Pulmonary Embolism is a blood clot in the Pulmonary arteries that usually travels from a deep vein in the legs to the lungs. This clot blocks the lungs and creates a life-threatening situation for the patient. With prompt medication and treatment, the risk can be mitigated. 

Symptoms 

The symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism vary with the size and position of the clot. The most common symptoms include pain in the chest and shortness of breath. The patient with Pulmonary Embolism suffers from chest pain occasionally, and it gets worse with physical activity. The pain is deep and feels like a heart attack.

The other common symptoms are: 

  Pain in legs or swelling 

  Fever 

  Irregular heartbeat 

  Fatigue 

  Feeling tired all the time 

  Coughing 

  Dizziness 

  Heartburn 

Causes 

Pulmonary Embolism is caused due to the formation of several clumps or blood clots that enter into the Pulmonary arteries. Typically, these clots are formed from the deep veins of the legs, also known as Deep Vein Thrombosis. The clots block the flow of blood in the lungs, which is fatal to the patients.

These clots gradually build up in the arteries. Some very common causes for the formation of these clots are the release of fats from the broken long bones, the tissue in the bloodstream or air bubble. 

Diagnosis 

The diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism is difficult in patients who are already suffering from heart or lung conditions. However, doctors look for a D-dimer level in the bloodstream to determine the clots. There are various causes for a high level of D dimer, but it gives a starting point to the doctor to investigate further. 

  Blood Test: The blood test checks the level of D dimer in the blood. If the level is high, the doctor may determine the amount of oxygen level in the blood. Generally, the blood clots lower the level of oxygen in the blood. If the oxygen level is low, doctors doubt the presence of blood clots. 

  Ultrasound: The body imaging method helps doctors to check for clots in the blood without performing any operation. This non-invasive way gives the imagery of the veins. Clumps can easily be seen in the images of the Ultrasound report. 

  CT Scan: The spiral CT scan moves around the body to look for clots in the veins. It is a high-tech method through which doctors determined the number, size, and amount of blood clots in the patients. 

Takeaway 

The treatment for Pulmonary Embolism depends upon the size and number of clots in the body. If a person is already suffering from heart or lungs condition, then he/she shall be given medication accordingly. The most common treatment entails medicines, such as blood thinners, which makes the blood thinner. These medications help in dissolving the clots.

Pulmonary Embolism - How To Detect It?

Between a woman dressed in a satin dress and another dressed in cotton, who do you think was more comfortable? The lady dressed in cotton ofcourse! It isn't the length of the dress that dictates this answer but the breathability of the fabric.

Breathability can be defined as the fabric's ability to allow air and moisture to pass through it. This is determined by the composition of fibers and how tightly they are woven together. Wearing breathable fabric helps your skin breathe by allowing sweat to evaporate rather than block skin pores. This also helps regulate your body's temperature. So, when you go shopping for your summer wardrobe, look out for these fabrics.

1 Cotton
Cotton is a natural fiber hat can be found in a number of varieties. However, not all of them are breathable. For your skin to breathe, avoid cotton blends and stick to 100% cotton fabric. Seersucker and madras cotton are great for summer. Cotton clothes are ideal for dry summers as well as humid conditions.

2 Linen
The light weight nature of linen makes it an extremely breathable fabric. This natural fiber also absorbs moisture very well.

3 Light Silk
Silk is often termed as a winter material but light silks are ideal for any weather. Silk is highly absorbent and dries quickly thus allowing your skin to breathe. It also has natural climate regulating properties that allow it to stay cool in summers and warm in winters. Silk is also the most hypoallergenic fabric available.

4 Chambray
Chambray is a breathable alternative to denims. While heavy weight chambray has a rugged appeal, light weight chambray can have a casual as well as dressy appeal.

On that note, here are a few fabrics to avoid

1 Nylon
Nylon is a completely synthetic material with low absorption and a water repellant nature. Thus not only will it not allow sweat to evaporate, it will trap your sweat within your clothes. This is both uncomfortable and unhealthy.

