One of the most crippling diseases that can affect the lungs today is pneumonia. Of course, as with any infectious disease, there are many steps that you can take to avoid such an infection, but they aren’t always 100% efficient. Also, like with most other infections, bacteria are often the biggest culprit in adults. The infection in itself causes difficulty in breathing because it blocks the air sacs in the lungs and fills them with fluid or pus. Here are the symptoms, causes, and, most importantly, treatments that one can follow. Understanding Pneumonia Symptoms The symptoms of the infection depend greatly on how long the infection has been manifesting. This is why when these symptoms ever surface, one should get the possibility of Pneumonia ruled out as soon as possible. The symptoms can also be mild, severe, or life threatening. General pain around the chest area Coughing with phlegm and other types of mucus discharge A high body temperature that fluctuates Sweating and chills accompanied by shortness of breath Remember that these are just the basic symptoms of the infection. Depending on the state of your general health and well-being, your age, your symptoms may include other things as well. Symptoms influenced by age differ greatly for infants. They have difficulty eating, drinking, or swallowing in general. They are also likely to show a lack of energy and vomit frequently. People on the other end of the spectrum will probably suffer from a body temperature that falls dangerously low during the infection. However, by far, the most interesting collection of symptoms come from the kind of infection that has plagued you. Viral pneumonia is likely to show the above-stated symptoms and resembles flu when it comes to the same. It also includes wheezing, but bacterial pneumonia is different. Bluish lips and a blue tint in the nails along with a general sense of confusion are only some of the symptoms that are involved when it comes to bacterial pneumonia.

Caused by a virus that infects the liver and spreads through the blood, hepatitis C has been known to affect approximately 3 million people in the country as per studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, nearly 75% of the affected people are unaware of the presence of hepatitis C virus in their body. A virus can be present for years or decades before any symptoms become evident. This is the reason why hepatitis C is also known as the “silent killer.” Since the virus remains undetected for a long time, the disease is often diagnosed at a late advanced stage. The CDC estimates that nearly 15,000 of people die every year due to liver disease related to hepatitis C. This mortality rate due to hepatitis C is more than that of HIV. Here are some common hepatitis C FAQs. What does hepatitis mean? This is a common hepatitis C FAQ as many aren’t aware of what hepatitis C is. The inflammation of the liver is called as hepatitis. Hepatitis can be caused by viral or bacterial infection, excess consumption of alcohol, exposure to toxins, and certain medications. The group of viral infections that damage the liver is known as hepatitis. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are the common types of hepatitis. Each of these types of hepatitis is caused by different factors, and each of these has different symptoms. What is the difference between hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C? Hepatitis A: Hepatitis A is caused by the consumption of contaminated food, specifically food contaminated by raw shellfish and fecal matter. There is no permanent liver damage caused by hepatitis A, and there is no occurrence of chronic disease. Once diagnosed and treated, recovering from hepatitis A is possible in three to six weeks.

IBS, irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that affects the colon. IBS is accompanied by pain in the abdomen and change in the bowel movements. It is diagnosed based on the severity of the symptoms of IBS. Since IBS is a collection of symptoms, therefore it is called a syndrome. IBS is of different types depending on its symptoms, such as IBS-D for diarrhea, IBS-C for constipation, IBS-M (both diarrhea and constipation) and IBS-U (neither diarrhea nor constipation). Signs of IBS: Diarrhoea, gas, bloating, rectal bleeding, weight loss, constipation, and muscle in stool are some of the probable symptoms of IBS. Causes of IBS: There is no specific reason for the IBS. It is assumed IBS is caused by an infection. The intestines swell up. The problem may even continue for a lifetime. In some cases, the intestine muscles contract and relax during the digestion process. The causes and effects of IBS are different among people. Contractions in IBS may cause bloating, diarrhea, and gas. Weak contractions make it difficult for the food to pass which causes constipation. Activators of IBS: Different factors such as stress, hormones, and foods cause IBS among individuals. Some food products such as cabbage, fats, beverages, alcohol, chocolate and milk products cause IBS problems. The IBS problems accentuate during stressful durations. Stressful situations at the workplace, home or office can cause IBS frequently. Women suffer from IBS more than men, and the problem worsen during the menstrual periods. Effects of IBS: Regular instances of constipation and diarrhea lead to the development of hemorrhoids. Restricting the intake of several food products can result in loss of essential nutrients. IBS worsens the life quality. People with IBS generally feel high stress and anxiety. Once if IBS is diagnosed, you need to visit the doctor for tests and treatments.

