Hepatitis C is not an uncommon condition as around 3.5 million people in the country are affected by the disease. It is a type of viral infection of the liver. Mostly, the symptoms of hepatitis C infection remain hidden and hence it is difficult to diagnose whether you have the disease or not. In some cases, it can lead to chronic hepatitis, which may lead to serious complications. Read on to know more about the hepatitis C infection, its causes, symptoms and treatment options. What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a type of viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver, the largest internal organ in the body. The hepatitis C virus, abbreviated as HCV, is spread through contaminated blood. It is caused by certain types of viruses. Sometimes a bacterial infection can also lead to this condition. It is sometimes referred to as the silent epidemic as the infected person will not have any visible symptoms. There are acute and chronic stages of the disease. Sometimes, there will be sudden onset of the symptoms which will settle down with proper treatment in acute conditions. If it is chronic, the patient will not show any symptoms for a long time, but the disease will get severe due to its prolonged non-recognition.

One of the most common ailment and pain felt by humans is the lower back and hip pain. The lower back starts at the end of the rib cage and follows down until above your bottom. This region is called the lumbar region and comprises of vertebrae numbered L1 to L5. Lower back and hip pain can cure on its own but still needs care. The pain may start as a dull ache but can move on to a stabbing one immediately. An injury from sports or heavy lifting can cause acute lower back and hip pain. If the pain doesn’t reduce within 72 hours, it’s time to consult the doctor. There are other warning signs you should be vigilant about. A loss of bowel or bladder control is a sign of lower back and hip pain. Weakness in the leg accompanied by fever isn’t a good omen either. Sometimes you may feel lower back and hip pain while coughing or urinating. Strains and Sprains A lower back and hip pain can be of two categories; muscle strain and ligament injury. Chances of a muscle strain increase when stretched beyond capacity, and in some cases, even cause the muscle to tear.

Life can get a bit lonely at times. No one can be present around you 24×7 or would ensure that you are safe and happy. Even our best friend or our partner can’t be by our side all the time. But, there’s someone who would love to accompany us wherever we go. Well, this impossible feat can only be performed by the most loyal creature on the face of the earth- a dog! These furry creatures would accompany you to the end of the earth if they could. Dogs are the most loyal and highly domesticated animals on the face of the earth. They would guard you and your home, but despite being one of the cutest and most-loving animals, they can still cause some inconvenience to people who are allergic to dogs. People can be appalled that they are allergic to dogs even though the dog didn’t keep a paw in their house, and suffer from dog allergies symptoms. This happens because even though you don’t have a dog in your house, dog dander is found in a place where the dog doesn’t even reside. Having a pet dog does a lot of great things for the individual, and ensures that the loyal animal too leads a comfortable life.

H. pylori or Helicobacter pylori is a type of bacteria which enters a body and live in the digestive tract. They can live in your stomach for years and go unnoticed. They eventually cause ulcers in the inner lining of the stomach or in the small intestines. It has been recorded in case of some patients that infection of H. pylori has led to stomach cancer. H. pylori was discovered by scientists in the year 1982, they found that these were the germs that mostly caused stomach ulcers. The bacteria start attacking the inner lining or the digestive tract of the stomach, weakening it. This lets the acid get through the lining, leading to ulcers. This further leads to internal bleeding and infections, which keep food from moving into the digestive tract. An individual gets infected from H. pylori from unclean food, water or utensils. It is common in the countries that lack clean water and proper sewage systems. People usually get infected with H. pylori in their childhood. The bacteria live in the body for decades and start to show symptoms in the later stages. Symptoms of H pylori infection The most common symptoms of H pylori infection is a dull or burning pain in the belly.

Fibromyalgia symptoms can often be very confusing as they overlap with symptoms of many neuron or musculoskeletal diseases. Fibromyalgia is often diagnosed by 18 tender points in the body. Tender points are specific points in the body when pressed, cause intense pain. If there is no pain, then you don’t have fibromyalgia. These tender points are a total of 18 (pairs of 9). Besides these, there are no stringent medical tests/examinations that can be used for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. The only option left in such a scenario is the identification of fibromyalgia through various symptoms—physical, psychological, and emotional. These often manifest in patients and are proven to be effective indicators of fibromyalgia. To start off with, let’s divide the symptoms based on gender. Fibromyalgia Symptom Checklist For Men The most common fibromyalgia symptoms in men are chronic pain, low sensitivity to pain, pain in the lower back, and any other disabilities formed due to the commonly listed symptoms of fibromyalgia below: Pain in the common 18 tender points Pain in the neck, back of shoulder, space between the shoulder blades and neck Twitching of the muscles at night Disturbed sleep cycles Excess fatigue Pain in certain muscles Some medical experts state that hormonal levels and states may play a role in the manifestation and change in the condition of fibromyalgia, although science says that hormonal levels may not directly be linked to fibromyalgia in any way.

