The number of allergens are many and knowing what triggers your allergies can get complicated. The common triggers that are known to trigger allergic rhinitis are:

Moulds
Fungi
Pollen, the most common cause for allergies
Dust mites, and the faeces of dust mites that can cause severe allergic reactions
Cockroaches
Animal dander, which includes cat hair, dog fur, and may also include little flakes of skin
Avoiding the above mentioned triggers is more of a general guideline for the management of allergies. The lifestyle changes that you make to manage allergies:

Keep yourself hydrated at all times. Drink about eight to ten glasses of water every day. This will allow the mucous to be expelled with ease, if you experience any nose block.
During seasons like spring, when the amount of pollen in the air is at its maximum, limit your exposure. Try to stay indoors to avoid exposure to pollen or dust in the air.
Make it a point to take a shower before going to sleep as the residues of pollen and dust stuck to your skin are likely to make your symptoms worse.
Use fresh bedding and clothes every day. This will help to reduce your exposure to allergens.
Remove your carpets. Carpets are home to dust mites and pollen grains which become difficult to remove even with vacuum cleaners. Remove the carpets during the allergy season, and replace with hard flooring.
Keep windows and doors shut to avoid dust and pollen grains from entering the house and possibly causing allergies.
Avoid staying around pets. It that is not possible, then wash them at least once a week to reduce allergies.
Prevent inhaling cigarette smoke or smoking cigarettes. The smoke can be very harmful and can increase the risk of asthma in kids.
Avoid outdoor trips during seasons when the pollen count is high.

Allergies - Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Manage it!

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread body pain along with sleep deficits, memory loss, mood problems and fatigue. Symptoms may be triggered after a surgery, physical trauma, infection, or stress. Women are much more vulnerable to this disease than men. Many people affected with fibromyalgia may have suffered from headaches, backaches, depression, anxiety, tension, temporomandibular joint 
disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. Most of these patients have undergone multiple consultation with various doctors and undergone many tests, but no diagnosis could be made. These patients are often ignored by doctors and family members as always "complaining of pain".

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia:
1.Extensive Pain- Pain related to fibromyalgia is often depicted as a dull pain that lasts for at least three months. Pain can involve any body part like back,neck, chest, arms, legs. Patients have pain in multiple areas of body and painful areas change over time.

2.Fatigue- Patients afflicted with this disorder feel tired even after sleep. Such people are reported to sleep for longer hours than normal people, but their sleep often gets disrupted due to sleep apnoea and restless leg syndrome.

3.Cognitive Difficulties- These patients find it difficult to concentrate at work and also suffer from memory deficits in daily activities.

4.Other Symptoms: These patients may also have symptoms like burning urination, urgency of urination, numbness,loss of appetite, tingling sensation,diarrhoea, constipation, tinnitus, depression etc

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia:
There are no specific test to diagnose fibromyalgia. Diagnosis is made by a doctor specialised in Pain Medicine using clinical methods based on symptoms and examination. Blood tests like Haemogram, Thyroid function test, RA Factor, ESR are done to rule out other diseases which can cause similar symptoms. 

Treatment of Fibromyalgia
1.First step in treating these patients is to accept their problem and discuss with patient and family members regarding the presence of such disease entity.

2.Lifestyle changes like active involvement in cardiovascular exercises, swimming, yoga, meditation are important to control symptoms.

3.Conventional painkillers do not work in these patients. They requires special medications prescribed by a Pain Specialist for control of symptoms.

4. Counselling of patient is beneficial for associated depression.

Are You Suffering From Body Pains ? It Could Be Fibromyalgia!!

The thyroid gland is a stand out among the most important organs in the body. It is an organ with an extensive impact. It is one of the hormone-creating, endocrine organs, which fundamentally control the rate at which the body's different systems and organs work. It affects vitality levels, immunity, regulation of sugar and is the general controller of development, growth and metabolism of the entire body. During embryonic life, the thyroid gland moves downwards from the pharynx (portion of the throat which affects both digestion and respiration) to its position underneath the Adam's apple.

