Top Health Tips on Treating Malaria

Mosquitoes might be tiny creatures but are responsible for some of the most dreadful diseases, one of them is malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted through mosquito bites directly or from mother to unborn baby and through blood transfusions. Very widely spread in the Asian and African continents, people travelling here are very cautious of this disease. In areas that are notorious for mosquito infestations, the local people also take preventive measures to ensure mosquito breeding is prevented or at least minimised.

Spread of the disease: When a mosquito bites an infected person, it picks up the parasite from the person and when it next bites another person, the infection is also transmitted. From there, the parasite travels to the liver and into the bloodstream before reaching another individual. While all people are prone to getting the infection, elderly people, children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at greater risk. Also, new travellers are at greater risk than local people, who are to some extent immune to mosquito bites.

Symptoms: The disease is characterised by moderate to severe shaking chills which are more common in the evening, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Quite often, there is about a 4-week gap between the time of the mosquito bite and the onset of symptoms. However, in many people, the disease could lie dormant and symptoms manifest when the immunity is severely lowered.
With the gradual progression of the disease, more severe symptoms of malaria could evolve as below, and that is when malaria becomes life-threatening.

Cerebral malaria: Once the parasites enter the bloodstream, they can block the minor blood vessels in the brain leading to cerebral oedema and even brain damage. It could eventually result in coma.
Anaemia: There is large-scale destruction of red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia and weakness and fatigue
Breathing problems: Similarly, accumulation of fluid in the lung spaces can lead to pulmonary oedema which causes difficulty breathing and lung failure.
Organ failure: Blood flow blockage to other vital organs like kidneys, liver, and spleen are also possible. The spleen may rupture leading to severe haemorrhage.
Low blood sugar: The malarial parasite per se and the most commonly used medicine (quinine) are both known to cause low blood sugar levels. This can result in coma and even death.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment usually consists of chloroquine, Mefloquine, quinine sulfate, or hydroxychloroquine. There are various drug-resistant forms of malaria, and they may require combination therapy.

Prevention assumes greater significance with travellers going for vaccines prior to visiting these areas. Even the local people should find ways to avoid breeding of mosquitoes, use mosquito repellents and nets to avoid the infection.

Mosquitoes might be tiny creatures, but are responsible for some of the most dreadful diseases, one of them is malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted through mosquito bites directly or from mother to unborn baby and through blood transfusions. Very widely spread in the Asian and African continents, people travelling here are very cautious of this disease. In areas that are notorious for mosquito infestations, the local people also take preventive measures to ensure mosquito breeding is prevented or at least minimised.

Spread of the disease: When a mosquito bites an infected person, it picks up the parasite from the person and when it next bites another person, the infection is also transmitted. From there, the parasite travels to the liver and into the bloodstream before reaching another individual. While all people are prone to getting the infection, elderly people, children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at greater risk. Also, new travellers are at greater risk than local people, who are to some extent immune to mosquito bites.

Symptoms: The disease is characterised by moderate to severe shaking chills which are more common in the evening, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Quite often, there is about a 4-week gap between the time of the mosquito bite and the onset of symptoms. However, in many people, the disease could lie dormant and symptoms manifest when the immunity is severely lowered.
With the gradual progression of the disease, more severe symptoms could evolve as below, and that is when malaria becomes life-threatening.

Cerebral malaria: Once the parasites enter the bloodstream, they can block the minor blood vessels in the brain leading to cerebral oedema and even brain damage. It could eventually result in coma.
Anaemia: There is large-scale destruction of red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia and weakness and fatigue
Breathing problems: Similarly, accumulation of fluid in the lung spaces can lead to pulmonary oedema which causes difficulty breathing and lung failure.
Organ failure: Blood flow blockage to other vital organs like kidneys, liver, and spleen are also possible. The spleen may rupture leading to severe haemorrhage.
Low blood sugar: The malarial parasite per se and the most commonly used medicine (quinine) are both known to cause low blood sugar levels. This can result in coma and even death.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment usually consists of chloroquine, Mefloquine, quinine sulfate, or hydroxychloroquine. There are various drug-resistant forms of malaria, and they may require combination therapy.
Prevention assumes greater significance with travellers going for vaccines prior to visiting these areas. Even the local people should find ways to avoid breeding of mosquitoes, use mosquito repellents and nets to avoid the infection.

Mosquitoes might be tiny creatures, but are responsible for some of the most dreadful diseases, one of them is malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted through mosquito bites directly or from mother to unborn baby and through blood transfusions. Very widely spread in the Asian and African continents, people travelling here are very cautious of this disease. In areas that are notorious for mosquito infestations, the local people also take preventive measures to ensure mosquito breeding is prevented or at least minimised.

Spread of the disease: When a mosquito bites an infected person, it picks up the parasite from the person and when it next bites another person, the infection is also transmitted. From there, the parasite travels to the liver and into the bloodstream before reaching another individual. While all people are prone to getting the infection, elderly people, children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at greater risk. Also, new travellers are at greater risk than local people, who are to some extent immune to mosquito bites.

Symptoms: The disease is characterised by moderate to severe shaking chills which are more common in the evening, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Quite often, there is about a 4-week gap between the time of the mosquito bite and the onset of symptoms. However, in many people, the disease could lie dormant and symptoms manifest when the immunity is severely lowered.
With the gradual progression of the disease, more severe symptoms could evolve as below, and that is when malaria becomes life-threatening.

Cerebral malaria: Once the parasites enter the bloodstream, they can block the minor blood vessels in the brain leading to cerebral oedema and even brain damage. It could eventually result in coma.
Anaemia: There is large-scale destruction of red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia and weakness and fatigue
Breathing problems: Similarly, accumulation of fluid in the lung spaces can lead to pulmonary oedema which causes difficulty breathing and lung failure.
Organ failure: Blood flow blockage to other vital organs like kidneys, liver, and spleen are also possible. The spleen may rupture leading to severe haemorrhage.
Low blood sugar: The malarial parasite per se and the most commonly used medicine (quinine) are both known to cause low blood sugar levels. This can result in coma and even death.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment usually consists of chloroquine, Mefloquine, quinine sulfate, or hydroxychloroquine. There are various drug-resistant forms of malaria, and they may require combination therapy.
Prevention assumes greater significance with travellers going for vaccines prior to visiting these areas. Even the local people should find ways to avoid breeding of mosquitoes, use mosquito repellents and nets to avoid the infection.

Mosquitoes might be tiny creatures, but are responsible for some of the most dreadful diseases, one of them is malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted through mosquito bites directly or from mother to unborn baby and through blood transfusions. Very widely spread in the Asian and African continents, people travelling here are very cautious of this disease. In areas that are notorious for mosquito infestations, the local people also take preventive measures to ensure mosquito breeding is prevented or at least minimised.

Spread of the disease: When a mosquito bites an infected person, it picks up the parasite from the person and when it next bites another person, the infection is also transmitted. From there, the parasite travels to the liver and into the bloodstream before reaching another individual. While all people are prone to getting the infection, elderly people, children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at greater risk. Also, new travellers are at greater risk than local people, who are to some extent immune to mosquito bites.

Symptoms: The disease is characterised by moderate to severe shaking chills which are more common in the evening, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Quite often, there is about a 4-week gap between the time of the mosquito bite and the onset of symptoms. However, in many people, the disease could lie dormant and symptoms manifest when the immunity is severely lowered.
With the gradual progression of the disease, more severe symptoms could evolve as below, and that is when malaria becomes life-threatening.

Cerebral malaria: Once the parasites enter the bloodstream, they can block the minor blood vessels in the brain leading to cerebral oedema and even brain damage. It could eventually result in coma.
Anaemia: There is large-scale destruction of red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia and weakness and fatigue
Breathing problems: Similarly, accumulation of fluid in the lung spaces can lead to pulmonary oedema which causes difficulty breathing and lung failure.
Organ failure: Blood flow blockage to other vital organs like kidneys, liver, and spleen are also possible. The spleen may rupture leading to severe haemorrhage.
Low blood sugar: The malarial parasite per se and the most commonly used medicine (quinine) are both known to cause low blood sugar levels. This can result in coma and even death.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment usually consists of chloroquine, Mefloquine, quinine sulfate, or hydroxychloroquine. There are various drug-resistant forms of malaria, and they may require combination therapy.
Prevention assumes greater significance with travellers going for vaccines prior to visiting these areas. Even the local people should find ways to avoid breeding of mosquitoes, use mosquito repellents and nets to avoid the infection.

