Conjunctivitis or Eye Flu

Causes & Symptoms of Conjunctivitis  

A highly contagious disease, conjunctivitis is the swollenness or inflammation caused in the conjunctiva, a thin membrane which coats the front of the eyes. Also called 'pink eye' and 'eye flu', it is a condition when a person has sore eyes. Conjunctivitis is infectious and easily be transferable from one person to the other through direct contact. Symptoms for conjunctivitis are inflammation caused on the eyeball and underside of the eyelids. It also causes eye pain, burning, blured vision, feeling of dryness and discharge of a sticky fluid. On a severe stage, it also forms pus over and under the eyelid. The main cause of conjunctivitis is unhealthy and unhygienic state of living but since it is transferable, it may also be caused because of someone in the vicinity has it. However, it is treatable and can be cured using home remedies. Check how to cure conjunctivitis naturally.

The infection occurring in the conjunctiva that lines the eyelid is called conjunctivitis. Popularly known as pink eye, conjunctivitis mostly occurs due to an allergic reaction or an infection. The inflammation that results from it causes swelling of the small blood vessels, which, in turn, gives a pink or red cast to the white portion of the eyes. A highly contagious disease, conjunctivitis can spread from one person to other through direct contact. Overcrowded places, dirty surroundings and unhealthy living standards worsen the ailment. In the following lines, we have listed the various causes and symptoms of conjunctivitis.  

Causes Of Conjunctivitis

• Direct contact with an infected person 
• Overcrowding  
• Unhygienic surroundings  
• Eyestrain  
• Bacteria  
• Virus  
• Irritating substance or material in the eyes
• Allergies   
• Ophthalmia neonatorum  
• Environmental factors, such as smoke, dust, or pollen  
• Chemical splash in the eye  

Symptoms Of Conjunctivitis

• Eyes turn reddish  
• Itching in the eyes  
• Watery secretion from the eyes  
• Pus formation in the eyes  
• Redness in the white of the eye or inner eyelid  
• Increased amount of tears  
• Thick yellow discharge from the eyes, which crusts over the eyelashes, especially after sleep  
• Green or white discharge from the eye  
• Burning eyes  
• Blurred vision  
• Increased sensitivity to light  
• Inflamed eyes   

Home Remedy For Conjunctivitis 

• One of the effective remedies for curing conjunctivitis is to mix 2 tsp. chamomile flowers and 1 tsp oregon grape root in 2 cups of boiling water. Once cooled, strain this mixture and use it as an eye wash.  

• Sliced potatoes would also be beneficial in curing conjunctivitis. Peel the potato and cut it into thin slices. Apply on the affected area of the eye.  

• Prepare a tea using goldthread leaves and use it as a eye wash. Not only does it cure the swollenness caused and the infection, it also relieves a person of the pain.  

• An excellent eye wash for treating conjunctivitis would be to prepare a decoction using handful of dried coriander in 60 ml of water. It relieves a person of the pain and lessens the swelling as well.  

• Increase in the consumption of vitamin A and B2 helps in curing conjunctivitis. The foods rich in Vitamin A are whole milk, yoghurt, butter, carrots, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, mangoes, and papaya whereas green leafy vegetables, almonds, citrus fruits, bananas and tomatoes have high content of vitamin B2.  

• Indian gooseberry juice has medicinal properties which cure conjunctivitis. Prepare a cup of this juice and add two teaspoons of honey. Consumption of this juice two times everyday would be beneficial.  

• Carrot juice also is effective in treating conjunctivitis. To enhance the efficacy of this, add spinach to it. Mix 200 ml of spinach juice with 300 ml of carrot juice. Another combination of raw parsley juice 200ml, mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice also has therapeutic properties and provides relief.  

• Sterile cotton ball and dip it in warm water. Use this to take away the crust formed on the eyelashes. Warmly compress the cotton against the eye to provide relief.  

• Another remedy for conjunctivitis, would be apply poultice yogurt on the infected area of the eye. It would heal the itchiness caused. 