There are a number of remedies that are capable of treating the thyroid problems. Since homeopathy aims at treating the root cause of the problems, the treatment is stretched over a longer period of time. Additionally, homeopathy functions by stimulating the natural healing capabilities of the body. Some of the commonly used homeopathic treatments for thyroid diseases include Fucus vesiculosus, Calcarea carb, Iodine, Bromium, Lycopus, Calcarea phos, Lapis albus and Spongia. Some of them are discussed below:

    Fucus vesiculosus: Commonly known as Bladderwrack or sea kelp, this is a rich source of Iodine. The homeopathic medication utilizes the entire plant and is available in many dosage forms such as tablet, tincture and capsule. It helps in stimulating the production of thyroid hormones. It can be used to treat hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) and cysts.
    Iodine and Bromium: The homeopathic form of Iodine is called Iodum and it is prepared from iodate salts extracted from seaweed. Diversion from the optimum levels of iodine in the body causes thyroid problems. Homeopaths recommend Iodum for treating thyroid problems. Similar characteristics are exhibited by Bromium, which is a homeopathic form of bromine.
    Lycopus: The entire flowering plant of Bugleweed is used to prepare Lycopus. It is recommended for treatment of hyperthyroidism and cysts.
    Calcarea Carbonica: Calcarea Carbonica is a Homeopathic medicine which is regarded as one of the best homeopathic remedies for thyroid problems. It is highly recommended for hypothyroid patients who experience excessive sweating on head. It is also utilized for hypothyroidism afflicted patients having certain peculiar eating habits such as boiled egg cravings, desire for indigestible things such as pencils, chalk, lime, etc. This homeopathic medicine can also help in relieving constipation in patients having thyroid disorders.

Homeopathic Remedies for Thyroid Problems

Hormones are chemicals produced by the body for optimal functioning of the various body systems. The thyroid produces thyroxin which controls body metabolism, and reduced levels affect metabolism. Deficiency of Iodine is the cause behind it as it is required by the body to produce thyroxin. Hashimoto s thyroiditis which is an autoimmune disorder is another cause.

Some common signs of it are extreme fatigue, intolerance to cold, constipation, puffy face, hoarseness of voice, increased cholesterol level, weight gain, muscle and joint pains and aches, altered menstruation and depression are some of the common symptoms. 

Homeopathy has some very good remedies that are aimed at managing the person as a whole and not just the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Calcarea Carbonica: The most common and popular homeopathic medicine, it is useful in patients who present with the following symptoms.
Intolerance to cold
Fat, flabby, fair person
Excessive sweating on the head
Peculiar food habits including craving for eggs, chalk, pencils, lime,
Aversion to fatty food substances
Constipation i.e. first part of stool is hard followed by softer stools
Excessive menstruation, prolonged and occurs earlier than the regular date, almost always associated with cold feet
Sepia Officinalis: Another significant remedy, Sepia is used when the patient has the following symptoms.
Weak, pale yellow, tend to faint easily in cold temperatures
Extreme intolerance to cold, even in a warm room
Irritable, indifferent
Significant hair loss
Excessive menstruation, occurs earlier than schedule, along with a bearing down feeling that the pelvic organs will pop out through the vagina, and so she always prefers to sit cross-legged
Constipation i.e. stool is passed out as small balls that is painful to pass
Craving for pickles and acidic food stuffs
Lycopodium Clavatum: Symptoms of patients in whom Lycopodium will be used are as follows:
Emotionally irritable and physically weak
Yellow face with blue circles around eyes
Excessive hair fall
Craving for hot foods and sweets
Gastric troubles with excessive flatulence
Acidity that worsens after eating starchy foods, especially in the evenings
Constipation with hard, painful, incomplete stooling
Graphites: Presenting symptoms where Graphites is mainly used include:
Obesity
Intolerance to cold
Depressed emotionally, timid, indecisive, weeps listening to music
Bloated, gassy abdomen
Chronic constipation with hard, painful stooling process
Nux Vomica: The patient in whom Nux Vomica can produce wonderful results presents with the following symptoms:
Cold to the touch
Extremely temperamental, gets offended easily, extremely sensitive
Chronic constipation with scanty stools and a chronic urge to pass stools
Gassy, bloated feeling in the stomach
Desire for alcohol, caffeine, and other stimulations; fatty and spicy foods
Prolonged excessive menstruation
These are commonly used remedies; however, a detailed discussion with your homeopath is essential to zero in on the remedy that will work best for you.

