A sore throat is a painful, itchy, and irritated throat.
This could produce an uneasy feeling because it brings difficulty in swallowing our food and drinking our fluids. This could also make us uncomfortable at night as it ruins a good night of sleep.
But don’t worry, as you can do remedies to ease and treat this while at home!
You can try the following home interventions:
Try the healing effect of honey – this is a good remedy for sore throat. It helps to speed up the healing of sore throat because of its anti-inflammatory properties. You can add 1 tbsp of honey to a glass of water and drink it, or take at least 1 tbsp of honey followed by 1 glass of water. Please note however that you should not give honey to children under 1-year-old.
Gargle with warm salt water- it could help to break down secretions, thereby soothing a sore and itchy throat. Just add 1/2 tsp of salt into a glass of warm water and gargle it. It could also help to have a clean throat.
Increase your fluid intake or stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is an essential part of treating your sore throat. If you are dehydrated, your body is unable to produce enough saliva that can help to keep your throat lubricated. Thereby making your sore throat worsen.
Moisturize the air – use a humidifier or if not available, you can use a DIY instead. Go for a steam bath, the moist air coming from it helps to reduce swelling and painful throat. You can also drape your head and lean into a bowl of hot water to breathe in the steam.
Have proper nutrition, eat your meal. Food is the fuel of the human body, it gives us the energy, vitamins, and minerals that our body needs to combat an illness.
Elevate your pillow – an extra high pillow will help you breathe easier, thus promoting a good night of sleep. Enough rest or sleep is good at boosting your immunity.
When to see your doctor?
You need a doctor’s consultation or go to the nearest clinic or hospital if you already have a severe sore throat. A sore throat accompanied by high fever, swollen tonsils, severe pain when swallowing, and if you have nausea or vomiting.
Remember that prevention is always better than cure, so make sure to distance yourself and use your face mask when interacting with a sick person. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Do some ways to boost your immune system, just like eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Drinking enough water, doing physical activities and exercises. Performing your hygiene daily, and having enough rest and sleep.
There are times wherein our children get sick because of numerous contributing factors that are present around, and as they say, it’s a part of growing up. But to think that we can do something to help our children during this time is so much important.
Image source: Photo library provided by Pexels.
One common sickness that our children are getting through is seasonal flu, which can cause fever and other bodily discomforts.
A fever is a temporary elevation of our body’s temperature, due to an underlying illness. It’s a sign that something is not going well in our bodies. Usually, our body’s temperature is going up to 38’c or more.
Here are tips on how to care for a sick child while at home:
Dress him/her in lightweight, and breathable clothing. Avoid excess clothing as it will trap body heat that can contribute to a rise in body temperature.
A sick child gets tired easily. They may wake up more due to discomfort feeling from congested head and body aches. That’s why it’s essential to allow them to have enough rest and sleep.
Give the child plenty of fluids to drink, and fruits to eat. These can help in boosting his/her immune system.
Check the child’s body temperature using a thermometer. Give over-the-counter paracetamol syrup for fever (or as prescribed by the physician). Strictly follow the medication’s dosage and time. Make sure it’s age-appropriate.
Keep the room ventilated, and give time for quiet games or light activities that the child wants to do.
Make sure to provide a calm and peaceful environment.
Use your face mask.
Give the child food in his/her room. Clean the utensils well, before and after eating.
Help the child to perform his/her hygiene. Such as bathing, tooth brushing, trimming of nails, and combing the child’s hair.
Wash hands after every contact with the sick child.
Continue monitoring the child until he/she gets well.
When to call the doctor?
Call the doctor or bring the child to the nearest clinic or hospital if the child has more of the following symptoms: fever, cough, trouble in breathing, sore throat or painful swallowing, belly pain, vomiting, rashes, dizziness, and diarrhea.
A sick child gets irritated easily because of uneasy feeling, that’s why having enough patience and providing enough love and care is necessary to help him/her gets well faster.
This post will help you identify if you are experiencing anxiety, what are the signs and symptoms, and how it affects your overall health!
To start with, let’s define first what does anxiety stands for. So, anxiety is a feeling of worrying, being nervous, having uneasy emotions about an event or regarding an approaching event or situation. Anxiety is a normal feeling of a human being, and it’s a part of our daily life that is being felt when:
You are facing a challenging responsibility or task at work.
You are going somewhere or meeting someone (for example, your boss) for the first time.
Taking a qualifying exam.
You are making an important decision of your life that is difficult to reverse.
You made a mistake that caused harm to someone else.
