Hives

Hives are itchy, red and raised skin surfaces which are allergic to the medicine or food. Hives is the common name given for the medical condition urticaria. The skin area becomes elevated with a blanched center. Hives will appear in various sizes and shapes. They extend from few millimeters to the some inches in the measurement of their diameter existing anywhere on the body. According to the statistics, nearly 20 percent of people are found to be developing urticaria. Hives are mostly seen in women than in men. The characteristic feature of hives is that they keep spreading from one place to the other. They may not be present at the initial place and will be transferred to another place in just few hours. A single hive will not exist more than 24 hours.

The hives that have started to appear in the morning might be disappearing in the afternoon and will be seen again during the latter part of the day. It is said that there are no other skin diseases that get solved so easily. The symptoms might not stay for long time when the patient approaches the doctor but the photograph of the symptoms at their worst stages and brief explanation of the history of the symptoms can be done by the person to allow the doctor to diagnose the symptoms.

The swelling that is present deep inside the skin might be accompanying the hives known as angioedema. The swelling or inflammation is observed in the feet and hands as well as on the eyes and lips. There are two types of hives called acute and chronic urticaria. The acute urticaria will get eliminated in about six to eight weeks while the chronic urticaria will be eliminated in more than six to eight weeks. The other forms of physically stimulated hives are known as cholinergic urticaria. These hives are known to generate few hundreds of tiny and itchy skin areas. They generally appear just after doing any physical exertion or exercise. These hives often appear in young people.

Symptoms of Hives

• The ordinary forms of hives suddenly flare up or become reddish in the surroundings for no reason.
• The welts created are present in several areas.
• The welts itch, swell, flare and disappear after some time and might appear somewhere else.
• This type of appearance and disappearance might be repeated for some days to some weeks.
• The hive episodes mostly remain for a period of less than six weeks.
• The limit timing of hives is arbitrary and it might end in about six weeks, which are often called as “chronic”.
• Hive is a red, itchy, circular and sponge like lesion that changes and evolve from few minutes to few hours.
• The size of the hives differs from smaller to bigger.

Causes of Hives

Most of the ordinary hives are called as idiopathic and will not have any cause. Some ordinary hives might be stimulated by the viral infections. Some of the ordinary hives are caused by the drugs and the medication has to be stopped if it is this case, as there is no test that can identify the association of drug with the hives. In the case where the drugs are stimulants of the hives, then they will go away when the drugs are stopped from being taken. If the hives do not get eradicated in spite of stopping the drugs then the medications are not the cause of hives.

Some of the drugs like codeine, morphine, NSAIDs and aspirin will trigger the secretion of histamine naturally by the body and cause urticaria through non-allergic mechanisms. If there is no association between the stimulant and the person suffering from hives then the allergy testing is not generally needed.

The chronic hives will appear from months to year period. This condition can be examined with the help of the information related to the medical history of the patient and the habits of the patient.

To understand the exact stimulants of this condition, it is necessary to examine the specific foods or drugs for one time to check whether they are actually involved in causing the chronic hives condition.

Some diseases that are systemic and the infections that are systemic are found to appear as hives.

Some forms of chronic urticaria can be identified by checking whether the person makes antibodies for the mast cell surface antigens.

The physical stimuli that can cause chronic urticaria results in the condition called as physical urticaria.

If the skin is scratched extensively, then it results in skin writing or dermographism.  The areas where the skin is scratched will be itchy, reddish and raised along with the surrounding flares. These scratches are seen in the regions where the belt is worn or near the places where the clothes are rubbed against the skin to secrete the histamine through the mast cells.

The physical hives are very less common form of hives that are caused by water, cold and sunlight.

The other causes of hives might be insect bite, medications, animal dander, pollen, eggs, milk, shell fish, nuts, and other foods.

Some other causes include extreme cold, emotional stress, exposure to sun, extensive perspiration, illness due to autoimmune diseases or leukemia or lupus and infections such as mononucleosis.

Home remedies for hives

• Elimination of the stimulating agent: It is necessary to find out the actual reason for the hives condition. If the causal agent is identified, it becomes easy for fighting against the condition.
• Cool compression: The itching and pain on these areas can be relieved by compressing the regions using cool compressing agents.
• Calamine lotion: This lotion can bring relief from the itching sensation.
• Magnesia Milk: Rubbing the magnesia milk on the hives will bring some relief. The irritating sensation and the itchy nature of the hives can be eliminated by the use of milk of magnesia. The alkaline nature of this solution will provide relief.
• Herbal tea: The nerves have to be kept calm when the stress imposes much of discomfort to the person. Taking teas that are made from passionflower, peppermint, valerian, catnip and chamomile are found to be very beneficial for calming down the nerves.
• Corn starch: The tub consisting of warm water can be added with cornstarch taken in half a cup and baking soda. The person can lie in the warm water added with the above components for one time in a day.
• Aloe Vera gel: The hives region can be applied with the aloe vera gel or vitamin E oil for about two times in a day to be beneficial for them.
• Nettles:  The “nettle tea” is made by using two teaspoons of stinging nettles that appear in the powdered form. The tea can be given flavor by adding lemon or honey.
• Cayenne pepper: The healing of the hives can be done by cayenne capsules. They consist of zinc, vitamin C and E for bringing quick relief.
• The person with hives has to take shower bath with cool water.
• A paste is made with the mixture of cornstarch taken in three table spoons and oatmeal taken in two cups. This paste can be applied for about 15 mints to half an hour.
• Water added with two teaspoons of turmeric powder can be taken every day. Turmeric acts as antihistamine and antioxidant agent for hives.
• The baby oils that are non-scented and usually plain are applied on the hives for relief.
• The hives can be reduced by reducing the allergic response by the usage of bromelain.
• The skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, acne, boils and hives are resolved using burdock.
• The infections causing hives can be alleviated by the herbal remedy called Chinese skullcap.
• The allergen sensitivity is alleviated for the person by taking this herbal remedy called Echinacea.
• The hives and other allergic responses are prevented by the use of ginger.
• The Berberis herb is ideal for the treatment of skin disorders and hives and for the itching and swelling.
• The allergic reactions and hives can be reduced using green tea.
• The inflammation of the allergic skin is reduced using a herb called as Quercetin.
• The swollen tissues, hives and eczema are alleviated using Schisandra, which is a Chinese herb.
• The hives are reduced by the use of the herb called as Yarrow.

Diet essential for hives

• The food that triggers the allergy has to be avoided: The foods such as peanuts, strawberries, eggs, berries, nuts, chocolates, tomatoes, shellfish, cheese, soy products have to be avoided. It is important to stop eating the food that is allergic to the person.

Abscessed tooth

Abscessed tooth is the infection that is present at the root region of the tooth which is painful. The infection here is present in between the teeth and gum. The abscessed tooth is caused by extensive decay of the teeth. Any injury to the teeth, when the teeth are broken or chipped, gingivitis and gum disease can result in tooth abscess. The problems like teeth injury, gingivitis disease, broken teeth and so on can cause the openings on the enamel of the teeth. These problems will infect the teeth center. The bacterial infection might spread to the teeth root and further to the bones that supported the teeth.

The infection in the teeth will extend to the formation of infection in the jaw, mouth, throat and face. These infections are caused by the improper health conditions of the teeth or due to improper dental care. These infections also result from the medical conditions like autoimmune disorders or factors that make the immune system weak.

The dental caries bacteria can spread to the gums, throat, cheek, below the tongue, and to the jaw bones or facial bones. The dental abscess can become very painful if the tissue concerned is swollen and create pressure inside the abscess. The gum tissue surface is affected by the infection, which results in trauma also called as gingival abscess. If the infection travels very deep into the gums, then it is termed as periodontal abscess. The pulp gets infected and is referred to as periapical abscess.

The infection region will have the pus accumulated. This condition will be more painful and the pain relief can be felt if the contents inside are drained off either by getting ruptured or due to draining done through surgery. The infection worsens to a stage where the airway might get blocked. This blockage will lead to breathing difficulty. The tooth abscess can make the person to become sick by experiencing fever, vomiting, sweat, nausea and chills. The abscess that develops at the lateral side of the tooth root is called as lateral abscess.

Symptoms of Abscessed tooth

• Reddish face and mouth
• Pain
• Swelling in the neck glands
• If the infection advances then it can result in nausea, vomiting, chills and fever
• The symptoms of dental abscess are cavities, oral swelling, tissue being tender when touched, inflammation in the gum, drainage of pus, and pain when the person is swallowing or when the mouth is opened totally.
• Tender palpitation of the area that is infected.
• Breath odor
• Mouth tasting bitter
• Swelling in the upper and lower jaw
• Discomfort that is usual or ill feeling or uneasiness

As the infection worsens and spreads further, the jaw bone might begin to dissolve. At this time, the pain might be less while the infection will be more. If the bone tissue is lost very much it might result in loose teeth. These teeth have to be removed. If the gums are swollen or the pus is drained away, it might be the stage of abscessed teeth.

The complications that are possibly resulting from abscessed tooth are

• Loss of teeth
• Sepsis
• Infection spread to the soft tissue
• Infection spread to the jaw bone
• Mediastinitis
• Infection spread to the other regions of the body causing endocarditis, brain abscess and pneumonia.

Causes of Abscessed tooth

• The growth of bacteria from the current tooth cavity to the tissues that are soft and to the bones of neck and face.
• Tooth decay results in teeth abscess
• Openings in the enamel of the teeth
• Injury to the teeth
• Broken teeth
• The infection leading to the formation of pus and inflammation beneath the teeth

Home remedies for Abscessed tooth

Some of the home remedies can be tried to bring down the pain and discomfort. All these procedures can be done before going to the doctor for the treatment. They are not meant for cure but only to give relief.

• The water can be boiled and a cloth can be dipped into this. The cloth compress applied on the cheek can bring some relief. The cold treatment also can be done by keeping an ice pack on the cheek.
• Clove oil is taken in a cotton swab and kept inside the mouth nearer to the teeth.
• The mixture of table salt and baking soda can be put on the cotton swab and kept in the place between the teeth and cheek. After keeping this for some time a poison like liquid will get squeezed into the mouth from the abscessed teeth. This has to be spit out. Then the cotton can be changed to another one of similar kind.
• A piece of onion can be placed on the abscessed teeth to get relief from pain. If the pain recurs, onion can be bitten to get relief.
• Salt water can be used for gargling purpose.
• The garlic clove can be used for placing it on the infected region to bring relief.
• To reduce the pain half glass of water can be added with quarter spoon of potassium carbonate and utilized for the purpose of mouth wash.

