Glaucoma is a group of conditions, in which high pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure) damages the optic nerve of the eye. Glaucoma usually affects both the eyes. It commonly occurs in adults above 40 years of age, but can even occur in newborn babies. The vision lost due to glaucoma is irreversible and can not be regained. Hence it is very important to detect this disease as early as possible and treat early to preserve vision.

Causes Of Glaucoma

Our optic nerve, which is located in back of the eye transmits the images we see back to the brain for interpretation. The eye is firm and round, like a basketball. Its tone and shape are maintained by a pressure within the eye (the intraocular pressure), which normally ranges between 8 and 22 mm (millimeters) of mercury. When the pressure is too low, the eye becomes softer, while a too high pressure causes the eye to become harder. The front of the eye is filled with a clear fluid called the aqueous humor, which provides nourishment to the structures in the front of the eye. This fluid is produced constantly by the ciliary body, which surrounds the lens of the eye.
The aqueous humor then flows through the pupil and leaves the eye through tiny channels called the trabecular meshwork. These channels are located at what is called the filtering, or drainage angle of the eye. This angle is where the clear cornea, which covers the front of the eye, attaches to the base (root or periphery) of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. The cornea covers the iris and the pupil, which are in front of the lens. The pupil is the small, round, black-appearing opening in the center of the iris. Light passes through the pupil, on through the lens, and to the retina at the back of the eye

Symptoms

This form of glaucoma generally does not cause any symptoms in the initial stages. The high pressure causes damage to the optic nerve and leads to loss of peripheral visual field initially. Unless a routine checkup is done, these changes go unnoticed and progressively lead to further loss of visual field and the loss of central vision as well in the later stages. Since this loss of vision is irreversible, glaucoma is also called the ’silent killer’. Some patients may experience these

Symptom

Loss of peripheral vision: this is often not noticed until considerable damage has occurred:-
Blurred or foggy vision Frequent change of glasses for near work
Heaviness or dull pain in the eyes Pain and redness of the eye
Halos or rainbow colored rings perceived around lights

What are the symptoms of glaucoma in children (congenital)?
The symptoms are redness, watering, photophobia (inability to tolerate light), enlargement of the eyes, and corneal clouding. Glaucoma in children needs to be managed very early and aggressively, in order to save their vision.

Treatment For Glaucoma

By controlling the eye pressure (IOP) at the optimum level Glaucoma can be treated. The level of IOP required (target pressure) depends upon the extent of damage and other factors and is decided by the treating doctor. Medical treatment is generally the first line of management. It includes eye drops and tablets to control the pressure by either increasing the drainage or decreasing the production of the fluid in the eye. These medicines are generally to be used lifelong, and it is very important to use the medicines regularly at prescribed timings and not to stop the medicines without consulting the doctor.

Laser treatment is recommended in certain selected cases to create an alternative pathway for the drainage of the fluid. Even after laser, a few patients may still need to use medications to keep the pressure under control. Surgery is recommended in cases where the medicines alone are not effective or cause significant side effects. The surgery increases the drainage of the fluid. Cryopexy or Cycloablation are used in uncontrolled cases, and involve partial or total destruction of the tissues that produce the fluid in the eye.

Ringworm is a common skin disease caused due to fungal attacks on the skin. People suffering from this disease experiences a round or ring shaped dark red/pink spots on the skin. It is quite painful and irritating. This disease can attack people of all age. However, children are more susceptible to it. ringworm may attack in any part of the body; it especially attacks in underarms, waist, thighs, and fingers. Some times it spread over the entire scalp. In ayurveda it is included in kushth roga.

How To Prevent Ringworm
Apart from the above mentioned home remedies. Given below are some other important things that a patient suffering from ringworm should take care of.

• Drink plenty of water.
• Do yoga and meditation, especially breathing asanas
• Go for morning walk, inhale fresh air, do little exercise, etc.
• Keep your body clean, use good quality (ayurvedic or medicated) soap, also apply mud pack (multani mitti) on your skin, use clean and soft towel, always dry your body with towel before wearing clothes.
• Always wear clean and well-fitted clothes.
• Bath twice a day, or thrice who perspire a lot. This will keep the body clean, and sweat and other germs will not infect your body and skin. But do not bath in hurry, always rub your body with your hands, using good quality scrubber while bathing.
• Sunbath is also good for patient suffering from ringworm

