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Nicotine Withdrawal- How to Deal with Symptoms to Quit Smoking?

Diposting oleh Unknown Kamis, 31 Mei 2012 0 komentar

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, what could be the ideal topic to discuss than nicotine withdrawal symptoms and how to deal with them while trying to quit smoking! Let’s know what are the nicotine withdrawal symptoms and some tips to overcome these symptoms to make your ‘Quit Smoking Mission’ successful!


How Nicotine Makes a Smoker Addictive?

Its not that a smoker doesn’t know the harms of nicotine or the benefits of stopping smoking, but it’s the lack of control on one’s will and the difficult situations encountered while trying to quit smoking that he/she is again and again unsuccessful in the mission- Quit Smoking. The frustration gets to such a level that a smoker starts finding the reasons for smoking and often ends up counting benefits of nicotine. Innumerable researches have, however, established the fact that nicotine is harmful for health. Why else was it used in insecticides in the past? The stimulant effect of nicotine is responsible for its addictive quality which make a person nicotine dependant and s/he finds it utmost difficult to quit smoking. It’s difficult but not impossible. It’s difficult till the level where you fight off the nicotine withdrawal symptoms!

What are Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms?

When you try to quit smoking, you will experience flu like symptoms, sometimes referred to as Quitter’s Flu. During this period when you are trying to quit smoking, you might experience various physical as well as psychological discomforts. But the good news is that, all these are short lived. Here is a list which contains the common nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Smokers trying to stop smoking may experience one or many of these symptoms of nicotine withdrawal but it is rare that they experience all of these symptoms.

  • Craving to smoke
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty in Concentration
  • Headache
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Constipation
  • Stomach ache/ gas
  • Dry mouth
  • Sore tongue and/or gums
  • Post-nasal drip (PND or Upper Airway Cough Syndrome (UACS)
  • Chest Congestion or Tightness in the chest
  • Increased appetite (feeling hungry often) and/or weight gain
  • Depression
  • Restlessness or boredom
How to Deal with Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms to Quit Smoking?

It’s easy if you want to think of it that way and it’s difficult if you opt to think it differently! It is always good if you plan before hand the ways to quit smoking by reading a lot and also by sharing information with people who have already quit smoking or those who are in the process of quitting smoking. When you see that what you are experiencing is a normal thing that happens while trying to give up smoking, you will feel better and hopefully more determined to quit smoking.

5 Things to do when there is Craving to Smoke!

Delay the act- It’s a matter of only about 5 minutes when this urge to smoke will go away. Repeat constantly and remind yourself that the urge is about to go just in 5 minutes!

Distract yourself and engage in other activity- To let the craving for smoking pass, do what you like (other than smoking!). For example, you can go for a walk without your packet of cigarette and your wallet too. You can call your friends and talk to them. You can read a book you were planning since days to read.

Drink water- It helps in fighting off the craving for smoking. Apart from this, water will also help fight off other symptoms of nicotine withdrawal like constipation, cough and unusual hunger. You can also have a refreshing glass of fruit juice but stay away from alcohol. It might trigger the urge to smoke!

Breath deeply- Close your eyes and try to concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling process. Breathe slowly and deeply while noticing the fine process of air going into your lungs and coming out of your nose. This will relax you and also let the usrge to smoke pass away.

Talk to someone-who cares for you and sincerely want you to quit smoking. It can be your family members, friends or someone from your support group with whom you have earlier discussed about quitting smoking.

Other Tips to Deal with Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal

Have Balanced Diet and Multivitamin Supplements

When you quit smoking, your body gets into the process of detoxifying itself. To flush out the toxins, your body would need extra energy. So, eat a balanced diet including healthy foods. Also take a multi vitamin substitute after consulting with your physician because you need it to fight off the fatigue – one of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. You should stock up your fridge with some healthy snacks to binge on. Stay away from junk food as you might also be prone to weight gain when trying to quit smoking Some of the examples of such healthy foods include grapes, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, watermelon pieces, fresh berries, low-fat yogurt, low fat pudding cups etc.

Exercise to Fight off Mood Swings

Depression and mood swings combined with irritability are common signs of nicotine withdrawal. To fight them off, you must exercise but make sure to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regime. However, mild exercise like walking can be done by anyone. Start with slow walking for 10 to 15 minutes once or twice a day and then increase the duration as well as speed of your walking. Brisk walking for about 40-45 minutes is good for anyone- a smoking quitter or a non smoking person! Exercise release pleasure chemicals into your body compensating the joy feeling that you got from smoking!