With a number of virus and other mosquito borne disease threats looming in, such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and other deadly diseases. The number of cases are on the rise throughout the country, there has been an alarming rise is the use of market bought mosquito repellents. While they are no doubt, very effective, but they also emit gases which can be harmful to us. There exist in our homes, commodities with which we can achieve the same results - to have a mosquito-free home. Few such ways are as follows:

1. Though it might smell bad initially, it is also the reason why mosquitoes will stay away. Crush a few pods of garlic, boil it in water and spray the liquid in the room, especially in the corners.

2. Camphor is easily available and good way to get rid of mosquitoes. Light a little bit of camphor in a room after closing all doors and windows. Leave the room for about twenty minutes and when you go back, your room will be mosquito free.

3. Infuse citronella oil in a candle and burn the candle to have a mosquito free room. Alternatively, you can use the oil in a vaporizer.

4. If you have a garden, plant mosquito repellent plants like lavender, catnip and citronella in the areas near the windows of your house to drive the mosquitoes away.

5. Get rid of all stored water within and around your house. These waters are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If you need to store water for the unexpected shortage of water, make sure that you keep changing it.

With a number of virus and other mosquito borne disease threats looming in, such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and other deadly diseases. The number of cases are on the rise throughout the country, there has been an alarming rise is the use of market bought mosquito repellents. While they are no doubt, very effective, but they also emit gases which can be harmful to us. There exist in our homes, commodities with which we can achieve the same results - to have a mosquito-free home. Few such ways are as follows:

1. Though it might smell bad initially, it is also the reason why mosquitoes will stay away. Crush a few pods of garlic, boil it in water and spray the liquid in the room, especially in the corners.

2. Camphor is easily available and good way to get rid of mosquitoes. Light a little bit of camphor in a room after closing all doors and windows. Leave the room for about twenty minutes and when you go back, your room will be mosquito free.

3. Infuse citronella oil in a candle and burn the candle to have a mosquito free room. Alternatively, you can use the oil in a vaporizer.

4. If you have a garden, plant mosquito repellent plants like lavender, catnip and citronella in the areas near the windows of your house to drive the mosquitoes away.

5. Get rid of all stored water within and around your house. These waters are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If you need to store water for the unexpected shortage of water, make sure that you keep changing it.

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Miscarriage is the early loss of foetus within 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is also known as spontaneous abortion . According to research, about 8-20% of the pregnancies end in miscarriage. Out of the total number of miscarriages, 80% of them end within 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Types of Miscarriages and their Symptoms

Threatened Miscarriage As the term suggests, in this condition the process of miscarriage might have begun. This is the initial stage of the process. In threatened miscarriage, there is slight bleeding accompanied by cramps and pain in the lower back, which is usually mild. The cervix (the lower part of the uterus) remains closed.
Inevitable and Incomplete Miscarriage In these conditions, there is bleeding along with an open cervix. When there is dilatation and thinning of the cervix, miscarriage is inevitable. In incomplete miscarriage, part of the tissue comes out and a part remains inside the uterus. In inevitable and incomplete abortions, the bleeding and cramps are more severe.
Complete Miscarriage Complete miscarriage is when the embryo has completely emptied from the uterus. The pain and bleeding reduce once the foetus is expelled. This can be confirmed through ultrasound.
Missed Miscarriage In Missed miscarriage, there is no sign of the life of the embryo and there is no expulsion of the embryo. It can be detected from the absence of heartbeat of the embryo found on ultrasound.
Recurrent Miscarriage It happens when there are two or three miscarriages one after the other. It affects about 1% of the pregnancies.
Risk Factors

Increased maternal age i.e., women above 35 years.
Excess or insufficient chromosome in embryo.
Placenta is the organ which links mother and the baby for blood supply. Problem in the development of placenta can cause miscarriage.
Excessive smoking and drinking during pregnancy.
Obese women have higher risk of miscarriage.
Long-term health conditions like high blood sugar, high blood pressure, liver disease etc.
Infections like rubella, malaria etc.
Weakened cervix, which is the result of previous injury or surgery, can also result in miscarriage.
What are the symptoms of a miscarriage?

