There is hardly any individual across the world, who has not experienced abdominal pain. In most instances, these aches are not very serious and can be diagnosed and treated by addressing the underlying condition. It is very crucial to recognize the symptoms which are severe and know when an individual should seek medical assistance. 

Most common causes of abdominal pain: 

Some of the most common causes of abdominal pain include Indigestion, infection, menstrual cramps. It may also be due to food poisoning and allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, gas formation and bloating, lactose intolerance, pelvic inflammatory disease or ulcers and hernia, gallstones and kidney stones, urinary tract infection, Crohn s Disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease. 

Some patients have abdominal pain but the source of pain lies in the spine. These patients are often seen by multiple doctors and have undergone many tests but their diagnosis is never established. These patients should visit a pain specialist to reach a diagnosis and treatment plan. They have conditions like neuropathies or facet joint arthritis which cause abdominal pain due to a condition known as referred pain. 

Symptoms of abdominal pain that are cause for concern: 

Abdominal pain along with any sign of dehydration or fever or is unable to pass stools.
Abdominal pain associated with tenderness in the abdomen, painful and frequent urinations or persistent loose motions or bloody/ tarry stools. 
Severe or recurrent abdominal pain. 
Determining the cause of abdominal pain and treating it.

Detailed medical history and thorough physical examination would be performed. Further tests like USG, Endoscopy etc may be needed to reach a diagnosis. 
The treatment of abdominal pain is entirely dependent on the cause of the pain.

Abdominal Pain - Know the Causes Behind It!

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a disease of blood vessels that are located outside the heart and brain. The condition develops due to fatty deposits in the arteries and veins that stops the blood flow to the heart and mind as the case may be. It narrows the artery and restricts the blood flow, which causes problems to other organs of the body such as kidney, liver, and stomach.


Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease-
Peripheral Artery Disease is the most common type of condition in people. Some people may not even notice the symptoms. The symptoms include:

Pain in the hips and lower leg area.
Brittle toenails.
Short breath while taking stairs.
Pain in the calf.
Numbness and coldness in the leg around a calf
Hair loss on legs and feet
Erectile dysfunction in men
Repeated sores and ulcers in legs
Causes of Peripheral Artery Disease-
The most common cause of Peripheral Artery Disease is the deposit of fatty substances inside the arteries. The fatty deposits build in the arteries gradually with a process called Atherosclerosis. Most of the time people do not know that they are facing the problem of Atherosclerosis. With time deposits increase and the arteries become narrow. It restricts the blood flow and causes problems for other organs.
Another cause for Peripheral Artery Disease is clot created in the arteries due to diabetes. Also, this problem is common in diabetic patients and increases with old age.

The risk factors that contribute to the development of Peripheral Artery Disease are high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes.

Diagnosis of Peripheral Artery Disease-
The primary way to test and diagnose Peripheral Artery Disease is to check the blood pressure in the arm and ankles. If the pressure is low as compared to arm in the ankles, one might be facing Peripheral Artery Disease. It is commonly known as the ankle-brachial index. Other ways to determine Peripheral Artery Disease are CT scans, angiography, and blood tests. Since the disease is prevalent and gradually progress, most of the time it remains undetected.

It is essential that Peripheral Artery Disease gets detected and treated well in time. If the condition persists for a more extended period of time, it may result in loss of leg, increased chances of coronary artery disease and carotid atherosclerosis.

Treatment for Peripheral Artery Disease-
The only way to treat Peripheral Artery Disease is to indulge in physical activity. A regular regime of exercise and physical work will help a person to burn fat and makes the arteries fat free. Doctors suggest that daily 30 minutes of walking or gyming will help treat Peripheral Artery Disease with significant effects. One may notice the signs in just a couple of months.

Along with exercise, one also needs to monitor the weight and eating habits. Foods that are rich in fats and bad cholesterol should be avoided. Make changes in the lifestyle and eat a healthy balanced diet. Include fruits and fresh vegetables in the diet and follow a low carb diet for regular food intake. If a person is addicted to smoking and alcohol, then he/she should consider leaving the bad habits for their own good health.

Take Away-
Above are some of the common and tried treatments. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before opting for any of these options as these treatments are depended upon the condition of the patients.


Learning In depth About Peripheral Artery Disease!

