Indigestion, or dyspepsia, describes the discomfort or pain felt in the chest or upper abdomen area normally soon after eating a meal. It sometimes describes the burning sensation felt in the chest, otherwise known as heartburn.

Indigestion normally occurs when the acid found in the stomach starts to flow back up the oesophagus (this is the pipe that attaches the mouth with the stomach). Although normally occurring after eating a meal, it can happen at any time. Symptoms of indigestion include discomfort, pain or a feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen or chest area; loss of appetite; heartburn; nausea; and burping or flatulence.

Occurrences of indigestion can be triggered by smoking; excessive alcohol use; anxiety or stress; some medicines; some foods; or not eating regularly which leads to a buildup of excess acid in the stomach.

Individuals can reduce the symptoms of indigestion by doing some of the following: stopping smoking; cutting down on coffee, tea, alcohol and fatty foods; eating three hours or more before going to bed; stop overeating or eating too fast; and reducing stress.

Antacid medication is an over-the-counter treatment that is effective at relieving symptoms of indigestion. These help neutralize excess acid in the stomach and usually contain aluminum or magnesium. Others contain an ingredient known as alginate which acts by forming a barrier of sorts that floats at the top of the stomach, therefore preventing reflux.

Swine flu is a disease that affects pigs and is a highly contagious type of respiratory disease caused by a version of the influenza A virus. Typically, swine flu is of the subtype designated as H1N1, and this is also the subtype that is currently affecting humans.

H1N1 Swine Flu Virus

Although swine flu normally affects pigs, it can sometimes jump to a different species, which is what has happened with humans. Symptoms of swine flu are, on the whole, very similar to normal seasonal influenza outbreaks in humans and can range between no symptoms at all or very mild symptoms, to severe and even fatal pneumonia. Because these symptoms are similar to the normal flu symptoms, swine flu is almost impossible to distinguish from normal flu, unless specifically looked for by a doctor.

Humans can catch swine flu either by contact with pigs that are infected, which is the most common way, and contact with humans that are infected, which is less common. For human to human infection to occur, very close contact needs to occur between the two parties.

Swine Flu Symptoms

The symptoms of swine flu in humans is very similar to normal influenza symptoms, as mentioned above, and these can be aches, chills, coughing, diarrhea, headache, sore throat, fever, fatigue and vomiting. Most previous cases of swine flu in humans has cleared up without any medical assistance, but there are a couple of drugs that are successful in treating the condition – adamantanes and inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase.

Nearly everybody alive goes through a state of feeling sad, or what we normally call depressed, but this usually goes away after a time. Individuals that happen to have a depressive disorder, or what we know as clinical depression, tend to find that this interferes with their daily lives and routines.

Depression in Men

To give depression an official description, the MediLexicon’s Medical Dictionary states that: depression is “a mental state or chronic mental disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, loneliness, despair, low self-esteem, and self-reproach; accompanying signs include psychomotor retardation (or less frequently agitation), withdrawal from social contact, and vegetative states such as loss of appetite and insomnia.”

Depression in Women

There are many types of depressive disorders and these include dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, psychotic depression, postpartum depression (which is normally referred to as postnatal depression), SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and bipolar disorder.

The symptoms and signs of depression are not clear-cut at all. Some symptoms that may be experienced by some individuals may not be had by others. Also, the severity of the illness all depends on the individual concerned and the type of depression they may have. Nevertheless, common symptoms experienced by sufferers of depression include the feeling of pessimism, sadness or anxiety; feelings of hopelessness, restlessness and irritability; loss of interest in pursuits, activities and sex, among other things; fatigue, loss of concentration and disturbed sleep; aches and pains, change of eating habits and sometimes even suicidal thoughts.

Depression and Heart Diseases