Asthma is an inflammatory disease, which affects the airways of your lungs (respiratory tract that pumps oxygen into the lungs). It is long term in nature. It is characterized by shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. It occurs a few times a day or a few times a week depending on the person it affects. Sometimes it worsens during the night.

What triggers Asthma?

Airborne particles such as dust mites, mould spores, pollen and cockroach waste.
Infections in the respiratory system such as a common cold.
Cold air can also trigger asthma.
Physical or outdoor activities which make you pant such as running, skipping, jogging and jumping can cause shortness of breath, thus triggering asthma.
Pollutants and irritants in air such as smoke.
Some medications can also trigger asthma.
Stress and nervous attacks (panic attacks) also trigger asthma.
How to manage asthma better by changing your lifestyle:

Try to avoid keeping animals in your houses such as dogs, cats and rabbits. Many times animal fur, waste, urine and saliva contains particles which can cause allergic reactions and make you cough uncontrollably. This, in turn, triggers asthma attacks. If you have pets try keeping them away from your bedroom.
Dust mites also cause allergies which trigger asthma. So wash your carpets, rugs, bed-linen and pillowcases in hot water.
Bugs and insects such as cockroaches are not only unhygienic but can also trigger asthma. Cockroach droppings near your bed, kitchen and food are dangerous and you should call an exterminator to get rid of these bugs.
Sometimes, the heavy fragrance also aggravates your respiratory tract and triggers shortness of breath. Avoid using heavy perfumes, deodorants and room fresheners.
Pollution also triggers asthma. Dust particles come out from the vehicles and mix with the air. If this air is inhaled, it might trigger uncontrollable asthma. So try to cover your mouth with a cloth when you step out of your house.
Asthma can be very severe and can bring many hurdles in your day to day activities. Changing your lifestyle and certain habits can reduce asthma to a great extent.

Lifestyle Changes to Manage Asthma Better

Parents today, are more concerned about their child's healthy diet and hygiene compared to earlier days. They are more inclined towards quality when it comes to providing medical assistance to their children. They are also now well aware of the side effects of conventional drugs and are keen towards trying alternative treatments, which come with no side effects. 

Studies prove that conventional drugs suppress diseases and antibiotics hamper digestion. But homeopathy on the other hand, offers natural remedies, which are safe, and has long-lasting effect by boosting your body's immunity.

Below are some of the conditions, in which homeopathy works wonders with the kids:

1. Acute conditions such as cold, flu, sore throat and stomach infections, etc. These conditions are self-limiting. Homeopathic remedies not only cure these acute problems, but also prevent their recurrence.

2. Chronic diseases like eczema and allergies are cured completely and never reoccur when treated with homeopathy. In both the above cases, homeopathy works miraculously. Alongside the healing process, it boosts the child's self-defense mechanisms to fight against diseases. While antibiotics may be too harsh for the child's body, homeopathy is a safer option, since it does not have any side effects.

Homeopathy is also effective in treating colic, earache and reduces pain and discomforts. Some of the common problems of children where homeopathy works well are fever, teething, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, kidney diseases, infant colic, jaundice, eczema, convulsions, ear infection, fungal infections, warts, thyroid problems, and other growth related problems.

Not just physical symptoms, homeopathy also treats mental and emotional disturbances.
- You can take help of homeopathy treatment if the child is cranky or restless, and it is very beneficial even in case of hyperactive children.
- It is also effective in increasing concentration.
- Homeopathy works perfectly for specially challenged children as well.
- One of the plus points with homeopathic medicine is that it is easy to administer given their light doses and consumable taste.
- In addition, injections are not required. Furthermore, homeopathic treatment helps in all stages of childhood.

Homeopathy is a holistic system of medicine. It works on improving immunity rather than only curing the disease. Thus, it is very important to complete courses in homeopathy medication. Even though handy, homeopathy does not allow self-medication. It is always advisable to seek a doctor's help.

Homeopathy Is Best For Children 

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition, which primarily affects the lungs and persistence of this condition might lead to severe breathing problems and loss of lung function. If you have inherited two copies of the defective gene from your parents, you are likely to suffer from this disease. Cystic Fibrosis causes a buildup of thick mucus in your lungs and affects other organs such as the kidneys, pancreas and the intestines in your body.

It isn't very uncommon as one out of fifty people in Asia is a carrier of this disease. The disease gets its name from the cysts formed in the pancreas of the sufferer. However, this disease can be detected by testing the quantity of salt present in your sweat. Prenatal testing for Fibrosis is another method to test if your newborn is likely to contract a lung infection.