Spasms are discomfort in the muscle that gives rise to sudden pain. The pain can last for minutes, hours or days after the muscles relax and the spasm subsides. Spasms are a result of an injury to the muscles, tendons or ligaments. Causes Heavyweight lifting or indulging in sports like football and golf can cause spasms. Thus sportsmen need special treatment so that they can carry on with their intense training and workout. People with weak abdominal muscles are more prone to spasms. This is because their muscles are already weak and cannot sustain the slightest shock. People with stronger muscles have the capacity to endure injuries. A ruptured disc in the spine or arthritis is another cause of spasm. Arthritis puts pressure on the spine causing pain in the limbs. A ruptured disc puts pressure on the nerves making them vulnerable to aches. Types Of Spasms Spasms have specific types each leading to definite spasm treatment. Each kind of spasm has a special treatment that needs to be followed. The most common spasms are of skeletal muscles. The pain occurs all of a sudden. It is caused by fatigue, dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities. These are usually short-term and the spasm treatment is temporary.

Are you above 30 years of age? Have you recently observed frequent reddishness or swollen bumps in your cheeks? It is high time that you should a pay a visit to a dermatologist as it might be pointing towards the skin condition called rosacea. Ignorance is bliss, they say, but never in the case of issues related to your health, especially your skin. It is always ideal to understand the causes, symptoms, and get the best rosacea treatment so that you can cope up with the condition in a better way. Read here the essential facts that you should know about rosacea. What is rosacea? Rosacea is one of the most common types of skin disorders and it affects nearly 17 million people in America. It is a chronic condition that affects your facial skin; mainly on your nose, cheeks, forehead, etc. It is also called acne rosacea. The swollen bumps may look like acne; however, rosacea is different from acne. Getting the best rosacea treatment will help you get relief from the symptoms of the condition. Symptoms of rosacea The symptoms of rosacea start developing in your early 20’s. However, it may be more visible when you cross the 30 age mark.

Lupus, medically known as Lupus Erythematosus, is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects body parts. It is called autoimmune because it is a disease of the immune system. It can be caused genetically or depends on one’s lifestyle. But it is not necessary that family history be a reason for lupus. Lupus Foundation of America says that in the U.S., around 1.6 million people are suffering from lupus. It can attack both male and female, but mostly women aged between 14-45 years are affected. Symptoms of lupus: Fatigue – It is one of the most common lupus symptoms when energy levels of the affected individual go down day by day. Fever – Low-grade fever (99⁰F- 101⁰F) is another one of the early lupus symptoms. It can include signs of infection or inflammation. People usually neglect this unexplained fever, but you must consult a doctor. Muscle pain – Stiffness and swelling in joints can cause pain mainly in the morning. Joints also get reddish and unbearable pain can be felt when moving. Rashes – Cheeks and nose are covered with butterfly-shaped rashes. Almost 90% people experience redness and itchiness, especially under sunlight. Chest pains – Pulmonary and respiratory problems are common with lupus.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is a skin disease which is characterized by swollen and painful abscesses most commonly found in the armpit, under the breasts, groin or anal regions. It can also affect the thighs and the buttocks due to the constant friction of skin. This is a long-term problem and a chronic condition. The small abscesses become boil-like and fill with pus as time passes, making them more painful and hard. Usually, these boils occur in clusters which are inflamed and lead to chronic and sudden seepage. The drainage of pus leads to open wounds which do not get healed easily and leave scars. This condition is also known as Acne Inversa because it is a severe form of acne. It is a disorder of the hair follicles present in the oil and sweat glands of the skin. It can occur in a specific area of the body or many parts together. It can be a single painful lump that persists for many weeks and months causing prolonged discomfort. What are the symptoms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa? The symptoms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa include the formation of blackheads which are small pitted areas of skin. The appearance of red and tender lumps which are pus-filled is another indication of this disorder.

One of the key elements of a healthy life is maintaining a good digestive system. Anything beyond or fewer is considered indicative of a chronic issue, which could include constipation or diarrhea. Severe constipation is a condition which involves fewer bowel movements. When one is suffering from chronic constipation, one is able to pass irregular or hard stools, which is quite painful. What is severe constipation? Severe constipation is often characterized by abdominal pains and irritation in the stomach. One would always feel that they’ve not excreted properly or completely. The slow movement of stools in the colon and stiffening of stools near the rectum is the primary cause of severe constipation. Symptoms There are various symptoms of severe constipation. Identifying them is important. Here are few you should look out for. The major symptom of severe constipation is infrequent bowel movements. The bowel movement loses regularity with the onset of constipation. Another prominent symptom of severe constipation is abdominal pain. Due to the low passage of feces, the person tends to suffer from abdominal pain. A person suffering from constipation will experience difficulty in the passage of stools. It may be too less, or there is no passage of feces at all.

Are you suffering from a back pain, but prefer to ignore it? Well, you might want to get rid of it to avoid making it worse. Back muscle pain is something that is experienced by everyone sooner or later in their lifetime. There are various types of back pain, and each of them arises due to a different reason. While experiencing the pain, some people feel better when they lie down while others feel better when they sit in a particular position, but this varies from person to person. Back pain may start suddenly, or it may even develop gradually over time. Sometimes people develop back pain, when they have a wrong posture of sitting because of which an additional stress falls on the back muscles and they start aching eventually as a result of it. They may also occur after you have lifted something awkwardly leading to an unnatural strain in any of your back muscles. A sprain might also develop in the muscles due to any mild injury. Before going for treatment, you must understand the cause of the pain. Five causes of back muscle pain Back pain can be a sign of an underlying problem, and if you want to treat it, you should find out the cause of the pain.