Reward Yourself to Stay Motivated

If you have been able to not smoke for the whole day, reward yourself at the end of the day. You can take a hot bath or watch a movie or have a special dinner or buy flowers for yourself or go for window shopping at your favorite mall! When not smoked for a whole week, celebrate the week end either with family or just yourself. Go to spa, host a party, play with kids- anything that will make you happy!

Take Extra Sleep

Nicotine stimulates your body extraordinarily and when trying to quit smoking, you might get fatigued like never before. Don’t be disheartened, this is a temporary phase and will also go away. Meanwhile try to take extra sleep. If possible, take a power nap in the afternoon. If that’s not possible, go to bed a little early than usual. If, however, you face difficulty in sleeping, go for long walks a couple of hours or listen to soothing music before going to bed.

All these tips to deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms can only help you to quit smoking if you sincerely internalize them. Just reading and then forgetting will never do any good to you. Remember that nicotine withdrawal is a temporary phase that will definitely pass. And you can’t even think of the joyous moments that come with the feeling of having one’s life in one’s own control! Just take a step forward- Quit Smoking- for YOU if not for anyone else!

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Anaemia- Symptoms, Causes and Diet Home Remedies

Diposting oleh Unknown Selasa, 22 Mei 2012 0 komentar


Anaemia is not a new term for common people, a large number of whom suffer from this blood haemoglobin related disease. What is Anemia? Let’s not only know what is anemia but also the symptoms, causes and home remedies including diet remedies for anemia.

What is Anaemia?

Our blood is made up of different components, one of which is red blood cells. They carry oxygen to the tissues. Red blood cells are made up of, among other things, iron, proteins and vitamins, especially folic acid and vitamin B12. Of these raw materials of red blood cells, iron and proteins are extensively needed for making haemoglobin (which also gives the red color to our blood). Once made, the red blood cells die in about 120 days or 4 months. About 100 million new blood cells are formed every day in our bone marrows. An average person should have a blood count of about 5 million red blood cells per millimeter. Haemoglobin should be present in the blood in sufficient amounts (average is 15 gm to 100 cc of blood). When there is a drop in the haemoglobin in blood, it results into anaemia.

Symptoms of Anaemia

Symptoms of anaemia are very common conditions, and therefore, overlooked sometimes leading to chronic anemic state due to lack of proper treatment and diet. 
  • Weakness and lack of energy
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Premature wrinkles
  • Pale skin
  • Dull and tired eyes
  • Poor memory
  • Shortness of breath even while doing light work.
  • Headache
  • Delayed healing of wounds
  • Palpitation
  • Mental stress and depression
In acute or chronic anemia, the nails too get brittle and sores might develop at the corners of mouth.

Causes of Anaemia

The major cause of anemia is the inadequate production of red blood cells in our bone marrowwhich can be due to some defect in the bone marrow or due to insufficient intake of iron, vitamins and protein through diet. However, there are other causes of anaemia too. These include the following
  • Heavy loss of blood which can be due to any reason- injury, bleeding piles, or excessive bleeding during menstruation in women
  • Digestive complications leading to indigestion of iron and proteins. Lack of digestive acid (hydrochloric acid) which is required for digestion of iron and proteins.
  • Emotional or mental strain or anxiety. This can hamper proper formation of blood components.
  • Intestinal worms or parasites like hookworms, pinworms, roundworms and tapeworms that feed on blood.
  • Genetic blood diseases such as sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia etc.
  • Failure of body to absorb vitamin B12 from foods which is known as pernicious anaemia.
Diet Home Remedies for Anaemia

Foods are the main ingredients that ensure proper supply of iron, vitamins, proteins and folic acid for proper and sufficient formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin. So, here are some dietary remedies for anaemia. These have been divided into two parts- foods recommended to treat anaemia and foods to be avoided by the anaemia patient.

Diet for Anaemia

Here is a comprehensive list of food items that are particularly beneficial in treating anaemia.
  • Vegetables rich in iron- spinach, beets, green spring onions, carrots, squash, radishes, celery, tomatoes, yams, potatoes.
  • Fruits rich in iron- bananas, apples, dark grapes, plums, raisins, apricots, strawberries.
  • Iron rich foods- whole-wheat, brown rice, beans, sunflower seeds, honey, crude blackstrap molasses.
  • High protein foods- milk, cottage cheese (preferably home made), eggs, soyabeans.
  • Foods rich in Vitamin B 12- Organic meats like kidney andliver, dairy products, milk, eggs, cheese, and peanuts. Wheat germ and soyabean also have some B12 in them.
It is also essential to make sure that whatever iron and vitamin B12 gets into your body is absorbed well by it. Ascorbic acid facilitates absorption of iron and thus foods rich in ascorbic acid should also be included in diet to treat anemia. Citrus fruits have good quantity of this acid.