FUNGAL INFECTION

Symptoms, Cure & Home Remedies

More people get athlete's foot than any other fungal infections. It can be really vexing, but it's easy to control it and treated right away. The fungus that causes athlete's foot is like those that cause jock itch and yeast infections. It breeds in closed, damp places and feeds on dead skin cells. Walking bare foot in the shower at a gym and around the pools may increase your chances of getting athletes foot.

Jock itch is a fungal infection in the groin that most men get from time to time. Women on the other hand may get yeast infections. Which occurs when a fungus that that's already in the body displaces the helpful bacterium that keeps it under control. The infection begins in the vagina but spreads if left untreated. If you are pregnant, taking anti-biotic or birth control pills. Then you are more likely to get an infection.

 Thrush is a yeast infection in the mouth. It makes a white or yellow coating that may look like milk and is easy to scrape away, exposing raw, red skin. Babies frequently get thrush. People infected with AIDS or Cancer get infected more often. Taking large doses of anti-biotics can also bring on Thrush. People who perspire a lot or who are over weight and likely to have folds of skin that will rub against each other are also prone to fungal infections.

Symptoms:

Athlete's foot

• Itching, scaling and redness that often starts between the toes
  
• Dryness, flaking, or blisters on the toes or sole of the feet
  
• Toenails that thicken and become layered or scaly and yellowish
  
• Odor in severe cases

Jock itch

• Itchy red bumps in the groin and on the genitals. Rash may extend to the buttocks and inner thighs

Yeast infections

• Thick white, discharge from the vagina
  
• Itching, pain, or tenderness around the genitals
  
• Pain or soreness during sex
  
• Urge to urinate often. Urine may sting or burn
  
• A red itching rash with flaky white patches on moist skin areas
  
• Creamy yellow or white coating in the mouth or throat or on the tongue

Prevention:

• Bathe daily and dry your body well
  
• Avoid tight shoes and underwear, especially in hot weather

Athlete's foot

• Expose your feet to the air as much as possible. Wear plastic sandals in public dressing rooms and showers

Jock itch

• Change your clothes as soon as your finish working out, and don't share towels anywhere

Yeast infections

• Don't use feminine hygiene sprays or douches. They could kill the helpful bacteria in the vagina
  
• Wear underclothes and work out clothes which are made of cotton
  
• Wash your clothes in hot water after each use
  
• If you have repeated bouts of the infection and you take the pill, ask the doctor about trying a different method of birth control
  
• If you use steroid inhaler for asthma, rinse your mouth after each use

Cure:

Athlete's infection

• Wash twice a day and dry well between the toes after showering or swimming
  
• Apply an over the counter anti fungal powder, cream to your feet and sprinkle some powder in your shoes everyday
  
• Wash sports shoes at least once a week
  
• Wear clean cotton socks, and don't wear the same shoes everyday
  
• Take your shoes and socks off at home to give your feet plenty of air

Jock itch

• Use an anti fungal powder, cream, or spray, three times a day until the rash goes away. Keep using the medication for atleast a week after that to make sure the fungus is completely gone
  
• Don't wear tight pants or underwear's
  
• Change your underwear and jock strap daily. Wash them in hot water
  
• Dry your groin well after showering.

Yeast infections:

• Use condoms or stop having intercourse until you get treated
  
• Use an over the counter yeast medicine.
  
• Wear clean cotton underwear, and avoid panty hose and tight pants
  
• Eat plain yogurt containing active cultures if you have yeast infection after taking antibiotics
  
• For thrust, try a gentle mouth wash to loosen the white coat

Home Remedies for Fungal Infection

Athlete's foot

• If your foot has an odor that doesn't go away after treatment at home
  
• If your rash starts to spread or isn't better or isn't better after 2 weeks of self care
  
• If the infection has reached your nails. This is hard to clear up.

Jock itch

• If over the counter treatments fail to work after a couple of weeks
  
• If you develop an open sore that oozes pus
  
• If the rash spreads, gets worse, or keeps coming back

Yeast infection

• If you suspect you have one and you aren't better after using the over the counter drugs
  
• If you have signs of thrush. Your doctor may prescribe anti fungal creams, pills or suppositories

Sinuses (Sneezing)

Uh-oh। You're sneezing, coughing, and you have a bright red nose. You figure it's just another cold, but this one sticks around way too long. Is it really a cold? Maybe not. It could be a problem with your sinuses.