Complications faced due to cystic fibrosis include:
1. Serious sinus infections
2. Serious damage in lungs due to inflammation and incessant infection
3. Malnutrition
4. Complication in breaking down protein
5. Respiratory tract contamination

If you observe one or more of the following symptoms, you might be suffering from Cystic Fibrosis:
1. Salty-tasting skin
2. Bowel obstruction caused due to meconium ileus (obstruction of the bowels)
3. Mucus amiss in your alveoli
4. Persistent coughing with phlegm discharge
5. Shortness of breath while engaging in a physical task
6. Stunted or measly growth despite healthy lifestyle habits
7. Infertility in males

If you're suffering from cystic fibrosis, there isn't any particular treatment which is recommended due to the varying degrees of it found in people. However, consultation with a medical practitioner and an individualised treatment plan can help you minimise the risks and lead a better life.

Some therapies you can opt for are:
a) Airway clearance: This therapy helps sift the thick layer of mucus around your organs. Some people have also chosen to use the inflatable vest which vibrates around your chest, thereby, thinning and loosening the layer of mucus.

b) Inhaled medicines: Another breakthrough in the field of respiratory medicine, this method requires the patient to sniff a liquid consisting of mist, which is inhaled with the aid of a nebuliser. This method is known to be beneficial for opening airways.

c) Pancreatic enzyme supplements: Along with multivitamins, these specially designed supplements are known to cater to your pancreas with the much-needed nutrients and they need to be consumed with every meal.

Cystic Fibrosis: All You Need to Know

Eczema is an autoimmune disorder wherein the skin overreacts to certain triggers in or outside the body resulting in inflammation and lesions. Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. The skin becomes dry, patchy and rough, and it tends to form itchy and red blisters. Eczema is usually caused due to inflammation; in most cases, allergy triggers eczema. It has been observed that quite often, patients who suffer from eczema have a family history of allergy. In some cases, patients having other allergies, may also develop eczema. Apart from this, low immunity triggers this disease.

Symptoms

Red patches over skin
Dry rough skin with blisters
Intense itching on skin, with occasional bleeding
Formation of a thick leather-like layer over the affected areas of the skin
Discharge of an oozing watery and sticky liquid from the affected area, in case of wet eczema (In case of dry eczema, there is no watery discharge; the skin stays rough and dry.)
Treating eczema with homeopathy
Treating eczema might be possible by taking several medications. But treating doesn't mean curing. People who suffer from eczema know how irritating the disorder is. So they want a cure for eczema, which is possible with homeopathic medicines. Homeopathy is known for curing eczema, from the root. Basically, homeopathy helps to improve the immune system, as low immunity is responsible for causing allergies. When immunity is built, and low immunity quits from overreacting to several reactions, eczema is cured.

Here are five homeopathic medicines suitable for treating eczema:

Graphites: Graphites is one of the finest homeopathic medicines for treating wet eczema, when there is thick, oozing watery and sticky discharge. In most cases, the patient with this type of eczema suffers from constipation and obesity. He or she might be sensitive towards cold. Their usual skin becomes hard and cold, but the affected area remains dry and rough. The remedy is prescribed mostly to women with menstrual disorders.
Mezereum: This is the suitable for patients with eczema, which tends to form a leathery crust on the head. The patient might feel intense itching especially at night.
Hepar sulphur: This is suitable for eczema with formation of pus. The patient is usually too sensitive to cold. Intense itching, sneezing and sensitivity towards cold are the symptoms, which indicate the need for this medicine.
Dulcamara: This is one of the finest homeopathic medicines for eczema, which aggravates in damp or cold weather. Thick formation of yellowish crust and intense itching are the symptoms, which clearly indicate the need for this remedy.
Sulphur: This one is suitable for eczema with burning sensation along with intense itching. Symptoms usually worsen in summer and the skin feels rough and dry.

Eczema - 5 Best Homeopathic Remedies to Treat It

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that leads to recurrent seizures. Seizures arise when electrical activity in the brain suddenly surges causing a temporary disturbance within the messaging systems located between the brain cells.

Epilepsy is more common in children below the age of two years and adults above the age of 65 years.

Seizure Types

Seizures are classified into two main categories depending on their area of impact. 

A focal seizure is one that affects only one part or area of the brain whereas a generalised seizure affects the whole brain. Further, both focal and generalised seizures have various sub-categories which are as follows-

Previous nomenclature- 

Partial Seizure

  Simple Partial Seizure
  Complex Partial Seizure
  Partial Seizure with Secondary Generalization

Generalized Seizure

  Absence Seizures
  Myoclonic Seizure
  Atonic Seizure
  Tonic Seizure
  Tonic-clonic Seizure
  Mixed Seizure
  Status Epilepticus

Latest nomenclature of seizure types:

Focal seizures-

  Focal aware seizures
  Focal impaired awareness seizures (previously called complex partial seizures)
. Bilateral tonic clonic seizures

Generalised onset seizures-

  Tonic clonic seizures.
  Atonic seizures (sometimes called drop attacks) and tonic seizure.
  Myoclonic seizures.
  Absence seizures.

Symptoms

The well know symptom of epilepsy is a convulsion/ fit, a few other symptoms include-

  Intermittent spells of fainting. When this happens the patient is likely to lose control of his/her bladder or bowel movements. Following this, the person is likely to suffer from extreme tiredness.
  Spells of a blackout with difficulty in remembering
  Becoming unresponsive to any instructions or questions asked during brief periods of time
  Bouts of continuous blinking without any known reason
  Inappropriate movements that keep on occurring
  Changes in sensory perceptions
  Sudden stiffness in the body

Reasons for Epilepsy

Messaging systems within the brain are responsible for every function that goes about in your body. A disruption to this system caused by defective electrical activity leads to epilepsy in a person. Many people inherit epilepsy while others may develop this condition as a result of-

  Head trauma sustained during an accident
  A stroke or a tumour that has affected the brain impairing its normal capabilities
  An injury to the brain before or during birth
  Associated with developmental issues
  Infections of the brain

Treatment for Epilepsy

Epilepsy in childhood can be treated by using medications and by adopting dietary changes in some cases. Medications for epilepsy mainly include-

  Anticonvulsants - Helps control seizures and manages the symptoms of epilepsy
  Medications for nerve pain - Reduce pain that is caused by the damaged nerves

These medications should be consumed as and when prescribed by the doctor. You must consult a paediatrician for this, as he/she will take your child s physical and mental in consideration before starting the treatment.

Seizures that occur in childhood may be benign. This means that it will not continue into one s adult life. Further, those children who have suffered from epilepsy in their childhood have been seen to have normal mental and intellectual development in their adulthood. However, some epilepsy syndromes in children can have a devastating effect on the child.

Seizure threshold is a term that is used to refer to the conditions that are important for the production of seizures. The threshold is lower for people who are more prone to having seizures whereas the threshold is higher for those who do not have a tendency to suffer from seizures.

A Complete Guide To Childhood Epilepsy!

Our teeth are most definitely, vital for our living. Our everyday choices, pertaining to our lifestyle would call for changes, adjustments and lots of sacrifices without them. Though, a number of replacement options are available for the people with missing teeth, the most recommended are dental implants. Ask why?

They are simply the ideal solution due to their look and feel, which is similar to the natural teeth.

What happens if replacement is not considered?
To prevent the nasty repercussions from occurring, it is necessary that any missing teeth are replaced in time. Though, the symptoms of problems due to missing teeth only appear to be superficial in the early stages, the long term effects may certainly prove to be quite severe.

Some of the short term consequences of missing teeth are as follows
People with missing teeth tend to feel self-conscious or even embarrassed at times, while they talk to others or smile.
Problem in speech is a common issue that may arise due to tooth loss.
When teeth are missing, people find it difficult to consume some certain food types. These may include ones which contain some essential nutrients, hence leading to possible malnutrition.
Increased wear or stress can also lead to the weakening of the teeth that are remaining.
People with tooth loss find it difficult to chew the food properly.
When teeth are missing, there is movement of the teeth that remain, to compensate for the gap places created. This leads to ugly looking gap teeth.

Though, these were the short term issues, the major consequence of not getting any lost teeth replaced is the gradual bone loss. Our teeth are firmly embedded in the jaw bone. Chewing and biting are the constant uses, which are required by the jaw bone to remain hale and hearty as well as active. You may believe it or not, be it at the beginning or at the end; the major focus is not on the teeth, but on the bones.

Maintaining form as well as density of the bone requires regular stimulation, coming from the teeth, as mentioned above. The contact with teeth causes small stresses, which the periodontal ligament transmits to the bone and prompts its continual rebuilding as well as remodelling. When any missing teeth are not replaced, it leads to the gradual deterioration in the jaw bones, over time. This not only results in facial shape changes but also will eventually burn a huge hole in your pockets, as increased complications will also lead to increased costs required for rectifying the problems.

So, now it's up to you. Choose healthy and wise. Go for teeth replacement at the earliest, if and when, need arises.

Consequences of Unreplaced Missing Teeth

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