8 Common Causes Of Chest Pain

Chest pain. The first thing you may think of is heart attack. Certainly chest pain is not something to ignore. But you should know that it has many possible causes.

In fact, as much as a quarter of the U.S. population experiences chest pain that is not related to the heart. Chest pain may also be caused by problems in your lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, or nerves, for example. Some of these conditions are serious and life threatening. Others are not. If you have unexplained chest pain, the only way to confirm its cause is to have a doctor evaluate you.

Heart Disease

One of the main causes of chest pain is due to a cardiac origin which is medically known as ‘angina’. Research states that any person can suffer from angina for a short or long period of time, depending on the type of heart disease. In cases like this, chest pain is felt in the shoulder region and travels to the limbs too.

• Angina or a heart attack: The most common symptom is chest pain that may feel like tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing, or crushing pain. The pain may spread to the arm, shoulder, jaw, or back.
• A tear in the wall of the aorta, the large blood vessel that takes blood from the heart to the rest of the body (aortic dissection) causes sudden, severe pain in the chest and upper back.
• Swelling (inflammation) in the sac that surrounds the heart (pericarditis) causes pain in the center part of the chest.

Angina or a heart attack

Due To Tension

Not many are aware but, tension is another main reason for chest pains. When there is an increase in the level of blood pressure in the arteries which carry the blood to the lungs it gives out a pain in the chest.

Tension can  also cause stomach pain

Acidity

Gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD is another cause for chest pain. Acidity or heart burn are some of the common reasons. It is accompanied with constant burping, heaviness on the chest and at times pain in the shoulder region too. Other possible causes:

• Spasms or narrowing of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach)
• Gallstones cause pain that gets worse after a meal (most often a fatty meal).
• Stomach ulcer or gastritis: Burning pain occurs if your stomach is empty and feels better when you eat food

GERD syndrome

Lung Problems

It may have never crossed our mind to relate lung disorders with chest pain, but strangely abnormality of the lung function can be one of the causes of chest pain. Below is a few of lung problems that causing chest pain.

• A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
• Collapse of the lung (pneumothorax)
• Pneumonia causes a sharp chest pain that often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.
• Swelling of the lining around the lung (pleurisy) can cause chest pain that usually feels sharp, and often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.

Pneumonia can cause a sharp chest pain

Stress and Depression

• Stress is the underlying problem and another reason for chest pain. When the body is under stress, the heart rate increases, and blood pressure also rises rapidly which affects the circulatory system of blood flow to the heart resulting in a chest pain.
• Depression plays havoc in one’s life, especially with the heart. When you are feeling depressed there is an increase in the heart rate and faster blood flow to the heart causing a sudden chest pain.

Stress and Depression

Due To Injury

An injury to the rib cage, muscles or the chest wall will result to chest pain. This type of chest pain usually remains constant and can be treated with medication.

Lung Trauma

Body Exertion

When the body does not get sufficient oxygen to carry out metabolic processes it results to exertion and strain on the muscles and organs. This strain effects the chest region leading to chest pain. Exertion is one of the many causes of chest pain and should be treated by taking proper rest.

Exercises is good but overdoing it cause problems

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Breathe Away Your Tension and Stress

Breathing properly is one of the simplest and best ways to drain your tension and relieve your stress. Simply by changing your breathing patterns, you can rapidly induce a state of greater relaxation. If you control the way you breathe, you have a powerful tool in reducing bodily tension. Just as important, you have a tool that helps prevent your body from becoming tense in the first place.

What happens inside when you breathe

Breathing provides your body with oxygen and removes waste products — primarily carbon dioxide — from your blood. Your lungs carry out this gas exchange. Lungs, however, don’t have their own muscles for breathing. Your diaphragm is the major muscle necessary for proper breathing. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates your chest cavity from your abdominal cavity and acts as a flexible floor for your lungs.

When you inhale, your diaphragm flattens downward, creating more space in the chest cavity and permitting the lungs to fill. You can see your stomach rising. When you exhale, your diaphragm returns to its dome shape. Diaphragmatic breathing, also called abdominal breathing, provides the most efficient way of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide.