Home Treatment For Ring worm
Raw papaya is one of the most effective home remedies for ringworm. The slices of this fruit should be rubbed on the ringworm patches. A paste made from dried papaya seeds can also be applied beneficially on these ringworm patches

Another effective home remedy for ringworm is mustard seeds. A paste should be prepared from these seeds and applied externally over the ringworm patches after thoroughly washing the skin with sufficient hot water

The seeds of the herb butea are valuable in ringworm. The seeds should be ground to a paste and mixed with a little lime juice. This paste should be applied externally over the skin affected by ringworm

The leaves of the cassia tree are useful in irritation of the skin and in alleviating swellings and pains. The juice of these leaves or a paste made from them can be applied to ringworm patches with gratifying results
Ringworm treatment using Holy Basil

The leaves of holy basil are also useful in ringworm. The juice of these leaves should be extracted and applied over ringworm patches

Turmeric is very effective in the treatment of ringworm. The juice of raw turmeric should be applied externally to the parts of the skin affected by ringworm. Simultaneously, one teaspoon of turmeric juice mixed with an equal quantity of honey should be taken orally

Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice in combination with spinach juice, have proved beneficial in the treatment of ringworm. The formula proportions considered helpful in this combination are 300 ml of carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice to make 500 ml or half a litre of juice

While HindustanLink has blogged about STDs before, the most important measure to combat a sexually transmitted disease is knowledge and prevention. There are, of course, visible signs that you may have contracted an STD, but unfortunately, sometimes there are no obvious symptoms at all. That’s why it’s absolutely critical to make sure that everyone, no matter who you are, gets tested if you happen to be sexually active. This includes those who are both monogamous or even those who use protection on a consistent basis. The only way to know for sure is to get tested, and the only way to stop the spread of such diseases is to be aware.

Many people put off STD testing out of fear or embarrassment. However, those who may be a little nervous about going to their doctor should know that STD testing, just as with other medical diagnostic testing and procedures, is carried out with strict privacy. Don’t ever let your own personal reservations about STD testing stop you from going to your doctor.

The Mayo Clinic website offers some wonderful advice on what to expect when it comes to STD testing. To summarize, it is advised that all women at the very least get a pap test every year after 21 years of age, or three years after their first instance of sexual intercourse. Pap tests can detect the possibility of an HPV infection, which is a common STD that can lead to cervical cancer. Women should also ensure that they are screened routinely for chlamydia, a very commonly occurring and troublesome STD.

For men, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) doesn’t suggest that they get tested if they carry absolutely no symptoms. However, if you are man who is having or has had sexual intercourse with another man, the importance of testing is stronger.

For both men and women, they should immediately get tested if they notice sores or blisters in genital areas, as well as if they notice unusual discharges from the penis or vagina. HIV testing is especially important for both men and women who live in high-risk areas. Ask your doctor for a routine HIV test if you have had multiple partners or you have had intercourse with a new partner since your last test.

In the final analysis, the only surefire way to prevent STDs is to abstain from sex altogether, or to have sex with only one partner who has been tested. While AIDS tends to get more publicity, other STDs can become just as deadly if left untreated.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Tisha Dotson, who writes on the topics of medical coding certification. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: tishadotson86@gmail . com.

Symptoms and Signs of Asthma
Asthma symptoms can range from mild, such as wheezing, to chronic coughing and wheezing during severe asthma attacks. These are some of the warning signs and symptoms:
1. Wheezing and shortness of breath.
2. Difficulty sleeping due to shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing.
3. Chest pain or tightness.
4. Shortness of breath during exercise.
5. Increased need for bronchodilators (medications that open airways by relaxing the surrounding muscles).

Remedies for Asthma

If you are experiencing symptoms of asthma, it’s important to see your doctor to be properly diagnosed. Although alternative therapies haven’t been shown to be as promising for asthma as they have for other conditions, here are eight of the more popular alternative remedies for asthma.

1) Buteyko Breathing Technique
The Buteyko (pronounced bew-tay-ko) Breathing Technique was developed by Russian-born researcher Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko. It consists of shallow-breathing exercises designed to help people with asthma breathe easier.

The Buteyko Breathing Technique is based on the premise that raising blood levels of carbon dioxide through shallow breathing can help people with asthma. Carbon dioxide is believed to dilate the smooth muscles of the airways.

A study involving 60 people with asthma compared the effects of the Buteyko Breathing Technique, a device that mimics pranayama (a yoga breathing technique), and a placebo. Researchers found people using the Buteyko Breathing Technique had a reduction in asthma symptoms. Symptoms didn’t change in the pranayama and the placebo groups.

