General Health Blog

Common Options For Replacing Missing Teeth

Mark Jones — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:21:23 +0000

Dental implants, dental bridges and partial dentures are the major options for replacing missing teeth. Advantages and Disadvantages of Partial Dentures: If money is a major factor then partial dentures are the ideal solution. They are easily the most economical among the three options. A partial denture can only be used to replace up to [...]

Use Medicines Carefully

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:55:27 +0000

We all are aware of potential side effects medicines can cause. In fact, it is the fear of side effects (although sometimes the side effects are highlighted more than they actually are), that detracts many people from using scientific and modern allopathic system of medicine, which is the main system of disease treatment. It is [...]

Whey Protein as Supplement

admin — Sun, 15 May 2011 04:55:24 +0000

Whey protein is a very popular among dietary supplements and gaining popularity rapidly. Whey protein is basically produced from milk, as it is a by-product of cheese industry. While producing cheese from milk a liquid material is obtained, this is mixture of globular proteins and rich source of amino acids, including most of the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are the amino acids which human body can not synthesize in the body and must be supplied through dietary protein for maintenance of vital functions that are performed by proteins in human body, such as synthesis of DNA, repairing of wounds, production of enzymes, immunoglobulins etc. and many more functions. Humans can survive without taking carbohydrates and fats (because carbohydrates and fats can be produced and synthesized from proteins and also carbohydrates can be synthesized from fats and fats can be synthesized from carbohydrates), but can not survive without proteins.

Pampers ‘Little Miracle Mission is a Milestone for others

admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 23:42:33 +0000

Pampers 50^th birthday celebrations Kicks off Little Miracle Missions at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. Pampers and celebrity parents delivered care packages to the NICU in the Newyork at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Aim of Campaign

Jodi Allen further said, “In embracing all of these changes and believing that all babies are little miracles to be celebrated we are so thrilled to unveil our Little Miracle Mission Campaign, which delivers acts of support to families and(hopeful families), while encouraging them to do the same. This is just the start of the amazing things we can do together and at the end of our birthday year; we hope to make this a better world for little miracles now and for years to come”.

What are the causes of Appendicitis?

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:06:34 +0000

Appendix in humans is an obsolete organ and serves no useful function. We, humans do not need appendix for any reason (I hope the organ will slowly disappear as humans evolve naturally in evolution). The appendix may not perform any useful function, but it does create serious medical emergency situation in humans by causing appendicitis (which is inflammation of appendix). Appendicitis is a medical emergency and need prompt and appropriate management to save the patient. Less than a decade ago, appendicitis was a surgical emergency too and emergency surgery used to be performed in patients suffering from appendicitis to save life of the patients. But these days appendicitis is mainly a medical emergency and with appropriate medical management, it no more requires surgery. But some cases still require surgery, which involved removal of inflamed appendix. The mortality in appendicitis is very high among untreated and inappropriately treated cases.

Don’t Diet Foods Kill Diets?

admin — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:20:37 +0000

Dieting can be a healthy way to lose weight using natural methods. Dieting requires that you cut certain things from the meals you eat in order to burn calories and rid your body of toxins, but it also requires that you add certain things to the meals you eat in order to put good things [...]

How HIV Evades Immune System?

admin — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:00:45 +0000

HIV has unique ability to evade the immune system of host. By evading the immune system the HIV gets the first foothold on a host (human) and evades the control and elimination of infection by the host. There are several mechanisms by which HIV evade the host immune system.

After getting the foothold in a human host, the HIV establishes a sustained level of replication of virus. The new generations of HIV also evade the host immune system by mutation and recombination and maintain viral diversity. Due to very high rate of virus replication as well as continuous mutation (responsible for vaccine ineffectiveness) the neutralizing antibodies that are formed by host defense can not neutralize the rapidly replicating and continuously mutating HIV.

Know about Sexual Transmission of HIV

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 01:18:49 +0000

The commonest mode of transmission of HIV is sexual route. Other routes of transmission of HIV like mother to fetus, by transfusion of blood and blood products, by intravenous drug abuse, through needles and other sharp instruments, occupational transmission etc. are less common. More than 80% of HIV transmissions are by sexual route. But the sexual route may vary from place to place, e.g. in the United States the homosexual route is more prevalent route than heterosexual route (male to male transmission and rarely if ever female to female) and in the developing countries the heterosexual route is predominant.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is present in seminal fluid and any exchange of seminal fluid can cause transmission of HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus is also present in the vaginal fluid and any exchange of vaginal fluid can also transmit HIV. The virus is also present in the cervical scrapings.

Transmission of HIV from Mother to Child

admin — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:49:44 +0000

Transmission of HIV from mother to child is an important mode of transmission of HIV. HIV can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, child birth or during breast feeding. If transmission of HIV occurs during pregnancy from mother to the fetus it is known as “vertical transmission”. Transmission of HIV from mother to child is an important mode in some developing countries.