Herpes

Herpes is one of the contagious viral diseases that are present in the world at various places. This condition or infection is caused by two kinds of viruses of herpes simplex. These viruses can affect males as well as females. This virus usually gets transmitted from males to females during the time of carrying out sex orally or through genitals. Herpes simplex is the virus that might result in causing oral herpes, cold sores, mononucleosis, shingles, fever blisters and chicken pox.

Herpes is also found to be infecting even the teenagers. There is a report that says that a 12 year old boy was infected by herpes. The women are highly susceptible to herpes than the men. The people with sores in the mouth and those who have cold sores are also known to transmit the virus very easily. If the herpes is infected very often then the virus that has infected might be type 2 HSV.

The symptoms of the affected person can be seen for a period of about two weeks and they might vary depending on the person infected. The individual that is infected with herpes is found to feel pain and itching sensation. The virus remains in the incubation period for about three to seven days and then begins to form symptoms. The person might get fever and headache due to the swelling of lymph nodes. The infection will result in formation of sores that are very much painful.

There is another condition called as shingles, which is caused by the varicella zoster virus or herpes zoster. Shingles is mostly observed in people who have very weak immune system and in people who are old.

Genital herpes: This is a disease that is sexually transmitted which can lead to the lesions and blisters in the genital region. The genital herpes infection is mostly formed by the “herpes simplex virus type2”. The HSV type 1 that usually causes oral herpes also can cause genital herpes infection.

Oral herpes: This condition is otherwise called as “herpes simplex labialis”. This is a common disease that causes tiny cold sores, which are painful and also fever blisters in the gums, mouth and lips. The oral herpes infection is formed by HSV1. Sometimes HSV2 might also be involved.

These two viruses are related very closely with each other and they belong to the herpes virus family. The herpes viruses can cause several other diseases. The herpes virus kinds involve herpes zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus.

Symptoms of Herpes

The symptoms might differ from an individual to another. The men and women might have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The herpes infected people will have the symptom outbreaks for a period of few months to one year. The disease recurrence is usually mild and will not extend too much as compared to the initial outbreak.

Symptoms of oral herpes virus are

• Pain at the regions where blisters and sores are seen
• Itching
• Discomfort
• Blisters covered with clear yellow fluid, and frequently on the reddish, raised and painful areas of skin. The blisters might break and ooze from the large blister. Gradually, the crusts that are yellow in color will fade off and the pink colored skin is seen beneath.
• Sore throat
• Swollen lymph nodes at the neck

After some time the sores, lesions and blisters might appear again due to the virus revived from stress and illness.

Symptoms of Genital herpes virus are

The symptoms of herpes occur about two to six days after contact and these early symptoms include

• Fever
• Reduced appetite
• Headache
• Feeling of malaise
• Muscle pain
• Pain or itching at the region of rectum, penis and vulva

The late symptoms occur after about two to three weeks of infection and they involve

• Chills
• Abnormal vaginal discharge
• Fatigue
• Blisters seen in the area of genitals, cervix, buttocks, vagina, and anus
• Fever
• Swollen lymph glands
• Blisters that open into and develop as lesions or sores that are painful and extend about two weeks

The symptoms of initial occurrence

• Can continue to a period of two weeks.

• Might not be severe in some people.
• Might cause visible sores and exist for 10 to 21 days.
• The herpes that gets into skin cells will reproduce and begin to multiply allowing the skin to become red and sensitive.
• Blisters might occur in the genital area; they open and heal the regeneration of skin tissue.
• The infected region is generally painful and might burn, itch, tingle at the time of outbreak.
• Swollen lymph glands
• Burning sensation in genitals
• Lower back pain
• Red bumps that might appear in the genital region that follows the symptoms that occur early and later on developing into blisters that are painful, form crusting, scab and heal.
• Urethral infection leading to burning sensation at the time of urination

Causes of herpes

• Herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2.
• The genital herpes is caused by HSV2 and the oral herpes are caused by HSV1.
• The sexual transmission of herpes virus is carried out by sexual contact by genitals, anal sex, vaginal sex or mouth
• The oral sex can transfer the herpes virus to genitals as well.
• Oral herpes can also get transmitted to others by kissing during which the person is exposed to the saliva and mucus membrane of the person with oral herpes.
• Herpes infection spreads faster if the person has more than one sexual partners
• Herpes can spread to others even if they do not have any blisters or sores
• The infected mother can also pass the infection to the baby at the time of vaginal delivery

Risks of herpes

The herpes infection risks are enhanced by factors such as

• If the person is born to the woman who has herpes infection. The infection might have been contracted at the time of pregnancy or delivery
• If the person comes in contact with the mouth of the infected person
• Due to the conditions such as HIV or AIDS
• Females are at higher risk
• History of sexually transmitted disease
• Unprotected sex which includes oral, vaginal and anal sex

Home remedies for herpes

The antibiotics are usually not effective against herpes. There are some medicines and ointments that are found to reduce the symptoms of herpes virus. Otherwise the herpes infection does not have any cure. The virus once entered into the system will remain like that forever. Some doctors tend to give antiviral medicines for herpes infection. The doctor might give any suggestion to use certain home remedies for herpes. Though the herpes infection cannot be cured by any medicine, the below given remedies can be used for providing comfort and relief.

Ice: This is the best home remedy for solving the skin problems that include pain, discomfort and itchiness caused by herpes. Ice is kept on the area that is affected for a period of 10 to 15 minutes. This home remedy is used for three to four times per day.

Tea bags: The black leaves of tea consist of large amounts of tannins. The tea leaves are found to possess antibacterial and antiviral characteristics. The tea bag can be used for preparing tea and it is kept in the freezer for some time. The tea bags that are cool are kept on the blisters for about five mints. This can be repeated for about three to four times per day. Every time a new and fresh tea bag is placed on the infected area.

Baking soda: This substance will help in bringing relief to the itching and aids in drying the sores. Some cotton is taken and applied little bit of baking soda on it. This cotton can be placed on the infected region. The baking soda can be replaced with corn starch.

Aloe Vera: The skin can be healed properly by soothening the itcing after the outbreak of herpes. The aloe vera gel is found to be used effectively for treating the wounds than the products that are made from the aloe vera.

Essential oils: The application of vitamin E on the sores will prevent them to leave a mark permanently on the skin. The mixture of essential oils is used for the similar purpose. One drop or two drops of essential oil from olive leaf, rose hip, calendula, jojoba and golden camellia are added to other oils and applied on the skin. The discomfort that is caused by the herpes infection can be brought relief using these essential oils.

The infected area has to be cleaned by wiping off the bacteria and viruses. After cleaning it well with a dry cloth or hair drier the affected area has to be kept devoid of germs and bacteria. Swimming in the oceanic waters is found to be a nice remedy for herpes. This is because the sea salts can provide soothing effect on the herpes infection.

Wearing the clothes loosely can help in alleviating the infection.

The black coffee after having it completely in the cup, any amount that is left can be poured on the blisters or sores.

The herpes can be applied with the Bergamot oil and eucalyptus oil. About five drops of each of the oils are applied on the infected area every few minutes.

The bee wax and lavender oil are added in small quantities into a cup of olive oil. This mixture can be cooked and coated on the herpes infection.

About 25grams of mullein, mallow roots and marshmallow roots are added to about three liters of water and boiled. Then the boiled water is cooled and coated on the herpes. The filtered water is used in compressing the area most often. This is known to decrease the irritation due to herpes and avoid herpes infection.

The carrot that is wrapped in a cloth can be kept on the blisters. This will decrease the swelling in the lymph glands and reduce the pain providing healing effect.

The food consumption is enhanced where the food consisted of zinc, vitamin and iron. Plenty of leafy vegetables and fruits are also taken.

Taking peppermint tea will aid in reducing the fever and pain.

Diet related to herpes outbreak

The food does not play much role in the outbreak of herpes infection. But, many people believe that food consumption has some influence on the occurrence of this infection. There is no such food identified, which can prevent the herpes infection. If consuming some foods is causing some itching sensation and is uncomfortable, then it is better to avoid the food items of such kind.

The herpes infection according to some people can get increased by coffee, tea, spicy foods, chocolate, refined items of food, beverages and many more. But, there are no studies with clinical base to say that these foods act as catalysts for herpes infection occurrence.

The infection can be prevented and resisted by maintaining good immune system. This can be achieved by taking well-balanced diet. This can be obtained by taking food that is rich in vitamin B, C and other essential nutrients. The person who has the infection has to eat vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, cereals, seeds, legumes, beans and whole grains.

Depression

All the people in this world will have ups and downs in their lives and hence there will be changes in their moods. The struggles, disappointment and setbacks can bring sadness. This sad feeling is explained by some people as depression. But, depression refers to the feelings still more bad than the sad feeling. Depression is described by some people as “living in a black hole”. Some people who are depressed do not feel sad at all. They become just lifeless, apathetic, angry, restless, aggressive and empty.

Depression is different from just sadness and it will hinder the day-to-day activities of the person. It hinders the ability to eat, study, have fun, work and sleep. The depression is accompanied by the thoughts of worthlessness, hopelessness and helplessness. Depression is observed commonly but it is serious problem. There are other forms of depressive disorders. They are

Major depressive disorder: This condition represents a group of symptoms, which disturbs the ability of the person to sleep, study, work, and eat. This type of depression will not allow the affected person to not function normally. Some people will have this type of depression only one time in their life while some people will have several episodes of this kind.

Dysthymic disorder: This condition might have its effects that might last for long time. A person may not be disabled severely but might get disturbed to do normal activities in his or her life. Dysthymia condition can also appear for more than once in the lives of the people.

Minor depression: The symptom might exist for a period of about two weeks or more than that. People with minor depression may not have problem that would meet that of major depression. If the person is not treated, minor depression might lead to major depression.

