A migraine is a headache that occurs due to changes in the brain and the blood vessels surrounding it. This headache can last from four hours to three days, with the frequency varying from a daily basis to less than once a year. National Headache Foundation has found out that around 37 million people in the country have issues related to migraine. Also, it affects women three times more than it affects men. Causes of migraine headaches The exact causes of migraine headaches are yet not known, but it is believed that it occurs due to the expansion of the blood vessels and release of some chemicals, which results in the occurrence of pain. Two chemicals, namely serotonin and dopamine, have been found to be responsible for the occurrence of a migraine. These two chemicals are generally found in the brain but can result in abnormal functioning of blood vessels. It is, however, known that different triggers ignite a migraine, and different people have distinct triggers, which incite a migraine in them. Foods such as cheese, nuts, and chocolate are the causes of migraine headaches in some people. Others find that missing a meal can result in a headache, which eventually transforms into a migraine. Tension and stress are some other causes of migraine headaches. This stress could be emotional or physical. Symptoms of a migraine The symptoms of a migraine also vary with people. Five distinct phases of a migraine are known now. Prodrome A migraine has many pre-warnings before it occurs. Change in mood, change in sensations, fatigue, and muscle tension are some of the warnings which indicate that a migraine is about to occur. Aura This is kind of sensory disturbance which precedes a headache. Some people see blind spots and feel as if geometric patterns and colorful lights are visible.

Ear infections can be really troublesome and outrightly painful. More commonly reported among children, these ear infections can be caused to several reasons, such as bacterial or viral infection, sinus infections, cavities, wax build-up, allergies, tonsillitis, etc. But in most cases, simple and easy home remedies work wonders as ear infection treatment. These infections can occur in the outer, middle or inner ear. The body’s immune system fights off these infections that generally heal on their own. Here, we will discuss some effective home remedies for ear infections that will rule out the need for antibiotics. Garlic Garlic is one of the best ear infection remedies, owing to its antibacterial, antiviral and pain-relieving properties. When eaten, it boosts the immune system and helps to fight infection. You can also topically apply garlic oil to reduce the pain of an earache. Soak some crushed garlic in warm olive oil for 30 minutes. Strain the garlic and apply the oil into the canal. You can repeat the process up to 4 times a day. Cold or warm compresses This is a very effective way for alleviating pain. Warm compresses such as a heating pad or damp cloth and cold compresses such as ice packs can be used to get relief from ear pain. This method is safe and highly recommended for both children and adults. You can place the compress over the ear for 10-15 minutes and follow up with the next after an interval of 10 minutes. Sleep without putting pressure on your ear In case of an ear infection, certain sleep postures can aggravate the condition while some can help in getting relief from the pain. It is advisable to sleep with your affected ear facing upward rather than pushed downward against the pillow. This can help the ears in draining.

Fibromyalgia is a condition in which a person suffers from excess musculoskeletal pain and fatigue without having any physical injury or inflammation. The cause(s) of fibromyalgia is still unknown; however, many doctors suggest it to be genetics. The symptoms may develop after an illness, physical trauma or stress. There are various options for pain relief for fibromyalgia, but first, let us have a look at its symptoms. Symptoms of Fibromyalgia Common symptoms associated with fibromyalgia are as follows: Pain and localized tenderness Fatigue Difficulty in sleeping Problems in concentrating Depression or anxiety IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Headaches Morning stiffness Tingling in the hands, arms, and feet Painful menstrual cramps Treatments for Fibromyalgia Pain Relief Fibromyalgia pain can be minor or acute enough to muddle with one’s everyday activities. Thankfully, there are some natural remedies as well as medical treatments that are helpful in acquiring fibromyalgia pain relief. Some of the most common ones are listed below. Painkillers There are many over-the-counter medicines available that help to reduce the pain associated with fibromyalgia, such as aspirin or naproxen. You can consult your doctor before taking any of these. However, their long-term use is not recommended. Generally, painkiller medicines help to reduce pain and inflammation, reduce the severity of muscular aches, and diminish sleep problems. Antidepressants Antidepressants are another alternative for relieving fibromyalgia pain and fatigue. However, these medicines can cause certain side effects such as nausea and vomiting, weight gain, and loss of sex drive. Thus, it is important to understand the potential risks and consult your medical professional before their intake. Narcotic Pain Medications Narcotic pain medicines, also known as opioids, alter the way your brain responds to pain. These medicines have been found helpful in treating different kinds of pain. However, these are generally addictive, and so, their limited use has been recommended.