Bananas and Beets for Anemia Treatment

Why banana and beats are specially mentioned as a good remedy for anemia? Because they are extremely important for curing anaemia due to their contents. Bananas have easily assimilable nutrients namely iron, folic acid and B12.
Beet(or beet juice) is also a very important diet cure for anemia. It contains potassium, phosphorous, calcium, iodine, iron, sulphur, copper, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin P. Beets can thus regenerate and reactivate red blood cells and strengthen body’s capacity of resistance.

Foods to be Avoided by Aneamia Patients

There are certain foods that should be avoided by a person suffering from anemia. These include
  • Sugar
  • White flour
  • Refined and processed foods
  • Tea and coffee
  • Soft drinks
  • Fried foods
  • Condiments and pickles
Other Home Remedies for Anaemia

Apart from paying attention to diet, one should also adopt some other remedies to cure anaemia completely
  • Drink enough water during the day. At least 8-10 glasses of water should be had by people having anemia.
  • Exercising is also essential. It can be simple exercise like brisk walk, breathing exercises and yoga asanas like Trikonasana, Sarvangasana, Surya Namaskara, Yoga-mudra, Shavasana
  • Adequate sleep and rest

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Home Remedies for Prickly Heat

Diposting oleh Unknown Selasa, 01 Mei 2012 1 komentar


Prickly Heat - Sweat Rashes
If you stay in a hot and humid place, you are obviously aware of the 'Miliaria' or prickly heat. They are the very itchy tiny sweat rashes on your skin that make you more uncomfortable in the already hot climate. The severe heat rashes might need treatment given by your physician but the mild prickly heat may be cured with the help of some very effective home remedies for prickly heat. But how would you know whether you suffer from mild or advanced heat rashes from sweat? So, lets first know what is prickly heat, what does it look like and what are the levels of miliaria or the sweat rashes?

What is Prickly Heat or Miliaria?

Miliaria is the medical term for the heat rashes popularly known as sweat rash or prickly heat. It can be called a skin disease- inflammation of skin having spotty small and itchy rashes or eruptions which give a feeling of burning or pricking. The prickly heat occur typically in hot and humid months of summer. This is because in hot weather, people tend to sweat more. This sweat when comes in contact with sebum, dust, bacteria and dry skin give rise to a thick, sticky substance which blocks the sweat glands. This causes prickly heat. Heat rashes affect people of all ages but is more common in babies and infants as their sweat glands are underdeveloped.

Levels of Prickly Heat

Miliaria Rubra Prickly Heat
Prickly heat can be superficial, mild or severe and all of these levels have different medical terms to describe them. Miliaria crystalline is the superficial prickly heat where a person suffers from multiple tiny blister-like lesions without any symptoms. Miliaria rubra is the most common form of prickly heat that can be identified by many. It shows typical red spots on chest, neck and shoulders. In this level of miliaria, obstruction causes leakage of sweat go into the deeper layers of the epidermis which results into local inflammation (red blister like lesions but not more than a few millimetres in size). This form of prickly heat has typical symptoms like itching or "pricking with pins and needles". Miliaria profundais the most severe form of prickly heat which rapidly spreads all over the body and causes severe burning sensations. It generally occurs due to repeated instances of miliaria rubra. In this stage, the rash tends to be seen as flesh coloured and not like red blisters of miliaria rubra.

Home Remedies for Prickly Heat

Prickly heat are very irritable and hamper smooth running of your daily routine. So, always try to prevent these heat rashes because as the saying goes 'prevention is better than cure'. When you go out, try to stay in shaded areas. Avoid applying moisturizers lotions. Always wear loose clothes, better if made of cotton as the synthetic clothing tend to trap the sweat. Take bath using cool water, if possible twice or thrice a day. Avoid excessive heat and humidity whenever it is possible. Drink plenty of water during hot weather and have fruits and vegetables with high water content The common treatment for prickly heat is to apply non-perfumed talcum powder or the specially made prickly heat powder for four to five times a day. However, the home remedies for prickly heatare more effective and without any side effects. Here are some home remedies for prickly heat that will give you relief from your heat rashes.
  • Use arrow root powder instead of talcum powder for heat rashes
  • Dust your body with baking soda or sandalwood powder. Their cooling effect heals up the heat rashes fast.
  • Rub an ice cube on heat rashes to get quick relief from the burning sensation. You can also use cold compress or ice pack.
  • Take two tablespoons each of coriander powder and sandalwood powder. Add enough rose water to make a thick paste out of it. Apply the paste on your prickly heat rashes and let it dry. When dry, wash it off with cold water.