Anxiety is a normal reaction on how we deal with different situations in our lives. It is considered as our warning system which enable us to be alert to any danger or threats that might happen. It prepares our body’s response to fight or flight.
According to oxford, in psychiatry it is a kind of nervous disorder that is characterized by the feeling of uneasiness or apprehension. That are sometimes accompanied by compulsive behavior (or repetitive actions) or even panic attacks.
Anxiety becomes unhealthy and considered an illness already if it’s being accompanied by muscle tension, life disturbances (inability to perform daily tasks or work) often liken to a term physically present but mentally absent, and excessive paranoia.
What does it may cause?
It may cause a fast beating of heart rate, palpitations, and even chest pain. You may also be at risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and coronary or heart diseases.
What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety?
Signs and symptoms of anxiety may include the following:
Restlessness and nervousness
Thinking of an impending danger or panicking.
Increased vital signs: (the heart rate, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and even blood pressure aren’t in their regular mode).
Sweating and trembling
Fatigue or feeling tired even if you are not doing something.
Inability to concentrate and get enough rest and sleep.
It is important to be aware of ourselves, and know when to seek a doctor already. We also have to watch our family members for those signs of too much anxiety. It will save their lives, specially nowadays that emotional detachment from the physical world is very prominent because of the rise of technology, social media, gaming streams and the overall digital world. Occasionally, we just don’t observe that they are already suffering from the inside. Most of stressed or depressed people are trying to keep it themselves. So, we must be a keen observer and serve to be their motivator if we want to keep them away from that dark world.
How can you avoid too much anxiety?
Here are some actions that you can take:
Exercise regularly (physical exercises, deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, yoga, and meditation). Exercising can help you combat anxiety by diverting you from the situation that caused you to feel anxious. Keeping your body moving can lower muscle tension and therefore relaxes you physically and mentally.
Eat nutritious foods and avoid foods that are too sweet or sugary. Foods that are too sugary weakens your body’s ability in responding to stress, and it has linked to be a contributor to mental problems like mood swings, depression, and anxiety.
Be able to reduce or avoid caffeinated drinks. According to research, caffeinated drinks stimulates fight and flight responses that can trigger anxiety or worsen an anxiety.
Spend time with family or friends physically and talk with them. They are the ones who can motivate and bring the best out in you.
Write or do journal, it helps you lessen the feeling of inability and distress, it increases your capability and overall well-being. You can journal about your achievements and attained goals in life! These will help you increase your self-esteem and relieves stress and anxiety.
Always choose to be happy! Smile and laugh because these are very advantageous in combating anxiety and other mood problems.
Learn to say no, if it causes you an uneasy feeling, you will not look as bad by doing so. You are just protecting yourself by not doing an action which you believe that could bring you down or could interfere with your life situation.
Listen to calming music or your favorite music. This can help in relaxing your mind, giving you a positive outlook in life.
Consider getting a pet like dog.
Being aware of what is happening within ourselves is a good step in identifying possible problems that may bring our health into jeopardy. If you feel like as if you’re not in your usual self, don’t be shy to open it up to someone else. You can also join supportive groups that are battling the same concern, or visit a health counselor or seek the help of a physician.
This post will tackle about premenstrual syndrome which affects most women. Gentlemen, you should also read this for you to better understand what ladies are experiencing before menstruation! Specially if you have a wife or a partner who is dealing with this every month, she needs your supportive care in managing this, do not judge her as it affects her emotional health. Ladies do you often feel mood swings before your monthly period? Like sadness, unexpected crying spells, being very sensitive and irritable, headaches, breast tenderness etc? Maybe it’s because of premenstrual syndrome. The exact reason aren’t known yet, but according to experts what triggers this syndrome was the drop in the women’s hormonal levels (estrogen and progesterone– the hormones of women) which often occurs after ovulation. Lucky for those few who doesn’t experience this and for some who only experience few of the symptoms, because some women consider it as something very disturbing as to the point that they already need to seek a doctor’s consultation to relieve and manage the symptoms.
According to our health source it has a few of the following symptoms:
For emotional and behavioral symptoms, it may include:
Moments of sadness
Mood swings
Anxiety
Crying spells
Irritability
Easily gets angry
Changes in appetite
Food cravings
Problems in falling asleep
Social problems
have poor concentration
For physical signs and symptoms, it may include:
Tiredness
Fatigue
Muscle and joint pains
Abdominal cramps
Headache
Weight gain due to fluid retention
Breast tenderness or pain sensations to the breast area
Acne
Constipation
Diarrhea
Feeling of fullness
These are some of the common symptoms that many women are experiencing after ovulation and before menstruation, but don’t feel too anxious about it because you can do something to manage or reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome by making changes regarding your diet, activities and the way you approach your daily life.