Bleeding or spotting can be one of the symptoms of miscarriage. It should be kept in mind that not all pregnant women who suffer from spotting or bleeding, end in miscarriage.
Lower backache starts before or right after bleeding, which can be persistent or you could have cramps which may be mild or sharp and can feel like more of pelvic pressure.
Missed miscarriages are detected through ultrasound when the doctor finds that there is no heartbeat of the embryo or when the uterus is not growing.
What are the treatment options in miscarriage?

Medical In most of the cases, there are no specific drugs to stop a miscarriage from occurring. In some cases, certain hormonal preparations help. There is no point in prescribing medicines for prevention of miscarriage if there is heavy bleeding.
Surgery Dilatation and evacuation (D&E) is a simple operation which is done under general/local anaesthesia. In this operation, the cervical canal is dilated and contents present in the uterus are evacuated. There is no cutting involved as it happens through the vagina. The process needs only five to ten minutes, but the patient has to stay in the hospital for about 3-4 hours.
This process is opted when:

There is heavy bleeding.
The patient suffers from missed miscarriage.
What can you do to prevent miscarriage?

Nothing much can be done to prevent miscarriage in most of the cases. However, following supportive measures may help:

There should not be overexertion during pregnancy. Moderate amount of physical activity is permissible.
One should have a well-balanced diet. Studies have shown that a diet loaded with fruits and veggies helps in overall well-being during pregnancy. One should limit the consumption of caffeine.
Avoid smoking, alcohol and certain drugs to prevent miscarriage.
Avoid stress and anxiety.
Report to Doctor (preferably Obstetrician) as soon as any symptom related to miscarriage appears.

Priapism is a disorder where the blood flow to the male reproductive organ is severely disrupted, which results in blood being trapped inside it. This will result in a prolonged erection even after sexual arousal has diminished which is not only painful but, may even disrupt your normal life. It's medical emergency. If not relieved priapism well in time, it may lead to gangrene of the organ and amputation may be required!

Arousal and Blood Flow
When a man gets sexually aroused, the body supplies blood to his pelvis and penis. As soon as blood enters in the penis, it enlarges the vessels making the tissues turgid with blood and thus results in an erection. Once sexual arousal has gone down, the blood returns back and ensures that the penis returns to its flaccid state.

Problems with Blood Flow
Priapism occurs when the blood inside the penis is trapped even after sexual arousal has gone down. When blood fills the chambers of the penis known as corpora cavernosa it engorges the tissue. However, even after sexual arousal goes down the blood may remain trapped within keeping the penis erect. These erections may last for hours causing severe pain and even hamper sexual arousal later.

Types of Priapism
There are two types of Priapism which are:

Low-flow Priapism: This form of priapism has been primarily attributed to sickle-cell anaemia, blood cancer or even malaria. You need to get treatment urgently as regular occurrences of these can cause scarring and even lead to permanent erectile dysfunction.
High-flow Priapism: This type of priapism is comparatively rare and is less painful. This usually occurs due to an injury to the penis, scrotum or anus. It may hamper normal blood flow to the penis due to the rupture of an artery in the scrotum or the groin area in general. Correcting the underlying injury or the problems can usually quickly correct this form of Priapism.
Causes

Some causes of priapism may include:

Sickle cell anaemia may cause Priapism most of the time
Side effect of intrapenile injection or Medications to treat other disorders are one of the major causes of this disorder
Injuries in the genital area or spinal cord
Sometimes it can be caused by insect bites from specific insects like the scorpion or black widow spider
Minute poisoning through different gases such as carbon monoxide 6. Use of drugs like marijuana and cocaine
Symptoms

