Health Articles, Health Blog

Trachoma – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Posted: August 23rd 2010 By rajeshm6         under: Eye     Tags: , , , , ,

Also mentioned in Corpus Hippocraticum by the father of methodical medicine, Hippocrates (5th century BC), Trachoma is a bacterial infection affecting the eye and possessing the potential to result in blindness.

Trachoma is said to have originated particularly in Egypt and Middle East and therefore it is also known as Egyptian Ophthalmia along with other alternative names like Granular Conjunctivitis, War Ophthalmia and Military Ophthalmia. Sometimes it is also generally referred as just Conjunctivitis.

As old as the history itself, Trachoma is prone to every race and community with even disastrous epidemic forms reported. Though, the number of cases has considerably reduced in most of the developed countries, it is not so in major part of developing nations as it is related to poverty and overcrowded conditions.

According to recent reports, trachoma has left nearly 8 million people blind whereas approximately 84 million need treatment. Compared to men, it is more common in children and women (especially in their 40s).

Causes of Trachoma

Trachoma is triggered due to the bacteria known as Chlamydia Trachomatis resulting in irritating eyes and discharge of mucous from the eyes at repeated times. Though it clears up in about a month’s time, it can spread rapidly due to poor hygiene. Other factors that spread the infection from person to person include direct eye contact, nose & throat secretions and using common objects like towel and washcloths.

At times, even insects (like flies) carry the discharge from infected person to a healthy human.

Trachoma Symptoms

Symptoms of trachoma are usually noticed in 5-12 days after exposure to the bacteria starting with the eyelid lining tissue turning red/pink and swollen. Its symptoms are quite similar to ‘pink eye’. If untreated, it can even lead to developments of scars.

Itching and drainage of pus or mucus from the eye are among the first signs of trachoma. After a few days of disease progression, the patient turns sensitive to light or develops photophobia. Individuals also experience blurry vision and pain in the eye.

Some other trachoma symptoms include cloudy cornea, corneal scarring, swollen eyelids and turned-in eyelashes (a condition of trichiasis). Further complications related to ear, throat and nose are also observed.

The symptoms of trachoma in children include white lumps under the upper eye lid’s surface and appearance of follicles at the junction of sclera and cornea. The scars developed on the eyelid result in deformation of the lid such that the lashes rub against the eye. This rubbing gives way to more scars and corneal opacities which can lead to blindness.

The symptoms in children are usually not painful until the adulthood is reached as the disease progresses at a sluggishly.

Upper Left and Right Abdominal Pain – Causes and Treatment

An abdominal pain in any part can be excruciating or unbearable and tend to make the patient jump, shout or writhe in pain. The symptoms that are usually noticed along with abdominal pain are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, burning sensation, mild or severe fever, chills and shivering. Such symptoms and the location of the pain help in the correct diagnosis of abdominal pain.

The upper abdomen is located between the lower ribcage margins and the naval. It is further divided into upper left abdomen and lower left abdomen. The upper abdomen covers both the loins side-wise to the center of body and from under the breast-bone to umbilicus.

Upper Abdominal Pain

Any pain in the upper abdomen region is termed as upper abdominal pain. The presence of numerous organs or structures in the upper abdomen makes it difficult to diagnose the actual cause of pain.

Any disorder or medical condition pertaining to these organs or structures can lead to upper abdominal pain. Upper abdominal pain also includes the pain in abdomen due to organs or structures not located in the abdomen.

Upper Abdominal Pain during Pregnancy

Experiencing upper abdominal pain during pregnancy is not unusual as the different physiological and hormonal changes in a pregnant lady increase the risk of conditions that may result in upper abdominal pain.

The various causes of abdominal pain in expected mothers include those mentioned below:

  • Miscarriage
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Constipation, as very commonly seen in pregnant women.
  • Gastritis
  • Appendicitis
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Fibroid
  • Labor pains
  • Tumors related to ovaries
  • Diabetes keto acidosis.
  • Pre-eclampsia of pregnancy

Right Side Abdominal Pain – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Abdominal pain is usually classified according the area where the pain is felt. For easier diagnosis and better identification of an abdominal pain, it is classified into two halves, right and left abdomen. These halves are further sub-classified into upper quadrant and lower quadrant.

A pain in the right side of abdomen refers to anywhere in the upper right abdomen and lower right abdomen. A right side abdominal pain can often be misleading or confusing as there are several causes with varying severity. Moreover, the presence of numerous organs on the right side of abdomen makes diagnosing the actual cause of pain difficult.