Some types of depression are somewhat different and they are developed in certain peculiar circumstances. These forms of depression include

• Psychotic depression: Refers to severe depression accompanied by psychosis, having disturbed and false beliefs, far from reality and hallucinations.
• Postpartum depression: This is mostly seen in women who have given birth to a child. They have the fear of taking care of the new born and about the new responsibilities that they have to take up. This occurs due to the physical and hormonal changes in the body of the mother. Some times, this type of depression differs from the “baby blues” which is experienced by the mothers after the delivery. According to the statistical data, about 10 to 15 percent of women have postpartum depression after giving birth to a child.
• Seasonal affective disorder: This usually occurs when the environment is dull and the sunlight is not sufficient enough to keep the mind active. This might happen during winter time. Some people suffering from this type of depression usually become all right after giving light therapy.

Bipolar disorder: This is uncommon and is otherwise called as manic depressive illness. The bipolar disorder will be characterized by mood alterations occurring as cycles. The mood changes might range from high depression to low depression.

Symptoms of Depression

• Constantly sad and having anxious as well as empty feeling
• Feelings of pessimism or hopelessness
• Restlessness
• Feeling of guilt, helplessness or worthlessness
• Fatigue
• Loss of interest in all activities including sex
• Irritability
• Problematic in taking decisions, recalling events and in concentrating on something
• Insomnia or excess sleep
• Eating too much or loss of weight
• Suicidal thoughts
• Headache, cramps, problems in digestion and any other problem will not become solved unless treated

Causes of depression

• Caused by the factors that are psychological, environmental, biological and genetic.
• Caused by the imbalance of the neurotransmitter chemicals present in the brain cells to send signals to other brain cell.
• The MRI scanning has revealed that the brain of the people who are suffering from depression had different structure of the brain compared to those who are not suffering. The brain areas which differ when the person has depression are appetite center, mood, sleep, thinking and behavior. These images or pictures will not give information about the reason for the depression.
• Depression runs in the families which might have developed this condition, as the ancestors has this. But, there are situations where the depression is known to occur in people who did not have family history.
• The risk of depression can be influenced by the group of genes, which are interfering with the factors associated with environment and other features.
• Any severe trauma, loss of loved person, any situation that is stressful and a relationship that is strainful might stimulate the depressive mood.
• Depressive mood might not have any reason sometimes.
• Women are more likely to undergo depression due to postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome. At the time of transformation into menopause stage, women might have the risk of developing depression.
• Osteoporosis is likely to be related to the depression.
• The additional stress from work, responsibilities at home, caring the young babies and old parents, poverty and abuse are some of the reasons that strongly trigger the depressive mood in women.
• Excessive tiredness and guilty feeling might be the reasons for men to get depressed.
• The serious medical conditions like cancer, heart disease might cause depression in old people.
• Old people also might get vascular depression and subcortical ischemic depression.
• Children, adolescents and young people face mild depression during their developmental stages. These mood swings are normal and not so serious in young people.
• Children will get depressed to go to school, leave the parent for few hours while at school or the fear of losing the parents.
• In people of all ages, certain medications cause depression as their side effects.

Home remedies for Depression

Apple: The chemical substances that are present in this fruit like phosphorus, vitamin B and potassium are beneficial in the synthesis of glutamic acid, which is known to manage the nerve cells from getting worn out. The apple has to be taken along with honey and milk. This method of treatment is helpful as nerve tonic and provides the nerves with energy. This fruit is also a rich source of vitamin C. It is also a very significant antioxidant.

Cashew nut: This nut is another remedy which is considered beneficial for nervous weakness and depression. The cashew nut is found to be rich in B vitamins and majorly thiamine. This nut is beneficial in triggering the nervous system and appetite. This nut is also found to be rich in riboflavin that allows the body to be active, energetic and cheerful.

Asparagus: This plant has the root part beneficial for the depression therapy. This plant is found to possess more nutrition and is also used as natural medicine for the disorders of mind. This plant is considered as good source for nerves and brain. The dried form of the root of asparagus plant can be powdered and taken one time every day.

Cardamom: The seeds of cardamom can be powdered and boiled in water. The tea from it can be prepared as usual, which is observed to possess pleasant odor.    This tea having nice aroma can be utilized as a medicine for the treatment of the depression.

Lemon Balm: This herb called lemon balm is used for the management of mental depression. Lemon balm reduces brain fatigue, remove depression in the heart and raise the spirits. The balm can act as the soothing agent that can calm the nerves. Nearly 30 grams of the herb has to be added to the half a liter of water and kept like that soaked for about 12 hours. This preparation has to be filtered and used all through the day for many times in small dosages.

Rose: The petals of rose are made as infusion by adding about 15gms of rose petals in 250ml of boiling water. If this is taken very occasionally unlike normal tea and coffee then it can be considered as useful for the treatment of the depression.

Vitamin B: In some people minute changes in nutrition can bring lot of nutritional deficiency in people with depression. The treatment with nutrition is known to enhance the chemicals in the brain such as norepinephrine and serotonin. These chemicals are known to affect the mood of the people and they are absent in people suffering from depression. Taking food that is rich in whole grains, vitamin B, green vegetables, fish and egg will enhance the vigor and energy in the individual.

The chamomile is added to the water and boiled. This is taken as herbal tea to give some relief from this condition.

The basil leaves and sage leaves are mixed with water and boiled. This water is taken in.

The gooseberry juice is taken in one tablespoon and the nutmeg is taken in powdered form as 1/8^th of a teaspoon. This is taken three times in a day.

The tea that is prepared from the root of licorice is also a remedy for depression. This tea cannot be taken for greater than three times in a day.

St. John’s wort is the herb that is naturally available for managing depression. This herb will enhance the memory, concentration and brings relief to the anxiety.

Fresh carrot juice, orange juice and apple juice can be taken every day to gain the energy levels.

The almonds are soaked in water all through the night. The next day morning, the skin of those almonds is removed and the almonds are eaten. Almonds that consist of magnesium will decrease the nerve excitation. They also help in bringing relief to the anxiety.

The remedy for depression can be done by eating five bananas every day. The number can be decreased as time passes. Depression can result due to the deficiency of nutrition.

Exercise can function as antidepressants in treating the depression symptoms.

The psychotherapy sessions have to be attended without fail. It is also essential to get educated about the depression symptoms so that the person can stick to the treatment plan without missing any session.

The warning symptoms of depression have to be handled properly and followed as suggested by the doctor. It is also necessary to sleep well and avoid using illegal drugs and alcohol.

Morpheme Memo care is the mixture of the herbs like Ashwagandha, Mulathi, Brahmi, Vacha and others which were used for preventing depression, stress and enhances the ability of learning about all these in a usual manner.

Diet that is necessary for the treatment of depression

• The person suffering from depression has to avoid taking tea, alcohol, coffee, colas, chocolates, sugar, all flour materials, chemical additives, food colorings, strong condiments and white rice.
• The person with depression has to eat three times per day. The breakfast in the morning has to be supplemented with nuts, seeds and milk. Fruits are also taken in the morning. The afternoon food can consist of wheat tortilla made with whole wheat along with steamed vegetables and a glassful of buttermilk. The food in the night has to consist of green vegetable salad along with the sprouts like green gram beans, alfalfa seeds, a glass of butter milk, cottage cheese and buttermilk.

Arthritis

The word arthritis is originated from the Greek word called “arthron” which means “joint”. The term “itis” in Latin is called as inflammation. The plural form of arthritis is called as arthritides. Arthritis is the condition that has shown impact on the musculoskeletal system and particularly in the joints. This problem is the major reason for the disability in people below 50 years of age. Arthritis is not just one disease and it is the word that indicates many other medical conditions. The common form of arthritis is the osteoarthritis, which usually influences elder patients. Arthritis can show impact on people at the initial stage of their life.

Arthritis is the disorder of joints which represents inflammation. A joint is the region, which indicates the union of two bones. The function of a joint is to make the bones connected to it to move. Arthritis is the condition where the joints of this type are inflamed. Arthritis is the condition that is followed by the joint pain. The joint pain is also known as arthralgia. One arthritis type is associated with the wearing of the cartilage called as osteoarthritis. Another arthritis type is associated with the immune system activity resulting in inflammation of the joints called as rheumatoid arthritis.

The most commonly occurring chronic illness that is observed in United States is arthritis. The ligaments at the joint region will help in holding the two bones together. The elastic string like muscles are ligaments which will make the bones to remain at the place where the muscles contract and relax to allow the bones to move about. The bone surfaces are covered by the cartilage to not allow them to rub over each other. This cartilage mask enables the joint to function smoothly.

The capsule is present around the joint and the area that is present inside the joint cavity is known to have synovial fluid. The synovial fluid will provide nutrition to the cartilage and the joint. The joint cavity that is layered by the “Synovium membrane” synthesizes the synovial fluid into the cavity.

Symptoms of arthritis

Osteoarthritis

• The symptoms slowly develop and become severe.
• The joint pain arises if the joint is kept still without any activity for a period of time.
• The joint also pains while doing any activity or after doing any activity.
• Stiff joint in the morning.
• The pressure gives tenderness in the joint.
• The joint lacks flexibility.
• Bone spurs or hard lumps appeared surrounding the joint.
• Joints swell in some cases.
• The joints that might become problematic are at the region of hips, knees, hands and spine.

Rheumatoid arthritis

• The joints are swollen and stiff. They are painful as well.
• The arms, fingers, wrists and legs are affected commonly by this disorder.
• The symptoms will be more in the early morning and the joint stiffness will be observed along with pain. This will stay for about half an hour in the morning.
• The joint will appear very tender and the hands                might become red colored and puffy.
• There are tissue lumps that are present under the skin known as rheumatoid nodules.
• Weight loss is seen commonly.
• Smaller joints start with the problem and later it spreads to the larger joints later.
• Many joints will have the problem at the same time. The arthritis symptoms will begin at the joints of wrists, hands, feet and ankles and move towards neck, elbows, knees, jaw, hip and shoulders.

Infectious arthritis

• Fever
• Inflammation of joint
• Joint pain that might be sharp
• The most common joints that are affected here are finger, elbow, knee, wrist and shoulder
• Most of the time one joint is problematic at one time

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

• Occurs in children
• Fever especially during the nights and then disappear
• Loss of appetite and weight
• Rashes on the legs and arms
• Anemia is also observed
• Children affected might limp or experience sore throat
• The joint will be swollen and remain enlarged than the usual size
• The child affected might have stiff neck and hips

Causes of arthritis

In the case of arthritis, the joints will face some problem and this problem will form depending on the arthritis type the person is suffering from. The reasons for the arthritis types might be wearing off of the joints due to lack of synovial fluid, autoimmunity and so on.