Menstrual disorders are caused by a variety of factors and affect every woman in a different manner. In most cases, it manifests itself in the form of fluctuations in menstrual flow and irregularity in the monthly cycle. Certain disorders are not too severe and can be easily alleviated. Others are more complicated and require the immediate attention of a gynecologist.

As mentioned, there are different specific causes of different kinds of disorders resulting from a range of factors such as hormone levels, functioning of the central nervous system, health of the uterus, etc. 

Some of the most common causes of menstrual disorders are as follows:

Hormonal imbalance
Fluctuating hormone levels in the body have a direct impact on the menstrual cycle. These fluctuations can be caused by dysfunction in the pituitary gland, thyroid gland or adrenal gland. It can also be a result of malfunction in either or both ovaries and the secretion of hormones originating there.

Anatomic problems
One fourth menstrual disorders are caused by problems of the anatomy. These include various gynecological issues like the presence of uterine fibroids and polyps, reduced uterine contractile strength, adenomyosis (intrusion of uterine tissue into the muscular wall of the uterus), a uterus with an excessively large surface area, and endometrial cancer.

Clotting irregularities
Abnormality in clotting is a cause of heavy menstrual bleeding in women. It leads to exceeding blood loss from minor cuts and gashes and makes one easily prone to bruising. This may also include medical conditions such as thrombocytopenia (platelet dysfunction) and Von Willebrand disease.

Medications and supplements
There is a wide range of medications and nutritional or hormonal supplements which often cause menstrual disorders in women and lead to fluctuations in the menstrual cycle. These include medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, estrogen pills, Vitamin E supplements etc.

Miscellaneous factors
These are comparatively rare and require a greater degree of medical attention. It includes conditions such as cervical cancer, ovarian tumors, liver and kidney diseases, uterine infections, extreme psychological stress, obesity, etc. Incidents such as miscarriages and unsuspected pregnancies are also known to cause abnormal menstrual bleeding.

5 Causes of Menstrual Disorders

Small painful mouth sores can be anywhere in the mouth lips, soft palate, hard palate, cheeks, gum base, tongue and even on the roof of the mouth. When situated  inside the mouth, they can cause pain during eating or swallowing, especially with hot or spicy foods. A bigger cause for concern is that these mouth sores or mouth ulcers or canker sores could be an indication of an underlying health condition. A lot of chronic diseases, including HIV, herpes, and syphilis, manifest themselves as mouth sores. The following are some of the health conditions to watch out for when you have mouth sores. Each disease has characteristic appearance and so very often are easy to identify.


1. Herpes simplex (HSV1): The herpes simplex virus causes sores on the lips only which are usually painful with red blisters that last about 10 to 14 days. These are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 and the sores appear about 20 days after contracting the virus. Also, once they enter the system, they can cause recurrent attacks especially when the immunity is low.


2. Canker sore: The most common type of mouth ulcer, they are also known as aphthous ulcers and are usually seen on the soft tissues of the mouth (not the hard palate or the gum base). These are generally innocuous and heal within 5 to 7 days. Do reach out for medical help if there are more than 5 to 6 bouts of canker sores in a year.


3. Oral thrush: Also known as candidiasis, this is where there are whitish lesions on the tongue and the insides of the mouth. Candida is a fungus that is normally present in the mouth, but when the immune system is weakened, it can lead to an infection, orally manifested as white lesions. These are typical and appear in toddlers and in patients with anemia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer patients on chemotherapy.


4. HIV/AIDS: Another disease which first can be diagnosed in the mouth is HIV/AIDS. In the first stages of infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome, where the first symptoms of the disease begin to manifest, oral ulcers are one of the first symptoms. With the other associated symptoms, more workup for diagnosis should be done followed by appropriate treatment.


5. Oral cancers: The lining of the inside of the mouth can develop cancer and usually it appears in the form of chronic non healing ulcer that just does not go away. Seen anywhere in the mouth, nonhealing ulcers are a cause for concern and should be investigated and treated.


As seen above, mouth sores may be harmless often, but in some cases, may have something more to tell about the health in some cases. 

Mouth Sores - Could They Be More Than Just a Sore!

People suffering from pneumonia, postoperative partial or complete collapse of the lungs, chronic respiratory conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Cystic Fibrosis etc as well as people suffering from neuromuscular diseases can get partial relief by respiratory physiotherapy. If a person is suffering from retained secretions, increased effort to breathe or volume loss, he or she may be referred to Respiratory Physiotherapy.

