What are the causes of Laryngitis?

Laryngitis can occur for a number of reasons. The less serious form, acute laryngitis, may be caused by too much strain on the vocal cords, postnasal drip, allergies, inhaling caustic chemicals, or inhaling smoke fumes. Chronic laryngitis, or that which is more severe, may be caused by excessive smoking, alcohol consumption, or being exposed to dust or chemical irritants over a long period of time. Someone with chronic laryngitis may develop the condition due to sinusitis, bronchitis, allergies, or nasal polyps.
 
What to do when your voice goes

The best thing you can do for your voice if it goes is to avoid talking as much as possible. This will give your vocal cords an opportunity to rest and heal. You may also want to inhale steam from a bowl of hot water or shower.

Warm, soothing drinks such as tea with honey may also help. Avoid situations where you’ll be around smokers or chemical fumes. Use over-the-counter pain relievers or sore throat lozenges to help ease the pain during recovery.
 
Natural remedies may also provide some relief from laryngitis. You may have seen eucalyptus in some of the over-the-counter lozenges. Make a tea with fresh eucalyptus leaves to soothe the throat and treat laryngitis.

You may also want to use chamomile tea, which will also help relieve chest colds and sore throat. Peppermint tea would also help soothe and calm laryngitis. Ginger is another herbal remedy which may provide laryngitis relief. Some herbalists swear by garlic as the best home remedy for laryngitis, sore throat, or sinusitis.

When you’re suffering with laryngitis, for whatever reason, you’re miserable. You want to be able to talk buy may not be able to be heard. Understanding laryngitis, what causes it, and what to do if you have it can make enduring it less bothersome. It’s also helpful to know there are natural remedies you can try to make the wait less painful. Remember laryngitis generally lasts less than seven days but if you want help for laryngitis, these ideas may provide the relief you need.

Each year when the weather changes from fall to winter, there is an influx of people heading to the doctor with a sore throat and little to no voice. They will quickly be diagnosed with laryngitis. If you’ve never had it, you may be looking for help for your laryngitis.

What is laryngitis?

The larynx, a two-inch tubular chamber in the throat, is also called the voice box. Laryngitis occurs when the vocal cords (which are made up of cartilage, ligaments, and membranes) are inflamed. Laryngitis generally isn’t a serious condition and usually lasts less than seven days. It can last longer but long-term laryngitis is rare.

What are the symptoms?

Many of the symptoms associated with laryngitis can also be symptoms for other illnesses. Most people will experience one or more of the following:

* Sore throat
* Hoarseness
* Weak or no voice
* Sensation of needing to clear the throat
* Dry cough
* Fever
* Tickling sensation or rawness in the throat
* Dry throat

Another way to prevent colds and flu is to get plenty of rest so your body isn’t compromised by fatigue. When you’re fatigued or tired the chances are you’ll become sick more easily, so being rested as well as unstressed is important.

Stay hydrated by drinking at least 64 ounces of water every day. If you’re trying to do the math, that’s eight 8 ounce glasses, which may seem like quite a bit, but you can include all the liquids you consume in that number, coffee, tea, low sodium soup, and so on.

Why is staying hydrated important? It helps the immune system remain strong and will help anyone already feeling sick feel better. You may have to build up to drinking 64 ounces of water a day, but your body will thank you for it even at other times of the year.

Speaking of the immune system, eating good, nutrient and vitamin-filled foods will improve it. Dieticians generally recommend eating a minimum of five fruits and vegetables each day.

However, maybe you have a picky eater in your home. Over-the-counter multi-vitamins are available to ensure you and your family gets the nutrients needed. You can also take herbs to make your immune system stronger.

Many people recommend Vitamin C in particular for warding off colds and flu. While there has yet to be any concrete evidence supporting this idea, the fact is that it’s best to get your vitamins from a variety of natural sources, and to eat a rainbow of fresh fruits and veggies every day.

People on vegetarian diets in particular will want to get their vitamins from a range of foods. Vitamin C can be found in onions and tomatoes as well as oranges, for example. Soups in particular are nourishing, low in calorie, low in sodium if you shop carefully, and have all the nutrients of their ingredients cooked right in.

Every year millions of people around the world are affected by cold or flu during the fall and winter months. This year in particular, with the outbreak of H1N1 flu all over the globe, we would all do well to think more about prevention rather than treatment of colds and flu.

