CARE OF NEW BORN BABY

 The care of your newborn baby will be messy. Here are a few tips from experienced parents to help make life easier.

Breastfeeding and Nursing

It has been first week of new born baby. Newbie finally growing better and need breast feedings. Even though nature has done a pretty good job of provided that you and your baby with the right tools, in the beginning it's almost guaranteed to be harder than you expected. From sore nipples to tough latch-ones, feeding and nursing can seem irresistible. "Think of ways to ensure success before you even give birth," suggests Stacey Brosnan, a lactation consultant in New York City. Talk with friends who had a good nursing experience, ask baby's pediatrician for a lactation consultant's number, or attend a La Leche League (nursing support group) meeting. At home, you'll want to drop everything to feed the baby the moment she cries for you. But Heather O'Donnell, a mom in New York City, suggests taking care of you first. "Get a glass of water and a book or publication to read." And, because breastfeeding can take a while, she says, go for toilet first!". If your breasts are distended or you have blocked ducts a heating pad or a warm, wet washcloth works, but a flax pillow (often sold with natural beauty products) is even better. "Heat it in the microwave, and conform it to your breast," says Laura Kriska, a mom in Brooklyn, New York. If your breasts are sore after nursing, try a cold pack. Amy Hooker, a San Diego mom, says, "A bag of icy peas worked really well for me." If you want baby to eventually take a bottle, introduce it after breastfeeding is established but before the 3-month mark. Many experts say 6 to 8 weeks is good, but "we started each of our kids on one bottle a day at 3 weeks," says Jill Sizemore, a mom in Pendleton, Indiana.

Sleeping and Soothing

If your baby isn't eating, he's most likely sleeping. Newborns log as many as 16 hours of sleep a day but only in short bursts. The result: You'll feel on constant alert and more exhausted than you ever thought possible. Even the best of us can come to resent the severe sleep scarcity. There's only one goal right now: Care for your baby. "You are not going to get a full night's sleep, so you can either be tired and angry or just tired," says Vicki Lansky, author of Getting Your Child to Sleep...and Back to Sleep (Book Peddlers). "Just tired is easier." One night it's Mom's turn to rock the crabby baby, the next it's Dad's turn. Amy Reichard and her husband, Richard, parents in Denver, worked out a system for the weekends, when Richard was off from work. "I'd be up with the baby at night but got to sleep in. Richard did all the morning care and then got to nap later." The old saying "Sleep when your baby sleeps" really is the best advice. "Take naps together and go to bed early," says Sarah Clark, a mom in Washington, D.C. Do whatever it takes: Nurse or swing baby to sleep; let your newborn fall asleep on your chest or in the car seat. "Don't worry about bad habits yet. It's about survival!" says Jean Farnham, a Los Angeles mom. It's often hard to decipher exactly what baby wants in the first murky weeks. You'll learn, of course, by trial and error. "The key to soothing fussy infants is to mimic the womb. Swaddling, shushing, and swinging, as well as allowing babies to suck and holding them on their sides, may trigger a calming reflex," says Harvey Karp, MD, creator of The Happiest Baby on the Block books, videos, and DVDs. Forget the dubious theory that music makes a baby smarter, and concentrate on the fact that it's likely to calm him. "The Baby Einstein tapes saved us," says Kim Rich, a mom in Anchorage, Alaska. Alexandra Komisaruk, a mom in Los Angeles, found that diaper changes triggered a meltdown. "I made warm wipes using paper towels and a pump able thermos of warm water," she says. You can also buy an electric wipe warmer for a sensitive baby. "Doing deep knee bends and lunges while holding my daughter calmed her down," says Emily Earle, a mom in Brooklyn, New York. "And the upside was, I got my legs back in shape!" If all else fails, and baby's umbilical cord stub has fallen off try a warm bath together. "You'll relax, too, and a relaxed mommy can calm a baby," says Emily Franklin, a Boston mom.