The gland wrapped around the urethra is known as the prostate gland. The shape of this gland is pretty similar to a walnut, and it is an integral part of man’s reproductive system. The main responsibility of this gland is to add fluid known as semen to the sperm. This gland is very small in the case of a child and it gets bigger as the male ages. If the prostate gland grows disproportionately and becomes excessively large, you would have to deal with a disease called BPH also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. An enlarged prostate blocks or restricts the urine flow from the bladder. This results in problems like urinary tract infections and frequent urination. Prostate enlargement treatment options There are different types of prostate enlargement treatments options available. You can take alpha-blocker drugs to control the growth and the most common alpha-blocker drug is Terazosin also known as Hytrin. This medication relaxes the prostate muscles. If you are suffering from chronic prostatitis, you need to consult your doctor who may recommend antibiotics. Medications, such as dutasteride or finasteride, can also be taken to reduce the symptoms of BPH. Surgery is an option for removing the extra prostate tissue. The most common surgical procedure is called transurethral resection. Natural remedies as an option for prostate enlargement treatment You can find a lot of natural remedies as an option for prostate enlargement treatment. Although they may not offer a complete cure, you can take them to control and symptoms and arrest the growth. Beta-sitosterol: Many people are using Beta-Sitosterol to as a prostate enlargement treatment option. It is a mixture collected from various plants and contains cholesterol-like substances known as Sitosterols. A good number of research studies have shown that Beta-Sitosterol is capable of relieving urinary symptoms involved with BPH and it strengthens the urine flow effectively.

Neuropathy is a nerve damage condition that can be triggered by a number of reasons. Diabetic neuropathy is a condition that results in nerve damage because of diabetes. Diabetes is caused by consistently high blood sugar levels. This results in your body’s ability to process it, release, and utilize insulin, taking a massive hit. Diabetes also often results in damage to the nerve fibers, especially in your hands and legs. There are four types of diabetic neuropathy symptoms, each with their own set of unique diabetic neuropathy symptoms. Understanding them will help you better understand the diabetic neuropathy symptoms and how to proceed. Diabetic neuropathy symptoms & types Peripheral neuropathy : The first type of diabetic neuropathy symptom called is peripheral neuropathy. This is because it results in pain in your feet and legs first, gradually spreading to your arms and hands. A person with diabetes tends to experience leg pain from diabetic neuropathy, as the legs are usually the first part of the body to suffer nerve damage. The symptoms of peripheral diabetic neuropathy are: A tingling sensation in your feet and legs Sudden pain with a rise in blood sugar or blood glucose levels More serious foot problems, arising from the inadequate blood supply, blood flow, and the weakening of the muscles. However, peripheral neuropathy can be treated with consistent care and attention. If you take gradual steps like moisturizing your legs and keeping them clean and healthy, it may help prevent potential nerve damage. Try to massage your feet regularly, but not vigorously as this could probably damage some affected nerves. Autonomic neuropathy : Autonomic nerves regulate the body’s survival functions, including your heart rate, blood pressure, your digestive system function, and breathing. Any nerve damage to these essential functions or organs could be because of the damage to the autonomic nervous system.

Abdominal pain is one of the most common reasons associated with diverse illnesses and medical conditions. Many people suffer from this condition several times in their lifetimes, and it can be for various reasons. Read further to understand why abdomen pain symptoms occur. Constipation The normal cycle of bowel movements per week is from 5 to 15 times. If you have less stool than this in a week, then it means that you’re suffering from constipation. The easiest way to tell if you have constipation is by checking the number of bowel movements you have in a week. Other than this, you can even experience abdominal pain symptoms along with hard stools, bleeding from your rectum, straining during bowel movements, etc. Diarrhea Unlike constipation, diarrhea is a condition where you have bowel movements in excess and have relatively loose and watery stools. This is caused due to increased fluid secretion from your intestines. In worse case scenarios, you can experience extreme dehydration as this condition affects the amount of water that’s absorbed by the body. It generally accompanies extreme abdominal pain symptoms. Other symptoms depend on the cause of diarrhea. It can be both acute and chronic, and the treatment for each of these depends on the nature or type of infection. Irritable bowel syndrome This is another type of gastrointestinal disorder where you have irregular bowel movements. You can either have constant diarrhea, constipation, or both. You can recognize this condition after you experience abdominal pain symptoms along with other symptoms like growling stomach, increased gas in the belly, food intolerance, stomach cramps, etc. There is no exact reason as to why this occurs because it is a functional disorder of the digestive system. This means that there is no change in the form of the stomach or the intestinal lining.