As we have discovered, H1N1 is a dangerous strain which has become a pandemic and already caused thousands of deaths around the globe, in people from all age brackets. Instead of becoming one of the millions who suffers from a cold or flu or H1N1 this winter, why not use the power of prevention to help you remain healthy this cold and flu season.

One of the easiest things anyone can do to avoid getting sick is to follow good hygiene. Cover your mouth whenever you have to cough or sneeze to avoid spreading germs. We used to be encouraged to put our hand over our mouth when we cough, but now experts would like us to raise our arm and cough into our elbow or shoulder, no doubt to stop the germs from being transmitted by hand.

Another preventive measure is to wash your hands often or use a hand sanitizer. If you are washing your hands, do it with warm soap and water for the duration of singing the Happy Birthday song twice through. As for hand sanitizers, just keep in mind that many experts are concerned that using too many antibacterials is just creating new and more resistant strains of viruses.

Other ways to stop the transfer of germs is to keep all countertops and doorknobs and phones and anything else people in your house handle regularly wiped down with sanitizing wipes. Avoid putting your hands near your face so you don’t unknowingly transfer germs by putting your hand near your mouth or rubbing your eyes.

Depending upon who you talk to, some people believe following a vegetarian diet is healthier than one containing meat products. People of all ages, including teens, have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle. If this sounds like your child, you may wonder how to keep your vegetarian teenager healthy when you feel they’re missing vital nutrients.

What most non-vegetarians don’t realize is that it is possible to meet all your body’s nutritional needs by eating only fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes. Because there is no meat in the diet, vegetarian diets usually have less fats and cholesterol, although there will be some. It will, however, take some planning to ensure your teenager includes a variety of foods to get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need. By learning more about the vegetarian lifestyle, you will be able to guide your teen into making wise food choices.

Standard diets are based upon a food pyramid and it is possible to find a vegetarian food pyramid as well. If you’re concerned your teen may be missing vital nutrients, you may want to speak with a registered dietician to learn how your teen can compensate by eating other foods rich in those nutrients.

If your teen decides to become a vegetarian after having eaten meat all their life, they may find it’s not as easy as they thought. To be able to enjoy many of the same flavors, your teen can try meatless products made from soy. Protein is needed to keep bones, muscles, and organs healthy. Your teen can eat legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and soy products.

Everyone knows calcium is needed to build teeth and bones. Calcium can be found in dark green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, turnip, or collard greens.

In order to make red blood cells and help prevent anemia, it is important to have vitamin B-12 which is usually found in meat, milk, cheese and eggs. Some fortified soy products and enriched cereals provide this vitamin, but your teen may need to take a supplement to ensure they get enough of this vital vitamin.

Another component needed to make red blood cells is iron. Most people know liver is a good source; however, if your teen doesn’t like or isn’t eating meat they may not have enough iron in their system. Dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are good choices as are dried beans and peas, lentils, and dried fruit. Be sure your teen eats or drinks foods rich in vitamin C so they can properly absorb the iron. Citrus fruits or juice, tomatoes, broccoli, and strawberries may be chosen.

Minerals, as well as vitamins, are needed to maintain good health. Zinc is important for cell division and for the body to form proteins. Your teen may want to eat whole grain breads, nuts, wheat germ, or soy products to ensure they get enough zinc.

When you learn that your teen wants to change their diet, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea they may not get enough vitamins and minerals to maintain good health. The fact is vegetarian diets can be lacking some nutrients, but by eating a wide variety of foods and taking a multi-vitamin supplement, they should be fine. If you do become concerned, make an appointment with your teen’s doctor or a registered dietician to give you additional information on how to keep your vegetarian teen healthy.

Many people suffer from arthritis. Before eating each meal, drink a glass of water mixed with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. This won’t reduce arthritis pain immediately but after two to three weeks you should notice a marked difference in the amount and severity of the pain.

Do you or someone in your family suffer from an upset stomach? Drink a cup of water containing two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. This will help cure an upset stomach.

Yeast infections are a common ailment among many women. You can prevent a yeast infection naturally by making a douche with one quart of warm water and adding one tablespoon of vinegar. The vinegar will help readjust the pH level of the vagina to combat the infection.

If using the power of acid as a natural healer, try to find a non-distilled variety rather than distilled vinegars. Distilled vinegar can be helpful in many instances, but to get the most healing from vinegar, select raw, non-distilled vinegar. It may cost a little more and be more difficult to find, but isn’t your health worth it?

