Yeast infections occur when there is an overgrowth of yeast, creating an imbalance by increasing the amount of fungus in the vagina. Candidiasis is a quite prevalent issue for women, but this condition can be easily handled with proper treatment and care.

Here are some of the best yeast infection remedies, that can help you overcome candidal vaginitis quickly.
Probiotics “ Increase the intake of probiotics, which includes the good gut bacteria that minimizes the fungus to an acceptable level. You can find probiotics in foods like yogurt, kimchi, miso, pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, raw cheese, sourdough bread, and kombucha tea. But before incorporating these probiotics in your diet regime, have a word with your doctor.

Over-the-counter creams “ One of the most common remedies for yeast infection is using an effective anti-fungal cream. You don’t require any prescriptions to buy these. You can peruse through online consumer reviews to pick the most suitable cream for yourself. Just ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients used in it.

Essential oils “ You can use virgin coconut, lavender, oregano, clove, or tea tree oils to treat yeast infections. These contain powerful anti-fungal properties that can be effective against the candida albicans fungus. Before you purchase any essentials oils, ensure that they are completely organic.

Vitamins “ If you tend to suffer from chronic infections, then one of the reasons behind it could be nutritional deficiency. This can lead to a weakened immune system. Visit a professional nutritionist, so that they can recommend you with some vitamin supplements and a revised diet regime.

Prescription drugs “ If you are having recurring episodes of yeast infection, then you should definitely visit your gynecologist. They will accurately assess your condition with prescription medication which will assist in alleviating pain and irritation. Your medication can include oral pills, suppositories, or ointments. Make sure that you have a follow up appointment with your doctor to rule out any risks. Your treatment can last anywhere from three days to two weeks.

Diminish the use of antibiotics “ If you are on any antibiotics, consult your doctor to alter your medication. Antibiotics can often disturb the vaginal health by causing yeast overgrowth. Avoid using antibiotics for simple problems like cold and cough, instead try to utilize natural remedies.

Boric acid suppository “ Boric acid is often used as a natural anti-fungal solution that curbs the yeast growth in the vagina. It is used as a suppository capsule which is directly placed inside the vagina. Although it shouldn’t be consumed orally as it could be toxic. Pregnant women should also refrain from using boric acid suppository.

Vaginal yeast infection also known as candidal vaginitis is caused by the fungus candida albicans. Candida already exists in healthy numbers inside the vagina, but an infection occurs when there is an overgrowth of this yeast. Candidal vaginitis is an extremely common health concern among women. Most vaginal infections are not a sign of any serious health problem, but it is advised that you consult your doctor to clear doubts.

There are several best yeast infection remedies available in the form of over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs. You can also opt for natural alternatives. With the right kind of treatment, one can easily get rid of the vaginal yeast infection. But you shouldn’t just focus on the aspect of appropriate medication, it is equally important to be aware about what kind of prevention measures you can possibly take.

Here are some tips that will ensure that you don’t have to deal with vaginal yeast infections again.

Diet “ Your diet is an important part of your physical well being. So, cut down on fast food, refined sugar, and gluten. These are known to aggravate a yeast infection. This doesn’t mean that your need to go on an extreme weight loss diet. Try incorporating more home cooked meals in your food plan to gain quality nourishment. Don’t forget to include the healthy probiotics in your diet.

Undergarments and clothes “ Make sure that you avoid wearing extremely tight undergarments, as yeast thrives in warm temperatures. Always use undergarments that are made from cotton as they are light and breathable. Like undergarments make sure that your regular clothes like pants or denims aren’t awfully close-fitting, as they too can trigger yeast production.

Avoid douching “ The method of douching is often used by several women to cleanse the vagina. But douching can create a disproportion by eliminating the good bacteria. This can further worsen your vaginal health.

Antibiotics “ Consume antibiotics if and only if they are prescribed by your doctor. Don’t self-medicate, as certain antibiotics can create an imbalance, increasing bad bacteria.

Feminine hygiene products “ Hygiene products like tampons, sanitary pads, soaps, body washes, etc. consist of various chemicals that can irritate your private areas. Try to replace them with mild or organic products which promote health as well as hygiene.