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Pregnancy Tips

Make sure that you get in all the nutrients that your stiff needs during your pregnancy, you have to to eat a mixture of foods from all the major food groups: Carbohydrate-rich foods are an significant source of energy for you and your emergent baby. And any pregnant woman will tell you the energy that lasts the whole day, and avoid the energy slumps, moodiness and headaches that come with low blood sugar. The whole-grain products are all high in fibre, which can help to ward off constipation. Protein-rich foods supply the building blocks that are used to create your baby’s body. During the second half of your pregnancy, when baby is growing fast, you will need to eat more protein than previously; and if you are carrying twins you will need even more protein. Most animal foods are rich in protein, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products. You should try to include some form of protein with every meal. Fruits and vegetables are essential for your own health more than anything else. Getting your five-a-day will help to keep your resistant system strong and your colon happy. A balanced meal carrying protein, fruit or vegetable and a bit of vigorous fat will ensure that you get in a good mixture of nutrients.

Requirements, Energy, appetite supplements and weight

During the early days, your energy necessities stay more or less the same. Many women also struggle with nausea and food aversions during this time. During the middle months, however, you need to take in more energy to help your baby grow up. You may also notice an increase in your hunger, and you should start to put on weight at a rate of 1-2 kg per month. All of this is usual and healthy; pregnancy is definitely not the time to attempt a weight-loss diet! Some nutrients are required in such large amounts during pregnancy that it is nearly impossible to get enough from your diet only, so it is suitable to supplement them. The two most significant nutrients to supplement are folic acid (folate) and iron. Folic acid is significant in the early months to ensure that the baby’s brain and spinal cord increase properly, and it is important during the rest of the pregnancy to support growth. Iron is needed to generate extra red blood cells, both for yourself and your baby. The least supplements that you should be taking is folic acid (preferably starting even before commencement) and iron from the middle months on-wards. However, there are many studies that show a collective multivitamin-mineral supplement gives the best possible outcomes for both mom and baby, so the best is to take a pregnancy-specific multivitamin. If you suffer with nausea you may want to attach to folic acid in the early months, since multivitamins can make the nausea bad. You should start taking a multivitamin no later than the middle months.

Things to be avoided

There are a few things that are absolute dangerous for your baby that you should avoid or limit during pregnancy: No amount of alcohol is known to be safe for the developing fetus. If you haven’t quite yet, now is the time. Caffeine should be restricted to no more than two cups of tea, coffee or cola drinks a day. Rooibos tea is caffeine free, so you can drink that as much as you want. Medicine, including any herbal or traditional remedies, should be discussed with your healthcare source. Even something as simple as a headache tablet can be harmful at certain times during pregnancy. Your baby’s health starts accurate here, with every bite you put in your mouth. Choose the healthiest options to give your baby the best possible start in life.

The Last month

It is  almost over. In just a few weeks, you are finally going to meet the baby you have talked to and dreamed about. But be prepared, the last month of pregnancy is often the most puzzling for hoping fathers. At times you may be almost overcome with excitement and anticipation. At other times you may be feeling so scared and trapped that you want to run away. In short, all the feelings good and bad that you have practiced over the last eight months are back. Here are a few of the ambiguous emotional stages you may find physically going through during the final stages of the pregnancy On the one hand, you may be feeling confident about your readiness to be a dad. On the other hand, you may be worried and unsure about whether you’ll be able to handle your dual roles as husband and father. All you’ll probably want to do at the end of the day is go home and relax. But with your partner less and less able to handle physical tasks, you may be greeted at the door with a list of chores that need to be done. You and your partner may be feeling an exceptionally strong emotional bond with each other. At the same time, your sex life may have completely disappeared. As your partner gets more and more uncomfortable, she may feel less and less like going out with friends, so the two of you have to enjoy some quiet, private time before the baby comes. But it may also be an unwelcome opportunity to get on each others nerves. By this time your attention and that of your friends and family is focused straight on your partner and the baby. Since you are the person she’s closest to and sees most often, your partner is going to be more and more dependent on you not only to help her physically, but to get her through the last-month of pregnancy emotional ups and downs.

