Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that is contagious and can spread from person to person easily through the air through the microscopic droplets released into the air by actively infected people through their common actions of coughing, sneezing, spitting or even speaking, laughing or singing. Tuberculosis or TB, in short, can be a life-threatening condition if left unattended, people having symptoms like chronic cough with blood containing sputum that lasts for three weeks or more, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue, fever, night sweats, and significant weight loss would need an immediate diagnosis for any early treatment to control the disease. Tuberculosis may infect any part of the body but most commonly the lungs get infected, to be known as Pulmonary tuberculosis. Extrapulmonary TB occurs when tuberculosis develops outside of the lungs and can affect people with a weakening immune system and in children. There are a number of factors for people to be susceptible to develop TB, HIV being the highest risk factor globally, particularly in the sub-Sahara African region where HIV rate is most prevalent. TB is also linked closely to malnutrition and overcrowding, making it one of the principle Disease of Poverty. People at high risk include those who inject illicit drugs and places with inhabitants where vulnerable people gather like in a prison and homeless shelters etc., medically underprivileged and communities with poor resources and also include health care personnel’s serving these patients.

The presence of other diseases can get complicated by hepatitis — Fibrosis and cirrhosis are some such diseases. It is an beneficial that a complication like liver failure is preventable. This article discusses some complications and conditions to look out for in hepatitis. A common complication of chronic hepatitis is fibrosis. It is a condition that is caused due to liver scarring where the liver is damaged due to persistent inflammation that creates a scar tissue for self-repair. This scar tissue stops the liver from functioning normally. An extensively developed fibrosis is known as cirrhosis. It is caused by alcoholic hepatitis and hepatitis B and C. It can also be caused due to fatty liver and other liver-related diseases. In most cases scarring due to cirrhosis is irreversible, and a liver transplant would be the best choice in severe cases. A complication of cirrhosis leads to cancer in the liver. It may affect the liver cells (Hepatocellular Carcinoma) and also affect the bile ducts (Cholangiolar Carcinoma). Uncommon liver failure is a serious complication of hepatitis. When the liver does not function it leads to the shutdown of the entire body causing death. In general, liver failure occurs when the liver is totally damaged and is unable to support the needs of the body.

One of the most common diseases around that affect millions of Americans today is atrial fibrillation, also known as afib. The approximate number of individuals here in America who suffer from or live with atrial fibrillation are exactly 2.7 million. The exact definition of atrial fibrillation is that it is a quivering or irregular heartbeat. This irregular heartbeat is also known as an arrhythmia. Afib can lead to a variety of other diseases such as blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. There are many different signs and symptoms that are associated with atrial fibrillation and they are general fatigue, rapid heartbeat, fluttering or thumping of the chest, rapid and irregular heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, anxiety, weakness, confusion, extreme fatigue with strenuous activity such as exercising, and chest pain. The number one and most common symptom still remains to be arrhythmia. Common risk factors for Afib include the following: 1. Associated health conditions The are various risk factors that are associated with atrial fibrillation. Here are some of the following risk factors they are diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, thyroid disease, sleep apnea, and cardiomyopathy. If an individual is diagnosed with any of the diseases listed they have a high risk for developing atrial fibrillation.

Diabetes is a major ailment for many people in our society. Diabetes is a condition that occurs when sugar glucose levels rise due to improper response to insulin production. Insulin attaches to cells and signal when the body should absorb glucose. Diabetes, diagnosed in types 1 and 2, is not only found in humans; many cats, depending on their breed, are actually predisposed to diabetes. With less than two percent of the feline population having diabetes, majority have type 2. There are many symptoms indicating your cat’s diabetes risk probability; whether it be an increase in age, physical inactivity, and feline obesity, paying attention to signs and seeking early treatment for you cat can greatly help. While the disease is currently uncured, there are steps to take to cause either partial or full remission, adding years to your cat’s life. Implementing healthier feline lifestyle choices can greatly help, including: 1. Insulin therapy Diabetes is most commonly treated by injectable insulin, is a common treatment in both humans and felines. Once diagnosed by a veterinarian, they would implement how to administer dosage. Typically, vets will perform a 12-24 hours glucose curve, used to establish insulin type and frequency needs of your cat while avoiding rising glucose levels.

Everyday we think about which foods will cause us to gain weight rather than thinking about which foods to avoid to decrease our chances of getting cancer. Sadly a variety of cancer-causing foods, including processed meats, microwave popcorn, soda, refined sugar, and farmed salmon, have been linked to cancer-causing chemicals. Frequent consumption of these foods have been linked to certain cancers, such as pancreatic, colon, lung, and liver. Many of these foods can slowly damage our organs and we might not be aware it’s happening. Below is a list of the top 5 cancer-causing foods: 1. Processed meat We love to add cured meat to our diets, but with it comes an increased likelihood of getting cancer from the cured meat with the chemicals they contain. Most all cured meats, including hot dogs, sausage, and lunch meats, contain sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate which have both been linked to cancer. 2. Microwave popcorn One of the most surprising foods that are known to cause cancer is America’s favorite movie snack, microwave popcorn. The bags that microwavable popcorn come in are lined with chemicals that have been linked to infertility and cancers such as liver, testicular, and pancreatic. Alongside the chemicals on the bags, the linings are also carcinogenic, which have been linked to cancerous tumors.

