Swimmer's ear is a medical condition, which involves inflammation, irritation or infection of the ear. It may affect the outer ear and also the ear canal. Swimmer's ear is called Otitis externa in medical terms. The condition may be acute to chronic in nature.

Causes
Swimmer's ear is an infection that's usually caused by bacteria commonly found in water and soil. Infections caused by a fungus or a virus are less common. This condition is more common in teenagers and young adults. It may occur due to a middle ear infection or because of a respiratory infection such as cold.
Swimmer's ear can occur as a result of swimming in unclean or contaminated water. These waters contain pseudomonas and other harmful bacteria, which can lead to such ear infections. The infections are rarely caused by fungus.

Swimmer's ear may also result due to other reasons. They can be:
1. Scratching the inside or outside of the ear.
2. Having something stuck in the ear. When you clean ear wax with cotton swabs or small objects, damage may occur. Using headphone or ear plugs for a long period of time may also cause swimmer's ear.
3. Allergic reaction to some object or anything placed in the ear may also cause Swimmer's ear. These may be hair products or jewelry.
4. Some chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis may also lead to this infection.

Risk factors
There are several factors, which may enhance the risk of getting swimmer's ear. They are as follows:
1. Swimming in water, which has got elevated levels of bacteria. This includes lakes and ponds.
2. People having narrow ear canals are at a more risk of swimmer's ear.
3. Aggressive cleaning and scratching of the ear canal.

Symptoms
The symptoms which indicate swimmer's ear are:
1. tching of the ear canal. This becomes intense as the condition progresses.
2. Redness on the inside parts of the ear, which get more extensive in later stages.
3. Discomfort which worsens by pulling on the outer ear or pushing on the tragus of the front part of the ear.
4. Drainage of a fluid which is clear and odorless. As the condition worsens, there is excessive drainage of fluid along with the discharge of pus.
4. A fullness feeling in the ear and a partial blockage of the ear canal because of swelling and fluids.
5. In advanced stages, fever and swelling of lymph nodes in the neck is indicated. Hearing impairment may occur.

Swimmer's ear is a health condition, which involves the ear. The ear gets inflamed because of a certain bacterial infection. Although it is not a very severe condition, in some cases it can do significant harm.

Causes of Swimmer's Ear

Vertigo is a medical condition where the affected person feels that the world or surrounding environment is spinning or moving. It is accompanied with nausea, vomiting, sweating and having problems in walking steadily. Moving your head worsens this condition. An illusion of movement is observed.

Vertigo arises from several conditions. There are mainly two types of Vertigo-

Peripheral Vertigo: This is the most common vertigo and is caused often due to a problem in the balance mechanism of the inner ear. The causes include:

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Being one of the common causes of vertigo, BPPV occurs due to certain head movements when standing up or bending over. The attacks are short, powerful and recurrent in nature. Nausea is also accompanied. A feeling of lightheadedness and despaired balance is observed after the attack. Fragments of calcium carbonate crystals are broken off from the channel linings present in the inner ear. These fragments cause the problem by getting into the ear fluid canals, and certain head movement sweeps them across the canal causing vertigo.

Head Injury: Vertigo develops due to head injuries, and the symptoms are similar to that of dizziness.
Labyrinthitis: It is an infection in the inner ear, which causes the labyrinth of the ear to get inflamed. The labyrinth controls our hearing and balance. An inflammation causes it to send different information than the other, normal ear. This conflict causes vertigo. Such vertigo can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, loss of hearing and ear pain.

Vestibular Neuronitis: This is a condition pertaining to the inner ear, which causes inflammation of the nerve which connects the labyrinth to the brain. The condition arises from viral infections. Nausea and vomiting are observed, and this condition leads to vertigo.

Meniere's Disease: This rare condition in the inner ear causes severe vertigo along with hearing loss and aural fullness. Meniere's disease prompts sudden vertigo attacks with nausea and vomiting.
Central Vertigo: Central vertigo arises from problems in the cerebellum of the brain and brainstem. Causes include:

Migraines.
Sclerosis, a condition which affects the central nervous system.
Acoustic neuroma, a type of brain cancer growing on the acoustic nerve.
Brain tumors, stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Certain medications.
Treatment-
Treatment of vertigo depends on the cause and on the extent of symptoms. Labyrinthis and vestibular neuronitis are cured by vestibular rehabilitation and medication. BBVV is treated using a process called the Epley maneuver. Meniere's disease is cured by modes of dietary restriction, medication, treating tinnitus and treating hearing loss. Generally, curing the cause of vertigo helps in healing the disorder.