Respiratory Assessment Of The Patient

A Respiratory Physiotherapist will assess the condition of the patient with the help of Respiratory Assessment or Respiratory Examination. It includes:

Auscultation and review chest X-Ray

Interpreting arterial blood gasses test and blood tests

History of present illness

History of past illnesses

Details of cough, breathlessness, sputum, chest pain  

Other symptoms like headache, fever, CO2 retention, heart failure, peripheral oedema, shivering, palpitations, weight loss, Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease, vomiting and nausea etc.

Respiratory Physiotherapy Techniques -

After the Respiratory Assessment the doctor may prescribe the following:

Breathing Exercises

Exercises like Active Cycle Of Breathing Techniques can help in clearing phlegm. Since people in respiratory distress often produce more phlegm than normal, it is essential that this excess phlegm be removed. This can help the person breathe more freely. Removing the phlegm can also help prevent infections in the chest and reduce coughing. It is a set of exercises that together help in establishing breathing control, huffing and deep breathing.

Mobilisation

Early mobilization is one of the most important aspects of chest physiotherapy. It includes positioning, active and passive turning, cycling pedals, standing, stepping etc. 

Manual Techniques

The Physiotherapist may apply pressure on the chest to facilitate airway clearance while keeping the patient in gravity assisted phlegm drainage position. 

IPPB

It employs a device that helps patients take a deep breath, cough and clear lungs. The device offers short-term and intermittent mechanical ventilation of a positive pressure set by a physiotherapist. The device pushes a mixture of oxygen through a facemask.

Suction

Here too the physiotherapist uses a device to suck out excess mucus from the chest and facilitate breathing. Here the cough is stimulated by a catheter and phlegm is sucked out using another catheter.

MHI

It is the acronym for Manual Hyperinflation. This procedure is carried out by a Respiratory Physiotherapist to give volume to partially or completely collapsed lungs.

BiPAP or CPAP

The device delivers pressurized air into the patient's airways through a facemask. The pressure of air prevents collapse of the throat muscles and reduces airway obstructions. In essence, they allow patients to breathe more freely and regularly. 

Conclusion

Right Respiratory Assessment or Respiratory Examination is crucial to applying the right physiotherapy techniques. Right techniques may help patients breathe more freely and avoid respiratory infections. 

Know More About Respiratory Examination!

Contact Dermatitis and Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis may be caused due to a variety of reasons. While contact dermatitis is a less severe condition that is caused when irritants escape from dirt and pollution to settle on the skin, Eczema refers to the inflammation of the skin due to allergic reactions or a family history of a similar condition. Contact dermatitis is usually characterised by sores and redness, while contact dermatitis will show up in the form of boil like eruptions. Homeopathy is one of the best, long term methods for treatment of this condition. 

Let us see how this medicinal field can be used.

- Graphites: This medication helps in soothing the oozing that may happen from the boils found in eczema. This is also ideal for eczema patients who are obese or suffering from constipation. It is best suited for skin that has become hard and rough. It can cure the sticky discharge that may come from the pus filled boils. It can also be used for dermatitis, which can be seen in the folds of the skin and the abdomen. 

- Mezereum: This medicine helps when there is a crust like formation due to dermatitis. The substance can also soothe the acute itching sensation, which takes place when there is pus filled below the dark layer of the crust. This itching usually gets worse at night.

- Hepar Sulphur: This medicine is best for severe cases when there is too much pus involved and about to burst out. It can also treat the deep cracks that may be found on the surface of the skin as well as the acute and intense itching sensation. Also, such severe cases leave the skin feeling sensitive to the slightest breeze or wind, in which case Hepar Sulphur can work well. 

- Dulcamara: This medicine is best suited for patients, who live in places where it rains often and heavily. Dermatitis usually increases and becomes even more painful during monsoons and this medicine can help in bringing down the itching which may also cause bleeding on the yellow black crusts. 

- Sulphur: When a burning sensation is one of the symptoms of dermatitis, Sulphur can be used. This is also prescribed for other skin ailments and for those who have a hereditary skin condition. This can also be used by patients who have had a relapse in their condition due to damp or cool weather, especially like monsoons, springtime or autumn. It also helps in soothing the symptoms of contact dermatitis which may occur due to contact with new detergent and clothing as well as pollution.

Treat Dermatitis With Homeopathy

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