Sore throat...... and it's treatment

What is a Sore Throat? A sore throat refers to pain, itchiness, or irritation of the throat. You may have difficulty swallowing food and liquids, and the pain may get worse when you try to swallow. Throat pain is the primary symptom of a sore throat. However, other symptoms may include a dry throat, swollen glands in the neck, white patches on the tonsils, and hoarseness.
A sore throat can affect people of all ages—however, the risk of a sore throat is higher in some people.
This includes children, smokers, allergy sufferers, and people with a compromised immune system. Sharing a close space with others also increases the risk of upper respiratory infections that can present initially as a sore throat.
Causes of a Sore Throat

There are several causes of a sore throat.
Viral Infection
The majority of sore throats are triggered by a viral infection. These are infections caused by a virus, such as the cold and flu.
Other types of viral infections include: mononucleosis: infectious disease typically transmitted through saliva measles: contagious illnesses characterized by a distinct rash and fever chickenpox: infection that causes skin sores croup: infection of the larynx

Bacterial Infection
A bacterial infection can also cause a sore throat.
These types of infections include: strep throat: inflammation of the throat caused by the Streptococcal bacteria diphtheria: infectious disease that causes throat inflammation whooping cough: disease of the respiratory mucous membrane

Environmental Factors
Not all sore throats are viral or bacterial. There are several other causes of throat pain. If you’re allergic to mold, pet dander, pollen, or other irritants, exposure to these allergens can trigger post-nasal drip. This is when excess mucus accumulates in the back of your throat. This accumulation can irritate your throat and cause pain or inflammation.
Dry air can also make your throat feel raw and scratchy.
Smoking cigarettes or exposure to cigarette smoke can trigger persistent sore throats, as well as throat strain from yelling or too much talking.
GERD Gastroesophageal reflux disease may also cause your sore throat. This is a digestive condition characterized by the back flow of stomach acid into the esophagus. This condition causes an array of symptoms, such as a sore throat, hoarseness, heartburn, and nausea.

Other Causes In very rare cases, a sore throat may be a sign of HIV or throat cancer.

Diagnosing a Sore Throat

Most sore throats do not require medical attention. However, see a doctor if your sore throat lasts for longer than one week and if you experience:
difficulty breathing
joint pain
difficulty swallowing
an earache
a rash
fever over 101 degrees F
bloody mucus
a lump in the throat
hoarseness for longer than two weeks

Determining the cause of your sore throat can help your doctor treat your symptoms. Your doctor will do a physical examination and examine your throat with a lighted instrument. He or she will look for signs of inflammation or white patches, which might indicate strep throat. Your doctor will also feel your neck for swollen glands and check your breathing. Because strep throat is a common cause of sore throats, your doctor may swab the back of your throat and examine the sample for the Streptococcal bacteria. He or she may also run a blood test to determine whether you have a viral or bacterial infection. If your doctor is unable to diagnose your sore throat, he or she will refer you to an allergist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist. These specialists will determine whether allergens or a throat disorder is the cause of your sore throat. Note that it can be difficult to diagnose a sore throat in infants and toddlers. In this age group, refusal to eat is a common sign of throat irritation.

How to Treat a Sore Throat

The treatment for a sore throat depends on the cause. However, you can treat many sore throats at home.

Home treatment options include: gargling with warm salt water drinking plenty of warm fluids, such as teas, soup, and water avoiding allergens and irritants, such as smoke and chemicals taking throat lozenges reducing inflammation with ibuprofen or acetaminophen If a bacterial infection causes your sore throat, your doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics to kill the infectious organisms. You should take your medication for 10 days or as prescribed by your doctor to treat the bacterial infection. A sore throat may recur if you stop treatment early. If you have a viral infection, your doctor may want to let the virus run its course. During that time, he or she may prescribe medications, such as decongestants and pain relievers, to ease your symptoms. In some cases, your doctor may want to try an antiviral drug to fight the virus.

Complications of a Sore Throat In the case of persistent bacterial throat infections, your doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy to surgically remove the tonsils. This is a last resort treatment that should only be considered when sore throats do not respond to antibiotics.

How to Prevent a Sore Throat

Many underlying causes of sore throats are infectious, and there are certain steps you can help you prevent future infection. Repeatedly washing your hands throughout the day kills germs and bacteria that can cause viral and bacterial infections. Additional steps that you can take to prevent a sore throat include: Do not share drinking glasses or utensils with others. Use hand sanitizers whenever soap and water are not available. Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces. Reduce exposure to allergens, such as pollen, dust, and mold. Avoid cigarette smoke. Keep a humidifier in your house to eliminate dryness.

HYDROTHERAPY.... water is good for treatment of......