For your diet:
Limit or avoid salty foods to reduce fluid retention.
Eat small frequent meals to reduce bloating.
Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Consume or drink calcium rich foods.
Avoid caffeinated drinks and avoid drinking alcohol.
Try also this lifestyle activities:
Do brisk walking and other aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes daily.
Get enough rest and sleep
Do deep breathing exercises, yoga or meditation.
Listen to relaxing and calming music, maintain a positive attitude.
Do an activity which makes you happy to combat stress.
Don’t be shy to open up your feelings and ask for emotional support.
You may also want to make a note regarding all the symptoms you encountered and list the interventions you did which alleviated the symptoms, so that next time you already have a basis, and you already know what to do to manage it.
Note that if you are still experiencing the worst symptoms, and you think it already disturbs or affects your daily activities and to the extent that you can no longer perform some of your chores you may want to consider visiting your doctor. She may prescribe medications or do an intervention that can help to alleviate the symptoms of yourpremenstrual syndrome.
Infants are young children who are under one year of age and defined as the first year of life and the period wherein most rapid growth is happening after their birth or delivery. Their immune system is weak and that’s why you have to be careful on the things, materials, and foods that may come in contact with their mouth. Their feeding bottles should be sterilized well before mixing the milk to ensure a clean and safe milk consumption.
The materials or things that they are using must also be cleaned well, to avoid harmful microorganisms. Introducing solid foods to them was very exciting. But be cautious enough to the kind of food that you will be giving. Your food preparation matters a lot, be sure that they are clean, safe to eat and soft (for better food digestion and absorption), also to avoid the dangers of choking.
Children at this stage of life are prone to get cough and colds, and sometimes home interventions are one of the few actions that some parents will take. You probably heard that honey are good and very therapeutic in dealing with cough and colds, and they also have a lot of health benefits to offer? Yes, it’s one of the most beneficial substances to go through specially as medicinal products, but be informed that it should not be given to infants because it contains dormant endospores of the bacterium clostridium botulinum. According to our health food source, the endospores can transform into toxin which are very dangerous to infants immature intestinal tracts leading to serious illness and even death.
Are you one of those who are experiencing headaches from time to time? Headaches are very disturbing and can cause disabling you to do your daily tasks and duties. According to our health source, headaches can lead to sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and psychological and physical problems.
The general signs and symptoms are as follows:
There is a moderate to severe pain
Presence of pulsating and throbbing sensation.
It is aggregated by physical activities
Nausea
Vomiting
You can feel light and sound sensitivity.
Pressing or tightening around your head.
Pain around eyes
Restlessness
This common symptoms usually go away on its own even without medications, but you should seek a doctor’s consultation if:
Your headaches seem worsening over time.
Disabling you to do daily chores and activities already.
You have two or more headaches in a week.
You needed an increase dose of over the counter medications to relieve headaches.
Furthermore, you are taking pain medications to relieve headaches on most days and your headache won’t go away without medications.
If your headache comes with double vision, seizure, confusion, stiffness, fever, weakness, numbness, or difficulty in speaking.
Headaches worsen despite rest and home intervention.
Risk factors of headaches includes: anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, caffeine, chronic pain conditions, obesity, snoring etc.
You can use over the counter medications like analgesics (naproxen and ibuprofen) to relieve headaches, be sure to ask the pharmacist regarding the medication that is effective and suitable for you. Possible causes of headaches are infection, stroke, inflammation, meningitis, traumatic brain injury, brain trauma.
Note: you better seek a doctor’s consultation to better check your condition and to take actions regarding it. The doctor will perform tests to diagnose your headache’s problem. Some of the tests that the doctor may perform are imaging tests like: CT scan and MRI to look for underlying medical condition. After recognizing the problem, the doctor will prescribe certain medications for your treatment.
Here are some lifestyle and home remedies that you can do to help relieve headaches:
Exercise regularly
Avoid headache triggers
Avoid medications overuse
Get enough rest and sleep
If you are obese, you may want to lose weight.
Reduce stress
Avoid too much caffeinated drinks
Don’t skip your meals
Headaches are really a problem that you have to resolve to continue your daily activities. Always take control and seek an understanding about your situation. It’s a healthy action to talk to someone and share your feelings about it, accept counselling and support from other people, it will really help.