How we breath

Your diaphragm works automatically, but you can override the process, especially when you’re under stress. And that’s where problems can arise. Too often you neglect to use your diaphragm when you breathe, and you interfere with the proper exchange of gases in your system, which can result in greater tension, more fatigue, and more stress.

Is your breathing bad?

“Bad breathing” can take a number of forms. You may be a chest and shoulder breather, bringing air into your lungs by expanding your chest cavity and raising your shoulders. This description certainly fits if you have more than a touch of vanity and opt for never sticking out your tummy when you breathe.

You also may be a breath holder, stopping your breathing entirely when you’re distracted or lost in thought. Both are inefficient, stress-producing forms of breathing. And when you’re under stress, your breathing patterns deteriorate even more. To make things worse, once your breathing goes awry, you feel even more stressed. Quite a nasty cycle.

Breathing for life

Why change your breathing now?

You probably take your breathing for granted. And why not? You've been breathing for most of your life; you’d think by now you would have figured out how to do it right. No such luck. When you’re feeling stressed, your breathing becomes faster and shallower. When you breathe this way, your body reacts:

• Less oxygen reaches your bloodstream. 
• Your blood vessels constrict. 
• Less oxygen reaches your brain. 
• Your heart rate and your blood pressure go up. 
• You feel light-headed, shaky, and tenser. 

Our primitive ancestors knew how to breathe. They didn't have to deal with the IRS, stacks of unpaid bills, or the Boss from Hell. These days only opera singers, stage actors, musicians who play wind instruments, and a couple of dozen moonlighting yoga instructors actually breathe effectively. The rest of us mess it up.

Are you breathing right?

However, for a period of your life, you did get the whole breathing thing right. As a baby lying in your crib, you breathed serenely. Your little belly rose and fell in the most relaxed way. But then you grew up and blew it. Thankfully, all is not lost. You can re-teach yourself to breathe properly.

Evaluate your breathing

You may be one of the few people who actually breathe properly. But before you skip this, read a little further. To find out whether the way you breathe is stress-reducing, take this simple test.

• Lie on your back. 
• Put your right hand on your belly and your left hand on your chest. 

Try to become aware of the way you breathe. Check to see whether your breathing is smooth, slow, and regular. If you’re breathing properly, the hand on your belly rises and falls rhythmically as you inhale and exhale. The hand on your chest should move very little, and if that hand does rise, it should follow the rise in your belly. 

Don't stress about breathing technique

A lot of people who want to adopt new patterns of breathing have a fervent desire to get it perfectly right. They frequently get so lost in body parts or lung mechanics that they wind up more stressed out than they were before they started. Don’t let this happen to you. And remember that there’s no one exactly right way to breathe all the time.

Give yourself lots of room to experiment with your breathing. And don’t overdo it. If you've been breathing inefficiently for all these years, changing gears may take some time. Above all, you’re not taking a test. Don’t grade yourself on how deeply you can breathe or how flat you can make your diaphragm. Remember, the goal is to reduce your stress, not add to it.

A lung function test can be done to test your lung capacity

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How to Know If You Have Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is classified among the most dangerous viral infections that have a special propensity to affect liver cells. 

After initial infection, the virus invades hepatic tissue and remains silent, while slowly destroying the parenchymal cells of the liver gland. Ironically, most cases of HCV infection are silent and are only instantaneously discovered on routine medical examinations or years after initial infection due to significant alteration in the liver function as a result of virus mediated destruction.

Hepatitis C is considered as life threatening virus and is transmitted by the use of contaminated needles (illicit drug abuse) or accidental needle stick injuries in the hospital setting.

How to Know If You Have Hepatitis C

Since hepatitis infection is mostly asymptomatic, at least in the early course of infection, most people tend to live a normal, symptom-free life. Test for hepatitis C is not generally performed by healthcare providers until the patient is certain of the exposure to a viral source.

There are certain risk factors that are often implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C. If you have one or more of the following risk factors, you should ask your healthcare provider to perform a viral test: 

• Your birth year is between 1945-1965. 
• You have received a blood transfusion from an unaccredited source or from a donor who is an HCV positive. 
• Exposure to contaminated syringes or needles during illicit drug use. 
• If you have received blood/ plasma for a blood related disorder or condition especially before 1987. 
• If you are a recipient of an organ transplant especially before July 1992. 
• You have a history of kidney dialysis in the past. 
• You are an HIV positive patient. 
• If your mother was infected with HCV at the time of your birth. 

If you have any of the risk factors listed above, make sure to speak to your primary care provider to ascertain if you are infected. Doctors usually perform serological test to ascertain if you have an infection and may also perform a liver biopsy taking a tissue sample from your liver to see if the virus has affected the liver tissue significantly.

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Lymph Nodes in Neck

Swollen glands or lymph nodes in neck indicate that the body is trying to fight an ongoing infection or illness. Lymph nodes are small, bean-like tissues that are part of your lymphatic system. They trap viruses, bacteria and other harmful substances circulating in the body.

Besides the neck, lymph nodes are also found in other area of the body, such as the armpits, behind the ears, and in the groin. Your tonsils are also lymphatic tissues that swell when infection occurs.

Normally you cannot feel your lymph nodes in the neck. However, when you are sick, you can feel them swell and you can feel them as soft, round or oval tissues that may be tender to touch. These lumps are usually movable and the skin overlying them may be red and warm. In some cases, the lymph nodes become hard and immovable but not painful or tender. These need further evaluation by your doctor, as these may indicate more serious illness.

Causes of Swollen Lymph Nodes in Neck

Lymph nodes help the body to fight disease or infection, and in the process, they become swollen or inflamed. However, when the infection and inflammation subside, they return to their normal size. If they remain swollen and hard even in the absence of obvious infection, further medical evaluation may be necessary.

The common causes of swollen lymph nodes in neck include the following:

1. Strep Throat

Throat infection caused by strep or tonsillitis can cause lymph nodes in the neck to become swollen and tender to touch. This is often accompanied by difficulty in swallowing, fever and pain.

2. Tooth Abscess

A tooth abscess is an infected area in the root of the tooth where pus develops when bacteria enter the gum. This may be caused by a decayed tooth, periodontal disease where the gum separates from the tooth or trauma to the gum or tooth. A tooth abscess can result in pain, fever, sensitivity to hot food and swollen lymph nodes in neck.

3. Lymphoma

This condition is a type of cancer involving the lymphatic system, which can cause lymph nodes in neck to swell. There are two major types: Hodgkin's lymphoma, which the most common type, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lymph node biopsy is needed to diagnose the disease. The enlarged neck nodes are not painful.

4. Tonsillitis

Inflammation of your tonsils at the back of the throat leads to swollen tonsils, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, and tender, swollen lymph nodes in neck. It is usually caused by a virus, but bacteria may also be the culprit.

5. Mononucleosis/Mono

This is a common condition caused by a virus called the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It usually affects young people and leaves them feeling weak and tired for weeks or even months. It is also called the "kissing disease" because it spreads through saliva, mucus and tears. Symptoms include high fever, sore throat, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in neck. Sometimes the spleen can also become swollen, causing abdominal pain.

6. Other Causes

• Swelling of lymph nodes in neck may also due to:
• Common colds
• Skin infection
• Ear infection
• Upper respiratory tract infection
• HIV/AIDS
• Tuberculosis
• Side effect of certain drugs or vaccine

When to See a Doctor

It is advisable for you to consult a doctor when lymph nodes in neck are accompanied by:

• High fever
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss
• Red skin overlying the swollen lymph nodes

Lymph nodes that are larger than one inch and those that are very tender or hard, or do not improve after a month need to be evaluated by a doctor immediately.

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Introducing The Best Exercise for Diabetes Patient

Exercise for diabetes patient treatment plans can help them control blood sugar levels and complement a healthy diet and medications. 

If you suffer from Type 2 diabetes, adding exercise increases your chances of staying healthy longer and prevents long-term complications including heart disease, kidney disease and damage to delicate nerves. Read on to see some of the best exercises diabetics can add as part of their treatment plan to stay healthy and fit.

What Are the Benefits of Exercise for Diabetes Patient?

People with diabetes tend to have lower blood glucose levels if they exercise. Type 2 diabetes causes people to have too much glucose in their blood. This is caused by not enough insulin or their body is resistant to the insulin they produce. Whatever the cause, exercising regular helps lower glucose levels. 