What is Hydrotherapy?
Hydrotherapy is the use of water to revitalize, maintain, and restore health.
Hydrotherapy treatments include saunas, steam baths, foot baths, sitz baths, and the application of cold and hot water compresses.
Father Sebastian Kneipp, a 19th century Bavarian monk, is said to be the father of hydrotherapy. Kneipp believed that disease could be cured by using water to eliminate waste from the body. Hydrotherapy is popular in Europe and Asia, where people "take the waters" at hot springs and mineral springs. In North America, it is often recommended as self-care by naturopathic doctors. There is a physiological basis to hydrotherapy. Cold is stimulating, and it causes superficial blood vessels to constrict, shunting the blood to internal organs. Hot water is relaxing, causes blood vessels to dilate, and removes wastes from body tissues. Alternating hot can cold water also improves elimination, decreases inflammation, and stimulates circulation.
Types of Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy treatments are often given at health spas or recommended as home self-care treatments.
These are some types of hydrotherapy:
Sitz bath - There are 2 adjacent tubs of water, one hot and one cold. You sit in one tub with your feet in the other tub, and then alternate. Sitz baths are recommended for hemorrhoids, PMS and menstrual problems, cystitis, polyps.

Warm water baths - Soak in warm water for up to 30 minutes, depending on the condition. Epsom salts, mineral mud, aromatherapy oils, ginger, moor mud, and dead sea salts may be added.

Sauna - Dry heat Steam bath or Turkish bath

Compresses - Towels are soaked in hot and/or cold water.

Wraps - Cold wet flannel sheets are used to cover the a person lying down. The person is then covered with dry towels and then blankets. The body warms up in response and dries to wet sheets. This is used for colds, bronchitis, skin disorders, infection, and muscle pain.

Wet sock treatment - Used for sore throat, ear infections, headaches, migraines, nasal congestion, upper respiratory infections, coughs, bronchitis, and sinus infections.

Hot fomentation - For treatment of acute conditions such as chest colds and coughs. It seems to relieve symptoms but also decrease the length of the illness.

PAINFUL MENSTRUAL PERIOD(DYSMENORRHEA)

Painful menstrual periods are periods in which a woman has crampy lower abdominal pain, sharp or aching pain that comes and goes, or possibly back pain. Although some pain during your period is normal, excessive pain is not. The medical term for painful menstrual periods is dysmenorrhea.

CAUSES

Painful menstrual periods fall into two groups, depending on the cause: Primary dysmenorrhea Secondary dysmenorrhea
Primary dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain that occurs around the time that menstrual periods first begin in otherwise healthy young women. This pain is usually not related to a specific problem with the uterus or other pelvic organs. Increased activity of the hormone prostaglandin, which is produced in the uterus, is thought to play a role in this condition.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain that develops later in women who have had normal periods and is often related to problems in the uterus or other pelvic organs, such as: Endometriosis Fibroids Intrauterine device (IUD) made of copper Pelvic inflammatory disease Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) Sexually transmitted infection Stress and anxiety.

HOME CARE

The following steps may allow you to avoid prescription medications:
Apply a heating pad to your lower belly area, below your belly button.
Never fall asleep with the heating pad on.
Do light circular massage with your fingertips around your lower belly area.
Drink warm beverages
 Eat light but frequent meals.
Follow a diet rich in complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, but low in salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.
Keep your legs raised while lying down, or lie on your side with your knees bent.
Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.
Try over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen.
Start taking it the day before your period is expected to start, and continue taking it regularly for the first few days of your period.
Try vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium supplements, especially if your pain is from PMS. Take warm showers or baths.
Walk or exercise regularly, including pelvic rocking exercises.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Get regular, aerobic exercise.
If these self-care measures do not work, your doctor may prescribe medications such as: Antibiotics
Antidepressants
Birth control pills Prescription
anti-inflammatory medicines Prescription pain relievers (including narcotics, for brief periods)

Excessive desire for sex

 Excessive Sexual Drive
While most people wouldn't turn down a chance for sexual pleasure, some people become so overwhelmed by intense obsessions related to sexual activity. When these obsessions begin to have an impact on a person's life, there is a good chance that excessive sexual drive is a problem. The exact causes are not known, but for some it may be psychological in nature while for others it may be caused by physical problems. Knowing the cause is an important part of treatment for excessive sexual drive.

Causes of Excessive Sexual Drive
As mentioned, an increased sex drive may be caused by a physical factor like a hormonal imbalance. While it may start here for some, there are other emotional factors that may be at work as well. Problems with other compulsive disorders may be another cause of excessive sexual drive. The important thing to remember is that when treatment is sought, the cause should be taken into consideration. Before the exact cause is known, there are many symptoms that might appear as indicators of a problem with this sexual dysfunction.

Symptoms and Dangers of Excessive Sexual Drive

Most people enjoy sexual activity, but when a person is distressed greatly when not involved with sexual interaction, it may be excessive sexual drive.
Obsessive thoughts that center around sex as well as addictions to pornography may be signs of a problem with this sexual disorder. People that have multiple sexual partners without having an emotional attachment to them may also have a problem with excessive sexual drive. If any of the symptoms appear, getting treatment is recommended before the problem leads to other dangers - from physical (sexual diseases) to emotional ones like depression.

Treatment for Excessive Sexual Drive

Treatment for excessive sexual drive may involve psychotherapy and medication. Medications for nymphomania may include antidepressants or antianxiety or antipsychotic medications, similar to the medications used for other compulsive disorders. Because compulsive sexual behavior is risky, people with nymphomania are at increased risk for developing complications such as sexually transmitted diseases.

