A sore throat is usually caused by a bacterial infection and it usually indicates an onset of cold. It may also indicate strained vocal chords or a strep throat. Eating proper foods can help in easing the symptoms and fight inflammation; thus providing the requisite energy to the body.

The 9 foods which help in treating a sore throat are:

1. Bananas: These foods are packed with vitamin C that allows you to recover quickly from an illness. They are also relatively soft and easier to swallow which make them a preferred food if you have a sore throat.

2. Cooked carrots: Carrots contain good amounts of vitamin A; eating them roasted or sauteed is a good way to consume the required nutrients. This vegetable also contains carotenoids in good amounts which are beneficial for the body.

3. Tea: Tea is usually preferred by people when they have a sore throat. Tea has anti-inflammatory properties, which help in fighting infections in the body. Tea also helps in fighting stress and contributes to increased focus.

4. Cooked cabbage: Cabbage contains antioxidants along with Sulfur, vitamin K and vitamin C, which helps in fighting infection in the body. It can also relieve symptoms of headache.

5. Sage: Sage is a herb that has powerful infection fighting properties. Mixing crushed sage with warm water or sprinkling it in your soup can help alleviate symptoms of cold and sore throat.

6. Honey: Honey is an effective treatment for sore throat because of its strong anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended to take honey during a sore throat.

7. Licorice: Licorice is another remedy that can be used to treat sore throat. It has certain properties, which cause a reduction in pain and help in clearing the airways.

8. Yoghurt: Yoghurt is soft, which makes it easier to gulp down in case of a sore throat. You may even add some fresh fruits to the mix for taste.

9. Garlic: Garlic has strong antibacterial properties, which help in easing symptoms of sore throat. You may directly chew garlic or add them to your food to gain the maximum benefits.

9 Foods To Help A Sore Throat

Remember how Shrek literally pulled out a candle from his ear for the dinner table? Ever tried doing it yourself? Well, the stuff in your ears may be called wax, but it can t really be used to make a candle. However, it certainly can signify a lot about your health. Though the idea of discussing earwax is rather disgusting, it actually plays a pivotal role in keeping your ears healthy and functioning. Earwax protects your eardrums by barring the entry of insects, fungi, bacteria, dust and bacteria. In clinical terms, earwax is also known as cerumen. 

Studies indicate that children typically produce more earwax than adults. The earwax in your ear is a combination of alcohol, shed layers of the ear, unsaturated and saturated long-chain fatty acids and squalene. In order to clean earwax, you should not insert objects too deep in your ear, instead, you can just wipe it off with a cotton swab.  The color and texture of the earwax removed can actually indicate your overall health condition, stress level, genetic ancestry, etc.

Know what your earwax color says about your health 
Pale yellow to yellow earwax: It is the most common type of earwax and indicates overall good health. Children typically produce soft, pale yellow earwax and in case of adults, the color should remain the same, but the texture tends to be sticky. 
Wet vs. dry earwax: Wet and dry are the genetically determined earwax types, wherein, the 'wet type' is dominant and the 'dry type' is recessive. A research, conducted on Biologic variation in health and illness: race, age, and sex differences (1985) by Overfield, Theresa, established that dry-type earwax indicates East Asian and Native American ancestry, while wet-type indicates African and European. 
Thick, dark and black colored earwax: The production of earwax is also influenced by your stress level i.e. when you are stressed out, the glands that are responsible for the production of earwax work overtime and produce excess amount of earwax. As this earwax collects, it can turn thicker and darker thus, this type of earwax is a sign of increased stress level. And, black colored earwax indicates that it has been accumulating in your ears for quite some time and has not been cleaned. To avoid this, it is essential to clean your ears from time to time and in the right way. 
Dry, gray earwax: The gray color of the wax is an indication of dust build-up and must be cleaned properly at regular intervals. However, if your earwax suddenly seems dry and brittle, it could be the sign of a skin infection. Dry earwax accompanied by itchiness in the ear is usually a sign of eczema.
Bloody earwax: Blood in the earwax should never be ignored. This could be caused by an ear infection or can be a sign of ruptured eardrum and you must consult your doctor immediately. 
Thus it is important that you take proper care of your ears so as to ensure that your hearing is maintained and although earwax protects your ears against infections and problems, it must be cleaned from time to time. It is advisable that you get your ears cleaned professionally, in case you are suffering from certain ailments such as Diabetes.

