Asthma is a distressing condition during which people find it difficult to breathe as the bronchi or tubes carrying air to lungs swell up. This happens when mucus inside bronchi comes into contact with an allergen like a pollutant or dirt causing symptoms like wheezing, coughing, more mucus production and difficulty breathing. There is no cure for asthma. As of now, it can only be managed. But managing asthma becomes really difficult during low air quality days, especially during winters when it s cold and dry.

The most common air pollutants are gases like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, vehicle smoke, and suspended particles. Each one of them can trigger an asthma attack by itself because of its deleterious effect on the lungs. The smaller the particulate matter is, the more dangerous it becomes as these particles get lodged in the air sacs inside lungs, causing not just asthma from worsening but also fatal diseases like lung cancer.

So, most asthma patients suffer from frequent attacks due to air pollution. How can these attacks be prevented? Here are some tips:

According to research, asthma can be managed by making modifications in everyday life. On high air pollution days due to ozone, for example, asthmatics tend to experience more lung inflammation. If you are an asthmatic, you should reduce time spent outdoors, especially doing strenuous activity in the mornings and evenings. Keeping medications on hand and using those at the very start of an asthma attack also helps. There should always be a plan in place to lessen the chance of an asthma attack on poor air quality days starting from a rescue inhaler to preventive medication if your doctor feels you need it.
Stay hydrated and breathe through the nose. Dehydration is dangerous for asthmatics especially when air quality is bad. In this case, lungs can become badly affected because they need right temperature and levels of water to work properly. It s crucial to breathe through the nose only and not the mouth as the air breathed in from the mouth can be very cold and dry and can cause even more inflammation of the lungs.
Know your asthma triggers and change lifestyle. Avoiding your triggers is key to managing asthma. If traffic fumes are a trigger, it s best to change the route you take to work to manage your asthma. If you don t know your triggers look back at your last asthma attack and remember what you were doing. Did you pet your dog? Write a diary and discuss with your doctor on how to avoid your triggers. Use a face mask when outdoors to limit exposure to allergens. 
Track your asthma to recognise early signs of asthma. If you know that it s getting worse, you should have a fool-proof plan in place.

Air Pollution - Tips to Prevent Asthma From Worsening!

Pneumonia is a lung infection that affects one or both lungs. It can be triggered by bacteria, virus or fungi and causes inflammation in the lung s air sacs that make it difficult to breathe. Pneumonia can range from a mild infection to being a life threatening condition. This severity depends on the age and general health of the patient along with the cause of the inflammation and type of infection.
Pneumonia can be classified in many ways. There are three main types of pneumonia based on the type of microbe that causes the infection; bacterial, viral and mycoplasmic pneumonia.

Bacterial Pneumonia: Streptococcus pneumonia is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. It can affect people at any age and can develop on its own or be triggered by flu. A weak immune system increases the risk of suffering from this condition. Breathlessness and pain while breathing are some of the symptoms associated with this type of pneumonia.
Viral Pneumonia: When it comes to young children and the elderly, pneumonia is often caused by respiratory viruses. This type of pneumonia is short lived but the virus that triggers the infection can be fatal. Viral pneumonia can be extremely harmful to pregnant women and individuals with heart or lung issues.
Mycoplasma pneumonia: This is also known as atypical or walking pneumonia. It affects people of all age groups but is commonly seen in cases where the patient is below 40 years of age. Mycoplasma pneumonia cases are usually mild with a persistent cough being the most prominent symptom.
Pneumonia is not always caused by microbes. Aspiration pneumonia can be contacted by inhaling a foreign object such as food, drinks or regurgitated food into the lungs. This type of pneumonia affects the elderly and people under sedation or anesthesia. Along with breathing difficulties, it also causes a decreased gag reflex and difficulty swallowing food.

