Gout can affect any joint in the body, but it most commonly affects the big toe, ankle, knee, and wrist.

Causes of Gout

There are several factors that can contribute to the development of gout, including:

1. Diet: A diet that is high in purines can increase the levels of uric acid in the blood, leading to the formation of crystals in the joints. Foods that are high in purines include red meat, organ meats, seafood, and some types of vegetables such as asparagus, mushrooms, and spinach.
2. Genetics: Some people may be genetically predisposed to the development of gout, particularly if there is a family history of the condition.
3. Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure, kidney disease, and diabetes can increase the risk of developing gout.
4. Medications: Certain medications such as diuretics, aspirin, and some chemotherapy drugs can increase the levels of uric acid in the blood and contribute to the development of gout.

Symptoms of Gout

The symptoms of gout can vary in severity and can occur suddenly. The most common symptoms of gout include:

1. Intense pain: The pain associated with gout is often described as sharp and intense, and can be so severe that even the weight of a bedsheet can cause discomfort.
2. Redness and swelling: The affected joint may become red, swollen, and warm to the touch, which can be a sign of inflammation.
3. Tenderness: The joint may be extremely tender and sensitive to the touch, which can make it difficult to move or put weight on the affected area.
4. Limited range of motion: As the pain and swelling worsen, the affected joint may become stiff and difficult to move, which can limit mobility.

Treatment of Gout

The treatment of gout depends on the severity of the symptoms and the underlying cause of the condition. Treatment options may include:

1. Medications: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help to reduce pain and inflammation in the affected joint. Corticosteroids may also be prescribed to reduce inflammation and pain.
2. Colchicine: This medication is specifically used to treat gout and can help to reduce pain and inflammation.
3. Lifestyle changes: Making dietary changes, losing weight, and reducing alcohol intake can all help to reduce the risk of developing gout and manage symptoms.
4. Joint aspiration: In severe cases, a doctor may need to remove fluid from the affected joint to reduce pain and inflammation.

Prevention of Gout

There are several steps that can be taken to prevent the development of gout, including:

1. Eating a healthy diet: A diet that is low in purines and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help to reduce the risk of developing gout.
2. Maintaining a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of developing gout, so maintaining a healthy weight is important.
3. Drinking plenty of water: Drinking enough water can help to flush out excess uric acid from the body and prevent the formation of crystals in the joints.
4. Limiting alcohol consumption: Alcohol can increase the levels of uric acid in the blood, so limiting consumption is important.

It is also important to seek medical attention if you experience symptoms of gout, as prompt treatment can help to manage symptoms and prevent complications. In some cases, gout can lead to the development of kidney stones or joint damage, which can be prevented with early intervention and proper management.

Complications of Gout

If left untreated, gout can lead to a number of complications, including:

1. Kidney stones: The buildup of uric acid in the body can lead to the formation of kidney stones, which can be painful and require medical intervention.
2. Tophi: These are small, hard lumps that can form under the skin near the affected joint. Tophi are caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals and can cause pain and deformity if left untreated.
3. Joint damage: If gout is left untreated, it can cause damage to the affected joint, which can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility.

Conclusion

Gout is a common type of arthritis that is caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints. The condition can be managed with medication, lifestyle changes, and prompt medical attention.

Eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol consumption can all help to reduce the risk of developing gout and prevent complications.

If you experience symptoms of gout, it is important to seek medical attention to prevent further damage and manage symptoms effectively.

Asthma can be a life-threatening condition if left untreated, and it affects people of all ages, genders, and races. So, let’s discover more about this medical condition like its causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Causes of Asthma

Asthma is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. People who have a family history of asthma are more likely to develop the condition. However, not everyone with a family history of asthma will develop the condition. Exposure to certain environmental factors can also trigger asthma symptoms.

Some of the common triggers include:

• Air pollution: Air pollution can irritate the airways and trigger asthma symptoms. Polluted air can contain particles that can trigger asthma attacks, such as dust, smoke, and chemical fumes.
• Dust mites: Dust mites are tiny creatures that live in dust. They can trigger asthma symptoms by causing an allergic reaction in some people.
• Pet dander: Pet dander is tiny flakes of skin shed by animals such as cats and dogs. It can trigger asthma symptoms in some people who are allergic to it.
• Mold: Mold is a type of fungus that can grow in damp areas of the home, such as bathrooms and kitchens. It can trigger asthma symptoms in some people who are allergic to it.
• Pollen: Pollen is a common trigger for asthma symptoms, particularly during the spring and summer months. It can be released by trees, grasses, and flowers.
• Smoke: Smoke from cigarettes and other sources can irritate the airways and trigger asthma symptoms.
• Cold air: Cold air can cause the airways to narrow, making it difficult to breathe.
• Exercise: Exercise-induced asthma is a type of asthma that is triggered by physical activity.

