General Health Topics

The list below provides some examples of the articles available in the InsHeal Content Repository on general health topics. For further details and sample articles, please reach out to us at: insheal@insiwi.in.

Topic	Description
Allergic Rhinitis – Avoiding the Allergen	Avoiding the possible allergen such as dust mites, cockroaches and pollen could reduce the episodes of allergic rhinitis.
Allergic Rhinitis – Diagnosis	Allergic rhinitis is diagnosed by understanding patient symptoms, and doing a physical examination and tests such as skin prick test.
Allergy to Antibiotics	Allergic reactions to medications, especially antibiotics, are not uncommon. Alternative options are available for those who are allergic to a particular group of antibiotics.
Antibiotic Resistance in India – Time for Action	Antibiotic resistance could result in redundancy of some of the commonly used antibiotics, and create a deficit in the available treatments. Judicious use of antibiotics is the need of the hour.
Chronic insomnia	Insomnia is a sleep disorder associated with a difficulty in falling asleep and/or maintaining the sleep for the required duration. While sleep hygiene techniques may help some individuals with insomnia, others may need medications.
Companion diagnostic tests	Companion diagnostic tests detect an abnormality in a gene or a protein responsible for a cancer, and an associated treatment to specifically treat that abnormality is available.
Dengue	Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that could follow a mild course or progress to complications such as bleeding and a fall in blood pressure. The prevention of mosquito bites and early detection of the infection can prevent severe disease.
Drugs and Kidney Damage	Some medicines can have adverse effects on the kidney, and could even result in kidney failure. These should be avoided in individuals with pre-existing kidney disease.
Dry Eyes – Causes	Dry eyes may be a consequence of local conditions affecting the eyes or eyelids, generalized disorders, intake of certain medications or environmental conditions.
Dry Eyes – Non-pharmacological Treatments	Several tips such as reducing screen time and taking regular breaks from screens could help to improve dry eyes.
Dry Eyes – Symptoms and Risk Factors	Symptoms related to dry eyes include stinging, a foreign body sensation and intermittent tearing.
Dry Eyes – Tests	A careful eye examination with several tests are used to diagnose the probable cause of dry eyes.
Dry Eyes – Treatment	Several approaches are used to treat dry eyes such as artificial tears, moisture retaining goggles and the intake of essential fatty acids.
Effect on Reduced Sleep on health	Reduced sleep in terms of duration as well as rhythm can affect the physical and mental health. It also increases the risk of accidents.
First Aid for Snake Bite – Dos and Don’ts	The use of a tourniquet or cutting or sucking at a snake bite should not be encouraged. Instead, the limb should be immobilized and the victim should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.
Hemorrhagic Stroke – Risk Factors	Hypertension, cerebral amyloid angiopathy and clotting disorders are some of the factors that could increase the risk of developing a bleed in the brain.
Informed Consent	The informed consent form is a written document that indicates the willingness of a person to participate in a clinical trial after being informed about the relevant information related to the clinical trial.
Low back pain in Athletes	Excess stress on the back can result in low back pain in athletes. Core strengthening exercises can help to avoid the pain from developing.
Low vitamin D Levels – Causes and Effects	Inadequate exposure to sunlight and/or inadequate intake of vitamin D through the diet are common causes of vitamin D deficiency. The deficiency primarily affects bone health, though it may also have an impact on immunity.
Menopause	Menopause can be a difficult time for women with hot flushes, sleep disturbances and mood changes. Hormone therapy may be used in select women to alleviate symptoms.
Motion Sickness – Causes and Symptoms	Motion sickness refers to a group of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sweating, fatigue and lethargy. It arises from travel on land, sea or air and results from conflicts of sensory signals from the inner ears and the eyes to the brain.
Motion Sickness – Drug Therapy	Motion sickness can be prevented using drugs such as scopolamine and dimenhydrinate. These may be associated with sedation and other side effects and should therefore be used with caution.
Motion Sickness – Non-drug Treatments	Several methods such as a proper posture and breathing techniques while traveling could reduce the symptoms of motion sickness in select individuals. Over-the-counter medications including herbal preparations should be used only after consulting a physician to prevent side effects.
Neck pain – Risk Factors	Neck pain is due to physical factors affecting the bones and/or the muscles of the neck. It could also be associated with psychological factors such as stress or mental disorders such as bipolar disorder.