Vertigo is caused by different reasons and factors and rectification of these factors helps in the treatment of vertigo.

Vertigo: Causes and Treatment

Are you aware of the causes and symptoms of vertigo? Also known as bhrama, vertigo is a balance disorder. It is also referred to as a spinning sensation and head rush. A sense of spinning of the nearby surroundings is experienced by a person affected with vertigo. Standing in an upright position becomes difficult. The onset of this condition occurs in several ways. Ayurveda has a complex explanation for vertigo or bhrama, which is as follows:

Ayurvedic approach
According to Ayurveda, vertigo is caused because of your pitta and vata doshas.

When the vata and pitta doshas get excited, an abnormal functioning of the balance mechanism within your inner ear is caused.
A vestibular imbalance, or an imbalance in the inner part of your ear is the primary cause of vertigo. It disrupts the coordination of a stimulus and response.
Any defect or disruption in the proper flow of oxygen to the ear can result in vertigo attacks.
Factors causing imbalance in doshas

Viral infections like common cold
Ear problems like discharges, infections in the ear cavity, and perforation of the eardrum
Certain cardiovascular diseases such as low blood pressure, valve diseases, and improper heart rhythms
Migraine and anemia
Certain neck ailments such as cervical spondylosis
Arthritis and injury to the head that leads to concussions
Ayurvedic treatment

Several Ayurvedic herbs and remedies are used for the treatment of vertigo. These herbs are added to a patient s regular diet. They are as follows:
Ashwagandha improves the flow of oxygen in your body. It is commonly used for dealing with respiratory problems that result in vertigo or bhrama.
Ginkgo is the most effective Ayurvedic herb for curbing all forms of circulatory problems. It enhances the flow of oxygen to various parts of your body. It is ideal for the reduction and elimination of vertigo. It also cures ringing in the ears, which is a common vertigo symptom.
The roots of the vacha tree are effective in giving relief to vertigo patients.
A concoction made of Guduchi Kasaya is effective in curing a vertigo. One should have 30ml of the concoction every morning, at least half an hour before breakfast.
Other important Ayurvedic remedies that help with vertigo management include Triphala, Sarpagandha, Yogendra rasa, Saraswatarishtha, and many others.
It is recommended for you to visit an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting Ayurvedic treatment for vertigo on your own. He will be able to diagnose your condition and severity, and accordingly prescribe the best treatment.

Vertigo - How Ayurveda Can Help You Treat it?

Throat cancer is a broad term used to cover cancer across a number of organs in the oronasal passage   right from the nasopharynx, oropharynx, glottis, epiglottis to supraglottis. Minus the medical terms, it means anywhere from the back of the nose and throat to the where the neck ends. The mucous cells along this path can undergo changes and begin multiplying rapidly, leading to cancer. The following are some additional risk factors:

Cigarette smoking
Tobacco abuse
History of human papilloma virus (HPV)
Alcohol abuse
Poor dental hygiene
Family history
Cigarette smoking is the most important of all, and a person can significantly reduce the risk by cutting down smoking. The throat has different types of linings and gland tissue, and depending on the cell type affected, the type of cancer could vary.

Symptoms: Throat cancer diagnosis can get delayed as the symptoms are very similar to a throat infection.

