Hair loss or alopecia is a common condition that is experienced by women, men and even children. Albeit, men are more likely to experience hair loss due to male pattern baldness. It is normal to shed hair every day and about 80 strands on an average are lost daily. The cause of concern rises when the loss increases significantly and is not supported by enough growth. There are several factors that can be potential triggers of hair loss and this makes it tricky when pointing out the exact reason behind the condition. Some of the most common causes include hormonal imbalance, genetics, stress, anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, sudden weight loss and ageing. However, thanks for revolution in biology, new hair loss treatments are being coined. Here are some common treatment options that are being employed for hair loss: Hair transplant Hair transplant or hair grafting is a surgical process that aims to make the scalp look fuller. It is an outpatient treatment procedure that is performed by a cosmetic surgeon. It involves taking tiny plugs of skin that contain hair and implanting same into sections that are hairless. The tiny plugs are taken from the side or the back of the scalp to produce the most natural results.

In cats and dogs, the cause of diabetes is not usually simple. Often, it is a combination of multiple causes—genetic, obesity, adrenal disease, and pituitary disease. Sometimes, the long-term use of certain medications such as steroids, specifically corticosteroids, can also lead to diabetes. Other causes include environmental factors such as old age, being neutered, and physical inactivity.  The earlier diabetes is detected in your pet, the better treatment can be given. This also helps in efficient diabetes management. How can you know if you furry pet has diabetes or not? Look out for the following the following signs and symptoms. Your pet is excessively thirsty and urinating frequently. Their appetite fluctuates. Sometimes they are excessively hungry and may refuse to eat other times. In dogs, their eyes become cloudy and cataracts may develop. There can be a chronic infection such as urinary tract infection and skin infection. Cats may develop an abnormal gait. Some pets may even experience vomiting and disorientation. Their coat may lose their shine and look dull and coarse. If not diagnosed on time, untreated diabetes in pets may lead to multiple health complications such as liver dysfunction, kidney failure, brain swelling, and even pancreatitis. How is diabetes treated in cats and dogs?

Eczema is a group of skin conditions wherein atopic dermatitis forms one of the common types of eczema. There are over thirty generic classifications of eczema that exhibit some form of skin inflammation as the primary symptom. This is one of the reasons why medical professionals use the terms interchangeably in many cases. However, when it comes to treating the skin disorder, one must clearly understand the common types of eczema: Atopic dermatitis Contact dermatitis Seborrheic dermatitis Dyshidrotic dermatitis Nummular dermatitis Perioral dermatitis Asteatotic dermatitis These types of eczema all exhibit common symptoms related to inflammation. However, atopic dermatitis is a chronic condition that requires constant symptoms management with varying levels of severity, thus distinguishing it from the other common types of eczema. How atopic dermatitis differs from other forms of eczema One of the most common and severe forms of eczema, Atopic dermatitis affects more than 18 million people in the country every year. The condition usually develops in the first six months after birth and has the ability to gradually develop over years without any alarming indicators of a skin condition. There is no one known cause of atopic dermatitis. Doctors suggest that a series of gene mutations that can be passed down from one generation to the other resulting in atopic dermatitis.

A common condition, dry eye occurs when the tear ducts are unable to produce a sufficient quantity of tears to keep the eyes lubricated. Approximately 4.8 million people in the country suffer from this condition. Interestingly, it is more likely to affect women than men. Dry eyes are characterized by signs and symptoms such as a burning or stinging sensation in the eyes, itchiness, stringy mucus around the eyes, sensitivity to light, watery eyes, blurred vision, and red eyes. If left untreated, this condition can further lead to complications such as frequent eye infections and damage to the eye’s surface. Tears are made up of a complex mix of fatty oils, mucus, and water, which work to help keep the surface of the eyes clear and smooth, and protect the eyes from infections. The most prevalent causes of dry eyes include: 1. Decreased tear production Decreased tear production primarily occurs as a result of aging. However, the following mentioned factors can also trigger this condition. 2. Medications Certain types of medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, birth control pills, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, and medicines used for treating acne, high blood pressure, and Parkinson’s disease. 3. Underlying health issues Health disorders including diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome, thyroid diseases, and vitamin A deficiency are often a trigger for dry eyes.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes serious damage to the digestive system, lungs, and other organs of the body. This condition affects the cells of the body that are responsible for the production of sweat, mucus, and digestive juices. These fluids that are produced are thin and slippery in texture. However, that is not the case when it comes to people who have been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Due to this condition, there is a defective gene that leads to these secretions becoming thicky and stick. The function of these secretions is to primarily act like lubricants. However, in this condition, these secretions block the ducts, passageways, and tubes in the body. Cystic fibrosis cannot be cured, however, there are treatment and management steps one can take to ease the symptoms and reduce the complications. The treatments are primarily focused on the prevention and control of the infections that occur in the lungs, the treatment, and prevention of intestinal blockage, provide ample nutrition, and removing mucus from the lungs by loosening it. Read on to know more about the treatment and management of cystic fibrosis: Medicines The main medications used to treat cystic fibrosis are mucus-thinning medicines available that make mucus less sticky and thinner.

