Male Infertility -- 4 Main Types

Male infertility can be classified into four main types:

• No sperm (azoospermia) accounts for 3-4% of male infertility.
• Quantity or quality. This subgroup may account for about 90% of male infertility:
• Quantity: Poor sperm quantity (oligospermia)
  
• Quality :
• low motility (asthenozoospermia)
  
• a high percentage of abnormal sperm (teratozoospermia)
• Antisperm antibodies, etc.
• Sperm dysfunctional, where there is a normal semen analysis, but the sperm lack or have a defective fertilizing capacity, resulting in complete failure of fertilization or poor fertilization of the eggs in IVF. This accounts for 3-6% of male infertility.
• Inability to ejaculate into the vagina. This accounts for 4-6% of male infertility.

Abnormal Sperm -- Causes of Abnormal Low Sperm Counts

There are many biologic and environmental factors that can lead to male infertility. The leading causes are low sperm count, low sperm motility, bad quality sperms, lack of semen. Most cases of male infertility are due to low sperm count.

Smoking

Low sperm count and low sperm motility have an adverse effect due to toxins in cigarettes and also on their lifespan. Studies show that men who smoked also had far less sex drive than their non-smoking peers.

Diet

Male fertility affects by Chemicals such as dibromochloropropane (DBCP), chlordecone, carbaryl and ethylene dibromide. The best advice is to eat healthily, and, if possible, to eat organic. Organically produced crops don’t contain chemicals which destroy sperm and are also a much healthier diet for men who are trying to raise their sperm levels.

Alcohol

With alcohol consumption at an all time high, excessive and ongoing alcohol consumption can have an adverse effect on sperm production and quality. However, drinking in excess of the recommended daily units can decrease healthy sperm and damage developing sperm.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s)

Sexually transmitted diseases are one of the main factors relating to drops in sperm counts and sperm motility. One of the most dangerous STD’s harmful to sperm production is Chlamydia. The infection of this disease is often not detectable in men as there are no visible symptoms. Antibodies produced by the disease (called trachomatis IgG antibodies) inevitably have a negative effect on sperm production, thus lessening the chances of conception. Statistics show that the chance of achieving a pregnancy was reduced by 33% if the man was IgG positive.

Testicular Overheating

Exposure to excess heat can have an adverse effect on sperm development. Raised temperatures created by the use of laptops and wearing tight fitting underwear can raise scrotal temperature, slowing down the rate of sperm production. Laptop heat insulators and loose fitting garments such as boxer shorts are recommended to allow air to circulate and keep the testicles cool. Working in conditions that involve a lot of heat (welding for example) may impair fertility on a more permanent basis. Men in these types of professions are recommended to have a tepid bath each evening to bring testicular temperatures down.

Environmental Damages

There are many different environmental effects that can be harmful to sperm production. Whether a result of a direct or indirect attack on the system, pollutants such as toxins, chemicals, pesticides and oxygen-free radicals can all reduce sperm counts. Those at greatest risk will be in trades such as fruit or flower harvesting, contracting, livestock treatment, gardening and poultry and dairy farming. Exposure to metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic can also lead to trace amounts of these products being found in the semen and thus sperm production is often lowered.

Vigorous Exercise

Certain types of exercise can have a damaging effect on male sperm production. One of the worst forms of exercise for this is cycling or mountain biking. Mountain bikers have been proven to register less then half the sperm count and sperm movement than non-cyclists. The semen alterations are thought to be caused by impounding damage to both the testes and the scrotum, the repeated trauma is considered to be the main reason for the vascular damage and the subsequent effects on sperm motility.

Driving

For many of us, driving is a necessary evil. But spending long hours behind the wheel can have a damaging effect on your sperm. Scrotal temperatures are proven to rise significantly when a man is seated for long periods of time, and statistics show that couples whose partner was employed as a HGV driver or sales rep, (or any occupation that involved spending a great number of hours driving)found that they took longer to conceive. Results also show that sperm counts of professional drivers were lower and that the sperm itself contained more abnormalities.

Misuse of Substances

There are a number of banned substances that can have potentially lethal effects on sperm production. Taking anabolic steroids, for example, to increase performance in sports such as weight lifting, can dramatically alter both the motility and the health of the spermatozoa. Other banned substances, such as cocaine, marijuana and heroin can reduce sperm production by up to 50%, and in cases of ongoing use, may make a man infertile.

Genetic causes

Cystic fibrosis patients who suffer from CF often have missing or obstructed vas deferens (the tubes that carry perm).Naturally, this prevents the sperm from developing correctly. Klinefelter syndrome patients carry two X and one Y chromosomes (the norm is one X and one Y), which lead to the destruction of the lining of the seminiferous tubules in the testicles during puberty, although most other male physical attributes are unimpaired.

Kartagener syndrome a rare disorder that is associated with a reversed position of the major organs, also includes immotile cilia (hair-like cells in lungs and sinuses that have a structure similar to the tails of sperm). Germ cells may also be affected by this condition.

Varicocele
A varicocele is a varicose vein in the cord that connects to the testicle. (A varicose vein is one that is abnormally enlarged and twisted.) Varicoceles are found in 15% to 20% of all men and in 25% to 40% of infertile men. It is not clear how they affect fertility, or even if they do at all. Some theories for their effect include the following:

Varicoceles may partially obstruct the passages through which sperm pass.