The use of inhalers was reduced in the Buteyko group by two puffs a day at six months, but there was no change in the other two groups.

There have been several other promising clinical trials evaluating this technique, however, they have been small in size and may have had other problems with the study design. Critics of the technique say that the technique is expensive, that it makes no difference in the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, that higher levels of carbon dioxide is not an effective strategy, and that any effects of the technique may be due to general relaxation.

Consult your doctor before starting any new therapy for asthma.

2) Omega Fatty Acids
One of the primary inflammation-causing fats in our diets is believed to be arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is found in certain foods, such as egg yolks, shellfish, and meat. Eating less of these foods is thought to decrease inflammation and asthma symptoms.

A German study examined data from 524 children and found that asthma was more prevalent in children with high levels of arachidonic acid.

Arachidonic acid can also be produced in our bodies. Another strategy to reduce levels of arachidonic acid is to increase intake of beneficial fats such as EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) from fish oil, and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) from borage or evening primrose oil.

Omega-3 fatty acid capsules are sold in drug stores, health food stores and online. Look for the active ingredients EPA and DHA on the label.

Omega-3 fatty acid capsules may interact with blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin (Coumadin) and aspirin. Side effects may include indigestion and bleeding. To reduce a fishy aftertaste after taking fish oil capsules, they should be taken just before meals.

COLD COMPRESSES
Fill a basin ( a polystyrene bucket or cooler is best ) with cold water and a tray or two of ice cubes. Dip a clean flannel into the water, wring it out, and place it over the affected area. Repeat the process when the flannel is no longer cold.

COLD SOCKS
Fill a basin ( a polystyrene bucket or cooler is best ) with cold water and a few ice cubes. Immerse the injured part for 15 to 30 minutes, if possible. Repeat 30 minutes after first soak, if necessary. Do not apply ice directly to baby’s skin.

COOL COMPRESSES
Fill a basin with cold water. Dip a flannel or towel into the water, wring it out, and place it over the affected area. Repeat the process when the flannel is no longer wet and cool.

EYE SOCKS
For eyes, dip a clean a flannel in warm, not hot, water ( test it for comfort on your inner wrist or forearm ) and apply to baby’s eye for 5 to 10 minutes every 3 hours.

HEATING PAD
A hot-water bottle,which has no cords or heating element, is usually safer to use with an infant. If you use a heating pad, reread directions before each use, be sure the pad and cord are in good condition, and cover entirely with a cloth nappy if the pad doesn’t have cloth covering. Keep the temperature low, do not leave baby during treatment, and use for no more than 15 minutes at a time.

HOT SOCKS
Fill a basin with water that feels comfortably hot on your inner wrist or arm ( not to your fingers ). Never use water you haven’t tested first. Immerse injured part in basin.

HOT-WATER BOTTLE
Fill a hot-water bottle with water that is just a little warm to the touch. Wrap the bottle in a towel or cloth nappy before applying to baby’s skin.

ICE PACK
Use a commercial ice pack you keep in the freezer or a plastic bag filled with ice cubes ( and a couple of paper towels to absorb the melting ice ) and closed with a twist tie or rubber band. You can also use an unopened can of frozen juice concentrate or an unopened packet of frozen food. Do not apply the ice pack directly to a baby’s skin.

INCREASED FLUIDS
If you are advise to increase fluids; frequently nurse the solely breast fed baby. Give formula to a bottle-fed baby,Unless instructed otherwise by the doctor. Give water between feedings for babies older than six months,if recommended by your doctor. When baby is taking juice,dilute to half juice,half water. For an older baby,ask the doctor about re hydration fluids. Do not force fluids unless the doctor tells you to. When baby is vomiting, tiny sips of fluids spaced out stay better than large quantities.

NASAL ASPIRATION
With baby held upright,squeeze the bulb of an aspirator and place the tip carefully in one nostril. Slowly release the bulb no draw mucus into it. Repeat with the second nostril. If mucus is dried and caked, irrigate with salt water ( see below ) and aspirate again.