During exercise the muscles can use the excess glucose for energy, which in turn lowers glucose. If you have a problem with insulin resistance, exercising makes your body respond better to it. This also helps the cells in the body use glucose properly.

Exercising regularly with Type 2 diabetes can help you avoid long-term complications. It can help prevent heart disease by reducing the incidence of blocked arteries. This is the main cause of heart attacks and exercise can improve heart health. It can also help reduce cholesterol levels-one of the main causes of blocked arteries.

Best Exercise for Diabetes Patient

Take a Daily Walk

Walking is good for the body. It is a gentle easy exercise that can raise the heart rate and help burn calories, blood sugar and get blood flowing. Brisk walking is considered aerobic and the American Diabetes Associationrecommends aerobic exercise at least 3 times weekly.

Tai Chi

This relaxing exercise is just going through a routine of different movements. It helps keep the body fit and reduces stress levels. This type of exercise can help maintain good balance and may even possibly prevent damage to delicate nerves.

Try Yoga

Yoga is low impact on the body and gentle, but does really pack a punch when it comes to lowering blood sugar levels. You can do yoga daily to help improve insulin sensitivity, improve blood flow to the delicate nerves, and reduce stress.

Go For a Swim

Swimming is one of the best aerobic exercises that can get your heart pumping without strain to the joints. It also takes the stress off the feet that are prone to injuries due to nerve damage.

Ride a Stationary Bike

This aerobic exercise can improve the function of both the lungs and the heart. This is an exercise you can do year round in the comfort of your gym or own home. It really helps get the blood pumping all the way down to the legs, where you need it most. The blood vessels in the legs tend to have the most damage and need good blood flow.

Do Some Housecleaning

If you have trouble finding time for a regular exercise routine, just step up your housecleaning. Things like vacuuming, going up and down your stairs, mopping, and even gardening can help burn calories and reduce blood sugar levels.

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Knowing HbA1c Test

Diabetics know all about blood sugar checks. Many diabetics have to check their blood sugar several times daily, especially Type 1 diabetics. 

In recent years, a test has been introduced that can check the average of blood sugar levels over a few weeks or even months. The Hemoglobin A1c or HbA1c Test looks for glycated hemoglobin. This is produced when hemoglobin in the red blood cells pick up the glucose in the blood (glycated). The glucose hangs around for a while so when doctors measure this test, they can get a bigger picture of how you are doing with your diabetes treatment.

The HbA1c is also referred to as the "A1c" and if the numbers with this test is higher than before, your treatment may need to be adjusted and you are at higher risk of long-term complications. Read on for more information about this test.

What Is HbA1c Test？

An HbA1c test helps doctors see how well diabetes treatment plans are working for their patients. Doctors can also use it as a screening exam to check for diabetes. You may have also heard it called by the names: hemoglobin A1c, A1c or glycohemoglobin A1c.

The doctor can look at this test and see what your blood sugar levels have average over the last few months. This is because hemoglobin in red blood cells pick up glucose and it tends to stay within the hemoglobin cells for a while. The higher the blood sugar/glucose level, the more glucose the hemoglobin absorbs. When this happens, the HbA1c reads high and the doctor will know that the blood sugar levels have been high over the last few months.

The doctor will need to re-evaluate the treatment plan and possibly send you to a diabetic educator. This is done to prevent complications from high blood sugars over a long period of time. These include: 

• Eye damage/disease 
• Heart disease 
• Stroke 
• Damage to nerves 
• Damage to small blood vessels 

When & How Often Should You Take HbA1c Test?

When you are first diagnosed with diabetes, the doctor will initially run your first HbA1c Test to see where you are at. The American Diabetes Association recommends, "If glucose levels are stable, then HbA1c testing can be done twice yearly." If your blood sugar levels are not stable it is recommended for your doctor to run the test quarterly until your levels stabilize.

Using this test can help your doctor see if your current treatment plan is working or not. When the doctor works with the HbA1c numbers, research shows that the risk of long-term complications is drastically reduced.

What Is a Normal Reading for HbA1c Test?