• Varicocele may elevate temperature in the testes.
• Varicoceles may produce higher levels of nitric oxide, a substance that has
• Certain damaging effects that might injure sperm.
• Varicoceles may block oxygen to the sperm.
• Varicoceles have been associated with abnormalities in cellular material in the sperm. One study suggested that some men might have genetic abnormalities that cause both varicoceles and impaired sperm, rather than varicocele itself causing infertility.

Radiation Treatment

Radiation treatments and x-rays affect any rapidly dividing cell, so cells that produce sperm are quite sensitive to radiation damage. Cells exposed to significant levels of radiation may take up to two years to resume normal sperm production, and, in severe circumstances, may never recover.

Malnutrition and Lack of Supplements

Deficiencies in certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, selenium, zinc, and folate, may be particular risk factors for infertility in such cases. Those men trying to conceive are recommended to take vitamin C to prevent sperm from agglutinating (i.e. sticking together). This is especially beneficial to smokers. Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E supplements should also be taken to increase sperm activity and production.

Source: http://www.spermtest.com/

Abnormal Sperm -- Do Vasectomies Create Abnormal Sperm?

According to fertility expert Professor Nares Sukcharoen, of the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, on 22 Jun 2006, a vasectomy can be reversed and men have fathered children afterwards, but such men may have an increased risk of damaged sperm.

As many as 40,000 vasectomies are carried out in Britain each year, and around 2,500 men later want the surgery reversed often because they wish to have a family with a new partner.

Vasectomy is a quick and minor surgical procedure which is done under local anaesthetic and involves sealing the tubes, or vas deferens, that carry sperm. As a rule it does not affect a man's sex drive or performance. In reversal surgery the tubes are rejoined but the operation is not always successful.

Professor Sukcharoen and his team carried out a small study of men who had a vasectomy reversal and found that they had a 10 times higher number of chromosome abnormalities in their sperm than men who had not had the surgery.

The researchers tested 21 sperm samples from 18 men and found that 3.3% of their sperm had genetic defects, including abnormally high rates of chromosomal defects called sexual aneuploidies, where sperm had an extra X or Y chromosome which cause a number of medical conditions in children, such as Klinefelter syndrome, in which boys are born with an extra X chromosome and often develop abnormally proportioned bodies and experience learning difficulties.

Another rarer condition found called Triple X syndrome, affects around one in 2,000 girls, and is caused by sperm carrying two X chromosomes instead of the usual one.

It can lead to women developing symptoms including seizures and infertility.

Professor Sukchareon who led the study, says he believes a pressure build-up in the vas deferens disrupts the normal production of sperm in men who have had vasectomies and says the study shows that a vasectomy can cause abnormalities in sperm. He says if a couple conceive naturally after the man has had a vasectomy reversal, the woman's body might select only the best sperm.

However if the sperm were used in artificial fertilisation, the genetic defects might be passed on to the child. Sukcharoen says more research and larger studies are needed to confirm his results and to answer other questions regarding reversal surgery and the related problems.

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/

Infertility -- The Basic Infertility Evaluation

Once a couple presents an infertility problem, an organized cost considerate rapid evaluation that makes no major assumptions about cause should be recommended.

Assumptions are common, but should be discouraged. When the couple first identifies an infertility problem there often is a tendency to guess at the cause for the problem. I often hear: "(s)he is the problem," "it must be me since my spouse has had children in another marriage," or "I know I'm normal since I've never been sick a day in my life." Assumptions are usually counterproductive.

The basic infertility evaluation should always include an evaluation of

• Female:
• Ovulation
• The pelvic factor. Pelvic factor infertility as discussed here will include

1. vaginal abnormalities
2. cervical mucus abnormalities
3. defects in the uterine cavity
4. proximal fallopian tube occlusion
5. distal blockage of the fallopian tube
6. endometriosis
7. barriers to implantation

• Male:
  
• Movement of the testes into the scrotum
• The testicular cells and their functions
• Puberty and the full maturation of sperm
• The course of movement for sperm upon ejaculation
• Ejaculation
• Necessary postejaculatory changes in sperm

In addition, it is usually adviseable to confirm that there are no other major barriers to fertility. This might include looking at the periovulatory cervical mucus for the presence of progressively motile sperm several hours following intercourse (postcoital test). This might also include examining the pelvis for the presence of abnormalities, such as endometriosis or adhesions (laparoscopy and possibly hysteroscopy).

If the couple has experienced multiple consecutive miscarriages, the evaluation that I recommend includes

1. Demonstration of a normally shaped uterine cavity,
2. Evaluation for a hormonal deficiency in progesterone production,
3. Analysis of both the maternal (wife's) and paternal (husband's) chromosomes,
4. Laboratory testing for immunologic causes of pregnancy loss, and
5. Taking a history for maternal disease states or environmental toxin exposure

The components of the basic infetility evaluation are discussed in detail. The components of the basic recurrent pregnancy loss evaluation will be the subject of another project (currently in progress).

Source: http://www.drdaiter.com/

Infertility

Reproduction is a normal physiologic event that is absolutely necessary for the survival of the human race. Therefore, infertility is a "real" medical problem that is the result of real pathology.

Infertility is not uncommon, affecting about 10-15% of reproductive age couples (roughly 1 in 7). The remarkable advances in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) have resulted in the birth of several thousand "miracle babies" over the past few decades. There is also a growing desire for pregnancy in women over 35 years of age, many of whom have postponed their childbearing until they have acheived career stability. For these reasons, the number of couples seeking medical attention for infertility related problems has rapidly grown and the medical community has responded with rapidly developing technology.

