Cold, flu, cough, and virus, terms often used together, are usually used to refer to an infection caused by viruses. Cold and cough are usually symptoms of the flu caused by a virus and are accompanied by some other symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, and congestion. Usually, to treat cold, flu, cough, and virus infections, over-the-counter medications are prescribed. Treatment plans There are no medications that can cure a cold or flu caused by viruses. Even antibiotics cannot help against cold-causing viruses and, hence, should not be taken until there are chances of a bacterial infection. Since there is no cure for the virus, the treatment usually aims at relieving the symptoms. These include the following: Pain killers Sore throat, headache, and body ache are common symptoms of the flu caused by virus. Therefore, many people look for pain relievers while they are sick. However, there are a lot of precautions that you need to take while using pain relievers, especially when giving it to children or teenagers. They can cause side-effects and make the condition worse in some cases. Nasal sprays Nasal congestion is another common symptom experienced during flu. Therefore, many adults are prescribed nasal drops or sprays for five days to free the nasal passage from congestion. However, these decongestants should not be given to children who are below six years of age. Cough syrups These syrups might give some relief from cough, but the American Academy of Pediatrics and the FDA do not approve of its use on children younger than four years of age. Home remedies and lifestyle changes In addition to some over-the-counter medications to relieve the symptoms, thankfully there are several home remedies that you can adopt to get relief from cold and other flu symptoms. These include the following: Ginger The health benefits provided by ginger have been known for centuries.

The mood disorder that can cause sadness and disinterest in almost everything is known as depression. It can lead to a lot of physical and emotional issues. If left untreated, it can lead to the patient not being able to see any point in living, or worse. This mood condition can be treated with the right medication if diagnosed correctly. Treatment for depression In most cases, people with depression can find help from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professionals. If required, patients are prescribed medications that can help fight the condition. Below is a list of some antidepressants that are known to be effective: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) This is a very safe form of antidepressant. It is prescribed by most doctors because this medicine does not have many side effects. Tricyclic antidepressants This type of antidepressant is prescribed only if aforementioned medication is not helpful. It has some side-effects, some of which can be serious. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) This is another effective type of medicine that the patient can use. The most common ones are venlafaxine (Effexor XR), duloxetine (Cymbalta), levomilnacipran (Fetzima), and desvenlafaxine (Khedezla, Pristiq). Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) This one is offered by doctors in case other medicines fail to help. There are severe side-effects associated with this medicine and it requires dietary restrictions. The patient will not be able to consume certain pickles and cheese during the time they are taking this medicine. Other medicines Along with the antidepressants, the doctor may also prescribe other medicines like anti-anxiety, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and antipsychotic pills. Self-care to treat depression Even though it is recommended that the patient seek medical help to treat depression, there are certain other things that they can try by themselves too. Self-care is an important aspect of treating the condition.

Taking care of one’s eye health is very important and it is never too late to do so. One can start taking special care of their eyes even after they begin to feel any discomfort. However, it is always better to start early. There is no better way to prevent eye-related issues than to regularly visit an ophthalmologist for check-ups and treat any condition before it can become serious. Treatments for eye conditions There are many different kinds of eye-related disorders and they require separate medical treatments. Let us look at some of the most common issues and how to treat them: Cataracts It is one of the most common conditions. It results in cloudy areas in the eyes’ lens, making one’s vision blurry. During the early stages, brighter lights, new eyeglasses, or magnifying lenses can be helpful. However, if the condition becomes more serious, then one’s eye lenses have to be replaced with artificial ones. Glaucoma If one has glaucoma that means that the optic nerve in the eye is damaged. The condition can get worse with time and can lead to blindness if left untreated. However, this condition can be cured effectively. There are multiple treatment options available. Depending on the condition, the ophthalmologist may suggest eye drops, medicines, laser surgery, or traditional surgery. Dry eyes syndrome Sometimes the body can fail to produce enough tears to keep the eyes lubricated. This leads to dry eyes, a burning sensation, or stinging. Depending on the cause of the condition, there are many treatment options available. Some of these are nonprescription topical medications, prescription medications, surgery, and glands or nerve-stimulating devices to produce tears. Apart from these, there are many other disorders that can hamper eye health, but most of them can be successfully treated. For example, thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune condition triggered by another condition called Graves’ disease, wherein the thyroid gland becomes overly active.

Insulin is a hormone in one’s body that moves the sugar from their blood to the cells. This is then used and stored as energy. If one has diabetes, then their body won’t be able to produce the required amount of insulin or use it effectively. This results in an increased level of sugar in their blood. If not treated on time, high blood sugar can lead to organ damage. Treatment for diabetes There are three different kinds of diabetes: gestational, type 1, and type 2. These can be treated with medicines. The doctor will decide which medicine or medicines will work for one depending on the type they are diagnosed with. Type 1 diabetes When one’s body cannot produce insulin, this hormone can be inserted into their body as a medical treatment. It is the most effective method for treating the condition. There are four types of insulin: short-acting, rapid-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting. The less time it takes to affect the condition, the shorter will be its lasting period. Type 2 diabetes With regular exercise and a healthy diet, type 2 diabetes can be managed. However, if it does not help, the doctor will suggest the patient certain medicines. The types of medications that work are DPP-4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, biguanides, meglitinides, SGLT2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones. Gestational diabetes This type of condition occurs during pregnancy. The blood sugar level requires to be constantly monitored throughout the day. Exercise and diet may help with the situation. Home remedies to manage diabetes There are certain home remedies for diabetes that are known to be effective. Mentioned below is a list of home remedies that can help the patient: Cinnamon Cinnamon can not only help alleviate the symptoms of this condition, but it can successfully prevent it too. It improves insulin stimulation, which can lower one’s high blood sugar levels.