Prickly Heat Home Remedies
  • Take henna powder and make a thick paste with cold water. Apply this to cool off the pricking heat rashes. However, this might leave the area reddened due to the coloring effect of henna. You can apply this home remedy for the prickly heat rashes that would get covered with clothing.
  • Take some neem (margosa) leaves and make a paste by grinding with water. Apply this on sweat rashes. Neem has antibacterial properties and can heal the infectious blisters of advanced miliaria.
  • Take powder of sandalwood powder and alum powder. Make a paste using water and apply on heat rashes.
  • Take some Indian gooseberries, cut them in 2-3 pieces and soak in an earthen vessel with a lid overnight. In the morning, mash the gooseberries in the water, strain, add sugar and drink this water. Do this for at least seven days. This helps in cooling your body from inside.
  • Take about five tablespoons of Fuller’s earth and add rosewater to make a paste. Apply this paste on prickly heat. Wash with cold water when it dries off.

Fuller's Earth Rosewater Remedy for Prickly Heat
  • Oatmeal bath is one of the very effective home remedies for prickly heat. Add some oatmeal powder in to your bath water and soak yourself in the bathtub for about an hour on weekends.
  • Crush some leaves of Indian plum (jamun) and add baking soda to it. Apply this to your prickly heat for instant relief.
  • Take some neem oil and add camphor extract to this. Massage the body parts with sweat rashes with this oil. Let it be there for about half an hour. Take bath with cool water.
  • Apply watermelon pulp on the prickly heat to heal them.
  • Mix cornflour, flour or gramflour with water to make a diluted paste. Apply this to your body where you have prickly heat. Let it dry for about an hour. Have shower with cool water.
  • Apply aloe vera gel on prickly heat to get relief from itching as well as to heal them.

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What are Haemorrhoids- Facts on Piles

Diposting oleh Unknown Selasa, 03 April 2012 0 komentar


Know what are Haemorrhoids or Piles and how to treat hemorrhoids based on their causes, signs & symptoms. What are the treatments for hemorrhoids.

Haemorrhoids commonly known as Piles are the swollen veins that occur at the lining of the anus and lower rectum from where stool is passed. This causes bleeding and sometimes pain which can be mild and temporary to persistently painful. There are two types of haemorrhoids- internal and external . The internal haemorrhoids occur inside the anus and the external haemorrhoid occurs outside the anus. Internal haemorrhoids are more common and develop 2-4cm above the opening of the anus. External haemorrhoids, also called perianal haematoma are less common. They develop on the outer edge of the anus.

What are Haemorrhoids?

The network of small veins or blood vessels that lies within the inner lining of the anus and lower rectum, sometimes get wider and swollen with more inflow of blood than it usually does. These swollen veins and the tissues over them might form lump type small swellings which are known as haemorrhoids.

What are the Causes of Haemorrhoids Piles?

Most often pressure put in and around the anus region causes piles. This pressure can be the result of the following situations.
  • Constipation, requiring putting stress on the anus region due to hardened faeces.
  • Bowel disorders when lead to frequent motions can exert pressure on the tissues leading to bleeding.
  • Pregnancy where the baby can put pressure above the anus and rectum. Hormonal changes too can lead to piles during pregnancy.
  • Aging can also cause haemorrhoids because tissues within the lining of the anus might loose strength and give lesser support as a person gets older.
  • Prolonged periods of sitting or doing strenuous work can also cause haemorrhoids
  • Obesity, particularly fat around abdominal area may put pressure on the organs lying within the pelvic region which leads to swelling of veins of rectum and anus.
  • General weakness, especially a weak liver can not support the tissues and cause haemorrhoids.
  • Hereditary factors where a person might inherit weakness of the wall of the veins within the anal region.
What are the Symptoms of Haemorrhoids?

The most common sign of internal hemorrhoids include fresh red blood which covers the stool. It is often painless process. Itchiness or irritation and lump like structures coming out of the rectum are also a major symptom of haemorrhoids. External haemorrhoid is more painful and is accompanied with hard lump around the anus.
  • Bright red blood covering the stool.
  • Mucous discharge, itching, irritation and/or pain in anal region.
  • Swellings or hard lump around the anus.
  • A feeling of fullness/ heaviness in the anus and as if rectum hasn't got emptied even after going to toilet.
  • Sometimes a swollen vein might stick out through the anal opening.
  • A rare symptom is the hanging down of a blood clot that might have formed within the haemorrhoid.
What are the Grades of Haemorrhoids?