The causes of infertility for a specific couple are not always easily recognized. However, if the couple decides to undergo a series of basic diagnostic tests then specific treatable abnormalities associated with infertility may be discovered. Following a full basic evaluation only 5-10% of couples will still have "unexplained infertility."

Treating infertility can also be difficult. There are frequently several accepted alternative treatments for any given abnormality that is discovered. The "optimal" treatment is often controversial since there is usually little reliable scientific data to support one treatment plan over another. Therefore, the physician must use his (her) own experience with the available treatment options for guidance. Relying on the advise of a seasoned and well trained professional is therefore very important.

When to Go for Invertility Care?

Infertility is generally defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after one year of regular intercourse without contraception.

Despite this general definition, an evaluation may be appropriate before a full year has passed. This decision depends on the couple's situation. For example, if the woman is older than 35 or 40 it may be prudent to check a basic evaluation soon after deciding to have a baby. If the husband has had a vasectomy, or the wife a tubal ligation, then consultation and consideration of treatment options does not need to be delayed. If the woman desiring fertility has very irregular or no menstrual cycles then immediate consideration of diagnostic tests and treatment is appropriate.

Recurrent pregnancy losses (miscarriages) are sometimes considered a part of infertility since the couple is not able to carry a pregnancy to viability. Once a couple has had two or three consecutive pregnancy losses, it is appropriate to consider a thorough evaluation.

Who is Available to Help Care?

A couple decides early on who will be chosen to help them with their infertility. This selection dramatically effects the treatment plan that is developed. Therefore, careful consideration of the alternatives is advisable.

Not everyone turns to medicine for help. Some couples choose a relative, like a mother or a grandmother. This is generally someone who has a large family with clear success in terms of their own reproduction. Others may turn to religious figures and entrust their fertility to a higher being or guidelines set by an organized religion. I beleive that physicians also have an important role in the care of these couples. Infertility usually involves medical conditions that are now treatable and professional advice is generally available.

Differences in training among the available physicians will be the focus of this section. All physicians treating infertile couples should share certain basic characteristics, including:

Compassion and the willingness to listen.

These are important qualities in an infertility doctor. As you discuss your situation with your doctor, you should be able to identify a willingness to listen to your concerns.

Recent dramatic changes in health care have essentially limited the time that is spent with patients by rewarding the number or "volume" of patients seen rather than giving "the personal touch." Infertility patients may come to resent their doctor if (s)he doesn't address their unique needs or they may change doctors frequently in an attempt to find one who will "hear their concerns." This can be frustrating for both the doctors and the couples.

Expertise in the rapidly changing field of infertility.

Book knowledge coupled with insights gained from extensive clinical experience is a powerful combination.

• The doctors. All doctors are persons skilled in the healing arts who have completed a defined rigorous course of study (typically 4 years). Doctors have been duly licensed by the State's Board of Medical Examiners to practice within the profession. Therefore, many couples believe that "any doctor" will be expert in the treatment of their fertility issues. This may not be so. Most graduates of medical school will have delivered (or helped deliver) a baby and helped to perform (or watched) a hysterectomy. However, many doctors have had no exposure to infertile couples undergoing evaluation. Nevertheless, in many areas of the USA the family doctor (either a family practitioner or internist) is the initial contact for the infertile couple. This physician will then consider whether (s)he is comfortable with ordering the basic infertility evaluation and when to refer the couple for care with an infertility specialist.
  

• The Obstetrician Gynecologist. The obstetrician gynecologist is a doctor who has completed medical school as well as an additional defined training program (typically 4 years) in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Ob-Gyn). To become board certified in Ob-Gyn, the "American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists" requires candidates to pass a written exam as well as an oral exam. The oral exam is given by recognized authorities in the field and covers all areas of Ob-Gyn including infertility. Therefore, Ob-Gyns are well trained in the theory of infertility and many will have significant clinical training and experience as well. When the obstetrician gynecologist is the initial contact for an infertile couple there is usually an organized approach that has been established. At some point in the infertility care, the Ob-Gyn may suggest referral to an infertility specialist.
  

• Infertility specialists. Infertility specialists are doctors who should have completed medical school, a residency training program in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and an additional training fellowship (typically 2-3 years) in Reproductive Endocrinology (male and female hormones) and Infertility. This subspecialty fellowship can provide an intense clinical exposure to infertility care that dramatically redefines the physician's approach to the infertile couple. The infertility specialist's approach typically complements the Ob-Gyn's care.
  

Source: http://www.drdaiter.com/

Bronchopneumonia

What is Bronchopneumonia ?

Bronchopneumonia is a illness of lung which is caused by different organism like bacteria, viruses, and fungi and characterized by acute inflammation of the walls of the bronchioles. It is also known as pneumonia. It is common in women and causes to the 6% deaths.

Bronchopneumonia (Lobular pneumonia) - is one of two types of bacterial pneumonia as classified by gross anatomic distribution of consolidation (solidification). In bacterial pneumonia, invasion of the lung parenchyma by bacteria produces an inflammatory immune response. This response leads to a filling of the alveolar sacs with exudate. The loss of air space and its replacement with fluid is called consolidation. In bronchopneumonia, or lobular pneumonia, there are multiple foci of isolated, acute consolidation, affecting one or more pulmonary lobes.

