Health

Acid reflux is a condition where the acid in the stomach gets back to the esophagus. When this occurs, the affected person will experience “burning” sensation in the chest region hence its common name “heartburn”. The condition occurs to everyone occasionally therefore, there is no cause for alarm since there are various methods of heartburn management.  The backflow of food and acids into the esophagus occurs when the muscles in the lower esophagus are not functioning properly. Certain medications and foods are known to trigger the...

A headache is one of the most common types of health symptoms experienced by almost everyone at some point in their lives. On average, most headaches are not very serious and can easily be treated by resting, drinking water, or taking painkillers. Some people tend to worry unnecessarily when a headache seems more severe or frequent than usual. The most common assumption of a serious headache is that it is a symptom of a brain tumour but this is rarely the case. However, if...

WHAT IS SYPHILIS It is a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It can present itself in several clinical manifestations and different stages. This disease is a silent evil. After the initial infection, the bacteria can remain in the person’s body for decades before becoming an apparent problem. THE STAGES AND SYMPTOMS OF SYPHILIS Syphilis develops at different stages and symptoms vary as the disease progresses. Generally, the disease evolves in the following stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. The symptoms of...

Genital herpes is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in North America. Despite its prevalence, most people are unaware of their status. In a majority of cases, genital herpes does not present itself with any noticeable symptoms. This means that one could contract the infection and pass the virus on to others unwittingly. Even when people exhibit signs and symptoms, these may resemble various other conditions. Without proper testing, it is impossible to ascertain whether you have genital herpes. Hence, if you...

Available under the brand name Valtrex, valacyclovir is an antiviral drug prescribed for the treatment of various viral infections in adults. Common viral infections include cold sores, shingles (herpes zoster), and herpes simplex (genital herpes). Valtrex herpes medication is additionally prescribed to children with chickenpox—from the same virus that results in shingles—and cold sores. In a patient’s system, Valtrex functions similar to the antiviral herpes medication acyclovir. Even though valacyclovir (Valtrex) cannot eliminate genital herpes or shingles completely, it offers patients pain relief and...

Most higher education institutions make it mandatory for students to get a meningitis shot prior to settling into their dorm. The reason behind this mandate is quite reasonable. Meningococcal disease is capable of taking a turn for the worst rapidly and even becoming fatal. Most importantly, adolescents run a higher risk of catching it. As a matter of fact, meningococcal disease is the primary reason a majority of teens develop bacterial meningitis. Meningitis refers to a serious inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Currently,...

Meningitis is a condition that inflames the tissues (meninges) enveloping the brain and spinal cord. The inflammation that results from meningitis causes symptoms such as fevers, headaches, and sore neck. A majority of meningitis cases reported in the United States are a result of a viral infection. However, meningitis causes may also include bacterial or fungal infections. Some people with meningitis get over the condition with medical intervention over the course of a few weeks. That said, meningitis can become deadly and require urgent treatment with antibiotics. If...

If you find yourself experiencing uncomfortable symptoms after eating a specific food, then you might be dealing with a food allergy. Foods can trigger immune-system reactions that involve the respiratory tract, the digestive tract, and the skin. Particularly severe cases of food allergies can even involve the cardiovascular system. Between approximately 6 and 8% of children are believed to have food allergies. For adults, the figure is lower, around 3% or less. Many kids’ food allergies seemingly fade away as they mature, but close...

Gluten-free foods are swarming the shelves at the grocery store, but they aren’t all as good for you as you think. You still have to considered calorie, sugar, carbohydrate, and sodium content when looking for gluten-free options that are truly healthy for your body. These gluten-free foods are completely safe for those on gluten-free diets, and they’re also lower in sugar or calories than many of the other options on the market. 1. Erewhon If you love cereal but need to avoid gluten, it can...

