Most medications are used because of their one particular therapeutic effect. However, invariably, they affect other organs or systems and produce some good and some adverse effects. The same happens with birth control pills (BCPs), which are the most commonly used method of contraception. It is also the most effective method. It contains the female hormones estrogen and progesterone in various combinations and these have an effect on various body functions, so it should come as a surprise that regular use of BCPs leads to a number of side effects.

Read on to know more

Intermenstrual bleeding: This is the most common side effect and occurs in about 90% of the women, but usually subsides within 3 months. They experience bleeding between their regular periods. While mere spotting can be ignored, bleeding for more than 4 to 5 days needs a visit to the doctor.
Missed period: It is very essential to take the pill at the same time daily. Sometimes, a period might be missed or may be very light and this should be reported.
Effect on libido: While some report a decrease in libido, there are others who experience an increased sex drive. This depends on the individual and not consistent.
Vaginal discharge: The amount and type of discharge can change when on the pill. Decreased lubrication may lead to a reduced sex drive, as it might be painful. If the discharge is foul-smelling or looks suspicious for an infection, then a doctor should be consulted.
Mood changes: Changes in mood and prominent mood swings are very common in women using contraceptives, with many feeling depressed often.
Effects on breasts: While it is not yet proven if they increase the risk of breast cancer, most women experience breast enlargement, tenderness, and sometimes pain. This is more common in between their periods.
Headaches and migraine: BCPs are also proven to have worsening effects on migraine and headaches.
Circulatory effects: Oral contraceptives increase the chances of heart attack and stroke, especially in women who are over 35 and are smokers. Most women experience a slight increase in blood pressure and are more prone to form blood clots. It is essential that contraceptives are used under medical guidance only.
Digestive effects: Oral contraceptives can cause loss of appetite, changes in body weight, diarrhea, and nausea. The weight gain is also attributed to increased fluid retention, especially in the hip and breast areas.
Skin: Some women may experience skin rashes and acne and sometimes hair loss due to the increased level of hormones in circulation.
It is very important that the pill is taken at the same time for best results. Any suspicious symptom should be immediately reported to the doctor.

10 Side Effects of Birth Control Pills

Anal herpes and anal warts are sexually transmitted diseases. These both diseases affect the genitals. As these are sexually transmitted diseases, these are transmitted through sexual contact.

Anal Herpes:

It is an infection caused by herpes virus, which is caused by the sore or blisters formed around the anus. This infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 or 2 viruses.
The symptoms of anal herpes include red bumps or white blisters, itching and pain around the anal area, development of ulcer at the site of blisters, a coating that covers the ulcers ruptures or is bleeding, any change in the bowel habit.
Treatment

Antiviral therapy is one of the primary treatment for anal herpes. The virus responsible mainly for herpes is herpes simplex virus type II. Antiviral medications are given to patients, these medicines fight the virus. The symptoms of herpes are reduced with this therapy.
Regular use of antiviral medication is referred to as suppressive therapy. As the name suggests, people on suppressive therapy, reduce the risk of passing the infection to their sexual partner.
In severe anal herpes, the doctor might give intravenous antiviral therapy to control the infection.However, the herpes virus cannot be cured as it is considered a lifelong infection. The virus stays in the nerve cells for lifelong and is inactive for long periods of time. It only outbreaks when it is triggered by an externalfactor such as illness, stress, or sun exposure.
Prevention
As anal herpes is transmitted through sexual contact, one can lower the risk of this disease. Safety measures can be used are:

Wear a condom or use barrier protection during every sexual intercourse, including anal or oral sex.
Reduce the number of sexual partners.
If one maintains monogamy, the risk is minimal for transmitting anal herpes.
One should abstain from sex altogether, if possible.
Anal Warts:
Anal warts are small warts that occur around the anus. Another name for anal wart is condyloma acuminate. In many cases, anal warts don t cause any pain or discomfort. But, they cause irritation when they grow in size and might be itchy and/or bleed. However, if there are no symptoms seen, people suffering from anal wart might not even know that they have warts. Anal warts might occur only at a spot or even spread to different parts of the genitals such as buttocks, anus, and inner thighs over a period of time.

Symptoms
The anal warts are small bumps initially, a size of the head of a pin, which is not even noticed. However, as they grow, they can develop to a size of a cauliflower-likean appearance, when several warts are clustered together to form a huge lump. These warts are peach colored and the color may vary from yellow, light brown, or pink and it might even blend with the skin color. Usually the anal warts are without any pain or discomfort, however, other rare occurring symptoms are itching, discharge from the anus, or bleeding. Anal warts in women might appear on vagina, vulva, or at the cervix, whereas in men it can develop on penis, scrotum, groin area, or thighs.

