Causes and Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Causes and Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

There are no findings which can enlighten on the actual cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. However, as per the experts, there are certain things which have lead to IBS in people. Thus, they believe, these reasons play major roles in developing IBS symptoms. The factors causing Irritable Bowel Syndrome are given below: Physical Health Problems Brain-Gut Signal Problems The signals between your brain, the small and large intestines as well as the nerves in your gut manage how the gut functions. Thus, if there is a problem with the brain-gut signals, it will cause IBS symptoms. GI Motility Problems People with IBS do not have the kind of motility in their colon as other people normally have. They have either slow or fast motility. While slow motility causes constipation, fast motility causes diarrhea. Spasm is the reason behind the abdominal pain. If you suffer from IBS, there is a high chance of you experiencing hyperactivity which causes a significant increase in bowel contractions after you eat and when you feel stressed. Pain Sensitivity People with IBS have extra sensitive nerves in their gut. This causes more pain and discomfort than usual when stool or gas is stuck in the gut. The brain processes pain indications from your bowel in a different way if you suffer from IBS. Infections Bacterial infection in an individual’s GI tract may be a cause of irritable bowel syndrome. However, researchers have still not been able to confirm why GI tract infections cause some people to suffer from IBS while others do not. There may be additional reasons for mental health problems and GI tract lining. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Usually, there are a small number of bacteria found in the small intestine. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is referred to the change in the type of bacteria or increase in their number in the small intestine.
Here’s How to Identify Sinus Allergy Signs

Here’s How to Identify Sinus Allergy Signs

Any type of allergy can be exhausting. Most allergies can make the strongest of us feel weak and worn down. Sinus allergies are some of the most excruciating ones. These allergies can overwhelm most people and can make even the most trivial day-to-day tasks seem overwhelming. Studies have shown that allergies if left untreated can worsen. This can cause infections as well as complicate the functions of the body in numerous ways. These range from stomach ailments to complicated heart issues. This is why doctors recommend treatment as soon as possible. The recommended approach towards allergies has always been prevention. Protecting the body means preparing and understanding allergies. The first crucial step towards combating allergies would be to understand what the possible sinus allergy signs are. Once the sinus allergy signs have been identified, the next step is symptomatic treatment. This means treating the symptoms to help weaken the overall allergy. The ideal situation for this form of treatment is that the allergy itself will become manageable and heal itself. However, if the body doesn’t recover naturally, medication is recommended. It is crucial to identify key sinus allergy signs by recognizing the symptoms of the possible allergy when it begins to manifest at an early stage. Here are some of the key sinus allergy signs. Nasal identifiers The first sign of any allergy is any kind of irritation inside the nose. These irritations can manifest in different ways. Watch out for any itching inside the nostrils. This itchiness can escalate to sneezing which is the second sinus allergy sign. Provided the itch and sneezing persist, the third sign of an allergy is a stuffy nose. Sinus allergy signs initially are similar to those of a common cold. The final nasal identifier for sinus allergies is a runny nose. If all four symptoms persist over a period of time, it might be an indication of an allergy.
Effective Diet Plans for IBS

Effective Diet Plans for IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a problem that affects the large intestine. It can cause abdominal cramping, bloating, and a change in bowel habits. IBS does require the medical intervention, but were you aware that there exist quite a few effective IBS diet plans that can help you better your symptoms. We have scoured the internet and have found you the best diet plans that help to reduce the bothersome symptoms, thus helping you work towards and healthy and happy life. Here are five amazing IBS diet plans. The high-fiber diet You might be aware that fibrous foods are known to add bulks to the stools, which in turn helps in movement. An adult must eat about 20-35 grams of fiber in a day, on an average. While this looks less-complicated, the digestive and kidney diseases and National Institute of Diabetes claims that average people limit their fiber food intake to only 5-14 grams a day. Fiber-enriched food items for supposing vegetables and fruits followed by whole grains, are quite healthy and keep away from constipation issues. But, if you go through bloating issues from too much intake of fiber, try concentrating on fiber items that are soluble in vegetables and fruits rather than grains. The low-fiber diet Fiber intake may sound helpful and effective for IBS sufferers, but too much of fiber can make the symptoms of diarrhea and gas worse. Before ruling out fiber food items from your diet, try committing on soluble fiber sources present in berries, oatmeal, carrots, and apples. The food with soluble fiber quite easily dissolves in the water rather than adding some more bulk associated with fiber that is non-soluble. Food items that have non-soluble fibers are nuts, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, raisins and whole grains. You can also go ahead and choose medicines that are anti-diarrheal 30 minutes before fiber intake, and lessen the effects.
Important things to know about SMA

