Medical Corner

Hepatitis B is a type of hepatitis that is carried and passed to others through the blood or sexual contact. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that may be caused by several agents, including viruses and toxins. Hepatitis is characterized by jaundice, enlarged liver, fever, fatigue and abnormal liver function tests, it casues damage to the liver, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting,
 abdominal pain, fatigue, and dark urine; hepatitis can be caused by several drugs used to treat TB infection or disease. Two main type of hepatitis are Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, can be passed on by blood contact. This means that dialysis patients, especially those on haemodialysis, have an increased risk of getting these infections.

Causes and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B follows a similar mode of transmission as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the agent responsible for AIDS. Both are transmitted through exposure to infected blood or blood products, sexual contact and from mothers to infants primarily at birth.

However, hepatitis B appears to be far more infectious than HIV. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 30 to 40 percent of acute HBV infections in the U.S. occur in individuals with no known risk factors. In comparison, only 4 percent of AIDS cases have occurred in individuals with no known risk factors.

Hepatitis B is threatening for a variety of other reasons. In addition to the ways in which HIV is spread, hepatitis B appears to be spread by casual contact. It can be acquired by close contact within families, or from person to person through contact with open skin lesions. The virus may possibly be spread by exposure of mucous membranes to saliva, but you cannot get it from food or water, sneezing or coughing, breastfeeding, handshakes, hugs or casual contact.

Another important fact is that hepatitis B can remain stable outside the body for days or weeks, even when dry.

Symptoms of Hepatitis B

Symptoms and signs of hepatitis B can range from none to minimal in the early stages of the illness, to jaundice (yellowing of the skin), nausea, abdominal pain, fever, and malaise in the acute phase. Appetite loss, fatigue, itching, dark urine and pale stools are some common symptoms.

After the initial infection, carriers of hepatitis B usually have few symptoms.

Treatment of Hepatitis B

Take 20 grams of Betaine in supplemental form daily. Betaine has been shown to improve Hepatitis B by reducing liver inflammation. Continue this treatment for a total of 12 months for the full results of this treatment.

Take 24 grams of Whey Protein daily. Whey Protein has been shown to help improve blood measures of liver dysfunction in patients with Hepatitis B. Whey Protein also helps to reduce inflammation for many patients with Hepatitis B.

Take 100 mg of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) daily. Thiamine has been proven to reduce the severity of liver inflammation in patients with Hepatitis B.

Prevention of Hepatitis

1.    Use condoms and avoid multiple sex partners.
2.    Get a Hepatitis B blood test done when you are pregnant, if the result is positive then your physician will take the necessary steps during childbirth.
3.    Use only new (sealed) needles or properly sterilized needles for injections or acupuncture the body.
4.    Cook your food well to avoid getting contracted by Hepatitis A.
5.    Get inoculated against Hepatitis A and B.

Natural remedies for Hepatitis B

1.    Breakfast should be heavy, and meals throughout the day should be small. This helps to cope with nausea.
2.    Avoid alcoholic drinks or it may damage liver further.
3.    Taking enough rest is very important.
4.    After going to the bathroom wash your hands well.

Read more on Natural Treatment for Hepatitis and Divya Sarvkalp Kvath and Divya Totla Kvath

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The term brain cancer although often used by the general public is actually not the term often used by the medical community. Primary brain tumor is the term used by the medical community for tumors arising form the brain. In children, most brain tumors are primary tumors.


In adults however, most tumors in the brain have spread from the lung, breast, or other parts of the body. When this happens, the disease is not brain cancer. The tumor in the brain is a secondary tumor and it is named after the organ or tissue fromch it began.

A brain tumor is any intracranial tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, normally either found in the brain itself, in the cranial nerves, in the brain envelopes, skull, pituitary and pineal gland, or from cancers primarily located in other organs.

Although they can affect any part of the brain, primary brain tumors in children are generally located in the posterior cranial fossil; and in adults, in the anterior two-thirds of the cerebral hemispheres.

The most common brain tumors or brain cancers are gliomas, which start in the glial (supportive) tissue. Several types of gliomas include astrocytomas, ependymomas, and oligodendrogliomas.

The development of certain types of primary brain tumors or brain cancers has been linked to exposure to radiation, especially if exposure took place in childhood. It is generally believed that higher radiation doses increase the risk of eventually developing a brain cancer. Radiation-induced brain tumors can take anywhere from ten to thirty years to form.

The exposure to vinyl chloride and/or ionizing radiation are the only known risk factors; other than these there are no known environmental factors that can be associated with brain tumors. The so-called tumor suppressor genes mutations and deletions are incriminated in some forms of brain tumors. Inherited diseases such as Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 2, and multiple endocrine neoplasia of a patient pose a high risk to having brain tumor.

Symptoms of brain tumor and brain cancer are caused by the damage to the vital tissue and by pressure on the brain as the tumor grows within the limited space in the skull.

