Surgery is always a final resort when all other treatments fail to bear fruit. Spinal fusion surgery is recommended by doctors and medical specialists only after they have tried other treatment options. Let’s find out more about this procedure. What is spinal fusion surgery? It is a surgical technique that joins or fuses two or more vertebrae to restrict the movement between them. It is a neuro-orthopedic surgical procedure. It is usually recommended to reduce or eliminate spinal cord pressure and the resultant pain caused by worn out cartilage between the vertebrae. A patient may have to undergo surgery to decompress a pinched nerve-root or to stabilize a joint that causes pain. This surgery can help to heal spinal fractures and broken or damaged vertebrae that make the spine unstable. People undergo surgery if they have conditions like spinal weakness or deformity, herniated disks, spondylolisthesis, and other such ailments. Spinal tumor and degenerative spinal conditions are other situations where this surgery can be beneficial. It is a common surgical procedure, and statistics show that nearly 488,000 spinal fusion surgeries were performed in the country in 2011. Are you a candidate for this procedure? It is vital to identify and locate the exact cause of back pain before opting for surgery.

Helicobacter Pylori or H. Pylori is a common type of bacteria that usually causes the infection of the digestive tract. About 60 percent of the adult population of the entire world is affected by H. Pylori, and it is commonly seen in the western developed countries. “Helico” means spiral, and the name comes from its spiral shape. This shape makes it easy to penetrate the stomach lining, causing ulcers in the stomach. If the treatment for Helicobacter Pylori is not done on time, the complications can be life-threatening. Here are a few things related to the H. Pylori. The signs and symptoms of Helicobacter Pylori In about 85% of the cases of Helicobacter Pylori, there are no symptoms and complications. When there’s already an ulcer in the stomach, one can start feeling abdominal pain at night or a few hours after meals when the stomach is empty. This is a troubling pain that is timely, and it goes off on its own. Some other symptoms associated with H. Pylori infection are as listed: Excessive burping A feeling of bloating Nausea Heartburn Fever Decreased appetite Weight loss In the later stage of H. Pylori infection, some of the symptoms are trouble in swallowing, anemia, blood in the stool, vomiting, black spots on the face, and so on.

According to a report by the American Parkinson’s Disease Association, nearly 1 million people living in the country suffer from Parkinson’s disease. This association plans to educate people about this condition as well as the various problems that accompany it. What is Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is an ailment that has a negative impact on the functioning of the human brain. It spreads slowly because of which an early diagnosis becomes nearly impossible. It comes gradually with a mild disturbance in movements, and slowly it starts impacting other activities like sleep, speech, and even the ability to think. Its other symptoms like the rigidity of muscles, problems with digestions are too vague because of which patients may get an inaccurate diagnosis in the early stages. Impact of Parkinson’s disease on the human body The main effect of Parkinson’s disease is the way it decreases the amount of dopamine in the body. Dopamine is a hormone that helps in the controlling motor and non-motor functions in our body. If the body has a dopamine deficiency, it leads to stilted walking, movements that are uncontrollable as well as tremors. There are many other symptoms that are less noticeable like loss of smell and constipation.

Pain in the lower back area could be the result of numerous factors. But is your lower back pain kidney related? Pain caused in the lower back may be due to kidney infection or kidney stones. Very often, when you have lower back pain, you may be confused about the exact cause. With this article, we will help you distinguish whether you have normal back pain or whether your lower back pain kidney related. If it is lower back pain induced by kidney related issues, you will experience sharp pain between the hips and flanks and ribs. Unlike normal pain in the lower back which is not very specific, the lower back pain induced by kidneys is concentrated around the hip area and below the rib cage or in the lower back sides. Difference between normal lower back pain and kidney-related lower back pain When the lower back pain is kidney related, it usually shows incidence in the form of specific, localized pain. A normal back pain, on the other hand, may tend to affect the areas from your neck to your back. If you experience a sudden, shooting pain in the lower part of your rib cage or on the lower sides on your back, it is pain induced by kidneys.