Important things to know about SMA

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that hampers with a child’s ability to move by affecting motor nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. This disease is progressive in nature and is caused by the loss of specialized motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brainstem. This affects a child’s ability to perform motor activities such as sitting up, jumping, walking, crawling, and controlling head movement. SMA mainly causes muscle wasting and weakness. Moreover, some people who suffer from severe cases of SMA face difficulty in breathing and swallowing as the muscles used for these functions are also affected. Below is some information on different types; diagnosis and treatments of SMA that can help families of the affected children understand the disease better. Types of SMA SMA can be classified into five different types: 0, I, II, III, and IV. Each type is categorized on the basis of different symptoms, and physicians often determine the type by understanding the symptoms. Type 0 Type 0 SMA is one of the most severe types. It is identified on the basis of symptoms such as decreased fetal movements, joint abnormalities, inability to swallow properly, and respiratory failure. This type occurs in a child before birth or within the first few months of birth. Type I Type I SMA is also called the Werdnig-Hoffman disease. It is one of the severe types of SMA that affects a person since their birth or within the first few months after birth. It is quite similar to the type 0 SMA as type I affected infants also face delayed physical developments. Children with this type exhibit symptoms such as breathing and swallowing problems that can cause choking. Other symptoms include diminished limb movements, fasciculation, tremors, hypotonia (severely reduced muscle tone), and lack of tendon reflexes.
5 Things You Need to Know about Pulmonary Fibrosis

5 Things You Need to Know about Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is no ordinary disease and it gravely affects the lungs. Pulmonary means lungs and fibrosis refers to scar tissue. This disease is a serious lung disease which causes scarring in the lungs. Beyond scarring which itself presents a huge cause of concern, pulmonary fibrosis leads to several other problems which include breathing problems and the process of getting oxygen into the blood. Diseases which do not come with an immediate onset of certain symptoms are hard to detect. You may develop pulmonary fibrosis and not display any symptoms for a while. Here are a few other things you need to know about the disease. What is pulmonary fibrosis? Pulmonary fibrosis leads to the thickening, scarring, and stiffening of the lacy walls of the air sacs in the lungs. The walls are generally thin and lacy and the disease clearly impacts its condition. The stiffening of the lungs leads to several repercussions. The efficiency of the lungs is impacted and its ability to get oxygen into the bloodstream is hampered. It becomes difficult to expand the lungs and breathing is tough. Extra energy is required to breathe. This leads to a shortness of breath as the demand for additional energy takes its toll on the body. What causes pulmonary fibrosis? There are several known and unknown causes of the disease. Exposure to toxins like silica, coal dust, and asbestos can lead to pulmonary fibrosis. One of the most common causes of the disease is seen in conjunction with collagen vascular diseases. There are quite a few medications in the market that are known to have a side effect of pulmonary fibrosis. There are several unknown causes of the disease, termed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis . The disease can be hereditary as well. What are the symptoms of this disease? While no disease is pleasant, pulmonary fibrosis does its sufferers no favors.
Everything You Need to Know about the Stages of COPD Disease

Everything You Need to Know about the Stages of COPD Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious condition which makes breathing difficult. The lungs no longer function to their full capacity and this leads to COPD diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. There are 4 progressive stages of the COPD disease that worsen with time if not treated immediately. Here’s what you need to know. COPD is actually a lung disease that is life-threatening. This disease causes uncontrolled coughing and excessive production of mucus, shortened breaths, wheezing, tightening of the chest, and many other symptoms that cause difficulty in breathing. These symptoms of COPD worsen over time. The airways and air sacs of the lungs get damaged and inflamed as the alveoli of the lungs begin swelling resulting in excessive production of mucus. Generally COPD leads to the slow malfunctioning of the lung, and this condition could worsen if any of the symptoms are triggered. COPD is not contagious, and is often diagnosed among people from the age group of middle aged people to older adults COPD can be categorized into the following types: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Patients suffering from emphysema have difficulty in exhalation since the linings inside the air sacs of the lungs are damaged quite often due to smoking, excessive exposure to pollution or any other allergens. Depending on the severity of the illness the following are various progressive stages of COPD disease: Stage 1 – Mild COPD Patients having slight limitations in the airflow of the lungs enter the first stages of COPD disease. This stage is characterized by chronic cough along with an increase in the production of mucus. Often people who are in these stages of COPD disease are not even aware of it till their condition begins to deteriorate. In order to monitor the lungs, physicians conduct various nominal lung tests in this stage.
5 Home Remedies For Migraine Headaches

