hot topics

How to tackle excessive sweating

How to tackle excessive sweating

All human beings sweat to varying degrees. As matter of fact sweating is a means for the body to cool down. The perspiration evaporates and in doing so it cools the body. The drier and the hotter the atmosphere, the more effective is the cooling effect of perspiration. That is why one doesn’t not sweat a lot or feel the need to sweat in very hot and dry weather. However, there are some unfortunate souls who drip sweat or even soak their clothes wet with their sweat. Some sweat under their arms, some drip sweat from their palms and end up soaking the paper on which they keep their hand to write. There are yet others who soak their socks wet, leading to smelly feet as well. In fact, some 3% of Americans are said to suffer from this condition which is called hyperhidrosis in medical terminology. These types of excessive sweating in localised sweating is called Focal or Primary hyperhidrosis. This type of excessive sweating is Idiopathic and there is no known reason as to why someone sweats excessively in specific places. Since there are no discernible causes for this excessive sweating, it is more of a social problem and cause of embarrassment rather than a medical issue.
How to reduce back pain

How to reduce back pain

Back pain can build up slowly or come on abruptly. Either way, it can hamper your day to day activities and worsen if not addressed in time with lower back pain treatment. Back pain can be triggered by a number of conditions including bad posture, musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis, injuries and lifting weights inappropriately. Here are a few tips to give you back pain relief. Hot and cold therapy: A cold compress can help give back pain relief especially in cases of lower back pain. Cold therapy helps numb the back and reduces internal tissue temperature and tissue metabolic rate. This helps prevent swelling caused by fluid accumulation. Ice packs can be alternated with hot packs and should ideally not be applied for over 15 minutes at a stretch. Heat stimulates blood flow to the pained area and helps it heal faster. Stretch: Most of our day is spent sitting at a desk. This can lead to a bad posture and cause upper and lower back pain. Get up every half an hour and walk around to stretch your muscles. Arch your back to flex the back muscles and try rotating your head to stretch the neck muscles. Yoga stretching exercises can be very effective in providing back pain relief.
How to reduce neck pain while sleeping

How to reduce neck pain while sleeping

In most cases, we have woken up with a pain in the neck area. According to some scientific studies, at any given time, approximately 13 % of all Americans suffer from neck pain. More women than men suffer from pain in the neck area. Neck pain often arises due to the inflammation of the muscles, tendons and ligaments in and around the cervical spine area. Muscle strain leading to muscle spasm occurs because of spinal stenosis, arthritis or disc degeneration. Muscle spasm can also be triggered by trauma such as one inflicted from a heavy blow. Fortunately, there are several methods by which you can treat your neck pain. Buy the right pillow: In many cases, your neck pain can be cured by just having the right pillow that adjusts itself according to the shape of your spine. It should be soft and firm.In absence of the right pillows for neck pain, the fine tissues, tendons and ligaments will continue to be compressed by your sleep patterns. This will lead to greater complications in future. Do not buy a pillow that is too high or low. A pillow that is too flat puts too much pressure on your neck. Sleep on your back:
How to release stress in the upper back and neck

How to release stress in the upper back and neck

Pain and discomfort in the upper back and neck area can figuratively stop us in our tracks. Unless we do something about this, we will not be able to do anything worthwhile. There are many reasons behind this pain and discomfort but very often, the basic cause is how we stand, work and sit. Sometimes, the pain can be caused by extraneous reasons. What happens during the upper back and neck pain is this, the muscles become tensed up abnormally. Unless this tension is removed through one of the various ways, we will continue to experience discomfort. This may lead to loss of locomotion along with other complications. Let us understand the various forms of upper back neck treatment. Apply a cold compress: Wrap up some ice in a bag, soda can or a towel and apply the bundle on your affected part. You should get relief in a matter of minutes. Having over the counter medication: Drugs such as Naprosyn provide instant relief in case of upper back and neck pain. Take this drug only if you are able to tolerate non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medicines. Please consult your doctor before you pop up this pill. Walking upright: You can lessen your upper back and neck pain by walking upright.
How to identify Lupus

How to identify Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. When the immune system becomes hyperactive the immune system starts attacking body parts itself causing inflammation and destruction of tissue. Autoimmune diseases are characterised by periodic flare ups and remissions. What is usually called lupus is medically known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. As the name indicates it can affect any of the body systems and organs in them and it is the most virulent of all. Lupus affects each person in a unique way. Luckily all symptoms are not manifested by every patient; while some gets certain symptoms, the others end up getting the rest. Lupus starts innocuously, in the age group of 18 to 30 years, and looks like a myriad of common diseases. It is important to identify it at the earliest as it is easy to manage and control it. The prognosis improves vastly and one can expect to live an active life to the full span. An important and early feature is spells of fatigue which flares up and remits periodically. If one experiences, frequently, such spells of fatigue one should contact his doctor and the appropriate treatment sought. It has a low-grade fever of 98.5 to 101 degree F which frequently comes and goes with no discernible cause.
How to help control your seasonal allergies

How to help control your seasonal allergies

If you are one of those 36 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergy problems like a runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion, then this article is a must-read for you. Most probably, you are suffering from typical fall allergy symptoms. These signs may slow you down and stop you from leading a normal life. While there no spectacular treatments of allergy, you may consider some of these tips to control your illness. Identify your allergy triggers Many seasonal allergies can be traced to two organisms- ragweed and molds. Ragweed is a stubborn weed and grows in several settings- along the highways, streets, in vacant plots and within the fields. Just one plant of ragweed can produce up to a billion pollen seeds that can travel as much as 400 miles. Molds on the other hand, grow in heavy vegetation and prosper after rainy season. It is difficult to predict how bad your allergy can turn over a period. However, you can still figure out the severity of your seasonal allergy. For example, molds grow very rapidly during and after rains. So, if you are living in an area that witnesses flooding or heavy rains after summers, then you should brace yourself for mold induced allergy.
How to identify Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms

How to identify Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms

If you are suffering from a number of digestive issues on a regular basis, don’t take these symptoms lightly. Chances are you might be suffering from IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Generally, these symptoms last for three to six months when IBS is diagnosed. At this stage, proper and immediate medical attention is advisable, so as to curb the issues before they start creating problems for you in the long run. S ome of the most common symptoms of IBS you can identity for yourselves are as follows. Changes in your diet, you might be feeling easily full or must have lost your appetite. This is one of the top signs of digestive problems. Nausea, heartburn and acid reflex. After having something to eat, you will feel a burning sensation all the way down to your stomach. You might also feel nauseated by just at the sight or smell of certain foods. Frequent abdominal pains, aches, and cramps which are caused due to improper digestion. These are symptoms which cannot be cured by just taking a few sips of antacids hoping the uneasiness would go away in a couple of hours. Stomach bloating is one of the major signs of digestive problems, along with frequent burping and gas.
Learn how to manage fibromyalgia

Learn how to manage fibromyalgia

Body ache is a common ailment and is usually not the result of anything serious. However, for some people, their quality of life can be affected. Chronic body pain that stops you from doing things you used to, fatigue and ‘brain fog’ that causes poor concentration and short-term memory, are definitely signs of something worth checking out. If these symptoms sound familiar to you, you could be suffering from fibromyalgia. A visit to the doctor and a few tests can rule out other health conditions. Fibromyalgia symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses, so getting yourself checked is important. The causes are as yet unknown but genetics, illness, injury, and even psychological problems like mental stress may lead to it. Symptoms include body pain, headaches and migraines, fatigue and cognitive problems like an inability to concentrate and pay attention. Managing fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia has no cure, but patients can learn to control it by making changes to their lifestyle. Managing fibromyalgia symptoms is the goal as they can be debilitating for some patients. While doctors may prescribe medication and dietary supplements, there are things you can do to keep the condition under control. Exercise: An active lifestyle helps minimize symptoms.
Know the infection, shingles

Know the infection, shingles

What is Shingles? Shingles is an infection, which can be painful, and is contagious as well. It appears as a rash that’s generally around the torso but can occur anywhere in the body. Although it is not a life-threatening disease, the infection can last a long time. Visit a doctor and go for an antiviral shingles medicine course to reduce the severity of the infection. Causes and risk factors Shingles occur due to an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is also referred to as herpes zoster as it falls in the category of herpes viruses. This virus also causes chickenpox. So, anyone who has had chickenpox is at a risk of getting shingles. After recovery from chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in the nerve roots next to the spine. It can reactive at any time and cause shingles. Shingles can occur in people of any age group. But it usually affects older people. The reason for it is that the virus can reactivate when the body’s immunity is weak, which can happen in the old age. It can also occur in children with poor immunity. Chemotherapy drugs can also lower immunity. People with HIV or cancer have weak immune systems.
How to go about with an effective gout diabetes treatment

How to go about with an effective gout diabetes treatment

Gout is an arthritic condition caused by excessive accumulation of uric acid. It leads to sudden and acute attacks of pain, swelling, and redness in the toe. Gout arthritis often strikes the big toe at first and gradually affects the ankles, knees, hands and wrists. Gout and Diabetes Type 2 often co-exist, with common physical characteristics and conditions such as obesity. What is the most effective gout diabetes treatment? There is no particular single method through which diabetes can be controlled, and according to most experts, it is important to undergo various lifestyle changes. Here are a few ways of improving the quality of life and pain relief gout toe and diabetes can both be depressing after all. Weight loss: In order to prevent gout and a host of other ill effects of diabetes, it is very important to keep a close eye on the body mass index and the circumference around the waist. According to the National Institute of Health, the size of the waist is an important area when the body mass index of an individual lies between 25 and 34.9. It is crucial to note here that a BMI over 25 is regarded as overweight while that above 30 is obese.
How to maintain a healthy body with type 1 diabetes

How to maintain a healthy body with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. This inadequacy causes an abnormal rise of sugar levels in the blood. Type 1 diabetes ensues when an autoimmune disorder occurs in the body, which mistakenly destroys the beta cells (cells that produce insulin) in the pancreas. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, but older individuals are susceptible to it as well. If you are tackling with type 1 diabetes, you don’t need to be alarmed. You still have a chance to live a completely normal and healthy life. Here are some tips that will help you maintain a healthy body while you deal with type 1 diabetes. Insulin “ Due to the lack of necessary organic insulin, you will have to inject your body with insulin on a daily basis. The dosage patterns will be decided by your healthcare provider. You are also advised to closely observe your blood sugar levels to ensure moderation. The doctor will also prescribe additional medications depending on the severity of your health condition. Diet and exercise “ You must ace the art of balance to sustain normal glucose levels in your body.