Herpes simplex virus is a viral infection of the genitals. This disorder can also occur in the mouth, characterized by the formation of fever, blisters and cold sores. The disorder occurs when the body is infected by the Herpes Simplex Virus.

Causes:

Herpes is caused by a contagious virus called the  Herpes Simplex Virus . This virus spreads through direct contact with an infected person. A child may also contract the disease from an already infected adult. This infection may also spread via media such as sharing utensils, kissing or sharing toiletries. Sexual contact with an infected person is one of the primary ways to contract genital herpes. The risk factors for this disorder are  

Multiple sex partners.

Gender: Women are more prone to developing Genital Herpes.

Weak immune system.

If you are affected by a sexually transmitted infection.

Symptoms:

In case of genital herpes, sores form on the genitals. Symptoms include difficulty in passing urine, headaches, fever, fatigue and a lack of appetite. Pain in the eyes and watery discharge from the eyes will be common symptoms if the infection spreads to the eyes.

Treatment:

There is no cure for this disorder. The aim of the treatment is to manage the symptoms and prevent it from spreading. The sores need not necessarily be medically catered to. Certain medications such as  acyclovir  and  valacyclovir  are prescribed to reduce the severity of the symptoms.

Once infected with the virus, it might remain in the body in a dormant state till a long time, in some cases, even a lifetime. However, symptoms might not show up. Factors such as stress and excessive sun exposure can lead to reactivation of the virus. Over time, the intensity of the symptoms tend to come down as the body adapts itself to the disease.

Sores Forming On Your Genitalia - A Sign Of Herpes Simplex Virus

As people grow older, they age physically as well as mentally. Just as they become more susceptible to conditions such as arthritis, their risk of mental illnesses also increases. It is also important to note that physical ailments influence mental ailments. Thus, arthritis may not only be a problem in itself but may cause mental disorders as well. 

Some of the most common psychological problems that affect the elderly are:

Depression: Depression can affect people of all ages but the elderly have a higher risk of suffering from it. The symptoms and effects of this condition vary from person to person. These include feeling sad constantly, tiredness and lack of energy, lack of self-worth, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, insomnia and reduced appetite. This may be caused as a side effect of certain medications or treatment, as a result of frustrations caused by other physical ailments or just an effect of age.
Memory Problems: As people get older, their memory weakens. Many lose their long-term memory skills. They may also lose their short-term memory. This is not the same as being forgetful. Characteristic symptoms of amnesia include confusion, memory loss, inability to recognize people, etc. Amnesia may be caused by a number of factors including trauma to the head, brain damage or psychological factors such as PTSD.
Dementia: Dementia is characterized by the person s mental inability to function normally. This could be in the form of random mood swings, apathy, confusion, changes in short-term memory or failed sense of direction. Dementia is typically caused by the death of brain cells due to tumors, infections, lack of oxygen, lack of nutrition etc. Parkinson s disease, Huntington s disease, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia are all forms of dementia.
Alzheimer s Disease: This is a kind of dementia as well. In such cases, the patient loses memory of where they are and believe themselves to be in another place and time zone. The patient may not be able to rationalize things happening around him and may be unable to recognize their own family members. This is a neurodegenerative disease that involves shrinkage of the brain cells. It may be genetic. Alzheimer s can be treated and managed but it cannot be cured.
Insomnia: Insomnia can be classified as a physical and mental ailment. It is characterized by the inability to sleep well at night. Some of the noticeable symptoms include tossing and turning for hours in bed before going to sleep, waking up frequently at night, waking up earlier than planned and falling asleep during the day. Insomnia in the elderly is typically caused by stress and anxiety. It may also be the result of certain types of medication.

5 Common Psychological Problems That Affect People In Old Age!

Are you suffering from diabetes? If yes, then it s time for you to be extra careful about your health. Diabetes may cause several other diseases as well. You must check your lifestyle and take medical efforts to get rid of diabetes as soon as possible. 


You are at risk of developing nerve damages (neuropathy), vascular injuries and other heart diseases, regardless of your age, sex or other external or internal factors. Diabetes patients must strive to maintain fasting blood glucose levels less than 110 mg/dL and hemoglobin HbA1C level less than 7%.  Also, diabetes patients should keep a check on blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 


Here s how diabetes can affect your overall health:
1. Check your heart: There is a correlation between blood pressure, cholesterol levels and diabetes. Researchers have found that high bad cholesterol levels act as a hindrance to insulin regulation. People with diabetes are more likely to develop heart-related diseases. About 60% diabetes patients die due to heart attacks. Diabetes is responsible for hardening of arteries or atherosclerosis. This situation is dangerous and can cause heart attacks, strokes or other chronic diseases.


2. Neuropathy: Diabetes leads to impaired nerve function. This is called neuropathy. This condition is of two types: Peripheral (which affects toes, feet, legs, hand and arms) and Autonomic (which affects digestion, bowel, bladder, heart and sexual activity). Symptoms of neuropathy include tingling, weakness, burning sensation, numbness in the limbs, digestive disorders, infection of the bladder and erectile dysfunction.


3. Nephropathy: Diabetes is responsible for causing damage to the kidneys as well. This is called nephropathy. In this condition, the filters in the kidney or glomeruli get damaged. As a result, there is a leakage of protein in the urine. Consequently, kidneys get damaged. Urine showing small amounts of protein is an indication of kidney damage. About 20-40% patients suffering from diabetes die due to renal failure. The symptoms of renal disorder due to diabetes include itching, fatigue, urine with protein, swelling of feet and ankles and pale skin colour.


4. Foot ulcers and amputations: Diabetes causes non-injury amputations as it affects the nerve in the limbs, especially foot. Usually, minor infections in the foot may lead to ulcers and later require amputation. In rare cases, Charcot joint or Charcot foot may also occur. This is called neuropathic arthropathy. The symptoms include swelling and reddening of the foot. The bones of the affected foot have a tendency to develop cracks, deforming the entire region.


5. Retinopathy: Diabetes leads to blindness in adults. The eye disorder caused due to diabetes is called retinopathy. Patients with diabetes develop cataract easily. The capillaries and blood vessels in the retina get damaged or obstructed, resulting in damage to the entire retina.

Diabetes: It Can be the Reason Behind Other Disorders

A headache can be a hindrance to any person at any time. It can either occur on left or right side in case of a migraine, be isolated to a point or radiate across the entire head. The pain can be sharp, throbbing or dull. It can either develop gradually or suddenly and can last for few hours to several days. Headaches need not arise due to a factor or condition of or in the head alone, they can be triggered because of other disorders or diseases in the body.

What are the different causes of a headache?
There are different kinds of headaches. Based on the symptoms, a doctor can diagnose the causes and the best treatment option for it. Not all headaches indicate serious illness. On the other hand, some headaches can be life-threatening as well. Primarily headaches can be divided into two broad categories- a primary headache and secondary headaches.

Primary headaches: A primary headache is caused due to conditions or factors associated with the pain-sensitive structures of the head. These types of headaches do not result from underlying illness. Muscles of the neck and head, blood vessels and chemical activity in and around the skull are the reason for primary headaches. Even certain genes could be responsible for triggering the pain. Some of the types of primary headaches include a cluster headache, tension headache, migraine, paroxysmal hemicrania etc. There could be primary headaches that last for a very long time such as sex headaches, cough headaches, chronic migraine, hemicranias continua etc. Typically, primary headaches are often triggered by poor posture, alcohol, lack of sleep, irregular food timings, processed meats etc.
Secondary headaches: Secondary headaches are the symptoms of a disease that can activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head. The severity of the pain varies greatly. Some of the possible causes of secondary headaches include arterial tears, acute sinusitis, brain aneurysm, brain tumour, dehydration, ear infection, carbon monoxide poisoning, dental problems, glaucoma, hangovers, flu, hypertension, stroke, panic attacks, toxoplasmosis, post-concussion syndrome, trigeminal neuralgia, monosodium glutamate, meningitis, giant cell arteritis etc. Some of the common triggers of secondary headaches include ice cream headaches, compression headaches, thunderclap headaches, sinus headaches, rebound headaches, spinal headaches etc.
When to seek emergency care for headaches?
Headaches could indicate serious disorders such as encephalitis, stroke or meningitis. It is advisable to seek immediate medical care for an unbearable headache which also includes the inability to understand speech, stiff neck, trouble in vision, vomiting accompanied with nausea, trouble in speaking, high body temperature, greater than 104 F. A doctor should be consulted if the pain occurs multiple times in a short duration, keeps one from working or performing daily activities, the pain doesn t improve even after the consumption of over the counter medicine and disturbs sleeping.


Headache - Why You Must Consult For It?

Remember how Shrek literally pulled out a candle from his ear for the dinner table? Ever tried doing it yourself? Well, the stuff in your ears may be called wax, but it can t really be used to make a candle. However, it certainly can signify a lot about your health. Though the idea of discussing earwax is rather disgusting, it actually plays a pivotal role in keeping your ears healthy and functioning. Earwax protects your eardrums by barring the entry of insects, fungi, bacteria, dust and bacteria. In clinical terms, earwax is also known as cerumen. 

Studies indicate that children typically produce more earwax than adults. The earwax in your ear is a combination of alcohol, shed layers of the ear, unsaturated and saturated long-chain fatty acids and squalene. In order to clean earwax, you should not insert objects too deep in your ear, instead, you can just wipe it off with a cotton swab.  The color and texture of the earwax removed can actually indicate your overall health condition, stress level, genetic ancestry, etc.

