A hernia can be described as a condition most commonly occurred in the abdomen or groin area where an organ or tissue breaks or squeezes through a feeble opening in a nearby or surrounding connective tissue or muscle. This condition leads to a localized pain bulge and other types of discomforts. Hernia can be classified into different types of include inguinal hernia, hiatal hernia, umbilical hernia and incisional hernia. Most hernias do not cause any threat to your life, but they do not heal on their own. At certain times, surgery is needed for preventing possible dangerous complications. Other hernia treatment options are available to get rid of this problem in a fast manner. Leading causes of hernia The combined effect of muscle strain and weakness causes hernia. Muscle strain or weakness occurs due to several reasons. When the abdominal wall fails to close properly in the womb, you may experience hernia. Other reasons include persistent sneezing or coughing, age, surgery in the abdomen or groin, chronic coughing, fast weight gain, pregnancy related complications, abdominal fluid, severe constipation and lifting heavyweight. Prominent symptoms The initial symptom of a hernia is a lump or bulge in the area. When it comes to inguinal hernia, you can find a lump on two sides of the pubic bone. It can be felt through touch when you are bending down, coughing or standing up. In case of babies, you can feel the hernia when they are crying. Another symptom of a hernia is the pain in the lower abdomen (it becomes severe when you bend over) and it also worsens when you life something or cough. Other leading symptoms are a feeling of heaviness, pressure or weakness in the abdomen, a burning sensation at the bulge, acid reflux, chest pain and swallowing difficulty. In certain cases, hernias do not show any symptoms and you will come to know only when medical or physical examination is done for a different health problem.

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord. Since it is a serious health condition, it requires immediate medical intervention. Causes of meningitis The swelling may be caused due to viral or bacterial infections. However, in some cases, injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections can also lead to meningitis. Commonly, acute viral and bacterial infections cause the inflammation of tissues. Fungal meningitis is rare which causes chronic meningitis. The signs of meningitis vary from person to person, depending upon his or her age and the cause of the infection. Bacterial meningitis is a serious illness and can be life-threatening. It spreads to the brain through nasal mucus and throat secretions. It can build up in over a few hours or several days. In infants, the most common causes are Group B strep, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Neisseria meningitides (meningococcus) are often the causes of meningitis in adolescents. If left untreated for long, many complications may arise. The possible complications might include: Loss of hearing Epilepsy Brain damage which can cause learning disabilities in children Memory problems Renal failure Gait issues Hydrocephalus or fluid buildup and brain swelling Myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscles (only if the infection reaches the heart) Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis and is often less severe than bacterial meningitis. There is no report of severe long-term issues associated with viral meningitis. Affected people recover on their own (without any medical treatment). There is no specific treatment as antibiotics do not help viral meningitis. However, they are crucial in treating bacterial meningitis. Viral meningitis is a communicable disease. Signs of viral meningitis are cold, diarrhea, fever, blisters, sore throat, and influenza. The most common virus that causes viral meningitis is a group known as enteroviruses or common stomach viruses.

Snoring is a very common phenomenon, and you see most people snoring at night. However, the snoring may just not be because of a long day at work. Sleep apnea can cause snoring and leave you feeling tired of the rest of the day. This will affect your mood and can be dangerous to your health. Sleep apnea treatments can help you sleep better and stay energetic for the entire day. The first step is to recognize the symptoms of sleep apnea. There are treatments that can be used at home or you can consult a doctor for sleep apnea treatment too. What is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing is interrupted when you sleep. The short breaths will interrupt your deep sleep and leave you tired and dull. The interruption may not even be noticed by many. Action must be taken to treat it as it may hinder your productivity and leave you feeling exhausted all day. For treating sleep apnea, the first step is to diagnose the type. Types of sleep apnea There are three types of sleep apnea. The Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. The soft tissue in the back of the throat becomes relaxed when you sleep and blocks the airflow thus making you snore loudly. The other type is central sleep apnea. This is not as common, and it involves the central nervous system. It happens when the brain loses control over the muscle that aids in breathing. This does not cause snoring as much as the first type. A complex sleep apnea condition is where the patient is affected by a combination of both conditions. Sleep apnea treatment methods There are many ways in which this condition can be treated. Once you identify it and the extent of the condition, you can either try a few home remedies or go to a doctor.

