BREAST PAIN

Breast pain is a common problem in younger women who are still having periods (menstrual cycles). It is less common in older women. The pain can be in one breast or in both. It may come and go each month, or it may last for several weeks, or even months.

What causes breast pain?

Many things can cause pain or tenderness in your breasts. Here are some of them:
Hormone changes during your period
Water retention, which may happen during your period
Injury to your breast
Pregnancy
Breast-feeding (nursing)
An infection in the breast
Breast cancer (not a usual cause of breast pain)

If you have breast pain that lasts for a long time or keeps coming back, it’s probably a good idea to talk to your doctor about it.

How can my doctor find the cause of my breast pain?

Your doctor will ask you questions to find the cause of your pain and decide if you need treatment. He or she may ask you to describe the pain and where in your breast area you feel it. Your doctor will also check to see if you have lumps in your breasts.

If you’re younger than 35 years of age and don’t have a breast lump, your doctor might decide that you don’t need any tests. If you’re older than 35 years of age and don’t have a breast lump, your doctor may still want you to get a mammogram. A mammogram is a special x-ray of the breasts.
If you do have a lump (or several lumps) in your breast, your doctor might decide that you need one or more of these tests:

A mammogram
A breast sonogram. This painless test uses sound waves to make a picture of the lump.
A breast biopsy. For this test, some tissue is taken out of your breast and looked at under a microscope.

How is breast pain treated?

There are different treatments for breast pain depending on what is causing it. You and your doctor can talk about these treatments and choose one or more that might work for you. Here are some possible treatments for breast pain:
Wearing a support bra
Taking an over-the-counter pain medicine
Taking danazol (for severe pain)
Other treatments for breast pain are sometimes used. However, there is no proof that these treatments work:
Avoiding caffeine
Using less salt
Taking vitamin E or vitamin B6
Taking a “water-pill” (a diuretic)
Most of the time, breast pain goes away on its own after a few months.

TIPS ON BREAST PAIN RELIEF

Having breast pain does not mean that a woman has breast cancer. A woman with unexplained breast pain should be screened to rule out cancer though.The medical term for breast pain is mastalgia.

Breast pain can be caused by things like the menstrual cycle, cysts or infections. It can be conquered with the use of simple things like changing your diet, vitamins or massage.

Nutrition

Start taking vitamin E supplements. This can help ease reoccurring breast pain. It may take four to six weeks before the benefits are noticed. B6 can help prevent breast pain. It is a natural diuretic that helps release fluid from tissues. This will help with swollen painful breasts.

A fat-filled diet can cause breast pain. Reducing fat intake will help ease the pain. When pain flares up, reduce your intake of cheeseburgers and potato chips. During flare ups, do not indulge in caffeine. This includes coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate that should be cut out of the diet. Limit salt intake. Salt helps the body store fluid and fluid retention has been linked to breast pain.

Other Tips

Daily breast massages can help ease breast pain. Massage increases your circulation which is beneficial for the body. Wear a well-fitting bra to bed. This should be one that does not pinch, squeeze, or pull on the breasts or around the middle. This should be one that holds the breasts in a proper position. Think support not sexy when choosing a bra to wear to bed. Smoking can cause cysts in the breasts so stop smoking. Evening primrose oil may help as well. This herbal supplement can be found in health food stores. Give the herb three months to be effective.

Medical

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen can ease breast pain. NSAIDs reduce swelling due to inflammation and pain. Check which ever over-the-counter medication you choose to make sure that they do not contain caffeine if taking them for breast pain. Hormonal oral contraceptives can also help

They help regulate the menstrual cycle and the effects of that cycle on the body. Be aware that

hormone replacement therapy can cause breast pain if the dosage of estrogen is too strong

Consult your care provider if this may be the case. They can adjust the hormone dosage to give breast pain relief.

HYPOTHYROIDISM DIET

Hypothyroidism occurs if your thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone. Without enough of this hormone, your body metabolism slows down considerably.