Neck pain can be a simple, uninhibiting issue with few repercussions once the pain has been managed. Likewise, feeling dizzy can be a result of simply standing up too fast. Neither neck pain or dizziness have to be a big deal, but the two combined can be a sign of a more complex issue. Here is how to know if you should worry about neck pain and dizziness. Cervicogenic Dizziness Dizziness, or vertigo, is a sensation of spinning or lightheadedness; you may feel as...

Neck pain is extremely common, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to live with. Neck pain can be chronic, occasional, or—for a lucky few—once in a blue moon. Frequency often depends on the cause of your neck pain and choosing appropriate treatment options. Here is a look at some common factors that may be causing your neck pain. Stress The world around you can have a major impact on your body. Stress can not only raise your blood pressure and cause cognitive difficulties, but...

The bones, ligaments, and muscles that compose your neck all work together to support your head and allow for full range of motion. If you develop any abnormalities or inflammation in any of these intricate members of the neck, it can result in stiffness or pain. It is common to experience neck pain on occasion as a result of poor posture, overuse. Less common contributing factors include injury from a fall, some sports, or whiplash. Usually, neck pain will resolve itself within a few days and...

Neck pain can occur from something as simple as sleeping at an abnormal angle to something as intense as a traumatic car accident. No matter what the cause, it can seriously interfere with the simplest activities—like turning your head. Also, when your neck feels out of place, the muscles all down your back may try to make up for it by pulling on different muscles and causing pain all the way down the spine. The sooner you get it treated, the better off your...

Neck pain can hinder your daily routine. It may be brought on by stress, poor posture, abnormal sleeping positions, or accidents resulting in trauma. While some neck pain might require medical attention, some can be relieved by doing a few simple movements to strengthen, stretch, and relax the neck muscles. Here are some exercises to help provide relief for neck pain. All at the Top For tightness or stiffness in the neck, a few neck rolls can do wonders. Sit straight in your chair...

When such a variety of issues cause neck pain and nerve damage, it’s important to be sure what you’ve been assuming is a pinched nerve really is a pinched nerve. While rest can be just the thing to get a pinched nerve back to normal, some conditions need more medical attention than that. Here are a few indications that can help you figure out what’s going on in your neck, and if it really is just a pinched nerve. What is a Pinched Nerve?...

 Chronic neck pain is the result of a variety of issues, from trauma to arthritis to stress. With so many different causes, managing these issues requires a good understanding of what causes it. These causes can often vary depending on specific symptoms and other seemingly unrelated chronic concerns. Furthermore, the longer chronic neck pain continues, the harder it generally is to treat. Development of Chronic Neck Pain Neck pain does not appear in the same way for everyone. It may begin slowly and gradually...

Neck pain is caused by any damage, temporary or permanent, that is done to the muscle, bones, or ligaments in your neck. Treatment can range from simple remedies to surgical procedures. The origins and type of pain you are experiencing will determine the kind of treatment that will work best for you. Acute Neck Pain When you are experiencing neck pain for just a short period of time due to minor injury or increased stress on your neck, it will usually be able to resolve itself within...

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in the hand and wrist that is usually caused by a pinched nerve. This nerve, starting in the hand and going through the wrist area, is called the median nerve. Pressure on the nerve can cause tingling, numbness, and weakness. It can be brought on by a variety of causes. The following information discusses how carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed, tests and procedures used to determine a diagnoses, and treatment options that are currently available. How is carpal...

As we go through life, our hands are used for many different tasks. Whether it’s typing on a computer keyboard, working on a production line in a factory, or participating in sports, our hands are put to the test daily. However, if they are put through the rigors long enough, problems can result. One of the most common health problems associated with our hands is carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition in which nerves in our wrists get compressed and don’t allow the hand to...

According to the New York Times, approximately 2% of men and 3% of women will be treated for carpal tunnel syndrome at some point in their lives. Additionally, many more suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and go undiagnosed and untreated. Learn more about carpal tunnel syndrome and its various treatment options to avoid becoming one of the latter cases. What is carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is a medical condition that affects you when the median nerve of your hand becomes squeezed or...

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition that can make using the hands and wrists very difficult. Most of the factors that make carpal tunnel syndrome likely to appear affect the wrist, tendons, and nerves in the body. Several activities and conditions are considered risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome. Previous Injuries Previous injuries to the hand, wrist, or arm can increase your chances of carpal tunnel syndrome. This is mainly because a previous injury, such as a fracture or broken bone, could heal...

Tennis elbow is an injury that is caused by repetitive stress to the muscles and tendons in the forearm. Fortunately, although painful, the injury should heal on its own with time. However, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. Here is a look at a few common ways to treat tennis elbow.  Prevention You can take preventive measures to reduce your chance of tennis elbow before it occurs. The main way to prevent tennis elbow is to avoid overuse...

Tennis elbow, also known as tendonitis, is a condition caused by the swelling of the tendons of the elbow. Inflammation of these tendons is often due to overuse of the muscles in the forearm. This injury usually develops gradually and because of repetitive motion—such as the swinging of a tennis racket.  Knowing the symptoms of tennis elbow will help you be able to decide when and if to see a doctor. Pain In the majority of cases, pain begins and slowly gets worse around the outside...

Tennis elbow, also called tendonitis, is a condition that occurs from continuous stress or overuse of the muscles and tendons in the forearm. Pain is often felt on the outside of the elbow. Here is a look at everything you need to know about this common injury, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatments.    Symptoms The most common symptom of tennis elbow is pain and tenderness felt on the outside of the elbow. The injured tendons are connected to this area, which is why it often hurts....

Tennis elbow is a common condition characterized by pain in or around the elbow. Overuse of the lower arm causes stress in the arm structure, leading to inflammation. Although treatment is scarce, by practicing good self care it is possible to relieve the symptoms of tennis elbow given time. Gaining an understanding of tennis elbow will help improve your ability to provide adequate treatment. Here are nine terms you should know regarding tennis elbow and arm structure. Golfer’s elbow Golfer’s elbow is a condition...

Shoes that are constricting, uncomfortable, or ill-fitting can be a huge contributor to foot pain. To make sure that you aren’t making some common mistakes when it comes to shoe selection, here are a few tips to keep in mind that can prevent future foot pain. “Beauty is Pain” If you are experiencing foot pain, wearing high heels should be avoided at all costs. Though wedge heels are better than pointy stilettos, all shoes with a heel shift all of your weight to the front...

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 75% of Americans will experience foot pain at some point in their lives. This can include any pain or discomfort in the toes, heels, arches, soles, or other parts of the foot. This kind of pain usually is a result of a variety of problems that could be present in different parts of the foot, such as bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, fascia, toenail beds, nerves, blood vessels, or skin. There are different causes for different...

Foot pain may impact any part of your foot, from the Achilles tendon on your heel, all the way to your toes. Often, foot pain is a minor annoyance. At other times it can be more serious, particularly if it is due to chronic conditions or the result of an injury. Pain which is minor usually responds quite well to foot pain treatment at home. Pain of the more severe type may require appropriate foot pain treatment from a doctor. Most pain of the...

Foot Pain Information Foot pain can be a very troublesome condition which limits our daily activities. It can also be very slow to heal because we normally are on our feet every day. The pain itself can be located anywhere in the foot, including the toes, heel, instep, arch, sole, or ankles. The diagnosis of the foot pain will lead a medical professional into giving advice on treatment for the condition so that it has the best chance of healing properly. One common cause...

Foot Pain Information Foot pain can prevent us from enjoying some of life’s most fun activities. Luckily, quite a number of foot conditions can be treated with a good prognosis. The causes of foot pain can be as varied as the individual who is suffering from it, and the prognosis depends upon the cause and how advanced the case is. In many cases, the main cause is arthritis, particularly with older individuals. Arthritis can cause inflammation of cartilage in the feet and in the...