While blood sugar trouble is one aspect of diabetes, there are a number of other, smaller symptoms that can be just as difficult to live with. If you leave diabetes uncontrolled, it can eventually deteriorate multiple organs in your body including your eyes, gums, teeth, heart, kidneys, nerves, and even your gastrointestinal tract. One of the biggest symptoms of diabetes is diabetic neuropathy, also known as diabetic foot pain. It can be a struggle to deal with if you aren’t well-informed. We’re going to take a look at a few of the options for diabetic foot pain treatments: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, is a procedure that uses low voltage current to stimulate the nerves in your feet. TENS is commonly recommended by doctors as a non-invasive, non-medicinal option for diabetic foot pain treatment. The low voltage electrical waves help improve blood flow, which in turn relieves pain. The procedure for TENS uses a small device, about the size of a smartphone. This device has cables with electric nodes that are placed on the patient’s skin. The therapist then sends low voltage bursts of electricity to the nodes on the patient’s skin. This stimulates the nerves in the area by activating them. The nerves being stimulated then block pain signals being sent to the brain. TENS also helps your brain produce endorphins to alleviate the pain that you feel. Anti-seizure Drugs As Diabetic Foot Pain Treatments Drugs commonly used for treating seizures can be used to relieve pain in extreme cases of diabetic neuropathy. This kind of drug usually includes chemicals that help regulate blood flow and includes drugs that prescribed for epileptic seizures. Anti-seizure medicines like most heavy duty medication pose a high risk for addiction. You can only purchase anti-seizure drugs with a doctor’s prescription.

What is Sciatic Nerve? The sciatic nerve is a huge nerve which is the longest nerve found in humans. It originates in the lower back and runs its way through the buttock, down to the lower limb and the foot. The sciatic nerve connects the lower area, i.e., muscles and skin of legs, thighs, and foot to the nervous system. The sciatic nerve is responsible for providing sensation to the skin of the feet and legs, excluding the inner leg area. Pain due to pressed or petulant sciatic nerve, in the lower back area, is termed as sciatica. The most common cause of sciatica is spinal disc herniation, a medical condition in which the spinal disc develops a crack and pinches into the sciatic nerve. However, there exist some other lower back problems too, which may also lead to a sciatic nerve disorder, like a degenerative disc, spondylolisthesis or piriformis syndrome. Treatment for Sciatic Nerve Pain Acupuncture This is a Chinese treatment for sciatic nerve pain, in which painless, hair-like needles are poked into the skin near the area of pain. Acupuncture helps in improving or reviving the natural energy flow of the body and has been found to be an effective treatment that has been used for ages. For better results, warming acupuncture is recommended in which the needles used are heated. Heat or Ice Packs In case of acute sciatic nerve pain that you experience in the initial stage, applying heat or ice packs can be helpful, for reducing the pain to some extent. Apply the heat or the ice pack for at least 20 minutes and if needed, repeat it every 2-3 hours. Hot water bottles can be used for applying hot packs. For applying ice packs, one must keep the ice between a towel or any other thick cloth, to avoid the risk of ice burn.

Contrary to the previous belief that it is rare to develop both rheumatoid arthritis and gout, in recent years, it is observed that rheumatoid arthritis patients are at high risk of developing gout in the near future. Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is an autoimmune disease where the joints in your body suffer from chronic joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Gout is another type of arthritis where the uric acid level in a person’s body is alarmingly high, leading to the formation of uric acid crystals that cause joint pain and stiffness. Both the diseases are inflammatory diseases, and many times it is difficult for the doctors to deduce which type of arthritis you are suffering from. Also, men are more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and gout together than women. Is it Gout or RA? Diagnosing the illness at the initial stage is very important. Though both the conditions have similar signs and symptoms, if you look carefully you can make out the difference. Here are some signs that differentiate the two: In most of the cases, gout occurs in the base of the big toe. Common areas that get affected by RA are the joints of your wrist and hands. You will always experience redness, swelling, and inflammation of joints when you are suffering from gouty arthritis symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis is painful, but it is not always followed by swelling and reddening of the affected area. In this article, you will learn about some common rheumatoid arthritis and gouty foot pain treatments. Treatment for Gout About 4 % of the population suffer from gout at some point in their life. This makes gout one of the most common types of arthritis that people suffer from today. There are two types of medication for gout foot pain, short-term medication, and long-term medication.