Even with the amazing medical strides in recent years, sometimes the simplest and most natural solutions are best. Take vinegar, for instance. The power of acetic acid in vinegar has been shown to be effective for healing for centuries.

People planning a trip to the beach probably want to include a bottle of vinegar in their first aid kit. Why would they want to do this? Vinegar poured directly over jellyfish stings is extremely effective at reducing the pain. You can also dot vinegar on a bee or mosquito sting to reduce the pain associated with them.

Add a cup of vinegar to warm water. Pour this over your hair after you shampoo and it will remove any soap or sebum oil remaining on your hair. It will also restore the acid mantel. If you have brunette hair, vinegar will also add natural highlights.

Don’t you hate having the hiccups? Some people count to ten while holding their breath to get rid of them. Others try a teaspoon of sugar or peanut butter. Try swallowing a tablespoon of vinegar. It’s said to stop the hiccups instantly.

Lightly rub vinegar on any area of the skin affected by sunburn to relieve the pain. If the pain reappears, reapply more vinegar.

Add a teaspoon of vinegar to a glass of warm water. Gargle and then swallow the water and vinegar mixture. This will soothe a sore throat.

Put one-fourth of a cup of apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Add one-fourth cup of honey. Stir them together and take one tablespoon of this mixture six to eight times a day to help you get over a cold quicker.

Speaking of colds, you can relieve the cough associated with them by mixing one-half cup of apple cider vinegar, one-half cup of water, one teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and four teaspoons of honey. Stir these ingredients until they are thoroughly incorporated.

When you start coughing, take one tablespoon of the mixture. You may want to take another at bedtime to help control coughing during the night.

Sinus infections can also be treated naturally with vinegar. Add one-fourth of a cup of vinegar to a vaporizer and use it. This will moisten the sinuses and reduce the effects of chest colds.

Transcendental meditation was introduced in 1955 in India. It is a form of mantra meditation where the person practicing it repeats words, syllables, sounds or groups of words. The goal is to “create transformation” in the person’s life.

Started by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, transcendental meditation is considered to be the most easily recognizable and widely practiced method of meditation. The technique can be completed in as little as 20 minutes, twice a day. During the 1960s and 1970s this method of meditation became very popular with as many as a million people learning to practice it.

Many people still practice transcendental meditation on a daily basis because they enjoy the benefits. They claim the mind and body learn to relax and rest. People practicing it also find stress and fatigue being released naturally rather than depending upon medicines to help them relax. They also say they have more energy, clarity of thought, and enjoy life more than before they began practicing it.

If you’re interested in learning transcendental meditation, you may be concerned about how long it will take you. There are organizations which still teach it claiming the process is easily learned. Classes are offered and generally take four days, lasting a couple of hours each day. After you learn the basics you don’t have to join the organization; you can continue to practice this method of meditation on your own or with others.

What does transcendental meditation look like? Basically you’ll sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. You may have seen people sitting in the yoga pose known as the lotus with legs crossed, hands facing with palms up, and thumb and index fingertips touching. While you may use this position to meditate, it is by no means required.

The important thing about this meditation method is for you to be comfortable and silent. It’s something you can do anywhere you have time and can close out the noises surrounding you. Some people have actually used their commute time on a train to meditate to help them be more prepared for the day ahead.

What are the benefits of transcendental meditation? Studies have been conducted for years concerning the claims of transcendental meditation. So far the studies have shown that there is a real, positive link between this technique and improved health. Some of the benefits include improved lung capacity among asthmatics, reduced high blood pressure, the ability to reduce or give up smoking and alcohol use, and less problems with insomnia.

Unlike some methods of meditation, this form does not require a particular belief system or any belief system at all. It is a natural way to relax and rejuvenate. If you do have a strong belief system, you can incorporate it with transcendental meditation without any problems.

Who doesn’t want to feel better, sleep more restfully, have more energy, and have improved health? After reading of these and other benefits, you can see why transcendental meditation is still popular.

Dysmenorrhea – or painful cramping associated with a menstrual flow – is something that many women have to deal with each month. These cramps can be something as simple as a dull ache but may be more severe where a woman is actually in so much pain she can’t function in her daily life.

Regardless of which you call it, cramps or dysmenorrhea, women want to know what causes them and how they can treat them so they can get on with their lives.

There are two forms of dysmenorrhea, primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by severe lower abdominal cramping that is so bad women miss millions of hours of school and work each year.

