What is Type-1 Diabetes?

Type-1 Diabetes, also known as Diabetes Mellitus type-1, is a condition which is characterised by the lack of sufficient amount of insulin in the body. This is a chronic condition and cannot be cured. The insufficient amount of insulin in the blood results in the spike in blood sugar levels, which in turn, can damage various organs in the body. However, with proper therapy and treatment, it can be controlled and the quality of life can be improved for the patient.

The tell-tale signs and symptoms of this type of diabetes are the frequent urges to urinate, increase in appetite, increased thirst, and rapid loss of weight. It is most commonly diagnosed in children or young adults and thus, it was previously known as juvenile diabetes.

Glucose and other types of sugars are essential for the body cells to absorb energy. The glucose that is present in the blood is taken up with the help of insulin and utilised for energy. The lack of this hormone renders the glucose useless as it is not being able to enter the body cells. This is precisely type-1 diabetes.

What Causes It?

The cause of type-1 diabetes is not known entirely. Although, there are certain theories that explain the cause  

Genetics: The chances of getting type-1 diabetes are increased in children if either of their parents suffers through from this disease. More than 50 genes are involved in diabetes type-1.

Environmental factors: Environmental factors are also thought to play a role in type-1 diabetes.

Viral infection: A theory suggests that viral infections are responsible for type-1 diabetes. According to this theory, the virus activates the auto-immune system of the body which in turn attacks the pancreatic beta cells along with the cells that are infected by the virus. Viruses like Epstein-Barr virus, Mumps virus, rubella virus etc. are considered to be responsible for the same.

How Is It Treated?

Many people with type-1 diabetes live long, healthy lives. The key to good health is to keep your blood sugar levels within the range your doctor gives you. You ll need to check them often and adjust insulin, food, and activities to make that happen.

All people with type-1 diabetes must use insulin injections to control their blood sugar. Several types of insulin are available.

Type -1 Diabetes - What Is It And Its Causes?

Ear aches are a common complaint for many children. An ear infection can be explained as an inflammation of the middle ear. Unlike other aches, this one cannot be soothed by scratching or applying pressure and hence makes children cranky. Ear infections are usually triggered by bacteria or viruses. 
This causes inflammation that narrows the tube in the ear and allows fluid to build up. This fluid buildup is responsible for the pain.

However, not all ear infections need to be treated with medication. When it comes to treating ear aches in children, picking a natural remedy is a much better option ,since it has no side effects and can address the root cause of the infection. Here are a few natural remedies for earaches:

1. Compress: Hot and cold compresses are very effective ways of treating pain and can be used for earaches as well. Place an ice pack or a warm, moist compress over the ear to soothe the ache. Heat relaxes the muscles and stimulates blood flow while ice controls inflammation and swelling. Hot and cold compresses should not be applied for over 20 minutes at a time. 

2. Water: Some actions can help open up the eustachian tube to the middle ear. Swallowing is one such action. To encourage your child to swallow, offer him lots of fluids. 

3. Oil: Before using oil to treat an earache ensure that your child is not suffering from a ruptured eardrum and there is no fluid leaking from the ear. Pouring a few drops of warm olive oil or sesame oil can help soothe the pain by opening up the eustachian tube. It can also prevent the buildup of excessive ear wax and form a protective layer on the outer ear against bacteria and other infections. 

4. Elevate the head: Elevating a child's head can help improve sinus drainage. When it comes to children, instead of using a pillow below their head, place the pillow below the mattress to create a gradual slope. 

5. Onion: Onions can be used in many different ways to treat earaches. You could either juice an onion and put a few drops of the same in the ear or slice an onion in half and heat it before placing it over the ear like an ear muff. Onion contains anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help soothe earaches effectively and quickly. 

If the earache does not reduce or if there is a discharge from the ear, do not continue to self treat it and consult a doctor immediately.

Natural Remedies for Ear Infections in Children

Hearing is an essential process in everyone's life. Be it your social life or professional activities, hearing influences every aspect of your life. You can thus, never ignore the health of your ears to enjoy a healthy life. But there are several hindrances to obstruct effective hearing. One of the problems is the accumulation of a natural substance called cerumen produced by the glands present in the ear canal. The accumulated cerumen is medically referred to as Earwax. Over production of cerumen is mainly triggered by the deficiency of Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and magnesium.

The basic function of the wax is to protect the ear canal from invasion by foreign particles like bacteria and dust particles. This is necessary for the smooth functioning of the ear and its protection from invaders. However, it becomes an irritating problem when the earwax is produced in excess. The problem aggravates when the ear canal is blocked due to accumulation of earwax. In such cases, we use certain objects such as bobby pins, Q-tips or cotton swabs to clean the accumulated earwax from the ear canal. What we do not realise is that pricking the wax using these objects can sometime cause significant damage to the ear. These objects push the wax deep inside the canal, leading to blockage.

