If you are having a chronic cough and often pant for breath, it is quite possible that you may be suffering from bronchitis. In addition to this, you may also experience wheezing, fatigue, and pain in the chest. It is triggered when the lining of the airways in the lungs become irritated. To determine, whether or not bronchitis is contagious, it is important to understand what caused the ailment.

Chronic bronchitis: This type of bronchitis happens when the airways get continuously irritated. It may last for months or even years and tend to come back. It is caused by irritants that affect the lungs such as dust, chemicals, smoke, fire, and smoking cigarettes. Even though chronic bronchitis is not considered contagious, it is a serious health issue that requires medical attention.
Acute bronchitis: It generally lasts for about 1 to 3 weeks and stems from cold or flu virus. As these infections are contagious, so is acute bronchitis.
Whether a person having bronchitis can spread the disease depends on the virus that is causing the ailment. In most instances, it is seen that the disease is contagious for a first few weeks of infection. Since there are hundreds of viruses causing bronchitis, it is best to assume that a person is bound to spread the disease when he has symptoms of cold and flu.

What causes transmission of bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis owing to infection is generally transmitted via an airborne droplet containing germs. It is transmitted when someone having infection shakes hand or sneezes or coughs or has any other physical contact. Some virus and bacteria have the power to live outside the body for a prolonged span of time, and therefore, you can get infected by touching any object that is harboring the germs.

It is often seen that acute bronchitis begins as flu and therefore, the best way to prevent it is to get an annual shot of flu. When you come in contact with an infected person, the chances of being affected is high if you have chronic infections or weak immune system. Aged people and young children are most vulnerable to this disease.

How can acute bronchitis be prevented?
Even though acute bronchitis is extremely common and can occur at any time, winter is the most vulnerable season for bronchitis. But there are ways in which you can prevent bronchitis effortlessly. You should avoid close contact and sharing of utensils with an infected person who has flu, cold or bronchitis. You should not touch a used tissue since the virus of bronchitis can easily spread through mucus. Make sure that you get the annual flu shot and wash your hands in warm water.

The disease is very common, and it can make you feel very uncomfortable at times. But there are times when the symptoms subside on their own without any sort of medical attention.

Is Bronchitis Contagious?

An abnormal swelling in the neck can be symptom of various problems. While it can be something as non-threatening as a swollen gland due to a cold that can be cured with simple medication, a swollen neck can also turn out to be a cancerous lump in the neck. When faced with an irregular swelling in the neck, it is best to not panic or jump to conclusions until you consult with an Ear-Nose-Throat Specialist. The possible problems that a swelling in the neck can indicate are:

Swelling or enlargement of the salivary glands: The salivary glands may become enlarged due to an infection or due to foreign materials getting stuck in them. While foreign objects or formation of stones in the salivary glands might require surgical removal, they can often be dissolved with medication and other non-invasive treatments. And infection in the salivary glands is often treated with antibiotics or other medication. These treatments can be prescribed and administered by ENT Specialists.
Thyroid disease: The thyroid gland may swell up and cause a swelling of the neck. These are often called goiters in colloquial language and are a result of thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. They usually require a series of medication and treatment and are not considered an ENT problem despite the swelling of the neck.
Benign cysts: Benign cysts can form in any part of the neck or in the glands, much like it can form in any part of the body. An ENT Specialist can prescribe a surgical removal of the cyst lest it turns cancerous later in life. It should also be removed in case it grows or relocates, going on to cause other problems.
Lumps in the muscles: Lumps in the neck muscles are formed by injury or torticollis. These usually aren t considered ENT problems and can be treated by general physicians and sometimes chiropractors.
Cancerous cysts or growths: One of the most daunting problems posed by a swelling of the neck is the possibility of cancer. While thyroid cancers as well as cancerous growths in the salivary glands are slow to develop, a swelling in the neck should immediately be investigated by an ENT Specialist in order to rule out all possibilities.

Neck Swelling - When It's An ENT Disease!!

Not everyone can conceive a baby easily. The inability to conceive a baby despite having intercourse during the fertile window in a woman s menstrual cycle for over a year is termed as infertility. Infertility does not affect only the physical health of a woman, but also her mental and emotional well-being as well as the couple s social health. 

In some cases, infertility can be treated with Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda, a couple needs to be both physically and mentally strong and healthy. Ayurveda believes that a lack of nutrition in the shukra dhatu or the person s reproductive tissue is the cause of infertility. This can be triggered by indigestion, anxiety, depression, insomnia and the presence of toxins in the body. Some of the ways Ayurveda can be used to treat infertility are as follows:

Eat cool foods: Spicy food can affect the quality of shukra dhatu and lower the quality and quantity of both sperm and ovum. This is because shukra dhatu requires a cool environment to promote fertility. Hence, eat food that is easy to digest and which has a cooling effect on the body. Men can benefit from foods like asparagus, dates and almonds, while foods like quinoa and pineapples can help a woman conceive easily.
Shirodhara therapy: Shirodhara involves the movement of liquid over the forehead in a rhythmic manner at specific points. This stimulates the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands and aids in the secretion of hormones including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). When it comes to women, FSH stimulates the ovarian follicles into releasing an egg without which it would be impossible to conceive a child.
Fight stress: One of the effects of stress is reduced libido. Prolonged exposure to stress is often a major factor that contributes to infertility. When it comes to women, stress makes a woman ovulate less regularly. In men, stress can affect the sperm production and affect testosterone levels. To fight stress, try deep breathing exercises like alom vilom or keep a little time aside each morning for a walk or light exercise.
Lodhra: This herb is very beneficial in treating women with infertility. It stimulates FSH and luteinising hormones (LH) and lowers the risk of a miscarriage. It also increases chances of conception. Lodhra should be taken twice a day along with honey and milk.
Lifestyle changes: Ayurveda is not only about herbal medicines but also following the right lifestyle. Bad habits like smoking, drug usage and alcohol not only affect a person s overall health but also interfere with fertility. Hence, when trying to conceive a child, quit these bad habits and try following a healthier lifestyle that involves following a routine, eating right and exercising regularly.

Infertility - 5 Ayurvedic Remedies for it!

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a group of progressive lung diseases. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common lung diseases. Emphysema gradually ruins the air sacs in your lungs, which are interfered with exhalation. The inflammation and swelling of airways in the lungs is called bronchitis, which further allows production of mucus, which leads to increased difficulty in breathing.

COPD is a case which makes it harder to breathe. The symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath are light at first. With passage of time, these symptoms worsen and make it increasingly difficult for the patient to breathe.

The patient may experience wheezing and feel heavy on the chest. Some patients suffering from COPD experience flare-ups of severe symptoms or exacerbations.
The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoking and therefore, people who are used to smoking for a longer time may suffer from this diesease. It is a disease that takes time to build up inside one s body. COPD can further cause heart problems and worsen respiratory diseases.

Severe symptoms of COPD include:

Occasional shortness of breath
Mild and reoccurring cough with mucus
Constant need to clear your throat
Noisy breathing
Frequent cold and cough
Loss of energy or feeling fatigued
Swelling of ankles, legs or feet
Sudden weight loss
Treatment of COPD
The treatment of COPD can ease its symptoms and avoid further complications. To treat COPD, one needs a skillful and experienced pulmonologist and respiratory therapist.

The medications which are preferred by the doctor are bronchodilators, which soothe the muscles of bronchial tubes, making it easier for the patient to breathe. This medicine is basically taken from inhalers. To reduce the inflammation, Glucocortico steroids are added.
Oxygen therapy is undertaken to provide oxygen to the patient through an oxygen mask or nasal prongs to ease the breathing process of the patient. A portable unit is advised, if the patient is cured at home.
Surgery is an option for severe COPD patients, which is undertaken if and only all other medications have already failed to control COPD, which can be the case in emphysema. Bullectomy is a kind of surgery in which the doctors eliminate the large bullae (air sacs) from the lungs. Volume reduction surgery is the last option for the doctor to cure a COPD patient. In this process, the damaged lung tissue is removed. The doctors go for a lung transplant in some rare cases of COPD.
The treatment for many diseases is a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. One should quit smoking and get the nutrition that their body needs. People should consult a dietician and get a healthy diet plan, and ask a doctor about the extent of exercise they should perform daily.

