Hemorrhoids are areas in a vein where the one way valves have been damaged and allow the blood to pool. This stagnation of the blood supply causes the veins to swell and become inflamed, it reduces the amount of toxins and wastes that can be removed from the area, and causes itchiness and pain. Most of these hemorrhoids can be treated with some simple changes to the diet and bowel habits. They don’t require surgery or other invasive treatments unless they become very large and painful.

The first treatment recommendations will be to make changes to your diet that will make the stool softer and easier to pass. These recommendations include increasing the amount of fiber in the diet through fruits, vegetables and whole grains or taking a fiber supplement. If you can’t get enough fiber from your diet and decide to use fiber supplements then it is very important to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day or the stool could get harder and more difficult to pass.  Read more...

Eczema is a skin disorder. It is one of those problems that has no cure and can return and you cannot undergo eczema treatment without knowing first what caused it.

Some doctors believe that there is an imbalance in the body which is why you have eczema. In some cases, the body is producing too many or too few hormones. One example is when you have low thyroid function. When this happens, you will also have poor blood circulation and your skin will now develop the symptoms of eczema such as blistering, itching, oozing and swelling.

Eating also causes some people to have eczema. In fact, some patients have complained of certain food allergies before the flare-ups occur.

We all know that if we sustain an infection, the immune system will not work properly and your body will shut down. When this happens, we are also vulnerable to this skin disorder. A casing point is the growth of Candida albicans which is a yeast type infection.  Read more...

Although it sometimes carries a similar name, the stomach flu is not caused by the same germs as the flu and doesn’t cause the same symptoms. The medical term for the condition is actually gastroenteritis which essentially means an inflammation or irritation of the gastro-intestinal tract. The treatments for gastroenteritis will be significantly different than the treatment for influenza, or the seasonal flu.

Any treatment protocols which you may try for the stomach flu must be based on the underlying cause of the year irritation, diarrhea and possible vomiting. In some cases gastroenteritis is caused by an allergic reaction to a specific type of food. In other cases there are stomach viruses that cause the symptoms, parasites and sometimes even bacteria.

If the gastroenteritis is caused by an underlying allergic reaction to a specific type of food than removal of that food and time for the gastrointestinal tract to rest will often be enough treatment. Gastroenteritis or the stomach flu that is caused by viruses do not have any known cures and the treatment goals are focused on providing supportive care while the body fights the stomach flu. Fortunately, most people with a healthy immune system are able to effectively kill the virus after only one to 10 days.  Read more...

Do you know the difference between the flu and the stomach flu?

While “stomach flu” is a popular term, it isn’t a correct medical diagnosis. These are actually two different diagnosis caused by two different types of irritants. The correct term for the stomach flu is gastroenteritis. Gastro meaning stomach, enter relating to the intestines and itis meaning inflammation.

People who are suffering from gastroenteritis, or the stomach flu, will have irritation or inflammation of the stomach and intestines, the gastrointestinal tract. Gastroenteritis can be caused by either virus, bacteria or a parasite and does not necessarily need to be caused by an infectious process. Triggers for gastroenteritis can include lactose intolerance or other allergic reactions to specific food types.

On the other hand, the flu is caused by a virus known as influenza. The flu often mimics the same symptoms as a respiratory cold except that it begins much more quickly with symptoms of fatigue, fever and respiratory congestion. Individuals who suffer from an upper respiratory infection, also known as the common cold, may also suffer from a low grade fever but individuals who are experiencing the flu will generally have a fever greater than 100 Fahrenheit.  Read more...

The problem with being a parent and having children is that so many childhood illnesses have similar symptoms. You may not know if your child simply has a cold, the flu, or something more serious. It’s important to learn the symptoms of meningitis and septicemia in children to ensure you can make the best decisions for the sake of your child.

Meningitis

Quick, which health condition do these symptoms sound like: fever, fatigue, vomiting, and headache? You may have said the flu. If looking only to these symptoms for diagnosis, you may not think you have anything to worry about. Unfortunately, you may be wrong. These same symptoms may be a sign of meningococcal disease, also known as bacterial meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious condition and mistaking the symptoms for something less serious could mean the difference between life and death. It is a condition whereby the membranes and fluids around the brain and spine become inflamed. If left untreated, a person may experience paralysis, brain damage, or even death. Early detection is important in order to treat a person and avoid these serious results.  Read more...

Urinary tract infections, or cystitis (infection of the lower urinary tract), is often called the honeymooners disease, and for good reason. This infection can be triggered by both the introduction of bacteria and the slight physical damage done during sexual intercourse.

The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, bladder, ureters (tubes that connects the kidney in the bladder) and urethra (tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body). Any part of that entire system can become infected but the largest majority of infections take place in the lower part of the urinary tract, mainly the urethra and bladder.

Women are at the greatest risk for developing a lower urinary tract infection than are men, because of the physiological structure. In other words, the length of the urethra, that to which leads from the outside of the body to the bladder, is shorter in women than it is in men. The urethra in men is also not a straight shot into the bladder. Both of these structural differences tend to decrease the amount and number of bacteria which are able to make it into the urethra and up to the bladder.  Read more...

Diarrhea is an inconvenient problem that shows up out of nowhere and often with no warning. Everyone gets diarrhea at one time or another. Some people have a much bigger problem and have diarrhea on a daily basis.

This is one symptom of many that can occur with Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic medical condition that causes the intestines and digestive tract to become inflammed and swell up.

The entire gastrointestinal tract can be affected by Crohn’s disease and sometimes even the genito urinary system. Most of the time, the only parts that are affected are the colon and small intestine. What happens is that the swelling occurs which leads to pain in the abdomen and cramping. The result is diarrhea.

It is common for someone to have an episode and then have Crohn’s disease go into remission. But a large number of Crohn’s sufferers deal with the abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea daily. This condition is not fatal in itself but there can be complications that can lead to death.  Read more...