Our world is facing so many problems already. Many of us are not comfortable with what is happening around us. Some are lonely, ungrateful, miserable and losing hopes. That’s why we must be aware of our moods and actions. Some people are experiencing depression, and it is not an easy problem to handle. Read below what is depression? What are the symptoms related to this disease, risk factors, causes and what you can do about it.
What is depression?
It is defined as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in life. Other names are major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression. It can affect how you feel, think and behave. Inability to perform daily tasks or activities, and thoughts about life aren’t worth living. Depression requires long-term treatment, and most people feel better with medication and psychological counseling.
According to our health source: The following are the symptoms, causes, risk factors and management of the disease.
General symptoms that may indicate depression:
The feelings of emptiness, sadness, or unhappiness.
Irritability or frustration, easily gets angry even over small matters.
Sleeping problems, including insomnia or sleeping too much.
Loss of emotional attachment.
Lack of energy, tiredness.
There are changes in appetite
Possesses anxiety, agitation, or restlessness.
Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things.
Frequent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide.
Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches.
Symptoms in children may include:
Sadness
Irritability
Aches and pains
Refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
Symptoms in teens may include:
Irritability
Sadness
Feeling negative and worthless
Anger
Poor performance or poor attendance at school
Feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive
using drugs or alcohol
Eating or sleeping too much
Self-harm
Loss of interest in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction.
Symptoms of depression in older adults may include:
Personality changes or memory difficulties.
Loss of emotional attachment to a partner.
Loss of appetite, tiredness, sleep problems, aches.
Often prefers to stay at home, rather than going out to socialize, mingle or doing new things.
Suicidal thinking or feelings, especially in older men.
Note:
If you feel depressed or has countless possible symptoms that may indicate a depression, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as you can because if it is not treated right away, it will get worse. Depression that are not treated immediately can lead to other mental and physical health problems.
Causes of depression may involved:
Biological differences- There are physical changes in the brain of a depressed person.
Brain chemistry- unbalanced neurotransmitters (these are naturally occurring brain chemicals that likely play a role in depression).
Hormones- Hormonal changes can trigger depression, such as thyroid problems, menopausal etc.
Inherited traits- more common in people whose biological relatives experienced depression.
Life events- death or loss of a loved one, financial problems, stress, or trauma can trigger depression in some people.
RISK FACTORS:
Usually depression often begins in teenage years, around twenties or thirties, but it can happen at any age. Risk factors may include:
Family history of depression.
Depression that started when you were a teen or child.
History of other mental disorders such as anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder etc.
Alcohol or illegal drug abuse.
Personality traits, such as low self-confidence, self-criticism or pessimistic.
Illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
Certain medications, such as some high blood pressure medications or sleeping pills.
Traumatic or stressful life events.
Complications associated with depression may include:
Social isolation- prefers to stay at home rather than to mingle with other people.
Weight gain or obesity, which can lead to heart diseases and diabetes.
Alcohol or substance abuse
Anxiety, panic disorder or social phobia.
Family conflicts, relationship difficulties, and work or school problems.
Suicidal feelings, suicide attempts or suicide, self mutilation.
Premature death from other medical conditions.
Treatments include:
A lot of depression treatments are available, if you are diagnosed with it your doctor/psychiatrist will prescribe you certain medications that you will take. Psychological counseling (psychotherapy) are also very beneficial to most people. Many people with depression also benefit from seeing a psychologist or other mental health counselors. If your depression is severe, you may need to stay in a hospital, or in an outpatient treatment program, until your symptoms improve.
LIFESTYLE AND HOME REMEDIES
Do ways to control your stress and boost your self-confidence.
Talk to your family and friends, reach out to them, especially in times of crisis.
Get treatment at the earliest sign of a problem to help prevent depression from worsening.
Consider getting long-term maintenance treatment to prevent relapse of the symptoms.
Things you can do to help yourself:
Be mindful of the negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with positive ones.
Learn to adjust to a life crisis.
Develop positive interactions with other people.
Find good ways to cope and solve your problems.
Change behaviors that you know will contribute to depression.
Help yourself ease depression symptoms, bring a sense of satisfaction and control over your life.
Be realistic on your goals in life.
Develop the ability to tolerate and accept failures using healthier behaviors.
Simplify your life, cut back on obligations when possible. Give yourself permission to do less when you feel down.
Try writing in a journal, it may improve your mood, and it will allow you to express pain, anger, fear, frustrations or other emotions.
Read helpful books and helpful websites.
Join organization which offer education, support groups, counseling and other resources to help with depression.
Do not isolate yourself. Participate in social activities, and get together with family or friends regularly.
