Indigestion

Indigestion, also known as upset stomach or dyspepsia, is a painful or burning feeling in the upper abdomen, often accompanied by nausea, abdominal bloating, belching, and sometimes vomiting. A disease or an ulcer in the digestive tract might cause indigestion, but for most people, it results from eating too much, eating too quickly, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful situations. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, using medications that irritate the stomach lining, being tired, and having ongoing stress can also cause indigestion or make it worse.

Avoiding the foods and situations that seem to cause indigestion is the most successful way to treat it. Excess stomach acid does not cause or result from indigestion, so antacids are not an appropriate treatment, although some people report that they do help. Smokers can help relieve their indigestion by quitting smoking, or at least not smoking right before eating. Exercising with a full stomach may cause indigestion, so scheduling exercise before a meal or at least an hour afterward might help. <Read More>

Impotence

The continuing disability to achieve and/ or maintain a penile erection sufficient to complete agreeable intercourse is called impotence or erectile dysfunction. In 1992, the National Institute of Health defined erectile dysfunction as the inability to attain or sustain an erection adequate for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Impotence should not be confused with male infertility. They are two very separate conditions; a man unable to maintain an erection may be perfectly normal in every other way as well as capable of fathering a child.

Although this condition increases progressively with age, it is not an inevitable consequence of aging and steps can be taken to minimize the risks of erectile dysfunction:

• Antidepressants and anti-psychotic drugs can lessen the chances of impotence by treating the psychological factors associated with this Malfunction of mind or body.


• Consult your physician for alternative medication if the one you are using currently has been known to impair erectile functioning as a side effect.


• Education and reassurance can go a long way in aiding individuals experiencing erectile difficulty.


• Avoid excessive smoking and alcohol consumption.

High Blood Pressure

When the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the blood vessels (the tiny tubes that carry blood throughout your body) is higher than normal because the blood vessels have either become less able to stretch or have gotten smaller; then the patient is suffering from High Blood Pressure or Hypertension. Hypertension is classified into two main types, primary or essential hypertension and secondary or systemic hypertension.

Hypertension occurs when arterioles, small blood vessels that branch off from the arteries, become constricted making it difficult for blood to pass through them. As a result, blood pressure rises causing the heart to work harder. If blood pressure at rest stays at 140/90 or more, it means that the individual is suffering from hypertension. <Read More>

Herpes Simplex

An infection caused by the herpes virus, characterized by the eruption of painful blisters on the skin is called Herpes Simplex. Herpes simplex virus can lead to the outbreak of infections on the lips, mouth and face (Herpes Simplex Virus type1). This condition can also cause genital lesions (Herpes Simplex Virus type 2) as well as chicken pox and shingles (Varicella-zoster virus). HSV infections can be very annoying because they can reappear. The sores are usually painful and unsightly and for chronically ill people and newborn babies, the viral infection can be serious but rarely fatal.

Herpes Simplex can be caused by at least eight distinct DNA viruses, including herpes simplex virus type 1; herpes simplex virus type 2, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and three newly described human herpes viruses, types 6, 7 and 8. The herpes virus proliferates by spreading to nerve cells within the body and then to other mucosal skin surfaces. It remains dormant in the body after a primary infection and can reoccur after some time. <Read More>

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a disorder in which viruses or other mechanisms produce inflammation in liver cells, resulting in their injury or destruction. In most cases this inflammatory process is triggered when the immune system fights off infections caused by viruses. It can also be caused, however, by an overactive immune system that attacks its own liver cells. Hepatitis varies in severity from a self-limited condition with total recovery to a life-threatening or life-long disease.

Hepatitis can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, infestation with parasites, chemicals (alcohol or drugs), toxins, or immune diseases. Viruses, which attack the liver, cause the most cases of hepatitis; these viruses are named with the letters A through G. <Read More>

Heart Failure

Heart Failure or Congestive Heart Failure is a disease in which the heart muscle weakens and as a result hinders the ability of the heart to efficiently pump blood. In some cases, this weakening can be caused as a result of a heart attack, but in many cases the coronary arteries are normal.
There are two main categories of heart failure--systolic and diastolic:

• Systolic heart failure occurs when the heart's ability to contract decreases. The heart cannot pump with enough force to push a sufficient amount of blood into the circulation. Blood coming into the heart from the lungs may back up and cause fluid to leak into the lungs, a condition known as pulmonary congestion.


• Diastolic heart failure occurs when the heart has a problem with relaxing. It cannot properly fill with blood because the muscle has become stiff, losing its ability to relax. This form may lead to fluid accumulation, especially in the feet, ankles, and legs.

Doctors are usually able to diagnose the condition of heart failure through a physical examination. He will look for shortness of breath, fatigue and swollen ankles or feet. He will also check for the presence of risk factors, such as hypertension, obesity, and a history of heart problems. <Read More>

Heart Burn

Heartburn, also called acid indigestion; pyrosis; stomach acid or acid stomach, is described as a burning chest pain that begins behind the breastbone and moves upward to the neck and throat. Most people suffer from heartburn at one time or another. This condition may last as long as two to three hours or it becomes worse, after eating. Smoking, caffeine and alcohol may increase the level of acid in the stomach, causing even more heartburn.

Heartburn pain can also be mistaken for a heart attack or heart disease. But, there are major differences in between the two. Usually heartburn pain is not associated with any physical activity, while exercise can increase the pain resulting from heart disease or the onset of a heart attack and rest may temporarily relieve the pain. Chest pain from hiatus hernia and/or esophageal spasms may be extremely difficult to distinguish from chest pain of cardiac origin. <Read More>