When the cells in the brain start multiplying abnormally and rigorously, they form a mass that is medically addressed as a tumor. A tumor in the brain can lead to cancer and can, therefore, be fatal. However, a benign tumor does not become cancerous and can be treated. There are around 130 different types of brain tumors that have been named after the type of cell they developed from or the area in the brain they grew in. Some common types of brain tumors are mentioned below: Acoustic neuroma Brain metastases Choroid plexus carcinoma Embryonal tumors Ependymoma Glioma Meningioma Pediatric brain tumors Pituitary tumors The symptoms of a brain tumor often depend on its location. This means that if the location of the tumor is close to the part of the brain that controls the eyes, a symptom will be a blurry vision. Therefore, the scope of the signs and symptoms of brain tumor can be vast. However, there are still some signs and symptoms that are common in maximum cases of brain tumor that can help one identify it in its early stages: Seizure : Seizures as signs are often independent of the location or the size of a tumor.

Menopause is a normal part of aging. It simply means the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Medically speaking, it is the time when a woman’s ovaries stop producing eggs for reproduction. As a result, there is a decline in the progesterone and estrogen hormones. Menopause usually occurs in a woman’s late 40’s to early 50’s. Women in our country have an average age of 52 years. There are three stages of menopause: Perimenopause The period of 12 months before menopause is termed as perimenopause. It is the time when a woman can still become pregnant even with erratic periods. Hence, it is advised to use a form of birth control until one year after the last period. Menopause As mentioned above, most women experience menopause at the age of 51 to 52. Menopause is usually confirmed after the woman has missed her periods for 12 straight months without experiencing pregnancy. The transition from perimenopause through menopause to post-menopause can take at least three years. Postmenopause It starts after one year has passed since the last menstrual cycle. Other symptoms such as elevated heart rate and insomnia might become common symptoms. Due to a decrease in estrogen, there is an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and osteopenia.

Upper respiratory infection or URI is a common viral infection that affects the throat, nose, and airways. The nasal cavity and the nostrils also get blocked when a person gets URI. It has been observed that adults may get upper respiratory infection twice to thrice a year, whereas children may get it frequently due to a developing immune system. People often experience URI during the seasons of winter and fall. Let us take a closer look at the symptoms, causes, home remedies, and preventive measures of URI. Signs and symptoms of upper respiratory infection It is advisable to keep an eye on the warning signs and symptoms of upper respiratory infection. Here are some of the most common signs of the condition: Excess mucus Mild fever, a common sign in children with upper respiratory infection Coughing Discomfort in the nasal passages A runny nose Sneezing Nasal congestion Pressure and pain behind the face A sore throat Scratchy throat There are some less common signs and symptoms of upper respiratory infection and these are: Body aches Itchy eyes Bad breath Loss of sense of smell A headache Natural home remedies Apart from the prescribed medications that your doctors suggest, there are some natural home remedies that can help provide relief from upper respiratory infection.

Narcolepsy is a long-term, rare brain disorder. This condition causes a person to fall asleep suddenly at inappropriate times. It does not have any long-term or serious health issues; however, it does impact a person’s everyday life and makes it difficult to cope with these problems emotionally. The chemical in the brain that is known to regulate sleep is known as hypocretin. Most cases of narcolepsy are caused due to the lack of the same. This deficiency is mainly caused due to the immune system mistakenly attacking parts of the brain that are responsible for the production of hypocretin. Apart from the lack of hypocretin, there are other causes of narcolepsy as well and these are: Problems in the immune system Antibodies are released by the body o destroy the organisms and toxins that carry disease. When the antibodies mistake healthy tissues and cells as a threat, it is known as the autoimmune response of the body. It was found that people who have been diagnosed with narcolepsy produce antibodies against a protein called trib 2. Trib 2 is produced by the same area of the brain that is responsible for the production of hypocretin. Since hypocretin is responsible for arousal, wakefulness, and appetite, a lack of hypocretin means the brain is not able to regulate sleep cycles like usual.

Medically termed as rhinosinusitis, a sinus infection is a common condition where the air cavities in the bone situated around the eyes and nose get inflamed. There are two forms of sinusitis, that is, acute or chronic sinusitis. These are caused due to bacterial, fungal, or viral infections. Acute sinusitis persists for a brief period, roughly less than 4 weeks. It is characterized by signs and symptoms such as facial pain, stuffy and runny nose, cough and congestion, and loss of smell. Dental pain, bad breath, fatigue, and fever are some additional signs of this condition. Conversely, chronic sinus infections last for more than 12 weeks and tend to recur. A nasal blockage, feeling of congestion and fullness in the face, a pressure in the ears, fever, pus in the nasal cavity, a runny nose, and discolored drainage from the nose are some common signs of chronic sinusitis. One may also experience tooth pain, foul-smelling breath, and headaches. Adults are more likely to have sinus infections if they smoke, have a common cold, blocked drainage ducts, nasal polyps, deviated septum, tooth infections, and immune system issues that require them to consume immunosuppressants. On the other hand, allergies, pacifiers, passive smoking, injuries to the nose, and illness spread from other children at school or daycare could cause a sinus infection in kids.