Causes and treatment of erectile problems

 At some point in a man’s life, he may have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection. Erectile problems occur when you cannot achieve an erection that is firm enough to have sexual intercourse. For most men, this problem occurs occasionally and is not a serious issue. However, if you are unable to achieve an erection 25 percent of the time or more, you may have a health problem that requires medical attention. Erection problems are also known as: erectile dysfunction (ED) impotence sexual dysfunction.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON UNDERLYING CAUSES OF ERECTION PROBLEMS?
 The causes of erection problems can be both physical and psychological. Physical causes of erection problems are more common in older men. They occur because of disorders that can affect the nerves and blood vessels responsible for causing an erection.
Physical causes of erectile problems include: heart disease atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) 
High Blood Pressure

 *obesity
 *high cholesterol

 *diabetes
 Parkinson’s disease
multiple sclerosis
Peyronie’s disease(development of scar tissue in the penis, causing painful erections)
use of certain medications, including diuretics, muscle relaxers, or antidepressants alcoholism or substance abuse tobacco use
 trauma or injury to the spinal cord or genital region
congenital problems, such as hypospadias or epispadias circumcision complications liver or kidney disease treatment for prostate problems

 Psychological causes of erection problems occur in 40 percent of cases and are more common in younger men. Psychological issues can distract a man from becoming aroused and include:
anxiety over not being able to achieve or maintain an erection prolonged emotional distress related to economic, professional, or social issues relationship problems depression


How Can Erectile Problems Be Treated? If you experience erectile problems, you may want to try homecare options to reduce your symptoms. Many of the physical causes of erectile problems are related to lifestyle choices. As such, you may want to consider the following: cutting down or stopping tobacco use
reducing alcohol consumption
 getting plenty of rest
eating a healthy diet
exercising regularly
 talking with your partner about sexual issues

If changes in your lifestyle do not reduce your symptoms, you will need to contact your doctor to identify the cause of your erectile problems. Your doctor will examine your penis and rectum as well as your nervous system function. Your doctor will also ask you about current health problems and when your symptoms began. In an effort to accurately diagnose the cause of your erection problems, your doctor may also order tests, including:
complete blood count (CBC)—a set of blood tests that checks for anemia (low red blood cell count)
hormone profile—measures the levels of sex hormones (testosterone and prolactin)
nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)—measures erectile functionality while a man is sleeping duplex ultrasound—high-frequency sound waves are used to take pictures of the body’s tissues urinalysis—analyzes urine to measure protein and testosterone levels.
 Once your doctor determines the cause of your erection problem, he or she will provide appropriate treatment. Treatment options may include addressing the underlying health problem and providing intervention to reduce erection problems. Options for treating erection problems may include:
medications injected into the penis, including prostaglandin E1 (alprostadil) and papaverine medication (alprostadil (MUSE)) injected into the urethra erectile dysfunction medications taken by mouth , such as Viagra surgery vacuum devices

High blood pressure may be the cause of your erection problem

High blood pressure is a major cause of erection problems. A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that about 49% of men ages 40 to 79 with high blood pressure had erectile dysfunction. Another study of men with high blood pressure, published in the Journal of Urology, found that 68% of them had some degree of erectile dysfunction. For 45% of the men, it was considered severe high blood pressure keeps the arteries that carry blood into the joystick from dilating the way they're supposed to. It also makes the smooth muscle in the joystick lose its ability to relax. As a result, not enough blood flows into the joystick to make it erect. Men with high blood pressure may also have a low testosterone level. Testosterone is the male hormone that plays a big role in intimate arousal. High blood pressure by itself can lead to erectile dysfunction. But some drugs for treating high blood pressure can actually be the cause as well. Diuretics -- or water pills -- and beta-blockers are the high blood pressure drugs most commonly linked to erectile dysfunction. Diuretics may cause erectile dysfunction by decreasing the force of blood flow into the joystick. They may also decrease the amount of zinc in the body. Your body needs zinc to make testosterone. Beta-blockers dampen the response to nerve impulses that lead to an Attention. They also make it more difficult for the arteries in the joystick to widen and let in blood. What's more, they can make you feel sedated and depressed -- and the mind always plays some part in intimate arousal. Sometimes, the choices that some men with high blood pressure make can add to the problem. Smoking, especially, is one of those. Smoking increases blood pressure, and damages blood vessels and reduces blood flow all around the body. The power to take control of your blood pressure and intimate health is in your hands. By living a healthy lifestyle and working with your doctor, there's a chance you'll once again be able to have normal intimate function.

Banana is really good for blood pressure, depression, ulcer and.........

This is interesting. After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again. Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. DEPRESSION According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. ANEMIA High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. BLOOD PRESSURE: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. BRAIN POWER 200 students at a Twickenham school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. CONSTIPATION High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. HANGOVERS One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. HEARTBURN Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. MORNING SICKNESS Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. MOSQUITO BITES: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. NERVES Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system… Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort foodlike chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady. ULCERS The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chroniclercases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. TEMPERATURE CONTROL Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away!’