Welcome to Your Maximized Life! - Dr. James JUDGE

Also mentioned in Corpus Hippocraticum by the father of methodical medicine, Hippocrates (5^th century BC), Trachoma is a bacterial infection affecting the eye and possessing the potential to result in blindness.

Trachoma is said to have originated particularly in Egypt and Middle East and therefore it is also known as Egyptian Ophthalmia along with other alternative names like Granular Conjunctivitis, War Ophthalmia and Military Ophthalmia. Sometimes it is also generally referred as just Conjunctivitis.

As old as the history itself, Trachoma is prone to every race and community with even disastrous epidemic forms reported. Though, the number of cases has considerably reduced in most of the developed countries, it is not so in major part of developing nations as it is related to poverty and overcrowded conditions.

According to recent reports, trachoma has left nearly 8 million people blind whereas approximately 84 million need treatment. Compared to men, it is more common in children and women (especially in their 40s).

Causes of Trachoma

Trachoma is triggered due to the bacteria known as Chlamydia Trachomatis resulting in irritating eyes and discharge of mucous from the eyes at repeated times. Though it clears up in about a month’s time, it can spread rapidly due to poor hygiene. Other factors that spread the infection from person to person include direct eye contact, nose & throat secretions and using common objects like towel and washcloths.

At times, even insects (like flies) carry the discharge from infected person to a healthy human.

Trachoma Symptoms

Symptoms of trachoma are usually noticed in 5-12 days after exposure to the bacteria starting with the eyelid lining tissue turning red/pink and swollen. Its symptoms are quite similar to ‘pink eye’. If untreated, it can even lead to developments of scars.

Itching and drainage of pus or mucus from the eye are among the first signs of trachoma. After a few days of disease progression, the patient turns sensitive to light or develops photophobia. Individuals also experience blurry vision and pain in the eye.

Some other trachoma symptoms include cloudy cornea, corneal scarring, swollen eyelids and turned-in eyelashes (a condition of trichiasis). Further complications related to ear, throat and nose are also observed.

The symptoms of trachoma in children include white lumps under the upper eye lid’s surface and appearance of follicles at the junction of sclera and cornea. The scars developed on the eyelid result in deformation of the lid such that the lashes rub against the eye. This rubbing gives way to more scars and corneal opacities which can lead to blindness.

The symptoms in children are usually not painful until the adulthood is reached as the disease progresses at a sluggishly.

Trachoma Treatment

An eye examination and laboratory tests are considered necessary to recognize the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria and thus diagnose the condition trachoma.

Once diagnosed, the various treatment options for trachoma depend on the stage and severity of the condition. For the initial stages, medications are used whereas a surgery becomes mandatory in the advanced stages.

There are no vaccines available for trachoma. However, an early detection treated with antibiotics like erythromycin and doxycycline as these have proved to be effective in the initial stages. These antibiotics work when experiencing symptoms like inflamed cornea and eyelids, light sensitivity and tearing. However, these antibiotics are not effective once the scars develop.

Some other medications for treating trachoma include tetracycline eye ointment and azithromycin (oral). Though, oral azithromycin is more effective, the price too is very high and therefore remains unaffordable to most not-so-rich communities.

When trachoma reaches the later stages an eyelid rotation surgery is required. Also known as bilamellar tarsal rotation surgery, it involves the rotation of eyelashes away from cornea by a small incision made in the scarred lid. This improves the eyesight by limiting the advancement of corneal scars. This simple surgery, lasting for hardly 15 minutes, has high enduring success rates.

If the cornea turns cloudy to the level that can result in blindness then corneal transplantation is needed. Corneal transplantation or Cornea grafting involves the replacement of infected corneas with healthy donor corneas. However, the success rate of corneal transplantation is reportedly low as the corneas can be rejected by the body.

The best way to avoid first time trachoma infection and re-infection is to maintain good sanitary conditions. Hygienic habits like regularly washing the face, reducing fly population, effective sanitation ways and cleaner water not only reduces the risk transmission of trachoma but also keeps it at bay forever.

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What is armpit odor?