The arthritis types are

There are about hundred arthritis types present. Some of the common forms of arthritis and their causes are

Osteoarthritis: The cartilage that is present in the joint area acts as the shock absorber.                Gradually, the elastic nature of the cartilage will be lost and they will become old and worn out. When the cartilage is damaged, the ligaments and tendons will become stretched and causes pain. The bones will rub against one another and result in serious pain.

Rheumatoid-arthritis: Medical condition like this is called as arthritis in inflammatory form. Here, the membrane of the Synovium will be affected and it causes pain and swelling. The arthritis will result in deformity if it is not treated properly. This condition is commonly seen in women compared to men and it mostly manifests at the age range of 40 to 60 years. But, sometimes the children and very old people will be affected as well.

Infectious arthritis or septic arthritis: The fluid in the Synovium is infected and the tissues of the joint are also infected. This infection might be initiated by virus or bacteria or fungi. These organisms can get distributed through blood stream and spread to the tissue that is surrounding the joint. The people are likely to get this condition if they have already another type of arthritis. They boost the infection that already exists in the blood stream.

Juvenile rheumatoid-arthritis: The arthritis affects the person who is aged 16 years and even less than that age. Three kinds of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or JRA are present. The first one is pauciarticular JRA, which is considered as mild and common. The children will have the pain experienced in the four joints. The second form of JRA is poly articular JRA. This type seems to be more severe and affects more number of joints. This condition will grow and become worse as time passes by. The third form of JRA is systemic JRA. This is not quite commonly occurring condition. Many joints will experience this pain due to the systemic JRA and it is found to be spreading to the other organs. The systemic JRA is considered as a very serious and severe JRA.

Gout: This condition is caused by the accumulation of excess of uric-acid crystals in the body at the regions or spaces that are between the joints. These result in the irritation and inflammation. Some extensive pain is created in the knee, thumb and elbow as well as in the big toe.

Home remedies of Arthritis

• Cayenne pepper: The extract that is made from cayenne pepper was observed as a nice method of natural treatment for arthritis. This remedy is found to be used all over the world as it is effective in managing the arthritis.
• Emu oil: This oil is also considered as effective in decreasing the inflammation that results due to the arthritis. This oil can easily move into the skin of the affected person and provides a lot of fast and permanent relief.
• Another home remedy for arthritis involves the use of fresh pine apple juice in a cup, which is known to help in reducing the swelling in the arthritis.
• The copper vessel which is filled with water and kept overnight can be taken in the morning. The copper that is taken in will help in building of muscles.
• A teaspoonful of sesame seeds that are black which are soaked in the 1/4^th cup of water is kept like that for the whole night. This can be taken after that for getting efficient relief from the joint pains and arthritis.
• Two table spoons of lemon juice with honey taken in one teaspoon and shahad are added into the warm water which aids in treating the arthritis. This can be taken twice daily. This remedy is suggested by many doctors in Ayurvedic medicine.
• The mustard oil or coconut oil is warmed and added with three camphor pieces. This mixture is used for massaging on the joints that are painful and rigid. This mixture will enhance the blood supply and decrease the stiffness and inflammation.
• The water can be warmed and half a teaspoon of turmeric is added to it. This is taken two times every day to bring relief to arthritis.
• The joint areas are gently massaged using the ginger oil mixed with the carrier oils like almond oil or wheat germ oil.
• The red flannel can be wrapped gently around the joint that is painful. This can be left like that overnight to bring relief to the arthritis problem.
• The warm olive oil can be massaged effectively to bring relief to the pain due to arthritis.
• The painful joints can be relieved immediately when they are gently massaged with the mixture of sassafras oil, rosemary oil, garlic oil, juniper oil, lavender oil, sage oil, and thyme oil with olive oil taken 10times the quantities of each of these oils. This remedy is considered as an effective home remedy for arthritis.
• The arthritis can be treated with the starting step of removing constipation. This can be done by giving lukewarm enema to the patient for some days which cleans the bowels.
• The arthritis can be relieved always to some extent by taking steam baths and massaging the body.
• Sea bath is necessary for the arthritis treatment.
• Fresh juice has to be taken from potatoes and has to be diluted with water in the ratio of 1:1.
• The joints that are painful have to be rubbed with vinegar that is hot prior to going to bed.
• The dandelion leaf can be used for preparing a remedy, which acts as a diuretic. The root part of the plant is a laxative and it increases the bowel movement and avoids arthritis.
• The circulation surrounding the joints can be enhanced by massaging with the mixture of oils like cypress, juniper, lemon, lavender, chamomile and rosemary. These essential oils have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
• The garlic can be taken and peeled. These cloves are added with two grams of Sprague. The mixture of these two powders can be mixed in mustard oil taken in 30grams. This mixture can be heated slowly and applied on the joints with pain.
• The arthritis patients should not be idle or perform over activity. Doing no activity might lead to immobility while doing more work might result in damage of ligaments.
• The powdered ginger or fresh ginger taken as six grams to 50 grams daily might decrease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
• The Epsom salt taken in four table spoons mixed in the water can be used for bath for decreasing the joint stiffness and inflammation.
• Taking about ten grams of fish oil which consists of omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA are effectively used for treating the rheumatoid arthritis.
• The body should be kept warm mostly and any type of bandage should not be put on the joints as it might cause proper movement. The bandage also might cause hindrance in the blood circulation.
• The castor oil can be used for rubbing the joint region, which is the effective treatment against arthritis.
• Another effective remedy for arthritis is that the patient has to sit inside the warm water tub mixed with a cup full of sea salt for about half an hour.
• The arthritis pain can be relieved by massaging the joint with Arthcare oil. This oil massage can reduce the arthritis pain and make the bone tissue very strong. This oil massage will also make the skeletal and neuromuscular system strong and allows the joint and muscle movement to be comfortable.
• The capsules of Morpheme Arthcare are used for the repair of cartilage that is destroyed and in enhancing the flexible and healthy joints.
• Eating capsules of alfalfa is a good diet that is used for the bone formation.
• The joints and ligaments can be strengthened by taking chondroitin sulfate at the dosage of 700mg per day.
• The movement of the joint can be improved by taking vitamin E.
• An aquatic herb that is found to be called as anti-inflammatory known as Bog bean is a powerful herb that is used specially for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. As this herb is considered to be cleaning the urinary tract, plenty of water has to be taken.
• There are many reports, which say that the Indian traditional herb called Boswellia functions in reducing the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
• Boswellia is the herb that has anti-inflammatory effects similar to the NSAIDs. This herb is not known to cause any gastrointestinal bleeding and will not show any side effects. The joint inflammation, pain, stiffness and blood circulation surrounding the joints can be improved using this herb.
• Ginger can be taken orally or can be applied on the joint to eradicate the pain due to arthritis.
• Edgar Cayce natural remedy: The person with arthritis has to give massage to the concerned areas while taking bath. Good soap can be used for cleaning the pores of the skin. After taking bath, massage the affected areas with the oil. The oil has the mixture of four ounces of Nujol mineral oil, two ounces of olive oil, half ounce of pine needle oil, two ounces of peanut oil, one ounce of liquefied lanolin and half ounce of sassafras root oil. This oil mixture has to be shaken properly and used for massaging the back, limbs, torso and any other areas of arthritis. This process has to be continued for five days and then a gap of five days has to be given. After that the process has to be repeated in the form of cycle.
• Beta Glucan is a good immune booster and modulator. This can be used as natural home remedy for arthritis.
• The sore joints can be massaged using organic peppermint body lotion to decrease the pain and inflammation.
• Drinking black cherry juice every day in a quarter cup quantity for the duration of two to three months can be a natural cure for arthritis.
• Getting stinged with a honey bee is reported to have helped in treating arthritis. This method might have been used by people who were daring enough to face the bees. But, this cannot be repeated unless the person is non-allergic to bees and is courageous.
• Capsaicin cream is also considered as an effective remedy for arthritis.
• Herbal concoction: The herbs like columbo, valerian, rue, gentian root, skullcap buckthorn bark and black cohosh are mixed in equal quantities and added to the boiling water. The water is filtered and taken for about three to four times per day to bring relief to the arthritis pain.
• Poultice made from herbs: The herbal poultice is prepared using one teaspoon of cayenne, three table spoons of elm bark, one table spoon of lobelia two tablespoons of mullein.
• The oil of lobelia is mixed with oil of origanum in equal quantities. This mixture is added with few drops of capsicum extract and applied on the arthritic joints directly. It can be diluted with coconut oil if there is any discomfort with the concentration of the oil.

Diet suggested for the people suffering from arthritis

• Vegetable soups and juices, carrot juice, cucumber juice, coconut milk and coconut water, beetroot juice, cooked vegetables like pumpkin, squash and zucchini.
• The spices that help in healing arthritis include garlic, turmeric, green salad with lemon juice and salt dressing, asafetida, cumin, ginger and coriander.
• Khichadi that is prepared using Moong dal and cooking rice.
• The daily routine must include physical exercise and massaging the area with oils gently.
• The diet has to be supplemented with extra calcium, vitamin C and zinc.

The arthritis patients have to avoid the following

• The food items made of potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, okra, broccoli, sweets and eating hot and spicy foods should be avoided.
• Drinking coffee, white sugar, chocolate, alcohol, tea, yoghurt and cocoa too much has to be avoided.
• Too much of antibiotics, pain killers, nicotine and steroids have to be avoided.
• Waking up for more time in the night
• Sleeping in the day time
• Mental worries like anxiety, grief, stress, fear and worry

Anxiety

The anxiety disorder is described by extensive anxiety and worry for the events that are carried out daily. The reasons for worry will not be present though anxiety is felt by the person. The generalized anxiety disorder present in a person will not stop the person to think and worry about the money, work, family, health and school. The generalized anxiety disorder will not be essential for that person at this situation though the person experiences it. The person will be facing constantly the worry and fear. The normal thinking of the person will be interfered by the anxiety. As anxiety dominates the thinking of the person, it hinders the normal daily functioning of the person, which includes social activities, work school and relationships.