It should be noted that although these two patterns of pneumonia, lobar and lobular, are the classic anatomic categories of bacterial pneumonia, in clinical practice the types are difficult to apply, as the patterns usually overlap. Bronchopneumonia (lobular) often leads to lobar pneumonia as the infection progresses. The same organism may cause one type of pneumonia in one patient, and another in a different patient. From the clinical standpoint, far more important than distinguishing the anatomical subtype of pneumonia, is identifying its causative agent and accurately assessing the extent of the disease.

What are Causes of Bronchopneumonia ?

Bacterial pneumonias tend to be the most serious and, in adults, the most common cause of pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae both are the common bacterium which which causes bronchopneumonia in the adults and children. The most common pneumonia-causing bacterium in adults is Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).

Pathology

• Inhalation of organisms.
• Scarring if alveoli destroyed.

Multiple foci of consolidation are present in the basal lobes, often bilateral. These lesions are 2-4 cm in diameter, grey-yellow, dry, often centered by a bronchia, are poorly delimited and have the tendency to confluence, especially in children.

A focus of inflammatory condensation is centered by a bronchiola with acute bronchiolitis (suppurative exudate - pus - in the lumen and parietal inflammation). Alveolar lumens surrounding the bronchia are filled with neutrophils ("leukocytic alveolitis"). Massive congestion is present. Inflammatory foci are separated by normal, aerated parenchyma.

What are the Symptoms ?

• Cough with greenish or yellow mucus
• Fever
• chest pain
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Blood-streaked sputum
• Chills
• Signs of pulmonary congestion

Comparison of Bronchopneumonia vs. Lobar Pneumonia

	Bronchopneumonia	Lobar Pneumonia
Location	1. often bilateral 2. basal (i.e. lower lobes)	large area, even whole lobe involvement
Route of infection	spreads from bronchioles to nearby alveoli	both alveoli and bronchioles
Spread of infection	consolidation is patchy	Whole lobe becomes consolidated
Susceptible group	infants, elderly	Adults especially alcoholics and vagrants.
Causing Organism	Dependent on circumstances predisposing to infection(i.e. nosocomial or community acquired)	Often caused by Pneumococcus or Klebsiella.
Recovery	If treated, recovery usually involves focal organisation of lung by fibrosis.	If treated promptly, many recover with lungs returning to normal structure and functioning by resolution. In other cases the exudate in alveoli is organised, leading to lung scarring and permanent lung dysfunction.
Notes	Patients who are immobile develop retention of secretions; thus, most commonly involves the lower lobes.	Patient are severely ill and usually associated bacteriemia.

Treatment of bronchopneumonia

If the cause is bacterial, the goal is to cure the infection with antibiotics. If the cause is viral, antibiotics will nbot e effective. In some cases it is difficult to distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia, so antibiotics may be prescribed. Pneumococcal vaccinations are recommended for individuals in high-risk groups and provide up to 80 percent effectiveness in staving off pneumococcal pneumonia. Influenza vaccinations are also frequently of use in decreasing one’s susceptibility to pneumonia, since the flu precedes pneumonia development in many cases.

Hair -- Herbal Remedies for Hair Loss

Herbal remedies are probably the best for curing hair loss and all other ailments, because these natural products do not have the harsh side effects that the synthetic drugs often produce. A number of herbal products for hair loss are available that effective counter hair loss symptoms.

Saw Palmetto or Serenoa Repens
Tinctures or extracts from this herb obstruct the receptors on cell membranes for dihydrotestosterone, the primary cause of androgenic alopecia in most patients. The formation of DHT is also prevented, by an action that is much similar to that of the FDA approved hair loss treatment medicine finasteride. Thus this product effectively promotes hair growth.

Nettle Root
This herbal remedy inhibits the enzymes 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme responsible for the production of DHT, and also aromatase, the enzyme that synthesizes estrogens.

Gotu Kola
Herbal products formulated from this herb promote hair growth, and strengthens collagen and the blood vessels. This herbal extract purifies the blood and improves the health of the skin and hair. It stimulates blood circulation throughout the brain and the scalp, and rejuvenates the hair follicles.

Pumpkin or Cucurbita Maxima
The oil extracted from the seeds of pumpkins contains the active ingredient delta-7-sterine that effectively competes with DHT and protects the prostate as well, apart from lowering levels of hair loss. However the clinical efficacy of this herbal product is still under medical investigation.

Eleutherococcus Senticosus or Siberian Ginseng
That is a mineral rich herb that helps lower stress and is beneficial for the kidneys and the adrenal glands. It is also helpful in restoring hair growth, especially in women.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Essential oil extracted from this herb is rich in antitoxiants, a time-tested herbal remedy that encourages hair growth. The oil also effectively combats dandruff – another vital cause of hair loss.

Black Cohosh (Acteae Racemosa)
This is a phytoestrogen herb that alleviates menopausal disorders in women, including the thinning of hair that result from a drop in the level of estrogens from the ovaries.

Dong Quai (Angelica Sinensis)
The remedial action of this herbal product is similar to that of black cohosh.

Licorice Extract
This herbal product helps prevent hair loss, but it is not advisable for use by pregnant women.

Horsetail or Equisetum Arvense
This herb is an excellent good source of silica, a mineral that keeps hair strong and gives it a shiny and sleek appearance. Herbal products formulated from horsetail are beneficial for the hair and scalp.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Hair -- Vitamins for Hair Loss

Human body, a machine that require energy to function. This source of energy is the food we take. The nutritious food provides required energy and is helpful for growth, repair of hair and reproduction too.

