No matter how healthy a lifestyle you lead, common cold is something no one can escape from. While a mild cold can be unpleasant to deal with, a bad cold can interfere with day to day activities and keep you restricted to your bed. While conventional medicine is not very effective when it comes to treating a cold, homoeopathy can help shorten the course of this disease and provide relief from the body ache and stuffiness associated with it.

Aconite: Aconite is every homoeopath s go to remedy for common cold brought on by a sudden change in weather or exposure to cold drafts. The earlier aconite is taken the more effective it is in curing a cold. Colds that cause headaches, frequent sneezing and congestion without any discharge can be effectively treated with this homoeopathic remedy.
Arsenicum Alba: This is an excellent remedy for winter colds. In such cases, the patient will usually experience a watery discharge from the nose accompanied by congestion in the nostrils. The discharge may also cause dryness and crust around the nostrils and on the upper lip. Arsenicum alba also helps relieve headaches, sneezing and burning in the nose and throat. This homoeopathic remedy is often prescribed to people suffering from a constant cold throughout the year.
Allium cepa: Colds that cause heavy discharge and smarting of the eyes and nose can be treated with allium cepa. In such cases, the patient will often complain of crusting around the nostrils and burning of the eyes. He may also be extra sensitive to light and sneeze excessively. Being out in the open may help temporarily relieve some of these symptoms.
Euphrasia: This remedy is used to treat colds that affect only the upper respiratory mucous membrane. Some of the symptoms presented in such cases include copious discharge form the nose and acrid lachrymation and eruptions on the nostrils.
Gelsemium: Gelsimium is often prescribed to treat colds that are accompanied by fever and chills and stuffiness of the head. Such patients also exhibit signs of fatigue and weakness and complain of a watery, bland discharge form the nose and frequent sneezing. Such colds are more common in the summer and spring season.
Mercurius: Colds that affect the frontal sinuses and cause burning in the nose and eyes along with violent sneezing attacks can be treated with mercurius. In such cases, the patient may also have a tendency to perspire excessively and may complain of their symptoms being aggravated in the early mornings.

Cold & Flu - Common Homeopathic Remedies For It!

Top 5 things all diabetics must do

As you are aware, diabetes is an increasingly common problem not only in adults but with children and young people too. Preventing or delaying diabetes is possible with a few lifestyle changes. And for those who have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, changes in lifestyle can prove beneficial to keep it under control. This is important and should not be taken lightly as diabetes can lead to other serious health complications. There are few simple things which if done regularly can keep you safe and absolutely fine.

5 ways to combat diabetes.

1) exercise - do minimum 45 to 30 minutes of exercise like brisk walking (for people with heart ailments make sure that you have done stress test/tmt). Keep yourself physically active all the time this will help you in losing weight, controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol. It will also improve insulin sensitivity in your body. 
2) high fiber diet - include high fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, cinnamon, green tea in your diet. This will improve your blood sugar level and also reduce your risk of developing diabetes and helps you to lose weight. Do not get into fad diets and tv commercials as they are often misleading.
3) reduce stress - tension and worry releases certain chemicals (stress hormones) which can increase your blood sugar level. Try relaxation therapy like meditation, yoga, music and soundful sleep.
4) restrict intake of alcohol - alcohol increases body weight, triglyceride (cholesterol) level and blood pressure. They may make you unaware of symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar which may be dangerous). They are empty calorie with no nutritional value. Permissible limit is 2 drinks (60ml) a day for men and 1 drink (60ml) for women, it is also not advisable to smoke.
5) regular check-ups - make sure that you regularly check your blood sugar levels and modify treatment from your diabetologist doctor (if required.) your body and your friend/ relative / colleague's body are different, so is your need of medicine for diabetes as well. What works best for them may not be right for you. So it is my sincere request is to avoid any self medication as it can be dangerous. Regularly undergo screening for early detection of diabetes complications like eye, nerve, heart, foot, kidney.

From lybrate: if you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over whatsapp, facebook and other media.


Top 5 Things All Diabetics Must Do

Cotton swabs or cotton buds, are commonly used in our daily lifestyle. Many people use it for various purposes, such as make-up, bacterial culture, and most commonly for extracting wax and debris from the ear. Even though they are sometimes handy in our busy schedule, they usually cause much more harm than benefits.

