Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a term which is used for a large collection of disorders that can cause scarring of the lungs. The scarring gives rise to stiffness in the lungs that make it troublesome for breathing. Some of the examples of ILDs include Asbestosis, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Sarcoidosis, and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.


Causes -
ILDs could be caused by being exposed to dangerous chemicals, medical treatments, and certain medications. In nearly all cases, the result is unspecified. In several cases, it can be reduced by certain medications. Many drugs can harm the lungs, especially heart medications which are used to treat irregular heartbeats and hence might damage the lung tissue. Chemotherapy drugs that kill cancer cells, can also harm lung tissue.
Anti-inflammatory drugs and some antibiotics can also cause lung damage. The desecrate of the lung from many ILDs is progressive and irreversible which means it gets adverse over time. So, doctors often recommend lung transplant for the people having interstitial lung disease.

Symptoms -
The earliest symptoms and signs of interstitial lung disease are dry cough and shortness of breath at rest.

Risk Factors -
  Chemotherapy and Radiation: Using therapy drugs or having radiation treatments to chest makes it more likely to develop lung disease.
  Age: Interstitial lung disease affect adults more, although children and infants sometimes develop this disorder.
  Smoking: It occurs mostly in people who have a history of smoking. Active smoking might make the condition worse.
  Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: If a person is having indigestion or uncontrolled acid reflux, he or she may be at risk of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD).

Treatment -
The lung scarring or the lung fibrosis that occurs in interstitial lung disease cannot be changed and therapy will not every time be effective in stopping or finishing the ultimate development of the disease. Some treatments might slow the progression of this disease or improve symptoms temporarily. Others may help to improve quality of life. Many different scarring disorders have no proven therapies.

  Oxygen Therapy: Lung damage cannot be stopped by the oxygen therapy, but it can improve the sense of well-being and sleep because when sleeping, one receives more oxygen. It can also relax blood pressure in the right part of the heart. It can make breathing easier. Oxygen therapy can also lessen or prevent difficulty from low blood oxygen levels.
  Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Pulmonary rehabilitation not only improves daily functioning but also helps in live life fully to the people who are suffering from Interstitial Lung Disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs focus on breathing techniques which enhance lung efficiency, physical exercise to enhance endurance, nutritional counseling, and emotional support.

Take Away -
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a group of disorders that can be the cause of scarring of the lungs, which ultimately lead to lung damage. This condition affects more adults than children. The progression of this condition can be curtailed by adopting certain therapies.

What Is Interstitial Lung Disease?

The urethra is a thin tube that is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder. The urethra is wide enough to facilitate a free flow of urine. However, in some cases, the tube can narrow down and it can restrict urinary flow. This condition is known as a urethral stricture. It is a condition that affects mostly men.

Causes:
The inflammation of the tubular tissues or the presence of scar tissue is the number one cause for urethral stricture. In some cases, an accident or the injury to the groin area can also lead to the formation of such thin tubes. The other factors can include pelvic fractures, radiation, urinary infection and in some cases even STDs(Sexually Transmitted Disease).

Symptoms:
Most of the symptoms of Urethral stricture are mild. Only in some rare cases, the symptoms can be extreme. These can include weak or restricted urine flow, frequent urges to urinate, and feeling of heaviness in the bladder, a burning sensation during urination, swelling and pain while urinating. Sometimes your urine may discharge volts of blood and the color of urine may change.

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is by a physical examination and by analyzing the urine samples. In most of the cases, the thickness of the walls is measured by cystoscopy. The rate of the urine passed may also be checked for identifying the symptoms.

Treatment:
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Nonsurgical methods aim to improve the width of the urethra. This is done by using an instrument called a dilator. This is done as an outpatient procedure. This procedure is the most common method done and is done for most of the milder cases. Surgery is another option. The surgery aims to remove the heaviness of the urethra and enlarges the size of the flow.

Urine Flow Diversion:
This is done in extremely rare cases if the bladder has to be completely removed. In those cases, hole in the abdomen is done and urine is bypassed to that hole. However, this is an extremely rare scenario.

Prevention:
Try to avoid injuries in the groin area. If you are playing sports or a fitness enthusiast, use proper protection for your abdominal and groin regions. Try to always have safe sex and if you feel that there is some discomfort or some uneasiness while passing urine, do consult with a doctor immediately. In many cases, the condition can be avoided if proper precautions are taken.

What Is Urethral Stricture?

