Spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic condition that usually occurs in children. It leads to the muscles becoming weaker and smaller and is primarily caused due to the lack of communication between the brains and the nerves responsible for movement. Thus, it may affect the child’s ability to perform normal functions like walking, crawling, and controlling simple head movements. Let us understand the stages and symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy. Stages The stages are divided into types and will depend on the age at which the symptoms begin. To understand the stages and symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy, it is important to know the types of the condition. 1. Type 0 This is the most severe form of SMA or spinal muscular atrophy, and the rarest of all. The development of SMA takes place during pregnancy. If this type of the condition exists, babies will show less movement in the womb itself. Moreover, they are born with certain problems concerning the joints and have weak muscle tone. Their muscles for breathing are also weak and due to this, they often do not survive. This type of SMA affects babies who are born with the disease to those who are six months old.

Almost nothing can match the discomfort of having a sore throat and a stuffy nose. And it becomes unbearable (even miserable) when it becomes difficult for you to taste your favorite food. But even if you don’t feel like eating, your body needs strength to fight the illness. To combat the symptoms, you should opt for foods with high antibacterial properties. Here’s a list of natural foods you can choose for soothing cold and flu symptoms. 1. Coconut water It is much more important than usual to stay hydrated when you’re down with the flu or a cold. Hydration is particularly important if you have symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or profuse sweating, as these can lead to a loss of electrolytes and water. Coconut water is the perfect beverage you can sip on while you are unwell. Apart from being flavorful and refreshing, it has the required electrolytes and glucose and helps rehydrate your body. 2. Hot tea Consuming hot black tea, oolong tea, green tea, or any other tea for that matter, can be incredibly helpful. You can also inhale steam to get relief from a stuffy and runny nose. To relieve a sore throat, you can add a bit of lemon juice and a spoonful of honey to your cup of tea.

Eating nutritious food and making healthy lifestyle choices are extremely important steps for people with bleeding disorders. Hemophilia cannot be cured, but there are several ways to manage the symptoms and prevent excessive bleeding. Simple lifestyle changes can go a long way in keeping an individual healthy and preventing episodes of excessive bleeding. Here are a few effective lifestyle tips for hemophilia patients. 1. Exercise regularly Regular workout sessions help hemophilia patients maintain healthy body weight and improve muscle strength. At the same time, one must avoid taking up sports that can cause injury and lead to bleeding. They should also refrain from participating in contact sports. Instead, one can consider low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, and cycling. 2. Avoid the use of certain medicines Some medications like heparin and warfarin cause blood thinning. These should be avoided in any case, along with other blood-thinning OTC medications like aspirin and ibuprofen. If one is experiencing persistent pain, they can rely on natural pain relief methods or request their doctor to recommend safe medications. 3. Practice regular and proper dental hygiene One must clean their teeth and gums regularly to prevent any issues that can cause excessive gum bleeding. One can also work with their dentist to incorporate safe dental practices and keep their teeth and gums in good shape.

Frequent episodes of acid reflux, more commonly known as heartburn, can be more severe than just regular acidity. The esophagus is responsible for stomach acid, which can flow into your stomach, causing a burning sensation. The backward flow of the acid back to the esophagus is what you call gastroesophageal reflux. This condition needs to be treated before it aggravates. Here are some of the lifestyle tips for managing GERD. 1. Weight loss You can improve your chances of managing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by investing your time in exercise and physical movement of the body. Obesity is a well-known cause of GERD. The pressure on your abdomen is increased by the extra stomach fat. Keeping yourself regularly fit with regular exercise and consumption of healthy foods will reduce your chances of developing GERD. 2. A good diet plan Keep a check on your diet plan to get rid of GERD. You should visit a dietician who can provide you with a strict diet plan that will help your body recover and improve your digestive functions. If you want to negate the risk of GERD, you should avoid spicy foods, fatty foods, mint, onions, and chocolates. Avoid acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus as well.

There are many forms of contraceptives readily available to prevent pregnancy. However, they all follow different methods and may or may not use hormones in the process. Plus, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to contraception. When we talk about effective methods of contraception, it means maximum prevention of pregnancy. Read on to know about the most effective forms of contraception out there. 1. Vasectomy If you’re looking for a permanent solution, vasectomy should be a great option to consider. This form of contraception involves men going under surgery to seal the vasa deferentia to prevent the sperm from entering the urethra. This allows men to have an orgasm and ejaculate, but they cannot impregnate a woman. However, there are chances for the tubes to rejoin. And in that case, this form of birth control method can be reversed. 2. Oral contraceptives A contraceptive pill is the most effective form of contraception if taken regularly. These pills manipulate the hormones with the release of estrogen and progesterone or just progesterone. If used correctly and is taken diligently every day at the same time, it can be as effective as 99.7%. It is one of the most common methods of birth control.