Pericardial effusion is the excess fluid between the heart and sac surrounding the heart. The fluid keeps the heart moving in the sac. The excess fluid can cause a problem in the workings of the heart and may lead to death. The space between two layers of sac usually contain 2-3 tablespoons of clear liquid. But pericardial effusion can affect the heart beats and make it weaker.

Causes 

The leading cause of the pericardial effusion is pericarditis. In this condition, the layered sac of the heart is inflamed due to some viral infection. This inflamed sac produces more fluid.

Some of the most common infections that cause pericarditis are: 

  Viral infection 

  Cytomegalovirus 

  Coxsackieviruses 

  Echoviruses 

  HIV 

The other causes of pericarditis and pericardial effusion are: 

  Injury in the heart or the sac 

  Cancer 

  Kidney failure 

  Tuberculosis 

  Lupus 

Symptoms 

Generally, when there is minimal or no inflammation in the sac, there are no symptoms. However, chest pain and short-breathing are the most common symptoms for pericardial effusion. 

The large pericardial effusion in the heart sac can show symptoms like: 

  Shortness of breath 

  Passing out occasionally 

  Fast heart pounding 

  Fatigue 

  Clammy skin 

In some cases, where the condition is not worse, patients may experience: 

  Fever 

  Fatigue 

  Vomiting 

  Muscle aches 

  Viral illness

Diagnosis 

The person experiencing the above-mentioned symptoms should visit a cardiologist for a checkup. The doctor may ask for following tests and checkups for determining the condition: 

  Physical Checkup: In the physical checkup, the doctor listens to the heartbeat of the patient and assess the heart beat rate. He will also ask about the family history and medication records. 

  EKG: With EKG, doctors determine the heart rate with the help of electronic devices. Electrodes are placed on the chest, and heart activity is tested. However, the presence of pericardial effusion is difficult with EKG. 

  Chest X-Ray: X-Ray is an excellent way to detect the presence of pericardial effusion in the patient. The enlarged portion is detected in the image. Once an enlarged sac is detected, doctors order the echocardiogram test. It is an Ultrasound for the heart and gives a clear picture of the patient&#39;s heart condition. Once it is determined that the patient has pericardial effusion, the doctor determines the size of the enlarged sac and quantity of liquid in it. Most of the time, pericardial effusion is small and not severe. But if the size and quantity of the liquid are high, the doctor determines the condition of the heart and the ability to pump the blood. The doctor may also take a sample of the fluid from the sac to determine the exact cause for inflammation. 

Take Away 

Pericardial Effusion is a condition in which fluid is accumulated between the heart and sac surrounding the heart. Though the problem is not severe, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

Pericarditis / Pericardial Effusion - Know More About It!

There comes a stage in every woman's life when on one hand she is relieved to see the end of monthly menstruation, and on the other hand has to deal with a host of other problems. This is called menopause, and hot flushes are a common symptom faced by most menopausal women. Hot flushes can be described as spikes in internal body temperature and excessive sweating accompanied by dizziness, nausea and overall tiredness. Homeopathy can be very effective in relieving menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. Each woman's symptoms of hot flushes are unique, and a homeopathic doctor will prescribe treatment based on her symptoms and personality characteristics. Five most common homeopathic remedies for hot flushes are: 

Sepia 
Sepia is anti-spasmodic and an energy enhancer that is very effective for women who perspire heavily because of hot flushes and feel very weak. Sepia addresses not only the physical symptoms of the reproductive organs but also the emotional symptoms. It also treats associated hair loss, depression, irritability and a reduced libido. 

Lachesis 
Women who benefit from Lachesis are usually lively and easily excitable, but at the same time can quickly turn suspicious and aggressive. Menopause makes these symptoms worse. When it comes to hot flushes, Lachesis is especially beneficial for women who suffer from pressure and burning sensations on the vertex. Lachesis is also prescribed mostly for menopausal women who experience hot flushes that start from the head, and are worse just before sleeping or on waking up. 

Pulsatilla 
Pulsatilla is a useful remedy for any major hormonal change. It works very well on women who tend to be indecisive and do not like being isolated. Pulsatilla can be very effective if your hot flushes are followed by chilly spells and emotional upheaval. 

Belladonna 
If your hot flushes makes you feel like your face is on fire and turns your skin red, Belladonna is what you need. Doctors commonly prescribe this homeopathic remedy for patients who are restless and agitated and suffer from palpitations. Menopausal women with hot flushes, who benefit from Belladonna, also usually suffer from dizziness, throbbing headaches, diarrhea and swollen joints. 

Ferrum Metallicum 
If you generally feel fine but any slight exertion makes you feel tired and you experience sudden hot flashes, you may need Ferrum Metallicum. This can be accompanied by heavy perspiration and chilly spells. Ferrum Metallicum works ideally on people who are naturally temperamental, intolerant and compulsive workers. "

Treating hot flushes with homeopathy

Amlapitta is the Ayurvedic term for a medical condition when your stomach produces more acids than you need for digesting food. It is a very common disorder today, which is triggered by our unhealthy lifestyle choices. Amlapitta or acid peptic disorder needs medical attention because if it continues for too long, you could end up with painful peptic ulcers.

What are the causes behind Amlapitta?

According to Ayurveda, your diet and lifestyle mainly lead to Acid Peptic Disorder-

Diet -

Consuming spicy, fried food

Excessive consumption of pickles and oily food

Excessive intake of sour and salty foods

Eating fermented, stale food

Intake of hot beverages, like tea/coffee and soup

Skipping meals

Irregular meal times

Lifestyle -

Lack of sleep at night

A fast-paced lifestyle with no time to rest

Overexposure to fire and sun

Excessive anxiety and stress

Signs and Symptoms - 

The obvious signs and symptoms of the acid peptic disease include  

Bitter or sour blenching

A burning sensation in the chest 

Nausea and vomiting

Throat burn

Abdominal pain

Foul-smelling bowel movement

Fatigue and tiredness

Giddiness

How is the condition cured?

Since the primary causes of acid peptic disease are dietary, Ayurveda suggests the selection of the right kinds of food and healthy lifestyle changes to cure the condition.

Follow these guidelines to get rid of amlapitta  

Take small meals twice a day

Eat your food in a loving manner with awareness and attention

Eat at fixed time regularly

You should eat your meal during Pitta period i.e. between 10 AM and 2 PM
Eat light food like Rajgira Laddoo, Dry black resins decoction in morning 

Pomegranate is useful in Amlapitta 

Coconut sweets is also eaten in Smlapitta to get rid of it

Drink plenty of water and juice of raw vegetables

Avoid eating/drinking foods that are too hot or too cold

Avoid consumption of carbonated beverages 

Cut back on fatty meat

Include sufficient amount of rice, wheat, bitter gourd, cucumber, pumpkin and cow s milk in your diet

Ayurveda also believes that yoga and exercise can heal the condition from within and restore the balance of the doshas causing the disease. 

Exercising regularly helps to control acidity. Morning walks are good for health and may prevent the occurrence of acid peptic disease. 

Yoga works well to keep your digestive system healthy. As we know, certain mental disorders like anxiety and depression can worsen acid peptic disease, it is imperative that you live a happy and stress-free life. Yoga helps relieve stress and elevates your mood, and helps to strengthen your overall system.

Some yoga postures that may help include  

Bhujangasana 

Naukasana - 

Suryanamaskara

Vajrasana

 Amlapitta or acid peptic disease can be distressing and extremely uncomfortable to live with. The best way to treat and prevent the condition is to adopt Ayurvedic remedies and precautionary measures. These not only help reduce the symptoms of acidity but also build your immune system.

Know More About Amlapitta / Acid Peptic Disease!

Sweating is a normal and natural phenomenon, which all human beings experience. When the weather conditions are humid or if you have walked for a long duration in the sun, sweat is bound to appear. Some people sweat much more than the normal rate. If you belong to this category, some questions may come to your mind like whether is it abnormal? What can be a possible remedy? Here are some facts you must know about sweating.

1. Sweating is a natural phenomenon, and everyone sweats
It is a normal function of the human body. It involves releasing of fluids from our sweat glands present in the skin. The body maintains its temperature by means of perspiration. Sweating may make you feel uncomfortable,but performs the important cooling function of the body. Composed of water, sugar, salts and ammonia, sweat does not have any smell of its own. The unpleasant smell produced from your skin is a result of sweat mixing with bacteria.

2. The rate of perspiration varies from person to person
If you find yourself to be sweating more than normal people around you, it's natural for you to get concerned. However, do not worry because there is nothing unnatural. Some people produce more amount of sweat than others and that is completely natural. The rate just varies from person to person.

3. Overreaction of sweat glands leads to hyperhidrosis
Some people have sweat glands, which are so over reactive and over productive that they actually suffer from the disease hyperhidrosis. People having this disease sweat abnormally. The rate of perspiration is very severe. There is no such cure for hyperhidrosis. The only permanent solution to fix this disorder is by surgery where the nerves to the sweat glands are cut off.

4. Sweating is psychological in nature
The process of sweating is carried out by the sympathetic nervous system. Once it is stimulated, more sweat is produced. Although it may seem weird, thinking of sweating can lead to more sweating in individuals.

5. Nausea leads to increased sweating
Nausea or motion sickness is another reason, which accounts for increased perspiration. Nausea stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which in return produces additional sweat.

6. Sweating can be delayed at times
Suppose you are climbing up a staircase, but surprisingly you notice that even after going up five flight of stairs, there is no sweat. The sweating appears a little later and is quite intense. This is because your body takes some time to react to the thermoregulation which takes place.

Sweating is a very uncomfortable and irritating phenomenon, but it is actually helpful to the body.

Sweating: What's Normal, What's Not

6 Tips for helping you sleep better

Resting at night plays an important role in regulating your daily health and your level of energy throughout a day. Also, not only the quantity but the quality of sleep is also important for a healthy lifestyle. Bedtime habits do play a vital role in shaping up your lifestyle and personality as a whole. Here are 6 lifestyle habits that can help you to get sound sleep on a daily basis.

1. Having a fixed sleep pattern: Going to sleep and waking up approximately during the same time every day helps to maintain an equilibrium in the sleep-wake cycle. If this balance is maintained then your body will be accustomed to this pattern and as a result, you will feel less tired and sleepy during the daytime.

2. Maintaining certain dietary regulations: You should also maintain a proper diet plan and examine the consequences of the foods that you are eating and the fluids that you are drinking. Taking a proper and nutritious diet on a daily basis will help you to stay healthy by not disrupting your natural sleep-wake cycle.

3. Ensuring that your room has appropriate lighting: The level of light also matters at the time of your sleep. You should definitely make sure that there is a very minimal level of light around you during bed time. This should be done because the lesser is the light, the more comfortable you are while sleeping. Additionally, the sleep that you will get into a dark room will also be sound and undistorted as it helps keep all the sensory organs calm.

4. Regular exercise: Exercising regularly helps to improve the overall quality of sleep by making you tired at night and sending you to bed more efficiently. Light to mild exercises also helps cure sleep disorders like insomnia.

5. Opting for some relaxing activities before bed: Depending on your personality, you should follow simple techniques of relaxation in order to calm down the brain before sleep. Some of the most common relaxation techniques include- deep breathing exercise, muscle relaxing activity, visualizing a peaceful setting/ scenario and a light before-bed snack. The above-mentioned activities are just suggestive and you should do anything that helps you to get a sound sleep.

6. Having daytime naps: Having short naps of less than one hour is absolutely okay if you are excessively tired during the day or you did not have a sound sleep the previous night. But, if you are consistently having long naps during the day then you are bound to have sleep issues during the night. So it is advisable to sleep early and wake up early for a healthy schedule.



6 Tips for helping you sleep better

It is important for you to know about degenerative disc disease (DDD) and spondylosis. Spondylosis is an umbrella term for spine pain, which occurs because of degenerative conditions. Spondylosis refers to several conditions. They include spinal stenosis, which is the abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal, leading to leg pain, degeneration due to DDD and degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis involving the spine. It may also include cervical osteoarthritis or neck arthritis.


About spondylosis
Spondylosis is a common condition, which is age related. The joints and discs present in the neck are specifically affected as a result of this condition. It commonly develops on account of the wear and tear of the cartilage and bones present in the neck. This condition, in spite of being common, worsens with age. In many patients, symptoms are not observed externally, but pain and muscle spasms are experienced. 


Many people with spondylosis do not undertake treatment in spite of suffering from the symptoms and pain. In case the symptoms are prevalent over a long time and tend to worsen, you have several modes of treatment to choose from. They may include medicines, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy and even surgery in some extreme cases. 


How does DDD or spondylosis occur? 
DDD is a spinal condition. It is caused due to the breakdown of the intervertebral discs. With ageing, the spine starts to show signs of wearing and tearing. This happens on account of the discs drying out and shrinking. All these age-related changes are responsible for arthritis, spinal stenosis and disc herniation. Because of these factors, pressure is likely to fall on your nerves and spinal cords, which may further cause back pain. DDD or spondylosis also develops on account of these factors.


Treatment for DDD and spondylosis
There are various modes of treatment, which are available for you to choose from in order to get relief from the symptoms and pain associated with DDD or spondylosis. You may be prescribed typical painkiller medications, such as non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS, muscle relaxants, epidural injections, ultrasound and massage, oral steroids, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and many more. Every mode of treatment has got its own benefits, but has its limitations as well.


If you experience any symptoms of DDD or spondylosis, you must consult a doctor immediately. Your pain management physician or doctor will be able to diagnose your condition properly and will determine the mode of treatment which will suit you best.

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) and Spondylosis - How You Can Get it Treated?

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