Armpit odor, the most common form of body odor is the unpleasant smell that is linked to stale perspiration under the arms. When the perspiration is exposed for some time to the atmosphere, chemical changes take place due to the active bacteria present on the skin’s surface. This can result in odor though initially the perspiration is odorless. Armpit odor is not truly the smell of perspiration as commonly assumed since the sweat secreted by the body is odorless. It is in fact the chemical changes caused by the bacteria while they break down the protein into acids.

An average person has about 3-4 million sweat glands in the body that are responsible for secreting perspiration. These can be classified into two types:

• Eccrine Glands — These glands are the source for most perspiration. They secrete salts and water that reach the skin through coiled ducts or tubes when the nervous system senses the body heat. These glands are responsible for controlling the body temperature. The sweat produced by these glands is high in salt content and thus bacteria find it harder to break down the protein.
• Apocrine Glands — These glands secrete sweat through the hair follicles and are present in large numbers in armpits. The sweat secreted by these glands contains organic substance (fatty substance) also known as sebum. The sweat contains high amount of protein which the bacteria finds easier to break. The breaking down of protein in sweat by the bacteria present on the armpit results in underarm odor. Thus, it can be assumed that the apocrine glands are more responsible for the armpit body odor.

Smelly armpit usually starts being evident when reaching puberty as the apocrine glands begins to develop at the age of 13 to 15. However, even in children, armpit odor is noticed in case of hyperhydrosis.

The only symptom for armpit odor is the unpleasant smell given out by the body.

Causes of Armpit Odor

The bacterial activity of breaking down of proteins into acids exudes foul smell from underarms. More than 30 chemicals were found contributing to body odor, the main one being 3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid.

Let’s have a look at what causes armpit odor:
Sweating is the main cause for body odor as it contains organic substances and the bacteria present on the skin surface start breaking these down into acids. Overactive bacteria present in the underarms causes the odor. Poor hygienic habits result in foul smelling armpits.

Intake of spicy foods involving garlic, onions, curries also result in temporary change in smell. Deficiency of zinc, toxins and cavities along with other dietary imbalances bring alterations in the natural body smell.

Stress and anxiety, at times, result in underarm odor since the body sweats profusely in case of stress.

Armpit odor can be hereditary as family members are generally found to have related smells.

Diseases like kidney or liver illness and diabetes are also among armpit odor causes. Liver patients smell like ammonia in case of armpit odor while diabetics smell similar to a nail polish. Taking strong medicines too affect the body smell at times. Individuals taking drugs and toxins like pericyasine and topiramate also complain about smelly armpits.

Gastrointestinal problems, skin problems, bacterial growth, fungal infection, fever and prolonged intestines too are some of the causes of armpit odor.

Armpit odor in women is noticed following menopause as excessive sweating is noticed during this period.

Armpit odor in men is stronger as they are more physical in general compared to women.

Personal habits like tobacco, smoking, alcohol and caffeine also cause underarm odor.

Good hygiene involves not just maintaining a clean body but also good clean clothes. Fabrics like cotton can easily absorb foul odors. Non-breathing fabrics cause more sweating and also prevents the perspiration from vaporizing thereby increasing the smell.

Decrease in male hormones’ levels, low blood sugar, weak metabolism and hyperthyroidism too cause foul-smell in perspiration.

Armpit Odor Treatment

Being unbearable at times and a cause of embarrassment, individuals with foul-smelling underarms keep wondering on how to get rid of armpit odor.

Given below are a few armpit odor remedies and ways to minimize the bad smell:

Armpits have the apocrine glands in large numbers causing unpleasant smell on perspiration. To avoid odor, the underarms should be washed regularly with anti-bacterial soap to keep the number of bacteria minimum. Take a shower or bath at least once a day. Warm water is quite effective in killing bacteria present on the skin and thus stop armpit odor.

Armpits should be shaved regularly as the hair prevents evaporation of sweat giving time enough for the bacteria to break the protein into smelly acids.