How are they misused?
Cotton buds are toothpick like pieces made of wood, plastic, or rolled paper, which have cotton stuck at both ends with a roundish edge. It came into existence during the 1920s for a safe purpose of ear cleaning by Leo Gerstenzang, when he saw his wife cleaning their baby s ear with a toothpick. They are until now used by the general population for ear cleaning, but these hardly remove the outer debris which are stuck near the outer edges. Impressing it inside the ear canal only does further damage, by forcing the inner wax further inside Sometimes extensive force also causes damage to the ear drums.

How does it cause the damage?
Applying a tool like the cotton bud inside the ear with hands usually creates a force that impresses upon the eardrum, also accumulating the surrounding earwax to that area, resulting in impaction of the wax. The force applied most often, if not always, causes a damage to the ear drums, which might cause severe pain, also leading to leakage, causing improper balance, deafness, and certain similar abnormalities.

Alternative measures
Although we are worried about cleaning our ears, it doesn t really require our notice, since our usual showers allow an adequate quantity of water to enter the ears and clean the accumulated debris automatically. The structure, in which our ear canal is designed, is usually naturally assisting in cleaning up the unusual wax around the ear.

If there is an uncontrollable build up of earwax that is not cleaned off normally, you can always consult an ENT or any general physician and get it cleaned under medical surveillance, which is best advised.
Doctors and medical practitioners all around the world have been trying to spread the message of preventing the use of cotton buds for ear cleaning. It is important that the message reach the greater part of the population. Spread it to your family, your closest friends, their friends, and as further, you can reach!

Cotton Buds - Why You Must Not Use Them?

Chronic pancreatitis refers to an inflammation of the pancreas   the organ that creates enzymes and hormones to manage blood sugar levels and aids in digestion. The condition either does not heal completely and keeps coming back, or persists for months or years at a stretch.

Chronic pancreatitis is a serious, debilitating condition, which can potentially lead to permanent damage and scarring of the organ. The following are the consequences-

  Formation of cysts and calcium stones in the pancreas
  Blockage of the gastrointestinal tract
  Malnutrition
  Diabetes

The condition is most likely to develop between the ages of 30 and 40 and is commonly observed in men than in women.

Causes of Chronic Pancreatitis:

A number of factors are responsible for long-term pancreatitis. The most common ones include-

  Alcohol abuse   Reportedly, 70% of all cases regarding the condition is related to alcohol consumption
  Autoimmune diseases   When your body attacks the healthy tissues and cells mistakenly
  Genetics
  A constrict pancreatic duct   The tube that carries enzymes to the small intestine from the pancreas
  A blockage of the pancreatic duct by stones
  Cystic fibrosis   A hereditary disorder that causes mucus to build up in the lungs
  Hypercalcemia   When the level of calcium in the bloodstream increases abnormally
  Hypertriglyceridemia   When the level of triglycerides in the blood rises up

Warning Signs of Chronic Pancreatitis:

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis do not show up at the early stages. They become more evident when inflammation aggravates. However, you should look out for the following signs-

  Severe abdominal pain   Usually in the upper portion
  Loose stool that appears pale and does not flush away easily
  Vomiting and nausea
  Unintentional weight loss
  Fatigue
  Excessive thirst
  Shortness of breath
  Diarrhoea
  Jaundice
  Pancreatic fluids inside the stomach
  Intestinal blockage
  Internal bleeding

The above symptoms vary based on the severity of the condition. Painful episodes may last for days. For some people, drinking and eating seem difficult because that makes the pain worse. With the progression of persistent pancreatitis, the pain becomes constant. Seeking treatment at the earliest is necessary for the condition to heal.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

A blood test alone is not sufficient to detect the changes in your pancreas in the initial stages. An imaging test is the most reliable method to confirm the diagnosis. Your doctor may recommend the following tools-

  CT Scan
  X-ray
  Ultrasound
  MRI Scan

The objective of the treatment is to reduce pain and improve the functioning of your digestive system. The damage to the pancreas cannot be cured, but your doctor will prescribe necessary measures to manage the symptoms of the condition.

The primary treatment methods include endoscopic therapy, medications, and surgery.

  Medication - Pain killers, insulin steroids, and artificial digestive enzymes may be taken as per the doctor s recommendation
  Endoscopy - The procedure involves inserting a flexible, long tube (known as an endoscope) through the mouth. It allows the doctor to look at the pancreatic stones formed inside. He/she then removes the stones, places stents to improve the flow, and seals the leakage.
  Surgery - The last resort is surgery. The doctor will recommend it only if medications and endoscopy therapy have failed to rectify the painful symptoms. Removing a portion of the diseased pancreas can offer relief. Surgery may also be performed to drain cysts and to unblock or widen the pancreatic duct.

