Age spots are the consequences of an excessive production of a skin pigment called melanin. But this is not always the sole cause of age spots, and doctors are not sure regarding what leads to the development of these spots. Exposure to the harmful UV rays and skin aging can be regarded as possible causes of age spots. Even though you can develop age spots at almost anywhere in the body, certain areas are more vulnerable that include forearms, the back of your hands, upper back, shoulders, and your face. What are the signs of age spots? People of any age or race can develop age spots, but some people are more likely to develop these blemishes such as having a history of frequent exposure to the sun, being older than 40 years and having a history of frequent tanning bed usage. These age spots can range from light brown to black in color or have a similar texture as the complexion of the rest of the skin. These are typically painless and normally occur on the sun-exposed areas. How can these age spots be diagnosed? A skin expert can diagnose age spots by examining the skin. In case your doctor finds out that your dark blemishes are not age spots, then he may perform a biopsy to know about the nature of the spots.

With the passage of time, our body fails to perform the simplest of tasks since it has been subjected to a lot of wear and tear. The twilight years of our lives are the hardest because we are affected deeply by the inability to carry out the usual tasks with the same vigor of our heydays. Joint pains, backaches, failed health, and other problems that accompany the aging process make the transition to old age a difficult one. All of these can be taken care of, thanks to the progress in the medical field. One of the common ailments that affect the elderly population is knee problems. The excruciating pain in the knee that they experience while walking, climbing stairs, and even while sitting, hinders an individual’s ability to cope with their already deteriorating health. Knee pain is usually a collateral damage caused by osteoarthritis, which if causes great distress has to be operated. Knee replacement surgeries are the only viable solution if medications cannot provide the desired results to the individual. What is knee replacement surgery? Osteoarthritis results in the weakening of the joints of the knee. When medications cease to be effective, the doctors would ask the individual to go in for a knee replacement surgery.

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder is caused by inexplicable nerve cell activities in the brain. These activities lead to abnormal and recurrent episodes called seizures. Seizures can get triggered by lack of sleep, tiredness, excessive alcohol intake and stress. America has an appalling incidence rate for epilepsy, and the figures have only worsened over the last few years. Capping the analysis at five years, the number hovers close to 3 million a year. It is in our best interest that we delve deep and keep ourselves abreast of the treatments available for epilepsy before it reaches epidemic proportions. Here are some of the best treatment for epilepsy that you need to know about. Proper diagnosis Navigating through various treatments, it is imperative that patients find a comprehensive epilepsy center where there are specialized doctors and surgeons for the job on the hands. A clinical approach to getting started with the treatment could be taking all the prescribed tests done. For patients previously diagnosed with epilepsy and patients who have had multiple seizures in the past, the doctor may do an electroencephalogram test to gauge the medical history of the patient. For children and adults who have had their first seizure, an image scan or MRI can be done to rule out other possibilities, like a tumor.

Sleeping disorders are not uncommon today, in fact, around 40 percent of the population in the country suffer from insomnia. Insomnia in itself is not a medical condition, but rather a collective of various sleeping disorders. The more common causes of insomnia include psychological factors or changes in hormone levels. But mostly this condition is caused due to changes in your lifestyle, which forces you to lose sleep. Insomnia is distinguishable across three different categories, which include: Chronic insomnia: As the name aptly suggests, chronic insomnia refers to that sleeping disorder which is persistent and prolonged. But there are certain primary triggers which are the main reason for chronic insomnia. Acute insomnia: This condition lasts for a shorter duration when compared to chronic insomnia. But symptoms of severe insomnia tend to last persistently even if for a short period. Transient insomnia: While chronic and acute insomnia usually lasts longer, transient insomnia will only last a couple of days at the most. Causes of insomnia mainly include: Some medical conditions which cause insomnia include nasal sinus and any allergies which block the passageway interrupting normal breathing, gastrointestinal problems like reflux, hyperthyroidism which comes under the category of endocrine problems, arthritis, asthma, neurological conditions, chronic pain and low back pain among others.

Shoulder pain is a common problem faced by most of the people these days. Shoulder pain can be caused by different problems and need different treatments according to the diagnosis done by the doctor. We need to understand why one is having a shoulder pain, the origin of it, and then decide the treatment. There are various symptoms and conditions which will help in the diagnosis of shoulder pain. The doctor will have to examine the upper extremity of the body to get the exact cause of the pain. Some of them are listed below: Location of pain Timing of pain Mobility of the shoulder Strength of the muscles around the shoulder Instability and popping out Popping clicking and snapping off the shoulder Causes of shoulder pain There can be various causes of shoulder pain. Some of them are listed below: Bursitis/rotator cuff tendonitis-This is the most common diagnosis and the cause of shoulder pain in the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff tear- When rotator cuff tears apart, the tendons of the rotator cuff separate from the bone this condition may require a surgery to heal. Frozen shoulder- When there is stiffness in the joints of the shoulder it leads to frozen shoulder.

