All about oxygen therapies you need to know Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) is the colloquial name given to a group of progressive lung diseases that obstruct air flow, thus making it difficult for the patient to breathe normally. The most prevalent ones are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Although there are cases where the patient has just one of the two, a lot of people tend to have both; one is a symptom of the other or vice versa. The biggest cause of COPD is smoking. It gradually destroys the air sacs in the lungs which interfere with outward flow of air; this makes exhaling difficult. Presently, there is no known remedy or cure for COPD. COPD oxygen therapy, along with other medication is the usual go-to treatment prescribed by doctors and health professionals to ease symptoms and lower the chances of the patient developing severe complications down the line. There are three types of COPD oxygen therapy that a patient can opt for. Here is a detailed rundown of all of them along with their pros and cons: Compressed Oxygen Gas Cylinders The way of using compressed oxygen gas in pressurized cylinders which are made up of aluminum is the traditional way of dispensing oxygen to the patient.

Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of deep vein thrombosis DVT stands for deep vein thrombosis in which a blood clot form (clump of blood in a solid state) in an artery or vein situated deep inside your body. This is a serious condition. Though DVT can form all over of your body, most often it occurs in your thigh or pelvis. DVT is serious and needed to have timely treatment for deep vein thrombosis otherwise it may lead to severe medical condition. Who are at risk? Having history of a heart attack or stroke are also more likely to have clots in comparison of the people having no history of cardiovascular problems. Being overweight means fatty tissues lift up the levels of estrogen, and it can contribute to form blood clots. Pregnant women are also at risk of having blood clot, and this is one of prominent cause of maternal death. People who do smoking and indulge in drug use. Those over 60 are more likely to have DVT. If you hold a family history, you need to be a bit more aware. Sitting at a chair all day and avoiding exercise can also lead to DVT. What are the symptoms of DVT?

Causes of chronic leg pain and how to get rid of them Everyone suffers from leg pain at least once in their life. This kind of pain is very common and does not stay for a longer period of time. Chronic leg pain is the kind of pain which is extremely hurting and almost unbearable. It may result from lack of rest after physical activity, wear and tear of muscle, fracture, and problem in tendons or other internal reasons. People who take part in vigorous physical activity are more likely to suffer from chronic leg pain. Other reasons may include swelling, inflammation, nerve pull, etc. The leg pain can be felt in various parts of the leg like the calf muscles, knee, behind the knee, foot, toes, and ankles. In severe cases, it might also cause you to throw up which may result in weakness and numbness along with a tingling sensation. Sore muscles might also be the reason behind such terrible pain. Leg pain does occur, and it is not a serious problem unless someone is experiencing it without any apparent reason, and in case it is persistent, you should rush to a doctor or consider going for physiotherapy for chronic leg pain – treatment.

Available treatments for chronic pain The medical language defines chronic pain as the pain that persists in a person for 3 to 6 months or more caused by an injury. The International Association for the study of pain classifies chronic pain as pain without biological value, continued even after the normal tissue healing. In other words, the pain that seems to last much longer than expected can be characterized as chronic pain syndrome. This sort of torment can affect the quality of the person’s life alongside causing mental disturbance. The pain sensation begins as the nervous system sends signals to the area injured triggering the pain sensors alerting that you have been hurt. Usually these messages sent out by the brain comes to a stop when the injury has been completely healed but in case of chronic pain the brain still sends such messages even though the wound has completely healed. Chronic pain has no fixed point of origin. Most common points of origin could be brain, spinal cord or the body. Various medications are prescribed, based on the reasons for generating the pain whether it was a damaged tissue or entirely neuropathic. People suffering from this condition are generally vulnerable to depression, anxiety, disrupted sleep, fatigue or mood swings.

Causes, prevention, and treatment options for congestive heart failure Most of us think that heart failure means if the heart has stopped working. However, it is not like that. Heart failure indicates that heart’s pumping power is weaker and not able to work as it should be. With heart failure, blood does not smoothly, and it leads to pressure on your heart. Moreover, blood moves at a slower rate because of this pressure on heart gets increased. Heart failure has emerged as the leading cause of hospitalization. According to the study, approximately 670,000 are diagnosed with heart failure each year. Heart failure is the medical term used to explain the condition. Causes of congestive heart failure It is important to go for annual checkups to mitigate the risk for heart health problems. Patients having hypertension are at risk as blood pressure remains higher as well as fat/cholesterol restrict the blood vessels. Coronary artery disease is also responsible for leading to CHF. Coronary arteries are the small arteries which supply blood to the heart. Cholesterol and other types of fatty substances can make this artery blocked. Once they become narrow, blood flow does not remain smooth. It can even lead to artery damage.

Understanding constipation in detail A person is constipated when the digesting food moves slowly via any part of the digestive system. Often, the slowing down takes place in the colon. It’s not a disease in itself but is seen as a symptom of gastrointestinal issue that 42 million people in the United States are affected by, comprising 15% of the entire population as per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Bowel movements in an individual changes as a person grows older. Constipation is a digestive issue that takes place due to irregular bowel movements in a person (less than three bowel movements in a week). At this point, stools tend to be hardened and cause a lot of discomfort to be passed. Symptoms to be on the lookout for Some individuals are constipated for a short time, while, in some people, this problem continues causing a lot of pain, distress, discomfort, and dissatisfaction. The person who has been constipated for a while can face complications such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, fecal impaction and rectal prolapse. The symptoms that one should be on the lookout for, when constipated are: Feeling uneasy in the lower section of the abdomen Feeling dissatisfied on the incomplete emptying Straining to pass stools Belly bloating Hardened small stools Distressed psychologically Obsessed and overstressed about bowel movements Alternately being affected by diarrhea.

