It is quite common to experience shoulder and neck pain when you’re under stress. After all, we tend to store the most stress in our neck and shoulders, which can cause stiffness and knots. If you combine ongoing stress with a sedentary lifestyle, yes, those of you who sit at a desk for 8-hours or more a day, you can quickly end up with back pain and neck pain. The good news is that hitting your mat for a little stress-relieving stretching can help relieve pain and increase flexibility. Try on these pain-relieving yoga poses: Yoga poses for joint pain Whether you have a sore neck or a shoulder or are suffering from arthritis or joint pain, there are some excellent yoga poses, or asanas, to help soothe stiffness and discomfort. The following poses also work for patients suffering from fibromyalgia: Downward-facing dog This popular yoga pose stretches out the hamstrings, but also offers a yummy complete body stretch that targets the back extensors and large muscles in the lower back and hips. This pose also helps support and align the spine. Child’s pose Child’s pose helps elongate the back to relieve stress and pain. This is largely a resting pose, however, it can be turned into an active stretch when you extend and engage the arms and shoulders.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximately 45 million Americans wear contact lenses. These medical devices, or cosmetic aids, are worn by those who wish to no longer wear glasses, but still improve the ability to focus and temporarily reduce poor distance vision (nearsightedness). Contact lenses are available in the following forms: Rigid, or hard, contact lenses made from plastic. Soft, or malleable, contact lenses are made from flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through the cornea. Sadly, the CDC estimates that a staggering 90% of contact lens wearers don’t properly follow lens care instructions and risk increased rates of inflammation and eye infection as a result. The main culprits of eye infections (i.e., keratitis, a painful eye infection) include improper and infrequent cleaning. Current day optometrists most often recommend soft contact lenses in disposable monthly, or weekly disposables, or daily options. How you care for them will depend on their expiry date (i.e., daily, weekly, or monthly) as well as how you store and clean your contact lenses between wear. Here are some tips: 1. No tap water Refrain from using tap water to clean your contact lenses and your hard contact lens case between wears.

Food is important for health, and if you have type I or type II diabetes, the foods you eat can make all the difference when it comes to maintaining energy, blood sugar levels, protecting eye and kidney health, and preventing heart disease and stroke. If you have diabetes that main concern is eating foods that keep you blood glucose levels in check, while making sure to eat a balanced diet filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and healthy fats. These diabetes superfoods are not only rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber to keep blood sugar stable, they also help prevent diabetes associated diseases (i.e., heart disease and stroke): 1. Beans There are plenty of beans to feature in a diabetic’s diet to boost protein, fiber and potassium intake, as well as magnesium, which many diabetics are deficient in. In fact, elevated blood glucose levels often quicken the loss of magnesium via the urine for diabetics, which in turn further reduces blood levels of magnesium. Try an assortment of beans, such as black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans and you’re sure to find some you like. 2. Fatty fish Salmon often gets the most attention when it comes to fatty cuts of fish, however, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and herring are also great sources of “good” fats (i.e., omega-3 fatty acids), and the blood vessel protectors, DHA and EPA, which are linked to protecting heart health and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, if consumed 3 to 4 times per week.

Diabetes is a health condition where the blood glucose levels, or blood sugar levels, are way higher than the required levels. Blood glucose is generated from the food that you eat, as the main source of energy. The pancreas makes Insulin, which is a hormone that helps produce glucose from the food to get into the cells for energy. However, diabetics often don’t make enough insulin to absorb the glucose into the cells. This results in excess glucose in the blood and high blood sugar or blood glucose. There is no cure for diabetes, however treatment is necessary to help control the symptoms. Diabetes occurs in 2 types, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The main difference between the 2 types of diabetes is that in type 1 diabetes, there is virtually no production of insulin in the body for the absorption of glucose into the cells. While type 2 diabetes produces some insulin, but the cells in the liver or muscles are not efficient enough to absorb the insulin, and hence glucose levels are not regulated. Type 1 diabetes: symptoms and treatment The main symptoms of type 1 diabetes typically develop gradually, including: Extreme tiredness or weakness Dehydration of body Increased urination Vomiting or nausea Abdominal pain Blurry vision Mood swings Wounds that won’t heal No menstruation or changes in cycles.

Dermatitis is an umbrella term that describes a variety of skin inflammation. Atopic dermatitis is a term that refers to “atopic” or hereditary, which means the condition typically runs in the families and usually occur in conjunction with hay fever, asthma and allergies. Dermatitis can occur at on almost any area of the body, and there are can be many different causes for its occurrence. Dermatitis may develop as an itchy rash or red patches of swollen skin or it may form blisters that ooze, flake off, and become scaly in nature. Eczema, on the other hand, is a very general word that describes one from of dermatitis. Eczema symptoms often vary greatly from person to person depending on health and age. Although it’s not contagious, the following symptoms are often uncomfortable and embarrassing, for instance: In infants, rashes may appear on the cheeks and scalp. The rashes initially transform into a bubble and later discharge fluid. Eczema is extremely itchy and may disrupts sleep in infants. In adults, eczema can occur on any part of the body, however, it’s most common on the neck, between the fingers and toes, around the eyes, and face. In adults, eczema becomes dry, scaly, and itchy patches of skin.

Ovarian cancer develops in the ovaries. It is the fifth most common women’s cancer, affecting millions of women per year. In a female reproductive system, the ovaries are two almond-sized organs that sit on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce ova (or eggs) as well as progesterone and estrogen hormones. Ovarian cancer claims many lives because it’s very hard to detect ovarian cancer in the early stages. Rather, most cases of ovarian cancer are detected in the late stages when it’s difficult to treat. However, certain causes or risk factors contribute to the prevalence of ovarian cancer, including: Family history: Genetics are a major factor in the development of ovarian cancer. If a woman has a family history of ovarian cancer, her chances of being affected by the condition become significantly higher. Menopause: Most common stage where women are more likely to suffer from ovarian cancer is menopause. Therefore, this condition is mostly seen in women over the age of 63. Only in very rare cases, it can be seen before the age of 40. Birth control pills: Taking oral contraception can also increase the risk of ovarian cancer, but the risk reduces once you stop taking the birth control pills.

Dyskinesia is a condition that prompts involuntary muscle movement, or spasms, in patients with Parkinson’s Disease. These muscle twitches can affect either the entire body or just one specific area of the body (i.e., arm, leg, or head). Parkinson’s disease refers to a brain disorder resulting in a gradual loss of muscle control. As its symptoms are usually mild at first, the condition can be easily overlooked. For example, early signs of Parkinson’s include very slight tremors in the legs, arms, hands, or lips, difficulty in getting up from a seated position, trouble walking, impaired balance, a stooped posture, crowded handwriting, and bradykinesia, frozen (or mask like) expression, or slowed or impaired movement. However, dyskinesia tremors often occur in the very early stages of Parkinson’s disease, in roughly 70% of patients. While dyskinesia may indicate Parkinson’s, it may also indicate other underlying health conditions as well. Causes of dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease patients Dyskinesia is part of the progression of Parkinson’s disease progression, it’s’ usually a side effect due to taking levodopa medications to treat the disease. The jerky movements characterized as dyskinesia usually occur when Parkinson’s in under control. It usually causes uncontrolled wriggling, twitching, swaying, or bobbing of the head.

The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid, which helps in nourishing and transporting of sperm. Prostate cancer is a very common type of men’s cancer that start and progresses very slowly. While there is no clear reason as to why prostate cancer develops, it can occur due to abnormal cell growth and division in prostate gland tissues. These abnormal cells can accumulate in one place and form a tumor in the prostate gland or spread to other organs of the body. At the initial stage, prostate cancer is typically confined just to the prostate gland, but as cancer progresses, it may grow and metastasize to nearby tissues and organs. Prostate cancer screening can help detect prostate cancer at an early stage, based on the following early warning symptoms, to ensure more successful cancer treatment: Decreased or low stream of urination Trouble during urination Pain in your bones Blood in your semen The pelvic area feels very uncomfortable You can even have erectile dysfunction problems. Risk factors for prostate cancer While there is no specific cause of prostate cancer, several risk factors can cause certain males to be more prone to this type of cancer compared to others:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that develops when our body’s immune system mistakenly starts attacking the joints. As a result, the tissue lining the inside of joints thickens and causes pain, swelling, and inflammation around the joints. Other symptoms of RA include: Joint tenderness Joint swelling Joint pain and stiffness including morning stiffness, in the same joints on both sides of the body Loss of appetite Fatigue Sensitivity to light or impaired vision Gum irritation or infection Small lumps that develop under the skin over bony areas. Inflammation of blood vessels Shortness of breath Anemia If the inflammation and swelling go unchecked for long, it can damage cartilage and even bones. Therefore, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of RA is recommended. You can continue reading to know more about rheumatoid arthritis. Nearly 1.5 million people in the US have rheumatoid arthritis. Here are some causes and risk factors for RA: Age: RA can affect patients at any age, but those most susceptible are between 30- and 60-years of age. Family history: RA is more likely to develop if someone in your family already has it. Gender: RA is more prone to women than men. Environmental factors: Exposure to certain chemicals and pollutants.

Sleep apnea is a common yet serious sleep disorder causing breathing to stop repeatedly during sleep. The pause in breathing could be 10 seconds or longer, and can occur 30 times or more in one hour. Sleep apnea affects nearly 30 million people in the U.S., and often leaves individuals feeling exhausted during the day, has negative impact on mood, and is dangerous for overall health. Sleep apnea exists in 3 types: Obstructive sleep apnea This most common form of sleep apnea affects approximately 4% of men and 2% of women. It’s caused by complete or partial blockage of the airways during sleep, and followed by snoring, loud gasping, choking, or snorting sounds. Central sleep apnea This type of sleep apnea occurs when the brain temporarily stops sending signals to the muscles that control breathing. This less common sleep apnea is the result of medical problems and conditions that affect the brain stem (i.e., tumor, infection). Complex sleep apnea This form is an amalgamation of both the obstructive and central sleep apnea symptoms,which may include: Fatigue or exhaustion despite getting 7- or 8-hours of sleep Irritability Waking up with a dry mouth Morning headaches Attention, concentration, and memory problems Sexual dysfunction or decreased sex drive Depression Extremely loud snoring Shortness of breath, weakness, and numbness in body Voice changes and problem with swallowing Repeated pauses in breathing Excessive daytime sleepiness Insomnia Treatments for sleep apnea The following are the treatment options available for obstructive apnea: