A cough is a reflexive maneuver of the body that is caused involuntarily, to send out any fluids or irritants (foreign particles) from the throat. When coughing, the body inhales and then forces an exhalation in quick succession, against the closed glottis . With the release of air and the glottis opening, the throat produces a sound that we know as coughing. Coughing is one of the most common medical complaints for which people consult a medical health practitioner. The purpose of this reflex action is to obstruct irritants or allergens, which enter the respiratory tract and expel them out. Your state of well-being and quality of life becomes affected if a dry cough becomes sub-acute or chronic. Dry Cough Allergies When your body is not producing mucus, and yet if coughing persists, it is known as a dry cough. This is mostly caused by the allergens present in your immediate environment, that can cause inflammation or irritation of the pharynx— the rear region of the throat. Allergies are the most common cause of a chronic cough in almost all medical cases, except for people who smoke. When allergy causing irritants are removed from your environment, and if your exposure to their presence is decreased, the dry cough can be relieved.

A gout is a form of arthritis that mainly affects the joints in the feet, mostly the big toe. It could also affect other joints in the body. It is an acutely painful condition, and causes sharp stinging and burning sensations, in the affected area. What causes gout? Body metabolism produces many waste products, among them is uric acid. It is usually flushed out of your body through urine. However, when the level of uric acid rises, it becomes difficult for the body to flush it out. Excess uric acid can lead to the formation of urate crystals, which can accumulate in the joints and cause inflammation. Gout and Purines Purines are chemical compounds that are present in the body, as well as in most foods. They are building blocks for DNA, and also perform many vital functions in the body. However, when purines are broken down, they produce uric acid. So, most traditional anti-gout diets focus on low-purine or no purine foods. If you have gout, you should eliminate or limit many foods that contain high levels of purine. Recent research has shown that not all purine-rich foods need to be avoided. Many vegetables high in purine can help reduce gout attacks.

Cramps are a sudden and painful contraction of a muscle. Leg cramps, especially on the calf muscles, occur as you fall asleep or as you wake up. However, sometimes the cramps can be in the thigh or foot. Causes of Leg Cramps at Night Although exact causes of these cramps are not known, there are many reasons for it to occur. Some of them are: Sometimes, too much exercise, an injury or even excessive pressure to the muscle can lead to leg cramps Dehydration is another reason Pregnant women having deficiency of calcium and magnesium have high risk of leg cramps Cold environment or exposure to cold water may be one of the reasons for leg cramps Another reason might be deficiency of potassium and calcium in the bloodstream Sitting in a single position for hours, standing on hard surfaces for extended periods, or sleeping in awkward positions. Certain medications such as birth control, diuretics, antipsychotics, and steroids. Medical conditions affecting the kidney, thyroid, and multiple sclerosis. Treating Leg Cramps At Night There are many ways you can ease the cramp. Try these methods, and you will know how to treat leg cramps at night. Stretching Simply stretching the muscle that is cramping will give you instant relief.

Cold sore is the infection around the lips caused by herpes simplex virus. It creates tiny fluid-filled lesions on or around the lips. Usually, cold sores affect people in the age of 14 to 60 years. The most common symptoms of a cold sore are a burning sensation in or on the skin, accompanied by sore lips, tingling lips, or ulcer, blisters, rashes, ulcers, or redness. This virus can quickly spread through physical contact. Generally, self-diagnosable, this virus which causes cold sores are found in 90% of the population, but in most of the cases, it is harmless. When this virus becomes active, it causes oral herpes or cold sores. Even in its inactive state, this virus remains in the body. The infection caused by the herpes simplex virus can recur at any point in the future depending upon the levels of stress, hormonal imbalance, and various other factors. The treatment for cold sores aims to reduce or suppress the pain and discomfort, however, there is no cure for it. Read on to find out some at-home cold sore treatments to alleviate the symptoms. Ice packs Ice packs help you to reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by the cold sores by numbing the nerves in and around the affected area.

Vertigo refers to a medical condition in which a person feels like the objects surrounding them are constantly moving while they are not. It is a feeling of dizziness which may be accompanied by vomiting, headache, nausea, sweating, and trouble while walking. In case a person has an illusion that they are moving, it is called subjective vertigo. Also, when a person has an illusion that everything around them is moving, it is called objective vertigo. Causes of vertigo Many causes lead to vertigo – it is divided into peripheral and central causes. In case the cause of vertigo is central, it may occur due to a problem in the cerebellum part of the brain. It is the part positioned at the lowermost part of the brain. Vertigo could also be due to a problem in the brainstem which is the part of the brain linked to the spinal cord. Whereas if the cause of vertigo is peripheral, it is due to the trouble in the balancing system of the inner ear. Peripheral vertigo The most common causes leading to peripheral vertigo are as follows: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) It is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when tiny calcium carbonate particles accumulate in the inner ear’s fluid-filled canals.

