Muscle aches (myalgia) are extremely common. Almost everyone has experienced discomfort in their muscles at some point.
Because there’s muscle tissue in nearly all parts of the body, this type of pain can be felt practically anywhere. However, there’s no single cause for muscle aches and pains.
Often, people who experience muscle aches can easily pinpoint the cause. This is because most instances of myalgia result from too much stress, tension, or physical activity. Some common causes include:
Muscle aches aren’t always harmless, and in some instances, home treatment isn’t enough to address the underlying cause. Myalgia can also be a sign that something is seriously wrong in your body.
You should see your doctor for:
pain that doesn’t go away after a few days of home treatment
severe muscle pain that arises without a clear cause
The following can be a sign of a medical emergency. Get to the hospital as soon as possible if you experience any of the following along with aching muscles:
a sudden onset of water retention or a reduction in urine volume
Occasional muscle aches and pains are normal, especially if you’re active or are new to exercise.
Listen to your body and stop doing an activity if your muscles start hurting. Ease into new activities to avoid muscle injuries.
Your sore muscles might be due to something other than tension and physical activity. In this case, your doctor will be the best person to advise you on how to fully resolve your muscle pain. The first priority will be to treat the primary condition.
As a rule of thumb, you should see your doctor if your muscle pain doesn’t resolve after a few days’ worth of homecare and rest.
Researchers haven't unraveled the mystery of just how testosterone increases libido. It's normal for men's sex drive to slowly decline from its peak in their teens and 20s, but libido varies widely between men. What one man might consider a low sex drive, another might not. Also, sex drive changes within each man over time and is affected by stress, sleep, and opportunities for sex. For these reasons, defining a "normal" sex drive is next to impossible. Usually, the men themselves identify a lack of sex drive as a problem. Other times, their partner may consider it to be an issue.
Low testosterone symptoms don't always include feeling like you have no sex drive. Some men maintain sexual desire at relatively low testosterone levels. For other men, libido may lag even with normal testosterone levels. Low testosterone is one of the possible causes of low libido, however. If testosterone is lowered far enough, virtually all men will experience some decline in sex drive.
In a large study of men in Massachusetts, about 11% overall said they had a lack of sex drive. The researchers then tested all the men's testosterone levels. About 28% of men with low testosterone had low libido. These men were relatively young, with an average age of 47; older men might have worse sexual symptoms.
Surprisingly, low testosterone by itself rarely causes erectile dysfunction, or ED. Low testosterone alone -- with no other health problems -- accounts for a small minority of men with erectile dysfunction.
Erection problems are usually caused by atherosclerosis -- hardening of the arteries. If damaged, the tiny blood vessels supplying the penis can no longer dilate to bring in the strong flow needed for a firm erection. Diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, and high cholesterol are the three main causes of atherosclerosis and erectile dysfunction.
At the same time, low testosterone is a frequent accomplice to atherosclerosis in creating erectile dysfunction. In studies, as many as one in three men mentioning ED to their doctor have low testosterone. Experts believe that in men with other factors causing erectile dysfunction, low testosterone can strongly contribute, making a difficult situation even worse.
Strengthening the connection, low testosterone is linked in some way with many of the conditions that lead to erectile dysfunction:
11 Effective Home Remedies And Tips To Control Hair Fall
Hair loss and thinning are becoming increasingly common in a majority of people out there. Blame it on the genes or the continuous trauma we have been putting our hair through (styling, coloring, and so much more), hair loss is on the rise. How do you treat this problem from the root? Are medications safe, or should you try out natural alternatives? Keep reading to find out.
When your hair falls excessively from your scalp, it can cause baldness. While hair loss mainly affects the scalp in many people, it may also affect the entire body for a few people.
Factors that could be held responsible for triggering hair loss are:
A family history of hair loss that is commonly referred to as male-pattern or female-pattern baldness
Hormonal changes due to childbirth, pregnancy, thyroid problems, and menopause
Medical conditions like alopecia areata, ringworm, and hair pulling disorder
Medications used to treat cancer, arthritis, heart problems, high blood pressure, and gout
Radiation therapy
Certain hairstyles that include tying your hair too tight
Heat styling that includes permanent straightening, blow drying, and curling
Lack of proper nutrition
Some factors may also increase your risk of losing hair. They are:
These symptoms may vary from one individual to another, depending on the underlying cause. It is best to see your doctor immediately if you notice any of the above symptoms.
Medications like minoxidil (Rogaine) that is approved for both men and women, finasteride (Propecia) for men, and other drugs like spironolactone and oral contraceptives for women.
Hair transplant surgery or restoration surgery that includes taking skin patches with multiple hair follicles and implanting them onto bald patches.
Laser therapy to improve hair density.
While these treatments may help you deal with hair loss, there is a high chance of recurrence if the cause is hereditary. Also, most of the medications used to treat hair loss come with side effects like reduced libido, scalp irritation, and an increased risk of prostate cancer in men. The other treatment methods like hair transplant surgery and laser therapy may be heavy on your pocket and may have side effects like scarring.
Hence, instead of investing your time and money in such treatments, if you have mild hair fall, it is better to opt for natural alternatives that are completely safe for your scalp and skin. Listed below are some excellent home remedies that are proven to help with hair fall.
Deficiencies in vitamins H, D, and E are associated with hair loss. Restoring such deficiencies by supplementing these vitamins may help restore hair growth (1). However, remember that over supplementation of these vitamins, as well as vitamin A, can cause severe side effects like alopecia.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil can penetrate deep into your hair shafts and prevent protein loss. This helps reduce hair damage and breakage often caused by physical trauma like styling and use of harsh products (2).
You Will Need
1-2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil
What You Have To Do
Massage virgin coconut oil gently into your scalp and hair.
Leave it on for at least an hour before rinsing it off with a mild cleanser.
Amla (Emblica officinalis) possesses hair growth promoting activity. It has a proliferative effect on the dermal papilla cells in the hair follicles (3).
You Will Need
Fresh amla juice (as required)
What You Have To Do
Apply fresh amla juice to your scalp. Leave it on for 30 minutes.
Rinse it off using a mild cleanser.
Follow up with a conditioner.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this 1-2 times a week.
4. Yogurt
Yogurt is a rich source of probiotics, which are known to lead to an acidic pH. An acidic pH can alter your hair cuticles, giving you a shinier mane and preventing damage that may trigger hair breakage and loss (4).
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum) possesses hair growth promoting properties. It not only reduces hair loss significantly but also stimulates new hair growth (5).
You Will Need
½ cup of fenugreek seeds
Water
What You Have To Do
Soak half a cup of fenugreek seeds in water overnight.
Grind the soaked paste and apply it as a hair mask.
Leave it on for 30-60 minutes and rinse it off with water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once a week.
6. Onion Juice
According to a study published in the Journal of Dermatology, the topical application of crude onion juice to the scalp can aid hair regrowth, especially in cases of alopecia areata (6).
You Will Need
½ onion
What You Have To Do
Blend the onion and strain the mixture to obtain the juice.
Apply the juice to your scalp and leave it on for 30-60 minutes.
Rinse it off with water.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this 1-2 times a week.
7. Chinese Hibiscus
The leaves and flowers of Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) show hair growth promoting activities and can be used to deal with hair loss (7).
You Will Need
1-2 hibiscus flowers
5-6 hibiscus leaves
Coconut oil (as required)
What You Have To Do
Blend the hibiscus flowers and leaves.
Add a little coconut oil to this mixture.
Apply it to your scalp and spread some to your hair.
Leave it on for 30-60 minutes.
Rinse it off with a mild shampoo and condition your hair.
Green tea contains a polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG stimulates the growth of the dermal papilla cells of the scalp and can help in the prevention as well as treatment of androgenetic alopecia (8).
The water-soluble peptides in egg yolk possess hair growth stimulating properties that may be useful to treat hair loss (9).
You Will Need
1 egg yolk
What You Have To Do
Whisk the egg yolk.
Apply it to your scalp and leave it on for at least 30 minutes.
Rinse it off using a fragrant shampoo and follow up with a conditioner.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once a week.
10. Henna
Henna can help with hair regrowth when applied topically. It works almost as well as minoxidil (a drug used to treat hair loss) in treating hair fall caused by telogen effluvium (10).
You Will Need
1 cup of henna leaves
Water (as required)
What You Have To Do
Blend the henna leaves with water to form a thick paste.
Apply the paste to your scalp and spread the remaining mixture through the length of your hair. Leave it on for an hour.
Rinse it off with water.
You may use any organic henna powder if fresh leaves aren’t available.
How Often You Should Do This
You may do this once in a week.
11. Curry Leaves
Curry leaves help in retaining the natural pigmentation of your hair while also stimulating hair growth (11).
You Will Need
A handful of curry leaves
½ cup of coconut oil
What You Have To Do
Add a handful of curry leaves to half a cup of coconut oil and heat it in a saucepan.
Once the mixture reduces to a black residue, switch off the stove and allow the oil to cool.
Strain the oil to remove the leaves from the mixture.
Apply the oil to your scalp and spread it through your hair. Leave it on for 30-60 minutes.
All these remedies can help reduce hair fall and may also reverse it if you follow them diligently. Remember, these remedies will take time to show results, so patience and consistency are key. In addition to the above remedies, here are some tips that may help prevent hair fall and damage.
Handle your hair gently while combing and washing.
Avoid using harsh treatments on your hair like curling irons, hot oil treatments, or hot rollers.
Stop taking medications or supplements that could be contributing to hair fall.
Protect your hair from the damaging sun rays by using hats and scarves when you step out.
Quit smoking.
Ask your doctor for a cooling cap if you are undergoing chemotherapy.
If you want luscious locks, you need to invest in a good hair care regimen. Treating your hair with care from a young age can help prevent hair loss and thinning that occurs due to damage. If you are experiencing hair loss due to hereditary or other underlying factors, it is best to consult with a doctor and use the remedies and tips listed here to assist ongoing medical treatments.
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