This leads to various symptoms, one of which is weight gain, arguably the most challenging symptom of hypothyroidism. To maintain a proper diet plan is one of the ways to deal with this weight gain.

Make sure that you include the following in your daily diet:

#1. Seafood and other iodine-rich foods
It's no secret that iodine is needed to produce thyroid hormone in your body. If you have hypothyroidism, diet should always include foods that are high in iodine content such as seafood like sushi, seaweed, and saltwater fish. Iodine can also be found in bananas and parsley. Also, you should make sure to use iodized salt instead of plain rock salt in cooking.

#2. Water
You need to drink lots of water, at least 64 ounces or 8 glasses a day. Remember when you are dehydrated, your body stores more fat and making you gain more weight

#3. Fiber
Fiber is beneficial to you if you have hypothyroidism. Diets high in fiber will not only help you lose weight but also promote regularity in your bowel movement and can help lower your cholesterol. How does it make you lose weight? Fiber makes you feel full so it lessens your hunger levels, and will simply make you burn more calories. Most fruits and vegetables are high in fiber content.

#4. Coconut Oil
It has been identified that consumption of coconut oil stimulates the production of thyroid hormone. It increases your metabolism and is considered as an energy booster but this should be taken in moderation, appropriate to your age and body structure.

#5. Green Tea
Green tea helps you lose weight by raising your metabolism and also through fat oxidation. You can start drinking a cup of green tea everyday.

#6. Tyrosine-rich Foods
Tyrosine is needed for your thyroid hormone production. Increase your intake of lean meats, fish, lentils, and low-fat milk as these are rich in tyrosine.

#7. Selenium-rich Foods
Just like tyrosine, this is also important in helping to produce your thyroid hormone. Foods such as tuna, brown rice, Brazil nuts, and salmon can provide the selenium that your body needs.
You can expect to gain weight when you have this condition. If you have hypothyroidism, diet should be chosen carefully to be able to help your thyroid in producing the hormone. With this, you can control your symptoms as well as avoid the possible complications.

INTRODUCTION

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs. Without enough thyroid hormone, many of the body’s functions slow down.

Women are much more likely than men to develop hypothyroidism.

The thyroid is a 2-inch-long, butterfly-shaped gland weighing less than an ounce It is located in the front of the neck below the larynx, or voice box, and comprises two lobes, one on either side of the windpipe.

The thyroid is one of a group of glands that are part of the endocrine system.The endocrine glands produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream that travel through the body and direct the activity of the body’s cells.

Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, which is the way the body uses energy, and affect nearly every organ in the body.
The thyroid gland makes two thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Thyroid hormones affect metabolism, brain development, breathing, heart and nervous system functions, body temperature, muscle strength, skin dryness, menstrual cycles, weight, and cholesterol levels.

A third hormone produced by specialized cells in the thyroid gland, calcitonin, affects calcium levels in the blood and the buildup of calcium in the bones. Calcitonin is not considered a thyroid hormone.
Thyroid hormone production is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is made by the pituitary gland. Located in the brain, the pituitary gland is the “master gland” of the endocrine system.

PAIN IN PERIODS

Painful menstrual periods are periods in which a woman experiences crampy lower abdominal pain, sharp pain that comes and goes, aching pain, or possibly back pain.

Painful menstruation affects many women. For a small number of women, the discomfort makes it difficult to perform normal household, job, or school-related activities for a few days during each menstrual cycle. Painful menstruation is the leading cause of lost time from school and work among women in their teens and 20s.
The pain may begin several days before, or just at the start of your period. It generally subsides as menstrual bleeding tapers off.
Although some pain during menstruation is normal, excessive pain is not. The medical term for excessively painful periods is dysmenorrhea.
There are two general types of dysmenorrhea:
Primary dysmenorrhea refers to menstrual pain that occurs in otherwise healthy women. This type of pain is not related to any specific problems with the uterus or other pelvic organs.
Secondary dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain that is attributed to some underlying disease or structural abnormality, either within or outside of the uterus.
Activity of the hormone prostaglandin, produced in the uterus, is thought to be a factor in primary dysmenorrhea. This hormone causes contraction of the uterus and levels tend to be much higher in women with severe menstrual pain than in women who experience mild or no menstrual pain.

