Total Health Solution

Chest pain and anxiety: What you need to know Chest pain is a common symptom of anxiety and panic attacks. Many people say it is the notable feature of their worst episodes. Each year, approximately  790,000 people in the United States  have  heart attacks , and  12-16 percent  of the population will experience chest pains during their lifetime. However, not all incidents of chest pain are signs of a heart attack. Sometimes these uncomfortable, painful, and frightening symptoms are symptoms of  anxiety . In fact, studies suggest that  one out of every four  individuals seeking treatment for chest pain is actually suffering from panic disorder. What does anxiety chest pain feel like? Feeling faint, chest pains and dizziness are symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Anxiety chest pain is frequently described as a sharp, stabbing sensation that starts suddenly, even if the person is inactive. However, the person may be feeling stres...

Dark chocolate with olive oil associated with improved cardiovascular risk profile Dark chocolate enriched with extra virgin olive oil is associated with an improved cardiovascular risk profile, according to research presented today at ESC Congress. "A healthy diet is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease," said lead author Dr Rossella Di Stefano, a cardiologist at the University of Pisa, Italy. "Fruits and vegetables exert their protective effects through plant polyphenols, which are found in cocoa, olive oil, and apples. Research has found that the Italian Panama red apple has very high levels of polyphenols and  antioxidants ." This study tested the association between consumption of dark chocolate enriched with extra virgin olive oil or Panama red apple with  atherosclerosis  progression in healthy individuals with cardiovascular risk factors. The randomised crossover study included 26 volunteers (14 men, 12 women) with at least three card...

What is gonorrhoea? The disease is caused by the bacterium called  Neisseria gonorrhoea. The infection is spread by unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex. Symptoms can include a thick green or yellow discharge from sexual organs, pain when urinating and bleeding between periods. However, of those infected, about one in 10 heterosexual men and more than three-quarters of women, and gay men, have no easily recognisable symptoms. Untreated infection can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and can be passed on to a child during pregnancy. "There are only three drug candidates in the entire drug [development] pipeline and no guarantee any will make it out." But ultimately, the WHO said vaccines would be needed to stop gonorrhoea. Prof Richard Stabler, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "Ever since the introduction of penicillin, hailed as a reliable and quick cure, gonorrhoea has developed resistance to all t...

Is oral sex more common now? By BBC World online It's hard to say if more people around the world are having more oral sex than they used to, as there isn't much reliable global data available. Data from the UK and US show it's very common and has been for years, including among teenagers. The UK's first National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles carried out in 1990-1991, found 69.7% of men and 65.6% of women had given oral sex to or received it from, a partner of the opposite sex in the previous year. By the time of the second survey during 1999-2001, this had increased to 77.9% for men and 76.8% for women but hasn't changed much since. A national survey in the US, meanwhile, has found about two-thirds of 15-24-year-olds have ever had oral sex. Dr Mark Lawton from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV said people with gonorrhoea in the throat would be unlikely to realise it and thus be more likely to pass it on via oral sex. He...

Oral sex spreading unstoppable bacteria Oral sex is producing dangerous gonorrhoea and a decline in condom use i s helping it to spread, the World Health Organization has said. It warns that if someone contracts gonorrhoea, it is now much harder to treat, and in some cases impossible. The sexually transmitted infection is rapidly developing resistance to antibiotics. Experts said the situation was "fairly grim" with few new drugs on the horizon. About 78 million people pick up the STI each year and it can cause infertility. The World Health Organization analysed data from 77 countries which showed gonorrhoea's resistance to antibiotics was widespread. Dr Teodora Wi, from the WHO, said there had even been three cases - in Japan, France and Spain - where the infection was completely untreatable. She said: "Gonorrhoea is a very smart bug, every time you introduce a new class of antibiotics to treat gonorrhoea, the bug becomes resistant." Wor...

Why diabetes is more common in rural areas If you live in a rural area, there's a greater chance that you'll  develop diabetes . In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified what it calls a " diabetes belt " in 644 counties in 15 states of mostly rural portions of the Southeast and Midwest. Some of the states in the diabetes belt include Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. People in the so-called diabetes belt are more likely to develop  Type 2 diabetes compared with others in the U.S. More than 11 percent of people in this area of the country have diabetes, compared with about 9 percent elsewhere in the country. See:  11 Ways Rural Life is Hazardous to Your Health . Perhaps not so coincidentally, the area of the diabetes belt is similar to a region called the "stroke belt" or "stroke alley" because of the high incidence of stroke and other heart disease, says  Judith Wylie-Rosett , a registered diet...

The following may help prevent sinusitis: ·   Practice good hand hygiene ·   Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke ·   Keep vaccinations up to date ·   Stay away from people with colds and other respiratory infections ·   Use a humidifier to moisten the air at home, and keep it clean ·   Maintain air conditioning units to prevent mould and dust from collecting ·   Where possible, avoid allergens

Sinus infection: Symptoms, types, and complications Sinus infection also referred to as sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, is an inflammation of the tissue lining the sinus cavities. Sinusitis  is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in the United States, affecting an estimated 16 percent of the adult population annually. The sinuses are a connected system of air-filled cavities located in the skull. Inflammation  of the sinuses is caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, or as a result of allergies. The inflammation prevents the sinuses from draining normally, leading to a build-up of mucus and secondary infection. The main symptoms of sinus infection are a nasal obstruction, discoloured nasal discharge, and facial pain or pressure that has been present for 7 days or more. Fast facts on sinusitis Here are some key points about sinusitis. ·      Normally, the sinuses are empty except for a thin layer of mucus ·      Wh...