Managing and treating rheumatoid arthritis is difficult. A person suffering from rheumatoid arthritis undergoes joint pain in their hands, feet, knees, and shoulders on an everyday basis. Early diagnosis and treatment can help control rheumatoid arthritis to some extent. Though chronic rheumatoid arthritis is not curable, doctors can prescribe administrative medications that control or minimize further damage to the joints. Treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis Doctors may suggest a surgical intervention, therapy, and medication together, as the effective treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. Once rheumatoid arthritis is detected, the doctor can prescribe Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate, leflunomide, hydroxychloroquine, and sulfasalazine, which may gradually slow the onset of rheumatoid arthritis and also prevent other affected tissues from further damage. The main and important objective for any doctor while treating rheumatoid arthritis is to ease the stiffness around joints and prevent any damage to the nerves. The treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis are DMARDs, Corticosteroids, Biologics, Analgesics, and Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) These are entry-level or basic treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatologists start with methotrexate drug to treat joint inflammation. Methotrexate can be used in combination with other medications like hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine for better results.

To maintain optimal health, there are a couple of things that are of utmost importance to us human beings. A few of these are nourishing food, exercise, and a good amount of sleep. And by “good,” we mean 7-8 hours of sleep every day. However, in this busy day and age, it is indeed a struggle to find those hours for a restful night’s sleep. Apart from a busy schedule, the other factors that disrupt our sleep cycle are stress and disorders like sleep paralysis, sleep apnea, and insomnia. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person’s breathing is interrupted while he or she is asleep. If the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea go undetected or are left untreated, this condition could also pose to be fatal. This is because, during an episode of sleep apnea, a person’s breath may stop. This, in turn, can affect his or her blood pressure, sugar levels, and vital organs due to the lack of oxygen. While men are at a higher risk, sleep apnea also affects women. Moreover, studies have shown that about 80 percent of sleep apnea cases go undiagnosed. Here are a few signs and symptoms of sleep apnea you should watch out for.

An unrestful night’s sleep can cause one to have a not-such-a-good-day the next day. This is because most human beings need a good 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep to perform at their optimal best. However, sleep disorders like sleep apnea often do not allow us to have an uninterrupted and peaceful night’s sleep. If you, or someone you know, suffer from sleep apnea, then getting this condition treated at the earliest is extremely essential, failing which, a number of health issues may soon start affecting your life. After all, a good amount of sleep is one of the keys to a healthy life. Owing to the technology and medicine, today treating and managing sleep apnea has become possible without too much effort. Here are a few treatment options for sleep apnea. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Device (CPAP) This is a mask that you place over your nose and mouth while you sleep. It helps by blowing air very gently into the airway, in order to help keep it open while you sleep. The CPAP method is known to be one of the most effective ways of treating and managing sleep apnea. However, before you resort to this method, consulting your doctor would be the best idea.

Of the many glands that we have in our bodies, the thyroid is one of the most important ones. This gland is a little butterfly-shaped gland that rests at the bottom of our necks, just below the Adam’s apple, at the front of the windpipe. Maintaining optimal thyroid health is extremely essential because it is the thyroid that is responsible for producing master metabolism hormones and controls almost every function in our bodies, along with influencing almost every single of our cells. In children, this gland is responsible to a great extent to healthy growth and development. So, it is not hard to tell why maintaining good thyroid health is important. Here’s an overview of the thyroid health- The thyroid gland produces three main types of hormones- Diiodothyronine (T2) Triiodothyronine (T3) Thyroxine (T4) These hormones produced by your thyroid gland interact with other hormones in your body like cortisol, insulin, estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. Any flux in your thyroid and the rest of these hormones are directly affected, too. A few commonly known conditions due to an imbalanced thyroid are- Goiter In this condition, the thyroid swells up. Thyroiditis In this condition, the thyroid is inflamed. Hyperthyroidism In this condition, the thyroid gland is overactive.

The little butterfly-shaped gland is about two inches long and is located at the base of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple. It has sides, also referred to as lobes. These lobes lie on either side of your windpipe and are connected by a strip of thyroid tissue, also known as the isthmus. The thyroid gland is responsible for a number of functions within your body. The hormones interact with other hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone that affect our overall health. It also helps in regulating bodily functions like our breath, heart rate, cholesterol, body temperature, and metabolism, among others. Very often, when the thyroid gland is malfunctioning, we face a number of physiological symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, brain fog, and a slew of other issues. However, more often than not, we do not realize that these conditions are related to a poorly functioning thyroid. Here are a few symptoms of thyroid disease that you should watch out for: Poor concentration and brain fog Both hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) can cause poor mental functioning. While mental fogginess and poor concentration is a result of the latter, mood swings and depression are a result of the former.