Children are more vulnerable to dust mite allergies as compared to adults. Dust mites are a classification of arachnids which are not visible to the naked eye. These are most likely to thrive in environments which are as follows: Warm Humid Dark Dust mites form a large section of house dust allergens. Some other places where dust mites are likely to live are as follows: Mattresses Pillows Carpets Upholstered furniture Dust mites are present in homes all through the year. However, their numbers are higher during days with higher humidity. Dust mites feed on dander. Dander is the flaking of an animal’s skin. Therefore, if you have a pet animal, you are more likely to have to deal with dust mites. When dust mites are in the bedroom, it does not indicate a lack of cleanliness. It’s simply bad ventilation and high humidity which creates this environment. This environment is perfect for dust mites to thrive. Symptoms of a dust mite allergy Dust mites have over a dozen allergens. This makes the likelihood of an allergy caused by dust mites, fairly high. Symptoms are often the worst during mornings and at night when you come across dust mites in bed. Dust mite allergies are at the highest during the latter months of summer and spring. However, they prevail all around the year. Some of the symptoms associated with dust mite allergies are as follows: Itchy eyes Eczema Sneezing Colds and coughs Congestion Treating a dust mite allergy For treating dust mite allergies, over-the-counter medicines could be very effective. A nasal spray for dust allergy could be useful for helping you get over symptoms such as follows: Running nose Cold and cough Congestion Some common queries people have before they decide which nasal spray to opt for are as follows: Does one need a prescription for the nasal spray?

Tinnitus, the constant buzzing, ringing, hissing, or whistling sound that only you can hear, is a bothersome health condition to live with. Caused primarily by continuous exposure to loud noises, tinnitus may also occur owing to injuries to the head, consumption of ototoxic drugs, certain underlying health problems, and stress. Quite often, the condition leads to physical, attentional, and psychological side effects. Although no unfailing cure for tinnitus is available at present, there are a number of treatment options that effectively diminish the intensity and burden of the health condition. Here is a quick look at how to treat tinnitus using the following therapies. Addressing Underlying Health Issues As a first step to treating tinnitus, your physician will attempt to diagnose any existing, treatable health problems that might be causing the symptoms associated with the condition. Some such treatable health issues include: Removal of any obstructions in the ear canal. These include excessively accumulated earwax or any loose strand of hair that is impacting against the eardrum. Treating a vascular problem through drugs or surgery. Treating injuries to the neck and head via medications, surgery, chiropractic treatment, osteopathy, and physical therapies. These treatments help alleviate symptoms caused due to improper flow of blood or nerve and muscle damage. If tinnitus occurs owing to a dysfunctional joint in the jaw, a dentist may realign your bite or provide other suitable dental treatments to ease the symptoms. At times, ototoxic drugs may induce temporary tinnitus. In such cases, although symptoms disappear once the drugs are fully metabolized, doctors may prescribe other medications to provide interim relief. Using Medications Medications prescribed for tinnitus help decrease the severity of its symptoms. Normally, psychoactive medications are recommended as they relieve depression, stress, and anxiety related to the condition. Antidepressant drugs such as clomipramine and desipramine and anti-anxiety drugs such as alprazolam and clonazepam enable the patient to better handle its emotional impacts.

Cancer can affect any organ and all forms of cancer follow the similar modus operandi. However, the time taken for cancer to progress can vary according to the type of cancer. One of the deadliest forms of cancer manifests itself in the form of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that affects the tissue lining of the internal organs and is considered to be quite fatal. Although there are several mesothelioma treatment options available, for those diagnosed at a later stage the treatment is rendered useless. Usually, mesothelioma only affects the tissue that surrounds the lungs (pleura), and this form of mesothelioma is known as pleural mesothelioma. The rare types of mesotheliomas affect the tissues in the abdomen, around the heart, and the testicles. When an individual is affected by mesothelioma, several symptoms start surfacing. The signs and symptoms of mesothelioma are as follows: Shortness of breath Chest pain under the rib cage Painful coughing Unexplained weight loss Presence of unusual lumps of tissue under the skin on the chest When these symptoms begin to surface and after a confirming the presence of this illness with a diagnosis, the doctor would recommend the patient to undergo either of the effective mesothelioma treatments depending on the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed and the location of the cancerous tumor. As mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer, a complete cure isn’t always possible. However, several mesothelioma treatment options are devised to control the patient’s cancer and make them more comfortable. The following mesothelioma treatments have proven to be effective in controlling cancer and relieving its symptoms: Surgery – When diagnosed at an early stage, the doctor might recommend removing the tumor through surgery. In some cases, this can even cure cancer. However, there are instances when removing the cancerous tumor is not possible, and in such cases, the doctor will ask the patient to undergo a surgery to reduce the symptoms of this deadly disease.