Cleanliness “ Be attentive about your hygiene habits, thoroughly wash your clothes and undergarments. Also during menstruation, make sure that you regularly change your sanitary pads and tampons.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is an infection, which can be painful, and is contagious as well. It appears as a rash that’s generally around the torso but can occur anywhere in the body. Although it is not a life-threatening disease, the infection can last a long time. Visit a doctor and go for an antiviral shingles medicine course to reduce the severity of the infection.

Causes and risk factors

• Shingles occur due to an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is also referred to as herpes zoster as it falls in the category of herpes viruses.
• This virus also causes chickenpox. So, anyone who has had chickenpox is at a risk of getting shingles. After recovery from chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in the nerve roots next to the spine. It can reactive at any time and cause shingles.
• Shingles can occur in people of any age group. But it usually affects older people. The reason for it is that the virus can reactivate when the body’s immunity is weak, which can happen in the old age. It can also occur in children with poor immunity. Chemotherapy drugs can also lower immunity. People with HIV or cancer have weak immune systems. They are more susceptible to shingles.
• Long-term usage of steroids and certain drugs such as those help to prevent organ transplant failures can trigger shingles as well.
  Symptoms
• The symptoms of shingles usually affect only one side of the body. But at times, the rash may develop near the eye or around the neck.

Pain or a burning sensation on the affected skin area is the first shingles symptom to appear on the skin’s surface. A few days after the pain or tingling sensation begins, a rash appears on the infected area of the skin. The rash appears as a single stripe or line of blisters that are filled with fluid. These blisters eventually burst and then a crust forms over them. Itching might occur on the affected area.

Treatment: Shingles has no cure. But with the help of prescription shingles medicines, it is possible to ease the pain and speed up the recovery process. The treatment for shingles can also help prevent any complications from the infection. These complications can be nerve pain, swelling in the eye, skin infections and weak muscles. The doctor may prescribe paracetamol or painkillers. This can help to reduce the severity of shingles symptoms. To reduce the inflammation and pain, your doc may also prescribe steroid medication.

Prevention: Shingles is contagious but it is not possible to get shingles if anyone contracts the virus, as the infection causes chicken pox and not shingles. Once the virus enters the body, it is not possible to prevent it entirely but vaccines for chickenpox and shingles can reduce the likeliness of anyone contracting the infection. The vaccine for chickenpox (the varicella vaccine) is now part of regular immunization schedule. Adults who have not had chickenpox can also take it. The shingles vaccine is only approved for people who are 60 years of age and older.

Almost every disease displays certain symptoms before it affects you in a full-fledged manner. If you have read the symptoms correctly, timely medication and care would rid you of the disease. Many a times, when you notice a rash on your arms or see your scalp flaking, you tend to ignore it as a common sunburn or dandruff. But when the rash keeps growing or you lose hair, that’s when you realize that you misread the symptoms and dismissed it for something minor. These rashes indicate the onset of fungal infections caused by different fungi.

Fungal infections are caused by the fungi that are widespread in the environment and can get to you if your immunity system isn’t strong or because of poor personal hygiene, et al.
Different fungi cause different types of fungal infections, some of the common fungal infections are as follows-

Athlete’s foot- The Athlete’s foot, aka Tinea Pedis, is a skin infection that occurs on the skin of the feet. It is caused by the Tinea fungus. When your foot encounters this fungus, which mostly thrives in a warm and moist environment, you start experiencing itching sensations between your toes. The skin on your toes becomes raw and blisters appear. Your heels itch and sting. Having sweaty feet, or wearing tight shoes or touching an infected person cause this infection. It is highly contagious

Ringworm- As the name suggests, this infection looks like ring formations that are scaly and itchy. The affected areas become all blotchy and red. Your frequent use of public showers or swimming pools or physical contact with an infected person is the cause of being infected by Ringworm

Tinea Capitis- Tinea Capitis or the Ringworm of the scalp is caused by a mold-like fungus that attacks the hair shaft. Dandruff, hair-fall and bald patches are the symptoms that indicate you have contracted the infection

Onychomycosis- Onychomycosis or Tinea unguiums is a fungal infection that occurs on the fingernails or toenails. The pathogens that cause this infection are molds, yeasts, dermatophytes, etc. The nail becomes brittle and changes color. If left untreated, the skin under and around the toe would become inflamed and painful

Oral Thrush- Oral Thrush or Oral Candidiasis are caused by the candida fungus, commonly known as the yeast. You would experience pain while chewing or swallowing food and would also contract fever if the fungal infection spreads beyond the esophagus

These fungal infections are caused due to fungi that infect you if you have a vulnerable immune system or poor personal hygiene. However, all these infections are curable and do not let the fear of social stigma stop you from receiving proper medical care.