A very important part of family and pregnancy planning is prenatal care. This stage during your pregnancy is the time when you must take special care of yourself so you and the baby remain healthy. This includes regular visits to your doctor. The doctor will perform physical exams and will also prescribe certain tests to monitor the baby’s health regularly. Medical care during pregnancy It is of utmost importance to visit your doctor regularly during pregnancy. This will ensure that you will always be aware of the baby’s progress as well as your health. You will also have the chance to ask the doctor regarding any doubts you may have. The doctor can educate you better about pregnancy, which is the first step towards taking care of your health. During your first visit to the doctor, a physical test will be done to determine if there are any risk factors that may affect your pregnancy. The doctor will also give you an idea about the delivery date. They will ask you about your medical history and any medicine that you may be taking. The medical history of your family members will also be checked. This is because your family and pregnancy are related. Your family’s medical history or a particular illness within your family can affect the newborn too. During the first physical exam, the doctor will check your weight and blood pressure, lungs, heart, and breasts. They will also conduct pelvic exams. Certain medical tests will be performed too. These include complete blood count (CBC), RPR, rubella, HBsAg, urinalysis, and HIV screening. These tests will determine if you have any medical conditions like anemia, syphilis, hepatitis B, bladder infections, kidney disease, or anything else. Treatment steps will be taken based on the test results. What you can do at home To ensure a healthy family and pregnancy, only medical care is not enough.

Hair loss mainly affects the scalp and it can slowly lead to baldness. The reason for hair fall can be many, including heredity reasons, medicinal side-effects, certain medical conditions, and hormonal issues. The good news is that it is not completely untreatable. There are both medical options and home remedies that can help manage hair fall and regrow healthier hair. Treatment for hair loss There are both surgical and medicinal options available to slow down hair fall or even completely reverse it. A doctor will perform certain tests to determine the right course of action to treat the condition. If the hair fall is caused by any other medical condition, then the doctor will treat that first. However, in the case of pattern baldness, the person will be prescribed certain medications. Minoxidil (Rogaine) This medicine can be obtained without a prescription, and it comes in the form of foam or liquid. The patient needs to apply it on their scalp in order to treat hair loss effectively. They should keep in mind that it may take up to six months of use before their hair stops falling and regrowth starts. Hence, they need to be patient. Finasteride (Propecia) This is a pill that the patient can buy only with a prescription. Using it reportedly slows down hair fall. They need to keep using this medicine to maintain the health of their hair. Other options If medicines are not able to help restrict hair fall, there are other options that the person can try out. A popular treatment for the condition is hair transplant. For this procedure, hair samples are collected from other parts of the head and the body to plant on the bald areas. Laser therapy is also used to treat pattern baldness. This can increase the hair density.

Uric acid crystals result in gout. It is an inflammatory condition that usually affects men as a type of arthritis. It causes severe joint pain around the knees, feet, and ankles. However, there are certain measures that one can take for gout treatment. We will discuss these as well as home remedies in this article. Types of medications Some medicines may be prescribed to the patient on a regular basis; these can help to alleviate the symptoms of this condition: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications These medications are known to reduce the duration of the attack. If one takes them within the first twenty-four hours, then it really helps. They are usually prescribed to reduce the inflammation and relieve the pain. Corticosteroids These types of medications are usually administered orally or may even be injected into the body. They not only help in the reduction of the swelling but can also combat inflammation. In some cases, the doctor may also inject a hormone known as an adrenocorticotropic hormone to help the body produce corticosteroids naturally. The doctor may also give a combination of both at different times to help with alleviating the symptoms. Colchicine Colchicine is derived from a plant, which has been used to reduce the symptoms of gout for over 2,000 years. It helps to reduce pain and swelling. However, this may come with a specific side effect such as abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. Reducing uric acid levels The most ideal way to treat gout is by controlling uric acid levels in the body. Once they are controlled, the chances of a gout attack reduce considerably. The following medications can be consumed for reducing uric acid levels: Probenecid Allopurinol Lesinurad Febuxostat Pegloticase In most cases, the doctor will wait until the most recent gout attack before he goes on to prescribe a dosage of the aforementioned medications.

Top Remedies and Treatment for GERD GERD stands Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is characterized by a condition in which the stomach acid flows back into the food pipe. This backwash severely affects the esophagus lining. While many people experience acid reflux occasionally, GERD is a lot more severe and a chronic form of this problem. The different treatments and remedies to keep heartburn or GERD at bay are: Treatment measures for GERD The typical treatment steps for heartburn and GERD involve: The doctor recommends a few over-the-counter medicines that mainly consist of antacids. These can help in neutralizing the formation of acid inside the system. Some medicines, known as H2 receptor blockers, help prevent the formation of acid. They can be tried as well. The doctor may ask you to take medications that are available to lower the sphincter muscles. In very severe cases, procedures like LINX device and fundoplication may also are required. Lifestyle remedies for GERD: Some of the best lifestyle remedies for heartburn and GERD include: Eat many small meals frequently One should avoid eating large meals at once. Having large portions may end up putting extra pressure on the stomach. Large amounts of food can make one a lot more prone to acid reflux. Pay attention to your posture It is highly recommended to keep a watch on one’s posture. Ensure that a good posture is maintained when eating. After the meal is over, avoid lying down for at least 45-60 minutes. Wear the right clothing Not a lot of people know this, but the clothes you wear can impact your internal process. They can help make the digestion process a lot smoother. Experts suggest avoiding wearing tight clothes, especially which fit very tightly around your abdomen. So, the key is to wear comfortable clothes. Curate a list of foods that are safe As far as acid reflux is concerned, making changes to your diet can help.