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What is Low Blood Pressure and its treatment

Hypo-tension is the medical term for low blood pressure (less than 90/60). A blood pressure reading appears as two numbers. The first and higher of the

two is a measure of systolic pressure or the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats and fills them with blood. The second number measures diastolic pressure or the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 (systolic/diastolic). In healthy people, low blood pressure without any symptoms is not usually a concern and does not need to be treated. But low blood pressure can be a sign of an underlying problem especially in the elderly where it may cause inadequate blood flow to the heart, brain, and other vital organs. Chronic low blood pressure with no symptoms is almost never serious. But health problems can occur when blood pressure drops suddenly and the brain is deprived of an adequate blood supply. This can lead to dizziness or light headed-ness. Sudden drops in blood pressure most commonly occur in someone who's rising from a lying down or sitting position to standing. This kind of low blood pressure is known as postural hypo-tension or orthostatic hypo-tension. Another type of low blood pressure can occur when someone stands for a long period of time. This is called neutrally mediated hypo-tension.

Postural hypo-tension is considered a failure of the cardiovascular system or nervous system to react appropriately to sudden changes. Normally, when you stand up, some blood pools in your lower extremities. Uncorrected, this would cause your blood pressure to fall. But your body normally compensates by sending messages to your heart to beat faster and to your blood vessels to constrict. This offsets the drop in blood pressure. If does not happen or happens too slowly, postural hypo-tension results. The risk of both low and high blood pressure normally increases with age due in part to normal changes during aging. In addition, blood flow to the heart muscle and the brain declines with age, often as a result of plaque buildup in blood vessels. An estimated 10% to 20% of people over age 65 have postural hypo-tension.

Treatments for Low Blood Pressure

For many people, chronic low blood pressure can be effectively treated with diet and lifestyle changes. Depending on the cause of your symptoms, your doctor may tell you to increase your blood pressure by making these simple

changes, Eat a diet higher in salt, Drink lots of nonalcoholic fluids, Limit alcoholic beverages, Drink more fluids during hot weather and while sick with a viral illness, such as a cold or the flu, Have your doctor evaluate your prescription and over-the-counter medications to see if any of them are causing your symptoms, Get regular exercise to promote blood flow, Be careful when rising from lying down or sitting. To help improve circulation, pump your feet and ankles a few times before standing up. Then proceed slowly. When getting out of bed, sit upright on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before standing, Elevate the head of your bed at night by placing bricks or blocks under the head of bed, Avoid heavy lifting, Avoid straining while on the toilet.

Avoid prolonged exposure to hot water, such as hot showers and spas. If you get dizzy, sit down. It may be helpful to keep a chair or stool in the shower in case you need to sit; to help prevent injury, use a nonslip chair or stool designed for use in showers and bath tubs, To avoid problems with low blood pressure and lessen episodes of dizziness after meals, try eating smaller, more frequent meals. Cut back on carbohydrates. Rest after eating, avoid taking drugs to lower blood pressure before meals, if needed, and use elastic support (compression) stockings that cover the calf and thigh. These may help restrict blood flow to the legs, thus keeping more blood in the upper body.

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Causes, Symptoms and Treatments of High Blood Pressure

You probably have high blood pressure (hypertension) if your blood pressure readings are consistently 140 over 90, or higher, over a number of weeks. You may also have high blood pressure if just one of the numbers is higher than it should be over a number of weeks. If you have high blood pressure, this higher pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. Over time, this extra strain increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure can also cause heart and kidney disease, and is closely linked to some forms of dementia. You can check your blood pressure on our Blood Pressure Chart.

Signs and symptoms of high blood pressure

High blood pressure usually has no signs or symptoms, so the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have yours measured. However, a single high reading does not necessarily mean you have high blood pressure. Many things can affect your blood pressure through the day, so your doctor will take a number of blood pressure readings to see that it stays high over time. Occasionally people with very high blood pressure say they experience headaches, but it is best to visit your GP if you are concerned about symptoms.

Causes of high blood pressure

For most people, there may be no single cause for their high blood pressure. We do not know exactly what causes high blood pressure. We do know that your lifestyle can affect your risk of developing it. You are at a higher risk if, you eat too much salt, you don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables, you are not active enough, you are overweight or you drink too much alcohol. You can help to lower your blood pressure and your risk of stroke and heart attack by making life style changes.