Dry mouth or xerostomia is a condition where the mouth’s salivary glands can’t make enough saliva. Apart from the unpleasant dry feeling in the mouth, this condition can cause trouble while chewing and swallowing food, bad breath, loss of taste buds, and a sore throat. Dry mouth can be a consequence of aging, long-term use of certain medications, certain types of health conditions, cancer treatment, consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and recreational drug use. It is crucial to address this condition because its symptoms can further aggravate and lead to complications such as tooth decay, mouth sores, mouth infections, poor nutritional absorption, and more. Diagnosis and treatment To zero down the cause of dry mouth, the doctor will go through one’s medical history as well as the medications the person is taking. They will also examine the mouth and might recommend some blood exams and imaging tests to determine the amount of saliva produced. If the doctor suspects that one’s dry mouth is a result of Sjogren’s syndrome, then they will extract a tiny sample of the tissue from the patient’s salivary glands and send it for further analysis. The cause of this condition defines its treatment. If the root cause of dry mouth is consistent use of medications, then the doctor will either adjust the dosage or switch to another variety of drugs.

A common electrolyte disorder, hyponatremia is triggered when the sodium levels in the bloodstream are too low. It is imperative for the bloodstream to contain the right amounts of sodium so as to control the levels of water in and surrounding the body cells. When the proportion is disrupted, the level of water rises in the body and this causes the cells to swell up. The body is then subject to suffering from a plethora of different conditions. While some are mild health conditions, some maybe even life-threatening. Causes Normally, the level of sodium in the blood must be anywhere around 135 to 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). However, when the same drops below 135 mEq/L, it is labeled as hyponatremia. It is essential to understand the different causes that lead to low sodium levels in the body when seeking the best treatment methods. Some of the reasons include: Health conditions – The health problems such as liver disease and kidney conditions can cause a disruption in the way in which the body processes fluids. This then leads to a drop in the levels of sodium. Even chronic diarrhea or vomiting can trigger hyponatremia due to the depletion of fluids in the body.

Different types of treatments used for vaginal atrophy Atrophic vaginitis or vaginal atrophy is a condition in which the walls of the vagina turn dry, thin, and are inflamed. Approximately 10% to 40% of women experience this condition. This usually happens after menopause, when the estrogen levels in a woman’s body fall drastically. However, it can also affect women after childbirth or while they are on anti-estrogen medications. Vaginal atrophy is characterized by symptoms such as vaginal dryness, runny discharge that is gray or yellow, thinning of the labia, pale labia, pain during sexual intercourse, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Treating vaginal atrophy To diagnose atrophic vaginitis, the gynecologist will order for a pelvic exam, a urine, and an acid balance test. If the test results are positive for atrophic vaginitis, the doctor will recommend the following treatments. One will be prescribed the following over-the-counter solutions at the beginning of the treatment. Water-based lubricants For reducing pain and discomfort while having intercourse, the woman can use a water-based lubricant. One should ideally pick products that don’t have glycerin as it can cause burning and tenderness. Likewise, women should avoid using petroleum-based products such as petroleum jelly if they are also using condoms.

Debunking 4 myths about birth control When it comes to avoiding unwanted pregnancy, there are several birth control methods that women opt for. Some of the most common ones include the use of a condom, birth control pills, the ring, intrauterine devices (IUD), and injections that are effective for three months. When it comes to the birth control options, irrespective of how safe they are deemed to be, people continue to harbor several misconceptions about them. These myths often interfere with women practicing safe birth control methods, which is why it becomes essential to debunk the myths and get acquainted with the reality of these birth control methods. Read on to learn about the various myths related to birth control methods. Myth 1: The pill causes weight gain The birth control pills are considered to be one of the safest birth control methods. However, there’s a common misconception which is often fuelled by erroneous information on the Internet, and one of these myths is that the birth control pill causes weight gain. The truth about birth control pills is that this depends entirely on the prescription. The pill contains estrogen and this can cause women to feel bloated, but this goes away on its own.

Causes, symptoms, and treatment of periodic paralysis Paralysis is a health condition that people usually associate with old age or near-fatal accidents. However, there’s a condition called periodic paralysis that is known to affect people irrespective of their age groups. Periodic paralysis or primary periodic paralysis is a group of rare diseases that can temporarily make the muscles weak, stiff, or unable to move. These episodes of periodic paralysis can last up to a few minutes to a few days and depend on the type of periodic paralysis one has. The major types of periodic paralysis include hypokalemic periodic paralysis (hypoKPP), hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (hyperKPP), paramyotonia congenita, and Andersen-Tawil Syndrome (ATS). The type of periodic paralysis one develops depends on the problem that cells have with their channels for sodium, chloride, calcium, or potassium. To function normally, one needs the right balance of these minerals inside and outside of the cells as this helps the muscles to move the way they should. Any problem with the channels for these key minerals can lead to either type of periodic paralysis. Causes of periodic paralysis Periodic paralysis is a condition that is caused by flaws in the genes that control sodium, chloride, potassium, and calcium channels in the muscle cells.