Category: Health Tips

Cloudy Musty Smelling Urine Causes

If you find yourself with musty smelling urine, you might want to schedule a visit to your doctor soon. Here are some of the ailments that can be one of the causes of musty smelling urine

• If you find that you have cloudy musty smelling urine, there is a chance that you are suffering from metabolic disorders like an ailment called phenylketonuria (PKU).
• This is an indicator of liver problems or liver diseases.
• Bacterial infection in the urinary tract can also cause urine odor.
• Caused by the food that enters the body so this may not be a cause for worry.
• Eating asparagus can make your urine smell musty.

What To Do For Musty Smelling Urine

If experiencing pungent musty smell in urine, here are some tips to help remedy it:

• First determine whether you have eaten something that made your urine smell that way or certain medications or supplements have been taken to make urine cloudy and musty smelling.
• Visit a doctor to get proper diagnosis. Once you are diagnosed, you will be given the appropriate medication for what you are suffering from.
• Take medications to help treat this, and these include Bumex, Burinex, and Bumetanide that are usually prescribed for liver or kidney problems.
• Avoid alcohol and excess salt and sugar when you are being treated for liver problems.
• Drink adequate amount of water to reduce the likelihood and severity of urine odor and other underlying problems.

Prevent Burning Sensation in Knee Joint

Burning pain in the knees is an extremely annoying and distressing condition, which may prevent you from doing your routine activities. The sensation of burning is sometimes debilitating. You may feel as if a hot iron rod has been kept on the knee joint. The exact reason for the burning pain in the knee joint can be diagnosed after the orthopedic surgeon examines you.  Meanwhile, to alleviate the burning sensation and stabilize the knee joint, you can rely on knee braces. Wear them on both the knees.

Causes of Knee Pain and Burning Sensation

• The pain and burning sensation in the knees is often caused due to the damage to the structures in and around the knee joint.
• Wear and tear of knee joint cartilage is the most common reason.
• The other cause can be ligament tear, bursitis.
• Often, the characteristic burning sensation in the knee joint is due to Iliotibial band friction. It is a common cause for knee pain in athletes. Iliotibial band originates from the hip joint and runs all the way to the knee joint. It attaches at the lateral (outer) side of the knee. Together with quadriceps muscles of the thigh, Iliotibial band helps stabilize the knee while walking and running.
• Overuse, difference in length of legs, increase in training practice, running on uneven roads are some of the causes for Iliotibial band friction and burning knee.

Treatment for Burning Sensation in Knee Joint

Knee brace allows support as well as mobility to the joint. The reduction of stress subsequently helps in decreasing the inflammation and thus reduces burning sensation.
With X-ray and MRI of the knee joint, it may be possible to detect the extent of damage to the ligament and meniscus.

• When there is acute burning pain in the knee joint, rest, ice fomentation, compression with knee brace and elevation of the leg is advised.
• Anti-inflammatory medication may alleviate inflammation and pain. You should consult your doctor before taking medication.
• Once the acute symptoms have subsided, you may start physiotherapy exercise. However, you should stop your sport activities for few months.
• Physiotherapy exercises help in regaining the strength and stability of the knee joint.
• Quadriceps exercise: It is the best form of exercise to do at home. To start the exercise, sit on a firm surface. Sit with your legs straight so that they are positioned in front of you. Do not bend your legs at the knee joint. To exercise the left knee, place your left hand under the left knee joint. Press your left knee joint on your hand supporting the left leg. Slowly raise your left heel and let it remain in the air for 5 to 10 seconds before relaxing. This causes contraction of the quadriceps muscles that supports your knee joint. Follow the same procedure for the right leg.
• If you find the above exercise difficult, you can keep a pillow below your left knee. This allows slight bending of the knee joint. Now, resting the knee on the pillow, try to lift your heel in the air, as far as you can. Let it remain in the air for about 5 seconds. Repeat the process for the right leg.
• Lie on your back with one leg folded and the other parallel and straight. Raise the straight leg one foot above the ground and let it remain in that position for 10 seconds. Gently bring back the leg to its original position.
• If you find any difficulty in these exercises, or find that the pain has increased, seek advice from a trained physiotherapist.

