Dr. Sangeeta Rao

Loneliness may increase the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Common Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections Every Woman Should Know

A Urinary Tract Infection(UTI) can occur in any part of the urinary tract including the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra. The causes of a UTI can be many, with bacteria being the most common cause. In fact, UTIs are generally more common among women as they have shorter urethras, which make it easier for the UTI causing bacteria to pass through to the bladder.

The symptoms of UTI vary depending on the area of your urinary tract that has been infected. These symptoms are:

Lower urinary tract infection:

1. Bladder cystitis, in which the lining of bladder and urethra become inflamed and irritated

2. Dysuria, which is a burning sensation during urination

3. A frequent or intense urge to urinate, even though little comes out when you do

4. Urinary urgency, which is the sensation of having to urinate urgently

5. Cloudy, dark bloody or strange-smelling urine

6. Cramping or pressure in lower abdomen or lower back

7. Pelvic pain in women particularly in the center of the pelvis and around the area of pubic bone

8. Mild fever or chills indicating that the infection may have reached your kidneys

Upper urinary tract infection:

1. Fairly high fever with fatigue

2. Shaking chills with a feeling of discomfort

3. Nausea and vomiting

4. Flank Pain, which is pain in the back or side, usually on only one side at about waist level

Since pregnant women are at an increased risk of contracting UTIs, their urine should be checked during prenatal visits to prevent unrecognized infection that can cause pregnancy complications.

'Consult'.

Human skin is indicative of the health of a person. It is often said that most skin conditions are only symptoms of what is going on within the body. However, there are certain conditions which are caused by external irritants to the skin. It is thus important that you take care of this organ and also be careful in choosing the products which you apply on it.

Why choosing skin care products carefully is important? 
In today's world of infinite choices, there are plenty of options in the shelves of supermarkets, specialty stores and beauty treatment spas that offer much variety. However, you should realize that a lot of the benefits claimed are just marketing tricks to get the products to sell more. It is up to you to exactly find what suits you best. 

Various types of skin care products:

There are multiple types of skin care products. Some of them are:

1. Skin cleanser
2. Toner
3. Exfoliant
4. Treatment for acne
5. Skin lightening treatment
6. Anti - wrinkle or anti-aging creams 
7. Moisturizers

Specialized Treatments for Skin Conditions: As is evident from this list, not everything is applicable to all people. Thus, they have to choose according to what their most specific needs are. However, if you have a specific beauty regimen where you are using the products very regularly make sure that the ingredients won't do you harm in the long term.

Dangers from Lower End Skin Care Products: Skin care products sourced from cheaper materials or used in mass scale productions have known to contain many harmful chemicals which seep through the skin to cause multiple types of cancers. However the most direct assault is on skin itself and the most common worse outcome would be increasing chances of skin cancer.

Some of the harmful chemicals know to be included in cosmetic products include:

• Lead
• Beryllium
• Thallium
• Cadmium
• Selenium
• Arsenic
• And Nickel among others.

Choosing carefully and wisely: Whether at the shelf or online it is better to research the ingredients before you buy a beauty product.  You should be able to look through the hype of marketing and the clever disguising of the ingredients or warnings in a subtle manner. You are paying for your skin care and thus should get the best quality product possible within your budget.
 

Vulvodynia is generally identified as a condition, which causes chronic back pain or vulvar pain, but having no identifiable cause. The causes as well as the nature of the condition are very obscure, and until recent times, it had never been considered to be an actual pain syndrome. What is commonly affected is the vulva, or the external female genital organs, consisting of the clitoris, labia and the vaginal opening.

Generally, there are two types of vulvodynia:

1. Generalized Vulvodynia: this can mean pain in any part of the Vulva occurring erratically at different times
2. Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome: this is limited to the vestibule, or the vaginal opening. It has similar characteristics of a burn, and pain can be incurred only when contact is made, say during sexual intercourse.

Symptoms
Although not life threatening, signs and symptoms of Vulvodynia can still cause a ton of problems for women. They can create much complication when it comes to daily activities as well as other feelings, like sexual frustration, agitation, depression and low self-esteem.

Symptoms can be very erratic and can occur once in a while or all the time. They may be limited to just one specific area or can affect the entire vulva, interfering with daily activities such as walking, exercising and sexual intercourse.

Here are some common signs and symptoms:

1. A burning or stinging sensation
2. An aching or throbbing sensation
3. May swell and you may experience soreness;
4. Severe itching and agitation

Causes
Because the causes are not identifiable, extensive research is still going on in order to decipher the nature of the syndrome. A few possible causes may include:

1. Nerve irritation or injury
2. Genetic abnormalities
3. Muscle spasms
4. Hormonal changes
5. Abnormal responses to infections or traumatic injuries
6. Hypersensitivity to yeast infections
7. Allergies to certain chemicals or substances
8. History of sexual abuse
9. Frequent antibiotic use

Have you ever wondered as to why some people sneeze and some do not after a period of darkness and on getting exposed to light? It occurs as a result of the eyes getting excited by light and causing this reflex action of the body. About 25% to 33% of the population are known to sneeze when they are first exposed to light after a dark spell.

Would you like to share this interesting fact with family or friends? Go ahead and Share!