Love and take care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet, be physically active, and get plenty of rest and sleep.
When you are stress, relax and manage it. Do meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga etc.
Plan for your day. Make a list of daily tasks, reminders, or a planner to stay organized on the things you will do.
Avoid making important decisions when you’re feeling depressed.
Coping with depression:
It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor or therapist on the things you should do to expand your coping skills. As much as others love to help you, you must also need to help yourself, there’s more to life.
Have you experienced having an acne? How did you feel about it? Are you the one who feels uneasy and problematic about how you look? The one who is very eager to find ways on how to let it go away? Or the one who is not bothered at all? It depends on how a person handle the situation, for some it may lower their self-esteem or self-confidence due to body image disturbance. This is very common to teenagers and young adults wherein they feel uncomfortable about it, they find ways on how to solve it immediately because it bothers not just their physical well-being but also their social and emotional well-being.
Before knowing what you can do to solve the problem, learn first what is acne all about. What are the causes, risk factors and the signs and symptoms. Acne is a chronic skin disease of the face, chest, neck, back and shoulders. It causes blackheads, pimples, and scars. The tiny pores of our skin can trap dirt, dead skin cells, oils, germs/bacteria. These obstructions on the skin may lead to acne.
According to our health source: Here are the symptoms, causes, risk factors and management of the disease.
Causes:
A large amount of oil by hair follicles.
Dead cells are accumulating in the pores.
The pores in the skin have bacteria.
The signs and symptoms may vary depending on the severity of your condition. It may include:
Whiteheads
Blackheads
Small red, tender bumps
Pimples (pustules)
Large, solid, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin (nodules)
Painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin (cystic lesions)
Risk factors for acne includes:
Family history- Genetics plays a role in acne. If both parents experienced acne, there’s a chance that you will develop it as well.
Hormonal changes- These changes are common in teenagers, women, girls, and people using certain medications, including those containing corticosteroids, androgens, or lithium.
Greasy or oily substances around your working environment- You may develop acne where your skin comes into contact with oily lotions and creams or with grease in a working area, such as a kitchen.
Friction or pressure on your skin- This can be caused by the things we used like tight collars or clothing, cellphones, helmets, backpacks etc.
Stress- This doesn’t cause acne, but if you have acne already, stress may make it worse and may even lead you to mood disorders.
Here are the self-care tips and remedies you can do at home:
Shower after doing your daily activities. Oil and sweat on your skin can lead to breakouts. Just take a rest first before taking a shower.
Wash the area where the acne is, if possible wash it twice a day. Washing will remove excess oil and dead skin cells. Limit to twice a day only because too much washing can irritate the skin and will result in further problems. Use gentle cleanser and use oil-free, water-based skin care products for the affected areas.
Over the counter acne cream or gel. It can help dry excess oil. Ask the pharmacist for the most effective over the counter product you can use for your acne. The Food and Drug Administration always warns the people that some popular acne lotions, cleansers, and other skin products that aren’t prescribed can cause a serious reaction. If you experienced adverse reactions such as faintness, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, swelling of the eyes, face, lips or tongue, tightness of the throat you better consult your doctor immediately.
Use non-oily makeup. Choose to use those oil-free cosmetics that won’t clog pores and those won’t irritate the skin.
At night, before going to bed make sure to remove your makeup. Going to sleep with cosmetics on your skin can clog your pores. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to throw out old makeup and regularly clean the cosmetic products that you are using. Make sure to store them in a non-dusty area. Always check the expiration before using.
Wear comfortable clothing. Uncomfortable clothing like tight-fitting (or body fit) traps heat and moisture and can irritate your skin. If possible, avoid also tight-fitting straps, backpacks, helmets, hats, sports equipment and any other accessories to prevent friction against your skin.
Avoid touching or picking your acne. Doing so can worsen the problem and may result in a more acne production.
Drinking water prevents acne because it promotes proper skin hydration. Dry skin can trigger excess oil production which could lead to acne.
Does diet or food can cause acne?
According to studies certain dietary factors may trigger acne, it may include dairy products and carbohydrate-rich foods such as breads, chips, chocolates etc. We need more research to examine why this happens or whether acne patients need to follow specific food restrictions. Eating greasy food has little or no effect on acne, but working in a greasy area, will lead to developing an acne because the oil can stick to the skin and block the hair follicles.
Note:
If you have a worse acne problem, you may want to visit your Dermatologist or Skin specialist for further treatment. They will do an assessment and treatment for your skin concern and prescribe appropriate medications for your condition. When your acne improves, you may need to continue the prescribed medication and treatment to prevent new skin breakouts. Such as topical medications, oral medications, light therapy sessions etc.