Although fungal infections are quite benign, they can be annoying. If a fungal infection affects a visible patch of your body, you might feel uncomfortable when you go out of your house. It is said that prevention is better than cure. You can avoid fungal infection ensuring that your surrounding including you are in in a clean and hygienic condition. The best way to avoid fungal infection is to keep every little nook and cranny of your body dry: fungal infection occurs as a result of a side effect of antibiotics, weakened immune system, diabetes, poor hygiene, living in a warm environment, poor blood circulation, a skin injury and coming in contact with someone who has a fungal infection.

However, despite taking all precautions and best efforts, you might get infected with a fungal disease. In such situations, it is best to arrest the infection in its initial stages before it spreads and its intensity becomes worse. Here are five remedies that you can use instantly. These remedies will be easily available in your home.

Tea Tree Oil: Combine tree tea oil with sweet almond oil or olive oil and apply the mixture to the infected part of your body. You can also mix aloe vera gel with tea tree oil as a remedy against fungal infection. Tea tree oil has natural antiseptic and anti-fungal compounds that act against the infection and prevents it from spreading further. However, precaution must be taken that pregnant woman should not use tea tree oil.

Garlic: Make paste with olive oil and two cloves of crushed garlic. Apply this paste on your skin and leave it on for 30 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Do this twice every day until the infection clears off. You can also add garlic to your diet to help the healing process.

Essential Oils: Keep essential oils such as garlic oil or oregano oil handy. If you are someone who tends to suffer from frequent fungal infections, you need to keep these essential oils near you. Using essential oils is more of a preventive measure than a curative against fungal infections of the skin.

Yogurt: Dip a cotton ball in plain yogurt and apply it on the infected area. Leave it on 30 minutes and wash it off with warm water. Do this twice daily until the infection clears off.

Hydrogen Peroxide: Mix hydrogen peroxide with water and clean the infected skin. In case of fungal infection of the foot, soak the infected part in a solution of hydrogen peroxide for some time. Repeat this until the infection clears out. Hydrogen peroxide is a useful remedy to clean wounds and cuts as well.

A bacterial infection is a rapid reproduction of a cell of an inherited or inherent character of bacteria. The bacterium is a living organism too small to find with naked eyes and can be viewed with the help of microscope only, but are found everywhere.Bacteria can be dangerous as it causes infection in our body.

There are different types of bacterial infection. A bacterial infection and a viral infection may look similar, hence the doctor must examine the symptoms to identify the nature of the disease.

How does a bacterial infection occur?
Bacterial diseases occur when pathogenic bacteria get into the body. After entering the body, it starts reproducing very fast and becomes more powerful than the healthy bacteria.

The various types of bacteria and the way they affect us are:
Escherichia coli and almonella “ Although these are clubbed together, actually these are quite different from one another. Escherichia coli cause food poisoning in raw eggs, raw meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables and water. E-coli are lives in the intestines and does not disturb us. But when it attacks, it becomes painful due to food poisoning from meat and vegetables, which are not properly processed and may even lead to bleeding. Intake of lots of fluids is the only treatment available.

Helicobacter pylori or H pylori- These germs enter your body and live in your digestive tract or the path which converts food into energy and basic nutrients to feed the entire body. Each of these infections can cause nausea with or without vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Gradually after some years, they can cause stomach ulcers and may even lead to stomach cancer.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae- This is a bacteria which causes gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease.  The symptoms like painful urination, bloody or yellow vaginal or penile discharge are felt after two to five days in the case of men, but it takes over 30 days for women.

Neisseria meningitides“ This bacterium causes meningitis.Its symptoms include nausea and vomiting, confusion, cold hands and feet, diarrhea and severe aches and pains. It can even be fatal. It can be prevented by getting vaccinated, and you should avoid coming in close contact with infected persons.

Staphylococcus aureus “ This bacterium causes various infections in the body, including abscesses, wound infections, pneumonia, toxic shock syndrome, cellulitis and food poisoning.It is essential for you to visit a doctor as soon as you notice any skin or other kinds of infection spreading. You must avoid sharing personal items like towels, razors and other such equipment.

Streptococcal bacteria “ This particular bacterium causes symptoms like strep throat, headache, sudden fever and loss of appetite.