The human ear is not just a flap of skin and cartilage, as many people believe, but it is nature’s skilful craftsmanship, delicately engineered for purpose of hearing sound. It also helps keep the equilibrium of our body. As with any other body organ, disorders of the ear are common, but in most cases they are not fatal. Foul smell emitted from the ear is commonly associated with ear infection, though it is not the only cause. A smelly ear may not have severe health repercussions, but it can definitely put a person in a compromising situation.

You must clean your ears regularly and treat ear infection without neglecting it to prevent bad ear odor.

Why Does My Ear Smell Bad?

Even though foul smell from the ear is blamed on bacterial infection, there are several other contributing factors for a smelly ear. They are ear wax, Cholesteatoma, infections, unhygienic conditions and tumor.

1. Ear Infection: The most common cause for foul smelling discharge is ear infection. Ear infection can be either bacterial or fungal in origin. In bacterial ear infection, there is a thick yellow foul smelling discharge from the ears. Sometimes the discharge becomes greenish yellow, especially if the infection turns chronic. Bacterial infection is usually common in the middle ear and the outer ear. Fungal infection can also cause smelly ears. The discharge during a fungal infection is thin and smelly with marked itching in the ear. Ear infection is common after an acute bout of cold and influenza. It can also be a result of ear drum perforation.
2. Cholesteatoma: It is the destructive keratin (horny) growth or mass present in middle ear or in the mastoid process. Cholesteatoma may be present from birth or could be formed as a result of recurrent middle ear infection. Untreated Cholesteatoma can cause destruction of the small bones of middle ear and the skull bone. Strong offensive odor with purulent discharge is the characteristic of Cholesteatoma.
3. Swimmer ear: It is a type of bacterial infection in the ear common in swimmers as a result of the water getting trapped in the ear passage. Foul smelling discharge from ears can be caused by swimmers ear.
4. Ear wax: Secretion of ear wax is a normal physiological process. It protects the inner ear and the eardrum from injuries and invading organisms. Ear wax has a chemical that helps repel insects from entering the ear canal. Sometimes, because of the concentration of this chemical in the wax, the ear may emit a foul smell. Presence of dead cells or bacteria in the wax can also cause smelly ears.
5. Bad hygiene: If you do not clean your ears regularly, there are chances of ear infection and foul smelling ear discharge. Ear funk or ear cheese caused by build-up of shampoo, soap, and some dead skin cells may produce the foul smelling odor in your ear.
6. Cancer of the Ear: Though rare, it can cause ulceration and destruction of surrounding tissue leading to bad odor from the ears.

Treatment and Home Remedies for Foul Ear Smell

It is always important to know the cause of a foul smelling ear before you treat it. Here are some simple home remedies to get rid of bad ear smell:

• Clean ears regularly. It is the basic step in getting rid of the cheesy odor. You should gently wipe and clean your ears every day to avoid the buildup of dirt and sebum that could be a cause of bad smell later.
• Ear drops prepared from diluted white vinegar are effective in keeping the ear dry. It also acts as an antiseptic solution.
• The choice of antibiotic ear drops is always preferred when the infection is bacterial in origin. At times when the infection is substantially severe, your doctor may also prescribe oral anti-bacterial medications.
• Eating food with high nutritional value always helps boost your immunity. Maintain healthy immunity to ward off infections naturally.
• Make the ear wax soft and lose before you attempt to remove it. To do this, put a few drops of warm mineral oil in your ear passage and let it remain for few hours by plugging the ear with a simple and clean cotton ball.
• Dip a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and clean the outside ear canal once every week in a gentle manner. It helps clean the accumulated dirt and grime.

Hemorrhoids (or piles) are the anal veins that have become engorged and swollen. Hemorrhoids cause immense pain, rectal bleeding, burning, itching, inflammation, irritation and sometimes prolapse of the rectal tissue.

There are a host of causative factors for hemorrhoids, the commonest being, chronic constipation, excessive straining at stool, pregnancy, chronic diarrhea, and diarrhea alternating with constipation, and a diet that is lacking ion fiber.