The pain caused due to shingles can be very severe and it can affect your normal day-to-day activities as well. Shingles are often caused when the chickenpox virus known as Varicella Zoster is reactivated. The virus then travels through the nerve fibers to cause a painful skin rash. Usually, the pain goes away along with the rash but can also persist sometimes. You can treat the pain after shingles using the following measures. Always consult a doctor if you are not sure which remedy to follow, or if you are suffering from any other disease. Painkillers Shingles cause nerve damage that is permanent and the pain is an after effect of it. To ease the pain of the effects of shingles, you can take painkillers that will effectively help with reducing the pain. Painkillers such as tricyclic antidepressants can help in dealing with the pain. Thoracic epidural injections Shingles are caused due to the nerve damage and if you reduce the nerve root inflammation, then the pain can also be reduced. For this, the anti-inflammatory medicine can be injected into the space that is near the spinal cord. This reduces the pain. Thus, thoracic epidural injections can be used for the treatment of shingles. Membrane stabilizers You can use membrane stabilizers to treat the pain after shingles. You can ask your doctor to prescribe medicines that will act as membrane stabilizers and will help you with the immense pain caused due to shingles. The pain can prolong even after shingles are gone and therefore fighting the pain is the only way. Natural remedies for treating the pain after shingles Healing baths When you clean the blisters every day, then the infection is less likely to spread. The itchiness and pain after shingles can be reduced with cool water baths. Since heat increases the blisters, you should avoid taking bath with hot water at all costs.

Leiomyomata or Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors and are generally found on the uterus. Leiomyomata or uterine fibroids are mostly seen among women, and it is unfortunate that there are no such symptoms to identify it. There are many reports on leiomyomata or uterine fibroids, wherein the patients suffer from heavy bleeding or severe pain. It is important to visit the doctor if you are facing similar pain or heavy bleeding. Fibroids can be prevented, and if you are wondering how to shrink fibroids naturally, this article highlights the matter. There are numerous treatments for leiomyomata or uterine fibroids, and we have compiled some of the many remedies available so that you can get an idea on the treatment and take adequate actions depending on your conditions. However, it always better to first consult your doctor. Avoid Foods that Worsen the Condition Foods play an important role in developing uterine fibroids; hence, you should keep an eye on your food habits. We recommend you to avoid several types of foods to get rid of your problem, some of them are as follows: Processed Meats and High Fat If you are wondering how to shrink fibroids naturally, you can start by avoiding the consumption of high-fat processed meat. Doing so can help you shrink fibroids naturally. Processed and non-organic foods contain unhealthy fats, and they can aggravate the inflammation. Such foods also contain toxic chemical additives that are not suitable for your diet. Refined Sugar and Conventional Dairy We also recommend you to avoid refined sugar and conventional dairy products as they both contain harmful chemicals and steroids that can affect your hormone levels. Refine sugar can also endorse inflammation and it leads to weight gain. Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption You should avoid alcohol and caffeine to prevent uterine fibroids in an effective and natural way.

A pulmonary embolism can have many symptoms that are associated with other medical conditions like heart disease. However, if you do identify any of these symptoms in yourself or others, contact your nearest medical emergency services as it can be a life-threatening situation. What is a Pulmonary Embolism? A pulmonary embolism is a block in blood vessels associated with your lungs. These blockages can restrict blood supply to the lungs and deplete oxygen levels in the body because the lungs are affected. It can also lead to other complications. Mostly, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots, and a major cause of these blood clots is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Deep Vein Thrombosis DVT is a condition in which a blood clot develops in a vein that is deep in your body and not near the surface. These blood clots commonly begin at the calf muscles or thighs. However, these deep-vein blood clots can also begin somewhere else in the body. Wherever they begin, they can travel through the bloodstream and reach vital organs in your body, like your lungs. When the block occurs in a blood vessel that is connected to the lungs, it is a pulmonary embolism. Some of the most common causes of DVT are as follows: A leg fracture that damages a blood vessel which leads to blood clotting Obesity which can exert pressure on your legs A catheter inserted into a vein Hereditary – Other members of your family, previous generations, have had DVT Smoking Hormone medications Hormone fluctuations like pregnancy Being seated for a long time Some medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and irritable bowel syndrome Surgery can also result in blood clots Pulmonary Embolism Symptoms and Diagnostic Tests A pulmonary embolism is caused by a blockage in the arteries that supply blood to your lungs.