A balanced diet is necessary for supplying adequate amounts of nutrients, minerals and vitamins to the body .lack of a proper diet often results in hair loss. Hence, hair loss can be treated by intake of dietary supplements, like minerals and vitamins, especially the B Vitamins (B5, B6, and niacin), Biotin, Inositol and Folic Acid. It has been proved that ample intake of vitamins counters hair loss and promotes the growth of healthy and shiny hair.

Vitamins can help in treating hair loss in a number of ways:

• Vitamins obstruct the production of di-hydro testosterone or DHT – one of the principal causes that trigger hair loss.
• Vitamins revitalize damaged hair follicles and thereby promote hair growth.
• Vitamins nourish and heal the scalp.

A number of vitamin formulas have topical application, like shampoos or serums that are to be applied on the scalp. This provide a two-pronged approach to combating hair loss – both from inside the system and from outside the body. However, it should be borne in mind that there is no “quick-fix” method for curing hair loss troubles; all the products require sustained use for optimum results.

Vitamins and amino acids are the structural blocks of proteins and enzymes within the body. These substances become even more essential as our body is incapable of synthesizing it from other substances. A strand of hair is an extended protein chain constantly being added to at the root. Hair is not animate, and there is no option for an amino acid or protein to have any enduring effect on the hair health. Henceforth, the vitamins and minerals supplements can improve the health of new hair growth, though the benefit to existing hair is uncorroborated.

Vitamins for hair loss are formulated basically to help you to compensate the ignored potion of these vital vitamins in natural form. You can avail an assortment of hair vitamins products.

Some of the essential vitamins required for healthy hair are:

1. Vitamin A
2. Vitamin C
3. Vitamin E
4. Biotin
5. Inositol
6. Niacin (Vitamin B3)
7. Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
8. Vitamin B6
9. Vitamin B12

Vitamin E

This vitamin aids in improving uptake of oxygen, which leads to better health of the scalp and hair.

Biotin

Biotin is essential for healthy hair and skin and may be effective in preventing male pattern baldness. Brown rice, brewer’s yeast, sunflower seeds, green peas, soybeans, oats, lentils and walnuts are excellent sources of this vitamin. Supplements can also be used to counter excessive hair loss.

Other Vitamins:

Inositol is for healthful for hair.
Vitamin C helps in increasing the blood circulation in the scalp and ensuring that the hair follicles get adequate supply of nutrients.

B-Vitamins

Food items like beans, peas, cauliflower, soy beans, and eggs are sources of vitamin B, which is very important for the health of the scalp and hair. Vitamins B3 (niacin), B5 (also called pantothenic acid), and B6 (pyridoxine) should be taken as nutritional supplement for treating hair loss. Folic acid is a type of B vitamin (B9) that delays the onset of grey hair, and is useful in preventing hair loss.

Hair -- Effects of Ingrown Hair

Dead cells can accumulate at the site of the irritation and form papule which can also contain pus while the skin heals. While this process continues any hair in the area can get trapped under the formation and is prevented from exiting the skin properly. Ingrown hair is the result.

Effects

1. Constant tenderness
2. Trapped, ingrown hairs cause inflammation which result in the body forming papule - a small, raised, abnormality on the skin commonly known as a bump giving rise to the term 'razor bumps'
3. The body can also respond by producing a pustule - a blister on the skin containing pus
4. An infected pustule can become ruptured resulting in bleeding
5. Itching
6. Tingling
7. Pain - mild or severe
8. Hard, prominent, irregular scar tissue in the skin in chronic cases

Additional advice: If you carry out skin exfoliation regularly with a loofah or mesh sponge after waxing or shaving, you'll take off the thin layer of skin that's trapping the ingrown hairs and set them free.

Wet the loofah and squeeze to soften if preferred, then gently massage the skin, especially dry, rough areas. Do not use the loofah on broken skin. Some beauty advisors believe using a loofah once a week for skin exfoliation is enough to keep the area exfoliated. Exfoliating too much will dry the skin and leave it sensitive and susceptible to ingrown hair.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Hair -- Causes of Ingrown Hair

Ingrown hair is a common problem for men and women. Use this list to easily identify the causes and effects of ingrown hair.

Causes:

1. Skin suffering from lack of moisture
2. Stiff beard hair
3. Embedded oil in the hair follicles
4. Build up of dead skin cells in the pores and on the surface of the skin can cause ingrown hairs - some are more prone to this than others due to genetics
5. Coarse curly hair growing in a curved hair follicle
6. Improper shaving technique with a blade such as too close a shave
7. Hair removal methods such as shaving, waxing, tweezing, electrolysis, often irritate the hair follicle.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Pizza VS Calorie

Pizza doesn’t have to be the calorie-crammed meal we all tend to think of it as. It is possible to make healthier pizzas at home or even order more figure-friendly options in a restaurant and still enjoy it.

When eating out, choose pizzas with thin rather than thick bases and make sure your toppings include mainly vegetable and low-fat options e.g. grilled or Cajun chicken, mince, steak, avocado, light sprinkling of feta, spinach, ham, pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, banana, seafood, tuna, onion, sweet peppers or garlic. It is also possible to ask for a pizza without cheese.