The haemorrhoids are classified into grades that represent their sizes and severity. Their sizes range from 2-4 cms. There are four grades of haemorrhoids.

Grades of Haemorrhoids
  • Grade 1- These are smaller swellings occurring inside the lining of the back passage. These are the most common types of haemorrhoids that can't be seen from the outside.
  • Grade 2- These are comparatively larger haemorrhoids and can be partly pushed out from the anus when passing stool but they spring back inside once the process ends.
  • Grade 3- These haemorrhoids hang out from the anus and can be felt when touched. There can be one or small, s multiple soft lumps hanging from the anus. They can pushed back inside the anus.
  • Grade 4- These are large haemorrhoids and hang down from the anus but they are permanent and can't be pushed inside.
What are the Treatments for Haemorrhoids?

The mild internal piles (grade 1 haemorrhoids) often do not need any treatment or can be treated with simple precautions and home treatments like avoiding constipation through fiber rich diet, drinking a lots water and other healthy fluids (not soft drinks), having fiber supplements like isabgol, avoiding pain killers that cause constipation and by going to toilet when the urge is felt. Delays can lead to formation of harder stool leading to constipation. Relief from itching and discomfort can be sought from ointments and suppositories that are available as over the counter drugs not requiring prescription. The crux is that one has to avoid putting pressure on the pelvic region, especially due to constipation, in whatsoever manner it can be done. Get Diet and Home Remedies for Constipation

The more serious haemorrhoids, however, do need treatments and there are lots of options for this.

Rubber Band Ligation- Also called banding, has become a common treatment, especially for grade 2 and 3 haemorrhoids. A surgeon places a special elastic band at the base of the haemorrhoid which stops the blood supply to the haemorrhoid. The haemorrhoid then drops off after a few days. This is usually a painless procedure as the base of the haemorrhoid lies in end part of gut lining which is not sensitive. Haemorrhoids do not recur after banding in most of the cases where the patient of piles take precautions against constipation and doesn't puts strain on the region..

Injection Sclerotherapy-Injection sclerotherapy is adopted to treat internal hemorrhoids that are smaller. In this surgery, a chemical is injected where the hemorrhoid is situated. This stops the blood supply into the hemorrhoid leading to its elimination.

Heat and Cold Treatments for Haemorrhoids- These are very rarely used treatment options for piles. Some of the treatments that use heating methods include infrared coagulation, photocoagulation, diathermy and electrotherapy. Sometimes cold therapy is also used where haemorrhoid is frozen with ice packs or liquid nitrogen.

Haemorrhoidectomy – This is a haemorrhoid surgery carried out in the conventional method. Mostly used for treating grade 4 haemorrhoids, the surgeon cuts it off during an operation done under general anesthetic.

Stapled Haemorrhoidectomy- This is also a surgery but here a circular stapling gun is used to cut off a circular section of the lining of the anal canal lying above the haemorrhoid. This pulls the haemorrhoids back to the up side of the anal canal. It also reduces the blood supply to the haemorrhoids leading to its shrinkage.

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Home Remedies for Stomach Ache, Upset Stomach

Diposting oleh Unknown Jumat, 02 Maret 2012 0 komentar

Stomach Ache
Upset stomach is a cause of concern because you cannot just neglect it. Stomach ache or pain accompanied with cramps  make you so uncomfortable that you cannot pay attention to your work at hand neither can you sleep or sit quietly. So, you must get rid of stomach ache and other problems related to upset stomach. Here are some quick and easy home remedies for upset stomach. Whenever, there is a problem related to any stomach ailment, you will have pain in stomach. Sometimes you might experience flatulence or you might even experience difficulty in passing gas which again results into stomach ache and cramps. At other times, you might feel that your stomach is bloating and sometimes you might suffer from indigestion leading to an upset stomach and stomach pain. Home remedies for stomach pain given here work for all these types of stomach problems including stomach ache, flatulence, indigestion, bloating etc.

Easy Home Remedies for Stomach Ache & Other Problems

Stone Apple Remedy for Stomach Pain

Bael fruit (stone apple) is one of the very good remedies for all kinds of upset stomach problems. Take a ripe stone apple and after peeling it (discard the hard cover of bael fruit) take out the matter inside and let it dry. After it completely dries, ground it to make powder and store. Have a spoon full of this powder everyday for treating upset stomach.

