Top 10 Questions on Health

Individuals Rely on Dr. Google More than the Real Doctor!

Google search is the one-stop solution for all our queries and doubts. We search for anything we feel like knowing about on the Google search engine and get instant replies. Anytime have you ever thought what other people are thinking about? Given here are a list of ten such things that are most commonly queried by people across the world in the ‘health’ category:
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Why do we get hiccups?
Though age-old, hiccups remains on the top 10 list until now as their cause is still unknown, yet the phenomenon is universal. Just like how we don’t know about why hiccups occurs, we don’t know the reason for why it stops too! Too much alcohol, overfull stomach, smoking, stress, excitement and other such emotions too trigger hiccups. It might be the side effect of a disease such as thyroid enlargement, neck tumor or kidney failure. 

Snoring is Scaring!

How do you prevent snoring in an individual?
This is a question mostly googled by the person lying down besides the snorer but not from the one who snores. Practical recommendations to deal with snoring include:

• Losing weight (if needed) and maintaining a healthy weight
• Restrict alcohol consumption
• Keep your head level raised or sleep on your side
• Try to have a clear nose as nasal congestion automatically leads to snoring
• Make use of an antisnoring device recommended by your doctor or dentist
  
  

​What causes kidney stones?
Although not treated as a serious disease as it is common and not life-threatening, it is said to cause more pain than any other disease. Hence, a person who once suffers from this is bound to ensure that he/she never gets it in his/her lifetime. Common causes and risk factors include:

• Kidney stones can be genetic (it runs in the families)
• Diseases such as obesity, gout and high blood pressure can induce kidney stones
• Presence of excess sodium or absence of enough water intake
• Improper calcium processing by the human system due to some kidney disease
• Certain medications
• Urinary tract infection
  
  

I always feel tired! What is the reason for it?
‘Tired’ is a feeling experienced by all and this is a tricky question as it can mean anything from fatigue, sleepiness and decreased energy levels to weakness and lack of passion to get things done. Sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, certain medication side effects, anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart failure, infections, hypothyroidism, liver disease or a rheumatological condition are often-blamed reasons for tiredness.

How long does a flu lasts?
A normal influenza infection lasts about 5 days and symptoms last beyond a week or more.

What is the normal blood pressure reading?
120/80 is normal blood pressure and until late 2017, 140/90 or higher was said to be high blood pressure. Anything between them was said to be fairly on the higher side but not good enough to be categorized as high. In Nov 2017, the American Heart Association revised guidelines to include 130/80 or higher to be indicative of hypertension.

What are the healthy ways by which I can lower cholesterol levels?
This question is searched commonly but the suggestions are rarely followed. Ways to lower cholesterol levels include:

• Losing excess weight
• Doing physical activity daily
• Avoiding high-fat foods such as red meat, cheese and fried foods
• Leading a healthy lifestyle
  
  

What are the reasons for high blood pressure?
With the new BP guidelines, almost 50% of the world’s population might be diagnosed with high BP. While there exists no specific cause for high BP, the risk factors are many such as excess weight, dietary factor such as eating excess sodium or increased alcohol consumption, inactive lifestyle choices, sleep apnea, some medications, kidney and vascular disease, family history, age and ethnicity. Please visit the website www.firsteatright.com to get in touch with a reputed nutritionist/dietitian to lose weight in a healthy way and maintain normal blood pressure levels.
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What is ADHD?
ADHD is the acronym for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and people with ADHD find it difficult to concentrate, focus or sit in one place for a long time. All these factors make their school lives miserable, they become unfit to maintain social relationships and lack decision-making skills.

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Skin Inflammation is a Common Side Effect

​What is lupus?
Lupus is a general term for a number of conditions but usually indicates ‘systemic lupus erythematosus’ in which the individual’s immune system reacts against tissues in the body. This leads to inflammation in the skin, joints, heart, lungs, kidneys, brain and other parts of the body. There is no definite cause behind this and treatment involves suppressing the immune system.

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