Diseases & secondary effects

Lymphocytes are small leucocytes or white blood cells occurring in the lymphatic system that the body produces to help fight back disease. When you have high lymphocytes it means that the body has taken out its defense mechanism and is letting you know that you may be battling an infection, autoimmune disease...

Irritable bowel syndrome or colitis is a syndrome that afflicts up to 20% of the general population and carries with it a bad disposal of feces, swelling and pain in the abdomen. Knowing how to live with this condition is about adapting your dietary needs at present to ease these inconveniences in the bathroom...

Sprains, known colloquially as twisted ankles, are injuries to the ligaments or joints. When you sprain your ankle the bones are unaffected and the joints and ligaments do not break. Therefore, a sprain is not considered to be a serious injury, although it requires treatment; this is because the affected...

When you receive a blow or a bruise, or when a foreign agent infects an area of your body, the body's reaction is to inflame the affected area as a defense mechanism. Inflammation isolates the agent causing the damage and simultaneously repairs the affected tissue by increasing the blood supply to the...

A pilonidal cyst, also known as pilonidal sinus, appears in the sacrococcygeal area, in the middle of back and very close to the inter-gluteal cleft. These cysts occur when a hair enters the subcutaneous tissue and a cyst is formed around the hair to isolate it. It tends to happen to people between 15...

Most food products tend to be sold with an expiration date on the label that will tell you for how long can you store it and consume it before food goes bad. Yogurt and cheese usually have a shortened expiration date after which they will start to rot or become moldy. Sometimes you will smell and taste...

There are some foods that can be eaten past the due date and will not cause you any health problems. When you have bought good high quality meat from the butcher but you start to see that it is going bad in the fridge you might be tempted to eat it. Spoiled meat might start smelling rancid, look slimy...

Sadly, every year, many incidents are being reported of victims ingesting alcohol or other drugs against their consent. The crimes cannot always be apprehended, as they are usually perpetrated in seemingly non-threatening settings, such as summer parties, nightclubs, festivals, 'date nights', fraternity...

Fungi are microbes that live on our skin and in our dead tissue such as the scalp or nails. Fungal infections on skin begin with a small fungal infection rash of red bumps that gradually grows larger and becomes itchy. When fungal infections occur, they can then reach all areas of the body. Although fungal...

Otitis media with effusion is the collection of fluid in the middle ear. The main difference from acute otitis media is that in otitis media with effusion the patient doesn´t present any signs of ear infection. It is most common in children under 2. Otitis media with effusion in adults is quite rare....

There are many ways that we can cook food to make it tastier and easier to eat. For instance, vegetables can be blended into thick soups so that they are easier to swallow by small children. Other times, this process helps to prevent people from choking on olive pits or fish bones that are naturally...

Nausea can arise as a result of many things, e.g. taking certain medications, pregnancy, aggressive medical treatments (such as chemotherapy), dizziness or simply because the stomach is unsettled. When you feel nauseous you shouldn't force yourself to eat or drink. Rather, you should eat every two or...

Pink eye is another term used for the medical condition known as conjunctivitis that results in an inflamed and swollen eye. Conjunctivitis mustn’t be confused with the pink eye that often results from an environmental allergy. Both of these conditions share similar symptoms but often the causes and...

Most eye product manufacturers will specify that it is safe to wear contact lenses for up to 8 hours in a day. If you sleep with the same contact lenses that you have been wearing all day you will easily bypass the amount of time that it is recommended by experts. Forgetting to remove your contact lenses...

One of the benefits of wearing contact lenses is that you can put them on just after you wake up and forget about them for the rest of the day. However, you still need to remember to remove your contact lenses before you go to sleep at the end of the day. While some people claim that they sleep with their...

The spleen is the organ responsible for filtering blood, remove germs and cope with numerous diseases making it very important for the lymphatic system, although we will inevitably get sick sometimes. In fact, its swelling is one of the most common disorders it can suffer and we must be careful with this...