Parkinson’s disease affects a patient’s nervous system and their body’s movements. Most people have heard of this illness, but not many know about the stages of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition that worsens with time. One can consult a doctor to understand the stages involved in detail. This article will aim to give a brief overview of this condition’s stages. However, since this disease affects the brain, the stages and their symptoms may differ from one individual to another. Some patients exhibit severe signs while others can continue to function normally. The speed at which it progresses also differs. One can understand the stages briefly on the basis of the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Physicians also use this scale. It is quite easy to classify and treat patients according to it. Here are the five stages of Parkinson’s disease: The first stage The symptoms of the first stage differ for different patients. However, if one identifies the signs in the early stages, it becomes easy to treat the condition. One may only observe some symptoms in the beginning, and these occur on one side of the body. Known as unilateral involvement, it doesn’t hamper one’s ability to function normally. At times, these mild signs might go unnoticed by the doctor as well as the patient. The most common symptoms in the first stage are: Tremors Rigidity in the hand Clumsiness in the hand or leg Rigidity or clumsiness on one side of the face None of these symptoms are apparent, and hence, doctors might wait it out before diagnosing it as the first stage of Parkinson’s disease. The second stage The signs or symptoms may not be apparent even in the second stage of Parkinson’s disease. This stage is a part of the early stages, and therefore it isn’t all that obvious that one has Parkinson’s disease.

According to a report by the American Parkinson’s Disease Association, nearly 1 million people living in the country suffer from Parkinson’s disease. This association plans to educate people about this condition as well as the various problems that accompany it. What is Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is an ailment that has a negative impact on the functioning of the human brain. It spreads slowly because of which an early diagnosis becomes nearly impossible. It comes gradually with a mild disturbance in movements, and slowly it starts impacting other activities like sleep, speech, and even the ability to think. Its other symptoms like the rigidity of muscles, problems with digestions are too vague because of which patients may get an inaccurate diagnosis in the early stages. Impact of Parkinson’s disease on the human body The main effect of Parkinson’s disease is the way it decreases the amount of dopamine in the body. Dopamine is a hormone that helps in the controlling motor and non-motor functions in our body. If the body has a dopamine deficiency, it leads to stilted walking, movements that are uncontrollable as well as tremors. There are many other symptoms that are less noticeable like loss of smell and constipation. Let’s have a look at a few details regarding the life expectancy of patients who have Parkinson’s disease. Appearance of symptoms According to medical studies, by the time a patient begins to exhibit the key symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, almost 60 to 70 percent of the body’s dopamine will be gone. This lack of dopamine will hamper all kinds of functions in the body. However, just because a patient starts exhibiting the symptoms of this condition doesn’t mean that they are out of all options. At such times, a patient’s mental strength matters a lot. Patients with Parkinson’s disease must try to stay positive, regardless of the circumstances.

Eczema is a skin disease that is usually caused by allergies, mostly due to certain food items. The foods to avoid mentioned here can trigger eczema and cause itching and other symptoms. These foods must be strictly avoided. The primary symptom of eczema is itching. Some food products can be allergens and worsen by the symptoms of eczema if consumed. Foods that Trigger Eczema The foods you need to avoid if you have eczema is something you need to identify. The help of a dermatologist or immunologist can be taken to understand what triggers asthma symptoms. Once identified, you need to strictly avoid these items. There are several that may need to be avoided by those having eczema. However, it must be noted that not all people are allergic to all these food items mentioned herein. You need to avoid only those items that cause you problems. Elimination Diet You can use the elimination diet to find out if you are allergic to any of these food items. When you eat any of these food items, a reaction may occur between 6 and 24 hours. You need to include these food items in your diet under the supervision of a doctor and try it out for a month. If you face problems, then that particular food needs to be eliminated from your diet, else you can continue to eat it safely. Foods that You Should Avoid Following are foods that generally cause allergic skin reactions. If any of these foods affect you, stop consuming them immediately. Grapes Grapes and wine contain salicylates. They also have high levels of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and amines. These three substances can increase eczema symptoms and, hence, need to be avoided. Citrus Products Citrus fruits and foods containing citrus are similar in chemical composition to grapes.