Health and Medicine

What is a cervical cap? A cervical cup is a small cup made up of silicone that fits over the cervix (the part of the uterus that opens into the vagina ). It covers the cervix so sperm can't get in and fertilize an egg. It is a barrier method to prevent pregnancy. The cervical cap is reusable dome shaped cap made from non-allergic silicone rubber that is inserted into the vagina. The cervical cap is similar to the diaphragm . The only difference is it's slightly smaller and fits more tightly over the cervix. How does the cervical cap work? The cervical cap keeps sperm from entering the uterus and Fallopian tubes. If sperm cannot enter the Fallopian tubes to fertilize the egg , pregnancy can't occur. The cervical cap must be used with spermicide for maximum effectiveness. it stops the sperm from moving , and is second line of defense against pregnancy. How to use a cervical cap? You must have a prescription to get a cervical cap. This is because the cervical cap needs to be f...

What is vaginal yeast infection? A vaginal yeast infection is an infection caused by yeast (a type of fungus). Vaginal yeast infection is sometimes referred to as yeast vaginitis , candidal vaginitis or candidal vulvovaginitis. The scientific name for the yeast that causes vaginitis is candida. Candida species can be present in healthy women in the vagina without causing any symptoms. For an infection to occur , the normal balance of yeast and bacteria is disturbed , allowing overgrowth of the yeast. While yeast can be spread by sexual contact, vaginal yeast infection is not considered to be a sexually transmitted disease because it can also occur in women who are sexually active , due to the fact that yeast can be present in the vagina of healthy women. Vaginal yeast infections are very common , affecting 75 % of women at some point of life. Yeast infections and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) can happen t any time of year , they get a little extra help in the summer thanks to the add...

Infant sleep problems linked to mental health issues in adolescents as researchers have found that sleeping problems in early childhood may be linked to the development of certain mental health disorders in adolescence. The study found that young children who routinely woke up frequently during the night and experienced irregular sleep routines were associated with psychotic experiences as adolescents. The researchers also found that children who slept for shorter periods at night and went to bed later were more likely to be associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) during their teenage years. Persistent nightmare in children have been associated with both psychosis and borderline personality disorder. But nightmare do not tell the whole story , in fact a number of behavioral sleep problems in childhood can point towards these problems in adolescence . Between infants at 18 months old who tended to wake more frequently at night and who had less regular sleep routines from s...

Sedentary lifestyle  : According to WHO , sedentary lifestyles increases all cause of mortality , double the risk of cardiovascular diseases , diabetes , and obesity , and increase the risk of colon cancer , high blood pressure and more serious health conditions. Sedentary lifestyle or an inactive lifestyle is one of the biggest threats to your health. The sedentary lifestyle involves sitting or being at rest for too long with little or no exercise. Physical activity and regular exercise are essential for optimum health.  But many fail to add enough exercise to their daily schedule. According to World Health Organization Sedentary lifestyles increases all causes of mortality , double the risk of cardiovascular diseases , diabetes , and obesity and the risk of colon cancer , high blood pressure, osteoporosis , lipid disorders , depression , and anxiety. Harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle: Leads to obesity : Being couch potatoes by sitting all day in front of our screens o...

Breast cancer diagnosis is never easy ; it is especially hard when the woman is in her 30's and has just started planning a future for herself and her family. One women gets diagnosed with breast cancer every 4 minutes in India , and one women dies of breast cancer every 13 minutes , making it most prevalent cancer among Indian women. Women in India are generally diagnosed at a later , more advanced stage with a poor prognosis. About 1 in 28 women are expected to develop breast cancer during their lifetime. By 2030 , breast cancer will cause most deaths among women in India than any other disease. An increase in weight , lack of exercise  , hormone replacement therapy , the combined oral contraceptive pill , stress and probably late work shifts are some factors that increase the risk of breast cancer. Almost 50 percent of breast cancer patients first visit the doctor when they are in phase 4.  In one study , scientists estimated that 10 year survival rates for women fell from ...

Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances , including alcohol and illicit drugs LINK BETWEEN SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH :  When you have both a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as depression , bipolar disorder or anxiety , it is called a co-occuring disorder or dual diagnosis. Dealing with substance abuse , alcoholism , or drug addiction is never easy, and it's even more difficult when you're also struggling with mental health problems. In co-occuring disorders , both the mental health issue and the drug or alcohol addiction have their own unique symptoms that may get in the way of your ability to function at work or school, maintain a stable home life , handle life's difficulties and relate to other's.  When a mental health problem goes untreated , the substance abuse problems usually increase too. But you are not alone. Roughly 50 percent of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by su...

Being a women is a wonderful thing , all the difficulties in life included-yes , even those , because they make us stronger , more resilient. The pain is real : Majority or about 60 to 70 percent of young women experience menstrual cramps or dysmenorrhea and for some of those women , the pain and discomfort can interfere with their work and daily activities. But one of the pains , literally that many women have to go through is the pain and discomfort that comes during their monthly period. And perhaps , the much more painful thing about it is that many who don't understand it dismiss someone who experiences it as being dramatic. NO The pain from dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps could be as bad as having a severe "heart attack" . The pain intensity tends to increase when estrogen levels are low and progesterone levels are high. When it gets too bad , it can be disabling. Every women experiences it differently. Some suffer from extreme pain , while others go through it eas...