5 Home Remedies For Migraine Headaches

Since ages, people all over the world have used a collection of home remedies to ease the symptoms of migraines. Many of these remedies have stood the test of time as they are safe, easily available, and effective in treating the painful and uncomfortable condition. While there are numerous over-the-counter medications available for treatment, there are also remedies to help you cope with this condition naturally: Use an ice pack Using cold therapy is an age-old method to get relief from migraine headaches. It is one of the most effective home remedies you can use for the treatment of this condition. Applying an ice pack can help lessen the throbbing pain. Studies have found that applying an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes can relieve discomfort and pain caused by migraine. Alternatively, you can wrap a few ice cubes in a piece of cloth and use it as a neck wrap to reduce the pain. Regardless of whether you are experiencing dull or intense pain, you can use this easy and safe home remedy to get relief. Use butterbur For ages, people have used butterbur root extract for the treatment of migraine. This traditional herbal remedy is believed to significantly lower the intensity of headaches, and this plant extract can reduce the frequency at which the headaches occur. You can consume 75 mg of butterbur root extract twice a day to get effective relief from the painful symptoms. Using this natural remedy for 3 to 4 months can help you cope with this neurological disorder. Essential oils Essential oils are renowned for the therapeutic properties that enable them to ease the pain caused by conditions like a migraine. These oils are often used for aromatherapy to reduce the severity of the pain and induce calmness and relaxation. Essential oils like peppermint and lavender oils are widely used for relieving migraine symptoms and to induce sleep.
Here are the top 6 food allergies in cats and dogs

Here are the top 6 food allergies in cats and dogs

Here are the top 6 food allergies in cats and dogs Food allergies are exceedingly common among cats and dogs. However, more often than not, the symptoms of a food allergy can go unnoticed by the pet’s parents. If you notice your pet is scratching incessantly or is frequently suffering from problems related to the digestive system, there is a high likelihood that your feline or canine companion is experiencing food allergy. This type of allergy occurs when the immune system of the cat or dog reacts negatively to a particular ingredient in the food. Pet parents should always be on the lookout for food allergy signs and symptoms. In case of a suspicion of a food allergy, a visit to the vet is highly recommended. The vet will then conduct a series of tests including physical examination and blood work. Once done, the vet will conduct an elimination diet trial to determine the food allergen responsible for the troubling symptoms. The elimination diet trial may last for weeks to determine the food allergen that is causing the reactions in the immune system and leading to the development of food allergy. Once the source of the food allergy has been diagnosed, you may have to make required modifications in your pet’s diet and buy cat or dog food that does not have the food allergen. Symptoms of food allergies in cats and dogs You should seek expert advice as soon as you notice the listed symptoms in your pet. Gastrointestinal signs like flatulence, vomiting, or diarrhea Dermatological signs like hair loss and skin redness, itchiness, inflammation, and rashes Chronic ear or foot problems Weight loss Respiratory system issues like coughing, wheezing, sneezing Behavioral problems like scratching and biting fur, restlessness, and frequent shaking Here’s a list of the most commonly reported food allergies in cats and dogs that can cause the aforementioned signs and symptoms in your pet.
Diet tips for gastritis

Diet tips for gastritis

Everyone has faced indigestion at some point, but many people may suffer from it every day. It all depends on what food you eat and how you eat it. Indigestion may cause nausea, pain or a burning sensation in the stomach, and heartburn are some of the symptoms that indicate gastritis. Gastritis refers to a group of conditions that result in the inflammation of the stomach lining and the stomach acid causing a burning sensation in the chest and abdomen. If left untreated, it can become life-threatening as the pain, inflammation, and bleeding continues and can lead to ulcers and even cancer. Gastritis is the result of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which infects the stomach. The symptoms include abdominal pain, burping, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Diet The type of food you eat and the lifestyle you lead has a major impact on the stomach lining. A change in both can result in the reduction of inflammation of the stomach and the recurrence of gastritis. Around 50% of the people in the world suffer from gastritis, which later develops into ulcers or gastric cancer. There is no specific diet to treat gastritis, but eating the proper foods helps in alleviating the symptoms. Foods to eat There are certain foods that you can eat to reduce the symptoms of gastritis, like yogurt and broccoli, which reduces and kills the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, which has antibacterial effects and anti-cancer properties, and it helps in getting relief from the symptoms of gastritis and in bringing down the risk of stomach cancer. There have been fewer cases of infections and stomach inflammation among people who consume broccoli regularly. Yogurt, along with medication, helps to eliminate the H Pylori bacteria as it contains good bacteria that help fight it. Other foods that help manage gastritis are herbal teas, honey, olive oil, berries, celery, and apples.
Foods to avoid and consume for colitis patients

Foods to avoid and consume for colitis patients

Ulcerative colitis is a condition that causes the inflammation of the inner lining of the large intestine, and rectum. It also causes sores. It is regarded as an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks its own body. It can also be called an inflammatory bowel disease, and yet it is not the same as Crohn’s disease. This disease affects over 900,000 citizens every year and is seen in males more than females. This disease is diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40 years. Diet An individual suffering from this disease needs help to manage their symptoms and also change their diet. A colitis patient must follow a diet that suits them. For different symptoms there are different types of diets:- A high-calorie diet is needed as people suffering from ulcerative colitis tend to lose weight and suffer from malnutrition. A high-calorie diet will help prevent it. A lactose-free diet is for those who suffer from this disease and are also lactose intolerant. A low-fiber diet helps to reduce the frequency of cramps and bowel movements. A low-salt diet is for those patients who are on corticosteroid therapy. This diet helps to reduce water retention. A low FODMAP – Fermentable Oligo-Di-Mono-saccharides and Polyols, these are some types of sugars which are found in some sugar alcohols and carbohydrates. A diet that is gluten-free for those who are sensitive to gluten. Paying attention to nutrition is an important aspect for patients suffering from ulcerative colitis as bleeding and diarrhea lead to loss of nutrition, electrolyte imbalance, and dehydration. It is important to take nutritional supplements if you cannot follow a balanced diet because of the symptoms. Foods of certain types can trigger the symptoms of ulcerative colitis and maybe also worsen them. You need to identify the foods by keeping a list.
HIV infection – Early signs and foods to delay the progression

HIV infection – Early signs and foods to delay the progression

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.
5 Home Remedies that Help Live with Asthma

5 Home Remedies that Help Live with Asthma

Living with a chronic condition isn’t easy; you’ll always have to be on guard against elements that trigger the condition and will have to lug your medications wherever you go. Asthma is one such chronic condition that, according to the CDC, affects approximately 25 million people in the country. Moreover, this condition is quite prevalent in children—1 child out of every 12 is diagnosed with asthma. Asthma is an inflammatory condition that affects the airways to the lungs and makes breathing difficult. This, in turn, makes performing any physical activity impossible. Mostly, people opt for medications to keep asthma under control and prevent an asthma attack. But there are others who rely on alternative treatment techniques to control asthma symptoms and keep the condition in check. Here are some effective home remedies to keep asthma under control. Acupuncture Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese treatment method that involves inserting thin needles into specific points in the body. In fact, this method has been used in western countries as well to improve the symptoms of asthma. Acupuncture improves lung function and is believed to modulate the immune system as well. Also, there is an increase in studies on the effect of acupuncture in treating respiratory conditions. Although some have yielded inconclusive results, some have reported that acupuncture can control the symptoms of asthma. Yoga One of the major triggers of asthma is stress, and one of the best ways to deal with stress is to practice yoga. The breathing exercises used in yoga can help people with asthma control breathing as well as relieve stress. There are certain yoga poses that can improve asthma symptoms as they open your throat and chest and facilitate easy breathing. The Bound Angle Pose, Bridge Pose, Bow Pose, and Cat Pose are some of the effective yoga poses that can help you deal with asthma symptoms.