These are really stressful but keep in mind that you are not just the one experiencing this. Help yourself, share how you feel and how you want to solve the problem with your family, social support groups, or you may want to talk with a health counselor. You can do this to avoid so much stress, which may result in depression.
Many of us are already exhausted, lonely, stressed and even depressed with what the COVID-19 or the coronavirus brought to us. This pandemic gave us many realizations about life, that:
We must be thankful to God for the gift of life.
Self-love, self-care and personal hygiene is important.
Your Family (Mother, Father, Wife, Husband, Children, Siblings etc.) are the best companions.
Home is the safest place to stay.
Life is too short, we should enjoy and appreciate it.
Health is wealth, nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables are the best food to eat.
We need the love and care coming from our loved ones. The comfort they give us can relieve worries/stress.
Appreciate the importance of other people who are ready to serve and risk their lives just to make us safe (they are the Frontliners).
There are many things that life can offer, that we can do other things (baking, cooking, gardening etc.)
We can sacrifice, we can walk short distances without riding a vehicle, we can skip unhealthy foods, we can cook our food without buying in the fast food chain/restaurant.
What is COVID-19 or the coronavirus? A novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was identified in Wuhan, China in the year 2019. It came from a large family of viruses which can cause illness or even death. It spreads from person to person. When the person affected cough or sneeze, it easily lands to the objects surround him/her. It transfers easily through droplets.
Common to severe symptoms includes:
—Fever —Dry cough —Tiredness or fatigue —Flu like symptoms- body aches and pains —Rashes on the skin —Sense of smell or taste are loss —Headache —Loose stools —Inflammation of the conjunctiva —Chest pain —Loss of speech or movement —Difficulty of breathing
Note: Consult your doctor or physician right away if you notice any possible symptoms that may indicate a COVID-19 to begin the treatment because the earlier the treatment, the higher the chance of healing.
Who are at greater risk?
Those who have low immune system like babies, elderly and those with underlying diseases.
Precautionary measures that you can do:
Always maintain a 1-meter distance to others, use your face mask, specially when you are outside.
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. Sanitize or use alcohol-based to kill viruses.
It is possible to catch it to someone who has mild cough but doesn’t look or feel ill (carrier). Avoid going to the crowd.
You are experiencing serious symptoms, call the nearest facility before going to the hospital.
Practice proper hygiene, cough, and sneeze etiquette. Cover your mouth and nose using your bent elbow or through a tissue, then throw away after using.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. These are the common entry holes of viruses.
Boost your immune system through eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly.
Do not self-medicate, it may bring bad effects on your health, you better consult your doctor if you feel ill or sick.
Listen to your health officials regarding health protocols.
Be updated with the current issues regarding COVID-19.
Do you know of someone who has or experienced this disease? It is a serious kind of disease which needs immediate intervention.
According to our health source, here are the symptoms, causes, risk factors and management of the disease.
Stroke is a form of brain attack which occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain has blockage, and as a result the brain cells will be deprived of oxygen and begin to die. The memory and muscle, which are controlled by the brain, lost. It is a very life-threatening disease that requires prompt medical action or intervention.
What are the signs and symptoms of stroke?
Numbness or weakness in the face, leg, or arm, specially on one side.
Trouble speaking and understanding
Confusion
Sudden or severe headache
Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Problems in walking, balance and coordination
Note: Consult your doctor or physician right away if you notice any possible symptoms that may indicate a stroke to begin the treatment because the earlier the treatment, the higher the chance of healing. After you are diagnosed with the disease, you need medical check-up with your doctor until you are well. Avoid self-medication.
What are the risk factors of stroke?
Family history
Heart disease
Alcohol abuse
Hypertension or high blood pressure
Smoking
Diabetes
High cholesterol level
Sedentary lifestyle
Increasing age/older
Overweight or obese
How can you prevent stroke?
Maintaining a healthy weight
Eating healthy diet
Treat high cholesterol
Exercise regularly
Avoidance of alcoholic drinks
Do not smoke, stop smoking
Maintain a healthy blood pressure
Control diabetes
Types of stroke :
Transient ischemic stroke- clot that temporary blocks blood flow to the brain. It last for a short period of time.
Ischemic stroke– can be embolic, the blood clot travels from another part of the body to your brain.
Thrombotic stroke- an ischemic stroke caused by a clot forming in a blood vessel in your brain, the blood clot won’t go away without a treatment.