Know what your earwax color says about your health 
Pale yellow to yellow earwax: It is the most common type of earwax and indicates overall good health. Children typically produce soft, pale yellow earwax and in case of adults, the color should remain the same, but the texture tends to be sticky. 
Wet vs. dry earwax: Wet and dry are the genetically determined earwax types, wherein, the 'wet type' is dominant and the 'dry type' is recessive. A research, conducted on Biologic variation in health and illness: race, age, and sex differences (1985) by Overfield, Theresa, established that dry-type earwax indicates East Asian and Native American ancestry, while wet-type indicates African and European. 
Thick, dark and black colored earwax: The production of earwax is also influenced by your stress level i.e. when you are stressed out, the glands that are responsible for the production of earwax work overtime and produce excess amount of earwax. As this earwax collects, it can turn thicker and darker thus, this type of earwax is a sign of increased stress level. And, black colored earwax indicates that it has been accumulating in your ears for quite some time and has not been cleaned. To avoid this, it is essential to clean your ears from time to time and in the right way. 
Dry, gray earwax: The gray color of the wax is an indication of dust build-up and must be cleaned properly at regular intervals. However, if your earwax suddenly seems dry and brittle, it could be the sign of a skin infection. Dry earwax accompanied by itchiness in the ear is usually a sign of eczema.
Bloody earwax: Blood in the earwax should never be ignored. This could be caused by an ear infection or can be a sign of ruptured eardrum and you must consult your doctor immediately. 
Thus it is important that you take proper care of your ears so as to ensure that your hearing is maintained and although earwax protects your ears against infections and problems, it must be cleaned from time to time. It is advisable that you get your ears cleaned professionally, in case you are suffering from certain ailments such as Diabetes.

Earwax - Did You Know Its Color Can Say A Lot About Your Health?

Appendicitis is a chronic or acute medical condition where the appendix gets inflamed and causes severe pain.  If left untreated, the condition can prove to be fatal. The appendix is a small tube-shaped sac at the end of the large intestine. In humans, it is typically not known to have any functional value although some studies suggest that it helps digestion by creating a conducive environment for friendly bacteria.

Surgical removal of the appendix is suggested as the most common treatment for the ailment. But homeopathy treatment for appendicitis issues is also available. One of the key causes of appendicitis is believed to be the partial or complete obstruction at the mouth of the appendix.

The common causes of obstruction include accumulation of fecal matter, worms, enlarged lymphoid follicles, trauma, or tumors. It is also possible that an infection in the stomach could have extended into the appendix.

Appendicitis can be treated with homeopathic medicine, it is commonly detected because of its progressive worsening pain in the stomach which narrows down to the lower right side of the abdomen is called Mc Burney point. Half of the patients though do not have this typical symptom and instead come in with a complaint of gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, or even a kidney stone.

Further blood tests, urine tests, and MRIs or ultrasounds are used to pinpoint the area causing the pain. In most cases of the advance appendix, surgical intervention is necessary. The type of surgery will vary on a case to case basis.



Homeopathic Treatment for Appendicitis Pain
Homeopathy remedies can be tried in the early stages and are especially useful to treat chronic and recurrent cases. It works with the principle of 'like cures like', which means that the elements that cause the problem are a key to its solution too. It employs a holistic healing methodology getting rid of the signs and symptoms and restoring complete health. While other treatments focus on curing the 'problem', homeopathy also deals with the basic reason for the Appendicitis problem and the individual's susceptibility to it.

Homeopathic Medicines for Appendicitis Symptoms
Arsenicum album: This homeopathic cure for appendicitis is used when appendicitis has resulted in sepsis and the patient also suffers from diarrhea.
Belladonna: This is an early stage remedy for cases where appendicitis is accompanied by headache, fever
Bryonia alba: This homeopathic remedy for appendicitis is very effective when the pain aggravates with movement. 
Colocynthis: In appendicitis homeopathy treatment this home remedy "Colocynthis" used when the patient experiences spasmodic or entwining pain, which worsens with indigestion. Applying warm pressure over the area helps in such cases.
Rhus Tox: This natural home remedy is also called the 'homeopathic knife' to treat appendicitis. It is used when the pain is constant and the patient is never free from pain.
To customize the selection of the homeopathic remedies according to your specific symptoms, it is best to consult with a practitioner.

Update From Lybrate: To keep your Gut Health on track and to avoid constipation and gastric troubles, We suggest you to buy Gut Care products available on Lybrate GooKart at affordable prices.

Homeopathy Treatment & Medicine for Appendicitis Pain

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