Doctors believe primary dysmenorrhea is caused by an imbalance in the hormone called prostaglandin which is responsible for making the uterus contract so the lining of the uterus is expelled during a normal menstrual cycle. The problem comes when too much prostaglandin is produced, which causes the severe cramping women feel.

Secondary dysmenorrhea, on the other hand, describes the painful cramping linked to physical problems not associated with menstruation. This could be caused by:

* Ovarian cysts, fibroids, and cervical or uterine polyps which are benign (non-cancerous) growths along the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or within the pelvic area.

* Infections within the pelvis which may be caused by sexually transmitted diseases or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

* Endometriosis which is a condition where the cells from lining of the uterus grow outside of the abdominal cavity. Adenomyosis is the same type of cells which grow into the uterine wall.

* Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for a contraceptive. This may occur during the first couple of months of use but should decline the longer you use the IUD. You may need to have your IUD removed if painful menstrual cramping continues or gets worse.

* Congenital problems including a tilted uterus or narrowing of the cervix which have been present at birth.

* Problems associated with pregnancy such as miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy.

Treatment for dysmenorrhea is determined by your gynecologist and will be made by considering the following factors: your overall health, age, and medical history, whether you have primary or secondary dysmenorrhea, what type of medication, therapy, or medications you can tolerate, the expected course the condition will follow, and your preferences.

You may be prescribed a prostaglandin inhibitor which reduces pain and are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) in nature. Some of these include aspirin or ibuprofen. If the pain is severe, they may prescribe a higher strength NSAID than what can be obtained over the counter. Oral contraceptives are another option your doctor may recommend because if they can inhibit ovulation, you won’t have the pain associated with it.

Doctors may also recommend progesterone hormone therapy, vitamin supplements, placing a heating pad across the abdomen, regular exercise, abdominal massage, or dietary modifications. Many women will take a pain reliever to try to ease the pain associated with their monthly cycle, but if the pain is very strong or occurs at times other than when you’re menstruating, it may be time to seek medical help.

There’s no reason you, or any woman you know, should have to experience the painful cramping known as secondary dysmenorrhea. Now that you know what it is, some of the causes, and some of the treatments, you can speak with your doctor in an informed manner and take control of ending this condition once and for all.

Most women around the world experience menstrual cramps from time to time. However, women experiencing frequent and severe cramps during the first days of their monthly cycle may be suffering from a condition called primary dysmenorrhea.

You’ve probably heard of menstrual cramping, but may not have heard of it called by its scientific name – dysmenorrhea. In the simplest terms, dysmenorrhea is a condition whereby a woman experiences severe and painful menstrual cramps and other pain associated with having a period. Dysmenorrhea falls into two categories: primary and secondary.

Primary dysmenorrhea often begins a couple of years after a young woman starts having a menstrual cycle and usually lasts her entire lifetime and has no obvious physical cause. The pain is severe and often happens frequently during a cycle. Doctors agree the severe pain is caused by abnormal contractions of the uterus and believe up to 90% of all women experience this condition at some point.

Why would the uterus have such abnormal contractions? Doctors believe they’re caused by a chemical imbalance. The chemicals in question – prostaglandin and arachidonic acid – actually control uterine contractions to expel the lining of the uterus during menstruation.

You may be faced with frequent severe cramping in the lower abdomen during your monthly cycle. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, lightheadedness, or headaches. Expect pains to begin as soon as menstruation begins, become worse as flow is the heaviest (first two days of the cycle), and then ease off.

If you experience these symptoms, make an appointment with your gynecologist. They will be able to diagnose primary dysmenorrhea but will want to rule out other medical conditions. You can expect a pelvic exam, possibly an ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), laparoscopy, or a hysteroscopy to make a proper diagnosis.

Treatment will be based on your age, overall health, and medical history. They’ll also base it on the extent of your condition, how well you tolerate medication, and how they expect the condition to progress. They will also take your preferences into consideration since you’re the one who is experiencing the problem.

They may suggest taking a prostaglandin inhibitor to help reduce pain, an oral contraceptive so you don’t ovulate, progesterone (which is a hormonal treatment), or may make recommendations to change your diet.

Women who experience primary dysmenorrhea can be in so much pain that they have to miss school or work. They are also limited to the activities they can participate in.

Primary dysmenorrhea interrupts womens’ lives more often than many women will admit. If you’re in that group and taking over-the-counter pain relievers doesn’t help, you may want to see your gynecologist. They will be able to determine the best course of treatment to ease the pain and help you experience the freedom of life without the painful symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea.