one area or region of the body and this region is known as the primary site. Cancer cells can travel to other parts of the body, breaking away from its primary site through the bloodstream or the lymph system and is called metastasis. Metastatic lung cancer occurs when cancer cells break away from a tumor formed in the lungs and travel to other parts of the body through the blood or the lymph system. Even though the cancer cells have traveled and spread to a new location in the body, it is still named after the body part from where it all started. It is common for lung cancer to metastasize even before it is diagnosed, as symptoms generally do not show up when the lung cancer is already present. The most common sites of metastasis for lung cancer are the other lung, adrenal gland, bones, brain, and liver. Metastatic lung cancer is very different from recurring lung cancer, as recurring lung cancer affects the same part of the lung after being treated rather than moving to some other parts of the body. A metastatic cancer is always caused by the cancer cells developing in some other regions and traveling to another part of the body. Symptoms of metastatic lung cancer The symptoms of metastatic lung cancer are related to the area to which cancer spreads and these symptoms can be general. These general symptoms are often confused with some other issues. Hence, this condition is very difficult to identify as it does not always cause discernible symptoms. However, we have listed some of the common symptoms which are related to the site where a new tumor has developed: Bones Patients with lung cancer have a 40 percent chance of developing bone metastases which include symptoms such as pain.

Migraines are characterized by throbbing headaches, mostly on one side of the head; this is accompanied by sensitivity to sound and light, nausea, and vomiting. Migraines include a stage known as aura, which makes the person go through visual disturbances like zigzags, splotches, flashes, blind spot, or shimmering color lights. Causes of migraines There is no known cause of migraines as admitted by the doctors themselves. However, researchers believe that the issue is hereditary and pass on generations after generation. It is also believed that migraines are related to the transformations in the brain. Some people also inherit the triggers that cause migraines like bright lights, fatigue, weather change, etc. Top treatments for migraines If you are prone to migraines, some stimuli are present which make them reoccur. You need to track your headaches and look for potential catalysts and patterns like the following which would help you decide the top treatments for migraines that would suit you best. Estrogen levels: Before menstruating, women experience a steep decline in their estrogen levels that spark migraines in some people. Low-dose contraceptives for estrogen can help in this. Alcohol: People who get a “hangover” just after having one drink are experiencing a migraine at that time. You must avoid the kinds of alcoholic beverages that give you a headache within eight hours of consumption. It may happen that vodka would be fine but consuming beer may not be so for certain people with migraines. Curbing the consumption of alcohol can be considered as one of the top treatments for migraines. Missed meals: Blood sugar level fluctuations result in a cascade of a pain setting off a migraine as well. Thus, it is always important to keep your blood sugar levels in control. One should not go beyond three hours without eating food.

Muscular dystrophy is a group of debilitating health conditions that progressively cause muscle mass loss and weakness. It is caused by abnormal gene mutations which disrupt the production of natural proteins in the body. This makes building healthy muscle mass difficult. Most hidden signs of muscular dystrophy start in childhood. But for some types of muscular dystrophy, the symptoms do not show up until adulthood. Here are some common signs based on the type of muscular dystrophy. Duchenne type muscular dystrophy This is one of the most common types of muscular dystrophy. The symptoms start showing during childhood. Some of the known signs include the following: Falling frequently Finding it difficult to get up from a sitting or lying down position Difficulty in jumping or running Waddling gait Walking on the toes Enlarged calf muscles Muscular stiffness and pain Delayed growth Becker muscular dystrophy The symptoms of this type are mostly the same as that of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. However, the severity of the symptoms is mild. Moreover, the symptoms progress slowly over time compared to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Also, these symptoms are usually experienced during the teen years. But in some cases, there are no symptoms until the mid-20s or later. Myotonic muscular dystrophy This type of muscular dystrophy has symptoms such as the inability to relax the muscles after contractions. In this, the muscles of the face and neck are affected in the initial stage. It is characterized by a long and thin face structure with drooping eyelids and swanlike necks. Facioscapulohumeral (FSHD) muscular dystrophy In this type, muscle weakness begins in the shoulders, hip, and face. The shoulder blades tend to bulge whenever the arms are raised upwards. These symptoms usually start during the teen years. But in some cases, the symptoms may become evident during childhood or even after 50 years of age.

Myelofibrosis is a form of chronic leukemia (or blood cancer) that develops in the bone marrow. The condition is associated with the formation of too many abnormal blood cells. While myelofibrosis does not show any signs initially, it leads to the formation of scars called fibrosis in the affected regions over time. Certain mutations in bone marrow cells are considered responsible for this condition, but the precise trigger for these mutations remains unknown. Common signs The effects of myelofibrosis become visible when normal blood cell production decreases. Common symptoms include fatigue, easy bruising and bleeding, night sweats, fever, bone pain, itching, and feeling full quickly. A high blood count is a common issue observed in the initial stages of myelofibrosis. Here, a high platelet count increases the risk of blood clots, which can then cause issues like slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, drooping on one side of the face, sudden chest pain, and painful or swollen limbs. Those affected may also cough up blood, experience blurred vision or loss of sight, and notice sudden pain in the stomach along with signs of jaundice. Myelofibrosis can also lead to low blood count, which can cause anemia, increased risk of infections, and unusual or heavy bleeding. One may also develop an enlarged spleen, which causes discomfort in the belly and nausea. Diagnosis Healthcare professionals may recommend several tests to diagnose myelofibrosis. The process may begin with a physical examination, wherein the healthcare professional will check vital signs such as pulse and blood pressure and examine lymph nodes, spleen, and abdomen. Then, a complete blood count (CBC) helps doctors check for any abnormalities in the levels of red and white blood cells and platelets . Imaging tests, like MRIs and X-rays, may be required to get more information about the disease progression.

Dupuytren’s contracture, a deformity, is triggered in the hand. It develops when a layer of tissue beneath the skin in the palm forms knots. These knots then go on to create a thick cord that pulls one or more fingers, causing them to bend. Unfortunately, this condition can make everyday tasks difficult like shaking hands, using gloves, and holding objects. Symptoms of Dupuytren’s contracture Typically, the two fingers that are farthest from the thumb are affected by Dupuytren’s contracture. Since this condition progresses at a very slow pace, it is quite difficult to understand or detect it early on. However, some of the symptoms that are most likely to be noted include: Thickening of the skin that covers the palm of the hand. Overtime or with further development of the condition, the skin on the palm may appear dimpled. There may be a lump formation in the palm. The lump tissue feels thicked against the skin and there may also be sensitivity when touched. However, one may feel no pain. Over the advanced stages, the cord knots in the fingers begin to pull much tighter. The fingers are pulled closer towards the palm, causing them to bend further. As a result, one may have difficulty using their hands for basic functions. In rare cases, Dupuytren’s contracture can affect even the index and middle finger. Sometimes, the thumb too be may be affected. The condition may also occur in both hands; however, one hand usually suffers a more severe impact. The symptoms of Dupuytren’s contracture can range anywhere between mild to severe, depending on the progression of the condition. Despite intense medical research, professionals are unable to point out the main cause of Dupuytren’s contracture. Currently, there is no evidence that points out specific factors that lead to its development. However, there are some factors that are believed to increase the risks of developing the condition with time.

Acid reflux during pregnancy: Symptoms and lifestyle changes to avoid them Acid reflux is a condition wherein one experiences pain in the lower chest area, which is commonly referred to as heartburn. When the acids of the stomach travel back to the esophagus, this condition arises. During pregnancy, hormonal changes may cause the LES or lower esophageal sphincter to not function properly; this is the valve to carry food to the stomach. Also, towards the second and third trimester, the fetus grows and puts more pressure on the stomach, thereby causing food to re-enter the esophagus from the stomach. Signs and symptoms Some of the common signs and symptoms of acid reflux that one may experience during pregnancy are: A burning sensation in the chest near the area behind the breastbone just after eating Chest pain experienced because of bending over, lying down, and eating Burning sensation in the throat or the aftertaste of a sour or salt-tasting fluid towards the back of the throat Belching Prolonged coughing Hoarseness in the throat Symptoms similar to asthma It must be noted that the occasional heartburn is usual and the pain may cease in some time. However, if the pain is persistent, this might be a cause of worry. A possible reason may be gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, which is the next stage of acid reflux, or it may even be gastritis. Almost half of the women complain about heartburn during pregnancy. However, if it becomes more frequent, that is when a doctor should definitely be consulted for treatment. Suggested lifestyle changes There are several lifestyle changes that may be adopted in order to avoid heartburn or acid reflux, and make the pregnancy very safe for the mother as well as the baby. Here are some of the steps one can consider taking: