How to treat sore throat naturally at home?

Here are home treatments to help relieve a sore throat:
•    Getting plenty of rest (either in or out of bed)
•    Taking ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin (in adults only) to relieve throat pain
•    Drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration
•    Gargling with warm salty water to ease throat pain
•    Drinking warm liquids (tea or broth) or cool liquids or eating gelatin desserts or flavored ices to soothe the throat
•    Using a cool mist vaporizer to relieve throat dryness
•    Using nonprescription throat lozenges or anesthetic throat sprays

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How do you treat a muscle spasm?

The treatment of muscle spasm includes rest balanced with gentle stretching, heat or cold, massage, and, in some cases, a pain reliever or muscle relaxant medication. Muscle cramps and spasm may be due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance (for example, after exercising in a hot environment) so rehydration and replacement of electrolytes can be effective. For persistent or severe muscle spasms, prompt medical evaluation is appropriate.

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Why is vitamin D so important?

The most clearly established benefit of vitamin D is that it helps the body absorb calcium and therefore promotes healthy bones. Insufficient vitamin D levels can happen if a person gets very little sun exposure or doesn’t consume enough food or fortified beverages. Low vitamin D intake can lead to Ricketts in children, soft bones (osteomalacia) at any age and osteoporosis with increased fracture risk in adults. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to other health problems, but they are not solely responsible for these problems. 

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What is the primary purpose of skin?

Skin is the largest organ in the body and is made up of three layers:  the epidermis (top layer), the dermis (middle layer), and the hypodermis (bottom fatty layer).  Skin has many functions, but the main purpose is to protect your body from outside threats like toxins, germs, UV light, trauma, and changes in temperature.  Nerves in your skin allow you to sense touch, pain, hot, and cold.  Your skin is also part of the body’s immune system and contains cells that help fight off infection, and it helps regulate your body temperature through its sweat glands.  Your skin also cushions muscles and bones from injury, like when you fall.  And here is a fun fact:  your skin continuously regenerates so that you have new skin every 1 to 2 months.

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What is creatine and how does it affect the body?

Popular protein supplements often have individual amino acids, such as creatine. Creatine is the one amino acid that may have some athletic benefit. It contributes to rapid energy production and may enhance power or speed bursts requiring short periods of anaerobic activity. It does not increase endurance. Creatine can result in water retention. If used in recommended doses, it has a good safety record. But long term effects of regular use are still unknown.

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How is a detached retina treated?

Several techniques are available to repair retinal tears and to eliminate the area of separation behind the detached retina. Some options include (in some cases more than one of the options listed below may be combined):

• Pneumatic retinopexy — A bubble of special gas is injected near the area of retinal detachment to press the retina back into place.

• Scleral buckling — This procedure is designed to put gentle pressure on the white part of the eye, which helps the retina reattach.

• Vitrectomy — Part of the vitreous fluid is removed near the detachment and then replaced with sterile saline (a salt solution) or some other fluid.

• Cryotherapy — The retinal tear is sealed with a freezing probe.

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Can retinal detachment cure on its own?

If the retina separates from the deeper layers of the eyeball that normally support and nourish it, the retina is said to be detached. Without this nourishment and support, the retina does not function properly, and this can cause a variety of visual symptoms. A retinal detachment needs immediate evaluation and almost always doctors recommend a surgical procedure to repair the separated layers in the back of the eye. Untreated, there is significant risk of vision loss.

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Is there a diet for rheumatoid arthritis?

There is no specific diet known to reliably improve rheumatoid arthritis.

However, preliminary studies suggest that an “anti-inflammatory diet” (such as the Mediterranean Diet) might be helpful. This diet includes:

• fruits and vegetables

• foods with high fiber and whole grains

• beans, lentils, nuts and seeds

• fish, poultry

• olive oil

Anti-inflammatory diets typically discourage consumption of:

• highly processed foods such as prepackaged chicken nuggets, hot dogs, processed and cured meats, instant soups, and many baked goods

• foods or drinks with sweeteners, such as candy, sodas, juices, cookies

• white bread, cereals

• white pasta, white rice or foods made with refined flour

While this is an active area of research, there is no current evidence suggesting that diet alone can replace medications in controlling rheumatoid arthritis.

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Does the presence of fluid in a brain tumor indicate it is cancer?

An abnormal spot on brain imaging such as a brain CT scan or MRI can show a rim of fluid surrounding it. That doesn’t necessarily mean it is a cancer. There are other causes such as an infection or bleeding within the brain. If the image suggests the spot is actually filled with fluid, then it is more likely a brain cyst, but sometimes it can still be cancerous.

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Do I have to get chemo for stage zero breast cancer?

Stage 0 breast cancer indicates that a patient has ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) where the cancer has not grown outside the milk ducts of the breast. If not treated, however, DCIS can progress to invasive cancer. Treatment depends on the size of the area involved, the hormone receptor status of the cancer, and the health of the patient. Many women can be successfully treated with surgery sometimes followed by radiation. Chemotherapy is generally not necessary in patients with DCIS, although hormonal therapy may be recommended to prevent recurrence.

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