If a brain tumor grows very slowly, its symptoms may appear so gradually that they are sometimes overlooked for a long time. The most frequent symptoms of brain tumors or brain cancer include headache, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, seizures, memory loss, weakness, visual changes, problems with speech and language, personality changes, and thought processing problems. These symptoms may be caused by brain tumors or by other problems. If a person is experiencing such symptoms, consulting a doctor right away is strongly advised.

A person diagnosed with brain cancer or brain tumor will undergo treatments that include surgery (surgical resection), which is recommended for the majority of brain tumors. It is rare in primary brain tumor to be cured without a surgical resection. Other treatments include chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Generally, bronchitis is the irritation ad inflammation of the bronchial tubes as well as neighboring organs and tissues that are accessories in breathing. The main purpose of the bronchial tubes is to filter the air that passes through the respiratory tract as it sets out to the lungs. These tubes are covered with small hair-like projections that thwart irritants or
 dirt (such as dust or pollen) from entering the crucial parts of the respiratory tract. These hair-like projections are called cilia. But long term contact with chemicals, viruses, or even dust particles will facilitate these irritants to shatter the respiratory system’s natural defenses which will eventually cause infection and inflammation.

Asthmatic bronchitis is a category of COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This type of pulmonary disease is typically acquired by individuals suffering from chronic bronchitis and it is also hard to differentiate from other lung diseases because their symptoms are quite similar. Other similar respiratory tract diseases are sinusitis, bronchitis, emphysema, and the common asthma.

As an overview, asthma is persistent inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract that causes the airway passages to be extra sensitive, mucus production, and mucus edema. What differentiates asthma from other obstructive lung diseases is that it is mostly reversible, with or without treatment. Individuals afflicted with asthma may experience symptom-free episodes interchanging with acute asthmatic attacks which could last for as little as a few minutes to as long as days. Factors that set off asthmatic attacks are similar to that of asthmatic bronchitis (such as smoking, dust, etc.) but common asthma is primarily triggered by allergens.

 Common allergens may be due to the season (weed pollens or grass tree) or persistent (dust, roaches, or animal dander). Most asthmatic individuals are very sensitive to an assortment of triggers.

Meanwhile, the primary cause of bronchitis is bacterial infections, but asthmatic bronchitis is thought to be activated by tiny specks that break through the safety walls made of cilia of the bronchial tubes. And like other COPDs, asthmatic bronchitis also involves congestion of the respiratory tract. Bronchial tubes produce mucus under normal circumstances, this mucus covers the trachea, lungs and other organs in the respiratory system. Nonetheless, in the existence of irritants, an overproduction of mucus occurs, which consequently obstructs the airways. Continuous mucoid obstruction of the respiratory tract is fairly widespread among asthmatic bronchitis patients.

Causative factors that may have contributed to the development of asthmatic bronchitis are relentless childhood infections, hyperactivity of the bronchus or immunologic aberrations. Individuals who are either long suffering from asthma and/or other grave types of chronic bronchitis are also highly vulnerable to asthmatic bronchitis.

Furthermore, individuals who are suffering from chronic bronchitis eventually contracts asthmatic bronchitis due to long term exposure to pollutants or environmental toxins and mainly cigarette smoking. Although many medical professionals are still in the shadows of what the precise cause of asthmatic bronchitis, studies increasingly shows that it is primarily caused by environmental factors.

General symptoms of asthmatic bronchitis includes dyspnea or difficulty of breathing and shortness of breath, cough, chest discomforts, wheezing that lasts for several weeks, fatigue or general malaise, pain, weight loss, a general feeling of soreness, and high risk of susceptibility to infections. Although these are also observed among common asthmatic patients, individuals suffering from asthmatic bronchitis have symptoms that are more profound. These symptoms also have higher frequencies compared to the common asthma. An additional warning sign is the difficulty of reaching high or low notes when singing.

Medical treatment for asthmatic bronchitis is similar to that of chronic bronchitis. Medications include bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics. But these treatments do not really cure the illness; it helps in alleviating its symptoms and as much as possible give comfort to the patient.

A lot of asthmatic bronchitis sufferers are obliged to take long term treatments which help improve their health situation after an extensive time. Patients are counseled to steer clear from irritants like dust, pollen, smoke, chemicals, and alcohol fumes. They are also advised to avoid bacterial infection, thus they should avoid crowds as much as possible. If it is unavoidable, patients are obliged to wear masks to cover their nose and mouth to prevent bacteria from entering the respiratory tract.

Patients are also required to obtain influenza vaccines. They should also be educated about other precautionary measures to avoid further viral or bacterial infection.

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Hemorrhoids are generally enlarged or inflamed blood vessels in the posterior rectal region. The most usual symptoms of hemorrhoids are rectal bleeding, blistering, pain and itchiness.
Hemorrhoids can be internal (situated inside the posterior lower rectum) or external (beneath the skin around the anus). These two kinds of hemorrhoids may occur at the same time.

