admin, Author at Healthoma

Is It Cold or Flu? Learn to Tell the Difference

We are often not sure whether we have cold or flue. Most of us assume one for the other. While both these illnesses are related to our respiratory disorder, they are not the same. If we have flu, we experience body aches that are far more severe than what we go through in cold.

Flu also results in fever, dry cough and the person affected feels very exhausted all the time. These symptoms show within 4-6 hours of being affected with the virus. When we are suffering from cold most of the above symptoms do show but they are less severe. Both Flu and Cold are different infections caused by different viruses. Continue reading “Is It Cold or Flu? Learn to Tell the Difference”

Health and Happiness Formula

One thing for everyone to understand is that foundation of happiness is robust health. It’s an open secret most people do not give too much consideration too.

Let us imagine a situation where we are professionally or academically successful, our spouse [or spice ;-)] are doing all right, children seem to be on track and are focusing their energy where they should, parents are taken are of – everything sounds in place and in control.

No tiff with the boss, no malice brewing behind our backs, nothing but we have this persistent headache for lack of sleep over past few days that wouldn’t go away even with a painkillers.

It’s nothing. Just a headache but is enough to take our minds off everything and the pain frustrates us. We lose temper, the feeling reflects in our work and nothing sounds good. We don’t want to eat, talk, nothing. Just want to be left alone. Continue reading “Health and Happiness Formula”

Nasal Cavity or Paranasal Sinus Cancer Symptoms and Risks

Nasal Cavity or Paranasal Sinus Cancer is a rare type of cancer. It doesn’t run in the family either. Meaning if someone in your family, that is your parent or grandparent suffered from Nasal Cavity or Paranasal Sinus Cancer, you are not at an increased risk of getting it.

People associate many things with this cancer like HPV infection, exposure to asbestos and passive smoking. But none of them have been proved as a definite cause to getting Para nasal Sinus Cancer. What are considered major risks; include smoking & exposure to chemical. Continue reading “Nasal Cavity or Paranasal Sinus Cancer Symptoms and Risks”

Adrenal Cancer Awareness: Am I at Risk?

Every year round about 500 cases of adrenal cortical cancers in the United States are detected. The most common category of patients is between the ages of 30 & 50. Children who are below 5 years of age develop adrenal cortical cancers at a higher rate than the rest of the cancer population.

It has been observed that men are more likely to develop non-functioning adrenal carcinomas and females are more likely to be diagnosed with functioning adrenal carcinomas. The exact cause of adrenal cortical cancers is not yet known.

It has been reported that it is not associated with smoking and does not run in families therefore it’s not inherited. However some genetic mutations have been associated with development of adrenal cortical cancers and research is ongoing to identify the causes of these types of cancers. Continue reading “Adrenal Cancer Awareness: Am I at Risk?”

The Danger of Hepatitis C

The HCV or hepatitis C virus is a major problem that affects the human liver. Those who are affected by it once will be continually affected by it for the rest of their lives because it defies the body’s immune defense system. The liver gets inflamed once this virus sets in and can lead to fibrosis and later cirrhosis.

The greatest danger is that it can lead to liver cancer or a liver transplant may be required. In the USA alone there are about 10 million people who carry the virus because it wasn’t detected as a threat till quite late in the 1980s.

Mainly, hepatitis C spreads through contact with blood that is infected, which may be through sharing needles to inject or straws to inhale drugs;

receiving a blood transfusion or organ that is infected by HCV;

being inadvertently in contact with an HCV-infected needle; using toothbrushes or razors that may have HCV-infected blood on them;

getting a tattoo or acupuncture with unsterilized paraphernalia; or being in constant physical or sexual contact with HCV-infected patients.

A woman with the virus can also pass it on to her baby at the time of delivery.

Continue reading “The Danger of Hepatitis C”

FAQs Regarding Avoiding Various Types of Cancer

Q. I am 55 and have been smoking forever. Is it too late to give it up to reduce the risk of Lung Cancer?

A. No. It’s never too late to give up smoking to reduce lung cancer risk and other related complications.

You also need to know one fact that it takes a smoker 15 years to come to a stage where his/her risk factors can come down to that of a non-smoker. It’s not to discourage you but to open your eyes to the harms caused by smoking.

Q. How to Avoid Skin Cancer?

A. The best way to avoid skin cancer is to avoid exposure to direct sun. A sunscreen lotion, umbrella, proper eye care should be a top priority for people who have to spend a lot of time in the sun. People who come in contact of direct sun during the course of the day are at an increased risk than people who stay indoors.

Continue reading “FAQs Regarding Avoiding Various Types of Cancer”

Outing Ovarian Cancer

It has not been established as to what causes ovarian cancer. It refers to a malignant growth in one or both ovaries. Ovarian cancer has few early warning signs or symptoms so it is generally found only when you have medical tests for other illnesses or maybe a surgery like a hysterectomy.

While the cause of ovarian cancer cannot be determined there are a few risk factors that must be considered. Genetic factors are a main risk factor as if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer you are more at risk.

Certain women carry mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and are seen to be at high risk for developing ovarian cancer and that too at a very early age. Older women and women who have never had children are at risk.

If you already have a history of say breast or colon cancer then the chances of you developing ovarian cancer are also higher.

Continue reading “Outing Ovarian Cancer”

Testicular Cancer Set Straight

Also known as cancer of the testes and germ cell tumor, testicular cancer cannot be prevented but its early detection helps the treatment to be successful.

Some risk factors for the possibility of testicular cancer are having an un descended testicle or an abnormal development here. A telling factor is if this cancer has affected males in your family.

Men with Klinefelter’s syndrome have smaller testicles and this is also a risk factor. Researchers have also found that white males are at higher risk of developing this cancer. Men who have already had testicular cancer are at risk of having the other testicle also affected.

Continue reading “Testicular Cancer Set Straight”

Can Gum Disease Be Related to Pancreatic Cancer?

Inflamed gums, cavities, tooth loss and other dental problems in adults may be indicative of serious health problems. Problems as severe as cancer, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, heart disease to the extent that the risk of having a Continue reading “Can Gum Disease Be Related to Pancreatic Cancer?”

How to Manage Chemotherapy Induced Anemia?

One of the ways to treat cancer is chemotherapy. While undergoing chemotherapy a patient may face certain side effects.

Anemia is one of them. Chemotherapy leads to anemia and anemia reduces energy level and may affect the patient’s ability to get the maximum benefit from the cancer care and treatment that he/she is undergoing.

Anemia means to have lower-than-normal number of red cells in the blood. Red blood cells are important because of their role in carrying oxygen from the lungs to all the cells in the body.

And since when cancer cells have started to multiply the RBC is not able to handle oxygen supply properly.

Some of the primary signs of anemia are shortness of breath, generally feeling week and dull and fatigue, pain the chest, headache, inability to concentrate, dull skin, loss of sex drive etc.

Continue reading “How to Manage Chemotherapy Induced Anemia?”