Deodorants help to eliminate armpit odor by making the skin more acidic. This creates difficulties for bacteria to carry out their activities. Antiperspirants work by blocking the sweat glands and thereby resulting in less perspiration. However, excessive use of deodorants and antiperspirants should be avoided as these can cause breast cancer or prostate cancer.

Natural fibers like cotton, wool and silk allow the skin to breathe and thus helping in quicker evaporation of sweat.

Spicy foods like garlic, curry and also red meat has the potential to turn sweat more unpleasant.

A suitable drug that contains aluminum chloride is prescribed by the doctors to help reduce armpit odor.

Individuals with armpit odors are being treated with Botulinum toxin injections in the armpits. About 12 injections are used in this procedure that is done in about 45 minutes. This toxin helps in reducing perspiration by blocking the signals from the brain to underarm sweat glands.

Most of the cases of unpleasant smelling underarms are related to hygiene. Therefore, cultivating clean habits work almost every time in fighting body odor.  Never hesitate to consult a doctor if the underarm stench persists as the home remedies for armpit odor may not always work.

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Ingrown Toenail(s) Infection

An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows down and into the skin of the toe. It is caused by abnormal growth of the toenails, usually the big toes, and the surrounding tissues. When the lateral edges of the nail grow into the flesh of the toe, the small piece of nail or the whole nail applies pressure on the skin resulting in pain, swelling and redness. If the condition persists, it also results in infection and inflammation. Patients with ingrown toenails are among the most common visitors to chiropodists or podiatrists.

The condition of ingrown toenails is known by various terms like toe infection, nail infection, ingrown nail or onychocryptosis. Infected ingrown toenail is a very common problem affecting primarily the big toenails. Most people develop an ingrown toenail big toe during their 20s and 30s, but it is also seen in teenagers in case of a tearing in the corners of their toenails.

The sideways growth of the nail edges into the skin of the toe causing discomfort. The abnormally growing nail acts like a foreign body and causes a break in the skin due to the constant poking. The ingrown nail can also apply pressure in the nail fold area without any skin penetration causing pain though it isn’t considered as ingrown toenail. In some cases, a corn/callus is also noticed down the side of the nail as a reaction to the pressure instead of the nail actually penetrating the skin.

Ingrown Toenail Symptoms
Symptoms of ingrown toenail include sore and painful nail folds with redness and swelling of the surrounding skin. Infection of tissue and tenderness in toe along the sides of the nail and pain is observed along with increased warmth. In a few cases where the condition is chronic, repeated episodes of pain and infection or one of these occur. An infection may be present if the skin is red, painful or swollen on the sides of the nail. This infection may cause complications for diabetics or other patients due to poor circulation of blood on their feet. If left untreated, the nail can go under the skin causing more severe ingrown toenail infections.

An examination of the infected foot may show skin which is swollen, firm, red, or tender to touch. Presence of pus in ingrown toenails is also reported in some cases. Skin along the edge of the nail appears to be growing over the nail.

Ingrown Toenail Causes
An ingrown toenail can develop due to various reasons like poorly fitting shoes and toenails that are not trimmed the right way. Cutting the toenails incorrectly, too short or not straight across causes them to re-grow into the skin. Tight hosiery or footwear with narrow toe boxes makes it even worse.

Injuries to the toenail and deformities of the foot or toes like unusually thick toenails and curve toenails are also the factors for an ingrown toenail. It can also be hereditary in some cases.

Ingrown Toenail Risk Factors
The risk factors for ingrown toenails include poor fitted footwear, poor foot hygiene, athletic adolescents and children, toenail infections, diabetes, obesity, naturally short nails, congenital foot deformity and congenital toenail malformation. Repeated injuries to foot, prior nail surgery, poor posture and gait, fungal nail disease, abnormal nail growths, arthritis and excessive foot sweating are also some of the other risk factors.

Persons with very long toes and also those born with curved nails that tend to grow downward are also prone to ingrown toenails. Anyone can develop this condition but adults are more prone to suffer as the nails tend to thicken with age.