Additional causes of high blood pressure

There are some factors that increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, which you cannot control. These include age, as you get older, the

effects of an unhealthy lifestyle can build up and your blood pressure can increase, Ethnic origin: people from African-Caribbean and South Asian communities are at greater risk than other people of high blood pressure. Family history: you are at greater risk if other members of your family have, or have had, high blood pressure. Some people may have high blood pressure that is linked to another medical condition, such as kidney problems. For these people treating the medical problem may lower their blood pressure back to normal.

Control high blood pressure without medication

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication. Here are top lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

 

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline

2. Exercise regularly

3. Eat a healthy diet

4. Reduce sodium in your diet

5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

6. Quit smoking

7. Cut back on caffeine

8. Reduce your stress

9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly

10. Get support


in the next post we will discuss about What is Low Blood Pressure and its treatment

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Causes and Treatment of Diabetes

Diabetes can strike anyone, from any walk of life. And it does in numbers that are dramatically increasing. In the last decade, the cases of people living with diabetes jumped almost 50 percent to more than 29 million Americans. Worldwide, it afflicts more than 380 million people.  And the World Health Organization estimates that by 2030, that number of people living with diabetes wills more than double.  Today, diabetes takes more lives than AIDS and breast cancer combined -- claiming the life of 1 American every 3 minutes.  It is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure and stroke. Living with diabetes places an enormous emotional, physical and financial burden on the entire family. Annually, diabetes costs the American public more than $245 billion. Just what is diabetes?  To answer that, you first need to understand the role of insulin in your body.  When you eat, your body turns food into sugars, or glucose. At that point, your pancreas is supposed to release insulin. Insulin serves as a “key” to open your cells, to allow the glucose to enter -- and allow you to use the glucose for energy. But with diabetes, this system does not work. Several major things can go wrong – causing the onset of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the most common forms of the disease, but there are also other kinds, such as gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, as well as other forms.

Type 1 Diabetes

The more severe form of diabetes is type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes. It’s sometimes called “juvenile” diabetes, because type 1 diabetes usually

develops in children and teenagers, though it can develop at any age.  With type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks part of its own pancreas. Scientists are not sure why. But the immune system mistakenly sees the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas as foreign, and destroys them. This attack is known as "autoimmune" disease. Islets are the ones that sense glucose in the blood and, in response, produce the necessary amount of insulin to normalize blood sugars. Insulin serves as a key to open your cells, to allow the glucose to enter and allow you to use the glucose for energy.  Without insulin, there is no key.   So, the sugar stays and builds up-- in the blood. The result: the body’s cells starve from the lack of glucose. And, if left untreated, the high level of “blood sugar” can damage eyes, kidneys, nerves, and the heart, and can also lead to coma and death. So, a person with type 1 treats the disease by taking insulin injections. This outside source of insulin now serves as the “key” -- bringing glucose to the body’s cells. The challenge with this treatment is that it’s often not possible to know precisely how much insulin to take. The amount is based on many factors, including:

Food, Exercise, Stress, Emotions and general health

These factors fluctuate greatly throughout every day. So, deciding on what dose of insulin to take is a complicated balancing act. If you take too much, then your body burns too much glucose -- and your blood sugar can drop to a dangerously low level. This is a condition called hypoglycemia, which, if untreated, can be potentially life-threatening. If you take too little insulin, your body can again be starved of the energy it needs, and your blood sugar can rise to a dangerously high level -- a condition called hyperglycemia. This also increases the chance of long-term complications.

Type 2 Diabetes

The most common form of diabetes is called type 2, or non-insulin dependent diabetes. This is also called “adult onset” diabetes, since it typically develops after age 35. However, a growing number of younger people are now developing type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 are able to produce some of their own insulin. Often, it’s not enough. And sometimes, the insulin will try to serve as the “key” to open the body’s cells, to allow the glucose to enter. But the key won’t work. The cells won’t open. This is called insulin resistance. Often, type 2 is tied to people who are overweight, with a sedentary lifestyle. Treatment focuses on diet and exercise. If blood sugar levels are still high, oral medications are used to help the body use its own insulin more efficiently. In some cases, insulin injections are necessary.