Hemorrhagic stroke– a blood vessel in your brain ruptures.
Aneurysm hemorrhagic- causes a portion of the weak blood vessel to balloon outward and sometimes rupture.
Arteriovenous malformation- abnormally formed blood vessels, can cause hemorrhagic stroke when this blood vessel ruptures.
What are the causes of stroke?
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
caused by blood clots or other clots
Ischemicstroke
Blockages or narrowing of the arteries
Reduce blood flow that damages brain cells
Fatty deposits within the arteries called plaque that can cause clots
Hemorrhagicstroke
Arteries in the brain leaking blood or bursting open.
Blood vessels can burst and spill blood
Ruptures may due to hypertension, trauma, aneurysms and blood-thinning medications.
What are the complications stroke?
Speech difficulties- can affect areas of your brain which have to do with speech and swallowing and as a result you may have difficulty in writing, reading, and problems in understanding what other people are talking/speaking about.
Behavior change- having a stroke can contribute to depression or anxiety, more impulsive, more withdrawn from socializing.
Numbness or pain- decreased sensation, affect your ability to feel or sense temperature.
Paralysis- a stroke on the right side of the brain can affect movement on the left side of your body.
What are the Diagnostic exams or tests for stroke:
Blood tests- to test how quickly the patient’s blood clots and to test for any infection.
Physical exam- includes symptoms and medical history, blood pressure taking, listening to carotid arteries in the neck etc.
CT scan- series of x-rays that can show hemorrhages, strokes, tumors, and other conditions of the brain.
MRI scan- this is radio waves and magnets which create an image of the brain to detect damage.
Carotid ultrasound- to check any plaque and the blood flow in the carotid arteries.
Cerebral angiogram- to give a detailed view of the brain and neck blood vessels, they insert dyes into the brain’s blood vessels to make them visible under x-ray.
Echocardiogram- an image of the heart, is being checked for any sources of clots.
What are the treatments for stroke?
For TIA– includes taking medications that will help prevent future strokes.
Includes antiplatelet- reduce the components of your blood called platelets from sticking together to form a clot.
Anticoagulant- medications that reduce the buildup of clotting proteins.
Carotid endarterectomy- removes plaque buildup in the carotid artery of your neck. Your doctor may recommend this surgery.
For Ischemic stroke
Will depend on your individual medical history.
Prescribed medications
Your doctor can use procedures to physically remove the clot or clot busting medications to your brain. These aren’t always beneficial because your medical history may put you at risk for side effects.
Hemorrhagic stoke
Treatment involves trying to stop bleeding in your brain
Prescribed medications
Surgical procedures which include surgical clipping or coiling (to keep the blood vessels from bleeding further).
Through rehabilitation, you may be able to regain lost motor function, speech and swallowing abilities, but will take time to see results.
Rehabilitation may include the following:
Physical therapy
Speech therapy
Occupational therapy
You may join a support group, these group of people may be helpful to share experiences and exchange information with, regarding the disease. This can also help in reducing depression that can occur after stroke.
Support from friends and family. They can provide you more comfort and practical support. Being with them will help you keep the motivation you need in fighting with the disease and improving your health.
Diabetes mellitus are a group of diseases that affect your body on how it uses the blood sugar (or the glucose). It is significant because it’s our brain’s source of fuel and the source of energy for the cells that make up the muscles and other body tissues. So if you suffer from diabetes, it means that you have too much glucose in your blood that can lead to serious health conditions.
According to our health source:
Types of diabetes includes:
Type 1 diabetes– may develop at any age (during childhood or adolescence). In this type, symptoms come quickly and more severe.
Type 2 diabetes– more common type, it can develop at any age but more common to those older than 40 years old.
Gestational diabetes– occurs during pregnancy but will resolve when the baby is born.
Signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes includes:
Unexplained weight loss
Frequent urination
Feeling hungry and thirsty
Frequent infections
Slow wound healing
Blurring of vision
Feeling tired/ fatigue
Irritability
The presence of ketones in the urine
Note: Consult your doctor or physician right away if you notice any possible symptoms that may indicate a diabetes, to begin the treatment because the earlier the treatment, the higher the chance of healing. After you are diagnosed with the disease, you need medical check-up with your doctor until your sugar levels stabilize or go back to normal. Avoid self-medication.
Type 1 diabetes
What are the Causes?
The exact cause is unknown. What is known is that the immune system (the one responsible for fighting harmful bacteria and viruses) attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. This leads to a little or no insulin. So, the sugar builds up in your bloodstream instead of being transported into your cells.
What are the risk factors?