1. Boil one cup mustard oil with four tablespoon heena (mehendi) leaves. Filter it and keep it in a bottle. Message it on the bald patches regularly. It is very effective natural remedy for baldness.
2. Grind fenugreek seeds with water and apply on the head. Leave for at least 40 minutes before washing. Continue it for a month.
3. Do a vigorous rubbing of the scalp with fingers after washing the hair with cold water. It is also a good natural hair loss treatment.
4. Rub the bald area with onions till it becomes red. Then apply honey on the bald area. It is very effective natural cure for baldness
5. Make a mixture of honey with egg yolk. Properly massage on the scalp and hairs. Leave for a 1/2 hour, then wash
6. Prepare a home made shampoo by adding 5 tbsp of curd, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 2 tbsp of gram raw (chholia) powder. Apply it on the head for an hour and then wash
7. Apply fresh leaf juice of amaranth to the hair. It will help the growth of the hair and keep it soft.

Lifestyle changes and natural remedies may help to control high blood pressure, but your doctor may also recommend medication to lower high blood pressure. It is important to work with your doctor, because untreated high blood pressure may damage organs in the body and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney disease, and vision loss. See a drawing of a hypertensive heart.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

There is some evidence that the supplement CoQ10 may help to reduce high blood pressure.

A 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 83 people with systolic hypertension examined the effect of CoQ10 supplements (60 mg twice daily). After the 12 weeks, there was a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 17.8 mm Hg in the Coq10-treated group.

Another study conducted at the University of Western Australia looked at the effect of CoQ10 on blood pressure and glycemic control in 74 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100mg CoQ10 twice daily, 200mg of the drug fenfibrate, both, or neither for 12 weeks.

Garlic

In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. Researchers concluded that garlic powder supplement may be of clinical use in patients with mild high blood pressure.

Garlic supplements should only be used under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) similar to aspirin. Garlic may interact with many drugs and supplements such as the prescription “blood-thinners” drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline), aspirin, vitamin E, gingko. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic stop in the weeks before and after any type of surgery.

Hawthorn

The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure.

In a randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers in Reading, UK, 79 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 1200 mg of hawthorn extract a day or placebo for 16 weeks. Medication for high blood pressure was used by 71% of the patients.

At the end of the 16 weeks, patients taking the hawthorn supplement had a significant reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure (2.6 mm Hg). No herb-drug interactions were reported.

Do’s and Don’t for Depression

Following are some of the simple tips to prevent depression:

- Take light foods that are easy to digest.

- Avoid hot foods, oily foods, spicy foods and pulses like Bengal gram.

- Restrict your intake of meats and milk products during bouts of depression.

- Patient should be given balanced diet rich in green vegetables, fruits, grams, brown rice, wheat flour, fresh juice (all these are rich in Vitamin B), etc

- Avoid too much intake of caffeine, chocolates; beverages, junk and fried foods Patient suffering from depression should stay away from these unhealthy foodstuffs.

- Vitamin C is anti depressant so include lots of vitamin C in your diet. Some fruits rich in Vitamin C are amla (Indian gooseberry), lemons, oranges, etc.

- Do regular exercises. It plays an important role in reducing depression. Exercises not only keep the body physically and mentally fit, but also provides happiness and mental relaxation.

- Yoga is also very effective in the treatment of depression. It makes both body and mind healthy and strong. Yoga and meditation both have important role in making people mentally strong and healthy from inside.

- Patient suffering from depression should indulge in activities that make him happy, he should talk, play and involve in other activities with other people. This way he will stay away from the depressing atmosphere he has made around himself.

Measles is a highly contagious acute viral disease. This disease is marked by a characteristic rash, fever, sneezing, coughing, and lymph node tenderness. Spread primarily by airborne droplets that travel from the throat, mouth, or nose of an infected person, there are two types of measles, rubella and rubeola. German (or three-day) measles is actually rubella. The second kind, rubeola, is sometimes called the seven-day measles. Most people have had the disease as children and have developed an immunity or have been immunized against it.

MEASLES TEA 1
1 teaspoon goldenAeal root
1 teaspoon marshmallow root
1 cup boiling water
Combine the above herbs in a nonmetallic container and cover with the boiling water; steep for 30 minutes; cool and strain. Take up to one cup a day, a tablespoon or two at a time.

MEASLES TEA 2
2 teaspoons echinacea root
3 teaspoons pau d’arco bark
1 teaspoon mullein leave
3 teaspoons yellow dock root
1 cup boiling water
Combine the above herbs in a container. Take one teaspoon of the mixture and cover with the boiling water; steep for 20 minutes; strain. Take up to two cups a day, a tablespoon or two at a time.