Treatment & Care

 Diabetes is a common disease, yet every individual needs unique care. We encourage people with diabetes and their families to learn as much as possible about the latest medical therapies and approaches, as well as healthy lifestyle choices. Good communication with a team of experts can help you feel in control and respond to changing needs People with type 1 diabetes must use insulin. Some people with type 2 diabetes can manage their diabetes with healthy eating and exercise. However, your doctor may need to also prescribe oral medications (pills) and/or insulin to help you meet your target blood glucose levels.

in the next postwe will discuss about Causes, Symptoms and Treatments of High Blood Pressure

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Causes, Symptoms, Test and Treatment of Hepatitus C Virus

Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease caused by a virus. It is the most common blood borne disease in the United States, and most people who have it do not know it. Hepatitis C virus is the most widespread blood carried disease in the US, with an estimated 3.2 million persons chronically infected. Internationally, 130 to 150 million have chronic infection. Unfortunately, 50% of those infected are unaware Hepatitis C is spread by blood to blood contact, primarily through inject-able drug use. There are immunizations against hepatitis A and B, but not for C. In order to prevent becoming infected with the hepatitis C virus it is necessary to prevent exposure. If after being infected an individual did not naturally clear the virus in six months, the infection would become chronic and only curable with medication. There are medications in all pill form to heal chronic hepatitis C infection.

Causes of hepatitis C

HCV is caused by a virus transmitted through blood contact. A virus is a microscopic, infectious element that contains nucleic acid (genetic instruction DNA or RNA). HCV is an RNA virus. Viruses lie in a hidden state until entering the living cell of a host, where it will then hijack the cell's hardware to replicate itself. Research suggests that chronic HCV infection consists of millions, or billions of actual viruses circulating within the body. At least six distinct HCV genotypes named 1 to 6 and 70 sub-types have been identified. For a blood infection to occur, blood from an infected person must enter the body of someone who is not infected. By far, the biggest risk factor for becoming infected with HCV is inject-able drug use; specifically sharing needles or equipment used to inject drugs. A speck of blood so small that it is not view-able to the naked eye can carry hundreds of hepatitis C virus particles. Cleaning with alcohol or rinsing with soap and water, even letting the needle and syringe air dry for several days will not kill the virus. Once it is injected into the body, even if on only one occasion, exposure has occurred and infection is quite possible. Around 30% of persons who inject drugs are infected with HCV within the first two years of using. After five years of IDU, 90% of users will be infected.

Important Note

HCV is not transmitted through casual contact, respiratory droplets, sharing food, kissing, or through mosquito bites.

Symptoms of hepatitis C

Acute HCV infection is rarely diagnosed due to the lack of definitive symptoms. It is often referred to as a silent pandemic. The average time from exposure to symptom onset is 4-15 weeks. During this acute infection period, if symptoms are present then they are not considerably different to any other viral condition. Usually experienced are abdominal discomfort, nausea, fever, joint pain, fatigue, and jaundice. HCV becomes chronic when the virus remains in the blood a year after the acute infection period. Unless treated with medication, the infection is lifelong. Most people have no physical complaints with chronic infection, while some may have ongoing episodes of abdominal pain, persistent fatigue, and aching joints. After a 25 to 30 year period, this chronic infection may result in significant scarring (fibrosis) of the liver, which can progress to cirrhosis (complete fibrosis), liver failure, and possibly liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Frequently it is not until the liver is on the verge of collapse that the damage is apparent.