The outlook depends on the underlying causes and the seriousness of the disease. However, immediate treatment and diagnosis can improve the outlook. Consult a doctor as soon as you encounter the above symptoms of pancreatitis.

Chronic Pancreatitis - Everything You Should Be Knowing!

The skin is one the largest organs in the human body and is also one of the most affected parts. Ichthyosis is one such condition, which is a term given to a set of about 28 types of hereditary skin conditions. The common factor among all these is the scaly, dry, flaky skin which is where the name comes from (fish-like skin). The affected person s skin resembles that of fish scales. The most common type if ichthyosis vulgaris. Since it is hereditary, it often begins in early childhood and continues through life. 

Therefore, in addition to treating the condition, most affected people learn to modify lifestyle and skin care routines to ensure the condition is not aggravated.

Avoid hot baths or showers which will dry the skin out further
Use lukewarm or cool water for the bath
Avoid soap which can further dry the skin
Use Cetaphil lotion and cream which are available over the counter
Do not pat dry the skin with a towel.
Gently blot the skin and apply alpha-hydroxyl acid lotion, which can improve skin moisture content
If possible, consider living in a temperate climate
There is no cure for this condition, but ichthyosis can be managed with these above measures. In addition, even homoeopathy does not offer any particular cure, but there are some effective remedies which help the patients manage their symptoms better. Arsenic and Arnica have been shown to improve the symptoms but not well proven yet.

The right homoeopathy product would be prescribed based on
It is a life-long condition which can be managed or controlled in the best manner with homoeopathy. The scaling of the skin can be delayed with the use of homoeopathic medicines. This can reduce the dryness, cracking, and peeling off of the skin. The excess buildup of the scales on the skin can be reduced with homoeopathy medicines like mother tincture. The associated symptoms need to be assessed in people presenting with scaly skin.

Skin and scalp are affected, there are dry scales
Skin on the face is affected, scaly skin with whiskers
Skin on the chest is affected with scaly skin between the breasts
Overall skin is very dry
Outbreak on the skin, which are dry, crusty, rough, peeling off of the scales; or present as a combination of these. There are some homoeopaths who try remedies to improve the moisture content in the skin. However, if the patient does not respond to the treatment or show improvement in the symptoms, the treatment may be discontinued. If there are any signs of improvement of the symptoms, it can be continued for life as the condition also persists for life.

Best Homeopathic Remedies for Ichthyosis Treatment 

Most people have experienced stomach ache at some point in their lives. People who are affected with digestive disorders suffer from reduction in the digestion potential, which leads to insufficient conversion of nutrients to usable forms. There is a wide range of stomach disorders that people suffer from, ranging from the functional disorders to irritable bowel syndromes to constipation and several others.

Functional disorders of the stomach
Functional disorders of the stomach occur when the bowel movement appears normal, yet they do not function in the proper way. It is one of the most common gastro-intestinal problems and affects the rectum and colon, including constipation. It is mainly caused due to various reasons like regular consumption of a diet containing low fibre content, not getting enough exercise, and consuming a large amount of dairy products. You are likely to suffer from functional disorders of the stomach when you are stressed or resisting the urge of a bowel movement. Some people have the tendency of consuming laxatives without following any kind of regulation, and it leads to weakening of the stomach muscles in the course of time, and gastro-intestinal issues.

Common problem of constipation
Constipation is basically the restricted bowel movement and is caused due to an insufficient amount of roughage or fibre in the diet. It causes an individual to strain while passing stools and leads to hard and small stools, and eventually causes chronic problems like fissures and haemorrhoids. You can avoid these issues by including more roughage in your diet and by exercising daily. Although laxatives can alleviate the condition, it is crucial to understand that it is not a permanent solution, and you must consult your doctor for a sustainable solution.

Getting rid of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Also referred to as spastic colon, IBS is a clinical condition where the colon muscles can contract almost instantly. There are numerous factors that can lead to this problem, such as certain medicines and foods as well as emotional stress. The most commonly seen symptoms are abdominal cramps and pains, excessive gas formation and bloating, and alterations in bowel habits. If you are suffering from IBS, then it is important to stay away from caffeine at all cost. Also monitor the foods that trigger IBS and stay away from them.

If these remedies are not able to offer a solution to your suffering, then it is crucial to speak with your doctor and seek treatment to get rid of your stomach problems.

3 Common Types of Gastro-Intestinal Disorders

Don't wait any longer, manage your Anorectal Surgeon online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Anorectal Surgeon - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES