Lower back pain is a disorder involving the nerves, muscles, and bones of the back. It is a common problem that everyone suffers from at some point in their life. As the pain affects the lower end area of the spinal cord – the lumbar region, the condition is also called as lumbago. The lumbar region is a complex structure of joints, muscles, ligaments, and nerves all of which perform together to give support to the upper body. Muscles in the L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 regions of the vertebrae are responsible for flexibility and rotation of the hips. The nerves in this area support the muscles in the limbs. If any muscles or bones are strained in this area, it can impact a person’s routine tasks. The pain symptoms can be in the form of a dull ache to a sudden stabbing sensation that can affect the body’s mobility. Daily activities like standing up straight, bending or moving around may become painful and strenuous. The condition may occur in an acute form as a repercussion of an injury or a health condition. Over time the swelling in the muscles or the nerves heal, and the pain subsides. However, if the pain extends over a few weeks, then the condition becomes chronic, and effective measures need to be taken to assuage the discomfort. Measures to ease back pain If you are suffering from pain in the lower back, here are a few ways to help reduce the distress: Rest In most instances, lower back pain can be improved by putting a break on any strenuous activity – physical or mental. Resting for a few days will take off the pressure from the lower back and allow the muscles relax. Cold and hot therapy A hot application aids in improving circulation in the afflicted area.

Overactive bladder is a condition in which you experience involuntary contractions of the muscles in the bladder wall. It is a syndrome where the convulsions make you feel a urgent need to urinate, which is overwhelming and difficult to suppress, even when the bladder may contain only a small amount of urine. This condition is also known as urinary urgency. In a few cases, an overactive bladder leads to urinary leakage where you are unable to quash the impulse to pee, medically referred as to urgency urinary incontinence. A common type of urinary incontinence found is stress incontinence. Sometimes the pelvic floor muscles, which are essential in supporting the bladder surrounding the urethra, are weak and lead to urinary leakage when there’s stress/pressure on the abdomen or pelvic region. Symptoms of an overactive bladder With an overactive bladder, you: feel a sudden urge to pee that won’t go away have involuntary loss of urine following an urgent need to urinate have urine leakage during physical activity like coughing, sneezing, and lifting have to urinate frequently, usually eight or more times a day experience nocturia where you wake up 2-3 times in the night to make a trip to the bathroom Causes of an overactive bladder Involuntary contractions in the muscles of the urinary bladder may occur due to a dysfunction of the nervous system where the brain may send impulses to the urethra muscles, even though the volume of fluid in your bladder is low. Common reasons for this neural system abnormality are: Injury to the spinal cord Back problems Brain strokes Parkinson’s disease Multiple sclerosis Dementia Neuropathy caused by diabetes Other causes of overactive bladder syndrome include: Infections in the urinary tract Stones in the bladder Prostate enlargement (BPH) Bladder tumors Excess consumption of caffeine or alcohol Declining cognitive function due to aging Treatments for overactive bladder An overactive bladder may have adverse effects on your life, mostly relating to your social commitments and mental health.

The best liquid diet plans are based on the idea that solid foods are eliminated from your diet and all your calorie intake comes from liquids. You can replace all your meals with fruit or vegetable juices, or you can choose to replace one or two meals of a day along with a few healthy snacks. The best liquid diet plans can be used for a variety of purposes from weight loss to being diets after certain surgeries. Liquid diet for weight loss There are many kinds of liquid diets that will help with weight loss. Consulting with a physician and educating yourself about these diets will go a long way in ensuring that you get the right plan for yourself. At its simplest, weight loss occurs when more calories are burnt than consumed. An average person requires 2000 calories a day. Most liquid diets provide a calorie count that is much lesser than that. Hence, once you put yourself on a liquid diet, you are bound to lose weight. Most liquid diets for weight loss will recommend consuming fruit juices. You can opt for juices that you make at home, or you can even buy juices outside. If you choose the latter, remember to choose juices that are low in sugar, or else it will be counterproductive to your weight loss objective. Other liquids you can choose to take are smoothies, soups, and vegetable juices. Remember to consult with your physician before embarking on the best liquid diet plans for weight loss. Cut up some pineapple, beets, cabbage, carrots, spinach, and orange. Dump it in a blender and blend until smooth. Keep any pulp in for its high fibrous content. This recipe is not just healthy; it is tasty too. Liquid diet for detoxification Everyone you know and their grandmothers are talking about going on a detox diet.