Research on aborted fetuses of HIV positive pregnancies has shown that HIV can be transmitted from mother to fetus as early as in the first trimester of pregnancy, but most commonly occur during the last one month of pregnancy. Transmission of HIV from mother to child most commonly occur during child birth (50–65% of all mother to child transmissions) followed by vertical transmission (20–30%) and during breast feeding (10–20%).

Preventing HIV?

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:34:58 +0000

The prevention of HIV starts with the knowledge about the disease and its modes of transmission. Right knowledge about HIV in the general population of a nation and the whole world can go a long way in preventing the spread of the deadly disease HIV/AIDS. Other approaches that are employed in HIV prevention strategies are counseling and modification of sexual behavior (not much practicable in real life by most of the population).

The non-sexual modes of transmission (other than the sharing of infected needles by by intravenous drug abusers) are to be done by the health care providers and policy makers of the Governments and generally can be done (and done) which has caused the reduction in the number of transmission of HIV to a great extent. For prevention of transmission of HIV by non-sexual modes generally Govt. and hospitals adopt (as recommended by CDC or Center of Disease Control and prevention) in most of the countries to routinely test all the individuals between age 13 and 64 years who come for medical problems to hospitals for HIV without any written consent, although there is an option to “opt out” of the test for HIV.

Add some Fibers in Your Diet and Live Healthy

admin — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:57:27 +0000

Fiber is very important for a healthy living, especially for those who are suffering from problems of constipation. The most important cause of constipation is consumption of inadequate quantity of fiber in diet. Inadequate fiber in diet can lead to other medical conditions like increase incidence of colon cancer (and other gastrointestinal cancers), intestinal obstruction, fecal impaction in the intestine, anal fissure etc. in addition to common problem of constipation.

Western diet is typically low in fiber due to consumption of fast food and refined foods. It is very important for Westerners to increase the amount of fiber in their diet. The daily recommended intake of dietary fiber is at least 30 grams. The following health and dietary tips can help to increase amount of daily fiber intake, especially for the Western people. People living in the developing and underdeveloped countries and in the Oriental regions (Asia) generally consume enough fiber in the diet and consequently do not suffer from constipation as frequently as Western people.

Uses of Fioricet

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:51:13 +0000

Fioricet is combination of butalbitol 50 mg, which is a barbiturate (used as sedative, sleep medication), acetamenophene 325 mg, a commonly used antipyretic (reduce body temperature and one of the most effective drug for treatment of fever) and analgesic (pain killer medication) and caffeine 40 mg.

This combination of three drugs (brand name Fioricet) is used for treatment of muscle contraction headache, tension headache etc. This medication is also used for treatment of migraine, although USFDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) do not approve this combination for use in migraine, many physicians still uses this for migraine and other pain ailments.

This medication (Fioricet) is easily available online and No Prescription required for the purchase of this as well as many other medications available online.

How important Fiber is for Health?

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:50:24 +0000

What is fiber? Know about it.

Fiber is the indigestible part of the plants, generally in the form of cellulose, pectins, and other polysaccharides which can not be digested by humans. Fibers form the bulk of the stool and help in regularizing bowel habit and reduce incidence of constipation. This is the main reason problem of constipation is lesser in developing countries, where people consume lots of fiber in the diet as they eat natural food without refining. Fibers are also very good for controlling your body weight as they fill the stomach without increasing the calorie consumption and you do not feel hungry. If you consume fiber supplements (Active Fiber Complex) along with other products for weight reduction (of course if you are obese), it can give added advantage in weight loss and help you reduce weight faster and also help in maintaining lost body weight.

How hemorrhoids are treated?

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:19:09 +0000

Hemorrhoids (commonly known as piles when they become pathological) are responsible for common health problems, affecting the anal canal. Hemorrhoids are actually vascular structures which are responsible for control of stool. If these vascular structures become pathological (inflamed and swollen) they create health problem which range from mild to severe pain and bleeding from anal canal (hemorrhoids). Hemorrhoids acts as cushion composed of arterio-venous (arteries and veins) channels and with presence of connective tissues, they help to control movement of stool through anal canal.

The treatment of hemroids may be very difficult and at times may not yield satisfactory results. The commonly used procedures for treatment of hemorrhoids include hemorrhoidectomy (which may be direct surgical excision of hemorrhoids, laser hemorrhoidectomy or may be stapled hemorrhoidectomy), rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, Doppler guided transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (to cut the arterial blood supply and thereby destroy the hemorrhoids), destroying the hemorrhoids with help of electrocautery, infrared radiation, laser or cryosurgery.