The most common symptoms of excessive earwax are as follows:

Earache
Developing a fullness feeling in the ears
Loss of hearing on temporary basis
Noises inside the ear
Itching
Here are the preventive measures to remove ear wax blockage:

In order to prevent blockage of ear wax, try keeping it moist by frequently running water into your ear while taking a bath. This will prevent the ear wax from getting dried up so that it doesn t get blocked in the ear canal. Make sure, you drain the water from the ear after running it for some time.
Don t use any pointed objects inside the ears as it can cause ear infection while pushing the wax deeper.
Avoid inserting cotton swabs or ear buds into the ear canal. You can use them to remove exposed ear wax at the ear opening, but don t push them deep inside the ear canal. It can push the excess ear wax inside the ear canal, thereby resulting in to an impact.
Don t use candle ear wax remover. Ear candles are another method to remove ear wax, but it can be really dangerous as you need to hold the lighted candle very close to your ear. It can even burn your ear.
Don t use cold water or a strong jet to drain out the excess ear wax. Strong jet can lead to the damage of the ear drum while cold water may result into dizziness.
Avoid using any other method to remove ear wax at home, such as suction.
Don t use any type of acidic liquid in order to soften the ear wax.
Omega 3 fatty acids are good for mitigating the problem of ear wax. So, include walnuts, avocados, salmon, albacore and ground flax seed in your diet.
Consult a doctor if the problem persists even after using home remedies.

 Ear Wax - How To Get Rid It?

Our ears are small in size, but  big  in the work they do. Not only do they help us hear, but also help us maintain our body s balance. They thus help us stand, walk, drive you just name it.

Ears are also much bigger in size than they actually are. The part of the ear that we see on our head is only the external ear, there is a middle ear and an inner ear too, silently carrying out complex functions related to hearing and balance. The middle ear that lies behind your ear drum is the seat of balance. And this part is hit hard at the time of an ear infection.

Ear infections cause the Eustachian tubes   small tubes that connect the middle ear to the back of your throat   to become swollen and blocked due to excess mucus. As a result of this, fluid builds up and inflammation takes root in the middle ear, thereby causing pain.

Ear infections can be acute or chronic. Acute infections clear up in a few days, but chronic ones reoccur frequently. If not managed, chronic ear infections can cause permanent damage to the middle and inner ear.

Causes of Eustachian tube blockage are as follows:

Allergies
Sinus infection
Cold
Extreme production of mucus
Smoking
Infected adenoid, which is a tissue near your tonsils that traps harmful bacteria and viruses
There are a few risk factors associated with ear infections. It can be said that young children are more susceptible to these infections. This is because their Eustachian tubes are short and narrow. It has also been seen that infants who are bottle-fed have a higher incidence of ear infections than breastfed babies.

Other risk factors are:

Changes in altitude
Changes in climate
Exposure to tobacco smoke
Use of pacifiers
Symptoms of ear infections:

Pain or discomfort inside the ear
A prolonged feeling of pressure inside the ear
Pus-like ear drainage
Hearing loss
What is also important to know is that the symptoms of an ear infection come and go. 

Symptoms can also occur in one or both ears. Chronic ear infection symptoms can be less noticeable than those of acute ear infections.

Hence, fever and ear ache should spur you to see a doctor. You should be extremely careful with babies younger than six months who have fever or ear infection symptoms.

Your doctor will diagnose an ear infection by checking if there is a draining of fluid from the middle ear, perforation in the eardrum or a collapsed eardrum.

Sometimes, ear infections can lead to the following serious complications:

Hearing loss
Speech or language delay in children
An infection in a skull bone called mastoiditis
Meningitis
Ruptured ear drum

Causes And Symptoms Of Ear Infections

Balance disorders are a combination of physiological factors that can make you feel unsteady or dizzy. While sitting, standing or lying down, you may feel as if you are floating, moving, or spinning and you may feel dizzy and dazed for the time being. This disorder can intervene in your daily activities of life, and can even lead to falls and accidents, which may cause you to end up with fractures and other types of injuries.

What causes balance disorder?

A combination and coordination of many body systems such as muscles, bones, vision, the balancing organ within the ear, heart and nerves help maintain normal balance. Dysfunction of these systems can lead you to encounter balance problems. Balance disorders can be caused by many types of conditions.

Some of the causes of the disorder are:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This occurs due to dislodged or displaced calcium crystals in the inner ear, which help you maintain balance. It is the most commonly found cause of vertigo. A spinning sensation while turning in bed is a common sign.

Migraines: Migraines are a general cause of dizziness. Sensitivity to motion can also be caused by migraines. It can also lead to motion sickness, which is dizziness experienced when traveling in boats, cars or airplanes.
Head injury: A severe concussion can also cause vertigo.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome: Commonly known as zoster otitis, this condition affects the nerves close to the ears. It can be attributed to hearing loss, vertigo and pain in the ear.
Vestibular problems and nerve damage: Damaged nerves in the legs can cause difficulty in movement and locomotion. Abnormalities and dysfunctions in the inner ear can lead to a sensation of dizziness and a heavy head.
How do you know if you have balance disorder?

Some of the characteristic symptoms of this condition include:

- Blurred vision
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Blood pressure
- Fatigue
- Depression and anxiety
- Psychological disorientation
- Fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate



What Causes Balance Disorder? Is Migraine a Cause?

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?

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