Tips to get good cholesterol and prevent bad cholesterol Cholesterol is produced by the liver, which enters the bloodstream. Liver produces 75% of the cholesterol, while food generates the remaining 25%. High levels of cholesterol in the blood are harmful to the heart but the right levels of cholesterol play an important role in maintaining the cell membranes and in maintaining the hormone levels.  High levels of cholesterol cause many health issues but it is difficult to diagnose the high levels of cholesterol as it does not show any symptoms. Too much of cholesterol levels in the blood can cause hardening of arteries which can restrict the flow of blood. This can cause a heart attack or sometimes lead to a stroke which is fatal.  Earlier the presence of high levels of cholesterol is a problem faced by old people but the changing food habits have made this common in young people. So it is better for everyone above the age of 15 to have the cholesterol levels checked. Cholesterol levels are checked by taking a blood sample which has the following three tests: Cholesterol can be classified as High-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol), and triglycerides. HDL is usually referred to as good cholesterol and LDL is referred as bad cholesterol.

Understanding cholesterol levels Blood cholesterol test is a very common test to assess the risk of heart attack. The doctor measures the levels of good and bad cholesterol in your blood to arrive at a conclusion about your risk for heart attack. But how does the doctor arrive at a conclusion? What does he check? Which parameter is the best indicator of risk of heart diseases? These are some of the questions that even doctors have deliberated at times. Until recently, total cholesterol used to be a significant indicator of a heart condition. But nowadays, doctors are depending more on non-HDL cholesterol level and cholesterol ratios to predict the risk of heart disease. In fact, both cholesterol HDL LDL level and cholesterol ratio are now known to be better indicators of risk of heart disease than just total cholesterol or total LDL. Who should get a cholesterol check? It is universally accepted that people below 40 should get a cholesterol check at least every five years, if not more frequently. It is known as lipoprotein profile. This includes cholesterol HDL LDL level, amount of low-density lipoprotein, amount of high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides. What are the optimal parameters of blood cholesterol?

Cataract – Is surgery the best option? Cataract is not a new term for us. It is one of the common signs of aging. Mostly, cataract is diagnosed in people over fifty years of age. As per the research studies, cataract is one of the common reasons for loss of vision among the people. It is expected that over 30 million people in the country approximately will have a cataract by the year 2020. It is a major cause of blindness in the world. However, if you have been diagnosed with cataract, don’t worry. There are different treatment options available for cataract. And when prescription glasses fail to work, you can opt for cataract surgery. This article intends to create awareness about the different treatment options available for cataract so that you can easily decide whether cataract surgery is right for you or not. What is cataract? Although the name sounds common, many individuals might be ignorant about the symptoms and treatment of cataracts. Before knowing the treatment options for cataract, it’s important to know what exactly its symptoms are. The natural lens in our eyes helps us in our vision. Cataract is nothing but the clouding of the lens in the eyes as a sign of aging.

Effective and easy tips to control blood glucose levels Improper blood glucose levels pose various problems to health. It is essential to have them within permissible limits for continued proper functioning and for the welfare of the body. Altered blood glucose levels are treated with medicines like insulin, treatment through herbal supplements and so on. Maintaining a healthy and disciplined lifestyle is like an investment in huge stocks for a bigger profit. It curtails medical expenses to a greater extent in the later stages of life. Check the following for blood glucose control tips, which can save your money, efforts and the most important, your life. Here are some tips to control the blood glucose levels: Increase Fiber Intake Fibers have been proven in studies to have reduced the content of glucose in the blood. Studies have also highlighted the fact that soluble dietary fibers bring about blood glucose level reduction making it an ideal candidate for health enhancement. Soluble fiber is found in oats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Therefore, it is important that we consume fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. Drink Water Water is a universal solvent. It dilutes the body, the impurities or concentrations of certain compounds that get excreted from blood to prevent any osmotic pressure to cells.

7 warning signs of breast cancer that you should know In spite of repeated attempts to educate women about breast cancer and how to spot it early on, thousands of women around the world are diagnosed with this disease every month. While many women claim ignorance on their part as the main reason for the same, others indicate that they do not know how to notice breast cancer symptoms in the initial stages. This is where we come into the picture. We have scoured through hundreds of websites to bring to you the warning signs of breast cancer so that you can get treated for it successfully. Here are some of those signs you need to look out for. Appearance of lumps If you doubt a person to be suffering from breast cancer, the first sign, and probably one of the most common ones that should ring a bell in your mind is the visibility of lumps. You may start to notice a small, hardened lump under the skin of your breast. Some of these lumps may be rounded and soft while others may be irregular shaped and hard. Some may be painless, but others may pain a lot. So if you notice a strange looking lump on your breast, which you definitely knew did not exist before, get it checked out by a healthcare professional immediately as it would be a breast cancer symptom.