The normal reading for an HbA1c test is between 4 and 5.6. Here is the breakdown of the ranges used to diagnose and monitor diabetes: 

• 4 to 5.6 – Healthy, no diabetes and minimal risk for getting diabetes 
• 5.7 to 6.4 – Pre-diabetes/high risk for future diabetes 
• 6.5 or higher – Diagnosis of diabetes and higher numbers mean your diabetes needs careful monitoring 

What Are the Limitation of HbA1c Test?

The HbA1c cannot help monitor daily blood sugar levels since they are an average of a few months. This also means that the test cannot monitor the fluctuations during the day and the differences from night to morning and vice-versa.

There are some health conditions that can show false elevated HbA1c levels and this must be taken into consideration. These include kidney disease, alcoholism, high triglycerides in the blood. If you suffer from sickle cell, thalassemia or have blood loss your A1c may show lower numbers.

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The Risks of Belly Fat

The Risks of Belly Fat -- and How to Beat Them ...The Natural Way

One of the most common questions I get is “how to lose belly fat?“. Belly fat is actually the most dangerous type of fat – besides aesthetics, large waist lines are indicators of –disease-disease-disease.

Did You Know That Not All Belly Fat Is The Same?

The most harmful abdominal fat, the hardest one to get rid of. By cleansing your liver, helping normal bile flow, reducing fat absorption into the fat cells, regulating your lipid and cholesterol metabolism. Prevents your blood vessels from forming atherosclerotic plaques.

This visceral fat in your middle makes toxins that affect the way your body works, says Samuel Dagogo-Jack, MD, president of the American Diabetes Association. Among them are chemicals called cytokines that boost your chances of heart disease and make your body less sensitive to insulin, which can bring on diabetes.

Cytokines also cause inflammation, which can lead to certain cancers, says Eric Jacobs, PhD, a researcher at the American Cancer Society. In recent years, he says, scientists have uncovered links between belly fat and cancers of the colon, esophagus, and pancreas.

The Hidden Health Risk Continued...

How can you tell if your belly fat is putting your health at risk? That part is easy. No special blood tests or scans are required. All you need is a tape measure. The size of your waist says it all.

The higher the number, the greater the danger your tummy poses to your health.

• For women, a waist measurement of 34 inches + more is cause for concern. 
• For men, a waist measurement of 38 inches + more could spell trouble. 

“If you have to move to a bigger pants size, even if your weight is considered normal for your height, or even if you haven’t noticed much weight gain, that’s an important sign it’s time to start watching your abdominal area."

“If your waist has already reached the “+“ size, you may want to consider dropping a couple of pounds from your abdominal area. Proper supplement, targeting specifically belly fat can be very effective.

A Tough Change To Make

Most of the time, that’s easier said than done. Is it worth the effort? Dagogo-Jack points to several studies that he says show the “spectacular” effects of even modest weight loss in preventing the onset of diabetes and other problems.

That should be great news for the 54 million people who have the high blood sugar levels that put them in the prediabetes category. Once you have it, type 2 diabetes is likely to follow within a decade.

Dropping belly fat can be a challenge. If you feel your efforts aren’t giving you the results you want...

...Here Are 5 Steps To Change Things Up:

1. Skip the fruit juice. 

It might seem like a healthy swap for sugary colas, but it’s not. All the fat-reducing fiber in the fruit has been removed, leaving only the pure fruit sugars that go straight to your waistline.

2. Eat your veggies. 

They should fill up at least half your plate, especially at your biggest meal. Choose more nonstarchy varieties (think leafy greens, broccoli, and beans) than their carb-filled kin (potatoes, corn, and carrots).

3. Choose proper supplement. 

Claims vs. reality. Your choice should focus on product that is formulated with abdominal fat in mind. Ingredients such as Caralluma Fimbriata, Lychee Exctract, Green Tea, Irvingia gabonensis are those which have been proven by clinical studies as the most effective in the fight for the waistline.

4. Go natural. 

Processed foods are not your friends. When you’re in a rush, it’s easy to overlook the fact that packaged foods are often loaded with trans fats, sugar, and salt -- all guaranteed to boost belly fat.

5. Keep your cool. 

The stress hormone cortisol can override your diet and workouts. When it goes through your body, fat deposits relocate to your belly area. Exercise and meditation can both be great ways to dial down your stress to nontoxic levels.

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