Hepatitis C- Basic Information

Hepatitis is the medical term for a condition that has as a result the inflammation of your liver. In most of the hepatitis cases, the inflammation is caused by an infection. The other reasons that can lead to hepatitis are alcohol abuse, different types of medication, poisons and even other diseases. There are different types of hepatitis, one of them being hepatitis C. This particular type of hepatitis is caused by the hepatitis C virus.

Here are some very important facts to remember when suffering form hepatitis C:
- if the inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus is not reversed in time, it can lead to chronic hepatitis; in turn chronic hepatitis can lead to chronic disease of the liver, that can go as far as liver failure or death;
- if other hepatitis treatments did not work and you find yourself in the situation of a liver failure, the only thing left to do is a liver transplant;
- an astonishing number of almost eighty percent of the people that suffer from hepatitis C also develop the chronic hepatitis C form;

Nowadays, hepatitis C has become a very serious threat worldwide. In some countries, like the United States Of America, at the top of the causes that lead to liver damage is hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus is very spread and many Americans are victims. The hepatitis C virus is also the reason for about twenty percent of the acute hepatitis and more than fifty percent of the cirrhosis cases are believed to be caused by the hepatitis C virus. There are many people that have antibodies for the hepatitis C virus, thing that means that they were exposed to this hepatitis virus once in their lives.

The hepatitis C virus is very contagious and is mostly transmitted through blood products or blood. Contaminated needles are a very big part of infection with hepatitis C. People who use drugs intravenous and use dirty needles are very much at risk of developing hepatitis C. Blood transfusions are also a risk factor when hepatitis C is concerned. Nowadays, there is a test that is done to see if the blood that will be given to another person is infected with the hepatitis C virus.

There are also other causes of infection withe the hepatitis C virus, but they are less common. The hepatitis C virus can be passed down from mother to infant or through sexual intercourse.

By Groshan Fabiola

HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Too many know as the aids virus that lives in the blood and other body fluids, within the blood or white blood cells of the infected person. Large scale transmit of this virus occur due to unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing of drug injections, infected used in transfusion, and in some occasions through pregnancy when the virus is passed from mother to child. It’s important to understand that people don’t catch aids, they become infected with HIV due to many one of the above listed transmits.

Secondly we need to understand the positive results of HIV that is when the body has been infected by the human immunodeficiency virus. When blood tests are carried out doctors don’t search for HIV but they come across it in our blood, HIV+, HIV antibody positive or seropositive HIV add up to the simple meaning of being infected with positive HIV results. The HIV virus is not a disease it’s a progressive emanation that damages your body immune system.

The HIV virus is best know for targeting the T cells having chances of attacking the cells of the brain, nervous system, digestive system and lymphatic system. Hence the T cells can be referred to as the brain operator of our system, and when these cells are infected our body becomes weak and cannot battle bacteria, cancer, fungi and other parasites, When T cells are infected with HIV it kills the strength of a human progressive and recovery system.

Once HIV infects your T cells then it works like a factory reproducing itself to grow the virus inside the body, which eventually results in the virus moving into the bloodstream. HIV can destroy all fresh T cells repeating its process of reproduction in this manner. The immune system then gets absolutely weekend multiplying this virus all over you, this can be termed as “opportunistic infection”.

A person with a HIV-weekend immune system comes down with one or more of rare opportunistic infections, with low T cell counts it can be diagnosed as an AIDS patient, ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICENCY SYNDROME. AIDS can be thought of the most severe form of HIV disease, all but a handful of medical experts now believe that HIV is the primary agent that leads to the development of AIDS.

By Mehjabeen Poonawala

Asthma Attack Natural Treatment

There are many different types of asthma attacks, the severity will depend on the symptoms and level of your asthma. Generally speaking, the severity will have an effect on the asthma attack natural treatment such as using herbal remedies etc.

Asthma attacks can become more severe if you suffer from a cold or the flu, and certain medicines may be able to treat the air flow through your passageways, making it easier for you to sustain a certain amount of oxygen when having the attack. Herbal and homeopathic asthma attack natural treatments can be the most effective type of treatment. These herbs clear passageways and loosen muscles around them to help increase the air flow through your lungs - the most effective if you’re suffering from an asthma attack and need something that’s fast and efficient

The most common medicine is one called BioVent, which contains many different herbal remedies and other ingredients that may open up air tubes inside of your throat and clear it out to make it easier for you to breathe. BioVent, when used daily, can increase respiratory functioning and health.

Other asthma attack natural treatments may vary from medicines or certain types of remedies, in which in most cases are used sometimes in a mixture with other components inside of an inhaler. Depending on the asthma inhaler type, some may be a natural way to decrease asthma attacks within your lifetime, and after awhile may decrease the overall symptoms of your asthma.

There have been asthma clinical trials to discover new ways of treating asthma, or try and prevent asthma attacks, but few have seemed to work well with certain individuals. Although asthma attack natural treatments can help to control asthma attacks, prevention is still the better treatment. Examples could be identifying the allergen you could be sensitive to and reducing extra-curricular activities.

By Ricky Lim

Ovarian Cancer- It Whispers, So Listen

Ovarian cancer is the biggest killer amongst all of the female cancers. Nearly 80% of those treated for ovarian cancer will experience a recurrence. The chances of death within the first five years of treatment is nearly 50%, no matter if it is stage 2,3, or 4. These grim statistics are now a reality for my own life. I am an ovarian cancer survivor.

One reason ovarian cancer is so deadly is because it is very difficult to detect. Often, by the time it is diagnosed, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. There is no reliable screening for ovarian cancer like there is for breast cancer and cervical cancer. It can only be detected through an exam by an Ob/Gyn. So, it is important for all women to make an effort to get those yearly exams.

There is a tumor marker,CA-125, in the blood that may show the presence of ovarian cancer. It is not used as a screening procedure because it is not reliable enough. However, in cases where a woman is at a high risk, the CA-125 marker may be used to alert a Dr. for further testing.

A woman's worst nightmare is the diagnosis of cancer. Yet, early detection is the best way to prevent any cancer from spreading and growing. Take care of yourself and take the time to get your yearly exam. It could save your life.

By Jean Wensink