As a result of a bacterial infection of the bladder and urinary tract a person can contract a urinary tract infection (UTI). The bladder and kidneys are responsible for transporting urine outside of the body; thus if you have a UTI you may experience symptoms such as a burning sensation when urinating,...

A stye is a bacterial infection which causes the appearance of a painful lump on a lower or upper eyelid. It's not a serious condition, but is actually very common, especially in children although anyone can get one Because it's a bacterial infection, certain measures can be taken into consideration...

Surely you've ever heard that if you are prone to suffer from nasty urinary tract infections, you should be knocking back the cranberry juice. This is a very old remedy that is based on the properties of this delightful fruit, which has the magical properties to help us deal with the main bacteria causing...

Eye health very important and special care sould be taken when using contact lenses. Unhygienic habits when when handling your contact lenses can result in eye infections and can lead to vision problems or can even cause cause injuries to your eyes. If your contact lenses are irritating or bothering you,...

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that attacks the human body of someone who has come into contact with the bacteria Treponema pallidum during close contact with the genitals. When this occurs, the disease rapidly spreads through the body and leads to serious complications if left untreated. At...

Eye contacts are a viable and preferred alternative to wearing glasses. They sit directly on the eye giving a wider range of vision and can be worn during physical activities without the risk of falling off or breaking. However, contacts impact the amount of oxygen reaching the eye, which can contribute...

Asthma is a chronic lung disease which causes severe breathing problems due to the obstruction of airflow in the lungs. It can be of two types: acute and chronic. People who don’t have a good understanding of the disease become fearful and anxious when they can’t breathe properly. A thorough understanding...

Hematocrit is the percentage of blood volume that is composed of red blood cells. This level differs in men and women: it should be at around 45% of blood for men and 40% women. Increased blood hematocrit levels involve the risk of thrombosis due to the accumulation of red blood cells, so you run the...

If exercise is part of your daily routine, surely at some point you had to deal with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, also known as DOMS. This muscle pain occurs because of the micro-breaks of muscle fibres and can become very annoying during the day and hinder your training. Although DOMS can be a bit...

People often confuse between the skin conditions eczema and rosacea. This is because both their symptoms are very similar. In both skin conditions redness and swelling occurs. However, it is important to tell the difference between the two because the inappropriate treatment could make the condition worse....

Degenerative arthritis of the hip, also known as osteoarthritis of the hip, is a problem that affects more women than men and can greatly damage one's quality of life. It may appear simply as a result of time after the age of 60. Other causes include dislocations, poor nutrition or bone problems suffered...

Sweat, as well as being annoying, is a cause for concern for many people. Those who sweat excessively feel uncomfortable and insecure; they tend to think that the whole world is staring at them, though this is rarely the case. It is a complex that can eventually lead to insecurity, especially at times...

Phlebitis or thrombophlebitis is an acute inflammation of a vein due to the formation of a blood clot, which can happen at surface level or in deeper tissues. It can occur in different areas of the body, but usually the legs are most affected. It can cause symptoms such as pain, numbness, tenderness,...

Over time, your body changes and loses strength, flexibility and stability. One of the unmistakable symptoms of this degenerative process can be a worn joint cartilage. This is one of the most common signs of arthritis caused by overexertion which places a strain on your joints, whether during movement...

The condition of difficulty swallowing is medically known as Dysphagia. This bothering condition feels like you constantly have something stuck in your throat, making it difficult to breathe. This feeling usually occurs at the back of the throat, just behind the tongue. This pain can be mild but it can...

Almost everyone has moles and for the most part they are harmless. However it is important to recognize changes in your mole as they can be warning signs that a melanoma may be developing. This OneHowTo article sets out four simple ways to identify whether your mole could be a melanoma and when to...

Achondroplasia, popularly known as dwarfism, is a condition that affects 1 in 20,000 people. Sufferers have an average size head while the body is smaller than usual, with less than 1.30 in women and 1.40 in men. Many people say that this condition is inherited, but is it true? If you're wondering if dwarfism...

Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed you have a small red spot on your eyeball? Although at first glance this might seem somewhat disturbing, it is in fact a very common condition that usually goes away without treatment. There can be many reasons why these spots appear, the most common of...

Fungi are microorganisms that live in different places, including the human body. They can appear for different reasons and cause different symptoms such as skin irritation and redness that can lead to infections. These infections are usually found in moist areas of our body, since these are the areas...

Seborrheic dermatitis is a condition that affects the greasy areas of the skin such as the scalp, the inner ear and face. This condition causes white or yellow-coloured skin flakes and in some cases may cause redness in the affected area. It is a chronic condition, meaning it is for life but is controllable...

Many cancer patients think harder about chemotherapy than they do about cancer itself. However, the type and severity of any side effects will depend on the type and dose of chemotherapy you receive and how your body reacts to it. One thing you mustn't forget is that chemotherapy is your ally, it's your...

Often, we confuse the terms arthritis and osteoarthritis - that or we may even come to think that they are the same condition in our joints. The truth is that they are two different diseases, so it is important to differentiate between them and to know how each one affects us. To do this, we explain...

Blood donation is a selfless act that can help and save the lives of hundreds of patients. It's a basic requirement for emergency procedures, helping patients in need of transfusions and those suffering from blood loss, as well as supplying blood banks. Many people don't realise that blood plasma has...

The conjunctiva is the tissue over the eye that protects the eyeball from bacteria and infection. However, when this protective layer becomes inflamed or irritated, it leads to what is known as conjunctivitis. It may appear after contact with irritants such as smoke, pollution or dust or because some...

Anaemia appears in the human body when the haemoglobin levels, a protein that is responsible for transmitting oxygen around the body, are critically low. This alteration can be treated naturally by increasing the intake of essential nutrients, such as iron and vitamin C. These can be found in various fruits,...

Trapezius muscle strain is an extremely uncomfortable condition in which you just cannot move your shoulders in any direction, nor can you perform any head activity without discomfort or pain in the area. You can't even move your neck around easily. The trapezius muscle is one of the biggest muscles in your...

Tonsils are the lumps of tissue which you can see part of at the back sides of your throat. If we have to tell you where the tonsils are, then you have never had tonsillitis. It is a painful and very uncomfortable inflammation of the tonsils caused by a variety of viral and bacterial infections. There...

Eye Pressure is caused by a build-up of eye fluid. This can be the trigger for a disease known as glaucoma. This condition causes a deterioration in nerve fibres of the eye, a situation that if not addressed early can lead to blindness. To avoid this it is recommendable to lower the eye pressure. This can...

Comparing dengue fever and the flu virus in the same article may not have an obvious rationale. One is a common virus with cold-like symptoms which can happen anywhere in the world. The other is a tropical disease which is known for being spread by ectoparasitic insects such as mosquitos. However, in...

Lymph nodes are a very important part of the immune system as they are responsible for identifying and fighting viruses, bacteria, germs, infections and other external agents. Lymph nodes are located in many parts of the body, but you can feel them in areas like the neck, groin, armpit, behind the ears and under...

A hypertensive crisis is an acute rise of blood pressure that requires urgent medical assessment. The parameters indicating a hypertensive crisis are values above 110 mmHg in diastolic pressure or above 180 mmHg in systolic pressure. Blood pressure figures lower than those stated should still be considered...

Tonsillitis is the inflammation of tonsils, which is identified by redness and swelling of tonsils caused by a bacteria or virus. Sometimes, it is just mild inflammation, but at others, it causes a lot of discomfort and pain to the patient. If you are showing symptoms of tonsillitis, there are certain...

Even if you are surrounded with sneezing, coughing and sniffling people, you can stay well if you have a healthy immune system. You must have heard that avoiding processed foods and sugar can go a long way in keeping your immunity strengthened, but did you know that certain vegetables can help to give...

When an upset stomach due to diarrhea becomes intense it can prevent us from eating normally for some time. During these periods it is important to take care of our stomach and help it recover and return to normal. While we may not feel like eating we should not spend too many hours without doing so or we...