Almost everyone experiences a skin infection at some point of time or the other. A skin infection can be defined as any change to the skin that affects its look, colour or texture. It may or may not be accompanied by pain and itchiness. While some skin infections clear up on their own, others need medication. Homeopathy is a holistic form of treatment that addresses the root cause of the infection instead of only the symptoms presented. Thus it cures the disease instead of merely subduing the symptoms. Additionally, homeopathic medication has negligible side effects. Here are a few homeopathic remedies that can be used to treat skin infections.

1. Rhus toxicodendron: this can be used to treat cases of eczema where the skin is covered in small blisters. It can also soothe the itchiness, pain and swelling that accompanies this rash. Such rashes are aggravated by cold and damp weather and can turn into herpes or uriticaria is left untreated.

2. Graphites: graphites can be used to treat a number of skin infections. It is most commonly used for dry or itchy skin, cracked corners of the mouth or eyes, blisters on the scalp and hair that breaks easily. It can also be used to treat eruptions between fingers and at joint bends.

3. Pulsatilla: pulsatilla is used primarily to treat acne and nettle rash. It can also be used to treat rashes that accompany menstruation in women and rashes due to indigestion or uterine problems.

4. Sepia: sepia is a useful homeopathic medicine for herpes and psoriasis. It can also be used to treat eczema on the hands and dry, chapped skin.

5. Arsenicum: any skin problem that results in the thickening of skin along with itchiness and a burning sensation can be treated with arnicum. Some such skin ailments are chronic uriticaria, psoriasis and chronic eczema. This homeopathic medicine is also used to treat pimples and nettle rash.

6. Sulpher: sulpher is a very good way to treat acne, psoriasis and eczema. It is best known for its centrifugal properties that bring symptoms up to the surface of the skin. Sulpher can also be used to treat rough skin and burning sensations caused by aggravated washing.

7. Thuja: thuja is the most effective way of treating warts and ensures that they do not recur. Its antibacterial properties make it also useful in treatments of acne, black heads, age spots, scaly skin, freckles and carbuncles.

Treating Skin Problems in Homeopathy

Hematuria is the medical name of what is commonly known as bloody urine. It s an unpleasant and particularly painful feeling where the discharge of urine from your system is either cola coloured with blood clots or just a light shade of pink. It varies in visibility, that is, it can either appear to the naked eye or it may only appear under a microscope when a sample is examined. If it isn t easily visible then it can only be detected as a part of your regular check-up as the symptoms are more often than not invisible. Which is why it is very important to get a full body check-up done as often as possible.

Hematuria is an indicator of other serious conditions that could be underlying and not easily apparent. You should not sit on it and definitely visit your doctor if you notice something similar or if you feel any sort of discomfort while urinating. The number of reasons that can cause bloody urine are:

UTI: Urinary tract infection is one of the reigning causes of most renal and gynaecological problems. It is when your urethra and bladder are affected and it causes a perineal urge to urinate which is also a painful experience. Along with this your urine might carry a strong stench. Bloody urine, in this case, is not visible to the naked eye so you have to go in for a check-up as soon as the other symptoms arise.
Stones: Stones in your bladder or kidneys are caused due to the accumulation of minerals from highly concentrated urine. These harden over time and become stone-like. Kidney stones are extremely painful and can cause bleeding both microscopic and visible.
Exercise: Exercise should be practised in moderation. If you are not used to regular exercise then the first time you start, take it slow and gradually build up from that point onwards. Even then, if after a workout you see blood in your urine, then visit your doctor immediately. It is rare for exercise to cause bleeding but it can be the trigger to other problems that might be the actual culprits behind the bleeding. If you have any injuries in your kidney from working out or from contact sports then you are likely to see blood in your urine.
Prostrate: This is a problem aging males are likely to face no matter how active and healthy a lifestyle they lead. The prostate gland can sometimes get enlarged and cause obstruction in the flow of urine by pushing the urethra into a compressed corner, as the prostrate takes up more space than is allotted to it. The signs include microscopic bleeding but also a painful need to urinate perpetually. There may also be a visible bloody discharge of urine.
Thus, hematuria can be sneaky or it can come with ringing bells. Either way, it is best to not avoid going to the doctor and most importantly get regular check-ups done for your own health and safety.

4 Underlying Causes Of Hematuria!

Hiatal hernia takes place when the upper portion of the stomach pushes itself through an opening in the diaphragm, into the chest cavity. The diaphragm is a wall of thin muscles, which separates the chest cavity and the abdomen. In most cases, a small hiatal hernia doesn't cause problems and you may never know you have a hiatal hernia unless your doctor discovers it when checking for another condition.