Hemorrhoids Home Remedy

The following are very effective home remedies for piles / hemorrhoids:

• Baking soda: apply some baking soda around the anus; it helps manage itching associated with hemorrhoids.
• Onion and honey: grate an onion and add a spoon of honey, place this over a cotton pad and apply on the hemorrhoids for 2 hours.
• Vitamin E: applying vitamin E oil to the anal area affords immense pain relief.
• Aloe Vera gel: soothes the pain and inflammation that occurs in piles.
• Dried mango seed is an amazing home remedy for bleeding and painful hemorrhoids. Take about 2 grams of powdered mango seed along with honey. It helps improve bowel movement, prevents constipation and reduces pressure on the piles.

Natural Remedies For Hemorrhoids Or Piles

Follow these simple and easy to do measures and dietary changes to mange piles successfully:

• Check constipation. Drink lots of water every day, and make sure you have foods that supply generous doses of dietary fiber. These add bulk to the stool and aid in easy and smooth passage of the feces; thereby cutting the risk of painful hemorrhoids. Steer clear of aerated drinks, caffeine and alcohol.
• Do away with oily food, refined and processed food, and junk food from the daily diet. Opt for nutritious and wholesome options such as whole wheat, oats, fresh vegetables and fruits, dates, dried figs and nuts.
• Do not indiscriminately use laxatives.
• Avoid lifting heavy weights and avoid sitting / standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Apply Witch hazel to the hemorrhoids affected area using a toilet paper. Witch Hazel is known to be a natural astringent that reduces inflammation, swelling, pain and discomfort.

Bleeding Piles Home Treatment

• Witch hazel, aloe vera or apple cider vinegar application to the bleeding hemorrhoid stops the bleeding immediately and prevents infection from occuring.
• Applying an ice pack to the anus helps allay pain, swelling and swiftly and effectively.
• Homeopathy drugs are known to afford wonderful respite from piles. Consulting a practitioner is recommended.
• Use disposable baby wipes to clean after a bowel movement; they are gentler than the toilet paper and prevent bleeding.
• Sit on a hemorrhoid cushion; it relieves pressure on the hemorrhoids and consequently checks bleeding.

Read more on Hemorrhoids Treatments

• Rinse affected area with Apple Cider Vinegar and warm water several times a day.
• For external hemorrhoids, smooth on Linseed Oil several times a day. If the piles are internal, take a teaspoon of Linseed Oil several times a day.
• Apply Borax and water mixed to piles. You could also try sitting on a cloth saturated with this solution.
• An enema of Whole Flaxseed is very soothing. Apply when liquid is warm, not hot.
• You can apply chopped Garlic in the rectal area and rest several hours then rinse clean; finish with an application of Almond Oil.
• One internal treatment is to take teaspoons of Molasses and butter right before going to bed; take hot.
• External application of Aloe Vera Juice helps reduce inflammation and brings cooling relief.
• Sit in a warm bath of Chamomile Tea followed by an application of pure Petroleum Jel.

Some more external applications

1) Yarrow Herb
2) Witch Hazel
3) Weak warm bath in Epsom Salts
4) Sage and Garden Parsley Tea bath
5) Pumpkin Seed Oil, Fireweed Oil, Horsemint Oil, and Linseed Oil mixed together and applied several times a day.
6) An application of Olive Oil several times a day.

Question: I received two external vaginal abrasions from the use of a condom. Can I use Neosporin to heal the abrasions?

Answer: An abrasion is a scraped area on the skin or the mucus membrane. It is a type of minor injury resulting due to friction or irritation. It may or may not bleed and the healing is without any scar formation provided the abrasion is superficial. Abrasion in vagina is not uncommon. There are many reasons for this type of injury. Vaginal injury, though uncommon, can occur at any age in a woman. An abrasion or a scratch on labia or in the vaginal wall can be extremely discomforting. Sometimes, it may lead to tenderness and swelling. If the condition is not treated in a timely manner, infection may set in and there may be aggravation of the symptoms.

