Congestive heart failure is a chronic progressive condition that affects the pumping power of your heart muscles. Simply referred to as heart failure, congestive heart failure can be life-threatening. It does not mean that the heart has stopped working. Rather, it means that the heart pumping power is weaker than normal. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body s needs. Over a period of time, the reduced ability of the heart causes the organs to receive less amount of oxygenated blood.

Signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure: In the early stages of congestive heart failure, you most likely won t notice any changes in your health. If your condition progresses, you will experience gradual changes in your body. The hallmark and the most common symptom of congestive heart failure is shortness of breath and it may occur while you are at rest, doing any activity that exerts your body, when you are lying flat or while getting up from sleep. Some of the other most common symptoms of congestive heart failure include a persistent and unexplained cough, swelling in the legs, ankles, abdomen, or hands, tiredness, changes in thinking and memory, nausea, rapid heart rate, and dizziness or light-headedness.

Causes of congestive heart failure: Congestive heart failure is most likely to occur in people who have other conditions that weaken the heart. The risk also increases by several lifestyle factors that are bad for the heart. Risk factors for congestive heart failure include congenital heart defects, high blood pressure or cholesterol, obesity, asthma, chronic pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, heart infection, reduced kidney function, a history of heart attack, irregular heart rhythms, abuse of alcohol and drugs, smoking, and old age. Though there are over a hundred other less common causes of heart failure, the exact cause of congestive heart failure is often idiopathic or unknown. Congestive heart failure might also exacerbate by unhealthy lifestyle habits. Specific habits such as smoking, excessive use of alcohol, obesity, lack of exercise, high salt intake, noncompliance with medications, and other therapies may increase the risk of congestive heart failure.

Diagnosis of congestive heart failure: A doctor or cardiologist will perform a physical exam. This may involve listening to the heart for abnormal heart rhythm. Some common tests that are done to help with the diagnosis of congestive heart failure include an electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, series of blood tests, echocardiography, stress test, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cardiac catheterization.

Treatment of congestive heart failure: The goal of treatment for congestive heart failure is to have the heart beat more efficiently so that it can meet the energy needs of the body. Specific treatment depends upon the underlying cause of heart failure. You and your doctor may consider different treatment, depending on your overall health and how far your condition has progressed. There are several medications that can be used to treat congestive heart failure. ACE inhibitors open up narrowed blood vessels to improve blood flow. Vasodilators are another option if you cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors. Beta blockers can reduce blood pressure and slow a rapid heart rhythm. Diuretics reduce your body s fluid content. A surgery such as angioplasty is recommended if medications are not effective on their own.

Congestive Heart Failure - Signs & Symptoms You Must Not Ignore!

9 health benefits of walnuts:

1. Lowers risk of diabetes
2. Promotes a healthy heart and circulatory system
3. Lowers cholesterol levels
4. Boosts brain power and improves memory
5. Slows the progression of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis
6. Acts as an anti-inflammatory food
7. Rich in antioxidant properties
8. Fights breast and prostate cancer
9. Improves reproductive health in men.

9 Ultimate Reasons to Eat Walnuts Everyday

Conditioning Before Shampoo VS Post Shampoo - What's Ideal?

Conditioners and shampoos, you need both for an appropriate hair care regimen. Just like most other people, you might have the confusion about conditioner use - whether to use it before you shampoo your hair or when you're done with shampooing.

Read on to find out what you should be doing.

1. Hair Type: A factor that determines your use of a conditioner before you shampoo or after it depends on your hair type. For individuals who have dry or thick hair, using a conditioner after you shampoo is the most apt, especially during the winter months when complaints of flyaway hairs are very common. Conditioning before you apply shampoo to your hair is ideal if you've fine hair as it provides your hair with much needed nourishment. Additionally, it allows the shampoo to distribute evenly all over your hair.

2. Greasy Hair: Applying a conditioner before you shampoo your hair is most apt for individuals whose hair is prone to oiliness. This is because it helps you in thoroughly washing away the grease that gets build up in your hair when it's time to shampoo. The regimen of shampoo and conditioning afterwards doesn't ensure a proper elimination of the problem.

3. The Problem of Residues: if you condition your hair before shampooing, you can rest assure that no residues get left behind on the scalp. This is not the case when you condition your hair afterwards. Many a time, if you don't rinse properly residues of the conditioner used get left behind, thereby weighing down your hair.

Unless your hair is of normal texture, conditioning before shampooing can prove to be beneficial for your hair.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.

Conditioning Before Shampoo Vs Post Shampoo - What's Ideal?

Biliary stricture or a bile duct stricture is a condition where the bile duct narrows due to the presence of scar tissues in the body. There are many reasons for scar tissue formation   bile duct surgery, stone in the bile duct or exposure of the abdominal area to radiation. 

This condition can be either malignant or benign. In some cases, the presence of a tumour in the gallbladder can narrow the bile ducts. 

Signs of biliary stricture  

Bile ducts are very small. Because their diameter ranges from 4-10 millimetres, they can easily be blocked by scar tissue. The symptoms are similar to other disorders of the bile duct, where the bile duct is blocked. This stops it from releasing bile into the intestine. 

The symptoms may take a while before they become obvious. In fact, they may take several years as scar tissue takes time to develop.

The common signs are  

Stomach pain, especially on the right side

Fever

Itching

Your skin and eyes turn yellow 

The stools are light coloured

Fatigue

No appetite

Besides this, the biliary stricture can also cause organ inflammation. Liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are the most vulnerable ones in this regard. It can also lead to low blood pressure and sepsis (infection of the blood). 

The link between jaundice and biliary stricture

Because biliary stricture blocks bile ducts, the level of bile in the blood can increase. This may happen because the bile won t follow its normal route   from the liver to the intestine. Hence jaundice might occur.

To treat jaundice resulting from biliary stricture, the first line of treatment involves IV fluids, antibiotics, and antiviral medications. If that doesn t work, then surgery may be necessary to get rid of the bile duct obstructions.

Apart from this, you will also need to adopt certain self-care practices such as alcohol avoidance, proper hydration, and adhering to strict dietary guidelines.



Biliary Stricture & Jaundice - Know The Link!

Skin is the first and foremost organ exposed to the onslaught of a variety of germs and bacteria. Your skin fights against these germs to keep you safe and healthy. Thus, skincare should not be treated as an element of vanity. A skincare regimen is something essential for your overall wellness.

Ways you should adopt to take care of your skin on a daily basis:

1. Dry skin should be kept safe from harsh face washes: Face washes have a milder effect as compared to soaps, but they surely aren't good for the health of your skin. Skin, especially that on your face, is delicate. To retain its natural glow and nourishment, care should be taken to maintain its natural oils and nutrients. Washing your face repeatedly with harsh face washes can make your skin dull and rough. If you have a dry skin, you should be extra careful to retain the natural oils of your skin and hence should stay away from soaps or face washes.

2. A skin with large pores should be exfoliated frequently: Skin with large, open pores is usually oily. Excess oil can lead to several other problems like acne, pimples or skin pigmentation. Such kind of skin should therefore be exfoliated and toned as part of a person's daily routine. Exfoliation rids your skin of dead cells, which on continued accumulation, can lead to infections. However, toning helps in tightening your skin.

3. Sunscreens should be used irrespective of the prevailing weather: Whether it is sunny or cloudy outside, sunscreens are a must. You should never venture outdoors without applying sunscreen on the bare parts of your body. Sunscreen lotions are known to prevent you from the harmful UV rays of the sun that can subject you to the threat of skin cancer. It is absolutely necessary to apply these lotions generously and at least twenty minutes before a person goes outside.

4. Hydration is the best suited way to have a healthy skin: When it comes to the look and well-being of your skin, hydration is indeed important. Drinking plenty of water and fruit juices can keep your skin moisturized naturally. Make sure you include fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.

5. Settle for herbal or natural face packs: Herbal or natural face packs run from a lower propensity to react with your original skin type. This helps you to avoid chances of contracting acne or any other kind of fungal or bacterial infection. You should make efforts to grind turmeric at home to apply it on your face instead of buying a readymade pack. This way, you steer clear of chemical substances and their disadvantages.

5 Skincare Tips You Should Follow Regularly

Dealing with Migraine through Homeopathy

A migraine is a headache that causes a distinct pulsating pain, usually in one side of the head. It is different from normal headaches in the sense that the pain is much more intense and it may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting as well. Some patients have also complained about light sensitivity while others have also complained about pain in all areas of the head.

Some of the factors that separate a migraine from a normal headache are as follows:

While a headache may last at best a day, migraines may last longer, sometimes even up to 3 days.

- Feelings of nausea or actual vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Extreme sensitivity to changes in sound

Causes Behind Migraines

Some of the common and known causes, which may trigger migraines in people are:

- Hormonal changes in the body that may have adverse effects
- Dehydration is also known to trigger migraines
- Patients with hypoglycemia may also face migraines if the blood sugar level drops within their body
- Change in air pressure due to change in altitude may also cause migraines to appear
- Lack of sleep
- Stress
- Lifestyle issues such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

Remedies for Migraine in Homeopathy

Migraine is treated in homeopathy by attacking the root causes that may trigger them. Rather than temporarily alleviating pain, homeopathic treatments aim at curing the problem completely.

Some of the medicines that are known to be effective are:

Natrum Mur: This provides great relief from migraines, which may have been caused by stress. Also, if a proper dosage is taken, it can help cure it as well.

Belladonna: This had been known to be a great provider of relief for people who regularly face throbbing headaches.

Glonoine: For people who frequently have migraines due to congestion of the sinuses, this medicine has been known to be very effective.

Spigelia: To treat migraines in the left side of the head.

Sanguinaria: Is highly effective for situations where the migraine is on the right side of the head.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Dealing with Migraine through Homeopathy

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