Urinary tract infection or UTI is a common condition that can happen when there is an infection in the urinary system, particularly, the urethra and bladder. When you have this condition, you feel an urge to urinate frequently. While UTIs can be common, you can stay away from them and minimize your risks of getting infected. You can stay away from urinary tract infections by following some healthy guidelines and prevention tips. Prevention tips for UTI 1. Practice good self-hygiene It is very important to practice hygienic habits, especially when you are a woman. The urethra in women is far shorter than in men, making it super easy for the E.coli bacteria to find its way into the body from your rectum. This is why women are advised to wipe front to back after bowel movements. Good hygiene is especially important during the menstrual cycle to avoid such infections. Women are advised to change their tampons and sanitary pads regularly and refrain from using feminine deodorants. 2. Fluids It is necessary to drink lots of water and fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated. This ensures that you visit the toilet regularly and this helps to flush out all bacteria from the urinary tract.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection caused by a bloodborne virus. It could transmit through unsafe injection practices and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products. Additionally, sexual practices that cause exposure to blood can lead to this disease. This viral infection leads to liver inflammation and can also cause serious liver damage. The disease can be treated, but one should be aware of the symptoms to facilitate timely treatment. 1. Rare symptoms of hepatitis C Commonly occurring bruises If one is getting bruised frequently and quite easily, it could indicate a Hepatitis C infection. One should get medical attention to ensure that the cause is identified and treated at the earliest. Easy bleeding Bleeding easily is another rare symptom of hepatitis C, and one should consult a doctor for early diagnosis and timely treatment if they experience this. Hepatic encephalopathy Hepatic encephalopathy is one of the rare symptoms associated with this disease, and an individual experiences confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech due to it. Spider angiomas Spider angiomas or the appearance of spider-like blood vessels on the skin is another rare symptom that occurs in people with hepatitis C. 2. Types of hepatitis C Acute hepatitis C Acute Hepatitis C does not manifest in the form of the usual symptoms.

Anemia is a medical condition characterized by the deficiency of healthy red blood cells (RBCs). As a result, enough oxygen cannot be carried out to the body’s tissues, leading to tiredness and fatigue in the person. There are many forms of anemia. Some of them are common, while others are rare. In this article, we discuss the latter. 1. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) Myelodysplastic syndrome is a rare form of anemia caused when the bone marrow is damaged and cannot make sufficient healthy RBCs. It is a form of cancer that can be inherited or diagnosed after being treated with another type of cancer with chemotherapy or radiation. 2. Sideroblastic anemia This is another rare form of anemia. In this form of the condition, the infected person’s body cannot use the iron to make hemoglobin. Therefore, the iron accumulates in the body, leading to the build-up of abnormal RBCs, called sideroblasts. This type of anemia is further divided into two types: Acquired sideroblastic anemia: caused by the exposure to a few drugs or chemicals Hereditary sideroblastic anemia: caused when the normal procedure of hemoglobin production is interrupted by a gene mutation 3. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia This form of anemia occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys healthy RBCs faster than new ones can be made.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) can turn life-threatening if not treated in time. It occurs when a blood clot develops in the deep veins, typically in the legs. DVT usually causes swelling and pain, but there may not be any symptoms in some cases. Knowing the risk factors for DVT can facilitate early diagnosis and timely treatment of the condition. DVT develops due to lack of movement for a long period, like after an accident or surgery. It can become severe if the clot or a part of it breaks away and travels upward, especially to the lungs. It can get lodged in the lungs and block blood flow, leading to pulmonary embolism. Here are the top risk factors for DVT that everyone should know about: 1. Blood clotting disorder An individual can get DVT if they have inherited a blood-clotting disorder that causes easy blood clotting. While this factor rarely triggers DVT by itself, it is risky when combined with other factors. 2. Post-surgical DVT If one has been on the bed for long, like during a hospital stay, or has had paralysis and has been confined to the bed, the legs remain still for days on end. This affects blood circulation in the calf muscles, which can lead to the development of blood clots.

Hemophilia refers to a rare blood disorder where the blood will not normally clot as it does not have enough blood-clotting proteins. So, if you have been diagnosed with hemophilia, you will tend to bleed for longer than people whose blood clots normally and the bleeding is typically prolonged even for minor cuts and injuries. Knowing the risk factors for hemophilia is important as you can take the necessary precautions and get the right treatment. When you experience smaller cuts or bruises there is not much of a problem. But if you have an acute deficiency of clotting proteins in your blood, there are chances of deep bleeding within the body. This is particularly with regard to ankles, elbows, and knees and the internal bleeding is capable of damaging vital organs and tissues. It is important to learn about the risk factors for hemophilia because when you bleed, there must be a chain of reactions inside the body so that your blood can clot normally. This process is referred to as the coagulation cascade that requires special blood-clotting proteins or clotting factors. So, you can end up suffering from excessive bleeding if any one or more of such clotting factors are absent or not functioning as they should.