Hypothyroidism - Symptoms + Homeopathic Remedies 

Any ailment can cause a breakdown of one's overall well-being due to the onslaught of related symptoms, and sinus problem is no different. Sinusitis refers to inflammation or swelling of the tissue that lines the sinus, which are passages filled with air and lie in the nasal tract. 

Sometimes, these passages get blocked with germs, fluid and other elements that can give rise to infections and allergic reactions. Here are the ways in which this condition can affect your health:

Related ailments: one of the most common outcomes of sinus blockage is common cold, which can happen when the passages do not get proper movement of air. Further, it can also cause allergic rhinitis which is also known as hay fever and comes with its own set of symptoms like a runny nose, blocked nose and ears, watery eyes and other signs. A build-up of nasal polyps can also take place in the blocked path of the sinus, while the nasal cavity can also shift, causing a deviated septum. 

Pain: we have many sinuses that are located in various parts of our head, including the areas above and below the eyes. As a part of the sinus attack, one may experience pain and fluid fullness in these areas. These regions can ache when there is a sinus infection. This pain can also be caused by the dull pressure exerted by inflammation, and the pain can then travel down to jaws, teeth and even between eyes. 

Headaches: the constant pressure and persistent pain in the various areas containing the sinus can lead to long term headaches which will be at their worst in the mornings. This is due to the fact that the fluids have been accumulating throughout the night. These headaches can get worse if there is a change in the temperature. 

Congestion: congestion is also a common symptom of sinus infection. The swollen sinuses can lead to constrictions in the nasal passage, which can obstruct normal breathing. This will lead to congestion, which can also affect the senses of taste and smell. 

Cough and discharge: a patient suffering from a sinus infection may end up blowing his or her nose more often than normal. This will usually happen because a yellowing greenish discharge will drain into the nasal passages on a regular basis during the infection. When this discharge bypasses the nasal tract and reaches the throat, it can also cause persistent coughing. It is best to ask for medical intervention and practice steaming to relive the painful symptoms of this condition.

How Does Sinus Affect Health

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of fascial ligament (the plantar fascia) at the base of the heel bone. It is a commonly experienced heel pain condition which is caused due to injury or even wear and tear as well as excess weight gain, in some cases. The plantar fascia is the name given to a flat band of connective tissue that holds the foot and the rest of the leg in place with the heel in between. This also supports the foot s arch and helps in connecting the heel bones to the toes. When there is inflammation as well as weakness in this tissue band, then pain may occur and is known as plantar fasciitis.

It may occur in one foot or both feet and may also be caused due to old age, for many individuals. Also, those who are heavily into athletics can also face this kind of wear and tear of the plantar fascia. As with many pain-related conditions, this one can also be treated with regular and moderate exercises that can be practiced to build flexibility and strength. 

Let us find out more about the three exercises that are most suited for treating this condition.

Stretching: Stretching is an exercise that can help in repairing most joint and tissue pain as it helps in pulling the damaged parts back into the right place, especially if any kind of misalignment has occurred. This kind of action can also have a soothing effect when the pain increases. You can stretch your calves in order to help the pain that is caused by plantar fasciitis. You can start by facing the wall and placing your right foot over the left one. Then, place your palms on the wall and remain at a distance of one arm. You will then need to bend you left leg in a forward motion as your right leg and heel press against the ground. Hold for 30 seconds and release. Then, repeat with the other leg.
Chair stretch: Another way of doing stretch exercises is with the help of a chair. You will need to sit on a chair and remain in an upright position for this exercise. Keep a frozen water bottle or cylinder under your foot and roll it back and forth as you maintain a firm grip using your foot and heel.
Big toe stretch: While you are still seated on the chair, you can do a big toe stretch by crossing your leg over the knee and pushing and pulling your big toe. This will help in stretching the tissue that is causing the pain. You will need to pull and hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds for each toe. Practice on both feet.

Plantar Fasciitis - 3 Exercises That Can Help Relieve Pain!

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