Causes

Endometriosis
Fibroids
Intrauterine Device (IUD)
Ovarian cysts
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Sexually transmitted diseases
Stress and anxiety

Home Care

The following steps may allow you to avoid prescription medications:
Apply a heating pad to your lower abdomen (below your belly button). Be careful NOT to fall asleep with the heating pad on.
Do light circular massage with your fingertips around your lower abdomen.
Drink warm beverages.
Eat light but frequent meals.
Follow a diet rich in complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, but low in salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.
Keep your legs elevated while lying down, or lie on your side with your knees bent.
Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.
Try over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen.
Try vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium supplements, especially if your pain is from PMS.
Take warm showers or baths.
Walk or exercise regularly, including pelvic rocking exercises.

HOW TO GET FIT AND SMART AFTER DELIVERY

Life becomes a roller coaster ride after child birth. Thee mother’s weight shoot up and there is no physical exercise to control it. Nonetheless, following these rituals will help you get back into shape;

WALKING

Walking briskly for an hour every day will help you shed that flab fast and keep you healthy.

EXERCISE

Exercise tones your body and helps you retain your original shape. Tummy and butt exercise are the best bet

FOOD

A Whole some diet full of green vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, milk will keep you hale and hearty with adding pounds. Instead of eating two big meals a day, opt for 3-4 short bites. Avoid ghee rich diet.

Pregnancy Back Pain Remedies

Want some pregnancy back pain remedies? Apply these useful tips to avoid any painful and uncomfortable states during pregnancy.

Besides other unfortunate and often painful issues, pregnant women might also struggle with back pains. This problem doesn't spare them from aches and burns generated by hormonal changes and extra pounds. There are several methods to alleviate this problem however the most efficient ones proved to be mild physical exercises, massaging and other natural methods rather than medication. Here are some of the most popular remedies for pregnancy back pain.

Professionals already demonstrated that prenatal Yoga offers huge benefits for all kind of problems during pregnancy. Indeed it is widely known that these soothing exercises combined with breathing keep in shape and healthy the body and soul of mommies.

Those who would like to engage into a similar activity, should look for special courses and sessions designed for pregnant women. The yoga teacher will help you in finding the best activities that can help you in coping with severe back pains and other health problems. Moreover this workout will ease the natural delivery radically.

Posture has an essential role when it comes of dealing with back pain. Always take good care of adopting a good posture. It is vital to sit straight and use a stool for your feet, this way alleviating the actual pains.

Pull your shoulders slightly backwards and keep your head straight without bending forward. These are only simple instructions that can save your from serious pains. Follow them with attention and make yourself a good day reducing the chance for any back pains.

Resting is essential, your back might feel the pressure and start to ache if you avoid sleeping enough. Relaxation is highly recommended not only because of back pain but in general all throughout pregnancy. It is the perfect time to use your spare hours for some rest.

Massaging has great benefits especially when your back, neck and feet muscles are tired and exhausted. Ask either your partner or contact a professional masseur to pamper your body with some simple techniques. Prenatal massage is pretty popular nowadays, used as a remedy for all kinds of health issues without using any artificial help as medications. Learn more about the most simple massaging tricks that can relieve the daily pains.

Later you won't be able to enjoy the same freedom as before. The back pain can be best alleviated with tiny naps during the day. Let your muscles relax, this will do miracles both for your body and the baby.

Exercising in general is a great method to fight back pains. Water aerobic, swimming,walking and other stretching exercises might not only alleviate but also prevent the occurrence of different aches. Your doctor will help you in selecting the proper activities that are still beneficial both for your child and your body.