Portions are important. Order a mixed side salad (with the dressing on the side) and eat half the pizza with the salad. The other half can be taken home in a doggy bag and eaten for lunch the next day.

Here are a few tips and ideas for making homemade pizzas with pizzazz at home:

• Make your own or buy ready-made pizza bases and spread generously with tomato-and-onion mix and fresh or dried herbs.
• Use a combination of any of the following ingredients – ham, pineapple, banana, chopped grilled chicken breast, grilled seafood (calamari), anchovies, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, avocado, peppadews and sweet peppers or chilli.
• Avoid bacon, sausage, salami and mince (unless made with extra-lean beef mince or ostrich mince).
• Use half the usual amount of cheese or replace mozzarella and other yellow cheeses with a sprinkling of feta, Parmesan, mature cheddar, blue cheese, Danish feta or goat’s cheese. Very little of these more strongly flavoured cheeses is needed to achieve the same cheese flavour.
• Serve the pizza with a lovely mixed green salad, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

When entertaining at home, homemade garlic pizza bread is a great snack for sundowners, around the braai or even when you're watching rugby. This is healthy and can be thrown together in five minutes:

• Pizza bases (large or mini) with a sprinkling of feta, spinach and garlic or a thin spreading of pesto.
• Garlic pizza breads made with pizza base with garlic and herbs
• Chilli pizza breads - sweet chilli sauce and finely chopped sweet red and yellow peppers sprinkled over plain pizza bases.

See: how to make the healthy salad

source: http://www.health24.com/

Green Tea -- A Cup of Good Health

When most of us think of green tea, we always think of the most well known benefits of drinking green tea, namely assisting the immune system in the prevention of colds during the winter months because of its high level of antioxidants.

This is, however, only one of the many benefits of drinking green tea. Recent research into green tea has shown its medicinal value and power in preventing disease, thus the reason the Japanese believed in its ability to prolong life

Another one of the possible benefits of drinking green tea is its potential as a cancer preventive. One of the main ingredients in green tea is catechin, and studies performed at the National Cancer Institute in Tokyo have shown that catechin use lowers the incidence of cancer by more than 50% if consumed in sufficient quantities. This is linked to both the catechin as well as the antioxidants that are found in green tea, and since the Japanese customarily drink at least two to three cups of green tea per day, and the cancer rate is lower in Japan, the link is established.

The benefits of drinking green tea also include its potential to restrict the excessive build up of the "bad" cholesterol. This function is also performed because of the catechin that is the main ingredient in green tea. Other benefits of drinking green tea include one or more of the following:

• Controlling high blood pressure
• Lowering blood pressure
• Suppressing aging
• Refreshing the body
• Deterring food poisoning
• Preventing and treating skin disease
• Preventing cavities
• Fighting viruses
• Acting as a bio-regulatory food

A better understanding of these health benefits can help a person make an informed choice. Incorporate more green tea into your diet and you may reap the same benefits!

A Cup of Hot Tea = A Cup of Good Health.

Tea Consumption Linked to Numerous Body Benefits. A hot cup of tea may do more than relax you. Research shows tea consumption may help prevent a wide range of ailments.

The latest medical research is finding potential healing powers in this ancient beverage. Recent research, for instance, suggests drinking tea may help prevent everything from cavities to Parkinson's disease. And some studies indicate it may even save lives.

The benefits of tea consumption may extend throughout the body, experts believe. Here is a partial list of conditions some research has shown may be prevented or improved by drinking tea:

Arthritis: Research suggests that older women who are tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea.

Bone Density: Drinking tea regularly for years may produce stronger bones. Those who drank tea on a regular basis for 10 or more years had higher-bone mineral density in their spines than those who had not.

Cancer: Green tea extracts were found to inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cells in the lab — while other studies suggest that drinking green tea protects against developing stomach and esophageal cancers.

• Sipping on a cup of hot tea may be a safeguard against cancer. Population studies have linked the consumption of tea with a reduction in risk for several types of cancer. Researchers speculate that the polyphenols in tea may inhibit certain mechanisms that promote cancer growth. Both green and black teas have been credited with cancer-inhibiting powers.

Flu: You may be able to boost your fight against the flu with black tea.
Your best defense against contracting the flu is to wash your hands often and get vaccinated against the influenza virus. Black tea may further bolster your efforts to stay healthy. In a recent study, people who gargled with a black tea extract solution twice per day showed a higher immunity to flu virus compared to the people who did not gargle with black tea.

Heart Disease: A recent study published in the journal Circulation found that drinking more than two cups of tea a day decreased the risk of death following a heart attack by 44 percent. Even less spirited tea drinkers were rewarded: Consuming just two cups a day decreased the risk of death by almost a third.
Tea is a rich source of the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin, and research shows that high dietry intake of these compounds is associated with a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks. In one study, people who drank about a cup and a half of tea per day were almost 40% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to tea abstainers.

High Blood Pressure: Tea lovers may be surprised to learn their beverage of choice touts yet another health benefit: blood pressure control. Drinking a half-cup of green or oolong tea per day reduced a person's risk of high blood pressure by almost 50% in a new study. People who drank at least two and a half cups per day reduced their risk even more. Their risk was reduced even if they had risk factors for high blood pressure, such as high sodium intake.

Parkinson's Disease: Tea consumption may be protective against developing this debilitating neurological disorder.