Tests and diagnosis of hepatitis C

Because of the lack of symptoms of acute HCV infection, it is often overlooked or considered a garden variety viral illness. Thus, it is rare for the infection to be diagnosed during the acute phase. A person infected with HCV produces an immune response, and only 20% will clear the virus on their own. The rest will remain chronically infected, and can unknowingly infect others. You can get tested for an HCV through a simple blood test called an HCV antibody (or anti-HCV) screen. There is an FDA-approved rapid test that provides results in 20 minutes. Otherwise, the blood is drawn through a venipuncture and processed at a lab. A negative test means no hepatitis exposure and no infection. A positive test means exposure; it does not prove HCV infection. All persons who have a positive HCV antibody need a second blood test called HCV RNA (PCR). This test will tell whether the virus is present. If the test is negative, there is no virus present and, therefore, no chronic infection.¹⁶ If positive; it will measure the amount of virus in the blood (viral load). A person with a positive PCR should see a liver specialist or other provider who is trained to evaluate and treat chronic HCV infection. It is important to understand that the positive antibody test will always remain positive, whether or not the virus is still present. Antibodies to HCV exposure do not mean long term protective immunity such as a person would receive through a measles vaccine or with chicken pox infection. There is no permanent resistant memory with HCV antibody; a person can certainly get re-infected with a different strain of the virus.

Once the chronic infection is confirmed the genotype needs to be designated (through a blood test), as it will determine the percentile cure rate, the length of treatment and the treatment protocol. In terms of infectiousness or aggressiveness, it is not the genotype but rather the overall health of the infected individual and liver that determines if or how quickly damage and possible progression to cirrhosis will occur. In some instances, a liver biopsy may be recommended, not to confirm the diagnosis, but rather for grading the severity of the disease, staging the degree of fibrosis and evaluating the extent of liver damage.

Treatment and prevention of hepatitis C

Because HCV can only be transmitted through blood to infected blood

exposure, the number one way to prevent spreading hepatitis C is by not sharing needles, and avoiding all contact with anyone else's blood. The current treatment for chronic hepatitis C is a combination of medications. The choice of medication and duration of treatment depends on the genotype of the virus. Genotype 1a is the most prevalent in the US, and presently there are three recommended treatment options using a certain combination of the medications listed below

Sofosbuvir, Paritaprevir, Ritonavir, Ombitasvir, Ribavirin, Simeprevir, Dasabuvir

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are the newest agents available to treat HCV. These medications work by targeting specific steps in the HCV life cycle and disrupting the virus from replicating. Before the availability of DAAs, the treatment for chronic HCV was lengthy and grueling, with less than ideal cure rates. Now the cure rates are over 90%. The average duration of treatment is 08 to 12 weeks. The medications are well tolerated with the most common side effect being headache and fatigue. Treating chronic HCV early in the disease course before the patient develops complications or progresses to life-threatening circumstances seems unequivocally the most logical choice.

Important Note

In hepatitis C virus infection, treatment is prevention. Yet, two million persons in the US do not know they are chronically infected.

In next post we will discuss about Causes and Treatment of Diabetes

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Common Digestive Conditions From Top to Bottom

Many digestive diseases have similar symptoms. Here’s how to recognize them and when to visit your doctor. Most people don’t like to talk about it, but having a gastrointestinal problem is common. There’s no need to suffer in silence. Here’s a top-to-bottom look at most prevalent digestive conditions, their symptoms, and the most effective treatments available. If you suspect you could have one of these issues, don't delay in speaking with your doctor. Top of Form Bottom of Form abdominal pain is a common symptom for several different digestive conditions, so it’s important to visit your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis. Twenty million Americans are affected by gallstones. Obesity is a risk factor for multiple digestive problems, including hemorrhoids and diverticulitis. Most people don’t like to talk about it, but having a gastrointestinal problem is common. There’s no need to suffer in silence. Here’s a top-to-bottom look at nine of the most prevalent digestive conditions, their symptoms, and the most effective treatments available. If you suspect you could have one of these issues, don't delay in speaking with your doctor.

Chest Pain: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

When stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, a condition called acid reflux, you may feel a burning pain in the middle of chest. It often occurs after meals or at night, says Necille Bamji, MD, a clinical instructor of medicine at The Mount Sinai Hospital and a gastroenterologist with New York Gastroenterology Associates. While it’s common for people to experience acid reflux and heartburn once in a while, having symptoms that affect your daily life or occur at least twice each week could be a sign of GERD, a Chronic digestive disease that effects 20 percent of Americans, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). If you experience persistent heartburn, bad breath, tooth erosion, nausea, pain in your chest or upper part of your abdomen, or have trouble swallowing or breathing, see your doctor. Most people find relief by avoiding the foods and beverages that trigger their symptoms and/or by taking over-the-counter antacids or other medications that reduce stomach acid production and inflammation of the esophagus; however, some cases of GERD require stronger treatment, such as medication or surgery.

Gallstones

Gallstones are hard deposits that form in your gallbladder, a small, pear-shaped sack that stores and secretes bile for digestion. Twenty million Americans are affected by gallstones, according to the NIDDK. Gallstones can form when there’s too much Cholesterol or waste in your bile or if your gallbladder doesn’t empty properly. When gallstones block the ducts leading from your gallbladder to your intestines, they can cause sharp pain in upper right abdomen. Medications sometimes dissolve gallstones, but if that doesn’t work, the next step is surgery to remove the gallbladder.  

Celiac Disease

An estimated 1 in 133 Americans has celiac disease, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, but it’s also estimated that 83 percent of people who have celiac disease don’t know they have it or have been misdiagnosed with a different condition. Celiac disease is a serious sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Eat gluten, and your immune system goes on the attack: It damages your villi, the fingerlike protrusions in your small intestines that help you absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. Symptoms of celiac disease in kids include abdominal pain and bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, and weight loss. Symptoms in adults also can include anemia, fatigue, bone loss, depression, and seizures. However, some people may not have any symptoms. The only treatment for celiac disease is to completely avoid eating gluten. Common cooking alternatives to gluten include brown rice, quinoa, lentils, soy flour, corn flour, and amaranth.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is part of a group of digestive conditions called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn’s most commonly affects the end of the small intestine called the ileum, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract. As many as 700,000 Americans may be affected by Crohn’s, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. This chronic condition is an autoimmune disease, meaning that your immune system mistakenly attacks cells in your own body that it thinks are foreign invaders. The most common Crohn’s symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fever. “Treatment depends on the symptoms and can include topical pain relievers, immunosuppressants, and surgery,” Dr. Bamji says.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is another inflammatory bowel disease that affects about 700,000 Americans. The symptoms of ulcerative colitis are very similar to those of Crohn's, but the part of the digestive tract affected is solely the large intestine, also known as the colon. If your immune system mistakes food or other materials for invaders, sores or ulcers develop in the colon’s lining. If you experience frequent and urgent bowel movements, pain with diarrhea, blood in your stool, or abdominal cramps, visit your doctor. Medication can suppress the inflammation, and eliminating foods that cause discomfort may help as well. In severe cases, treatment for ulcerative colitis may involve surgery to remove the colon.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Is your digestive tract irritable? Do you have stomach pain or discomfort at least three times a month for several months? It could be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), another common digestive condition. Ten to 15 percent of the U.S. population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. Signs of IBS can vary widely: You can be constipated or have diarrhea, or have hard, dry stools on one day and loose watery stools on another. Bloating is also a symptom of IBS. What causes IBS isn’t known, but treatment of symptoms centers largely on diet, such as avoiding common trigger foods (dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners and beans, cabbage, and other foods that produce gas), or following a low-fat diet that's also high in fiber. Friendly bacteria, such as the pro-biotic found in live yogurt, may also help you feel better. Stress can trigger IBS symptoms, so some people find cognitive-behavioral therapy or low-dose antidepressants to be useful treatments, as well.

Hemorrhoids

Bright red blood in the toilet bowl when you move your bowels could be a sign of hemorrhoids, which is a very common condition. In fact, 75 percent of Americans over the age of 45 have hemorrhoids, according to the NIDDK. Hemorrhoids are an inflammation of the blood vessels at the end of your digestive tract. They can be painful and itchy. Causes include chronic constipation, diarrhea, straining during bowel movements, and a lack of fiber in your diet. Treat hemorrhoids by eating more fiber, drinking more water, and exercising. Over-the-counter creams and suppositories may provide temporary relief of hemorrhoid symptoms. See your doctor if at-home treatments don’t help; sometimes a hemorrhoidectomy is needed to remove hemorrhoids surgically.

Diverticulitis

Small pouches called diverticula can form anywhere there are weak spots in the lining of your digestive system, but they are most commonly found in the colon. If you have diverticula but no symptoms, the condition is called diverticulosis, which is quite common among older adults and rarely causes problems; however, if the pouches bleed or become inflamed, it’s called diverticulitis. Symptoms include rectal bleeding, fever, and abdominal pain. Obesity is a major risk factor for diverticulitis. Mild diverticulitis is treated with antibiotics and a liquid diet so your colon can heal. A low fiber diet could be the cause of diverticulitis, so your doctor may direct you to eat a diet high in fiber — whole grains, legumes, vegetables — as part of your treatment. If you have severe attacks that recur frequently, you may need surgery to remove the diseased part of your colon.

Anal Fissure

Anal fissures are tiny, oval-shaped tears in the lining of the very end of your digestive tract called your anus. The symptoms are similar to those of hemorrhoids, such as bleeding and pain after moving your bowels. Straining and hard bowel movements can cause fissures, but so can soft stools and diarrhea. A high-fiber diet that makes your stool well formed and bulky is often the best treatment for this common digestive condition. Medications to relax the anal sphincter muscles as well as topical anesthetics and sitz baths can relieve pain; however, chronic fissures may require surgery of the anal sphincter muscle.

in the next post we will discuss about Causes, Symptoms, Test and Treatment of Hepatitus C Virus

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WHAT IS HEPATITUS B VIRUS

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or from mother to baby at birth. For some people, hepatitis B is an acute, or short-term, illness but for others, it can become a long-term, chronic infection. Risk for chronic infection is related to age at infection: approximately 90% of infected infants become chronically infected, compared with 2%–6% of adults. Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious health issues, like cirrhosis or liver cancer. The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated

How Common Is Hepatitis B?

The number of people who get this disease is down, the CDC says. Rates have dropped from an average of 200,000 per year in the 1980s to around 18,000 in 2012. People between the ages of 20 and 49 are most likely to get it. Only 5% to 10% of adults and children older than 5 who have hepatitis B end up with a chronic infection. The numbers aren’t so good for those younger than 5 (25% to 50%) and even higher for infants infected at birth (90%).

What are the symptoms?

Many people with hepatitis B don't know they have it, because they don't have symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may just feel like you have the flu. Symptoms include:

Feeling very tired, Mild fever, Headache, Not wanting to eat, Feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting, Belly pain, Tan-colored Bowel movements (stools), Dark urine, Yellowish eyes and skin. Jaundice usually appears only after other symptoms have started to go away. Most people with chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms.

Treatment to prevent hepatitis B infection after exposure

If you know you've been exposed to the hepatitis B virus, call your doctor immediately. If you haven't been vaccinated or aren't sure whether you've been vaccinated or whether you responded to the vaccination, receiving an injection of hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of coming in contact with the virus may help protect you from developing hepatitis B. You should be vaccinated at the same time.

Treatment for acute hepatitis B infection

If your doctor determines your hepatitis B infection is acute — meaning it is short-lived and will go away on its own, you may not need treatment. Instead, your doctor might recommend rest and adequate nutrition and fluids while your body fights the infection.

Treatment for chronic hepatitis B infection

If you've been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B infection, you may have treatment to reduce the risk of liver disease and prevent you from passing the infection to others. Treatments include:

Antiviral medications. Several antiviral medications — including lamivudine (Epivir), adefovir (Hepsera), telbivudine (Tyzeka) and entecavir (Baraclude) — can help fight the virus and slow its ability to damage your liver. Talk to your doctor about which medication might be right for you. Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A). This synthetic version of a substance produced by the body to fight infection is used mainly for young people with hepatitis B who don't want to undergo long-term treatment or who might want to get pregnant within a few years. It's given by injection. Side effects may include depression, difficulty breathing and chest tightness. Liver transplant. If your liver has been severely damaged, a liver transplant may be an option. During a liver transplant, the surgeon removes your damaged liver and replaces it with a healthy liver. Most transplanted livers come from deceased donors, though a small number come from living donors who donate a portion of their livers.


in the next post we will discuss about Common Digestive Conditions From Top to Bottom

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