Anxiety is the usual term that describes the disorders that cause fear, nervousness, apprehension and worry. The disorders that are caused by anxiety might result in changes in the feelings, thinking and behavior of the person. The disorders also can manifest into many physical symptoms. Anxiety that is mild might be vague and might not cause heavy impressions on the person. Severe anxiety can cause extreme destruction and create severe influence on the life.

Anxiety is experienced by some people to have some fear prior to facing a test or examination or any interview or any recital. These thoughts and feelings are considered as usual by the people. These feelings described as anxiety will create problem when these feelings are hindering the sleep and other functions of the person. In general, anxiety results when the response to a situation by a person is done beyond a proportion, while it has to be done in the normal expected pattern. Anxiety can be followed by some physical symptoms that are associated with lungs, heart, gastrointestinal system and nervous system. The anxiety might also lead to diarrhea, stomach upset, breathing trouble and heart attack.

The common anxiety disorder types are generalized anxiety disorder or GAD, phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD, separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder.

Anxiety Symptoms

• Extensive worry and tension
• Viewing problems unrealistically
• Restlessness
• Muscular tension
• Irritability
• Headache
• Sweating
• Difficult to concentrate
• Sensation to go to bathroom frequently
• Nausea
• Tiredness
• Trouble in falling asleep
• Trembling
• Getting surprised or startled easily
• Sense of choking
• Chest pain
• Fear of death
• Hot flashes
• Hyper vigilant
• General sense of depression

Causes of Anxiety

• Anxiety can result from a mental or physical condition or from the drug effects or from both.
• Medical condition might result in anxiety.
• Anemia, infection, drug withdrawal, asthma attack and several conditions of the heart are certain medical conditions that might cause anxiety.
• The common types of anxiety includes the mental states like panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobic disorder, stress disorders and separation anxiety disorder.

• Panic disorder: The commonly occurring signs of this disorder are palpitations, stomach upset, shortness of breath and dizziness. These symptoms can result from consumption of caffeine, overactive thyroid, amphetamines, heart abnormalities and abnormal heart rhythm. The person experiencing the panic attack will have a blank mind and do not think realistically.
• Generalized anxiety disorder: The person experiences number of worries that might influence the sleep.
• Phobic disorder: The person experiences phobia or an irrational fear that might lead to panic attacks. For example fear for spiders, open space, air travel and etc.,
• Obsessive compulsive disorder:  The person suffers from distressing thoughts and feelings and often is disturbed by repeated behaviors. For example, worry regarding the germs (obsession), worry regarding counting the items, fear for walking on cracks (compulsion).
• Separation anxiety disorder: Might affect the child when he/she has the fear of getting separated from the loved one who takes care.
• Stress disorders.
• Stress at school
• Financial stress
• Work stress
• Stress in marriage relationship
• Stress due to emotional disturbance like physical abuse, mental abuse, death of a loved one and so on.
• Drug side effects
• Stress due to a severe sickness
• Amphetamines and cocaine leading to toxicity
• Withdrawal from the illegal drugs like Vicodin, heroin, opiates, benzodiazepines and so on
• Signs of medical illness
• Lack of oxygen due to sickness at high altitudes, pulmonary embolism and emphysema.

• The other external factors that can lead to anxiety are

Home remedies for Anxiety

• The herb called as California poppy also known scientifically as Eschscholtzia californica acts as a sedative and works as antispasmodic and antianxiety remedy.
• Taking chamomile will relieve pain and decreases the effects of stress inducing chemicals in the brain and enhances the sleep that gives rest.
• The herbal extract of Hops or Humulus lupulus will remove anxiety and tension.
• Kava kava is the herb that is used for relieving tension, fear, anxiety and stress from all types of problems.
• Lemon balrn herb functions as antidepressant, reduces anxiety and restlessness and is used for treating stomach upset.
• Linden herb is known to decrease tension, enhance the relaxation, brings relief to the illness that results from anxiety, stress, high blood pressure, overactive adrenal glands, gastric ulcers and palpitations.
• Mother wort is another herb that is used for relieving tension and anxiety.
• Passion flower is the common name of an herb that is used for relieving anxiety, spasms, neuralgia and pains. This herb is known to enhance the refreshed sleep and triggers relaxation.
• Skull cap herb is used for treating the hysteria, depression, stress and exhaustion.
• St. John’s wort is used for long term action on anxiety and tension.
• Valerian is the sedative and the herb used for muscle relaxation. This herb is used for treating anxiety, muscular tension, nervous cramps, tension, insomnia, restlessness, over work and stress.
• Vervain helps in alleviating the anxiety caused due to stress, menopause and hysteria.
• Wild lettuce is the herb that acts as antispasmodic.
• Wood betony is the herb that relieves anxiety, stress, nervous exhaustion and tension.
• Taking warm bath will bring some relief to the brain
• Reading book that relaxes the mind
• Deep breathing and exercise can help to certain extent to come out from anxiety and depression.
• Recalling the childhood days can remove anxiety temporarily or sometimes permanently.
• Aromatherapy
• Drinking tea that is made from chamomile or lavender or orange blossoms or thyme or cloves brings lot of relief to the thinking.
• Calling the family members on phone and speaking to them will bring some relaxation and diversion from stressful thinking.
• Meditation and deep breathing helps to alleviate tension and stress.
• Thinking positively will relax the mind.

Diet that is suggested for reducing anxiety

• The mineral and vitamin supplements have to be taken extensively
• The diet should consist of less sugars and more of whole grains
• Avoiding caffeine is good for reducing anxiety
• Stop eating artificial sweeteners
• Eating junk foods and drinks is avoided

Dogs

Generally people have stress in their lives and everyone have their own way of handling it. Similarly, most of the people believe and follow the principles of meditation and yoga to remove stress in their lives. Apart from the human friends who might provide good social support, the pet animals are studied to be giving a good support. They are also known to provide nice relief from stress and provide good benefits for health. The people who love animals will have many chances to come out from the bad mood when the pet looks at the eyes of the person or when it rubs the hands or face of the person. In a study conducted recently, it was found that the people having AIDS were able to come out from depression if at all they had any pet with them. Only fifty percent of pet owners having AIDS were facing the problem of depression.

Pet animals like dogs and cats are found to be involved in managing the blood pressure of the pet owner compared to the drugs he or she was using to lower the blood pressure. It is known vividly that ACE inhibitors are the medications that are usually prescribed for lowering the blood pressure. They are not observed to be reducing the peak blood pressures that are caused due to the tension and stress. The pet owners are found to have low blood pressure and low rate of heartbeat.

Pet animals like dogs encourage the idea of going out for a walk and they make themselves as good companions to the humans in this regard. The people who do not own pets do not spend more time in walking than the pet owners. This type of exercise is done by the dog owners especially it helps the humans for the management of stress. It also aids in improving the health in general.

Pet animals like dogs will help the human in providing social support. If anyone who has dog with him or her on the road they have more chances to stop and speak with the people and allow us to be accepted by others easily and also make us to become more approachable to others. This will enhance the social attachments for us helping the pet owner to get adjusted in the society very easily with lot of friends.

Pet animals especially dogs are found to be protecting the pet owners from loneliness and they offer extreme love and affection to the one who loves them most. They are the best friends, offer love and companionship. They help you to not experience loneliness which will help the person to drive away the stress that exists due to social isolation. The pet helps in decreasing the stress that people experience out of work and social pressures.

Owning a dog as pet is itself an added responsibility as the owner has to take additional responsibility for maintaining that pet. But, those who like to have pets will be able to outweigh the benefits over the risks or disadvantages of having pets.

Diseases caused by dogs

RABIES

This is the disease that is caused when the infected animal bites the human. This is especially caused by the virus that is transmitted by the dogs. The rabies virus causes swelling in the brain. If this inflammation is not managed properly it might lead to respiratory failure and convulsions. This viral infection leads to death in some people.

Symptoms of rabies are

Anxiety, stress, delirium, drooling, excitability, convulsions, sensation of discomfort at the site where the dog bite is present, loss of muscle functioning, hallucinations, numbness at the area of the bite, fever, muscle spasms, pain at the site of bite, insomnia or restlessness and difficulty in swallowing.

The people who develop these symptoms mostly die from it. It is very difficult to restrain the person from these symptoms. If the person has developed these clinical rabies symptoms it was reported that about ten people probably might have survived from this state. The survivors might have had previous treatment being done.

Causes for rabies

The virus that causes rabies is known as Lyssa virus. This virus is of cylindrical shape and is known to possess a negative sense RNA as the genetic material in it. This virus is found to be affecting the nervous system. It is found to enter through the wound and travel through the nerves towards the brain and damages the brain gradually. The use of vaccination in proper time might stop the travel of the virus to the brain and kills it intermittently. The life cycle of the virus gets completed in the animal, which is bitten by the animal that has the virus already developed in its saliva.

The humans get rabies when the virus infected animal bites the person. There are also other animals like skunks, bats, coyotes, foxes, cats, raccoons, opossums, wolves, and other animals, which can transmit the rabies virus in some of the under developed countries.

LYME DISEASE

Lyme Borreliosis is the most commonly occurring disease that is caused by insects in North America. In the beginning stages, the humans will get symptoms that are similar to the flu and later it develops into a rash that is in circular shape. This disease will get transformed into chronic form of joint and nervous system problems. Lyme disease not only affects the humans but also infects the dogs. The tick or insect eggs that is present in the grasses and weeds which might get attached to the pet dogs first. They get infested in the dog bedding as well as spread to the home and people living inside.

This disease is caused by a bacterium called as Borrelia burgdorferi. Small parasites and ticks will carry the bacteria. As they live on the blood of other animals when they bite the humans these ticks will transmit the bacteria to the humans.

Symptoms of Lyme disease

The symptoms of this disease are found to be same as that are seen in dogs. The infected dog might experience the features of sudden pain, loss of energy, arthritis, fever, loss of appetite, and depression.

Causes of Lyme disease

• Infection of humans by the bacterium that resides in the ticks or insects called as Borrelia burgdorferi.
• The transmission will take place when the insect or tick, bites the dog or humans.