Though it is not possible to completely prevent pneumonia, the risks of contacting this disease can be easily lowered. Some of the steps you could take to lower your chance of suffering from this disease are:

Avoid close contact with people suffering from viral infections like flu, colds, etc.
Wash your hands often to prevent the spreading of viruses and bacteria
Stop smoking and avoid exposure to second hand smoke
Get vaccinated against the bacteria that cause pneumonia
Get vaccinated against flu to prevent seasonal colds
Exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet

Pneumonia - Can It Be Prevented?

Have you tried one product after another during the dry weather and are still left with dry and itchy skin. Then your skin care product is to be blamed. Creams, lotions and oils all essentially perform the same job of moisturizing your skin. It is how they do it that is different.

There is a wide range of choices available in the market for all three products with individual variations in ingredients including types of oils like coconut, lavender, jojoba, etc., types of value proposition like 24-hour moisture lock, or intense hydrating care and flavors like rose, strawberry and even chocolate that leaves you smelling great.

The main difference between a cream and lotion:
The main difference between the two besides additives is their oil to liquid ratio. Lotions and creams, both contain oils and water. In lotions the proportion of water is more compared to oil. So it is more 'liquid' in nature and is easy to spread on the skin. Creams on the other hand, are thicker because of their higher oil content. They can typically be more 'greasy' in nature because of their consistency.

Choosing between the two:
Lotion and creams, both will do the trick, but it will depend on what you need and when you use it. Give a good thought to your skin. Is it always dry or only during certain times of the year. If your skin dries easily and you can see a white line if you scratch with your nail, you'll need a cream that absorbs more slowly and has benefits that stay longer.

Applying cream then creates a layer of oil that locks the moisture in your skin. The water does not evaporate, and your skin stays hydrated. Lotions are easy to spread on the skin. If your skin is already soft and supple and you simply need a layer to keep the dryness at bay, a lotion is a good choice for you.

Use both lotion and cream:
Morning, before bed, after baths or repeatedly throughout the day? The time you plan on using a moisturizing product will play a part in determining which type you choose. Creams are great to use right after a bath when the skin is soft after absorbing moisture. The cream then creates a protective layer of oil, which allows the skin to stay hydrated longer.

Creams are also great to use during bedtime when you don't have to worry about getting an oily look on your face or body. Lotions are best if you need to reapply during the day, for instance,  you wash your hands and face and need to dab on some quick moisture.

Should I Use A Lotion Or A Cream For Dry Skin?

The skin is the largest external organ as well as the largest organ in general in the human body. There are many types of skin diseases that can afflict your body and they may appear anywhere. Ayurveda is a potent weapon which can be used to treat many skin diseases effectively. The natural remedies of Ayurveda are being increasingly adopted throughout the world. Let's take a look at a few of the skin diseases that can be easily cured by Ayurveda.

Eczema - one of the most common types of skin diseases, eczema is characterized by the reactions that the skin has. These reactions can manifest themselves in many forms. The most common reaction is swelling of the skin with redness. Other forms may also develop blisters, cracking of the skin, scaling or papules.

Scaly rashes - scientifically known as papulosquamous eruptions, scaly rashes are usually the result of itching which in itself is a reaction to some internal or external factors. These rashes can be mild to severely painful depending on what had caused them. Some factors behind these may be eczema, reaction to drugs, psoriasis and others.

Urticaria - these rashes differ from other ones as they persist for a short period of time and usually result in swellings on the skin. These swellings may be very sensitive and itchy. Some common examples of urticaria are nettle rashes and hives that may develop due to an external factor such as bug bites.

Psoriasis - Ayurveda has great treatments for this disease as its incidence within the population is quite high. This is a non-infectious skin condition where inflammation occurs in the affected parts of the skin and reddish scales form on the body. This problem is usually attributed to excessive cells within the body.

Pruritus or itching - another very common skin affliction which can be caused by a variety of factors, it can be a reaction to something external or be caused by internal issues that may be developing. Mostly caused by the reaction of external nerve endings they may become very painful if over stimulated.

Ayurveda has many remedies for all of the ailments mentioned above along with many other skin disorders and has gained popularity as it completely natural and devoid of side effects encountered with conventional medicine.

Common Skin Diseases That Ayurveda Can Easily Cure

Dandruff is characterized by flaky skin on the scalp caused by shedding of the dead skin cells. Although small amount of flaking is normal because of the death of the skin cells, any aberration causes uncontrollable itching and foul odor. Studies state that dandruff is usually caused due to bad hair hygiene.

What causes dandruff?

People diagnosed with a skin disorder called  seborrheic dermatitis  are at an increased risk of this condition. Seborrheic dermatitis can affect many areas of the body such as the sides of the nose, eyebrows, breast-bone and back of the ear. Not combing or shampooing the hair enough can also result in dandruff. Sensitivity to yeast is one of the major causes of dandruff. Dry skin, having been subject to immense stress over a prolonged period of time, unhealthy diet and other disorders such as HIV, skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema are few of the other reasons behind dandruff.

Remedies to get rid of dandruff:

Aspirin- If you suffer from excessive dandruff, it is advisable to crush few tablets of aspirin and add it to your normal shampoo. Aspirin contains high amounts of salicylic acid that helps to reduce the formation of dandruff.
Tea tree oil and baking soda- Adding a few drops of baking soda and tea tree oil to your favorite shampoo can help reduce dandruff to a great extent. Baking soda is laced with a substance which reduces overactive fungi. Your hair can feel dry during the first few days but will start to return to its normal state with continued usage.
Lemons- Massaging lemon juice onto your scalp is a sure way of getting rid of dandruff. Lemon helps to balance the pH level of your scalp and prevent it from getting flaky and scaly.
Garlic- Crushed garlic or garlic juice can be rubbed on the scalp to reduce dandruff formation. Garlic has antimicrobial properties which are ideal for eliminating the bacteria which contribute to dandruff.

Ayurvedic Tips To Get Rid Of Dandruff

A traumatic injury refers to a serious brain injury that affects all the aspects of a person including his or her personality. This may be the result of a severe fall, a car accident, firearms etc. Unlike an injury to the arm or leg, no two traumatic injuries have the same effect. These injuries also do not heal like other injuries.

There are many different kinds of treatment options available for traumatic injuries. Initially, treatment aims at stabilizing the individual and assessing the scope of the injury. Acute treatment is used to minimize secondary injuries. In many cases, surgery is also required to prevent secondary injuries and to help maintain a steady flow of oxygenated blood to the brain. This relieves the internal swelling and pressure. It also minimized additional damage to brain tissue. Most patients also need rehabilitative care to get back to their normal life.

Surgical treatment is usually advised in the case of a traumatic head injury. However, in the case of internal brain injuries, this may not be the first preference. In such cases, an intracranial pressure monitoring device or a bolt is implanted to monitor pressure levels in the brain. Only then surgery may be required to drain bleeding in the skull cavity and to repair the torn tissues. Blood clots or hematomas will also need to be removed surgically. Sometimes, surgery may also be required to create a window in the skull so as to relieve internal pressure.

In severe cases, if there is extensive tissue damage, the damaged portion of the brain may be surgically removed. This creates space for the healthy brain tissue to heal. In the case of an open brain injury, surgery is the first course of treatment. In such cases, the doctor s first sim is usually to repair the fractured skull and remove damaged tissue. This minimizes pressure on the brain and also helps prevent secondary infections and injuries.

These surgeries are generally performed while the patient is under general anaesthesia. Recovering from a traumatic brain injury takes time and hospitalization is usually required for a few weeks. Once the injury has healed considerably, rehabilitation is then required to relearn basic skills. This may begin as an inpatient procedure and later be transferred to an outpatient exercise. The duration and type of rehabilitation required vary from case to case and depends on the type and severity of the injury. 

Does Surgery Help In Treating A Traumatic Injury?

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