Black Salt Remedy for Stomach Ache

If you are suffering from indigestion, mix ¼ spoon of black salt powder with 1 spoon of hot water and have it before meals.

Ginger Remedy for Stomach Pain

Take 1-2 pieces (¼ inches) of fresh ginger and sprinkle salt on them. Chew this salted ginger to get rid of such stomach problems as bloating, constipation, flatulence etc.

Coriander Remedy for Stomach Ache

If you have loose motions and need to go to toilet every time after a meal, chew few leaves of fresh coriander. Coriander leaves is beneficial to treat weak liver.

Isabgol Remedy for Stomach Pain

Have one spoon Isabgol husk (Psyllium) daily in the morning and evening. Have it either with water or milk. This is a good home remedy for constipation and related stomach ailments.

Asafetida Remedy for Stomach Pain

Take equal amounts of asafetida (hing), black peeper, dry ginger (sonth), carrom seeds (ajwain), rock salt (sendha namak),  white cumin seeds (safed jeera), black cumin seeds (kala jeera or kalaunji). Take ghee (clarified butter) in a pan and roast hing (asafetida) in it for a couple of minutes. Let it cool. Mix all the spices and ground and make powder of this mixture. Store it in a airtight container. Before meals, have a little of this powder. This is a very good remedy for all types of stomach problems like stomach ache, flatulence, bloating, indigestion etc.

If you are unable to pass gas or suffer from flatulence, bloating etc. you can take asafetida and mix it with some water to make a paste like mixture. Rub this mixture around the navel for a few minutes. You will instantly get relief from stomach ache and other problems related to upset stomach.

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Osteoarthritis Overview and Knee Pain Management Do's & Don'ts

Diposting oleh Unknown Jumat, 03 Februari 2012 0 komentar


Are you experiencing morning stiffness in knees and knee joint pain through the day which is relieved only when you rest? If you are also missing your morning walks and other favorite activities that require using your knees like outdoor sports, shopping, going out etc, you might be suffering from osteoarthritis knee pain. It is thus the right time to know about the options for treatment for osteoarthritis knee pain as well as knee pain management to get relief from the torturous situation!

Get an overview of Osteoarthritis facts. Know what is Osteoarthritis (OA), what are the symptoms, causes, risk factors and treatment for osteoarthritis? Knee joint pain relief is of utmost importance for doing even routine works. Thus, know about knee pain management – some do's and don'ts for those suffering from osteoarthritis!


What is Osteoarthritis?

When the breakdown of joint fluid and cartilages occur, it leads to the condition called osteoarthritis. Cartilages are the slippery tissues that cover and protect the ends of bones in the joints, including knee joints. Its breakdown affects the mobility of joints causing joint pain, stiffness and loss of movement.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint of the body. Most often OA occurs in hands, knees, hips and spine. The very common warning signs of OA are stiffness and/or swelling as well as tenderness in one or more joints. Yet another sign of osteoarthritis is a crunching feeling or the sound of bone rubbing on bone. Following are included in the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

  • Knee pain
  • Joint stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Loss of Movement
  • A crunching feeling in the knee

Causes of Osteoarthritis- the Risk Factors

There is no straight forward answer to the question regarding causes of osteoarthritis in spite of extensive researches carried on the subject. The risk factors for osteoarthritis may include the following.

  • Age- People above the age of 45 have the risk for developing osteoarthritis. It is, however, most commonly found in people over age of 65.
  • Gender- This disease of osteoarthritis is more common in women, particularly after the age of 55.
  • Obesity- This can be one of the causes for osteoarthritis as every kilogram puts three extra kilogram of pressure on knees.
  • Heredity- Genes that are responsible for creating and maintaining cartilages might have a link with osteoarthritis.
  • Injury/ overuse of joints
  • Weakness of muscles- Weak thigh muscles lead to osteoarthritis knee joint pain.

Treatment for Osteoarthritis

Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis other than joint replacement surgery in advanced stage, there are various treatments for knee joint pain relief that help in reducing pain. Some of such types of treatment for osteoarthritis include the following.

  • Pain relieving medicines like acetaminophen, non steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and topical pain relieving creams.
  • Steroid injections for temporary knee joint pain relief and for reducing inflammation and swelling.
  • Viscosupplementation injections. These are intra-articular injections that replace diseased synovial (joint fluid) with healthy joint fluid in knees with osteoarthritis. This grants knee joint pain relief  and improves its functionality. Know more about Viscosupplementation- Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Treatment
  • Knee Replacement Surgery. When other osteoarthritis treatments do not provide relief from knee joint pain, knee replacement surgery remains the last option for the patient of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Management- Do's and Don'ts!