Treatment
Topical medication can be used to treat anal warts, such as imiquimod, podofilox, podophyllum, etc. Another treatment of anal wart that depends upon the location and severity of the condition:

Cryotherapy
Electrocautery
Laser treatments
Surgery can be recommended for larger warts that do not respond to medications.

Anal Herpes & Warts - Possible Ways They Can Be Treated!

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. One out of every six people in the United States suffers from this disease. It is more common than you think. Like any other STD, it is extremely important to take proper protection (use a condom) while engaging in sexual activities.

Genital Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus.

HSV-1 is most commonly associated with blisters and ulcers around the mouth known as cold sores.
HSV-2 is associated with blistering lesions in genital areas that are exposed during sexual contact.
However, both types of herpes simplex virus can infect the mouth or the genital areas, meaning that genital contact with a cold sore on the mouth can lead to genital herpes. Likewise, kissing someone with a cold sore can spread the herpes simplex virus infection.

After the initial outbreak of herpes, the virus travels through the nerves and resides in nerve tissue within the body.

Most people with genital herpes don t know they have it. That s because in most people it produces either no symptoms or very mild ones.

Symptoms of Genital Herpes:

The area around your genitalia becomes red and cracked without any pain or itching.
Itching around your anal region
Blisters around your genitalia can cause immense pains when they break open.
Pain in the open sores while urination.
Headaches and backaches.
Flu and swollen lymph nodes are very common.
Fatigue is also felt if you suffer from genital herpes.
Symptoms like these can be mistaken for other infections such as vaginal yeast infections, bacterial infections and bladder infections. So, if you are suffering from such symptoms it is advisable to go in for a health check up followed by a physical exam and a blood test to confirm whether you have genital herpes or not.

How can it get spread?

You can only get Genital Herpes from vaginal intercourse and not anal or oral intercourse. The fluid present in the sore of a genital herpes patient has infected fluid. If the fluid comes in contact with their partner s sexual organs while having intercourse they can be easily infected.

Can Symptoms Be Treated?

There is no cure for genital herpes. But the symptoms can be lessened and prevented with treatment. Treatment can also reduce the risk of infecting others.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe antiviral medications to help prevent or reduce the pain and discomfort from an outbreak of symptoms. Medication taken on a daily basis to suppress the virus can reduce the number of outbreaks and reduce the risk of infecting others

How to Avoid Getting Genital Herpes:

Try to have sex with people who have been tested negative for herpes or any other STDs.
Use a latex condom while having sex. It prevents any sort of liquid to pass inside your partner s genitalia.

Genital Herpes - Know Everything About It! 

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles in your pelvic area. These muscles support the organs in your pelvis like a sling. The organs in this area include the bladder, uterus (women), prostate (men) and rectum (the area at the end of the large intestine where your body stores solid waste). By contracting and relaxing these muscles, you control your bowel and bladder movements.

What is pelvic floor dysfunction?

When you are unable to control the muscles in your pelvic floor to have a bowel movement, it is called pelvic floor dysfunction. People with pelvic floor dysfunction contract these muscles rather than relax them. Because of this, they cannot have a bowel movement or they have an incomplete one.

It is important to be aware of the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction as there is no comprehensive list of causes. However, it can be said that traumatic injuries to the pelvic area seems to have a rather higher preponderance among the causes of pelvic floor dysfunction, which is also known as PFD. While giving birth to a child is an experience that is life changing, the potential downside is that it can be one of the causes of pelvic floor dysfunction in women!

Other symptoms include feeling the need to urinate often and then finding the process to be quite painful. Constipation which occurs in spite of a diet which contains enough roughage is a sign, as well, that it is about time that a person should schedule an appointment with the doctor.

Medication is a possible solution and is usually in the form of a muscle relaxant of a low intensity. However, it is great for a person who has the misfortune of having pelvic floor dysfunction to know that there are solutions which are completely bereft of the need of any form of medication!

Cure Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Reducing the effects of pelvic floor dysfunction can be quite simple, really. Warm baths and some exercises suggested on a subjective basis are quite common. This is a process called biofeedback.

Biofeedback aims to retrain the pelvic floor so that there is far better functioning. The success of this method is well known to a specialist, it has vastly improved the pelvic floor dysfunction conditions of more than 75% of the patients significantly!

The method works by observing the workings of the pelvic floor and then providing feedback regarding its coordination as it expands and contracts. Some of the many things which make this method truly great are that it is non-invasive and non-medical. As a matter of fact, taking into due account its success rate, people should really give it a shot before they try medication or surgery.