Chronic in simple terms means persistent and for prolonged periods. Chronic pain thus includes many discomforts caused due to various reasons, which will last for a long time. It is estimated that chronic pain affects 1 out of 5 people in the country which is quite the statistic. In case of chronic pain, sometimes even if the pain source has been taken care of, chances are your brain is still getting signals from the affected area that the pain is persistent. Although there a number of medications and over the counter drugs available as a treatment for chronic pain, it is still recommended by many medical professionals that you try home and natural remedies to ease the discomforts. However, you have to keep in mind that treating chronic pain is not necessarily an easy task since many factors contribute collectively to its development. The pain will persist, and thus, the symptoms have to be taken into account before trying out natural and home remedies. Here are a few easy and natural ways to deal with chronic pain with minimum side effects and discomforts: Willow bark: Willow bark is considered an intense painkilling herb used in many countries to treat ailments like arthritis, headaches, inflammatory conditions among other persistent types of pain and discomfort.

Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are the swollen blood vessels that are located in the smooth muscle walls of the rectum and anus. They are cushioned by smooth muscles and connective tissue. The blood vessels of the rectum become swollen due to increased pressure within them. Hemorrhoids are common in human beings and occur at some stage during their lives. They to occur more frequently during old age due to weakening and stretching of vein tissues in the rectum. Generally, minor hemorrhoids do not cause much discomfort and heal after some time. They become an issue only when they begin to swell and expand and cause irritation, pain, and bleeding. Treatment and prevention of hemorrhoids involve prescription of ointments, home remedies and change in lifestyle. However, if the condition persists for a longer duration, it is necessary to visit a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, a minor surgery needs to be done. Types of hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids are classified on the basis of their location with respect to the pectinate line. They are mainly categorized into two types – Internal hemorrhoids and external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels arising from within the rectum above the pectinate line.

Pain could be explained by a highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury. A person may experience pain and it could lead to a feeling of hurt, discomfort, distress and even agony. Pain could be continuous or constant that is termed as an ache or would it could be throbbing that is called a pulsating pain. Pain can, however, be described only by the individual who is experiencing it. Types of pain Acute pain – It is an intense pain, caused due to injury and as the injury heals the pain also subsides. Chronic pain – This sort of pain lasts longer than the acute pain. It could be either mild or intense. How can pain be classified? Pain can be classified as nociceptive pain or non-nociceptive pain. Nociceptive pain – In this, the specific pain receptors are stimulated. These pain receptors sense temperature, vibration, stretch and chemicals released from the affected cells. Somatic pain Visceral pain Non-nociceptive pain – The pain that comes from nervous system is called non-nociceptive as there are no specific pain receptors Sympathetic pain Neuropathic pain Referred pain – When the pain is felt at a distance from the origin of injury it is called referred pain.

There are several reasons due to which you can have leg pain such as conditions that affect joints, nerves, ligaments, bones, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, skin or tendons. One can have leg pain in the ankle, foot, behind the knee, knee, down the back, thigh or in any other part of the leg. One can experience the pain during the night while lying or while exercising or running. The pain can be in either of the legs or in both as per the cause. The most common reason or having a leg pain is tissue inflammation which might have been caused by an injury or a disease. Since the leg has several different structures and types of tissues, there are various possibilities as well as injuries which can cause leg pain behind the knee. Depending on the cause of the pain, one might experience other symptoms as well. Some of the common symptoms of leg pain behind the knee have been listed below. Weakness Throbbing Numbness Cramps Tingling sensation Aching Causes of leg pain behind the knee Leg pain behind the knee or posterior knee pain can come in varied forms from slight to sharp pain which can occur while bending the legs.

Allergic reaction in the body occurs as a result of hypersensitivity of the system to specific agents known as allergens. The best allergy treatments depend upon the type of allergic disease and the allergens involved in triggering the reaction. Both medications and natural remedies are considered as the best allergy treatments. Medications to treat allergies Antihistamines: Antihistamines are widely used to relieve allergic symptoms. They are available in the form of liquids, pills, eye drops, nasal sprays, etc. Antihistamines work by blocking histamine from binding to the receptors, thus preventing exaggerated immune response to allergens manifested in the form of redness, swelling, and itching. Epinephrine: Epinephrine is one of the best allergy treatments for severe allergic reactions which are life threatening such as allergic reactions caused by food, drugs and insect bites. Epinephrine comes in self-injectable forms with pre-measured doses. The Epinephrine preparation must be injected as soon as the first symptom of the allergic reaction manifests itself in the patient. It is also suggested to victims of anaphylaxis that they should not take antihistamines instead of epinephrine. Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids are effective in reducing inflammation and swelling caused due to allergic reactions. Corticosteroids are also the best allergy treatments for many other symptoms of allergies such as sneezing, nasal stuffiness, itches and running nose.