Earwax - Did You Know Its Color Can Say A Lot About Your Health?

Dizziness, vertigo and balance issues are common symptoms and most of us may have experienced momentary symptoms. It is a sensation of feeling a movement even after the movement has stopped. For example the sensation we feel when we get off a merry-go-round or feeling butterflies in the stomach when we are on a roller coaster ride. Imagine if these symptoms are constant and start affecting our day to day activities. Even a simple task of walking can be bothersome as we may feel like our body is drifted and we cannot balance properly. We may feel a severe spinning sensation when we change position from lying down to sitting or rolling over in bed. It can also cause fear, anxiety and make us limit our movements and activities. These may cause more complications such as neck pain, headaches, body pains and depression. It is therefore very important to find out the root cause of vertigo and treat it immediately.

Dizziness is a sensation of light-headedness or unsteadiness. It can be caused heart disease, brain related causes like stroke, prolong illness, psychological issues, side effect of certain medications, blood pressure fluctuations and many other conditions. Neck stiffness, pain and weakness can also cause dizziness called Cervicogenic dizziness or Cervical Vertigo.
Vertigo is a spinning sensation or a feeling of motion when we are not moving. Its a common symptom in inner ear disorders. Some of the conditions that cause vertigo are: BPPV or Positional Vertigo, Meniere's, Labrynthitis, Vestibular Migraines, Vestibular neuritis, mal de barquement syndrome, perilymph fistula, toxicity of ears due to certain antibiotics, acoustic neuroma etc.
Balance problems or Disequilibrium means unsteadiness, imbalance or loss of equilibrium. It can occur as a primary symptom or with vertigo and dizziness.
You need to consult a Vestibular Therapist or Vertigo specialist who can diagnose your problem correctly. If you have Positional Vertigo known as BPPV then specific tests and manevers can help cure it completely. If there is inner ear disease such as Menieres disease, ear infections, labrynthitis or vestibular neuritis then proper medications prescribed by ENT specilialist and Vestibular Therapy can help you get rid of vertigo. In case the symptoms are related to Central nervous system (Brain) then promt treatment from Neurologist and Vestibular Therapist can help decrease vertigo and improve daily activities. If the symptoms are related to the neck called Cervical Vertigo or Cervicogenic Dizzienss then proper treatment of neck by a Vestibular Physiotherapist can help. Also making sure the posture is good when working on computer/laptops for prolong periods can prevent strain and reduce dizziness related to neck and back muscle tightness.

Vertigo & Dizziness - How You Can Get Rid Of It With Physiotherapy?

Dizziness or vertigo is a feeling of being off centre, which makes a patient feel like there is lack of balance. This is especially apparent when one is at a height or while wearing footwear with high heels. It may be caused due to a variety of causes, and ear problems are one of the primary causes of this kind of dizziness. Let us take a look at the various ear problems and how they can cause dizziness or vertigo.


1. Infection: the bacteria or virus that causes cold and loose motions can also cause an ear infection. This can give rise to temporary vertigo which may last up to six weeks or more. Dizziness or vertigo happens in such cases because the viral effect spreads to the inner ear which causes a ringing and off balance sensation. The general physician or ent specialist will usually prescribe a round of medicines only if the condition becomes too severe to handle.


2. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: this kind of dizziness is also known as bppv and may be caused due to the motion of a calcium particle known as otolith, in the ear. This can cause a fluttering movement that gives the sensation of falling down or losing balance. This usually takes place in the part of the ear that catches the sensation of gravity. The movement of the otolith can make the patient feel as if his or her head is turning or swaying, while in reality the patient may be stationery. This problem can be fixed with the help of a two minute therapy known as epley manoeuvre, which can be conducted easily in the ent specialist's clinic.


3. Meniere's disease: there is actually a specific condition that is characterised primarily by dizzy spells and vertigo. The other symptoms of this ear bone condition include ringing of the ears, loss of hearing, and the feeling of fullness or pressure build up in the ears. This can be fixed with therapy and drugs as well as hearing loss aids.


4. Dandy's syndrome: this is an ear condition where the patient constantly feels like he or she is bouncing up and down. This condition hits patients who are on antibiotic medication for any kind of infection, and it subsides once the medication is done with. It occurs in such cases because certain kinds of antibiotics may be toxic for the ear. One may also see natural improvement in the condition over the passage of time.


5. Tumours: other reasons like tumours and strokes can also cause vertigo on a temporary or permanent basis.


Dizziness due to ear problems can be due to a number of mild to severe reasons. It is best to get these causes checked.

How Ear Problems Can Cause Dizziness

A nasal polyp is a growth within the nasal cavity, which may cause problems with your health. Smaller polyps don't tend to create any problem, but larger ones can cause breathing difficulty, sneezing problems, losing the sense of smell and a dampening of taste as well. Conventional medicine usually prescribes surgery, but homeopathy has effective cures to reduce the polyp and lessen the symptoms over time.

Cures for nasal polyps in homeopathy

 Phosphorus: this medication is especially effective if you have nasal polyps that bleed. This is effective with people who have a tall and slender build and tend to develop a thirst for cold water as the polyp grows within them. The polyps may bleed regularly and also block the nostrils in such a way that they get a circular motion when breathing. 
 Lemna minor: this medicine is very effective when there is an intense level of nasal blockage and you are experiencing anosmia or a loss of the sense of smell. These kind of nasal polyps tend to worsen during the wet season and can even cause a thick white discharge from the nose which has a foul smell.
 Calcarea carbonica: useful in the cases of people who are overweight, some homeopathic doctors tend to prescribe this medication in cases where a person may be quickly affected by seasonal changes, such as hot to cold or cold to hot weather. Other symptoms where this medication is applicable are:
 Frequent sneezing
 Profuse sweating during the night
 Sore nose
 Small amounts of white discharge
 Nostrils are mostly dry
 Conium maculatum: this medication is very effective if you have a dry nose, which seems to get sudden discharges irregularly. Instead of a loss of smell, you may develop a more acute sense of smell. If the patient is suffering from frequent sneezes and complains of nasal blocks in the morning, conium can be an effective remedy
 Sanguinaria canadensis: this medicine is know be a great remedy primarily for polyps, which are right sided or occur within the right nostril of the nose. Some of the symptoms where sanguinaria canadensis is very effective are:
 Profuse amounts of nasal discharge
 Frequent sneezing
 Swollen nasal membrane
 Right sided headache along with right sided blockage of nostrils.

Homeopathic Medicine for Nasal Polyps Treatment - Safe Remedies

What Causes Meniere s Disease?
Meniere's Disease is a disorder that basically affects the sense of balance and hearing of the patient. This condition takes place in the inner ear and it may cause problems like vertigo, where patients experience a spinning sensation and a ringing sound as well. This is a chronic disorder, which requires a number of lifestyle changes so that it can be managed and treated without becoming a debilitating problem.

Read on to know more about the symptoms and causes of the condition.

Symptoms: The various signs and symptoms of this disease include a feeling of fullness in the ear, which has been affected by the condition. Also, most patients have a spinning sensation and a ringing sound in the affected ear. Nausea and vomiting may also be caused by this condition, along with sweating and loss of balance. It is also normal to feel uncoordinated when you are suffering from this condition.

Secondary Symptoms: This condition may also cause many other complications, which are known as secondary symptoms. These include anxiety, depression and stress. This usually happens due to the problems in the ear and even the problem of vertigo. This may cause problems for people who climb heights or ladders for their work or even for other recreational causes. The constant sense of dizziness and spinning may cause a person to become anxious and undertake stress when it comes to carrying out various kinds of functions in day to day living.

Causes:  There are various causes of this condition, even though many medical reports suggest that the exact cause has not really been understood so far. As any doctor will tell you, the in the inner ear there is a labyrinth which contains fluids. When there is a problem with the composition and level of these fluids, the patient may develop Meniere s Disease. This condition specifically affects the inner part of the ear. This part is made up of passages and a cavity as well as soft membrane like structures with hair like sensors. These sensors respond to the fluid s movement within the ear. When this fluid does not have the appropriate levels, it can lead to many complications like Meniere s Disease, which affect the nerve impulse that these sensors catch and transmit to the brain.
Stages: This disease progresses over a set of three stages. In the very first stage, the patient will experience much dizziness and nausea, before that progresses to the second stage. In this stage, the patient will have moderate to severe vertigo. This is also known as the middle stage. Finally, this may culminate into the third or late stage, which leads to more frequent episodes of vertigo. The hearing of the patient and the ringing sound in the ears will also get worse in this stage.

Meniere s Disease -  What are the Reasons Behind It 

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