Surgery

Surgery is said to be effective in the case of rectocele. Nevertheless, this is the last resort as it is always better to sort out such problems sans having to resort to surgery. Multidisciplinary approaches which involve fields such as psychology are good options. Pelvic floor dysfunction is something that is a pain to have, but it really need not be!

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction - Things You Should Know About it 

Viruses, the bad ones, in particular, can have serious effects on the body which a person would not like to have, in any case. This is surely true when the case of herpes zoster is being talked about. This form of herpes is commonly known as shingles. But what if there was a proper solution to this issue?

When a person has blisters forming and causing a rash in a limited area, shingles is likely to be the cause of the same.

What is interesting to know too many people is the fact that the virus which is responsible for shingles or herpes zoster is the same one which is the cause for chickenpox! This virus is never cleared out even when the symptoms of chickenpox have long left the body of the person who had it. As a matter of fact, in some cases, it does reappear and affects the body again except this time in the form of shingles. However, doctors do not know why this occurs. Is that not weird?

Most people who have the bad luck of having to deal with shingles are over sixty years of age. While knowing all this is quite beneficial, what about the treatment of shingles?

When it comes to the homeopathic treatment of shingles, there is a range of options which can be made use of. That being said, it is of the highest importance to keep in mind the fact that medicine should only be taken as per the prescription of a trained professional in homeopathic medicine. Homeopathy can treat shingles very effectively. The results are very prompt in the pains and eruptions. Shingles can affect any age group. Usually shigles indicate lowered immunity. Since they are viral infection, least can be done with anibiotics. Homeopathy boosts the immunity. Genital herpes can also be very effectively treated with Homeopathy.
Arsenicum album is one of the most popular medicines from the homeopathic field. In most of the cases where it is ideally used, the patient is undergoing pain with a burning sensation on the affected area of the skin. When a rash begins to form, there is normally some tingling in the skin in the run up to it.

Homeopathic treatment is so good that there is medicine to nip the problem in the bud before it has the chance to cause the affected person a whole deal of anguish. Aconite is the medicine, in this case.

Hepar sulphur and Rhus Toxicodendron are also used often over the course of treatment. The former is useful especially for people with unhealthy skin while the latter is commonly used for herpes of the face and around the joints.

Homeopathic Remedies For Shingles and Herpes

Nutrition for you will never be as important to you as it is during pregnancy, because while eating you have to think not only about you, but also the development of your unborn child. However, merely eating is not enough you have to eat right. Here is your guide of what to eat and what to avoid, during pregnancy, so that your child gets the best nutrition.
Things to eat: 
1. Whole grains- whole grains, which can be found in food items like cereals, whole-wheat breads and pastas, are rich in folic acid, iron and fibers. Make sure you incorporate ample amount of whole grains in your diet to remain healthy during pregnancy.
2. Beans- beans are extremely nutritious for pregnant women, as they contain protein, fiber, iron, folate, zinc and calcium, which are much needed for the development of a healthy baby.
3. Fish- incorporate enough fish in your diet because they contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, for example, is exceptionally good for health since it contains less mercury than other fish.
4. Eggs- eggs are rich in protein, and is also a good source of other nutrients like amino acids, vitamins and minerals, including choline which is crucial for the baby's brain development.
5. Berries- berries contain vitamin c, calcium, folate and fiber, which is important to your diet, besides being a delicious addition to your meal.
6. Low fat yogurt- sweetened yogurt is extremely bad for your health, but a cup of plain, low fat yogurt contains copious amount of calcium and is also a good source of proteins.

Things to avoid: 
1) soft cheese- soft cheese, like feta, blue cheese, brie, etc. Are made of unpasteurized milk, which contain listeria bacteria which might be fatal for you and your child. Hence, they are best to avoid.
2) undercooked or raw food-raw meat may contain toxoplasma and other bacteria. Raw eggs in sauces like mayonnaise, uncooked dough, desserts like tiramisu and salad dressings are also harmful for you. Fish in sushis or self caught fish may also contain harmful bacteria and parasites or chemicals released from nearby factories. Do ensure that your meat and fish are thoroughly cooked while dining out as well.
3) unpasteurized juices- there is always a risk of juices, which are squeezed and unpasteurized, being contaminated with e-coli or salmonella, which can be very harmful for you.
4) pre-dressed poultry- poultry that has been dressed and stuffed at the market often run the risk of being contaminated by the juices of slaughtered poultry, proving to be best breeding grounds for bacteria.
5) unwashed fruits and vegetables- toxoplasma can breed on unwashed raw foods, which also cause harm to your health, mainly in the prenatal period.
6) alcohol, coffee and unpasteurized milk- these beverages have been deemed unsafe for pregnant ladies since they can cause severe health damages.

Nutrition Tips for Pregnant Women

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