Ingrown Toenail Remedies
How to get rid of an ingrown toenail?
This condition can be resolved without medical treatment unless it’s a complicated case where a physician is required for treatment. An ingrown toenail can be unpleasant and painful. Hence, here are a few ingrown toenail home remedies:

Soak your foot for approximately 15 minutes in warm water with a tablespoon of common salt added to it. Warm water in the presence of common salt acts as a natural disinfectant preventing infections by cleansing away dirt particles and destroying breeding germs. It also softens and heals the skin tissue of the infected toe. After soaking for 15 minutes, dry the foot with a soft towel and twist a small cotton wool ball into a thin thread and wedge it under the ingrown nail. If this process is repeated for a few days before bed, the nail will start growing outwards.

Tying up a lemon slice around the affected toe before bed can heal the infection. The acidic lemon juice fights against microbial growth and prevents the spread of the infection.

Cleaning the area with water and a solution of hydrogen peroxide is also a remedy for toenail infection. Peroxide is capable of healing minor infections.

Infusion of iodine also helps in healing an ingrown toenail. It is also potent in inhibiting bacterial growth. However, this method should not be used on a deeper wound.

Gently massage the skin surrounding the ingrown toenail with some tree oil as it softens the tissues of the nail and relieves pain. It also eases out the pressure created by the nail on the surrounding skin.

These home remedies for ingrown toenail, however, work only as long as a  infection doesn’t develop. When a  infection is observed, consulting a podiatrist at the earliest becomes necessary as complications may result if the wound goes deeper. Those who are suffering from diabetes or other conditions affecting blood circulation should never treat the ingrown toenails on their own and should consult a doctor.

Ingrown Toenail Treatment
When an ingrown toenail infection is found, immediate treatment is necessary otherwise it may lead to other infections. Here are a few tips on how to treat ingrown toenail?

In an early stage, as part of ingrown toenail home treatment, the pain and swelling can be relieved by soaking the foot in warm water and adding some Epsom salt to it. Epsom salt, being an antiseptic, will heal any signs of mild infection.

Tight socks, hose or shoes should be avoided as these tend to put pressure on the toenails.

Shoes that are broad at the base should be preferred as they are comfortable to wear. In case of an infection, open-toed sandals are the best. Try to wear socks so as to keep your feet covered to prevent infection.

Avoid painting the toenails while they are in-grown as unnecessary chemicals near the site may cause infection.

For cutting the nails, the toenail clippers should be used. Toenails should not be kept too short.

Always trim the toenails in a perfectly straight line. Do not ever try shaping them because that makes them more likely to become ingrown.

For fast pain relief, ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used.

Placing a small cotton ball under the ingrown nail will work to keep the affected area safe. This will also help in nail grow and reaching over the skin. The cotton should be changed daily so as to keep a check on infectious growth.

Once affected, there is a great possibility that it will happen again so preventive measure should be taken.

For treating ingrown toenail, the cotton method should always be applied along with antibiotics as antibiotics only reduce the infection and don’t help in growing the nail back out.

Toenail is very susceptible to infections when it is in-grown, so the best should be done to keep it covered and clean for ingrown toenail relief.

Ingrown Toenail Surgery
If the ingrown toenail condition is not cured by home remedies or treatments and it keeps recurring, surgery becomes mandatory as the final ingrown toenail treatment. An ingrown toenail surgery is minor and involves a simple procedure.

A local anesthesia will be administered before the surgery and then the toe will be cleaned with an antiseptic to avoid infection. The nail will be removed after loosening it using a scalpel.

In mild cases, only an edge of the nail may be removed without disturbing the nail bed. However, in  cases, entire nail will be removed and the nail bed cells are killed by liquefied phenol or a laser or else a surgical debriding. But the nail won’t ever grow back in case of killing the nail bed cells.

Dressing will be done using a non-stick paraffin gauze and crepe bandage. The foot should be kept elevated and rest should be taken for 2-3 days. In case of an ingrown toenail removal, 3-4 months are required for the nail to grow again.

Ingrown toenail surgery isn’t much costlier and varies according to the time required and severity.

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Aching Legs and Feet
Nowadays, leg pain (or leg aches) is a very common cause for those who are suffering from an injury, now there are a lot of non-traumatic factors of lower leg aching. Chronic leg aches can cause due to several reasons that can harm bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and skin. Normally, tissues with inflammation cause these diseases, aching legs and feet is usually caused by inflammation and it is called as the base of these types of muscle ache. Ailments of back can occur due to leg ache. People (especially elderly) also experience aching legs at night for a prolonged period of time.

Leg Pain (Aches) Causes
The causes of aching legs include :

a. Trauma

b. Non-Trauma

Trauma
Trauma is the strongest reason of aching legs. Fallings, near fallings, and injuries by twisting can affect bones, joints and muscles or almost all of them. Excessive use of injured places can also be a reason of pain and it can also turn into a multiple minor traumatic injury.

Fractures
Some of the synonyms of the word fracture are broken and cracked; these all means the same when it comes to bone injuries. These types of injuries are caused when the bone of the human body is compromised.

Shin splints
Shin splints can take place by an excessive use of the injured area to the shin bone or tibia. It can also be called as tibial stress syndrome. Jumping running, and dancing are the commonest causes of shin splints.

Sprain and strains
Injury of ligament can also be called as sprain and it causes when the fibers of ligament gets stretched. Stretching of muscles and tendons can also cause a strain. All of them, sprains and strains result in inflammation and swelling which occurs pain.

Bleeding
Severe injuries can start bleeding into joints and tissues. Because blood can’t be compressed, so when the pressure increases, the amount of pain also increases significantly.

Non-traumatic Leg Pain
Aching of legs with non-traumatic causes by several reasons, and there isn’t even a single formula for sorting out all of the proven cases. Health care practicians prepared different approaches that helps to find but through diagnosis. Some of the times it could help to sort out the possible causes based on the leg part that aches, whether the pain is in your single leg or both, whether it bounds up while you’re active or when you take rest. Some of the causes of non-traumic leg pain (aches) include :

Low back pain
Low back pain from sciatica (inflaming of nervous ischiadicus) can radiate into the cheeks and down the leg. The wideness of pain depends on the root of the nerve which is involved; that is why the pain mayhap felt in the shin, thigh, or foot.

Leg pain in children
This cause is the special one among all of the others, While normally the aching legs of children’s isn’t something serious to care about, These types of pains can be due to joint infection that causes back lower pain, injury doing damage to plates of growth, and pain ascribable systemic illnesses that includes juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Henoch-Schonlein purpura or rheumatic fever.

Diabetes
There are few varieties of what causes aching legs to a patient of diabetes. If blood glucose levels aren’t controlled well for many years, blood vessels and nerves lose or deteriorate their function, and in result, it causes leg ache.

Symptoms of Aching Legs
Depending on the reason and the situation of individual, symptoms of aching legs may have a huge amount of presentation. The pain could be explained in varying ways, e.g., as dull, sore, sharp, aching legs, heavy, or burning. It can be intermittent or constant, or worse or made better with rest or activity. There can be other related symptoms too, hinging on the cause.

Remedies or Treatment for Aching Legs
So many of the world’s population are obliged to stand up and be upright for the best part of the day. Thus, our feet are not used to the agonizing pressure and therefore develop foot, leg and a number of other aches. Health of feet and leg are pivotal, as these are with you for the whole duration of your life, so keep care of them!  If unduly done, it can lead to sinister issues including swollen ankles and twisted veins. Furthermore, I intend to provide you with some useful ways to prevent such disorders:

Herbal Remedies are extremely useful. In turn, these give a soothing relief for legs, but more importantly relieve you of your huge stress levels, and make you relaxed. You can try ‘fenugreek’ powder, along with your normal meal. Treat it as your supplement. Take just 2 spoonfuls of this. Also, bathing in rosemary helps also

Moreover, Hydration is key to anything in life I feel, though public are rather skeptical about the issue. In order to prevent blood clots, take a steam bath which promotes brain and overall blood circulation. Good for those who are in exams period!

Finally, to prevent swelling it is ideal to elevate your legs. It is said if you elevate it above your heart level, veins will restore to normal motion. Thus, this is perfect after 8 harsh hours at the office and will pay dividends when you are 80 years old!

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