Right side abdominal pain can be dull and constant or it can also be sharp and stabbing. A dull and constant pain is usually accompanied with a burning or tingling sensation. Diagnosing the exact reason for such a pain requires detailed examination of various other factors like duration of the pain, history of other illnesses, the exact location of the pain, severity, type, vomiting and appetite.

An abdominal pain in the right side, or for that matter any abdominal pain, should not be ignored as it can be an indication for other serious health conditions. Some serious illnesses actually cause very mild right side abdominal discomfort while some gentle illnesses can provoke moderate or sometimes severe abdominal pain on the right side.


{image source: ADAM}

Causes of Right Side Abdominal Pain

To determine what causes abdominal pain on the right side, it is necessary to look at the different organs or structures present on the right side of abdomen. Any illness, infection or irritation in these organs can lead to abdominal pain on right side.

Given below is the list of various organs and structures that exist in the right half of the abdomen:

  • Appendix
  • Liver
  • Gallbladder
  • Kidney (right)
  • Pancreas
  • Adrenal gland (right)
  • Ureter (right)
  • Right part of large intestines
  • Duodenum
  • Fallopian tube (right)
  • In females, right ovary
  • Blood vessels
  • Muscles
  • Skin

Other health disorders or conditions related to various organs or structures too are common causes of right side abdominal pain though not situated in that area. Examples for these could be tumors and the right lung’s lower part. Any kind of infection or illness in the right lung’s lower part is also one of the several right side abdominal pain causes even though it is not counted as a part of the right abdomen. Similarly even tumors could cause right side abdominal disorders.

Jock Itch (Tinea Cruris) – Pictures, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Posted: July 31st 2010 By rajeshm6         under: Hair and Skin Care     Tags: , , , , , ,

Jock itch or Tinea Cruris is  basically a form of ringworm and a skin contagion. Primarily it affects the skin of the genitals, inner thighs, scrotum in males and buttocks areas. These areas are warm and moist and the itch results in reddish irritated ring-shaped rashes. Anyone who is overweight prompting a skin to skin rub and perspires a lot like sports persons is susceptible to this infection. It can affect women as well, though in rare case.

Ringworm is not to be taken as a form of worm; it is purely an infection of skin referred simply as ringworm (tinea).

Body ringworms :

Jock itch (tinea cruris) -

Infects the groin & the skin adjacent to it.

Nail ringworm (tinea unguium) –

Also called onychomycosis renders the nails opaque, stiffened and brittle. Women using  artificial nails and people suffering from peripheral vascular disease are prone to it.

Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis) -

Caused by fungus Tricophyton tonsurans leads to sores or lesions called keroins on the scalp skin. It affects children mainly due to poor hygiene.

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) -

Caused by Trycophyton is spread as painful rashes, peeling and scaling’s on the toes, fingers and spaces betwixt them. Mainly is transmitted by walking or remaining in moist wet areas like that found in showers or bathrooms.

Beard ringworm (tinea barbae) -

Called the “barber’s itch” are lesions on the bearded areas of men and young adolescents. Zoophilic & Antro-pophilic fungi are the one responsible for causing it. In females and young children it is termed as Tinea faciei.

Is Jock Itch Contagious?

Engaging in sexual encounters is the prime reason for the spread of this infection amongst people. Also if one does not care enough to wash their hands after touching, scratching or rubbing the area, then they are responsible for spreading it to others by means of hands shaking, hugging and touching. Also sharing undergarments, swimming costumes, other clothing’s, towels and kerchiefs of the infected person will spread the contagion. Regular visits to activities like swimming and gym open to public is also a potential source of tinea fungus. Thus it is advisable to go in for a shower before and after engaging in such activities.

Ingrown Toenail – Pictures, Remedies, Treatment and Surgery options

Ingrown Toenail(s) Infection

An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows down and into the skin of the toe. It is caused by abnormal growth of the toenails, usually the big toes, and the surrounding tissues. When the lateral edges of the nail grow into the flesh of the toe, the small piece of nail or the whole nail applies pressure on the skin resulting in pain, swelling and redness. If the condition persists, it also results in infection and inflammation. Patients with ingrown toenails are among the most common visitors to chiropodists or podiatrists.

The condition of ingrown toenails is known by various terms like toe infection, nail infection, ingrown nail or onychocryptosis. Infected ingrown toenail is a very common problem affecting primarily the big toenails. Most people develop an ingrown toenail big toe during their 20s and 30s, but it is also seen in teenagers in case of a tearing in the corners of their toenails.

The sideways growth of the nail edges into the skin of the toe causing discomfort. The abnormally growing nail acts like a foreign body and causes a break in the skin due to the constant poking. The ingrown nail can also apply pressure in the nail fold area without any skin penetration causing pain though it isn’t considered as ingrown toenail. In some cases, a corn/callus is also noticed down the side of the nail as a reaction to the pressure instead of the nail actually penetrating the skin.

Ingrown Toenail Symptoms

Symptoms of ingrown toenail include sore and painful nail folds with redness and swelling of the surrounding skin. Infection of tissue and tenderness in toe along the sides of the nail and pain is observed along with increased warmth. In a few cases where the condition is chronic, repeated episodes of pain and infection or one of these occur. An infection may be present if the skin is red, painful or swollen on the sides of the nail. This infection may cause complications for diabetics or other patients due to poor circulation of blood on their feet. If left untreated, the nail can go under the skin causing more severe ingrown toenail infections.

An examination of the infected foot may show skin which is swollen, firm, red, or tender to touch. Presence of pus in ingrown toenails is also reported in some cases. Skin along the edge of the nail appears to be growing over the nail.

Ingrown Toenail Causes

An ingrown toenail can develop due to various reasons like poorly fitting shoes and toenails that are not trimmed the right way. Cutting the toenails incorrectly, too short or not straight across causes them to re-grow into the skin. Tight hosiery or footwear with narrow toe boxes makes it even worse.

Injuries to the toenail and deformities of the foot or toes like unusually thick toenails and curve toenails are also the factors for an ingrown toenail. It can also be hereditary in some cases.

Liver Pain – Location, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Posted: July 9th 2010 By rajeshm6         under: Misc. Health Articles     Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The liver is situated on the right side of the abdomen just below the ribs and the diaphragm which separates the chest and the abdomen. It’s not only the largest gland but also the detoxifier of the human body. The various functions of liver include break down of food (including fats and nutrients), conversion of glucose to glycogen, producing urea, purifying blood from harmful substances, producing amino acids, storing vitamins and minerals and maintaining the glucose level in blood.

The liver acts as a detoxifier by filtering the wastes of the human body. Apart from various other reasons, any underlying condition can result in the non-functioning or poor-functioning of the liver usually causing pain in the liver. Moreover, liver pains are observed and in fact play a major role in a variety of conditions like Wilson’s disease, Gilbert’s syndrome and Hepatitis A, B or C.

Pain in the liver can be a part of our life due to a couple of reasons like fatty liver pain, liver cancer pain, cirrhosis or other chronic or acute diseases of liver. The most common cause of cirrhosis disease is Alcoholic abuse. The basic means of the inflammation of liver is when liver cannot filter poisons, drugs, toxins and these types of other doses in order to recover the body by flushing them out. Additional cases of liver damage include autoimmune deficiency, hepatitis, and even overuse of acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Where is liver pain felt?

Oh, that’s so easy to answer!!  Isn’t it? The obvious answer would be ‘in the liver’. But there is more to it than just ‘in the liver’.

Liver pain location: Liver pain is usually confused with abdominal pain, kidney pain or back pain due to its location. It is felt in the upper-right quadrant underneath the rib cage. Usually felt as a dull ache, liver pains can be sharp and in some cases, experienced along with back pain.

Fatty Liver Pain

When there is an accumulation of a large amount of fat in the liver, it results in swelling. This condition of swollen liver is known as steatosis. In steatosis, only presence of large amount of fat is noticed without any inflammation. However, when fatty liver occurs along with inflammation, the liver cells are damaged and this condition is known as steatohepatitis.

Diabetes, obesity and over-consumption of alcohol are known to be the major factors for fatty liver pain.

Swollen liver pain is caused by the expansion of the liver. As the liver expands, its membrane is stretched and the organ gets heavier. This results in abdominal pain which intensifies slowly if left untreated.

Causes of Liver Pain

There causes for liver pain are as different as its symptoms.

Steatosis, also known as fatty liver causes liver pain. The presence of excessive fats causes the liver to swell and this result in liver pain.

Diabetes type-2, hypertension and metabolic syndrome are some other medical conditions that are responsible for the pain in liver.

Enlarged spleen presses the liver causing liver pain.

Liver pain is also observed after drinking alcohol and it is among the most common factors for it.

Patients in the last stage of liver cancer undergo intense liver pain along with other problems like weight reduction, tiredness and lack of energy.

Aching Legs : Leg Aches Causes, Symptoms and Remedies

Aching Legs and Feet

Nowadays, leg pain (or leg aches) is a very common cause for those who are suffering from an injury, now there are a lot of non-traumatic factors of lower leg aching. Chronic leg aches can cause due to several reasons that can harm bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and skin. Normally, tissues with inflammation cause these diseases, aching legs and feet is usually caused by inflammation and it is called as the base of these types of muscle ache. Ailments of back can occur due to leg ache. People (especially elderly) also experience aching legs at night for a prolonged period of time.

aching legs

credit @ dreamstime.com

Leg Pain (Aches) Causes

The causes of aching legs include :

a. Trauma

b. Non-Trauma

Trauma

Trauma is the strongest reason of aching legs. Fallings, near fallings, and injuries by twisting can affect bones, joints and muscles or almost all of them. Excessive use of injured places can also be a reason of pain and it can also turn into a multiple minor traumatic injury.

Fractures

Some of the synonyms of the word fracture are broken and cracked; these all means the same when it comes to bone injuries. These types of injuries are caused when the bone of the human body is compromised.

Shin splints

Shin splints can take place by an excessive use of the injured area to the shin bone or tibia. It can also be called as tibial stress syndrome. Jumping running, and dancing are the commonest causes of shin splints.

Sprain and strains

Injury of ligament can also be called as sprain and it causes when the fibers of ligament gets stretched. Stretching of muscles and tendons can also cause a strain. All of them, sprains and strains result in inflammation and swelling which occurs pain.

Bleeding

Severe injuries can start bleeding into joints and tissues. Because blood can’t be compressed, so when the pressure increases, the amount of pain also increases significantly.

Some and Cares treatments for Rosacea

Posted: April 23rd 2009 By editor1         under: Misc. Health Articles     Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes persistence redness on various areas of the face especially on cheeks, nose and forehead. The figures released by the America National Rosacea Society reveal that there are almost 14m Rosacea sufferers in the US and only a small number of these sufferers getting some proper treatment for their condition.

Similarly, there are more than 45m rosacea sufferers around the globe and a large number of these sufferers are consisted of white-skinned people that aged 20 to 50. Proper use of medicine and other treatments are quite essential for overall wellness of sufferers’ health and get rid of its symptoms effectively.

The symptoms can be treated by utilizing several options, but when it’s about patient’s overall wellness of health, long term use of oral antibiotics can affect healthy bacteria found in intestines.

Cancer drug may be helpful to treat Type 1 diabetes

Posted: November 19th 2008 By editor1         under: Cancer, Diabetes     Tags: , , , ,

Gleevac, which is considered a wonder drug to treat leukemia and other cancers, may also prove helpful to reverse type1 diabetes, researchers from University of California San Francisco find.

While noticing effects on mice, the researchers also found that Gleevec and another similar cancer drug Sutent helped to avoid the development of type1 diabetes. Type1 diabetes occurs because of the body’s inability to produce insulin and more often it is diagnosed in children and young adults.

Jeffrey Bluestone, who led the study, says: “ Gleevec seems to affect related kinases even platelet-derived growth factor that are possibly involved in different cell types  grave to the progression and development of autoimmune disease like type1 diabetes”.

Some well known hair growth herbs

Posted: September 8th 2008 By editor1         under: Hair and Skin Care, Herbal Remedies     Tags: , , , , , , ,

The effects of hair loss are not only seen on our appearance but they can also be realized on our overall mental health. Many people take a long time to get a feel for their changed visage. However, the people who get disturbed because of their hair loss must stop worrying and take some positive actions to prevent further hair loss. You must keep in mind that worries and anxiety can’t do anything good, but they just add to your emotional stress that speeds up the hair fall. There are many such natural cures available as can effectively reduce your hair loss and restore the lost glory.

There are several benefits of the natural treatment of hair loss with herbs as these herbs are quite cheap and free of chemicals that can cause some side effect. You can take these herbs orally or apply directly on the scalp; however, it depends on the type of herb that is used. Here are some herbs that can be very handy to restore loss hair and glory as well.

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