Scars and blemishes are the last things that anybody would like to see on their face. Soft and glowing skin is something that is desired by everyone, especially women. Though a flawless skin is something that everybody wants, there are few, who can actually get a glamorous look naturally. Spots and scars on the face often dampen the look. Many people even hesitate to visit parties and gathering for the scar marks on their skin. Scars can be formed due to different reasons, viz. allergies, injuries, rashes and even acne. Whatever be the reason, if you too have scars on your face or any other part of your skin, you need to treat them till they are gone. Nowadays, you can find different ways of treating scars and marks on the skin. Yet, if you want the most effective treatment, you can always rely on creams. The effectiveness of the best scar creams has been scientifically tested and you can easily get one for yourself. The best part is, you can easily apply the creams on your own and do not need any kind of professional treatment. To get the best result, all you need is to select the right cream for yourself. Here are some tips to find the best scar cream. Over-the-counter creams – When it comes to scar treatment creams, you can just visit any pharmacy store nearby and ask them to provide you with the best scar cream needed to remove your marks. In most of the cases, the staffs working in these stores can suggest you the right type of cream. Just apply it as per direction and get the unwanted marks removed. However, there are instances, when you cannot find the right over-the-counter cream. In that case, you can always consider the next few suggestions for your selection.

Peripheral neuropathy is the aftereffect of the damage to the peripheral nerves. It results in a great amount of pain; moreover, you have to deal with numbness and weakness. The pain is felt usually in your feet and hands. It affects other body parts as well. If your doctor senses peripheral neuropathy, he/she will refer you to a neurologist who will assess the history of your symptoms in a detailed manner. Signs of impaired reflexes, numbness, and muscle weakness will be investigated. Sometimes, blood and urine tests are needed for checking the underlying disease that causes peripheral neuropathy. What are the best foot neuropathy treatment options available? Nerve condition velocity and electromyogram tests Nerve condition velocity and electromyogram tests are needed in the case of some patients for the treatment of foot neuropathy. These tests are conducted for analyzing muscle, nerve function, and to measure the electrical properties of your nerves. With the help of these procedures, neurologists can identify the problematic nerves and they decide which area of your structure is damaged. Other types of tests Other procedures involving the diagnosis and treatment of foot neuropathy are muscle and nerve and biopsies. They give a clear cut idea about the type and cause of the problem. For determining inflammation or infection, doctors also advise a lumbar puncture or a spinal tap. If someone in your family was already diagnosed with neuropathy, the doctor may want to review medical records to explore the possibility of hereditary links. Treating the underlying reason in the key The prognosis and treatment of foot neuropathy have a lot to do with the underlying cause of the nerve damage. For instance, a neuropathy disorder can be an aftereffect of a vitamin deficiency. In this situation, this deficiency should be treated and reversed with the help of vitamin therapy and a healthy diet.

Postherpetic neuralgia is a painful skin condition caused by the herpes zoster (chickenpox) virus. Once the shingles start to crust and heal, neuralgia sets in, damaging the nerve endings in the skin. This causes a pain that burns and makes the skin sensitive to even the lightest touch. This condition can last from a few months to a year. People older than the age of 60 years are at a higher risk of developing this complication. Postherpetic Neuralgia Treatment Options Postherpetic neuralgia has no proper medication or treatment. A combination treatment for Postherpetic neuralgia is required in most cases to ease the pain. Medication Although medicines cannot eliminate the pain entirely, still they can work towards reducing it and making it more manageable for you. Initially, your health practitioner may recommend using an over-the-counter painkiller such as paracetamol or combine it with codeine to see its effect. However, these standard pills have been known to be ineffective against treating the condition, and most of the time it is required to explore alternative options for p ostherpetic neuralgia. These postherpetic neuralgia treatment options have been discussed below: Anti-depressants: Medicines such as duloxetine(Cymbalta) and amitriptyline are used to treat depression. As they target chemical reactions in the brain that form the core of pain impulses, they can also be used for treating the shingles pain. These are started off in small doses to work slowly on your nervous system, dulling the senses and providing relief from the pain. Side effects include drowsiness, feeling light-headed, dry mouth, and weight gain. Anti-convulsants: Anti-seizure medicines help stabilize abnormal spikes in brain activity that are caused by damage to nerve ends. Originally intended to treat epilepsy, this type of medication lessens the pain by causing a dampening effect on your nervous system. Pregabalin and gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin) are effective medications that are known to curb the pain sensitivity.

Diverticulitis is an infection/inflammation that occurs in the intestine of the digestive tract. Small pouches called diverticula start developing along the walls of the intestine. Diverticulitis is a serious condition that may even require surgery. In this condition, there could be a small abscess in the pouches and go on to cause a severe infection or a massive perforation of the bowels. Symptoms Diverticulitis starts to manifest by causing cramps on the left side of the abdomen. The pain eases after you move the bowels or pass gas. Bright red blood in stool is another indication of this condition. Prolonged infection can lead to bowel obstruction, which can cause abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, thin stools, nausea, and vomiting. Delay in treatment will require surgery. The surgery would be needed to treat abscesses and fistulas. In case of severe bleeding, a blood transfusion would be required. Causes An improper dietary pattern can be one of the causes of diverticulitis. Obesity, low level of physical activity, and how frequently you smoke can also determine if you are prone to this digestive disease. Diverticulitis diet Antibiotics are the first course of treatment to contain the infection. Changing your diet pattern is a long-term strategy to control the symptoms. Studies have found that following a prescribed diet can help those suffering from diverticulitis. The aim of following the best diet for diverticulitis is to ease the strain on the digestive system and help in the healing process. By following the best diet for diverticulitis, it is possible to reduce the symptoms and prevent any flaring. Listed below are some of the best diet for diverticulitis. Liquid diet If you exhibit any of the symptoms, it is best to switch to a liquid diet. Water, vegetable/chicken broth, tea, coffee (without milk/cream), clear soups, fruit juices (without the pulp), and popsicles.