Apple-cider vinegar applied to a washcloth can be rubbed between your toes to relieve the itch and remove scales and dead skin.

Calendula cream, ointment, or tincture diluted in warm water has anti- fungal, astringent, and healing properties, and can be used two to three times a day.

Drinking a cup of chamomile tea three times a day, and also applying the tea directly to the affected area with a cotton ball three times a day, should help.

Garlic extract is one of the best herbal antifungals. Take 6 teaspoonfuls each day. In addition, you can put raw garlic in a blender and apply it to the rash three times a day with a cotton ball. Dust your feet and shoes with garlic powder daily. Garlic’s antifungal properties have been documented by clinical studies, which show that people taking garlic have blood serum levels with significant antifungal activity.

Ginger tea, made from 2 ounces of fresh ginger root simmered in 8 ounces of water for twenty minutes, contains more than twenty different antifungal compounds. Drink a cup of ginger tea three times a day. You can also make compresses by soaking cotton in the tea and apply them to the affected area for five minutes three times a day

Goldenseal is a good antifungal agent. Add 5 drops of the tincture to juice and drink it three times a day. Or simmer 6 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of water for twenty minutes to make tea. Strain out the herbal matter and apply the tea to the rash with a fresh cotton ball three times a day

Drink a cup of lemongrass tea three times a day and also apply the used tea bags to the affected area. This should help toe nail fungus to clear faster.

Olive leaf extract has antifungal properties and helps to fortify the immune system. Take 250 milligrams three times a day.

Pau d’arco tea may be sipped three times a day to increase the body’s immunity and enhance lymphatic drainage.

A mixture of 2 tablespoons of pau d’arco tincture, 4 teaspoon each of tea tree and lavender tincture, 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint tincture, and 4 ounces of vinegar can be added to enough warm water to make a healing foot bath. Use this treatment three times a day, drying the feet thoroughly afterward.

Turmeric oil, diluted with two parts water to one part turmeric oil, can be applied to the affected area with a cotton ball three times a day to speed healing of your fungal infection. Additionally, you can take 300 milligrams of turmeric extract orally three times a day.

Some commercial antifungal lotions combine herbals with pharmaceuticals to get the benefits of both. Also, mixtures of antifungal herbs work synergistically, or much better, than single herbs. One such product combines tolnaftate, myrrh, tea tree oil, aloe vera, calendula, rosemary, and thyme.

Other contributing causes include antibiotics, which destroy protective intestinal bacteria, and a variety of immune-damaging factors and environmental toxins. Sugar and carbohydrate excess, or estrogen imbalance (hormone therapy` pill, PMS),
sweetens the tissues, creating a yeast breeding ground. Food allergies and a toxic digestive system (dysbiosis) complete the picture. Home remedies for yeast infection can reverse the imbalance and return it to normal levels.

Systemic infection with candida and other strains of yeast is epidemic today and is an underlying factor in many chronic conditions (e.g. migraines, colitis, obesity, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, sinusitis, PMS). This is a result of immune failure and contributes to immunity’s progressive weakening. Home remedies for yeast infection can also be used in combination with other remedies for the above mention symptoms.

Home remedies for Yeast Infection 1: Black Walnut—Juglans nigra
• Unripe, green hulls contain juglone, an effective antifungal agent.
• Assists with systemic candida, athlete’s foot and ring worm infections.
• Also inhibits other fungi, cryptococcus, salmonella, staph, E. coli.

Home remedies for Yeast Infection 2: Cat’s Claw—Una de gato/Uncaria tormentosa
• Has antimicrobial effects for fungi, viruses, bacteria, parasites.
• Important intestinal cleanser for dysbiosis, leaky gut, diverticulitis, colitis, Crohn’s. Anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, immune strengthening.

Home remedies for Yeast Infection 3: Celandine–Chelidonium majus
• Treats candida effectively; powerful liver detox fier and hepatic strength-
ener; helps in removal of candida metabolites from the bloodstream.

Home remedies for Yeast Infection 4: Garlic—Allium sativa
• Contains several antifungal ingredients; rapidly destroys yeast.
• Stimulates immune function. Highly antiseptic, effective in infections, and is beneficial for long-term use against chronic candida syndromes.

Home remedies for Yeast Infection 5: Goldenseal—Hydrastis canadensis
• Strong antifungal effects, while healing intestinal mucus linings.
• Strengthens and detoxifies the liver; immune and white cell stimulant.