Some common symptoms of hemorrhoids are the following:

1. Rectal bleeding
2. Irritation
3. Bulging out of the skin (a hemorrhoid) from the rectum
4. Leakage of stool

Usually, rectal bleeding does not impose pain, all throughout the bowel movement. This is a very common symptom of hemorrhoids. After the bowel movement, you may observe that there are bright red blood smudges on the feces or in the toilet paper after cleaning the anus. The quantity of blood is fairly small. However, even a little amount of blood can cause the toilet water to look like vivid red and can be alarming to the person.

Less commonly, bleeding may be serious. In very rare cases, critical blood loss from rectal bleeding may result to anemia, causing weakness, exhaustion, or other related warning signs.
Without a clinical diagnosis, it is very unlikely to discover the real origin of the rectal bleeding. So, everyone with this symptom should undergo a medical exam performed by a doctor or at least a licensed medical practitioner.

Hemorrhoids can cause irritation and itching of the affected skin around the anal area. Itching can be a result of a mixture of various factors, such as the following:

1. Internal hemorrhoids can permit leakage of stool that can be itchy and irritating to the skin in the rectal area.
2. Over cleaning may irritate the skin in the rectal region.
3. Individuals with external hemorrhoids can develop minimal protrusion of the skin, commonly known as skin tags. These can often be not easy to keep clean, causing itchiness.
4. Inflammation of hemorrhoids can cause itchiness and inflammation.

On the other hand, pain may develop in persons who have thrombosis or coagulated blood within the hemorrhoid. This can happen within either external or internal hemorrhoids. Clotted external hemorrhoids are of color plum bulge. When the skin around the rectal area becomes swollen, severe pain can be experienced.
Coagulated internal hemorrhoids may also cause pain, even though commonly less extreme. Hardly ever, if the blood circulation to an internal hemorrhoid is reduced, the hemorrhoid can become asphyxiated.

Asphyxiation can result to severe pain, and the lessened blood flow can cause gangrene, wherein the affected skin is dead. This can be a fatal complication and needs urgent surgical treatment.

Hemorrhoids are more likely to form in individuals who are:

1. Strain to pass bowel movements
2. Have critical constipation, diarrhea or stomach ache.
3. Have the habit or routine of prolonged sitting or standing
4. Older
5. Pregnant
6. Have a pelvic tumor

To determine the real cause of hemorrhoids, your doctor or clinician will test your rectum and anus, and may insert a gloved tube or finger into the anus.

You may not know it yet, but a natural eczema treatment may be right in your garden or kitchen. The following has been used for many years now in relieving the symptoms of eczema.

Aloe Vera

We all know the many wonders the gel from aloe vera leaves does to the skin. It is no surprising that many skin care products have aloe vera gel as one of their ingredients. You can cut the leaf and apply the gel directly onto the skin with eczema.
 The gel works by moisturizing the affected area – the skin will become softer and the healing of tissue will become faster. Many people who have tried the aloe vera plant noted reduced eczema symptoms and improved skin quality.

Chamomile

There are two distinctive popular chamomile plants: German and Roman. They both look like small daisies and, by tradition, used as herbal remedy for almost the same problems. Chamomile has been found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties, therefore it is one of the many known natural treatment for eczema. The German variant is commonly used as a remedy for this skin condition. You can use chamomile tea as a compress on eczematous skin. Also, chamomile essential oils and topical creams may be used to massage the area with, and achieve similar healing effects.

Rosemary

Rosemary has been used for many centuries now because of its cleansing and anti-oxidant properties. You can purchase rosemary essential oils, bath soap and topical creams at aromatherapy and natural bath and body products stores. It is good at reducing skin inflammation and helps improve blood circulation. The camphoraceous smell also helps relive stress and invigorate you. Here’s how to use this wonderful herb: as an essential oil, you can add a few drops onto your bathwater and soak yourself in it for minutes; as a soap and topical cream, massage onto the eczematous skin.

Walnut Leaves

The walnut tree leaves have been used for thousands of years now because of their medicinal properties, especially for treating various skin disorders. Their anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and astringent properties make them an effective remedy for scabies, skin ulcers, eczema and many others. You can utilize infusions and tinctures made from the leaves of a walnut tree to protect the eczematous skin from infection. A decoction may also be prepared as a compress on the affected area. To do this, cut 2-3 grams of dried walnut leaves into pieces. Place them in 100 mg cold water. Bring it to a boil then let simmer for 15 minutes. When cooled, apply on skin.

Turmeric

Turmeric belongs to the ginger family and is used worldwide for cooking as well as medicinal purposes. Yes, it is that yellow substance that adds color and flavor to curry. It has been found that curcumin, an active substance found in turmeric, has a wide variety of therapeutic actions, most especially its anti-inflammatory effects.

This works because of the substance’s ability to lower the body’s production of histamine, and possibly stimulate the production of cortisone – a steroid hormone. You can purchase turmeric in pill form at natural food stores and take 500 mg of it daily. You may also apply it topically when bought as oil, cream or ointment. Mixing turmeric powder with water is also great for washing eczematous skin with.
A natural eczema treatment is definitely less expensive than conventional medications prescribed by doctors these days. They have been around for many years now and are used as a treatment for different conditions.