Oral Health: Rinsing with tea may prevent cavities and gum disease.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) -- A Common Problem for Some Women

Women Have UTI's More Often Than Men

Women tend to have urinary tract infections more often than men because bacteria can reach the bladder more easily in women. The urethra is shorter in women than in men, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel.

The urethra is also located near the rectum in women. Bacteria from the rectum can easily travel up the urethra and cause infections.

Having sex may also cause urinary tract infections in women because bacteria can be pushed into the urethra. Using a diaphragm can lead to infections because diaphragms push against the urethra and make it harder to completely empty the bladder. The urine that stays in the bladder is more likely to grow bacteria and cause infections.

Many women suffer from frequent UTIs. Nearly 20 percent of women who have a UTI will have another, and 30 percent of those will have yet another. Of the last group, 80 percent will have recurrences.

Usually, the latest infection stems from a strain or type of bacteria that is different from the infection before it, indicating a separate infection. Even when several UTIs in a row are due to E. coli, slight differences in the bacteria indicate distinct infections.

Research has indicated that women who are "non-secretors" of certain blood group antigens may be more prone to recurrent UTIs because the cells lining the vagina and urethra may allow bacteria to attach more easily. Further research will show whether this association is sound and proves useful in identifying women at high risk for UTIs.

Infections in Pregnancy

Pregnant women seem no more prone to UTIs than other women. However, when a UTI does occur in a pregnant woman, it is more likely to travel to the kidneys. According to some reports, about 2 to 4 percent of pregnant women develop a urinary infection. Scientists think that hormonal changes and shifts in the position of the urinary tract during pregnancy make it easier for bacteria to travel up the ureters to the kidneys. For this reason, many doctors recommend periodic testing of urine during pregnancy.

Treatment

If your family doctor thinks you have a bladder infection, he or she will probably test a sample of your urine to find out if there are bacteria in it. Your doctor will then prescribe an antibiotic for you if you have an infection. Usually, symptoms of the infection go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking the medicine.

Your doctor may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and make you feel better while the antibiotic starts to work. The medicine colors your urine bright orange, so don't be alarmed by the color when you urinate.

What Should I do?

If you have urinary tract infections often, you can try some of the suggestions in the box below. Talk with your family doctor about what changes would be helpful for you.

Your doctor also may give you a low dose of medicine for several months or longer to prevent infections from coming back.

If having sex seems to cause your infections, your doctor may suggest that you take a single antibiotic pill after you have sex to prevent urinary tract infections.

Further Risk

Bladder infections can be painful. But today's medicines can keep them from becoming a serious threat to your health.

The kidneys can also be infected and this can be a more serious problem. Kidney infections usually require an antibiotic for a longer time and are sometimes treated in the hospital.

Tips on Preventing

• Drink plenty of water to flush out bacteria. Drinking cranberry juice may also help prevent urinary tract infections. However, if you're taking warfarin (brand name: Coumadin), check with your doctor before using cranberry juice to prevent urinary tract infections. Your doctor may need to adjust your warfarin dose or you may need to have more frequent blood tests.
• Don't hold your urine. Urinate when you feel like you need to.
• Wipe from front to back after bowel movements.
• Urinate after having sex to help wash away bacteria.
• Use enough lubrication during sex. Try using a small amount of lubricant (such as K-Y Jelly) before sex if you're a little dry.
• If you get urinary tract infections often, you may want to avoid using the diaphragm. Ask your doctor about other birth control choices.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) -- Treatment and Prevention

Treatment

UTIs are treated with antibacterial drugs. The choice of drug and length of treatment depend on the patient's history and the urine tests that identify the offending bacteria. The sensitivity test is especially useful in helping the doctor select the most effective drug. The drugs most often used to treat routine, uncomplicated UTIs are trimethoprim (Trimpex), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra, Cotrim), amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox, Wymox), nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Furadantin), and ampicillin (Omnipen, Polycillin, Principen, Totacillin). A class of drugs called quinolones includes four drugs approved in recent years for treating UTI. These drugs include ofloxacin (Floxin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), and trovafloxin (Trovan).

Often, a UTI can be cured with 1 or 2 days of treatment if the infection is not complicated by an obstruction or other disorder. Still, many doctors ask their patients to take antibiotics for a week or two to ensure that the infection has been cured. Single-dose treatment is not recommended for some groups of patients, for example, those who have delayed treatment or have signs of a kidney infection, patients with diabetes or structural abnormalities, or men who have prostate infections. Longer treatment is also needed by patients with infections caused by Mycoplasma or Chlamydia, which are usually treated with tetracycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ), or doxycycline. A followup urinalysis helps to confirm that the urinary tract is infection-free. It is important to take the full course of treatment because symptoms may disappear before the infection is fully cleared.

Severely ill patients with kidney infections may be hospitalized until they can take fluids and needed drugs on their own. Kidney infections generally require several weeks of antibiotic treatment. Researchers at the University of Washington found that 2-week therapy with TMP/SMZ was as effective as 6 weeks of treatment with the same drug in women with kidney infections that did not involve an obstruction or nervous system disorder. In such cases, kidney infections rarely lead to kidney damage or kidney failure unless they go untreated.

Various drugs are available to relieve the pain of a UTI. A heating pad may also help. Most doctors suggest that drinking plenty of water helps cleanse the urinary tract of bacteria. During treatment, it is best to avoid coffee, alcohol, and spicy foods. And one of the best things a smoker can do for his or her bladder is to quit smoking. Smoking is the major known cause of bladder cancer.