When you are feeling miserable and out of sorts it is hard to tell if you have a cold or the flu. The symptoms of both are rather similar which makes it harder to identify signs of cold vs. flu. Both the flu and a cold affect the respiratory system but are caused by different viruses. The general rule of thumb is that the common cold does not usually result in any serious health issues. The flu on the other hand can escalate into more serious problems such as pneumonia resulting in hospitalization. The definitive way to differentiate between the two is to run special tests. A cold is most often caused by a rhinovirus. It is possible to catch a cold at any time of the year. However, they are more common in the winter as the dry air helps the virus thrive. The cold is transmitted by contact with the virus. The virus can be transmitted by someone who sneezes or coughs and sends virus-laden droplets into the air. The cold virus is also spread through contact with a surface that has been handled by a person with a cold. 1. Symptoms of a Cold A person with a cold would have either a runny or stuffy nose.

Cancer of the colon is more common in senior individuals, but those in the younger age category can develop it too. The first stage is when polyps develop at the site of the disease, eventually turning malign. Polyps are small clumps of cells and are usually benign in nature. They are formed inside the large intestine and are usually small, plus less in number. Hence, symptoms of colon cancer are not often detected early on. Causes of colon cancer The condition has not been attributed to one single cause just yet but the research is going on. The general thought of the occurrence of colon cancer is that there is a mutation in the cells in the large intestine. This leads to a change in the cells in the colon, resulting in a shift in the DNA. With a changed DNA, the cells become damaged and this leads to colon cancer. As the cells divide at an abnormal rate, they begin to form tumors in the large intestine. Over a period of time, the cancerous cells hamper the functions of the healthy tissues. Cancer can also spread from the large intestine to the nearby body parts. Symptoms of colon cancer It is equally important to know about the causes and symptoms of colon cancer, especially if one is at risk of the condition.

The precise cause of migraine has still not been found, but many things can trigger a migraine attack. Here are some of the common triggers of migraine symptoms that you should be aware of and avoid, if you suffer from frequent migraine attacks. 1. Odors According to a study, 95 percent of people cited perfume as being the most common olfactory trigger of migraines. However, other odors can also be classified as triggers, such as foods that have a strong smell, smoke, chemical odors, gasoline, and cleaning products. 2. Foods Certain foods are also a common migraine triggers, and so is fasting. Several studies have found that chocolate is one of the most common migraine triggers. Other migraine triggers include fermented foods, pickled foods, cheese, and salami. 3. Weather Weather changes can lead to migraine attacks. Both cold and hot weather are common triggers. Sunny weather has also been found to be a migraine trigger. In some studies, it has been found that lightning and thunderstorms also lead to migraine attacks. 4. Stress Stress can lead to migraines. Several reports suggest that those who are highly stressed have a higher tendency of suffering from a migraine attack. A sudden increase or decrease in stress levels can also lead to a migraine attack.

Leukemia develops when there is an excess of abnormal WBCs in the body. This condition affects more than 45,000 people in the country every year. It is the most common blood cancer in seniors above 55 and children below 15. Knowing the common types of the condition and their symptoms can ensure one gets treatment in time. So, here are five of the most common types of leukemia. 1. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) This condition progresses fast. It replaces the healthy cells producing functional lymphocytes with mutated ones, which cannot grow properly. These unhealthy cells are then carried onto the bloodstream and transported to various tissues and organs, such as the brain, lymph nodes, and liver, where they continue growing and dividing. 2. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Also called acute myelogenous leukemia, this condition is a quick-growing form of cancer in the bone marrow and blood. It is most commonly found in grownups, and it progresses very fast. It can affect many blood components and has several sub-types. In AML, the myeloid stem cells mature into abnormal myeloblasts or WBCs, sometimes even into abnormal RBCs and platelets. Once they multiply, they can outnumber the normal cells inside the blood and bone marrow and spread to different body parts.

Breast cancer has been a common cause of worry among women all over the world. In the country, breast cancer is the second-most diagnosed in women. And the survival rate of this disease has increased due to an increase in treatment options and earlier detection. Herein, we will mention a few of the common risk factors for breast cancer next, which can help one get this condition detected and treated promptly. 1. Age With the advance of age the risk factor for breast cancer increases. 2. Dense Breasts Having dense breasts increases the risk factors for breast cancer. 3. Reproductive History of the Patient If the menstrual cycle of a woman has started earlier than 12 years of age and menopause starts after 55, it is a major risk factor for breast cancer. 4. Family History If breast cancer has occurred earlier in the family, it increases the risk of breast cancer in a woman. Even if a male member has had breast cancer in the family the risk rises. 5. Recurrence of Breast Cancer If you have had breast cancer in the past and it has been cured, it can occur again. 6. Radiation Therapy If you had radiation therapy previously for some illness, breast cancer can occur at a later stage.