Cancer is one of the fatal diseases and has claimed several lives over the years. Today, a huge population is affected by this deadly disease and the inability to cure this disease in the final stages is nearly impossible. One of the most common forms of cancer to affect 1 in every 7 men in the United States is prostate cancer. 1 in 39 men have reportedly died of prostate cancer; the reason being that the condition was diagnosed in the advanced stages. Prostate cancer affects the prostate gland, which is situated under the bladder. The primary function of the prostate is to produce semen. The prostate gland is an integral part of the male reproductive system. The cancerous cells grow and multiply uncontrollably in the prostate gland, and this is when a man is detected with prostate cancer. When the cancerous cells grow and spread outside the prostate gland, it is defined as an ‘advanced’ stage. Like every other kind of prostate cancer, the condition is curable if it is detected in the early stages. However, treatment of advanced prostate cancer is complex, and there are no treatments available to cure this stage of cancer. Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer Men will notice symptoms quite early in the development of prostate cancer. Early detection can aid in better treatment options that those who notice symptoms when the condition is advanced. Typically, the first symptom will come in the form of difficulty during urination. When the cancer enlarges in the prostate, urinating becomes extremely uncomfortable and painful. This should immediately drive one to get a medical evaluation. An individual will also feel a sense of weakness due to disruption of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Severe pain is felt in advanced prostate cancer, and there may be fracture due to the weakening of the bone by the rapid spread of cancer cells.

The skin is the largest organ of the body by weight making about one-sixth of our total body weight. It’s a complicated structure and consists of three layers namely; epidermis the outermost one, the dermis which is a layer beneath the epidermis and the subcutaneous layer the deepest one. Eczema commonly called as ‘dermatitis’ is a skin disorder characterized by inflammation and intense itching. People suffering from eczema have extremely dry skin which is highly susceptible to bacterial, fungal or viral infections. The affected skin is not a smooth, protective barrier but patches of skin with rashness, red lumps or blisters. Eczema can affect people of all age group from infants or adults and continue to have symptoms throughout their life depending on the severity. Normally in infants, itchy rashes appear on the skin. The eczema photos show that these rashes can produce oozing, crusty condition majorly on the child’s scalp and face. Eczema is a recognizable health condition among a number of skin diseases and can be prevented by keeping the skin moisturized, nourished and healthy. Types of eczema Eczema is not considered as a contagious disease and cannot catch when in close contact. While the exact cause of eczema is unknown, researchers suggest that people develop eczema because of a combination of genes and environmental triggers. When an allergen gets activated, skin cells behave like a foreign agent causing an eczema flare-up. There are eight different types of eczema like atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, hand eczema, neurodermatitis, nummular eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and stasis dermatitis. It is possible to identify the types by looking for eczema photos online. Atopic dermatitis, which is severe and long-lasting is the most common one and can occur in combination at a time. All types of eczema cause itching, redness or blisters.

Multiple myeloma is a cancerous condition that affects a form of white blood cell known as plasma. The plasma cells are instrumental in warding off infections. They do this by creating antibodies that identify and destroy any germs in the system. This cancer causes cancer cells to amass in the bone marrow where they outnumber the healthy blood cells. Instead of the disease-fighting antibodies, these cells then produce anomalous proteins that can further trigger complications. The treatment for multiple myeloma isn’t always needed for individuals who are asymptomatic. Although, the doctor will regularly keep an eye on the patient’s condition with the help of blood and urine tests. For patients experiencing signs and symptoms, here are the following treatment options for multiple myeloma. Treatment for multiple myeloma Biological therapy The medications used in biological therapy take the help of the patient’s immune system to deal with myeloma cells. They enhance the immune system cells that recognize and kill cancer cells. Typically, these are taken in the form of pills. Targeted therapy In this type of multiple myeloma treatment, the medicines concentrate on specific abnormalities within the rogue cells that enable their survival. These medications then inhibit the action of the element in those myeloma cells that breaks down the proteins, causing them to die. Such therapy can be administered intravenously or via oral medications. Another targeted therapy involves monoclonal medicines that bind on to the cancerous cells, leading to their death. Corticosteroids Corticosteroids are given to regulate the immune system so that the inflammation in the body can be brought under control. Additionally, they also actively work against myeloma cells. These medications can be taken in the form of pills or intravenously. Chemotherapy This method is used to target the rapidly-growing cancer cells. This treatment is given in the pill form or administered through the vein.