Dietary factors– low vitamin D consumption
Geography– it is uncertain but Finland and Sweden have high rates of type-1 diabetes
Presence of damaging immune system cells (autoantibodies)
Family history– you are at risk if your parents or siblings have this type 1 diabetes.
Environmental factors– exposure to viral illnesses
Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes
Causes:
For prediabetes (that could lead to type 2) and type 2 diabetes– your cells become resistant to the insulin’s action, so the pancreas is unable to make enough insulin to overcome the resistance. The sugar builds in the bloodstream instead of moving into your cells where it is needed for energy. Genetic, environmental factors and being overweight accounts to the development of type 2 diabetes, though not everyone with type 2 is overweight.
Risk factors:
Family history– you have a higher risk if your parents and siblings have this type 2 diabetes.
Inactivity or sedentary lifestyle
Weight– the fatty tissue your body have, the more resistant your cells to insulin. Physical activities help your body use glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to insulin, and can also control weight gaining.
Race– it is unclear but races like Black, Hispanics, American- Indians and Asian- Americans are at higher risk.
Age– as you get older you’re at risk because you tend to exercise less, gain weight and loss muscle mass.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (common condition characterized by excessive hair growth, obesity, and irregular menstrual period).
Gestational diabetes– if you experienced this during your pregnancy, there is a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Abnormality in the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides– you are at risk if you have low levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or good cholesterol.
High blood pressure– a blood pressure of 140/90 mm/Hg (millimeter mercury) is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes:
Cause:
For gestational diabetes– during the pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones to sustain the pregnancy and these hormones make the cells more resistant to insulin. In normal situation your pancreas responds by producing enough extra insulin to overcome the resistance, but when the pancreas can’t keep up, there are too little glucose gets into your cells and too many stays in your bloodstream.
Risk factors:
Family or personal history
Age– older than 25 years old women
Weight– overweight before pregnancy
Race– unclear but women who are Black, American Indian, Hispanic, and Asian are most likely to develop this gestational diabetes.
There are complications related to diabetes that could threaten your life. Below are the possible complications:
Cardiovascular disease, damages in the nerves, kidneys, eyes, and feet.
Skin conditions
Alzheimer’s disease
Hearing impairment
Complications for gestational diabetes may include: (for the baby)
Excess growth- macrosomia (the baby grow too large.)
Low blood sugar
Type 2 diabetes later in life
Death if gestational diabetes is untreated.
Complications to the mother may include:
Pre-eclampsia (characterized by high blood pressure).
Subsequent gestational diabetes
More likely to develop type 2 diabetes as you get older.
Tests for diabetes includes:
Glycated hemoglobin test– this will indicate your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months.
Random blood sugar test– your blood sample will be taken at random time.
Fasting blood sugar test– blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast.
Oral glucose tolerance test– you fast overnight, before testing the blood sugar level.
Test for type 1 diabetes:
Urinalysis — your urine will be tested.
Test to see autoantibodies– destructive immune system cells.
Test for gestational diabetes will be done if you are:
High risk– if you are obese or overweight, had previous gestational diabetes, family history of the disease.
An Average risk- screening test will be done during the second trimester.
Screening tests may include:
Initial glucose challenge test– drinking a syrup glucose solution, then after 1 hour you will have a blood test to measure your blood sugar level.
Follow-up glucose tolerance testing– you will be asked to fast overnight, then they will measure your fasting blood sugar level. You will drink again a sweet solution with higher concentration of glucose, then the blood sugar level will be checked every hour for a period of 3 hours.
Treatments to all types of diabetes:
Healthy eating
Physical activity
Type 1 and 2 diabetes treatment:
Monitoring your blood sugar
Insulin therapy
Oral or other medications
Transplantation (pancreas transplant) in some who have type1 diabetes
Bariatric surgery
Treatment for gestational diabetes:
Controlling and monitoring your blood sugar level
Insulin or oral medications
Treatment for prediabetes:
Healthy lifestyle choices
Healthy weight through exercise
Healthy eating
Oral medications
What are the home remedies you can do:
Eat healthy foods– preferably those foods that are lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber.
Get more physical activity– do physical activities daily for 30 minutes, for example: brisk walking, biking, jogging etc.
Lose excess pounds– motivate yourself to achieve a healthy weight.
Coping management to help you with the disease:
Seek mental health professional to speak with. If you are stress about the disease, feeling down and losing hope.
Try a support group or talk to someone who has the same battle as yours. You will find health tips and effective ways they have been through.
MOMSOTHERSIDE
HealthCare 