There are simple symptoms for the disease like:

Rigidity in penile shaft
Tip of the penis remains soft
Severe pain in the organ
Penis remains erect for a long time(more than two hours) without any sexual arousal
Treatments

All the treatments revolve primarily around reducing the erection so as to prevent permanent damage and thus prevent erectile dysfunction. It's medical emergency. Contact your doctor immediately. Some treatments, which are used to cure Priapism are:

Ice packs
Needle therapy to drain the blood from the penis and reduce the erection
Sometimes, your doctor might suggest blocking the problematic artery to prevent blood flow causing an erection
If you have low-flow priapism then the doctor might suggest surgery to drain the blood if all other means and options fail

Mosquitoes might be tiny creatures, but are responsible for some of the most dreadful diseases, one of them is malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted through mosquito bites directly or from mother to unborn baby and through blood transfusions. Very widely spread in the Asian and African continents, people travelling here are very cautious of this disease. In areas that are notorious for mosquito infestations, the local people also take preventive measures to ensure mosquito breeding is prevented or at least minimised.

Spread of the disease: When a mosquito bites an infected person, it picks up the parasite from the person and when it next bites another person, the infection is also transmitted. From there, the parasite travels to the liver and into the bloodstream before reaching another individual. While all people are prone to getting the infection, elderly people, children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at greater risk. Also, new travellers are at greater risk than local people, who are to some extent immune to mosquito bites.

Symptoms: The disease is characterised by moderate to severe shaking chills which are more common in the evening, high fever, profuse sweating, headache, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Quite often, there is about a 4-week gap between the time of the mosquito bite and the onset of symptoms. However, in many people, the disease could lie dormant and symptoms manifest when the immunity is severely lowered.
With the gradual progression of the disease, more severe symptoms could evolve as below, and that is when malaria becomes life-threatening.

Cerebral malaria: Once the parasites enter the bloodstream, they can block the minor blood vessels in the brain leading to cerebral oedema and even brain damage. It could eventually result in coma.
Anaemia: There is large-scale destruction of red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia and weakness and fatigue
Breathing problems: Similarly, accumulation of fluid in the lung spaces can lead to pulmonary oedema which causes difficulty breathing and lung failure.
Organ failure: Blood flow blockage to other vital organs like kidneys, liver, and spleen are also possible. The spleen may rupture leading to severe haemorrhage.
Low blood sugar: The malarial parasite per se and the most commonly used medicine (quinine) are both known to cause low blood sugar levels. This can result in coma and even death.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment usually consists of chloroquine, Mefloquine, quinine sulfate, or hydroxychloroquine. There are various drug-resistant forms of malaria, and they may require combination therapy.
Prevention assumes greater significance with travellers going for vaccines prior to visiting these areas. Even the local people should find ways to avoid breeding of mosquitoes, use mosquito repellents and nets to avoid the infection.

With a number of virus and other mosquito borne disease threats looming in, such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and other deadly diseases. The number of cases are on the rise throughout the country, there has been an alarming rise is the use of market bought mosquito repellents. While they are no doubt, very effective, but they also emit gases which can be harmful to us. There exist in our homes, commodities with which we can achieve the same results - to have a mosquito-free home. Few such ways are as follows:

1. Though it might smell bad initially, it is also the reason why mosquitoes will stay away. Crush a few pods of garlic, boil it in water and spray the liquid in the room, especially in the corners.

2. Camphor is easily available and good way to get rid of mosquitoes. Light a little bit of camphor in a room after closing all doors and windows. Leave the room for about twenty minutes and when you go back, your room will be mosquito free.

3. Infuse citronella oil in a candle and burn the candle to have a mosquito free room. Alternatively, you can use the oil in a vaporizer.

4. If you have a garden, plant mosquito repellent plants like lavender, catnip and citronella in the areas near the windows of your house to drive the mosquitoes away.

5. Get rid of all stored water within and around your house. These waters are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If you need to store water for the unexpected shortage of water, make sure that you keep changing it.

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