Post nasal drip cough is a common condition among children and adults. This condition can affect the normal functioning of a person’s life by causing sleeplessness and severe exhaustion. With the right diagnosis and early treatment, this condition can be brought under control. What is post nasal drip cough? The glands that line the nose, airways, throat, and the stomach produce mucus every day. Mucus helps keep foreign objects away from the nose and throat by trapping and destroying any bacteria or viruses. It also greases and cleans the passages leading from the nose to the body. Usually, this mucus mixes with the saliva and trickles down the throat, and a person might barely notice it. However, when the body produces more mucus due to an allergy or infection, the mucus begins to thicken. The excess mucus comes out of the nose, and this condition is commonly referred to as a runny nose. Some of the mucus drains at the back of the throat, resulting in a condition known as post nasal drip. A post nasal drip cough occurs due to the thickened mucus blocking the throat. It can affect a person for eight weeks or more if not treated properly. It is important to check with your doctor about the best treatments available. Symptoms and causes of post nasal drip cough A post nasal drip cough can cause severe irritation to the throat and nose. You may constantly experience a feeling of clearing your throat, and this feeling may be accompanied by pain while swallowing, headaches, an ear infection, a sinus infection, a hoarse voice, a scratchy feeling in the throat, a shortness of breath, and, in serious cases, it may even lead to coughing up blood. There are several possible causes for this condition. Some of the causes are flu, allergies, sinus infection, certain types of medications for treating blood pressure and birth control, changing weather, dry or cold air, an object caught in the nose of a child, spicy food, or inhaling smoke or chemical fumes.

Pneumonia symptoms, whether mild or severe, should be immediately examined by a physician. A medical professional will suggest the right tests for diagnosing this disease. One should strictly follow the post-treatment precautions recommended by the doctor. Symptoms of pneumonia The symptoms of pneumonia range from mild to severe. Other factors that affect the signs of this condition are the type of pneumonia, the age of the patient as well as the state of health. Here are some signs of pneumonia: Cough Patients experience incessant coughing. It is accompanied by mucus, which may be green or yellow. There might be traces of blood in the mucus. It is one of the classic symptoms of bronchitis or pneumonia. Fever Another symptom of pneumonia is a fever. It could range from mild to high fever. Chills along with shaking Patients who have pneumonia are likely to feel extremely cold, and they are also likely to shiver or shake with it. Labored breathing You might feel short of breath while climbing a flight of stairs. Sharp pain in the chest Deep breathing or coughing could induce sharp or stabbing chest pain. Headaches There might be headaches which are of different intensities. A high amount of sweating People report sweating and moistness of the skin. Poor appetite Patients have no desire to eat. They also experience reduced energy levels and a lot of fatigue. Confusion Senior citizens may experience a feeling of confusion with other symptoms of pneumonia. Types of pneumonia Bacterial pneumonia In this type of pneumonia, temperatures reach alarming levels of up to 105 degrees. It could be accompanied by an excessive amount of sweating. The intensity of breathing goes up, and so does the pulse rate. Because of a deficiency of oxygen in the blood, the lips, as well as nail beds, might turn blue.

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures. A person is said to have epilepsy if he experiences two or more seizures, a disorder in the electrical communication between neurons in the brain, separated by a period of 24 hours. The consequences of an epileptic seizure can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement to momentary loss of awareness. These can also vary in frequency, from several times in a day to only once in a year. Understanding epilepsy seizure symptoms is the first step in treating this disorder. Types of epileptic seizures and their symptoms Differentiating seizure types is important for causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Epilepsy seizure symptoms are broadly classified into two groups – focal seizures and generalized seizures. Focal seizures are the ones which initially affect only one hemisphere of the brain. There are four lobes in each hemisphere of the brain. The seizure symptoms vary based on where the seizure has occurred. This is further divided into two categories: Focal aware seizure – This affects only a small area of the brain and people experiencing this type of seizure remain conscious. The common symptoms include the following. A sudden feeling of fear, anger, anxiety Falling or moving sensations Altered sense of hearing Strenuous speech or incapable of speaking If asleep, hallucinations or illusions Focal impaired awareness seizure – This is associated with unilateral cerebral hemisphere and results in impairment of awareness. The common symptoms include the following. A feeling of déjà vu, a feeling that a person has lived through the present situation A feeling of euphoria or depersonalization Display of automatisms like, lip smacking or swallowing Generalized seizures – These are typically characterized by no apparent cause. Unlike focal seizures, it affects more or the whole part of the brain. This is further classified into the following types.

Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom or sign of something wrong with the auditory system which includes your ear, the auditory nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain and the parts of the brain that are responsible for processing sounds. There are a variety of conditions that can cause tinnitus out of which the most common is the noise-induced hearing loss. Tinnitus is usually described as a ringing in one or both the ears, but it can also sound as clicking, hissing, roaring or buzzing even when no external sound is present. The sound can be very soft, loud or even high or low pitched. People experiencing severe tinnitus face various problems with hearing, working or sleeping. But before you go to the tinnitus natural cure discussion, let’s talk about the various sounds people hear and the possible underlying causes behind it. Clicking: People hear this type of sound in bursts when the muscle contracts in and around the ear which may last from several seconds to a few minutes. Rushing or humming: This type of sound is usually vascular in origin which you may notice during exercising or changing positions during a workout. Heartbeat: In this case, the sound of your heartbeat gets amplified in your ears if you have blood vessel problems such as high blood pressure, tumor or even the blockage of the ear canals or the eustachian tube. Low-pitched ringing: Meniere’s disease is responsible for producing low-pitched ringing in one or both the ears. Sometimes, these low-pitched sounds become intense during a vertigo attack. High-pitched ringing: Getting exposed to very loud noises or a blow to the ear can cause a high-pitch ringing in the ears that may stay from few hours to a few days. However, hearing loss due to long-term noise exposure or age-related health issues can make tinnitus permanent.

Diverticulitis is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in the case of old people. It’s a treatable condition provided that the patient gets early and appropriate intervention. What is diverticulitis? It is a condition where there is an inflammation or infection in the diverticula or small pouches that develop in the lining of the intestine. According to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy more than 50% of people above 60, and nearly everyone over the age of 80 has diverticula in their intestines. These pouches may not pose a health risk provided that they don’t get inflamed or infected. Uncomplicated diverticulitis If diverticulitis does develop, it may be a minor irritant, and one can treat it with a course of antibiotics. In more than 75% of cases, there are no severe complications, and a routine CT scan can confirm the diagnosis. About one-third of the total patients experience a recurrence of symptoms, and in younger patients, intervention and testing procedures are necessary. Serious cases Sometimes, the condition can become chronic, and surgery may be required. In about one-fourth of the cases, patients develop complicated diverticulitis with the formation of abscesses, fissures, obstruction, fistula, and obstruction of the bowel. Perforation of the bowel is a major complication because the patient faces the risk of developing peritonitis. Causes Though the direct causes are not known, some factors do seem significant. Age affects the elasticity and strength of the intestine walls. Patients find it difficult to pass stools, and there is more strain on the colon which results in the formation of diverticula. Undigested food collects in these pouches, causing inflammation and infection. This condition is quite common among people who are over the age of 80. Lack of exercise, smoking, obesity, and eating a fiber-deficient diet could be some of the causes.

There are various ways to resolve neuropathy foot pain including medication and several therapies, but it is important to identify the underlying cause first. It occurs when there is damage to any of the peripheral nerves. Symptoms of Neuropathy foot pain Neuropathy foot pain is a result of some affected nerve of the peripheral system. The type of nerves that are involved include: Sensory nerves Sensations such as pain, temperature, touch, vibration through the skin are picked up by the sensory nerves. Motor Nerves The movement of the muscles is regulated by these nerves. Autonomic Nerves The heart rate, blood pressure, bladder, and digestion are controlled by the autonomic nerves. The signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are as follows: Numbness or tingling A feeling of numbness or tingling that starts at your hands/feet and radiates to your arms and legs. Pain A feeling of sharp, burning, throbbing or freezing pain. Sensitivity You become extremely sensitive to light touch. Coordination Problems with balance occur as a result of poor coordination and sometimes you could fall. Muscle weakness If there is an impact on the motor nerves, there could be a resultant weakness of muscles or paralysis. Heat intolerance This occurs if there is an effect on the autonomic nerves. The sweating pattern is altered. Digestive problems Another side effect of the autonomic nerves that are affected is digestion problems. Bowel and bladder problems also arise. Dizziness Affected autonomic nerves are also responsible for dizziness along with changes in blood pressure. When only one nerve is affected due to peripheral neuropathy, it is referred to as mononeuropathy. When there are multiple nerves involved, it is known as polyneuropathy. Causes of Neuropathy in feet Neuropathy in feet can occur due to the presence of multiple diseases. The reasons for neuropathies are: Alcoholism There are vitamin deficiencies due to poor choice of diet in the cases of people suffering from alcoholism.