The other diseases that are transmitted by the pet animals are

• Cryptosporidiosis
• Echinococcosis
• External parasites
• Dog bites
• Mosquito borne diseases
• Round worms and hook worms
• Fungal infections
• Tick borne diseases
• Brucellosis
• Campylobacteriosis
• Water borne diseases
• Tapeworm infection
• Giardiasis
• Hook worm infection
• Leishmaniasis
• Leptospirosis
• Q Fever
• Ringworm
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Salmonellosis
• Toxocariasis

Home remedies for dog infections

The dog getting sick is a way of feeling weak and tired. The veterinarian only can bring changes to its health. But before that, there are certain things that can be done at home to keep the dogs clean and comfortable. It is important for the pet owners to know about the symptoms of the disease. Giving timely help to the dog by the health care professional is itself a major care that can be taken by the pet owner.

It is necessary to know at which situation the dog has to be taken to the doctor, which will really save money and time for the pet owner. To understand and evaluate the health of the pet dog, it is better to take some time by the pet owner to observe the ears, eyes and mouth, which help the pet owner to realize and understand the common problems that the dog might be facing or suffering from.

Home remedies for dogs with worms

• The dog has to be provided with the food that is free of infestations by flea or worms or eggs of worms.
• The dog has to be prevented from eating feces of others as well as of his own.
• The dogs are prevented from drinking the pond water, lakes and streams.
• The dogs have to be given the preventive treatment for worm infestation.
• The segments of worms are shed into their feces and they can exhibit the symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy.
• The two herbal remedies for treating dogs with worms are natural pet para gone and homeo pet worm clear. The dog that is healthy and fed with nutritive diet will respond quickly to these herbal remedies.

Home remedies for dogs with fleas

• The garlic can be crushed and mixed in the food given for dogs one time per day. To eliminate the fleas from the dog, it is necessary to provide garlic to the dogs every day. The digestion of the dog can be enhanced by giving garlic.
• The diet that is added with the brewer’s yeast is considered as a good remedy for the fleas. The large quantities of brewer’s yeast that is used for treating fleas might cause health problems. Sprinkling this supplement to the dog’s diet will serve the purpose. This can be applied externally on the skin also as the fleas do not like the smell of the brewer’s yeast and they jump away from the skin.
• The mixture of pennyroyal and eucalyptus oil can be used in the shampoo that is used for cleaning the dog.
• The dog spray that consists of D-limonene and pyrethrins are very much effective and are not toxic.
• The environment also should be kept clean by vacuuming the place very often. Garden sprays are used to keep the fleas away. Table salt is sprinkled in the crevices to avoid the flea inhabitation at those places.

Home remedies for dogs with mange

• Mange is caused by the mites that infest on the skin of dogs.
• The hydrogen peroxide taken as one percent is mixed with water and borax. One to two tablespoons of borax can be added to the half a liter of the hydrogen peroxide solution and used for washing the dog once in a week. The dog can be left with that solution without wiping for some time so that its effect can be shown on the dog.
• The mange coating can be removed or brushed off regularly that aids in eliminating the scaly skin and scabs.
• Yoghurt: The plain yoghurt will have the power to heal the infected ears. Yoghurt taken as two tablespoons will serve the purpose.
• Apple cider vinegar: The meal that is given to the pet can be added with the unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to manage the symptoms of the mange.
• Cooking oil: The irritation that is caused by the mites can be relieved by applying the cooking oil on the patches created by mange. The deposits of wax left by the mites can be removed by the cooking oil application. The oil is also found to be killing the mites.
• Lemon: The lemon slices are dropped into the water and boiled. The water is kept like that all through the night. The mixture can be applied on the coat of the pet with the help of sponge.
• Soapy water: Two drops of warm water is added to the soap to take away the mites from the skin of the dog. This application will not allow the mange to be spread to other parts of the body.
• Routine bathing: The pet can be given bath regularly to heal the scaly skin and scabs.
• The bedding has to be washed thoroughly to prevent the attack of mites.
• The skin that is reddish can be applied with honey.

Home remedies for dogs with overweight

• The intake of food has to be limited to a certain quantity and keep the dogs trim and healthy.
• The dog should not be left with eating the food all through the day.
• The snacks must not be given often.
• It is necessary to make sure that the dog does exercise.
• As the habits will start from the young age, the puppies have to be habituated with eating less food.
• Jumping and running too much might affect the bone development of the puppy that is growing.
• To check whether the dog is not overweight, the dog can be climbed on to look for the waist bone that is visible at the back of the ribs. The ribs can be felt very clearly by touching the ribs with your hand and by pressing on the skin layer on the ribs. The ribs must not stick out.
• The weight has to be monitored every week. It is also healthy to give the fruits and raw vegetables to the dog along with the meals. As these are low in calories they constitute good remedy for reducing excess weight in dogs.
• The change in food and regular exercise can allow the veterinarian to check whether the dog has contracted any health problems.

Home remedies for dogs with foxtails

• The foxtails are the grasses that are slender and tipped with bristles like spikes.
• If these bristles that are called as foxtails are present in the coat of the dog, the ends that are sharp can pierce the skin making the bristles to move deeper and deeper as the movement of the dog advances.
• The dogs should not be allowed to move outdoors and prevent the foreign body to enter into the skin of the dogs. The working dogs and sporting dogs will have the chance to face the foxtail problem.
• The foreign body that gets embedded in the body of the dogs has to be removed to prevent the skin to develop the wound. If the spikes or the foreign bodies are not removed from the skin, then the bacteria also can move into the wound and infect.
• The coat of the dog has to be looked into very carefully and checked for any foxtail and removed immediately when found. Otherwise, it moves deep inside later. Then the dog has to be taken to the veterinarian to get treated.

Home remedies for the dogs with sunburns

• The dogs will be prone to sunlight as the thin furred dogs are sensitive to the sunlight.
• The dogs with light coat and white coat are found to be more susceptible to the sunburns.
• The skin of the dog that has sunburn will become red and peel off. It might result in the formation of blisters as well.
• The skin will have sores and pain and the extensive display of skin to the sun might lead to the cancer. Therefore the dog with fair skin should not be exposed to sunlight for long time.
• Using sunscreen and application of zinc oxide surrounding the nose region can help in protecting the dog skin.
• The dog with the sunburn will have to be cleaned in the concerned region with the cool water. The cloth compress with the cool water will bring relief from pain. The towel can be dampened and placed on the wound. If the towel is dry, it has to be made wet again to keep the area cool and comfortable.

Home remedies for dogs with sore paws

• The dogs are most of the time prone to burns, soreness, bruises and scrapes.
• The events like long walks, running on pavement or walking towards the top and hiking can cause problems of sore paws.
• When the dog is on outdoors for long time, it is better to check for the paws of the dogs and look for the cuts and scratches. If they are found they have to be attended to immediately.
• If the dog has been playing in the mud and dirt, it is essential to compulsorily wash off the soap and water. It has to be dried later.
• The salt that is diluted can be applied for acting as antiseptic agent.
• The use of creams that are used for humans have to be used carefully for pets as they may not be suitable for the pets sometimes.
• The application of aloe vera gel is found to be very effective as it is considered as anti-bacterial, antiseptic and antifungal.
• The sores and wounds that are seen in the dog paws are treated by the tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is taken as one part and mixed with three parts of water. This oil has antiseptic and antifungal properties.

The pustules that are swollen and formed on the surface of the skin leads to the infection on the skin called as Acne. The most dangerous and harsh form of acne is known as cystic acne. The hard and painful type of acne is known as cystic acne. This infection type is very painful and it cannot be treated in just overnight. The cysts are formed and the swollen red pustules that are filled with pus appear on the skin surface.

The major reason for the development of the infection is not defined specially and it varies from one individual to another. The changes in the hormones and the imbalances and the dirt accumulation on the skin are the few reasons for the hormonal imbalances. Cystic acne according to the skin care experts is mostly observed as hereditary. Acne can breakout at any age while teenagers get affected by acne more than the adults. The women after their pregnancy also might get acne as the hormonal changes takes place extensively after pregnancy.

Cystic acne also called as Nodulocystic acne is considered as the serious form of “Acne vulgaris”. The breaking out of acne that is deep and swollen on the face as well as on the different areas of the human body constitutes the cystic acne. The blemish will become large and they might be estimated as few centimeters across. The word “cystic” is used for explaining severe acne that is swollen. The people who have cysts on the face are called as cystic acne.  The type of acne that are very serious comes under the cysts category where the acne are felt as soft and lumps that are filled with fluid beneath the surface of the skin. Cysts are mostly painful. The people suffering from nodulocystic acne are found to have nodules developed on the body along with cysts. The painful lumps or nodules are also hard and they appear to lie under the surface of the skin.

Nodules are found to be bigger than papules and they take some more time to get healed. The experts say that the cystic acne is considered as severe swollen nodular bursts. Cystic acne is experienced by mostly teenagers and men who are young. Acne is observed to be hereditary. If the parents have this disease called cystic acne, the children might experience it more severely.

The nodular acne that are swollen and filled with pus might breakout the follicular wall under the skin surface. This activity will secrete the pus that is inside the nodule. The bacteria that exist in the pus will move deeper and multiply allowing the inflammation to appear still bigger. The white blood cells that are lying in the body cells tend to fight against the bacterial infection and kill the bacteria. The infection is continued with inflammation that is prolonged followed by the formation of pus. The formation of cysts is carried out by the immune system, while it is restricting the spread of infection in the skin.

Accompanied by the process of inflammation the cystic acne will distribute into the tissue around leading to the formation of large cysts. The size and depth of acne cysts differ and they might be visible along with other kinds of cysts known as nodules, whiteheads, comedones and blackheads.

Symptoms of cystic acne

• Similar to nodules, cysts start as an intense break in the pore wall.
• A membrane is formed surrounding the infection inside the dermis.
• Some people get this type of severe breakouts compared to others.
• Cysts
• Nodules
• Papules
• Pustules
• White heads
• Blackheads
• Inflammation
• Pigmentation problems
• Pain
• scarring

Causes of cystic acne

The cystic acne is caused by several other factors that are causing the other types of acne. They are

• Overactive oil glands
• The dead skin cells that are excessively formed under the hair follicle
• Many bacteria that are causing acne like Propioni bacteria acne
• The acne blemish will be formed due to the rupture of the follicle wall. The infected substance will move to the dermis
• The blemish is very small and will get healed quickly
• Breaks very deep into the follicle wall will create severe lesions leading to nodules when the infected substance moves onto the adjacent follicles
• Cystic acne is not caused with a particular reason. It is not caused due to the lack of cleaning, or due to eating of sweets or due to drinking of soda.
• Cystic acne is developed when the nodules are left untreated and they further grow and develop.