When you feel pain or numbness in the fingers, it could be indicative of carpal tunnel syndrome. Well, it is a common type of condition that generally occurs in people working in various fields. This condition occurs when you put too much pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve is the nerve of your body that provides sensory signals to all your fingers except the little finger. In some cases, carpal tunnel syndrome will go away with time with the use of some types of wrist braces. However, there are certain cases in which the condition could persist and the patient might require surgery. In this article, a brief overview of a wrist brace and its types have been given. It aims to provide essential information on how a wrist brace can help you. What are wrist braces? A wrist brace is a type of garment that is generally worn in order to protect the wrist of people who are suffering from wrist pain or any type of pain in the area. It provides strong protection around your wrist which allows the condition to heal effectively. It is a very common rehabilitation method for those who have a wrist injury.

A high level of cholesterol will increase the chances of heart diseases. Medications do help in keeping the cholesterol levels in check. However, instead of medications, if you can change your lifestyle, then it will be beneficial for you in the longer run. Before getting to know what kind of changes in your lifestyle will help, let’s see what the normal cholesterol levels are for your body. A blood test called lipid profile checks your cholesterol levels and generally reports the flowing things: Total cholesterol Triglycerides High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol What are the normal cholesterol levels ? The normal cholesterol levels depend on lot many factors but usually, they are universal for all. In order to get the perfect numbers or your cholesterol, it is highly recommended that you don’t drink (except water) or eat anything for about 9 to 12 hours prior to submitting blood samples. In the United States of America, the cholesterol levels are generally measured in mg/dl or milligrams (mg) of cholesterol in per decilitre (dl) of blood. Below are the various levels of measurement used for measuring cholesterol. Total cholesterol Below 200 mg/dl- Mostly desirable Between 200 mg/dl to 239 mg/dl- Borderline 240 mg/dl and above- High Triglycerides Below 150 mg/dl- Mostly desirable 150-199 mg/dl- Borderline 200-499 mg/dl- High 500 mg/dl and above- Very high HDL Cholesterol Below 40 mg/dl (men) or Below 50 mg/dl (women)- Poor 50-59 mg/dl- Better 60 mg/dl and above- Best LDL Cholesterol Below 70 mg/dl- Ideal cholesterol levels for those who are suffering from heart disease or diabetes Below 100 mg/dl- Highest for those people who are at risk of heart disease 100-129 mg/dl- Close to optimal if there are no heart diseases; high if the person has heart disease.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths that occur due to cancer. It is estimated that lung cancer causes more deaths than breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers combined. Based on the statistical data by the American Cancer Society, there are about 220,000 new cases of lung cancer every year. Several types of treatments are being developed and researched on to stop or at least slow down the disease progression in lung cancer patients. Apart from this, several oncologists and nutritionists also suggest that maintaining a proper diet can help in fighting the symptoms of lung cancer. There are some foods that can keep lung cancer symptoms at bay and can also be used as home remedies along with mainstream treatments. Some of the foods that can aid a lung cancer patient are mentioned below: Green tea According to several oncologists, green tea not only helps in preventing lung cancer but can also benefit to those who are living with the disease. Green tea contains theaflavin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which can potentiate the effect of chemotherapy medications. It is important to know that bottled green tea may have very little or no EGCG as the compound doesn’t last long when bottled.

Glucose in the body helps in maintaining optimum energy levels and is also the brain’s main source of fuel, but it all comes down to how the glucose in the body is utilized. Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases affecting how the blood sugar (glucose) is used by the body. Based on a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100 million people in our country are suffering from diabetes or prediabetes. Irrespective of the cause of diabetes, it can cause excess sugar in the blood, leading to several other complications. Apart from medical treatment, dietary changes also play a crucial role in controlling blood sugar levels. Here are some foods that can help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels in the body: Leafy greens Green vegetables like kale, collard greens, spinach, cabbage, beet greens, and watercress are high in nutrients and low in calories. Leafy greens are low in digestible carbohydrates, which helps in maintaining low blood sugar levels. Other antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin in greens also help in maintaining a healthy immune system. These antioxidants also protect the eyes from cataract and macular degeneration, which may be complications of diabetes.