What Are Sinuses?

The sinuses (say: sy-nus-is) are air-filled spaces found in the bones of the head and face। Sinuses start developing before you are born and some of them keep growing until you're about 20। There are four pairs of sinuses, or eight in all। They are located on either side of the nose in your cheeks, behind and between the eyes, in the forehead, and at the back of the nasal cavity



Like the inside of the nose, the sinuses are lined with a moist, thin layer of tissue called a mucous membrane (say: myoo-kus mem-brayne). The mucous membranes help moisten the air as you breathe it in. The mucous membrane also makes mucus, that sticky stuff in your nose you might call snot The mucus traps dust and germs that are in the air we breathe. On the surface of the cells of the mucous membrane are microscopic hairs called cilia (say: sih-lee-uh).
The cilia beat back and forth in waves to clear mucus from the sinuses through a narrow opening in the nose and then move the mucus toward the back of the nose to be swallowed। Gross, huh? If you have a cold or allergies, the membrane gets irritated and swollen and produces even more mucus.

What Do Sinuses Do?

No one is completely sure why we have sinuses, but some researchers think they keep the head from being too heavy. Sinuses are pockets of air, and air doesn't weigh very much. If those pockets were solid bone, your head would weigh more.
Sinuses also give you the depth or tone of your voice. Did you ever notice how funny your voice sounds if your nose and sinuses get stuffy when you have a cold?
When Good Sinuses Go Bad
What about that cold that won't go away? A cold virus can:
damage the delicate cilia so that mucus is not swept away
cause the mucous lining of the nose to become swollen, which narrows and blocks the small opening from the sinuses into the nose
lead to the production of more mucus, which is often thicker and stickier, making it harder to flow out of the sinuses
When the tiny openings that drain the sinuses get blocked, mucus becomes trapped in the sinuses. Like water in a stagnant pond, it makes a good home for bacteria, viruses, or fungi to grow.

If a cold lasts for more than 10 to 14 days (sometimes you may have a low-grade fever you may have sinusitis (say: syne-yuh-sy-tus). This means an infection of the sinuses. Sinusitis is a pretty common infection; in fact, close to 37 million people in the United States have sinusitis each year.
Acute sinusitis may be diagnosed when a cold lasts more than 10 to 14 days. Chronic sinusitis means a person has had symptoms for more than 3 months. Symptoms may be similar to acute sinusitis, but typically are less severe and not associated with fever.
In either case, symptoms may include:
fever
persistent nasal discharge that often is yellow or green (this alone doesn't always mean you have a sinus infection)
daytime cough (your cough may be worse at night)
puffy eyes, especially in the morning
bad breath
Less often, a kid could have headache or pain behind the eyes, forehead, and cheeks.
What Will the Doctor Do?
If a doctor thinks you have a sinus infection, he or she will probably examine your ears and throat and take a look in your nose. The doctor may also check your sinuses by tapping or pressing on your forehead and cheeks. If you have a sinus infection, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. If bacteria are causing the problem, an antibiotic will help by killing the bacteria. If it's a virus, antibiotic medicine won't work.

In the case of a bacterial infection, the antibiotic should help you feel better in a few days. A decongestant or nasal spray may also be prescribed to help you feel better. If the sinus infection is chronic, the doctor may have you take medicine for a couple of weeks, just to be sure all the bacteria are knocked out.
Sometimes, if a sinus infection is not getting better, comes back even after you take all your medicine, or if the doctor is thinking about doing surgery, he or she may send you to have a CT scan of the sinuses. The CT scan is a special X-ray that takes a picture of your insides. It doesn't hurt, and it makes it much easier for the doctor to see what's going on. Your doctor can clearly see what the sinuses look like and then decide what kind of treatment will help you get better faster.

The good news about sinusitis is that it's not contagious, so if you are feeling well enough, you can go to school or go outside and play. In no time, you'll be over your infection - and you'll be saying so long to sinusitis!