Causes of Vaginal Abrasions

• Sex without proper lubrication, abrasion from intercourse: It is one of the most common causes for vaginal abrasion. Many women perform sex without proper lubrication. During the time of arousal in a woman, the glands situated in the vaginal wall secrete a lubricating fluid. It keeps the vagina moist and reduces friction and irritation during intercourse. However, in some women there is less secretion and lubrication due to a number of factors such as hormonal imbalance, decreased libido and fatigue. In such cases, application of a lubricating agent before intercourse reduces the chances of abrasion and pain.
• Physical injury due to scratching of vagina: Intolerable itching in vagina leads to irresistible scratching. Often, the mucus membrane of the vagina may get hurt with finger nails resulting in an abrasion.
• When the vaginal mucosa is thin: Hormonal changes and imbalance during and after menopause may lead to thin vaginal mucus membrane. A slight scratch or friction may cause an abrasion.
• Infection: Bacterial vaginitis and candidiasis are the two important etiological factors for abrasion and irritation of vaginal mucus membrane.
• Inserting foreign body in the vagina without proper lubrication may also result in an abrasion of the area.
• Often, violent intercourse and sexual abuse are reasons for abrasion in the vaginal area.
• Besides, young girls may suffer from abrasion in their vaginal area due to cycling or horse riding.
• Allergies to condoms, tampons and spermicidal creams can also cause abrasions and irritant vaginitis in some women.

Symptoms and Signs of Vaginal Abrasions

• Pain in the vagina is a common symptom associated with vaginal trauma.
• Pain is accompanied with tenderness and patient finds it difficult to maintain personal hygiene.
• There may be mild bleeding at the time of injury, but usually the bleeding does not prolong and subsides within a few minutes.
• Pain during urination is an important symptom since the urethral opening is situated just above the entrance of vaginal opening.
• You experience pain during intercourse. Patient finds it difficult to have sexual intercourse due to pain and tenderness.
• The labia majora and labia minora may appear slightly swollen when there is deep abrasion.
• When an abrasion is superseded with bacterial infection, there may be foul smelling vaginal discharge. However, the possibility is very less if you take timely precautions.

Treatment for Vaginal Abrasions

• Generally vaginal abrasions heals of its own.
• If there are symptoms of secondary infection such as fever, within one or two days of the abrasion, get medical assistance as soon as possible.
• You can apply Calendula ointment, as Calendula acts well in healing the abrasions.
• The other simple remedy is to apply coconut oil on the abrasion.
• Applying Neosporin or any other antibiotic ointment under the supervision of your doctor.
• Precaution: Abstain from sex during the time of recovery.
• Wear cotton panties as it facilitates air circulation in the vaginal area.

One necessary hormone in our body is called the cortisol. This kind of hormone is commonly activated during stress as it is the one responsible in aiding the body regarding the type of energy that should meet with bodily needs during stress. Even though the cortisol is a big help for our body under stress, it can have dire effects when increased in high levels.

How to Decrease Cortisol Levels Naturally

Among the negative effects of increased cortisol are high blood sugar, weight gain, and low immunity. It also important in determining what is cortisol levels to know the type of treatment appropriate for this condition. Since high levels of cortisol can result to serious effects, it is necessary to regulate the amount of cortisol released in our body. These methods on how to decrease cortisol levels include the following:

• One initial step in monitoring your cortisol level is by checking the protein intake of your body. Make sure you get enough protein as more protein in the body can lower cortisol levels. Good sources of protein include lean cuts, beans, and nuts.
• Another helpful way on how to decrease cortisol levels in the body is by including omega 3 in your diet. Omega 3 fatty acids help the body by reducing inflammation as well as cortisol levels. Omega 3 food sources include olive oil, beans, tuna, or salmon.
• Gluten-free grains can also help regulate cortisol levels. These gluten-free foods include buckwheat, amaranth, or millet.
• How to decrease cortisol levels also include eating foods with low glycemic load. High glycemic levels in the body greatly increase the production of cortisol in our body. Low glycemic foods include beans, carrots, apple among others.
• A daily supplement of antioxidants such as vitamin C can also help strengthen the body as well as reducing cortisol levels.