The most common cause of back pain on the right side is the straining of muscles. Back pain could sometimes occur due to serious medical conditions. So it is very important to understand the root cause of the same. This would allow one to know whether this has occurred due to a serious underlying condition. Primary types of back pain on the right side: Acute Back Pain: Acute back pain occurs in specific situations. This is the most common type of back pain. It has a sudden onset and could be sharp and intense. Chronic Back Pain: Chronic pain afflicts one for a longer duration. It is often not as intense as acute back pain. This type may be consistent in some rare cases. What causes back pain towards the right side: An infection of the urinary tract: This is a common cause of back pain which occurs towards the right side. It occurs due to an infection in bladder, kidney or urethra. While back pain is a commonplace symptom, other symptoms include: Stress over the pubic bone A sharp sensation during urination Frequent urination Slight fatigue Reduction in urine output A scapular fracture towards the right side of the body:

Inflamed joints are a painful condition. Joint pain due to arthritic conditions like gout is one of the leading cause of pain worldwide. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that is characterized by the accumulation of uric acid crystals around the joints. The course of gout is recurrent with attacks of inflammation, followed by pain that starts a few hours later. The pain is often severe and of rapid onset. Gout is caused by various genetic and environmental factors. Gout occurs when there is a high level of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid forms crystals and these uric acid crystals deposit around bone joints, tendons, and supportive tissues. Gout was once called “the rich man’s disease” or “the king’s disease” since it was associated with excessively rich diets. With modern diets and prolonged life spans, gout has become increasingly common. Being overweight, eating too much meat, and drinking too much beer increases your chances of developing gout. Gout diet plans aim to ease the symptoms and reduce the frequency of attacks. Causes of gout The primary cause of gout is uric acid buildup. In most cases, the underlying reason for overaccumulation of uric acid is underexcretion of urate by the kidneys.

Cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance, made by the liver. It performs many vital functions in the body, so it is not inherently harmful. However, there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Cholesterol Functions Cholesterol is produced by the liver. A small percentage is made available through the food you eat. All cholesterol is not bad, it has many uses for the body. Cholesterol aids in the production of steroid hormones. A deficiency in these hormones can affect many aspects of health including sexual function, digestion, mental health, and bone health. Cholesterol is a component of cell structure. It helps maintain the structural integrity of the cell membrane. Cholesterol plays a vital role in digestion. It helps the liver produce and secrete bile, which is necessary to digest fat. Sunlight helps the body produce Vitamin D. However, the body needs cholesterol, along with sunlight, in order to make Vitamin D. The Good and The Bad Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream in the lipids. When you take a lipid profile test, it shows the total cholesterol level in your body, the LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides levels. There are three types of lipoproteins in the bloodstream- Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL), High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL), and Triglycerides.

Constipation is a problem that every person faces at one point or the other. If it is an occasional problem, you can modify your diet and get better quickly. But, if it includes bleeding or severe pain, it is best to consult your doctor. Constipation is a digestive issue where there is infrequent or no bowel movement. If you have fewer than three bowel movements a week, it is considered as constipation. This condition is a sign that the body is not receiving sufficient amounts of fiber. You will have to change your diet for constipation and incorporate foods that will help cure the condition. The change in the diet must be gradual, and you will slowly see signs of improvement. Water is also an essential part of this diet as it helps the fiber flow through the digestive tract efficiently. Here are ten foods that can help you get free of any constipation troubles. Ensure you add these foods to the diet for constipation. Broccoli Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can find. One of the multiple benefits of eating broccoli includes treating constipation. It is a rich source of nutrients and is the best to increase the fiber content in your food.

Personality disorders are on the rise. Generally, such disorders cause discomfort to the person suffering from such a condition. However, Sociopathic Personality Disorder also has damaging effects on the people around the patient, who suffers from this disorder. More prevalent in men than women, Sociopathic Personality Disorder is medically defined as a mental health condition in which a person exhibits antisocial behaviour without any care/concern for the people around him and with no intention to follow societal norms. This sort of a behaviour is exhibited in the long term with the intention to violate other’s rights. While it is not possible to pinpoint the exact cause of this personality disorder, an interplay of genes and environmental factors like child abuse, can lead to this condition. Identifying A Sociopath A sociopath can be identified through the traits exhibited. These are hallmark traits and the presence of 3 or more, can confirm that it’s a case of sociopathic personality disorder. Lack of concern towards other people and their feelings Not conforming to the rules and norms of society, thus violating the law Deceitfulness, with an intention to con and cheat people intentionally Easily builds relationships through deception, but cannot sustain the relationship Always putting the blame on others No remorse or feelings of guilt, for their actions Aggressive, very low tolerance levels, often culminating in violence Inconsistent behaviour Impulsive behavior, combined with the inability to plan ahead Sociopaths are deceitful people who con their way to people’s heart.