Up to 80% of Americans will experience back pain at least once in their lifetime, and there are more than 3 million cases of back pain each year in the United States alone. Back pain is not a condition in itself, but rather, it’s a symptom that can point to many different problems, ranging from a strained muscle to kidney trouble. Even though it can be painful to experience, it will go away without requiring surgery or other back pain treatment options in over 90% of cases....

Lower back pain, also called lumbago, is a very common condition that affects more than 3 million people in the U.S. every year. It usually affects the lower portion of the spine and can be very painful. Causes Severe lower back pain is usually caused by an injury to a ligament or a muscle. Injuries to muscles are referred to as strains, and these are the most common causes of acute back pain. Injuries to ligaments are referred to as sprains, and these can also contribute to...

If back pain comes on suddenly and lasts less than six weeks, it is classified as acute back pain and usually does not require extensive treatment to improve. However, if your back pain lasts more than three months, it is classified as chronic back pain. This is much less common than acute back pain and can potentially be more difficult to diagnose as well. Back pain is usually a symptom that is an indicator of another problem. Here is a look at some of...

Back Pain: Is It a Pinched Nerve? Back pain can seriously interfere with everyday life by inhibiting movement. If you aren’t a veteran of spinal issues, you may assume you’ve just a pinched a nerve and that things will return to normal in a few days. While that’s possible, it’s important to be careful and be sure it’s a pinched nerve rather than something more serious. Here’s a look at how to tell if you’re dealing with a pinched nerve in your back.  ...

It is estimated that up to 80% of all American adults will experience some form of back pain at least once in their lifetime. Back pain is not a condition in itself; rather, it is a symptom that can point to many different conditions that range in severity. Most cases of back pain are not cause for great concern, as they will usually correct themselves within a week or two. However, sometimes back pain is caused by much more serious conditions that require medical attention as soon...

Generally, over-the-counter pain relievers, using heat and ice, and stretches are all your need to cure minor back pains. It is usually best to try to continue your normal activities as much as possible, but make sure to stop any activity that increases the pain. After a few weeks, if these methods aren’t working to improve the pain, your doctor might recommend some other treatment options for you to try. Medications Different types of medications are recommended depending on the causes of your back pain. Severe back...

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a neurological sickness that includes an insurgent series at the level of the central nervous system. The illness determines dysfunctions of the body’s nervous cells, due to devastating of myelin, a sheath that surrounds the neurons. Myelin is necessary for the appropriate activity of the nervous system, as it aids the transmission of knowledge between neurons. When the nervous cells myelin-containing membrane is interfered, the innervated tissues of the entire human body can be dangerously affected. Due to demolition of...

Multiple Sclerosis is a devastating autoimmune disease where your body’s own immune system attacks nerves in your brain and spinal cord. The name comes from the scarring or sclerosis that appears in your brain tissue. Millions are affected by this disease, and there is no cure at the present time. Unfortunately, there is no clear way to diagnose the disease, though there are many tests that are used to show that MS is potentially present in the body. The first method that’s used is...

Many researchers know what occurs when MS advances in a person, they have yet to understand any combos of multiple sclerosis causes. There are lots of things which are thought to be a major factor; however, muiltple researchers still have a tenuous ways to go in to finding an  actual cause for MS that will allow them to prevent the disease in the first place. Much is known about MS, doctors know that it is an auto- immune disease; this means that the immune...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disease that keeps the brain from communicating properly with the body. Myelin, the protective encasement around nerve fibers gets destroyed by the body’s own immune system—and eventually the actual nerves can be destroyed as well. MS can be disabling, causing numbness, vision loss, pain, and dizziness. However, because the information from the nerves doesn’t get sent to the brain like it’s supposed to, it can make it difficult or impossible to walk, talk, coordinate movement, and...

One of the first things to do when diagnosed is to talk with your doctor about MS treatment. Ultimately, the decision to start treatment early and stay on treatment rests with you. To be sure you and your doctor choose the right treatment for you, there are some key factors to keep in mind. The Goals For MS Treatment The goal of any treatment for multiple sclerosis is to postpone or hold off on disability from a long-term aspect or standpoint. After analyzing MS...

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects the nervous system. This condition is caused by the immune system attacking a vital component of the brain known as myelin. The myelin helps to convey signals between the neurons. Damage to the myelin causes impairment of the part of the brain involved. This results in a variety of symptoms, depending on the specific area of the brain that is involved. Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease, and there is no known cure for it. Symptoms of...

Abdominal pain is a very broad term that can describe a symptom of many different conditions. Most causes of abdominal pain aren’t serious (indigestion or menstrual cramps), but other conditions may require medical attention. Therefore, it is important to be able to determine when your abdominal pain might be due to something more serious. The most common causes for abdominal pain are generally not something that medical attention will be able to help. These include: indigestion, constipation, stomach flu, menstrual cramps, food poisoning, food...

Nausea (known informally as stomach pain) is a non-specific symptom that can be caused by a number of very different conditions. The exact treatment for nausea will vary depending on which specific condition is causing your symptoms. Nausea Caused by Morning Sickness Even though treatment for morning sickness-related stomach pain isn’t usually necessary, since it’s a normal part of pregnancy, there are some things you can do if your symptoms are interfering with everyday life. Some common treatments for morning sickness include vitamin B-6 supplements, antihistamines, or...

Nausea, sometimes referred to as stomach pain, and vomiting are not a disease or disorder within themselves; rather, they are non-specific symptoms that can be caused by a myriad of other conditions, ranging from motion sickness to depression. Knowing exactly what is causing your stomach pain can help you and your doctor figure out how best to treat it. Though there are hundreds of possible causes for nausea, here are some of the most common causes for this symptom. Abdominal Conditions There are many conditions related to...

Nausea, or stomach pain, is a common symptom for a variety of conditions and is defined as a feeling of sickness with an inclination to vomit. Often, nausea and vomiting will occur together, but they can occur separately as well. Nausea is not a disease in itself, but rather a non-specific symptom that can be caused by a number of things. Causes of Nausea There are over 700 possible causes for nausea. The most common causes include: Morning sickness: Stomach pain is an early symptom that occurs in...

While the human digestive tract is full of countless dead bacterium cells known as salmonella, ingesting even a miniscule amount of live salmonella can lead to a very serious illness. Not only can this infection become extremely uncomfortable, but patients who have a weakened immune system could be looking at serious medical complications if the situation goes untreated. This is why it is so important to understand the symptoms of salmonella poisoning in order to treat this issue as quickly as possible. Sources Many...

Staphylococcus bacteria is a type of bacteria that causes staph infections. Staph infections can appear in many different forms and varying degrees of severity. Most of the time, this bacteria causes very minor skin infections or no problems at all. However, staph infections can easily turn deadly if the bacteria enter your bloodstream, bones, joints, lungs, or heart. Staph Infection Causes Staph infections are caused by the staphylococcus bacteria, but many people carry this bacterium without ever developing a staph infection. However, these bacteria...

Probiotics are live cultures of bacteria that work to maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. Probiotics are found in certain foods, but can also be taken as over-the-counter concentrated supplements. There are several different strains and types of probiotics, with different health benefits as well. Here are some of the most common. Lactobacillus This is the most common type of probiotic strain, with over 50 different species. Lactobacilli are naturally found in the digestive, urinary, and genital systems in...

If you’re lactose intolerant, you know that it can be difficult to find foods that don’t contain lactose but still taste great and are nutritional. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives for most dairy products out there. Here are five to try if you’re looking to diversify your diet.  Milk Alternatives The National Academy of Sciences recommends that you should be getting at least 1,000 mg of calcium every day, but this can be difficult to accomplish if you are lactose intolerant. Unfortunately, other milk...