Sore throat: A sore throat that lasts for weeks together is often a cause for concern and requires ruling out underlying serious problem. Having associated risk factors is a good way to see if ruling out cancer is needed.
Cough: A cough that does not go away is a cause for concern. This is often associated with other symptoms mentioned here.
Voice change: Usually hoarseness of the voice, which is painless and not accompanied by a throat infection, is an indication of throat cancer.
Difficulty swallowing or breathing: Depending on where the cancer is located, there could be problems in either free breathing or swallowing. The developing mass gets in the way of free air and/or food movement.
Lumpy feeling in the throat: If the developing mass is along the length of the throat, then there could be a lumpy feeling, as if something is caught in the throat and not going down.
Bleeding: There could be bleeding either through the nose or the mouth, depending on the place of the cancer. Again, this is one of the late symptoms and not seen in the beginning.
Unexplained weight loss: As with any cancer, throat cancer also leads to unexplained weight loss.
Depending on the area affected, the symptoms can point to the location. For instance, voice changes are often associated with laryngeal cancer. A combination of risk factor assessment and symptoms will help in pinning down the diagnosis. Reach out to the doctor as soon as you notice something is wrong, as early diagnosis is very good for timely intervention and improving prognosis.

Throat cancer - Symptoms to watch for!

What makes your nose bleed in the summer season?

Nosebleeds are a common occurrence, and may indicate a severe medical condition. The rupture of the blood vessels within the front and back of the nose can cause such bleeding. These blood vessels are very tender and, thus, bleed easily.

There are two kinds of nose bleeds: namely anterior and posterior nosebleeds.

An anterior nosebleed occurs when the blood vessels at the front of the nose break or rupture, giving rise to bleeding. A posterior nosebleed is when the rupture takes place in a deeper part of the nose. The latter is more dangerous because blood can flow down the back of the throat.

Some of the causes of nose bleeding are:

- Trauma to the face, such as a punch on the face
- Repeated bouts of nose picking or irritation can also cause nosebleed
- Although rare, inability of the blood to clot can also cause the nose to bleed
- High blood pressure can also be a contributing factor

According to some people, cold can cause your nose to bleed. This holds true to an extent. Among the many reasons that can cause the nosebleed, summers serve as one.

This is because:

- Summer months are dry and hot, both of which are bad for your nose. The protective coating of mucus present within the nasal cavity can get dry due to low humidity in the hot months. The loss of the mucus causes your nasal cavity to be prone to dryness, leading to subsequent bleeding.

- The heat also has another damaging effect, as summers tend to intensify allergy, and an allergic reaction can cause nosebleeds.

Washing your nose with cool water and avoiding being subjected to direct sunlight may help to prevent nosebleeds.



What makes your nose bleed in the summer season?

A nose bleed can take place due to a number of reasons, which usually all boil down to acute dryness of the nasal passages. The nosebleed and dryness can stem from sinus, allergic reactions, constant blowing of the nose, infections, and also during very harsh winter months when there is no lubrication in the nose. Nose bleed can also occur due due to conditions, such as high blood pressure and when a foreign object gets stuck inside the nose. Here are a few tips on treating nosebleeds.


1. First step: the very first action when you experience a nose bleed should be to sit down. Once you are sitting, you should firmly pinch the spot that is soft. This lies just above the nostril. Do this for at least ten to fifteen minutes. The trick is to stay upright rather than lying down as this will bring down the blood pressure in the nasal blood vessels to stop further bleeding.


2. Breathe: breathe with your mouth as you lean forward to help in draining the blood into your nose, rather than out of it or towards the throat.


3. Ice compress: find a bag of frozen corn or peas in your freezer or an ice pack, and press this firmly against the nose to help in stemming the bleeding. As you are doing so, do not forget to cover the bridge of your nose with a towel so that it prevents you from catching a cold.


4. Medication and side effects: if you are on any kind of anticoagulants that end up thinning the blood, then you may immediately want to see your doctor about a possible side effects and a change in the medication. This could also be an effect of haemophilia where the bleeding does not stop.


5. Children: if a child who is under the age of two years suffers from such nosebleeds, then you will need to rush him or her to the doctor immediately as it could point at a more serious problem.


6. Anaemia: nose bleeds could also suggest the presence of anaemia, so you may want to see your doctor about lab tests to determine and possibly rule out this cause. You can also start medication accordingly for this kind of an ailment.


7. Nasal packing: the doctor can carry out this procedure with the help of gauze that can seal the spot where the bleeding is happening.


8. Cautery: this is a minor procedure that involves burning the blood vessel that is causing the persistent bleeding with a stick of silver nitrate. The stick will be inserted after local anaesthesia is administered to the patient.

You must see a doctor for severe and prolonged bleeding.

How to Treat a Nosebleed

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