Recurrent Infections in Women

Women who have had three UTIs are likely to continue having them. Four out of five such women get another within 18 months of the last UTI. Many women have them even more often. A woman who has frequent recurrences (three or more a year) can ask her doctor about one of the following treatment options:

• Take low doses of an antibiotic such as TMP/SMZ or nitrofurantoin daily for 6 months or longer. If taken at bedtime, the drug remains in the bladder longer and may be more effective. NIH-supported research at the University of Washington has shown this therapy to be effective without causing serious side effects.
• Take a single dose of an antibiotic after sexual intercourse.
• Take a short course (1 or 2 days) of antibiotics when symptoms appear.

Dipsticks that change color when an infection is present are now available without a prescription. The strips detect nitrite, which is formed when bacteria change nitrate in the urine to nitrite. The test can detect about 90 percent of UTIs when used with the first morning urine specimen and may be useful for women who have recurrent infections.

Doctors suggest some additional steps that a woman can take on her own to avoid an infection:

• Drink plenty of water every day.
• Urinate when you feel the need; don't resist the urge to urinate.
• Wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria around the anus from entering the vagina or urethra.
• Take showers instead of tub baths.
• Cleanse the genital area before sexual intercourse.
• Avoid using feminine hygiene sprays and scented douches, which may irritate the urethra.
• Some doctors suggest drinking cranberry juice.

Infections in Pregnancy

A pregnant woman who develops a UTI should be treated promptly to avoid premature delivery of her baby and other risks such as high blood pressure. Some antibiotics are not safe to take during pregnancy. In selecting the best treatments, doctors consider various factors such as the drug's effectiveness, the stage of pregnancy, the mother's health, and potential effects on the fetus.

Complicated Infections

Curing infections that stem from a urinary obstruction or other systemic disorders depends on finding and correcting the underlying problem, sometimes with surgery. If the root cause goes untreated, this group of patients is at risk of kidney damage. Also, such infections tend to arise from a wider range of bacteria, and sometimes from more than one type of bacteria at a time.

Infections in Men

UTIs in men are often a result of an obstruction—for example, a urinary stone or enlarged prostate—or from a medical procedure involving a catheter. The first step is to identify the infecting organism and the drugs to which it is sensitive. Usually, doctors recommend lengthier therapy in men than in women, in part to prevent infections of the prostate gland.

Prostate infections (chronic bacterial prostatitis) are harder to cure because antibiotics are unable to penetrate infected prostate tissue effectively. For this reason, men with prostatitis often need long-term treatment with a carefully selected antibiotic. UTIs in older men are frequently associated with acute bacterial prostatitis, which can have serious consequences if not treated urgently.

Prevention

The following measures can reduce the risk for bladder infections and other UTIs:

• Avoid products that may irritate the urethra (e.g., bubble bath, scented feminine products).
• Cleanse the genital area before sexual intercourse.
• Change soiled diapers in infants and toddlers promptly.
• Drink plenty of water to remove bacteria from the urinary tract.
• Do not routinely resist the urge to urinate.
• Take showers instead of baths.
• Urinate after sexual intercourse.
• Women and girls should wipe from front to back after voiding to prevent contaminating the urethra with bacteria from the anal area.

Vaccine to Prevent

In the future, scientists may develop a vaccine that can prevent UTIs from coming back. Researchers in different studies have found that children and women who tend to get UTIs repeatedly are likely to lack proteins called immunoglobulins, which fight infection. Children and women who do not get UTIs are more likely to have normal levels of immunoglobulins in their genital and urinary tracts.

Early tests indicate that a vaccine helps patients build up their own natural infection-fighting powers. The dead bacteria in the vaccine do not spread like an infection; instead, they prompt the body to produce antibodies that can later fight against live organisms. Researchers are testing injected and oral vaccines to see which works best. Another method being considered for women is to apply the vaccine directly as a suppository in the vagina.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) -- Who is at risk?

Some people are more prone to getting a UTI than others. Any abnormality of the urinary tract that obstructs the flow of urine (a kidney stone, for example) sets the stage for an infection. An enlarged prostate gland also can slow the flow of urine, thus raising the risk of infection.

A common source of infection is catheters, or tubes, placed in the urethra and bladder. A person who cannot void or who is unconscious or critically ill often needs a catheter that stays in place for a long time. Some people, especially the elderly or those with nervous system disorders who lose bladder control, may need a catheter for life. Bacteria on the catheter can infect the bladder, so hospital staff take special care to keep the catheter clean and remove it as soon as possible.

People with diabetes have a higher risk of a UTI because of changes in the immune system. Any other disorder that suppresses the immune system raises the risk of a urinary infection.

UTIs may occur in infants, both boys and girls, who are born with abnormalities of the urinary tract, which sometimes need to be corrected with surgery. UTIs are more rare in boys and young men. In adult women, though, the rate of UTIs gradually increases with age. Scientists are not sure why women have more urinary infections than men. One factor may be that a woman's urethra is short, allowing bacteria quick access to the bladder. Also, a woman's urethral opening is near sources of bacteria from the anus and vagina. For many women, sexual intercourse seems to trigger an infection, although the reasons for this linkage are unclear.

According to several studies, women who use a diaphragm are more likely to develop a UTI than women who use other forms of birth control. Recently, researchers found that women whose partners use a condom with spermicidal foam also tend to have growth of E. coli bacteria in the vagina.