The American Psychiatric Association characterizes major depressive disorder as a common but very serious mental illness that affects a patient’s actions, thoughts, and feelings. In fact, depression impacts every aspect of a patient’s life, however, thankfully it is very treatable with help from a qualified mental health professional or team. Yet oftentimes, individuals recognize symptoms of depression yet are hesitant to reach out for help. Luckily, online depression counselling is making it easier and more convenient for patients to seek help from a qualified therapist. Here are the many reasons patients seek out depression counselling online: 1. For patients with anxiety For many patients seeking help, depression and anxiety go hand in hand, making even more scary and intimidating to physically go to a medical office to seek cognitive behavioral therapy with a mental health professional. For many the idea of online counselling with a qualified therapist is much safer and more comfortable. Patients can schedule video chat or even phone sessions from the comfort of their own home to get the help they need sooner. 2. More frequent appointments Many brick and mortar therapy offices are only open Monday to Friday during regular business hours. However, many patients work those same hours and cannot miss work or other responsibilities to travel to therapy.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a condition that makes the skin red and itchy. It can occur at any age, but it is most commonly found in children. Normally, healthy skin preserves its moisture and safeguards against irritants, allergens, and bacteria. Eczema is often confused with severe psoriasis because they share many of the same triggers. Eczema is caused by a gene variation that affects the skin’s ability to maintain this protection, allowing the skin to be affected by environmental factors. Symptoms of eczema can include: Dry, itchy skin Red to brownish-gray patches, mainly on the hands, feet, wrists, ankles, eyelids, neck, upper chest, inside the bend of the knees and elbows, and in infant the face and scalp Small, raised bumps Thickened, cracked, and scaly skin Sensitive, raw, and swollen skin Eczema is a chronic and persistent condition that may include complications, such as asthma, skin infections, arthritis, allergies, and even sleep problems. There are treatments that can help, including the following: 1. Biologics Biologic treatments for eczema, or biologics, are an effective targeted therapy and essentially use human DNA to treat diseases at the immune system level. These genetically engineered medications contain proteins that are derived from cells and living tissues and are cultured in a laboratory.

Presbyopia is a natural decline in vision that happens as you get older. It is generally seen in those diagnosed with farsightedness, and is caused by loss of elasticity of the eye lens. Presbyopia is very common, with 3 million new diagnoses every year. Some of the common symptoms include eye strain and blurred vision. Optometrists and ophthalmologists often recommend wearing daily disposable lenses, such as Biotrue ONEday, as one of the most effective treatments for presbyopia, as well as eye condition such as near-sightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism.  Proven research conducted on wearing moisturizing daily disposable contact lenses has made the benefits real: 1. Convenience With glasses, it may limit the patient’s daily functions. For example, if you like to go swimming, workout, or go running, it may be hard for you to keep your glasses while performing the activity. Even if you decide to go with traditional contact lenses, it can be a struggle to make sure that you keep them moisturized and clean. Instead, opting for daily moisturizing lenses offer the best of both worlds. By changing your lenses every day, you know that they are perfectly clean and moisturized, which gives you more time to focus on your favorite sports and activities as well as seamless sight when transitioning from near to far (i.e., while driving).

Throughout the day, we use our eyes for so many tasks, such as working at our computers, driving, getting a workout, cooking, hobbies, and watching television. It is advantageous to use contact lenses because it makes everything so much easier and convenient when you are constantly on the move. When you are wearing your glasses to workout or running errands, they may slip down your nose and get jostled around. However, with contacts, your lenses stay put and your vision is reliable. Thankfully, if you’ve never tried contact lenses in the past, you can sample out monthly and daily contact lens via a free trial though companies like Biotrue ONEday, Bausch and Lomb, and Biofinity, and experience the following benefits of wearing glasses, firsthand: 1. Comfort The comfort of contact lenses is very important so you don’t realize that you even have them in your eyes. Contact lenses offer so much variability as far as viewing distance, on the move, or close up at a computer. Plus, many daily contact lens options come in moisturizing lenses for extra comfort. 2. Cost The continuous cost of monthly or daily contacts can seem great when compared with the one-time cost of glasses.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are approximately 5.7 million people living with dementia in the United States. Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells and it impacts the normal function of the brain. This damage can interfere with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other, thus impacting communication, thinking, feelings and behavior. There are several risk factors for dementia including age (especially after age 65), family history, diabetes (or uncontrolled blood sugar), depression, and prior head injury. In addition, smoking and excessive alcohol use, and patients with down syndrome (roughly 30 percent of people with Down syndrome develop dementia by age 50-years old) have a higher risk of dementia and Alzhiemer’s disease. Doctors diagnose dementia based on a careful medical history assessment, a physical examination, laboratory tests, and observing changes in thinking, day-to-day function and behavior associated with each type. Symptoms of dementia vary by person and stage of the disease, and not all patients may experience every symptom. Knowing the early warning signs and symptoms of dementia can assist in identifying the disease: 1. Memory loss People with dementia will experience problems with short-term memory. Patients may have issues keeping track of personal items like their wallet or purse, keeping track of bills, preparing meals and remembering appointments.