COPD - Can Oxygen Therapy Help Treat It?

Depression is a very unfortunate state to be in, in every sense of the word. It is a sickness of the mind and can only be felt by the person experiencing it. As a matter of fact, it is even worse when depression does not occur on its own, but is rather accompanied by another condition such as fatigue.

There are many cases where depression occurs along with chronic fatigue syndrome. The irony is that when a person is depressed, he or she is unlikely to be willing to get out of bed and when this is compounded by chronic fatigue syndrome, even if the depression alleviates, it would not make much of a difference as it would be a case of  mind willing, flesh weak !

Many of the people who are diagnosed with depression have extreme patterns when it comes to sleep. Either he or she would sleep for extended periods of time and feel lethargic to do anything else. Or, the other situation is generally when he or she is more or less an insomniac and does not get sleep even if he or she would really like to grab a bit of shut-eye!

What are the Symptoms?
When a person is going through depression, it can be said to be of the highest importance to be able to judge the symptoms of the condition soon, so that the person can go and seek treatment. The symptoms, which are being talked about include extreme eating habits, that is, either eating way too much or not enough at all, along with a continuous sense of anxiety which, depending on how severe the case of depression is, can cause a person to have his or her mind clouded by the anxiety which over sweeps all other thoughts. In addition to these symptoms, there are other signs which appear with the onset and continuance of depression. These include disinterest in hobbies, which once appeared enjoyable to take part in.

Chronic fatigue syndrome kills off any urge to partake in any activity, which is voluntary in nature. With the combination of these two conditions, it can be quite possible, rather unfortunately, for a person to find himself or herself to be stuck in a vicious cycle. Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea can really kill a person s zing and as a result of the same, make it harder for him or her to get out of depression and more likely to fall into depression if he or she has not yet. Curing depression includes changes schedules, engaging in yoga and other similar activities. Dietary changes may also be warranted. However, the recovery should take effect soon!

Depression - It Can Cause You to Feel 100 Years Old

Atopic dermatitis or as it is commonly known as, eczema, is one of the most common and recurring form of skin disease. Some of the common symptoms of eczema are redness, swelling of skin, temporary discoloration and dryness among others. It not only causes a significant amount of irritation, but is extremely persistent in its occurrence. Combating atopic dermatitis is a rather cumbersome task, often leading to anxiety and depression. It is indeed one of the most problematic skin hindrances. Dermatitis usually occurs due to the inflammation of the epidermis. 

Some of the more obvious causes are exposure to ultraviolet rays, familial predisposition, prolonged exposure to the offending allergen, latent infection, indigestion, hormonal imbalance among others. Occurrence of eczema considerably lowers the skin resistance and makes you vulnerable to various other skin troubles. Atopic dermatitis is especially congenital in nature. It has reported greater frequency in individuals whose family has some record of eczema or the other. Past incidents of asthma, hay fever may also act as triggers. Signs of eczema are usually manifested in itchy patches in the neck, scalp and palms. 

Given the commonness of the disease, there are numerous remedies for it as well. However, many vouch for the efficacy of homeopathy in curing such skin ailments. Homeopathy not only offers natural solutions to eczema but also detoxifies the system from within to curtail the frequency of such outbursts. Homeopathy also averts any kind of side effects. After closely scrutinizing the symptoms and their possible effects, homeopathy recommends a wide range of medicines to cure eczema. 

1. Sulphur: Sulphur is endowed with medicinal qualities. Used either as an ointment or in form of tablets, sulphur is used as arguably the best remedy for eczema.

2. Graphites: Graphites are extremely helpful in abating sticky oozes as well as eyelids. Graphites help in curing gelatinous discharges. 

3. Rhus Tox: Rhus Tox is an ideal therapy for dermatitis with itching and redness. It curtails the flare-ups and breakouts on skin. 

4. Mezereum: It is extremely helpful for weeping eruptions. It soothes intolerable itching and skin irritation.

5. Natrum Mur: Natrum Mur is extremely effective in curing hairline eczema.

Homeopathy and Atopic Dermatitis

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