The common cold can be described as an infection of the higher reaches of the respiratory tract, or in other words the throat, the nasal passages and the nose. It is interesting to note that there are over two hundred different virus’ that can presently cause the common cold, but the main culprit in adults is the rhinoviruses, of which there are a hundred different strains and are classified as nose virus’.

When an individual becomes affected by a cold, the symptoms usually show up around two days later and these include a sore throat, a runny nose and sneezing. Later symptoms can consist of watery eyes, headache, muscle aches, stuffed nose, and a general feeling of being unwell. The symptoms of a cold can last anywhere from two to seven days but in some cases may even last up to two weeks.

Common Cold

People who have a common cold may find that is accompanied by bronchitis, laryngitis, an ear infection or with those who suffer from asthma, a worsening of the condition. Common cold infections are so prevalent that it is estimated that an adult will suffer between two and five colds each year. Because of this, the condition is the leading cause of people missing work days through illness.

Contrary to belief, colds are actually not very contagious when compared to other infections. Prolonged and close contact is required for the virus to spread and it must get into the nose for there to be infection.

Hair loss is a problem that many people suffer from. There are different types of hair loss affecting both men and women. Whoever suffers from it, whether male or female, hair loss can lead to many issues with self-esteem and confidence. The main types of hair loss suffered by individuals are detailed below.
Male-pattern baldness is the commonest form of hair loss in human beings and is called androgenic alopecia. Although the term androgenic loosely means “of man genus”, the condition can actually affect women as well as men.

Hair Loss Patterns

The next type of hair loss is alopecia areata and this form involves bold patches that tend to come and go sporadically. One in every hundred people is affected by this, with the main group being young people and teenagers. One in every five cases can be attributed to hereditary reasons.

A problem with the immune system is thought to be the main contributor to alopecia areata and there is no effective treatment available for the condition. In most of the cases though, the hair will grow back within a year. One in every five persons affected with the condition go on to develop hair loss in a more severe form, such as alopecia totalis (no hair on the scalp) or alopecia universalis (lack of hair on the body as well as scalp).

Telogen effluvium is another form of alopecia hair loss which is quite common, and the condition can be described as extensive thinning of the hair rather than having specific bald patches. The hair loss in this condition is usually down to stress or a reaction to medication.

Kidney stones are described as stone-like lumps which can form in either one, or both kidneys. They are quite common, but to understand what they are, we have to discuss the function of the kidneys.

First of all, the kidneys are approximately four inches long and are shaped like a bean. There are two of them in the body and they are located near the back of the abdomen area, one on each side of the spine. The job of a kidney is to remove waste products from our blood and then pass this waste into the bladder along with excess fluids to be disposed of in the urine.

Kidney stones can be categorized into four main types. Calcium stones which are made up of calcium and phosphate or oxalate; struvite stones which are made of ammonia and magnesium (these ones can often be quite large); uric acid stones (the smallest and softest type of kidney stone); and cystine stones which are normally yellowish in color and look like crystals as opposed to stones. All kidney stones can come in different shapes, colors and sizes – from the size of a grain of sand to (in some extreme cases) the size of a golf ball.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are formed when the waste products collected by the kidney do not dissolve properly in the fluid that will make up the urine, which then forms little crystal-like substances that can accumulate in the kidney. Over time these can form a hard lump that looks like a stone – the kidney stone.

When kidney stones are formed, they will very often try to leave the body via the urinary system, which can create problems, especially if they become blocked.