Nocturnal muscle cramps	Nocturnal cramps in the calf muscles are common, especially in the elderly. They may be associated with an underlying illness, though in several cases, the exact cause is not known.
Noise-induced Hearing Loss	Very loud noises affect the inner ear and lead to hearing loss. Therefore, exposure to loud noises should be minimized when possible.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)	NAFLD is a condition characterized by infiltration of fat in the liver followed by inflammation and fibrosis. With no drugs currently approved for its treatment, diet control and regular exercise with the aim of promoting weight loss constitute the mainstay of the treatment of NAFLD.
Nonspecific low back pain	Nonspecific low back pain refers to low back pain without any organic cause. Conditions that increase the risk include sedentary behavior, increased weight and cigarette smoking.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea	Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep. Weight loss and special appliances could help to overcome the breathing problems.
Omics technologies in Cancer Therapy	Omics technologies, which include genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and microbiomics, analyze data related to genes, transcripts, proteins, metabolites and microbial flora, thus contributing to a personalized approach to cancer treatment.
Parkinson’s Disease – Symptoms	Parkinson’s disease is a condition associated with symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, slowness of movement and problems with balance. Symptoms unrelated to the motor system such as depression and sleep disturbances may be present.
Personal health records	Personal health records, especially those related to current illnesses and routine medicines, as well as health insurance details should be available in person as well as with the immediate family or friends. These could be required in case of a medical emergency.
Post-stroke Rehabilitation	Early physical and psychological rehabilitation following a stroke can improve functions and therefore make the patient more independent.
Precision / Personalized Medicine	Precision medicine, also referred to as personalized medicine, moves away from the one-size-fits-all to a tailored approach to individualize treatment for complex diseases such as cancer.
Proton Pump Inhibitors	Proton pump inhibitors are drugs used to treat conditions of the digestive tract that are a consequence of stomach acidity. Though some conditions require the drugs to be used over prolonged periods, guidelines indicate that the drugs should be tapered in those who no longer require them.
Rhinitis – Medication Induced	Medications such as painkillers, antihypertensive drugs and intranasal decongestants could be responsible for continuous nasal symptoms.
Skin Prick Test	The skin prick test is a simple test that helps to pinpoint the cause of allergies. The result of the test can therefore help affected individuals to avoid the allergens and reduce the chances of a reaction.
Snake Bite – Symptoms and Prevention	Snake bites can be prevented through an adequate knowledge of the local snakes and their habitats, and avoiding them as far as possible.
Stroke – Diagnostic Tests	Imaging tests of the brain such as CT scan and MRI are used to diagnose a stroke along with a clinical examination and tests to detect the underlying cause of the stroke.
Stroke – Risk factors	The risk factors for stroke include hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and smoking.
Stroke – Warning Signs	An early recognition of the signs of a stroke by bystanders could contribute to early treatment, thereby reducing the permanent disability caused by the stroke.
Syncope and Presyncope	Syncope refers to a transient loss of consciousness over a short duration that is associated with a spontaneous complete recovery. Presyncope refers to the symptoms that the patient sometimes experiences before a syncopal attack.
Traumatic Bleeding – First Aid	Serious bleeding due to trauma should be stopped as soon as possible. Direct pressure on wounds on the torso or tourniquets, when available, the serious bleeds on the limbs can be used to stop the blood loss.
Tinnitus	Tinnitus is a symptom where a sound appears to be generated by the body, rather than by outside source. It could be due to simple conditions such as excessive wax in the ear to more serious conditions. In some cases, the cause is not known, and the patient can be taught to cope with the condition
Tumor board	A tumor board is a group of cancer specialists that meet either physically or virtually to discuss the treatment of a cancer based on its molecular profile.

Disclaimer: The content provided on this site is meant for informational purposes only and not intended to replace the relationship between the doctor and the patient. It should not be used for self-treatment by patients or by doctors to treat patients. Consult your doctor before using any of the above information.