Home remedies of Cystic acne

The home remedies of cystic acne using natural products can aid in managing the inflammation, stop the bursting of the nodules and give relief to the cysts that are painful. The healthy skin can be figured out again by using certain home remedies that are mentioned below.

• Sea salt and Baking soda: The water can be mixed with baking soda and applied on the cystic acne one or two times per week and not more than that. The baking soda in small quantities can be mixed with small amounts of sea salt and a paste can be prepared from it. This paste has more treatment ability on swollen cystic acne.
• Apple-cider vinegar: This substance acts as a skin toning agent that can stabilize the pH of the skin and helps in avoiding the bursting of the skin.
• Not to squeeze: The acne cysts should not be squeezed as it might result in worsening of infection and the inflammation to become still more painful. The scars that are formed might not be turned back if the cysts are squeezed.
• Aspirin and Honey: The complexion is improved by using the aspirin and honey for the remedy involving combination of honey and aspirin. The paste is prepared by crushing the aspirin in water. It can be applied on face and rinsed later. Aspirin is an efficient exfoliant. The usage of honey provides treatment that is moisturizing and antibacterial.
• Egg white: The egg white can also be applied on the skin for the effective treatment of cystic acne.
• Aloe: The application of juice made from aloe vera on the cysts might aid in the process of healing.
• Mango: The vegetables and yellow orange fruits are found to be having the ability to convert the skin to healthy. The mango paste can be applied to the face to make the skin soft, make the skin to glow and clean the pores that are clogged, which result in making the cystic acne worse.
• Reduce sweating and friction: The extensive sweat and friction leads to the blockage of pores and the skin to be more prone to the formation of cystic acne. The irritation caused by the tight collars, helmets, headbands and backpacks they have to stopped from using for some time so that the chances for the formation of acne can be reduced.
• Lemon juice: The mixture of water and lemon juice can be used for the management of the swelling due to cystic acne.
• Stop using grease and oil: The cosmetic products might be responsible for the formation of cystic acne if they are oily and greasy. The cosmetic products must be non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic to avoid the bursts.
• Cleansing habits: The affected regions have to be cleaned two times in a day. The skin should not be dried and it might cause irritation.
• Clean the make-Up: The entire make-up has to be cleared before going to bed. Otherwise, the pores will be blocked. Cleaning the make-up using a milk based product might help in cleaning the foundation properly.
• Cabbage poultice: The cabbage leaves can be heated and applied on the cystic acne for curing it.
• Warm water: A cloth can be dipped in warm water and kept on the cystic acne for about few minutes. This will help in decreasing the swelling by eliminating the pus from the cysts.
• Potato slices: The potato pieces can be used on the acne to treat the cysts. The potato slices can be placed on the region that is affected for about half an hour and the cysts can be washed off using warm water.
• Tea tree oil: The cystic acne region can be applied with the tea tree oil to bring some relief to that area and treat it.
• The paste that is made from the Margosa leaves and turmeric was found to be beneficial in treating the cystic acne when applied on them. After applying this paste for about 15 to 20 mints on the face, the face has to be washed with cool and clear water. As these two products have antibacterial properties, the acne can be cleared by applying these products.

The diet that should be taken for cystic acne

It is important that the person with cystic acne eats healthy food. The foods that are deep fried and fried have to be ceased from taking. The food rich in fiber content, vegetables and fruits have to be taken. The food also must be rich in vitamin E and A. These vitamins are found to be involved in treating cystic acne. The food rich in sugars have to be avoided and the people have to take lot of water every day.

Ants are social insects that live in colonies of ants that consist of one or few queens and the workers. The queen survives in the nest while the ants called as worker ants are seen outside. They are all females. Based on the kind of species, worker ants are of same size or are available in various size ranges. The different species of ants are earth-tone reds, blacks, basic browns and pale tans.

When ant colonies give rise to the next generation, the males as well as the queens are found to be present in the colonies. The flying ants and the wing pairs are part of these ants. If the males complete the mating and               once they start to fly, the male ants do not live longer. The queens will lose their wings and lose their power of flying. With the absence of wings, the queens can be distinguished from the workers with their large body size, large thorax and large abdomen. The ants that are known as worker ants are females.

Most of the ants eat various insects which they capture, eat the insects that are dead, and eat nectar as well as honey dew. The balance between carbohydrates and proteins are essential for them in the diet. The eggs are laid by the queen by consuming proteins and the proteins are also useful for the ant larvae to develop and grow.  Many ant species survive inside soil while some live in wood by eating it. Some ants live in cavities present in the plants.

Ants are observed as predators on the tiny invertebrates which include insects. They outrank the mammals that graze on the plants by cutting leaves of plants in the American tropics. The seed dispersal is done by ants in most of the ecosystems. The ants consume seeds in the desert regions. The ants are helpful in aerating the soil where they live like earthworms. The fire ants live in the wet grasslands. The carpenter ants that are involved in living in dead wood destroy the wood in the houses especially when the wood is wet. Ants usually search for food in kitchens, pet food areas and pantries. The ants will attack the damp and decayed wood, and later they will reach the wood that is dry and damaged. The ants enter the buildings through cracks present outside doors, windows, or wire holes. The tree parts that are touching the building might transfer the ants that were present crawling on the tree branches.

The colony size of the ants can range from three lakhs to five lakhs in number. The entire colony can get relocated when they are threatened.  They can form nests in the walls, under foundations, lawns and stumps. The lifespan of the ants is around seven years to 15 years. The worker ants have the lifespan of seven years and queen might live for the period of 15 years. The ants will release a chemical called as pheromone which is recognized by the other ants to follow the one in the front leading to the food source.

Household Ants

The ants have extensive varieties of nesting habits and food intake. Ants eat various food items such as meat, starch, sweets and fats. Some ants eat honeydew. To manage or control the ant colonies, it is essential to know about the nesting and food activities of ants. The household ants are especially causing damage. Some of the ants are known as Pharaoh ants, which might infest on food. Carpenter ants will make the wood structure weak. There are no problems with diseases related to ants. The pharaoh ants also can transmit the diseases caused by Staphylococcus.

The carpenter ants will chew wood and make it as dust while forming tunnels and galleries.

Cornfield ants feed on sweets, honey dew as well as on living and dead insects.

Larger yellow ants feed on honey dew and rarely feed on other sweets.

The pharaoh ants feed on tooth paste, dead insects, sweets, soaps and other type of foods. They generally look for water in bathrooms and kitchens.

Thief ants usually form nest in soil and in wood that is rotten. They create nests in places like beneath the counter tops, behind baseboards, in cabinet voids and in wall voids.

The pavement ants feed on different types of foods such as meat, nuts, bread, pet food and insects.

Field ants feed on the household honeydew and sweets while they feed also on dead and live insects.

False honey ants prefer to eat sweets and honeydew.

Odorous house ants feed on again honeydew, sweets, insects and meat.

Acrobat ants eat the sweets, insects and meat.

Signs of Ant infestation that has to be encountered carefully

• Ants will appear as a gathering at the base boards.
• Ants travel long distances to gather their food.
• Sometimes, the worker ants simply get into the house by accident when they are wandering for food.
• If large winged ants are seen coming out from the ceilings, crawl spaces and walls then the people in the house are having problem with those ants.
• The Frass that gets accumulated in the window sills is seen as mixture of wood shavings, other insects, dead ants and soil. This indicates that ants are lying nearby.
• The winged ants that are young get caught in the spider webs when they fly up in the air at the time of spring season. They also lie on the window ledges and are trapped in the light fixtures. If such ants are observed then it is an indication that ants are infested in the nearby area.
• The wood work and the walls will produce a surprising sound when there is an ant infestation present in it. A clicking sound is produced by the carpenter ant when it is shocked. If the wood is tapped with any instrument whether any potential nest is hidden or not can be detected by the stethoscope.
• The wood can be damaged completely by the ants in some cases when they burrow tunnels by connecting the colonies.

Management of ants

The effective method of managing the ants is to find the nest and treat it. To eradicate the ant colony, it is necessary to kill the queens.

If the food is properly stored and the waste is managed properly, it will decrease the food that attracts the worker ants present indoors.

The kitchen surface has to be cleaned every day and the containers have to be rinsed thoroughly prior to storing them.

Remedies for carpenter ants

The water that is stagnant or stored for long time at a place has to be removed as the mosquitoes, ants and pests will be attracted to it very much.

The tree branches and other plants parts have to be kept away from the house as the ants will creep into the house through the branches. The tree branches have to be kept cut.

The cracks and small openings present at the bottom of the house might make the pests and ants to enter into the house. It is always better to close these openings.

If the firewood or any other building material is stored in the nearby place at the house, the pests might occupy the wood and start building nests in it. So, it is better to avoid piling up wood like that.

Home remedies for ants in general

There are many ant traps that can be bought and chemical sprays, which can be purchased and used for controlling ants. But, before doing all that certain home remedies can be tried by using certain ingredients available naturally and try to eradicate the problem with the ants. Some of the methods for managing the ants by the home remedies are

• Plants: To keep ants away from home, few plants like pennyroyal, spearmint and tansy can be placed near by the house so that the ants not liking those will go away.
• Boric acid: The ants can be battled with by preparing a recipe using three cups of water, four teaspoons containing boric acid and one cup of sugar. Another item also can be prepared using one cup of corn syrup and two table spoons containing boric acid.
• Vinegar: The ants can be detracted by using water and vinegar mixture in equal quantities. The counters are washed using this mixture.
• Kerosene: If the dish having the pet food is surrounded by the ants and if you have a doubt that this dish will be affected by the ants, then the floor can be wiped with kerosene. Some people prefer to keep the dish inside another large vessel that consists of water so that the ants cannot reach the inner dish.
• Picnic disaster: The ants that are wandering nearby the picnic table can be avoided from climbing on to the table by keeping the legs of the table in the water.
• Jelly made from Mint Apple: The boric acid powder taken as two table spoons can be mixed with mint apple jelly taken at ten ounces to prepare a remedy that can effectively control the ants.
• Confectioners’ sugar: The confectioner sugar can be added with equal amounts of borax and it can be used for eradicating the ants. This mixture when brought to the nest back will kill the remaining ants of the colony.
• Tea bags: The ants can be controlled by using the mint tea containing tea bags in the active spots. The dried and crashed mint leaves and cloves also can be used for solving the ant problem.
• Soapy water: The ants can be eradicated by spraying the soap water on the ants.
• Peanut butter: The peanut butter taken as six parts is added to one part of brown sugar, which is added to one part containing boric acid and half teaspoon of salt. This mixture is found to be able to control many household ants. But, some ant groups like big headed ants, carpenter ants, field ants and Argentine ants are somewhat resistant to this type of ants.

The house ants that cause odor, pharaoh ants, acrobat ants, pavement ants and little black ants are effectively handled by the peanut butter remedy. The mixture can consist of two table spoons of peanut butter jelly and one table spoon containing boric acid. This has to be kept on a paper and near the regions where the ants are roaming. The pets and children have to be kept away from this.

• Vinegar: The vinegar is sprayed on the doors, windows, and beneath the appliances. This will aid in destroying the ants.
• Cinnamon: By keeping the stick of cinnamon in the ant path that is through the windows and doors. Most of the situations will not cause the ants to cross the sticks.
• Alcohol: The ant species are treated using mixture consisting of 20percent soap, 40percent alcohol and 40percent water. Some insects will be killed when they come in contact with this mixture. The chemical that is released by the ants to make the fellow ants to follow their track will be lost and disturbed by this mixture.
• Diatomaceous Earth: Using the diatomaceous earth either sprinkled or applied as lines in the regions where ants are living can make the ants to go away from that region.
• Lemon juice: The ants can be eradicated by spraying lemon juice mixed in water in the areas where the ants are seen. The house outside regions can also be sprayed with this juice mixture which is found to be very effective in eliminating the ants.
• The grits can aid in removing the ants from the house. The grits can be sprinkled anywhere the ants are seen. After the ants take in this material, it will expand inside the ants and kill them. These grits can be sprinkled near the ant hills.
• Cayenne pepper, peppermint oil, cinnamon and black pepper are used for chasing away the ants. The ants will not have easy time to cross this mixture and enter the house. The pets and toddlers are kept away from this mixture.
• The mixture of boric acid with molasses can act as an effective management against the ants.
• Another remedy for ants constitutes the mixture of one tiny onion, one clove of garlic, one quart of water and one tablespoon of cayenne pepper. This is added with one table spoon of dishwashing soap. This mixture is used for spraying the mixture on the ants for reducing the problem.
• Ant powder: The ants are found to reach the area which is sprayed with the ingredients like tartar cream, powdered chalk, chilli powder, cinnamon and talcum powder. Ants do not enter these regions where the smell of above mixture is felt.

The boil is a kind of skin infection on the complete hair follicle and in the nearby skin tissue. The boil is the localized area infected on the skin. It begins with the skin becoming red and tender. After sometime this region will transform into rigid, tender and hard part. The center part of the boil will become soft and this part will be occupied with the white blood cells that are involved in fighting with the infection. The white blood cells that are accumulated from the blood are involved in eradicating the infection. This white blood cell accumulation to battle against the infection is called as pus. This pus slowly forms a head region which can be removed surgically or drained away by cutting the skin surface. The pus that is enclosed inside the skin is called as abscess. Hence, the skin abscess is another name given for boil. The common locations where the boils can occur are neck, armpits, face, buttocks, shoulders and eyelids. The boil that occurs on the eyelid is called as sty. The other locations where the boils can be found are breasts, feet, legs, knees, anus, rectal area, chest, scalp, back, pubic area, groin area, anorectal area, abdominal area, palms and hands, mouth parts, vagina, labia, penis and scrotum.

There are many types of boils. They are

Furuncle: This is otherwise called as carbuncle and is a skin abscess. This skin abscess is formed by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. The skin having one or more openings is termed as furuncle and this condition is associated with chills or fever. The boil that typically appears inside the hair follicle is called as furuncle. The word carbuncle is given for the boils that occur due to the involvement of group of hair follicles. The carbuncle is a hard lump that can be seen in the skin. The conditions which are defined by boils that are chronic and occurring repeatedly are called as furunculosis and carbunculosis.

Cystic acne: This type of skin abscess occurs when the oil ducts are blocked and are infected. These types of boils affect the tissue that is very deep in the skin than the skin that is inflamed on the surface. Cystic acne is commonly seen in the face and they occur during the teenage period.

Hidradenitis suppurativa: This condition is characterized by the presence of multiple abscesses that are formed beneath the armpits and at the groin region. This condition might result due to the swelling of the sweat glands in the local area. This condition is very difficult to be managed by the antibiotics and hence, it needs surgery to take away the sweat glands involved in causing inflammation in the skin.

Pilonidal cyst: This is another particular type of abscess, which occurs in the buttocks creases. The basal part of the skin which gives rise to the hair is affected by these cysts at very tiny regions. As time passes by, the direct pressure and the area that is swollen becomes bigger to form a tender nodule. This will not allow the person to sit with comfort and ease. These painful nodules are formed after the person sits for a long duration and travel.

Symptoms of boils

• The hair follicle infected
• Reddish lump on the skin that is painful, it can also be a swelling
• Skin boils
• Swelling of local lymph node
• The boil can have pus head
• The boil is hard, red and half an inch in size. It grows gradually and becomes soft, large and painful
• The boil will have the skin surrounding it to get infected. The skin gets transformed into warm, inflamed and painful.
• Every boil might have several others around it
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes

Causes of Boils

The major reason for boils in skin is because of an infection that exists in the hair follicle by Staphylococcus aureus. The infection might occur due to several other reasons. The boils can be caused by many reasons like

• Deficiency of vitamin A and E
• Chafing clothes
• The infected sweat glands become clogged
• Menstrual cycle
• Problems in immunity
• Stress
• Disorders of autoimmune system
• Insulin resistance and diabetes
• Overweight
• Tooth decay
• PCOS
• Hair that is grown in
• The foreign substance that has entered into the skin
• Poor hygiene
• Poor nutrition
• The exposure of skin to harsh chemicals and getting irritated
• The health problems mentioned above that make the people to be prone to infection in the skin

Home remedies of Boils

• Onion and Garlic: The boils can be ripened and the pus can be evacuated by applying the onion and garlic juice on the boils. The boils will break open and send the dirt out of them when the juices of these two vegetables are applied on the boils. These two juices can be used in same quantities.
• Bitter Gourd: The boils that are occupied with blood are effectively treated with bitter gourd. The cup filled with bitter gourd juice is added with one teaspoon consisting of lime juice and taken in empty stomach. If this is taken for few days, the boils can be treated properly.
• Milk Cream: The paste that is prepared using turmeric powder along with a tea spoon of vinegar and milk cream can be applied on the boils. The boils containing blood can be ripened and made to burst with this application. This activity will heal the boils and do not make them septic.
• Betel leaves: The remedy using betel leaves is considered as an excellent home remedy for boils. The betel leaf has to be warmed slowly until it becomes soft. This soft leaf has to be covered with castor oil. This leaf has to be used for covering the area which is swollen. This leaf has to be changed very often in few hours duration. The boil will break and release all the unnecessary dirt present in it.
• Cumin seeds: The boils can be treated by using cumin seeds. These seeds are grinded and a paste is prepared with water. The boils can be treated beneficially by applying this paste on them.
• Margosa leaves: These leaves can be used as paste or decoction or liniment. The decoction can be prepared using 15 grams of leaves of Margosa and 500milliliters of water. The leaves are boiled in water till the volume of water reduces to 1/3^rd.
• Parsley: The parsley is boiled in water until it gets transformed into tender and juicy form. When it is hot, the parsley paste is made and applied on the boil.
• Turmeric: The healing process is enhanced by using turmeric for external application on the boils. The boils can be ripened and made to burst by boiling the turmeric roots in water and the paste applied on the boils.
• Keeping Ice cubes on the boils is known to give healing effect for them that are painful.
• The application of warm oatmeal all through the night is considered as effective remedy for the boils.
• The starch that is cooked mixed with vinegar and flour can be applied on the boil for giving cooling effect on it.
• A clean beer bottle can be kept in hot water and made hot. This bottle opening can be placed on the boil and pressed so that it creates a suction pressure. The removal of the bottle forcefully can make the boil burst and expel the dirty contents and pus.
• Calendula ointment can be applied on the boils to reduce inflammation.
• The boil severity can be reduced by applying the paste consisting of goldenseal root powder and boiling water.
• Mixture consisting of slippery elm taken as 25grams, boiling water and three drops of eucalyptus oil can be applied on the boil and left like that for some time. Then it can be cleaned by taking bath. Again it can be applied until the pus is expelled out.
• The tea tree oil mixed with any other vegetable oil will act as antiseptic against the infection that is present in the boil. This has to be applied externally.
• The healing can be made fast by taking a tea made from two parts of wild indigo, Echinacea, poke root and pasque flower. This tea can be taken three times per day to heal the boils faster. The tea also can be applied on the boils topically.

The diet that is necessary for treating the skin boils

• To treat the boils the body cleansing can be carried out as a basic process. This can be carried out by taking fresh fruits, especially orange juice diluted with water in the ratio of 1:1 can be taken every day. This can be continued for about seven days. This activity will clean the system and allows the person to make the boil disappear gradually.
• The fresh fruit diet has to be followed by eating well-balanced diet. This diet must consist of nutritious content that comprises of green leafy vegetables, fruit proteins, whole grains, minimum fat content and reduced intake of refined form of carbohydrates.
• The intake of coffee, tea, starchy foods, pastries, white sugar, sweets, cakes, chocolates and white bread has to be avoided. It is also very much essential to avoid pickles, condiments and sauces.
• The dietary supplements that are essential for avoiding boils are vitamin A-25,000 IU daily, beta-carotene-25000 IU per day, B-complex vitamin, vitamin C with bioflavonoids-3000mg per day, zinc-50mg per day for two weeks, eight glasses of Astralagus tea taken daily will boost immunity.