What is Genital?

Genital warts are soft growths that appear on the genitals. They re a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Genital warts can cause pain, discomfort, and itching. They re especially dangerous for women because some types of HPV can also cause cancer of the cervix and vulva.

HPV is the most common of all STIs. Men and women who are sexually active are vulnerable to complications of HPV, including genital warts. Treatment is key in managing this infection.

Causes:

Most cases of genital warts are caused by HPV. There are 30 to 40 strains of HPV that specifically affect the genitals, but just a few of these strains cause genital warts.

The HPV virus is highly transmittable through skin-to-skin contact, which is why it s considered an STI.

In fact, HPV is so common that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that most sexually active people get it at some point. However, the virus doesn t always lead to complications such as genital warts. In fact, in most cases, the virus goes away on its own without causing any health problems.

Genital warts are caused by strains of HPV that differ from the strains that cause warts on your hands or other parts of the body. A wart can t spread from someone s hand to the genitals, and vice versa.

Symptoms:

Genital warts are transmitted through sexual activity, including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. You may not start to develop warts for several weeks or months after infection.

Genital warts are not always visible to the human eye. They may be very small and the color of the skin or slightly darker. The top of the growths may resemble a cauliflower and may feel smooth or slightly bumpy to the touch. They may occur as a cluster of warts, or just one wart.

Genital warts on males may appear on the following areas:

-penis
-scrotum
-groin
-thighs
-inside or around the anus

Genital warts in females may appear on the following area:

-inside of the vagina or anus
-outside of the vagina or anus
-cervix
-Genital warts may also appear on the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat of a person who has had oral sexual contact with an infected person.

Even if you cannot see genital warts, they may still cause symptoms, such as:

-vaginal discharge
-itching
-bleeding
-burning

If genital warts spread or become enlarged, the condition can be uncomfortable or even painful.

Diagnosis:

To diagnose this condition, your doctor will ask questions about your health and sexual history. This includes symptoms you ve experienced and any times you ve engaged in unprotected sex, including oral sex.

Your doctor will also perform a physical examination of any areas where you suspect warts may be occurring.

For women only:

Because warts can occur deep inside a woman s body, your doctor may need to do a pelvic examination. They may apply a mild acidic solution, which helps to make the warts more visible.

Your doctor may also do a Pap smear, which involves taking a swab of the area to obtain cells from your cervix. These cells can then be tested for the presence of HPV. Certain types of HPV may cause abnormal results on a Pap smear, which may indicate precancerous changes. If your doctor detects these abnormalities, you may need more frequent screenings to monitor any changes.

If you re a woman and concerned that you may have contracted a form of HPV known to cause cervical cancer, your doctor can perform a DNA test. This determines what strain of HPV you have in your system. An HPV test for men is not yet available.

Role Of Homeopathy In Genital Warts:

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy.

Diet And Non-Diet:

To help your body heal faster, you should cut out any immune stressors like smoking or a diet that is heavy in processed or unhealthy foods. Foods to incorporate into your diet include: antioxidant rich foods (blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, bell peppers, squash) dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.

Genital Warts - All You Should Know!

Skin tags: causes and treatments

Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, are small brown or darker-than-skin tone growths on the surface of the skin. Tags are very common and harmless growths and tend to occur on the neck, under the breasts, armpits, eyelids and folds of the groin. They generally take place after midlife. About 25% of people report having skin tags after they cross the age of 50.

What causes skin tags to occur?

Skin tags are very common among diabetics and obese individuals. Pregnant women also develop skin tags, as a consequence of changes in the body's hormonal levels. Skin tags tend to occur when your skin rubs against clothing or skin. They are normally caused by blood vessels and collagen that gets trapped inside the thicker portions of the skin. For this reason, they are typically found in folds and creases of the skin. Sometimes, they reduce on their own if blood supply to the tissue has been disrupted due to them getting twisted.

What procedures are involved in their treatment?

Skin tags are generally removed for purely cosmetic reasons but when they do become troublesome, as in, they rub against jewelry, skin or clothing, doctors recommend their removal as the area can end up becoming irritated.

The following procedures are performed to remove these annoying growths on skin:

1. Excision - in this procedure the skin tag gets removed using a scalpel.

2. Ligation - the procedure involves the cutting off of blood supply to the skin tag.

3. Cauterization - the procedure involves the burning off the skin tag using electrolysis (process that involves decomposition of a matter by electric current)

4. Cryosurgery - in this procedure, the skin tag is frozen before removing it. An instrument containing liquid nitrogen is used to do the removal.

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Related Tip: How does salt help in clearing skin?

Why are SKIN TAGs so annoying?

Dizziness is usually described as variety of sensations, which comprise of a feeling of faintness, unsteady, weak, light headed, giddy or woozy. When dizziness causes a false feeling of spinning and the moving surroundings is known as vertigo.

Dizziness can be one of the most common reasons for a visit to the doctor. However, constant feeling of dizziness can affect a person's life drastically, but it is rarely life threatening. The treatment of dizzy sensation and dizziness mostly depends on the symptoms.

Causes of dizziness
The common causes of dizziness are medication, motion sickness and ear problems, especially disturbances of the inner ear. An injury, infection or poor blood circulation can also lead to dizziness. The triggers of dizziness and the sensations it provides are used to evaluate the cause. Also, the duration of the dizziness and the symptoms lead to a clue towards the cause of the same.

Dizziness caused by the inner ear problems
The balance of the body depends on the combined effort of many parts of the sensory system. These are:

1. Sensory nerves: these send messages to the brain in regard to the body positions and its movements
2. Inner ear: the inner ear has the organ of corti which are responsible for detecting the motions and thereby help in the balance of the body.

In vertigo a person might feel that the things around them are moving, thus creating a swaying or a spinning motion. Vertigo is usually caused by the problems of the inner ear. 

The common causes are:

1. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (bppv), this happens when the calcium particles accumulate in the inner ear canals. The inner ear is responsible for the body movements and balance.

2. Meniere's disease, a problem of the inner ear mainly caused by the build up of the fluids, thereby leading to a change in pressure. This causes vertigo along with hearing loss and tinnitus.

3. Vestibular neuritis is the problem of the inner ear and is largely due to infection. Infection leads to swelling of the nerves of the inner ear which affect the body movements.

Treatment of vertigo includes:
1. Rehabilitation of the vestibular system by physical therapy in order to strengthen it.
2. Canalith repositioning by suggesting some body and head movements basically for bppv. These movements help to move the calcium deposits from the inner ear canals to one of the chambers, which are further absorbed by the body. When the canaliths (calcium deposits) move, it might give rise to vertigo.
3. Medicines are given to relieve symptoms of motion sickness and nausea. Antibiotics can be taken in case of infection and swelling.
4. Surgery in some cases.

Dizziness and Ear Problems

Migraine headache is characterized by a severe headache usually affecting one side of the head. There are other symptoms along with headache like nausea/vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound. Some patients experience neurological phenomena like changes in vision, temporary loss of sensation and altered sensation, a phenomenon known as an aura (flashes of light, zigzag patterns, bright spots, tingling in the arms and the legs). Migraine headache can last for 2 to 3 days. 

Symptoms: The symptoms depend on the stage of a migraine attack. The stages of a migraine attack can be: 

Prodrome, Aura, Headache or attack, and Postdrome. 
Prodorme: One to two days prior to the migraine attack, patient may experience; 
Mood swings. 
Cravings for food. 
Increased yawning. 
Stiff neck. 
Constipation and frequent thirst and urination. 
In case of an aura (during or before a migraine), there may be visual, motor, speech, and sensory illusions and disturbances such as, 

Loss of vision. 
A strange sensation of needles pricking an arm or a leg. 
One side of the body becomes weak and numb. 
There are visual illusions such as the appearance of flashes of light, zigzag patterns, bright spots. 
There is a problem in hearing and speaking. 
In some cases, there may be a hemiplegic migraine (the limb becomes weak). 
During a Migraine Attack (lasts for 4 to 72 hours), there may be 

A throbbing pain on either one or both sides of the head 
Blurred vision, light-headedness. 
Nausea and vomiting 
Sensitivity to light and sound 
Sensitivity to touch and smell (though rare) 
In Postdrome (after a migraine), there can be 

Mood swings. 
A person may be sensitive to light and sound. 
Dizziness and weakness 
Confusion 
Extreme fatigue 
An amalgamation of environmental and genetic factors may be responsible for a migraine. Trigger varies for each patient: 

Stress and extreme physical exertion 
Obesity 
Alcohol and caffeinated drinks and beverages 
Salty and processed foods 
Altered sleeping habits 
Hormonal alterations in women (Constant fluctuation in the level of oestrogen) 
Oral contraceptives and certain vasodilators (nitroglycerin) 
Preservatives like MSG (monosodium glutamate) and Aspartame (sweetener) 
Sunshine, certain odours, travel, etc can trigger migraine. 
Treatment and Prevention: 

Medicines under supervision to abort an attack of migraine and special drugs to stop attacks. 
Lifestyle changes are helpful to decrease attacks: 
Avoid your trigger for migraine. 
Follow regular sleep -wake cycle. 
Regular exercise, meditation. 
Avoidance of alcohol, caffeine containing beverages. 
Other treatment options that can be availed from pain specialist: 
Transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation 
Intramuscular stimulation. 
Botulinum toxin injection. 
Occipital nerve block.

Migraine Pain - Facts About It!

Dandruff is a chronic disorder, which significantly affects the scalp region and is characterized by the appearance of minute white flakes on the scalp. Although dandruff does not cause serious problems, recurrent appearances of dandruff can be embarrassing for the concerned person.

Symptoms

If you spot numerous white flakes repeatedly on the shoulders or on the shoulder region of your shirt and experience severe itching around the scalp, particularly during weather changes, it is likely that you are suffering from dandruff.

Causes

Dandruff might develop due to a lack of proper hair care, side-effects of certain shampoos or hair care products, seborrheic dermatitis (characterized by scaly red coloured patches on one s scalp), dry or oily skin, eczema, excessive stress, hormonal changes, side effects of serious diseases such as HIV or Parkinson s disease (a disease of the nervous system that impairs human body mobility) and also cold weather conditions.

Prevention and treatment

You can control dandruff by applying any of the following treatments:

    Therapy involving peeling and subsequent strengthening of the scalp might help in the complete elimination of dandruff. The therapy is developed with the help of highly operative anti-fungal ingredients which sanitize the scalp and regulate the growth of the fungi  Malassezia  to a normal level. This helps in the elimination of the intense itchy sensations and the minute white flakes around the region of the scalp. The therapy also aims to provide adequate nourishment to the hair. This therapy helps in the flattening of the dandruff affected hair strands along with the subsequent reinforcement and protection of the hair follicles. If the dandruff is caused due to an oily scalp, this therapy might be useful in the regulation of the unnecessary and excess oil level.
    In order to treat dandruff, a therapy aimed at the purification and balancing of the scalp might be helpful. This treatment incorporates a mixture of natural oils which help in the subsequent nourishment of the scalp; the therapy helps your hair to regain its lost vigor.

Further recommendation

Along with the aforementioned therapies, you can also use certain products which might help as well:

1. Anti-dandruff lotions contain a healthy amount of effective ingredients which aim at the removal of the itchy sensation on the scalp along with the subsequent elimination of dandruff.

2. You can also use anti-dandruff shampoos on a regular basis which help to remove dandruff and strengthen the scalp.

Dandruff: Symptoms, Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that causes damage to your eye's optic nerve and gets worse over time. The optic nerve is a bundle of millions of nerve fibres which carry visual impulse from the retina at the back of eye to the brain. The increased eye pressure, called intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve and fasten the natural nerve fibre loss. Since nerve cells can't regenerate this damage is permanent and irreversible.

Without treatment, glaucoma can cause total permanent blindness within a few years. Because most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain from this increased pressure, it is important to see your eye doctor regularly so that glaucoma can be diagnosed early and treated before significant functional visual loss occurs.

If you are over age 40 and have a family history of glaucoma, you should have a complete eye exam with an eye doctor every one to two years. If you have any risk factors, you may need to visit your eye doctor more frequently.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

For most people, there are usually few or no symptoms of glaucoma. The first sign of glaucoma is often the loss of peripheral or side vision, which can go unnoticed until late in the disease. This is why glaucoma is often called the" sneak thief of vision" or" silent thief of eye sight.

If you have any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical care:

Seeing halos around lights
Vision loss
Redness in the eye
Eye that looks hazy (particularly in infants)
Nausea or vomiting
Pain in the eye
Narrowing of vision (tunnel vision)
Risk factors-

There are several risk factors, which may lead to glaucoma, such as

Age of the individual
Ethnicity- african, caribbean, hispanics and asians are at higher risk
Increased eye pressure or iop history of glaucoma in family or relatives
Presence of myopia or hyperopia
Previous eye injuries
Use of steroids- as injections, tablets, eye or ear drops or ointments or protein supplements for muscle building in gyms or inhalers
Previous history of anemia
Individuals conditions affecting blood flow like hypertension, diabetes or high blood sugar, migraine etc are also at risk.
Treatment-

The treatment for glaucoma relies on the nature and seriousness of every case. Generally, glaucoma cannot be totally cured, but it can be controlled. Eye drops, pills, laser strategies, and means of surgery are utilized to maintain and prevent further harm from happening. Talk to your eye doctor to find out if you are at risk of developing glaucoma.

Are You at a Risk of Glaucoma? What You Need to Know?

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