According to the World Health Organization, chronic respiratory diseases are the cause of around 6% of deaths each year, across the globe. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic asthma are two of the most common respiratory disorders. The former is an umbrella term for progressive respiratory conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, whereas the latter is often mistaken as COPD, but is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways in the lungs. Asthma is associated with allergies and can be treated by targeting inflammation and COPD is treated with bronchodilators, and in some cases by removing the risk factors. Although both these conditions may be confused quite often, these are two distinct respiratory disorders and asthma is considered one of the risk factors for developing COPD. The symptoms of COPD and asthma seem similar. Shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing are the common symptoms in both these conditions. Moreover, airway hyper responsiveness, which is the condition of sensitivity while inhaling is also a common symptom observed in both COPD and asthma. Here are some of the distinguishing factors that differentiate COPD from chronic asthma: Age Asthma is a common respiratory disorder among children and as per the WHO estimates, more than 235 million people in the world are currently suffering from the condition.

Colon cancer occurs when cancerous cells are formed in the tissues of the colon. Also known as colorectal cancer, there are often no symptoms in the early stage of the condition but can be detected with colon cancer screening. As the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country, colon cancer is the third most common cancer in both women and men. In the year 2016, the percentage of adults between 50 to 75 years, who were up-to-date for colon cancer screening, increased from 66.2% to 67.3% amounting to an additional 3.3 million adults screened for colon cancer. The treatment options for colon cancer depend on numerous factors such as the type of cancer, stage, the overall health of the patient, to name a few. Here are 4 treatment options for colon cancer: 1. Surgery One of the most common treatment options is surgery where the cancer is removed in various ways. These are: Resection of the colon with anastomosis: When the cancer is large, the doctor performs a partial colectomy wherein the cancer is removed along with healthy tissues. Later, the doctor performs an anastomosis, which is sewing the parts of the healthy tissues. The lymph nodes near the colon are removed and examined to check if cancer is present in those parts or not.

According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that about 80,470 new cases of bladder cancer will be reported in 2019. Bladder cancer develops when the healthy cells in the bladder lining, mostly the urothelial cells, start transforming and grow uncontrollably. The most common symptom of underlying bladder cancer is the presence of blood in the urine, which is usually painless. There are three types of bladder cancer, and it depends largely on how far the cancer cells have spread. They are as follows: 1. Urothelial carcinoma (transitional cell carcinoma) Urothelial carcinoma, also known as transitional cell carcinoma, is the most common type of bladder cancer. In this form of bladder cancer, cancer begins in the urothelial cells that line the inside of the bladder and can even spread to the adjacent areas that are a part of the urinary tract. 2. Squamous cell carcinoma This is a rare type of bladder cancer and begins when the thin, flat squamous cells form in the bladder due to a long-term infection or irritation in the bladder. 3. Adenocarcinoma Even this type of bladder cancer is quite rare. It usually begins when the glandular cells form in the bladder due to long-term bladder irritation and inflammation.

Drug and alcohol addiction is a terrible condition that can cause damage to the lives of an addict and their families. Fortunately, there are a lot of options when it comes to treatment facilities across our country that are dedicated to rehabilitating drug and alcohol addicts. There are at least 14,000 specialized drug and alcohol treatment centers in the country that rehabilitate patients who are addicted to various kinds of substances. Every rehab program is known to specialize in rehabilitating patients addicted to a specific or a group of substances. So, it is important to choose a rehabilitation center or a program that suits the patient’s addiction: 1. Inpatient versus outpatient rehab programs There are two forms of rehab :inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. Inpatient rehabilitation requires the patient to stay in the facility overnight whereas outpatient rehabilitation allows the patient to leave the rehab facility after a day of treatment.  It is usually seen that inpatient rehabilitation has a higher success rate but, it is also expensive and is disruptive to daily life. On the other hand, outpatient allows the patient to have a normal routine after undergoing the daily treatment. 2. Decide based on rehab goals and needs It is extremely important to choose a rehab facility based on the rehab goals.

About 30 percent of adults in the country suffer from some type of allergy. There are several factors present in the environment that can act as triggers for different types of allergies. Allergies occur when the immune system reacts to a seemingly harmless foreign substance with unnecessary gusto, producing antibodies to deal with the same. These antibodies identify the allergen as harmful and start attacking it, and this immune system response can cause inflammation of the skin, sinuses, digestive system, or airways. The allergic response can range anywhere from minor irritation to anaphylaxis, which is an extremely critical condition. Which is why identifying the potential triggers and avoiding them at all costs is advisable. The most prevalent allergy triggers are as follows: 1. Pollen Pollen is one of the most common causes of allergies in the country. Pollen is a completely harmless substance, but it causes an adverse immune response in people who are allergic to it when they come in contact with it. The common symptoms of pollen allergy are scratchy throat, itchy or watery eyes, nasal congestion, sinus pressure resulting in facial pain, runny nose, cough, swollen and bluish-colored skin beneath the eyes, runny nose, and increased asthmatic reactions.