Esophageal cancer affects the long hollow tube called the esophagus that runs from the throat to the stomach. Unhealthy lifestyle choices like tobacco and alcohol consumption and other factors like obesity can elevate the risk of this form of cancer. Early detection facilitates successful treatment, and doctors might recommend several options to manage esophageal cancer symptoms. Here are a few effective treatment methods: Chemotherapy This treatment is used if the cancerous tumor is inaccessible or if cancer has metastasized (spread to distant parts of the body). Chemotherapy medications are often administered intravenously to destroy cancer cells, but they also damage healthy cells as they are unable to differentiate between normal and malignant cells. While normal cells are able to rejuvenate, chemotherapy can cause serious side effects that must be managed with medications. Targeted therapy Some mutations of esophageal cancer can be difficult to treat with chemotherapy, so medications that target specific weaknesses of the malignant cells are also given to increase the effectiveness of treatment. Targeted therapy is usually given to patients with advanced stages of esophageal cancer. Immunotherapy This is one of the most recent forms of cancer treatment. Immunotherapy simply enhances the patients’ immune response to cancer, and the enhanced immune system recognizes and targets malignant or cancerous cells specifically. That said, immunotherapy can have its own side effects like decreased blood count, which can be managed through alternate medications. It is administered in several ways but can be comparatively more expensive than chemotherapy. It is recommended for patients with advanced stages of esophageal cancer. Radiotherapy This is a less invasive form of cancer treatment and is usually used to treat early-stage esophageal cancer. It may be administered in combination with chemotherapy to weaken the cancer cells. Radiotherapy or radiation therapy involves exposing the cancer cells or tumorous growth to high-energy beams, like x-rays or protons.

The Varicella-Zoster virus causes a viral infection called shingles. Varicella-Zoster is the same virus which causes chickenpox as well. This virus does not leave the patient’s body, even after they’ve been cured of chickenpox. It stays dormant in the nerves of the patient’s spinal cord and might activate in the future, causing shingles. Thus, people who have suffered from chickenpox are likely to get shingles. One of the most common symptoms of shingles is painful rashes. It usually appears on the patient’s face or one side of the body as a single strip of blisters or rashes. What should one do if they see these rashes? It is crucial to see your doctor as soon as you see any rashes or blisters on your body. It is essential that you cure the shingles rashes as soon as possible. You should visit a doctor within 72 hours of the appearance of these rashes. You’re likely to cure this condition faster if you get it treated in the initial stages. Your doctor will check the rashes or blisters and suggest medications to control the spread of the infection, to hasten the healing process, and also to ease the pain. Patients often complain that these rashes are very painful. The pain can get worse if the blisters break. So, get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible. Best treatment options to get relief from shingles One can choose from numerous effective cures for shingles rashes these days. Usually, your doctor will prescribe some antiviral medication for treating shingles as it is a viral infection. You will have to take the antiviral medicine within 72 hours of the rash’s appearance. Doing this will prevent Postherpetic Neuralgia. Postherpetic Neuralgia is a condition where damaged nerve fibers keep sending pain signals to your brain.

The eyes are your window to the world. Not only do your eyes tell a tale during your times of happiness, but also in your times of sadness. You may cry out of joy or in pain, the only thing common to the two situations is the secretion of tears. They help provide lubrication and moisture which help you see properly and ensure that your eyes are comfortable. Tears are a mixture of several substances which include water for moisture, oils for lubrication, mucus to ensure that they spread evenly and antibodies and special proteins which ensure that infections are kept at bay. All in all, tears have quite a few more uses than you would imagine. These ingredients come from glands present around the eye. Dry eyes is a condition commonly characterized by the tear system being out of order. Symptoms and causes of dry eyes There are several symptoms of dry eyes which include itching, redness, blurry vision, light sensitivity, a gritty feeling, and a feeling like there is something in your eye when there is actually nothing. The condition may sometimes lead to the secretion of excess tears as well. This condition is referred to as reflex tearing. This occurs as there is a lack of moisture in the eye that causes irritation. A distress signal is then sent which leads to the production of excessive tears in order to provide lubrication. The problem is that these tears do no good as they are mostly made of water and cannot coat the eye and provide it with moisture. Here are a few of the most common causes of dry eyes: One of the most common causes of dry eyes is a lack of balance in the system that creates tears. Another common cause of chronic dry eyes includes the air conditioner or heater, which could dry out the tear film.