Here is a compilation of things that one must do and some other things that one must avoid in order to get relief from pain due to osteoarthritis. Read and internalize these steps to manage knee pain efficiently.

Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Management- Do's

Below are the steps one should follow for relieving knee joint pain.

Osteoarthritis Knee Brace
  • Try to sit while working to relieve stress to the knees.
  • Use knee cap support or posterior guard support in order to correct deforming positions.
  • Give hot water fomentation to relieve knee pain.
  • Wear comfortable and well fitting shoes to reduce stress on joints.
  • Use western style commode and raised toilet seats.
  • Get a non-slippery flooring at home.
  • Use chair extenders. These extenders on chair legs can lift the seat at the kitchen or dining room table so the person with osteoarthritis can sit easily without putting stress on knees. Stools, carts or trash cans with wheels are also helpful while doing household chores.
  • Rearrange cupboards and drawers in a way that reduces painful stretches.
  • Raise the level of electrical appliances like microwave ovens, food processors, bread toasters etc. to a comfortable height in order to relieve undue pressure on hips and knees.

Below are the steps one should follow for restoring joint function.

  • Do regular knee exercises. This helps in correcting muscle imbalance and also improves the strength of muscles located around the joint.
  • Do regular knee movement in order to avoid stiffness of the knee joint.

Below are the steps one should follow for reducing weight as obesity is also one of the causes of osteoarthritis.

  • Have proper diet with reduced sugar consumption and increased intake of salads, fruits and sprouted vegetables.
  • Walk regularly to keep yourself active and to reduce weight.

Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Management- Don'ts

Avoid the following in order to get relief from knee pain.

  • Don't sit with crossed legs.
  • Don't lift heavy weights.
  • Avoid doing prolonged activities that put strain on joints like gardening, standing for longer durations, kneeling, squatting etc.
  • Avoid jerky movements.
  • Don't smoke. Researches have shown that smoking leads to joint pain along with other ailments.

Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Management- While Traveling

These are some tips for traveling with knee pain.

  • Do realistic planning for any trip and the activities you are safely able to do. For example, avoid trekking, mountaineering or other such adventure travel trip.
  • Do research for the amenities, transportation and lodging options. Select those that are most comfortable for you.
  • If you need wheelchair assistance, request right at the time of booking your air ticket.
  • Always travel with a brief medical history along with list of your prescriptions, physician's name and phone number.
  • Always use luggage with wheels as this will put minimum stress on your knee joints. Take only those items with you that you will need in-flight.
  • People suffering with osteoarthritis knee pain should always wear comfortable walking shoes.

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Bronchial Asthma Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Natural Remedies

Diposting oleh Unknown Minggu, 15 Januari 2012 1 komentar

Know what is Bronchial Asthma- what are bronchial asthma symptoms, causes & treatment including Bronchodilator- the inhaler medication. Also know effective natural remedies for asthma.

What is Bronchial Asthma?
If you have been experiencing breathlessness, coughing, and wheezing (whistling sound coming from chest) recently, you might have caught bronchial asthma. You need to pay early attention to treat bronchial asthma because the prolonged state of asthma can harm your lungs in a big way. So, read on to know what is bronchial asthma, how do you get bronchial asthma or the bronchial asthma causes, how to recognize bronchial asthma- the symptoms for asthma and effective treatment for asthma including natural asthma remedies.


What is Bronchial Asthma?

Bronchial asthma is the common asthma which is an inflammatory disease of airways that causes periodic attacks of coughing, wheezing (whistling sound from chest), breathlessness, and even chest congestion. Due to the inflammation of airways, a person feels difficulty in breathing and chest tightness or chest congestion. Some people feel these conditions at night which is called nocturnal asthma or in the early morning hours. Some other people feel these symptoms of asthma when they exercise. This is called exercise-induced asthma. The inflammation, caused by many factors, make the airway hyper-responsive.