2 Polyester and Polyester blends
Like nylon, polyester is water repellent and thus allows perspiration to between your clothes and your skin causing the garment to stick to the body. Don't assume a polyester cotton blend to be any better as even a 40% synthetic presence can keep the fabric from absorbing sweat.

3 Viscose or Rayon
Both these fabrics are often passed off as cotton. However they do not have the absorption or breathability nature of cotton. While it will not trap heat like nylon and polyester, rayon also repels water thus leading to a perspiration build up.

4 Satin
Satin is produced by weaving nylon and polyester together and hence is synthetic and does not allow the skin to breathe. Also satin is thick and heavy.

Which kind of clothing lets your skin breathe?

When you suffer from dry, chronic cough along with shortness of breath, it is normal to get worried and annoyed. You will want to know the cause and the cure. Note that it might be due to a condition called the interstitial lung disease.

Including almost more than 200 different lung conditions, interstitial lung disease refers to the inflammation and scarring caused in the lungs, which leads to less oxygen entering the blood. Mainly affecting the interstitial part of the anatomic structure of the lungs, which is responsible for the oxygen flow into the blood, interstitial lung disease can damage other parts of the lungs too, such as the lung lining, the airways or the blood vessels. The following is a brief account of the types, causes, symptoms, and treatment of ILD.

Types
Interstitial lung disease can be of various kinds, though all of them leads to the thickening of the lung s interstitial part. Some of the types of ILD are 

Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Acute interstitial pneumonitis
 Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Asbestosis
Sarcoidosis
Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia or COP, etc. 
While some of the ILD types are short lived, some are irreversible and chronic.

The primary causes of interstitial lung disease are viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Regular exposure to inhalable irritants such as talc, silica dust, asbestos, coal dust or any other kind of metal dust, bird proteins of pigeons, chickens or any exotic birds, grain dust, etc. can also cause interstitial lung disease. Though rare, sometimes it is the intake of particular drugs that may cause ILD. For the majority of interstitial lung diseases, the exact cause is not always known.

Both men and women of any age can develop this disease, and it is more common in people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and autoimmune disease. Some of the primary symptoms and signs of interstitial lung disease are nonproductive dry cough, shortness of breath, and considerable weight loss. While for some types of ILDs the symptoms develop slowly and gradually over months, for others, such as the acute interstitial pneumonitis or interstitial pneumonia, the symptoms develop more rapidly, within days or a few hours.

For identifying the presence of ILD, doctors usually rely upon chest X-ray, CT scan or computed tomography, pulmonary function testing, high-resolution CT scan, and lung biopsy. In case no apparent cause behind the disease is found from the tests, a patient's history of being exposed to certain chemical environments is then taken into consideration.

Depending on the type and severity of the disease the treatment options vary from one to another. While for some taking prescribed drugs can offer a solution to prevent the lungs from deteriorating further, for some a complete lung transplant may become the only solution. Treatments like pulmonary rehabilitation and oxygen therapy can also be ideal, based on the condition of the lungs.

Thus, if one is constantly exposed to lung irritants and experiences the symptoms of interstitial lung disease for more than eight weeks, he/she must seek the advice of a pulmonologist without delay as the condition may lead to severe complications when left untreated.

Interstitial Lung Disease - Understanding Its Types!

If you are looking to lose weight, it is of utmost importance to focus on your diet. Eating a balanced diet along with regular exercise is your key to losing weight. You need to focus on picking the right foods to lose weight.

Carbohydrates are classified into three types - simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates and fiber.

Simple carbohydrates consist of foods such as fruits and sugar. These foods should be consumed in limited amounts as they tend to spike your blood sugar levels. Excessive consumption of simple sugar ups your risk of diabetes and leads you to gain weight.

Complex carbohydrates are foods like whole grains, oats and millets that have a different digestive mechanism compared to simple carbohydrates. These foods are digested slowly and thus, the energy is released slowly into the bloodstream. This means that there is no blood sugar spike during the process of digestion. However, it is important that you should not consume these foods in excess. Overconsumption of these foods may lead to weight gain.

Fiber is a type of nutrient that is also known as roughage and it is present in vegetables and fruits. Fiber rich foods are cabbage, broccoli and carrots. Fiber helps in improving digestion as it adds bulk to your stool. The other important benefit of fiber is that it enhances your heart health by reducing bad cholesterol levels in the body. Fiber is helpful in weight loss as it improves satiety and promotes digestion.

Protein is another component that is emphasized on when you try losing weight. Good sources of protein are eggs, chicken, turkey and lentils. It helps in building muscle in the body, which in turn increases your metabolism rate, so that your overall calorie burn increases. It is recommended that you consume 1 g of protein per pound of body weight. Protein lets you hold on to your muscle mass which increases your lean muscle mass that burns fat.

Can Specific Proteins and Carbs Keep Weight Off?

4 Types of Life-Threatening Rashes

Rashes are common skin problems but shouldn't be taken casually at all. Although most rashes are mild and do not create much problem, some might turn grow to become life-threatening.

These are:

1. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)

This skin rash is the result of a severe allergic reaction to medication. The condition affects the skin and mucous membranes. Various medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anticonvulsants, penicillin, and sulphonamides might trigger this type of rash. It is characterized by painful lesions emerging in clusters.

2. Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS)

Mostly affecting babies and young children under the age of five, this skin disease brings on extensive blisters with red skin that looks burnt or scalded. This syndrome is caused by infection with strains of Staphylococcus bacteria.

3. Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV)

This unusual autoimmune skin condition gives rise to excruciating blisters on the skin, which often go on to the mouth, throat, nose and even genitals. The open sores from this disease often lead to infections and acute cases can even cause lung infections and lesions. This rash has no cure but is often treated with corticosteroids, antibiotics or immunosuppressants. If untreated, it can even cause death.

4. Toxic shock syndrome (TSS)

TSS is often caused by an overgrowth of Staphylococcus bacteria with the infection spreading throughout the body. Besides these bacteria, infections from surgical wounds contaminated nasal packing after nasal surgery and infections after baby birth are probable causes. This life-threatening rash generally affects teens and young adults, most of them being women. It can affect mucus membranes of mouth and eyes although there are no blisters or skin bumps. One can experience slight dizziness and high fever as well as swelling of the joints and eyelids. This skin condition often affects the liver, kidneys, the heart, and the brain.

Apart from these, there are several other types of skin infections, which can be equally discomforting and critical. Toxic epidermal necrolysis, dermatitis herpetiformis, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and several other nasty skin diseases are cases in point.



4 Types of Life-Threatening Rashes

Every person suffering from migraine will agree that -  although medications can control the head-piercing pain that each attack brings with it, preventing the onset of the pain altogether is the best way to deal with it. Follow these three simple strategies and based on the reaction of your body to these, mould your lifestyle to effectively prevent the occurrence of migraine to a good extent.

1. Get adequate amount of exercise
A large majority of people who suffer from migraine steer clear of any highly intensive or strenuous exercise as it is known to be the prime trigger for a severe attack. Having said that, avoiding physical activity altogether can worsen your migraines and thus you should focus on indulging in some light exercises. Activities such as jogging, walking and yoga can reduce the duration of your migraines and also bring down its severity and frequency. Moreover, regular exercise brings down stress levels which are also a major factor for triggering migraine attacks.

2.  Take note of your meal schedule and type of food that precipitates headache
For most patients migraine is triggerred by irregular meal schedule and some foods acts as triggers for migraine like cheese, chocolate, chinese foods. It is very imprtant to maintain a regular meal schedule, avoid skipping meals and take note of the items that precipitate your headache. Items that can precipitate headache is different for every individual and maitaining a headache diary can help you to identify these triggers. Also, note down the occurrence of your migraines, their duration and severity. Having adequate data makes it extremely simple to recognize a recurring pattern and leads you to the main cause behind your migraine attacks.

3. Maintain a stable sleep schedule
Sleep plays a great role in triggering migraine attacks and irregular sleep patterns, not getting adequate sleep, or sleeping more than required – all these habits can lead to a severe attack. Thus, try and create a sleep schedule for yourself keeping your daily routines in mind and follow it without fail.

Top 3 Strategies To Keep Migraine At Bay

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