Bacteria are microbes that exist all around us. They can thrive in varied environments, which may include extreme temperatures as well. They are excellent at evolving and adapting to changing environmental conditions and are highly resilient. Most of the bacteria do not harm us. In fact, there are several types which are helpful to us, such as the bacteria in our gut, which aids in numerous ways to maintain good health. Thy help digest food, fight against certain other disease-causing organisms and boost out immune system in general. But some of them are harmful to us, cause infections and are classified as pathogens.

Bacterial Infection
A bacterial infection can affect many parts of the body. Few among the many bacterial infections include tuberculosis, urinary tract infection and strep throat. Each of them is caused by a particular type of bacteria. For instance, a Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria can cause pneumonia, bacterium Mycobacterium can cause tuberculosis and so on. The bacteria are classified based on their genetic structure, the walls of their cells or their shape. When there is an infection, the underlying bacteria that caused the problem is detected, and treatment is provided accordingly.

Cure for bacterial infection
Antibiotics, as the word implies, is the treatment for bacterial infection. Medication is prescribed to counter the effect of bacterial infection when it is severe and is effective as a cure. But is not advisable in the case of mild infections, like the common cold, in which case, the body’s immune system will be able to remedy the condition. When the symptoms are severe, it is advisable to consult the doctor who would determine the nature of the infection. The doctor will carry out a physical examination, check your medical records and will recommend blood or urine test as appropriate to arrive at a diagnosis.

Further, a biopsy might be recommended for obtaining a tissue sample to conduct the culture test. This is done in order to identify the bacteria and confirm the diagnosis so that the medication can be prescribed accordingly. But caution has to be exercised in prescribing antibiotics as overuse can render the bacteria resistant to the drug.

Avoiding an infection
Bacterial infection is highly contagious in most cases and can be transmitted from infected person or animals when they sneeze, cough or touch. Hence it is advisable to follow basic hygiene such as washing hands often to fend off infection. And if you are the infected person, cover while sneezing or coughing and avoid sharing food or drink so that you don’t spread the disease. Most importantly, eat right, sleep well and exercise regularly so that you maintain good health by boosting your immune system in general, which is the best way to prevent any sort of infection rather than suffering once you catch one.

HIV or Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus is a life-threatening virus that attacks the CD-4 lymphocytes of the human body and brings down its immune system to a level that it is vulnerable to all kinds of diseases. If not treated timely, the infected person dies due to the direct effect of all other diseases rather than HIV alone.

HIV has three stages;

Acute HIV infection
When HIV virus enters the blood stream of the body, it immediately attacks the lymphocytes in the blood. The patient may not notice its effect in the initial weeks until the time when the lymphocytes count in the blood stream has reduced to a drastic level. Flu like symptoms would begin to a appear.
High fever with head ache and nausea would be persistent for a couple of days. Some people might even experience Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms would remain for a normal period and the patient would return to normal state without ever knowing the real cause of the flu infection.

The second stage is called as the chronic infection stage. The patient enters this stage when the HIV starts killing off CD-4 cells thereby weakening the immune system on a daily basis. Post the flu symptoms, the infected person may not even have a slightest idea that he is infected with HIV. This is the stage where HIV infection is at its peak and can go unnoticed until at least a decade. If untreated during this time, the HIV will keep on destroying CD-T4 cells by latching on to it.

The third and the final stage of the HIV infection is AIDS
When the CD-T4 lymphocytes count has gone below 200, the immune system of the infected person is completely down. At this stage, much severe symptoms start to appear. Some of them include. Feeling tired all the time, Unexplained profuse night sweating, Fever that lasts for more than a week, severe diarrhea that lasts longer than usual, unexplained skin pigmentation with bruises and bleeding. Some unusual symptoms such as yeast infection in reproductive organs and swollen lymph nodes in neck and groin. Person infected with AIDS is normally suffers from Kaposi’s sarcoma which is a type of skin cancer and pneumonia. People with unhealthy lifestyles are more prone to suffer from STD’s such as genital herpes and gonorrhea. As stated earlier the body of the infected person falls prey to other infections which results in death.

A person suffering from AIDS can survive for 4 years or more with proper medication.

Hence it is important for the potential patients to get tested thoroughly for any signs of infections. If found positive, it is advisable to start the treatment immediately before the stage of infection advances.