Should you use Colon Cleanse?

admin — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 06:31:46 +0000

Colon cleansing or colon therapy is a method of alternative medical therapy which is meant for removing the feces, toxins and other unwanted substances from gastrointestinal tract, largely from colon or large intestine. The practitioners of colon cleanse argue that colon is full of toxins, which can have ill effects on out health and need [...]

Diagnosis of Swine Flu

admin — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:23:54 +0000

Swine flu should be diagnosed as per the guidelines given by health authorities. Diagnosis of swine flu can be done systematically at first by suspecting a case to be swine flu clinically, next by examining blood and by confirming swine flu with specific tests for swine flu.

How to suspect swine flu by symptoms? Swine flu should be suspected clinically in a patient with acute fever of 38 degree Centigrade or more and respiratory symptoms (cough, sneezing etc.) and gives the history of contact with confirmed case/cases of swine flu (H1N1) in last 7 days or there is history of travel to a place/community with one or more confirmed cases of swine flu or the patient is residing in a place where there is at least one or more confirmed cases of swine flu.

Know about Homeopathic Medicine Oscillo

admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:06:37 +0000

Oscillococcinum (the short form is oscillo) is a very popular homeopathy medicine (a popular form of CAM or Complimentary and Alternative Medicine). This is one of the most popular medicines used in homeopathy. The medication is used for treatment of cold/influenza like symptoms. Homeopathy is practiced in many countries including in many states of United States. The drug is available (produced) in several countries numbering more than 50 and in some countries such as France oscillococcinum is being produced for last 65 years and is very popular homeopathy medicine in France. The name of the medicine (oscillococcinum) is also French named after oscillating bacteria, which was thought to be the causative agent of influenza or flu by the discoverer of the medicine French physician Joseph Roy.

The oscillo homeopathic medicine (oscillococcinum) is prepared from duck (heart and liver) and diluted to one part of duck offal to 100²⁰⁰ parts of water. But this is such a high dilution that a dose of the medication will not contain a single molecule of the product of duck heart or liver and according to homeopathy theory, the higher the dilution the more potent is the medicine.

Should you use Online Medical Consultation?

admin — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:37:58 +0000

At present we are living in information age, after leaving behind agrarian age and industrial age. And information is power these days, and this is true in field of medicine also. That is the reason online medical consultation or consulting a doctor of your choice online is becoming a common practice. There are several advantages and disadvantages of consulting your doctor online and they are very obvious. The online medical consultation is called telemedicine in common language.

The advantages of telemedicine include easier accessibility and 24 hours service 365 days a year, easy affordability and sometimes it may be free (especially when it is provided by Govt. or NGOs in remote areas) etc. Online medical consultation can be of great help, in some remote areas where specialist doctors are not available locally. For any special medical help, telemedicine can be used for the patients of remote areas. One of the disadvantages of telemedicine is that, doctor is not able to examine the patient physically, which can be a problem. But this problem can be solved to a great extent by keeping a trained doctor (not a specialist doctor) at the place from where patient is using telemedicine, so that when required the doctor with the patient can guide the specialist doctor.

Know about Low CSF Volume Headache

admin — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 08:16:32 +0000

Low CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) volume headache is a type of secondary NDPH (New Daily Persistent Headache). Other secondary NDPH are high CSF pressure headache, post traumatic headache, headache due to chronic meningitis etc.

What are the symptoms of low CSF volume headache? The head pain in low CSF volume headache is generally positional (depends on the body position or posture) and begins upon standing upright or in sitting position and tend to resolve if reclined or on lying down. The head pain of low CSF volume headache is commonly dull aching in nature, although sometimes it may be throbbing type of pain and localized occipitofrontal (from and back of the head) area. The head pain of low CSF volume headache improves/resolve upon reclining within few minutes but may return again on resuming upright position within minutes to an hour. The typical clinical presentation of low CSF volume headache patient is history of absence of head pain on waking in the morning but worsen during day time and the next day same may be repeated. As the time passes the postural nature of low CSF volume headache becomes less evident.

DBSA Clubs with AstraZeneca

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:41:22 +0000

People who are suffering from depression often don't have the right kind of motivation and self-confidence that they need to get back to track. Hence, AstraZeneca decided to do something different than just making medications that would not help them much to get out of their depression. A couple of years ago AstraZeneca joined hands with another organization known as Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) that helps for the betterment of patients suffering from bipolar depression and major depressive disorder. Together they have now launched their new campaign known as Speak and Be Heard Living with Depression.

The Living with Depression campaign began almost two years ago and it has been a great success for the organizers as well as the patients who are participating in it. The campaign provides them with a base where they are free to express what they feel inside. Many bipolar depression patients never speak up their problems. Hence, with the help of this campaign, patients who are overcoming their depression can show how others can walk the same path and get rid of their depression problems. There are no experts involved and therefore patients learn from other patients here making them their role models. Bipolar depression patients can write essays, poems, stories, songs, or shoot videos, and make art to express their feelings and positive frame of mind.