Every new parent can understand the agony of their baby falling sick, or experiencing discomfort. In the first year of life, your baby could fall prey to a number of ailments. A bloated or gassy stomach is one such problem that many babies face. Most parents are terrified about their babies falling ill, and the first few months of parenting, can be a trying time. Babies commonly suffer from digestive and intestinal issues. This is because their gastrointestinal systems are still developing, meaning they’re more prone to bloating and gas. Nearly any food is new and alien to a baby’s digestive system. So, bloating, or gas, is not uncommon. Baby gas relief not only makes your baby more comfortable, but also reduces the stress on new parents. There are a lot of options that can be implemented, by the parents themselves, for giving their baby gas relief. However, always consult a pediatrician before you take it on yourself to give your baby gas relief. Symptoms of Gas in Babies Some common symptoms of babies suffering from gas, or bloating, are: Burping Burping is a natural response to excessive gas in the digestive system. It’s normal for babies to burp or belch after meals, but excessive burping may indicate that your baby is taking in too much air while feeding. Spitting up Most babies will spit up a little after meals. Spitting up is often accompanied by burping. There are many things apart from gas, that can cause spitting up. Some of these are particles in the breast milk, eating too much or too fast, or the type of formula the baby is being fed. Bloating Bloating is commonly associated with gas build up in babies. The abdomen will appear swollen or distended. This is often uncomfortable or painful for the baby, and may be accompanied by stomach cramps.

Rotator cuff problems have afflicted us at one or the other point of time in our lives. These make basic activities such as brushing, getting dressed, and combing one’s hair difficult. Rotator cuff problems could afflict anyone, but athletes and sports persons are more vulnerable to this disease. Some Other Names Used to Refer to Rotator Cuff Problems Include: Swimmer’s shoulder Tennis shoulder Pitcher’s shoulder Shoulder impingement syndrome Muscles and tendons attached to bones present in the shoulder joint make the rotator cuff. These keep the shoulder stable and also allow a range of motion. The rotator cuff is made of four muscles and their tendons which help the shoulder to function. The humerus is attached to the scapula that sits right under the glenoid cavity. The ball and the socket help the regular function of the shoulder. Rotator Cuff Pain is Likely to Occur When: The arm stays in the same position for elongated periods of time. Like when one works on the computer for a long number of hours. If you then to sleep in a particular position over your shoulder, then you might experience an excruciating pain from the neck and shoulder. There won’t be any relief from the rotator cuff pain. One goes for outdoor sports which need one to move the arm overhead. Some such sports are tennis, pitching while playing baseball and swimming. Working in a way which requires the arm to stay overhead for a long time. People involved with painting and carpentry more vulnerable to rotator cuff problems. Bad posture could over time lead to problems of the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff issues could arise as an effect of aging. The rotator cuff pain will not relieve the patients if it’s not given timely treatment. Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injury Rotator cuff tears could sometimes lead to intense pain on occurrence.

Snoring is very common, and you will find most people snoring once in a while. It happens when you are unable to breathe freely through your nose or mouth when you are asleep. This makes the tissues in the surrounding area of the nose and mouth vibrate and makes a sound. People who snore too much have a loose or floppy tissue that vibrates, and hence it causes a loud noise. The tongue can also be in the way and add to the snoring. There are many reasons for you to snore. Once you find the reason, you can use stop snoring mouthpieces. Common reasons behind snoring Here are a few reasons that might be the reason behind snoring. Age It is a factor that is known to affect snoring. As you reach middle age and beyond, the throat becomes more narrow, and the muscles in the throat weaken. There is nothing much you can do here except make new bedtime routines and try throat exercises to stop the snoring. Overweight Fatty tissues and weak muscles are also known to contribute to snoring. If you are overweight, your neck and throat tissue can be the reason behind your snoring. Exercise can help solve the problem in this case. Sleep posture Sleeping flat on your back can cause the muscles in your throat to block the airway. Stress A long and stressful day can leave you tired, and make you breathe heavily. This may add to your snoring. Other factors Men have narrower air passages than women and so are more likely to snore. Hereditary is also a factor that contributes to snoring. Once you figure out the reason behind snoring, you can find a way to deal with it. If you aren’t able to, you can use stop snoring mouthpieces.