Important Health and Medical Topics 2



What Cause Cold Sores?
Cold sores are caused by a virus, the herpes simplex virus or HSV. There are two kinds of herpes simplex virus, called type 1 and type 2. While both types can cause cold sores, type 1 is the variety usually responsible. Type 2 HSV is found in genital herpes and is much more rare than type 1 HSV.

Are Cold Sores Contagious?
When someone gets a cold sore or knows someone who has one, it is not uncommon for them to wonder, "Are cold sores contagious?" And the answer to this question is yes, cold sores are contagious in more ways than one. The herpes simplex virus that usually causes cold sores is easily spread--even if the infected person does not have an active cold sore.

A Look at Cold Sore Treatments
Cold sores usually disappear without any type of medication in about a week to ten days. Many people choose to wait out their cold sores, just ignoring them until they go away. Others decide that ten days is too long to have a large, painful, embarrassing facial blemish near their mouth and seek out medicine or other treatments to make the cold sore easier to deal with. There are many different types of cold sore treatment available, from antiviral pills to over the counter and prescription creams. Many people also use conventional pain relievers like aspirin and acetaminophen as cold sore treatment.

Home Remedies for Cold Sores
There are a large number of home remedies for cold sores. In some cases these traditional treatments have been known to work as well as antiviral pills or numbing creams. One advantage of using a home remedy for cold sores is that treatment can begin immediately since there is no need to visit the doctor to get a prescription or go to the drugstore and choose between several creams. As soon as someone realizes they are developing a cold sore, they can begin the home remedy.

Is There a Cure For Cold Sores?
One question on the minds of many people who frequently suffer from cold sores is "is there a cure for cold sores?" Sadly, the answer is no. But while there is no cold sores cure, there are numerous preventive measures people can take to keep their cold sore outbreaks to a minimum.

Colitis
Colitis is the medical term used to refer to an acute inflammatory condition of the colon. It is associated with the inflammation of the intestine and/or the rectum. Colitis causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the top layer of the large intestine. The inflammation causes diarrhea, while the ulcers bleed and produce pus and mucus.

Colitis Symptoms
Colitis can cause a wide range of symptoms depending on the cause and extent of the affliction. In advanced stages when Colitis is ulcerative, symptoms include rectal bleeding and diarrhea. As the disease develops it can cause abdominal cramps, fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of body fluids and nutrients - which can result in accelerated weight loss. The inflammation can spread as the disease progresses whether or not the symptoms increase. When the inflammation is confined to the rectum, patients have milder symptoms and a better prognosis than patients with more widespread inflammation of the colon.

Ischemic Colitis
Ischemic colitis is caused by obstruction of blood flow to the large intestine. In these cases formation of blood clots and deposits of fatty material, called artherosclerosis, leads to chronic blockage of the colon. This causes damage to the lining and inner layers of the wall of the large intestine, resulting in ulcers. Ischemic colitis affects primarily people who are 50 or older, specially those with peripheral vascular disease.

Ulcerative Colitis
The acute or chronic inflammation of the large intestine or colon is known as Ulcerative Colitis. Ulcerative colitis may involve a larger portion of the colon, or, even the entire colon. Ulcerative colitis rarely affects the small intestine except for the lower section, which is called the ileum. Ulcerative colitis is difficult to diagnose since its symptoms are similar to the other intestinal disorder, known as the irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease.

Cat Constipation
Normally a cat has bowel movements once or twice a day. If the pet does not do it or strain to do it with hard feces, the cat is suffering from Constipation. It is a very common problem with cats and an occasional bout of Constipation is nothing to worry about.

Constipation Remedy
Constipation describes situations wherein patients have difficulty moving their bowels. From most of the persons complaining of Constipation, only a very few have any serious underlying disease that needs specialized tests and treatment by a gastroenterologist.

Dog Constipation
A dog should defecate at least once in two days, with soft feces. The dog suffers from Constipation if it does not do so.

Constipation
The general guidelines as to what is generally considered Constipation include bowel movement less than three times a week, hard and dry pellet-like stools, straining too much to pass stools, painful bowel movement, feeling of bloated stomach, uneasiness and sluggishness and a feeling of incomplete evacuation.

Causes Of Constipation
Most persons have suffered from Constipation at one time or other, due to change of diet, travel, surgery, medication, stress or many other simple causes. These are temporary bouts and correct themselves when properly settled in.

Chronic Constipation
Constipation can be divided into three categories, by the time it takes to treat the problem. The short-term ones are caused by travel, diet, medication, surgery and other known causes. They mostly correct themselves. The medium-term ones are caused by low-fiber diet, low liquid consumption, lack of exercise, old age, pregnancy, abuse of laxatives and consumption of dehydrating things like caffeine and alcohol. These can be treated with changed in diet, life-style changes and laxatives.

 

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