Bronchial Asthma Symptoms

The following signs and symptoms of bronchial asthma can help one identify the disease
  • Shortness of breath or breathlessness even when talking, laughing or walking a little.
  • Tightness of chest
  • Wheezing (whistling sound from chest, mostly when you lie down)
  • Coughing and sometimes excessive cough which keeps one awake at night

How Do You Get Asthma? - Bronchial Asthma Causes


Asthma is primarily associated with allergy but allergy is not the only way you get asthma. Allergies are also associated with genetic inheritance and so does asthma. Mast cells, eosinophils, and T lymphocytes in human body are responsible for causing bronchial asthma. Mast cells (the allergy causing cells) release chemicals called histamine which in turn is responsible for nasal stuffiness and constriction of airways. Eosinophils and T lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells that are associated with allergic diseases and inflammation. Thus, the causes of bronchial asthma can be listed as under.
  • Allergies
  • Genetic factors
  • Increased numbers of Eosinophils
There are certain asthma triggers too apart from bronchial asthma causes. These triggers lead to attacks of coughing, breathlessness and wheezing! Such asthma triggers may include:
  • Tobacco smoke
  • Infections like colds, flu, pneumonia
  • Allergens like food, pollen, mold, dust mites, and pet dander (skin flakes)
  • Exercise
  • Air pollution, toxins
  • Extreme changes in temperature
  • Certain drugs like aspirin, NSAID, and beta-blockers
  • Food additives like MSG flavor enhancers
  • Emotional stress and anxiety
  • Hyper activities like singing, laughing, or crying
  • Perfumes or sprays
  • Acid reflux
Bronchial Asthma Treatment

Bronchial asthma can be placed under the category of chronic diseases. As such, a person suffering from bronchial asthma should always be under constant medical supervision. Depending upon the causing factors, bronchial asthma may or may not be curable in a complete manner. However, avoiding the asthma triggers, external causes like allergies and proper treatment can let its patient lead a fairly normal life. Basically, two types of drugs are given for bronchial asthma treatment.
  • Fast Relief Medicines or the relievers to ease the acute respiratory complexities.
  • Control Medicines or the preventers to resist recurrence of asthma in its intensified form.
Apart from the above two drugs, two hormones are also used to treat bronchial asthma. These are adrenalin and hydrocortisone hormones. Adrenaline is used for acute bronchial asthma where emergency arises. The adrenaline hormone is injected into the patient’s bloodstream in cases of emergency to activate the reflex of body. As adrenaline quickens pulse rate, provides a drive for rapid heart action and arouses our health system to fight with emergencies, it helps a lot in containing the heightened attacks of asthma. The other hormone is used in form of hydrocortisone medicines ( steroid form) that are given for longer periods as the long-term consumption of these drugs assist in reducing the intensity of pain and suffering for an asthma patient. Therapeutic exercises as well as breathing exercises are also used to treat asthmatic conditions.

One of the very different asthma treatment technique involves gradually and carefully exposing the bronchial asthma patient to the allergens to build up resistance against them (somewhat like vaccination concept). However, this has to be done under strict supervision of physician as this involves great risks too.

Bronchodilator- Asthma Inhaler Medication

The description of asthma treatment can't get completed without talking about bronchodilator which is an asthma medication used to relax the muscles and enlarge the size of the airways of lungs. These asthma medications are inhaled through mouth with the help of asthma inhalers. They are also available in oral forms but inhaled forms are preferred over the oral ones. Bronchodilators are available as Short-Acting Beta Agonists (SABA) and Long-Acting Beta Agonists (LABA). SABAs are prescribed as a quick relief medication, while LABAs are the controller medication. Bronchodilator remedy is used at the preliminary stage of asthma treatment. When there is critical asthma attack, steroid form of medicines are used by the doctors.

Natural Asthma Remedies

Lifestyle management is very crucial for asthma patients. There are two aspects for this- avoiding the asthma triggers and adopting such ways that increase resistance to allergy-causing factors. Here are certain diet remedies for asthma as well as other natural home remedies for bronchial asthma.
  • Take diet rich in B6, B12 and B5 vitamins as well as Vitamin C and folic acid. This helps in building immune system.
  • Have foods rich in antioxidants to boost immune system.
  • Seam some ginger tea. Add four minced garlic cloves in the tea while it is steaming. Drink this after it cools down a little.
  • When experiencing asthma attack, get someone to rub mustard oil mixed with camphor on your back. This makes breathing easier.
  • Take one cup of water and add half teaspoon of licorice and ginger juice to it. Drink to get relief from asthma symptoms.
  • Avoid stress.
  • Drink plenty of water. If you can't decide on water intake amount, read this- how much water should you drink in a day
  • Clean home regularly to keep dust at minimal levels.
  • Avoid pets with fur or feather.
  • When its cold, cover your face with mask or cloth.
  • Do regular exercises. If you have exercise-induced asthma, consult your doctor to know about what exercises can you do.
  • Control heartburn and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) to keep bronchial asthma under control.

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