But a large hiatal hernia can allow food and acid to back up into your oesophagus, leading to heartburn. Self-care measures or medications can usually relieve these symptoms, although a very large hiatal hernia sometimes requires surgery.

Causes

Hiatal hernia is primarily or most commonly caused due to the increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity. Sometimes, a lot of pressure may be felt around the stomach accompanied by coughing, vomiting, strain during bowel movements. For people born with an abnormal hiatus, the chance of getting hiatal hernia is more.

The two common types of hiatal hernia are:

 Sliding hiatal hernia, which occurs during the sliding out of the stomach and oesophagus into and out of the chest through the hiatus. This type of hiatal hernia is less intense and has no symptoms.
 Fixed hiatal hernia or paraoesophageal hernia is an uncommon type of hernia where a part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm and stays there.

Symptoms

Usually, no symptoms are experienced during hiatal hernia. Some symptoms are experienced that happen due to stomach acids, bile or air, which enters the oesophagus. Some common symptoms include:

 Heartburns which become worse when a person lies down
 Chest pain, better called epigastric pain
 Problem in swallowing food
 Belching

Tests for diagnosis

Several tests can be carried out for the diagnosis of hiatal hernia. They include:

 Barium x-ray, where a person is made to drink a liquid filled with barium before the x-ray. The x-ray provides a clear image of the upper digestive tract region and the location of the stomach can be seen. If it is protruded out, hiatal hernia is signified.
 Endoscopy is another test for detection of hiatal hernia. A thin tube slides down the throat, which reaches up to the oesophagus and stomach. This will determine whether the stomach is pushing through the diaphragm or not.

Treatment

Medicines, which are used to cure a hiatal hernia may include antacids for neutralizing stomach acid, h2 receptor blockers to lower acid production and proton pump inhibitors. Sometimes fundoplication surgery is required for the treatment of hiatal hernia, although it is rare. Some common surgical techniques are rebuilding of oesophageal muscles or a surgery to put the stomach back in its actual place. Laparoscopic surgery methods are used. Hiatal hernia may reoccur even after surgery; so general precautions should be taken. You should:

 Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight
 Avoid lifting heavy objects and ask for help
 Avoid any kind of strain on the abdominal muscles

Hiatal hernia is a disorder, which is more common among people over the age of fifty. Necessary precautions and treatment should be adopted in case of hiatal hernia.


All About Hiatal Hernia

Are you experiencing problems with your periods because of hormonal imbalance? This condition, known as PCOD and PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, may make it difficult for you to get pregnant, and unwanted changes in your appearance are also indicated. In most cases, women with PCOD develop small cysts in their ovaries. These cysts may not be harmful or cancerous, but they cause hormone imbalance in your body.

Causes

The specific causes of PCOD are yet to be determined. In PCOS patients, the ovaries produce excess androgens or male sex hormones, which result in an imbalance in ovulation, acne breakout and development of excess body hair. Your body faces problems using insulin and develops insulin resistance. Genetics are considered to be a key factor that determines a woman s chance of getting PCOD.

Symptoms

The symptoms of PCOD are mild in the beginning. The most common symptoms are as follows:

Weight and difficulty in weight loss.

Acne breakout.

Development of excess hair on the face and body, which is not a feminine feature. Thicker and darker facial hair and unusually excessive hair on the belly, chest and back are also indicated in some women.

Thinning of hair on the scalp.

Irregularity with menstrual periods. Commonly, women with PCOD experience less than 9 periods during a year. Some women may have no periods at all, while others experience heavy, abnormal bleeding.

Fertility problems are likely in women with PCOD.

Depression.

Treatment

The treatment of PCOD aims at relieving the symptoms and preventing long-term health problems associated with the condition. PCOD can be treated and managed by using the following measures:

You should keep fit and undertake regular exercise and work out. Walking is an ideal exercise which you can opt for.

You should eat heart healthy food which includes vegetables, nuts, fruits, whole grains and beans. Avoid foods which contain saturated fats and these include fried food, meat and cheese.

Losing weight is beneficial for your health if you have PCOD. Losing even a small amount of weight will help in balancing your hormones and regulating your menstrual cycle.

Quit smoking as smoking increases the levels of androgen in your body.

Birth control pills are also prescribed for reducing your symptoms, and fertility medicines are prescribed in case of infertility issues because of PCOD.

It is recommended for you to consult a gynaecologist on experiencing any symptom of PCOD. This will enable early diagnosis so that you can start with the treatment measures before the condition worsens.

PCOD - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

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