Symptoms of Asthma

The symptoms of asthma can vary from person to person, and they can range from mild to severe. Some of the common symptoms of asthma include:

• Wheezing: Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound that occurs when air is forced through narrowed airways.
• Shortness of breath: Shortness of breath is a feeling of not getting enough air, and it can be a sign of a serious asthma attack.
• Chest tightness: Chest tightness is a feeling of pressure or tightness in the chest.
• Coughing: Coughing is a common symptom of asthma, and it can be worse at night or early in the morning.
• Rapid breathing: Rapid breathing is a sign that the body is struggling to get enough oxygen, and it can be a sign of a serious asthma attack.

These symptoms can occur at any time, but they are more likely to occur at night or early in the morning. They can also be triggered by certain activities, such as exercise or exposure to allergens.

Diagnosis of Asthma

To diagnose asthma, your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may also perform lung function tests to measure how much air you can breathe in and out. These tests can help your doctor determine the severity of your asthma and develop a treatment plan.

Treatment of Asthma

The treatment of asthma depends on the severity of the condition. In general, there are two types of asthma medications:

• Quick-relief medications: These medications are used to provide immediate relief from asthma symptoms. They include bronchodilators, which help to relax the muscles in the airways and improve breathing. These are short-acting medications and are usually used on an as-needed basis.
• Long-term control medications: These medications are used to manage asthma symptoms over time. They include inhaled corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation in the airways and prevent asthma attacks. These medications are usually taken daily, even when symptoms are not present.

In addition to medication, there are several other steps you can take to manage your asthma:

• Identify and avoid triggers: Work with your doctor to identify the triggers that can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Once you have identified your triggers, take steps to avoid them as much as possible.
• Use a peak flow meter: A peak flow meter is a simple device that measures how well air moves out of your lungs. Using a peak flow meter regularly can help you monitor your asthma and determine when your symptoms are getting worse.
• Create an asthma action plan: An asthma action plan is a written plan that outlines the steps you should take if your asthma symptoms worsen. It should include information on your medications, your triggers, and emergency contact information.

In severe cases of asthma, hospitalization may be necessary. In the hospital, you may receive oxygen therapy and medications to help relieve your symptoms.

Prevention of Asthma

While there is no sure way to prevent asthma, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing the condition. These include:

• Avoiding smoking: If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Maintaining a healthy weight: Being overweight can increase your risk of developing asthma.
• Avoiding exposure to allergens: Work with your doctor to identify and avoid the allergens that can trigger your asthma symptoms.
• Managing stress: Stress can trigger asthma symptoms in some people. Find ways to manage stress, such as through exercise, meditation, or counseling.

Conclusion

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and it can be triggered by exposure to certain allergens and irritants.

The symptoms of asthma can vary from person to person, but they can be managed with medications and other steps to control triggers. If you are experiencing symptoms of asthma, it is important to seek medical attention to receive a proper diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan.

With proper management, people with asthma can lead full and active lives.

In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about diabetes, including its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

Causes of Diabetes

As mentioned, diabetes can occur due to various reasons, but the most common cause is the inability of the body to produce enough insulin or properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps to regulate blood sugar levels. When we eat, our body breaks down the food into glucose, which enters our bloodstream. Insulin then helps our body to absorb the glucose from the blood and use it for energy.

In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, resulting in a lack of insulin production. The exact cause of this autoimmune disorder is still unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. One of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes is obesity. Excess body fat makes it harder for the body to use insulin properly, which can lead to high blood sugar levels. Physical inactivity and unhealthy eating habits can also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that affects pregnant women. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause insulin resistance, which can lead to high blood sugar levels. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, but it can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Symptoms of Diabetes

The symptoms of diabetes can vary depending on the type of diabetes and the severity of the condition. However, there are some common symptoms that people with diabetes may experience, including:

• Frequent urination: When blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys may try to get rid of the excess sugar by excreting it in the urine, which can lead to more frequent urination.
• Increased thirst and hunger: When blood sugar levels are high, the body may crave more fluids and food to try to compensate.
• Fatigue: High blood sugar levels can make it harder for the body to use glucose for energy, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and weakness.
• Blurred vision: High blood sugar levels can cause swelling in the lenses of the eyes, which can lead to blurred vision.
• Slow healing of wounds: High blood sugar levels can interfere with the body’s ability to heal properly.
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet: Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the nerves in the hands and feet, leading to numbness or tingling sensations.

It is important to note that some people with diabetes may not experience any symptoms at all, which is why regular check-ups and blood sugar monitoring are so important.

Treatment of Diabetes

The treatment of diabetes depends on the type of diabetes and the severity of the condition. For type 1 diabetes, the primary treatment is insulin therapy. Insulin can be administered through injections or an insulin pump, which delivers insulin continuously throughout the day. People with type 1 diabetes will need to monitor their blood sugar levels regularly and adjust their insulin dose as needed.

For type 2 diabetes, treatment may include oral medications, lifestyle changes, and sometimes insulin injections. Oral medications can help the body to use insulin more effectively or slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and healthy eating habits, can help to improve insulin sensitivity and manage blood sugar levels.

Gestational diabetes is usually managed through diet and exercise, but in some cases, medication or insulin therapy may be needed.

It is important to work with a healthcare provider to develop a personalized treatment plan that takes into account individual needs and preferences. Blood sugar monitoring, regular check-ups, and ongoing education about diabetes management are also key components of effective diabetes treatment.

Prevention of Diabetes

While some risk factors for diabetes, such as genetics, cannot be changed, there are many lifestyle factors that can be modified to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Some steps that can be taken to prevent diabetes include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes. Losing weight through a healthy diet and regular exercise can help to reduce this risk.
• Eating a healthy diet: A diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help to improve insulin sensitivity and manage blood sugar levels.
• Staying physically active: Regular exercise can help to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Managing stress: Chronic stress can lead to increased cortisol levels, which can interfere with insulin sensitivity and lead to high blood sugar levels. Finding ways to manage stress, such as through meditation or exercise, can help to reduce this risk.
• Avoiding smoking: Smoking can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and can also make it harder to manage blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

Diabetes is a chronic condition that can have serious health consequences if left untreated. Understanding the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of diabetes is essential for managing the condition and reducing the risk of complications.

By making lifestyle changes and working with a healthcare provider to develop an effective treatment plan, people with diabetes can live healthy, fulfilling lives.

If you think you may be at risk for diabetes, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about getting tested and developing a personalized prevention plan.

Causes of Breast Cancer

The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown, but there are several risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer. Some of the most common risk factors for breast cancer include age, genetics, family history, hormones, and alcohol consumption.

Age

Age is one of the most significant risk factors for breast cancer. As women get older, their risk of developing breast cancer increases. Most breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50.

Genetics

Genetics also play a role in breast cancer. Certain gene mutations, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, increase the risk of breast cancer. Women who inherit these gene mutations have a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who do not carry these mutations.

Family history

Family history is another important risk factor for breast cancer. Women who have a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease.

Hormones

Hormones can also play a role in the development of breast cancer. Women who have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone are at a higher risk of breast cancer. This is why women who have early periods or go through menopause later in life have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who drink alcohol have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who do not drink alcohol.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer may not cause any symptoms in its early stages. However, as the cancer grows, it may cause the following symptoms:

• A lump or thickening in the breast or underarm area.
• A change in the size or shape of the breast.
• Nipple discharge or a nipple that turns inward.
• Skin changes, such as dimpling, redness, or scaling.

It is important to note that these symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, such as fibrocystic breast disease. If you notice any changes in your breast, it is important to see a doctor for an evaluation.

Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer can be diagnosed through a combination of methods, including:

• Mammography: This is an X-ray of the breast that can detect lumps or other abnormalities.
• Ultrasound: This uses sound waves to create images of the breast tissue.
• MRI: This uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the breast.
• Biopsy: This involves removing a sample of tissue from the breast and examining it under a microscope.

Mammography is the most common screening tool used to detect breast cancer. Women who are at average risk of breast cancer are recommended to have a mammogram every two years starting at age 50. Women who are at higher risk of breast cancer may need to start having mammograms earlier or have them more frequently.

If a mammogram detects an abnormality, additional tests may be needed, such as an ultrasound or MRI. If a suspicious area is found, a biopsy will be performed to determine if it is cancerous.

Treatment of Breast Cancer

The treatment of breast cancer depends on several factors, including the stage of the cancer and the patient’s overall health.

Treatment options may include:

• Surgery: This may involve removing the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue (lumpectomy) or the entire breast (mastectomy).
• Radiation therapy: This uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells.
• Chemotherapy: It uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells and can be given before or after surgery or to treat advanced breast cancer.
• Hormone therapy: This involves medications that block hormones that may be fueling the growth of certain types of breast cancer.
• Targeted therapy: This involves medications that target specific proteins in cancer cells to stop their growth.

In some cases, a combination of treatments may be used. The treatment plan will be determined by a team of healthcare providers, including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and other specialists.

Prevention of Breast Cancer

While there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, there are several steps that women can take to lower their risk of developing the disease.

Some of these steps include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight: Obesity has been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women.
• Exercising regularly: Regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight and may also help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
• Limiting alcohol consumption: Women who drink alcohol have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who do not drink alcohol.
• Breastfeeding: Women who breastfeed may have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who do not breastfeed.
• Getting regular mammograms: Mammograms can help detect breast cancer early when it is most treatable.

It is important to note that some risk factors, such as age and genetics, cannot be changed. However, women who are at higher risk of breast cancer may benefit from additional screening or preventive measures, such as medications that reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Conclusion

Breast cancer is a serious disease that affects millions of women and men around the world. While the exact cause of breast cancer is unknown, there are several risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing the disease.

Early detection and treatment are critical for improving the chances of survival. Women should be aware of the symptoms of breast cancer and should undergo regular screenings as recommended by their healthcare providers.

By taking steps to lower their risk of developing breast cancer, women can improve their overall health and well-being.

Many people are suffering from a constant lack of energy and ongoing fatigue. Such a situation harms the overall quality of life.

Many reasons are attributable to chronic fatigue. Some are as evident as lack of sleep, and others are complex underlying health conditions.

Let’s discover together what is possibly making you feel tired.

1. Lack of sleep

Besides being an obvious reason for chronic fatigue, it’s also a common problem among many people as they can’t manage to get enough sleep.

During sleep, our body can repair and regenerate cells to wake up refreshed and full of energy. A lack of sleep is known to affect the overall mental health by triggering or worsening anxiety and stress.

If there are no underlying conditions depriving you of sleeping, it’s then an easy problem to fix. Just stick to some good habits like following a healthy schedule of sleep and getting accustomed to it.

Our advice is to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night for optimal health.

You may accumulate a sleep debt if you sleep fewer hours than your body needs. In this case, you have to sleep more than the recommended average to catch up.

2. Sleep disorders

We talked about lack of sleep due to bad habits. Now, let’s talk about some disorders and underlying conditions making it impossible to achieve restful and restorative sleep.

Sleep apnea

It’s a disruptive sleep disorder that interrupts your breathing during sleep. It may also be obstructive, and in this case, blood oxygen levels will be low because the air is not getting to the lungs sufficiently.

Watch out for symptoms like loud snoring, fatigue, morning headaches, and lack of concentration. Talk to your health provider if needed.

Avoid sleeping on your back to alleviate sleep apnea. You may consider purchasing the CPAP device or even proceed to surgery if it’s recommended by your doctor.

Insomnia

You may have difficulties falling or staying asleep due to many reasons like menopause, psychological stress, inadequate environment, or excessive mental stimulation.

If you are experiencing insomnia, you may consider some treatments like natural supplements, medications, or dealing with the underlying cause that triggers insomnia on your own, or with the help of a specialist.

Narcolepsy

It’s overwhelming daytime drowsiness that may force you to fall asleep suddenly.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

The RLS condition forces you to move your legs to get rid of an uncomfortable sensation.

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder

The REM disorder makes you act out dreams in your sleep with vocal sounds and other physical movements with arms and legs.

3. Depression, anxiety, and stress

Stress and anxiety can lead to insomnia and sleep disorders. By the same token, lack of proper rest can intensify stress and of course fatigue.

It’s also worth noting that stress and anxiety are known for causing psychological and physical symptoms of exhaustion.

People with depression are more prone to fatigue and sleep problems like difficulty in falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, or, on the contrary, sleeping too long and waking up late with some sluggishness.

Depression is a feeling of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and lack of interest in normal activities.

Anxiety occurs when you are worrying too much and feeling nervous. Some of the common triggers are work and money worries.

If you can’t spot the real reasons for your anxiety or depression, you may want to consult a psychiatrist or psychologist for a psychological evaluation.

For stress, practice some deep breathing, meditate, exercise, socialize with friends, …

4. Diabetes

If glucose stays in the bloodstream and does not get into the body’s cells to be used as fuel, you may feel tired all the time.

Fatigue can also be attributable to spikes in blood sugar levels that may dehydrate you.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you should adopt some healthy lifestyle habits:

• Lose weight.
• Become more active.
• Eat low glycemic index foods.
• Monitor and control your blood sugar levels.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce your cholesterol levels.
• Maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Watch out for other symptoms like feeling thirsty and the need to go frequently to the bathroom.

5. Heart disease

If you feel tired when doing an activity that should be easy or that used to be easy (ex. climbing the stairs, carrying groceries), that may be a symptom of underlying heart diseases such as heart failure.

When your heart is not pumping sufficient blood as it should, your muscles and other tissues in the body are not getting enough oxygen.

Watch out for some common symptoms like chest pain, rapid or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, and fainting. Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor if you have any doubts. Proper medications or treatments may help treat your condition and restore your energy.

6. Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is the medical condition of an underactive thyroid that doesn’t produce enough hormones.

The hormones released by the thyroid gland regulate the body’s metabolic rate.

If your thyroid is underactive, the metabolism rate, which means the rate at which the body uses energy, will be slowed down. In such a situation, you may feel some tiredness and other symptoms like weight gain, and feeling cold.

7. Anemia

Having anemia means having low red blood cell counts. In this condition, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen, and consequently, fatigue sets in.

Additional symptoms can arise like shortness of breath, dizziness, and pale skin.

Anemia can be caused by many reasons:

• Internal bleeding (stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, …).
• Lack of some nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and B9.
• Some chronic diseases such as diabetes or kidney disease.
• Periods.

If you have iron-deficiency anemia, add iron-rich foods to your diet or even supplements. Vitamin C is reputed to enhance iron absorption by the body.

8. Viral or bacterial infection

If you have fatigue, among other symptoms like fever and aches, it’s probably an infection.

There are a lot of infections known to cause fatigue like:

• Flu.
• HIV.
• COVID-19.
• Pneumonia.
• Hepatitis.

When the infection is treated, the fatigue fades out but the time may differ according to the contracted infection.

9. Nutrient deficiencies

Some nutrient deficiencies are linked to tiredness regardless of how much sleep you are getting. The most common are:

• Iron deficiency is responsible for about 50% of all anemia that causes fatigue among other symptoms.
• Vitamin D.
• Vitamin C.
• Magnesium deficiency may prevent you from achieving deep sleep.
• B Vitamins, especially B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12.

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in oxygen delivery and energy production. If you are following a vegan and vegetarian diet, you are more likely to have vitamin B12 deficiency. Indeed, this nutrient is only available in animal-based foods, but luckily you can buy supplements to cater to your needs.

These deficiencies are quite common, so monitor your levels with appropriate tests and follow healthy diet plans.

10. Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by persistent and overwhelming fatigue that doesn’t go away with rest.

CFS can be intensified with physical or mental activity. The root cause is still not clearly identified and studies are ongoing to know more about this complex condition.

Other symptoms to watch out for include insomnia, lack of concentration, and muscle pain.

11. Medications

Many medications may trigger insomnia, tiredness, or even drowsiness as side effects. Some common groups are:

• Antihistamines for allergies.
• Proton pump inhibitors used to reduce stomach acid production for ulcer, gastritis, and GERD treatments.
• Antidepressants.
• Blood pressure medications.
• Diuretics for high blood pressure.
• Antibiotics for infections.

If you experience fatigue after taking new medications, read medical notices and consult your doctor or pharmacist. This concerns both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

12. Imbalanced diet

Eating less than your needs or eating ultra-processed foods may cause calorie and nutrient deficiencies. In such a situation, your body will turn into catabolism mode and start breaking down your fat and muscles to produce energy.

This process is accompanied by tiredness. To prevent that, just stick to a balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, protein sources like dairy products, meat, eggs, …

Avoid consuming foods and drinks high in sugar, because it can lead to diabetes which is correlated to fatigue.

13. Caffeine addiction and abuse

Depending on caffeinated beverages to enhance your concentration and energy may produce the opposite effect because you will be deprived of restorative sleep, and the next day you will feel tired and will be tempted to take again your dose of caffeine.

Caffeine can stay in your body for up to six hours. For this reason, don’t consume coffee in the evenings to be prepared to sleep easily.

There’s nothing bad with drinking coffee, but you should know when to consume it and how many cups to take per day.

14. Dehydration

Water is involved in many processes in our body. It was proven that dehydration is linked to a lack of energy and concentration.

Luckily, this is a small issue that can be fixed easily by drinking enough water to replace continuous water losses.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article may help you find the root cause of any type of fatigue you may experience.

Some issues can be fixed with some dietary changes and healthy lifestyle habits. If it’s a more complicated medical condition, talk to your doctor to get proper treatment and return to your ordinary levels of energy.

We would like to share with you our top recommendations to keep a decent level of hearing for as long as possible.

1. Don’t expose yourself to noise

It’s challenging to give an accurate measure of how loud is too loud? However, if you are in the following situations, you are likely damaging your hearing capacity:

• You have to shout over the noise around you so that people can hear you.
• You cannot hear people talking around you.
• You feel that the noise hurts your ears.
• You are in loud environments like concerts, worksites where power tools are used like saws and drills, traffic jam noise, …
• You are listening to music on a high volume with headphones.

The best recommendation is to keep yourself away from loud noise as much as you can to avoid noise-induced hearing loss. Indeed, noise can damage the hair cells in your ears that intercept the incoming sounds.

So, it’s one of the main and manageable factors that cause hearing loss over time. ^{[1] [2]}

2. Wear hearing protection

If your job or daily activities force you to stay exposed to loud sounds for long periods of time, it’s very important to consider wearing hearing protection devices.

You can opt for the two following options as you see fit:

Earplugs: it’s a safety equipment device that acts as an air-tight seal in the ear canal. These devices are cheap, easy to use, yet effective to protect you from noise. You can use them also if you swim.

Earmuffs: they block out noise by completely covering the outer ear and are capable of reducing sounds by about 15 to 30 decibels. Nonetheless, these devices might not feet people wearing glasses or having heavy beards, because if they don’t stick firmly over both ears, the sound won’t be blocked completely. ^{[3] [4]}

3. Get your hearing tested

It’s good practice to get regular hearing tests, especially if you are at high risk due to your environment and daily activities. You should also see a specialist if some symptoms arise, never neglect them even if they are minor and don’t seem to go away very quickly.

As a good rule of thumb, the earlier a medical condition is diagnosed, the earlier something can be done about it. ^[5]

Here are some situations where a test is recommended:

• Close relatives with hearing problems (tinnitus, deafness, hearing loss, …).
• Difficult to hear what people are saying.
• Difficult to watch TV without increasing the volume.
• Constant exposure to loud noises.
• Chronic ringing in your ears (tinnitus). ^[6]

4. Be aware of medications with hearing-related side effects

There is a large number of drug-related hearing loss, including over-the-counter drugs. So, you should always check with your doctors and read medical notices. If you cannot find an alternate drug, your doctor should assess if the benefits outweigh the risks and also monitor your hearing asset before, during and after the treatment. ^[7]

Be aware of these drug-related hearing loss categories: ^[8]

• High doses of aspirin.
• Chemotherapy and cancer-fighting drugs.
• IV antibiotics.

5. Manage diabetes, blood pressure and overall cardiac health

Research has found that some medical conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure increase the hearing loss occurrence probability by approximately twice.

Diabetes and blood pressure may damage the cells in your inner ears and thus alter the internal fragile mechanisms that allow you to hear.

Fortunately, with some healthy lifestyle habits, you can keep your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels under control. ^[9]

6. Avoid smoking, vaping, and drinking alcohol

Reliable studies have proven that smoking, vaping or even drinking alcohol may negatively impact your hearing capacity over time.

Protect yourself from passive smoking too. So, get away from places where you may encounter active smokers.

Cigarettes contain many dangerous chemicals that may affect some parts of the ear system.

Similar risks may be triggered with alcohol consumption as it can damage the tiny hair cells. ^[10]

The heart acts like a pump, by sending oxygenated blood to other organs (including itself) to ensure their correct functioning. Because of its importance, the heart is susceptible to many dysfunctions and diseases. So, it’s a necessity to keep perfect heart health.

About heart anatomy

The heart is an organ located in the rib cage, precisely forward in the mediastinum (which is the space between the two lungs). It rests on the diaphragm, which is the main respiratory muscle and separates the rib cage and the abdomen.

The heart is a pump made of four cavities: two ventricles and two atria. On the left and on the right, every atrium communicates with a ventricle through a valve system which controls the blood passage. There is the mitral valve on the left side and the tricuspid valve on the right side. Some cardiovascular diseases are the result of the dysfunction of those valves.

The heart consists of three layers. From the outside to the inside, we have:

• The pericardium: a fibrous membrane which envelops the heart.
• The myocardium: it’s the heart muscle which ensures his contraction.
• The endocardium: it’s a layer of cells inside the heart. It prevents the blood clotting at its contact with the endocardium and indirectly acts on the heart contraction.

The normal heart functioning

The heart delivers blood in the organism. The oxygen-depleted blood, coming from the organs, flows through the veins to reach the right atrium through large veins called vena cava (superior and inferior vena cava).

Once the blood reaches the right atrium, the tricuspid valve opens and the right ventricle is filled with blood. When it’s fully filled, the tricuspid valve closes and the right ventricle contracts. The pulmonary valve opens to send blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery to become enriched with oxygen.

The oxygen-rich blood coming from the lungs reaches the left atrium through the pulmonary veins. The left atrium fills and the mitral valve opens to fill the left ventricle with oxygenated blood. Once it’s done, the mitral valve closes and the left ventricle contracts. The aortic valve opens to send oxygen-rich blood through the aorta (a large blood vessel) which will deliver the blood to the organism.

The contraction of both right and left ventricle is simultaneous. Any blood vessel that reaches the heart is called an artery, and any blood vessel that leaves the heart is called vein.

Heart auscultation

It’s the main step of the heart examination. It’s about listening to the heart sounds with a stethoscope. The patient should be laid and bare-chested. There are some areas on the thorax where the heart sounds are better heard:

• The aortic area, between the 2nd and 3rd rib on the right side (2nd intercostal space).
• The pulmonary area, between the 2nd and the 3rd rib on the left side (2nd intercostal space).
• The mitral area, between the 5th and the 6th rib on the left side (5th intercostal space); there’s located the apex of the heart.
• The tricuspid area, located at the tip of the sternum (the bone in the middle of the thorax.

The heart sounds heard at the different areas result from the closing of the different valves. Normally, just two sounds are heard:

• The first heart sound S1 results from the simultaneous closing of the mitral and the tricuspid valves when the ventricles contract to push the blood into the vessels.
• The second heart sound S2 results from the simultaneous closing of the aortic and pulmonary valves when the blood leaves the atrium to fill the ventricle.

During the cardiovascular examination, the pulse palpation is very important to make sure that the heart is normally beating. The pulse reflects the blood flow propelled into the blood vessels, precisely the arteries. The pulse also allows calculating the heart rate by counting the number of pulses during one minute. Normally, the resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 120 beats per minute.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Unlike the cardiac auscultation, which is a physical examination, the electrocardiogram analyzes the electrical activity of the heart. It’s done by using electrodes: six electrodes numbered from V1 to V6 placed on specific areas of the thorax, four others with red, black, green and yellow color index placed on the wrists and ankles. It allows us to analyze the electrical activity of the heart in several angles: front, back, up, down, left or right, etc.

The result is obtained in the form of a graph, divided into several parts named waves. The waves analysis allows detecting early some heart diseases even if they are asymptomatic.

ECG abnormalities: cardiac conduction disorders

Tachycardia

A regular heartbeat with a high heart rate higher than 120 beats per minute. It manifests as tiredness, chest pain, dizziness which can lead to unconsciousness. Tachycardia can be caused by arterial hypertension, infection, stress or high rate of thyroid hormone.

Fibrillation

An irregular heartbeat with a high heart rate. It can occur in the atria; we call it atrial fibrillation. It manifests as palpitations, dizziness, and unusual tiredness. It can lead to a heart attack if the care is not done in time with a defibrillator.

The ventricular fibrillation is more serious because it can lead to a heart attack just in the first minutes following the beginning of the symptoms if the care is not immediate.

Bradycardia

It’s a regular heartbeat with a low heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute. It can be asymptomatic (no clinical signs) or it can manifest as an unusual tiredness, dizziness, imminent heart attack feeling.

ECG abnormalities: cardiac conduction disorders

Normally, for the ventricles to contract, they have to receive an electrical signal from the atria. An abnormality can occur during the transmission of this signal from the atria to the ventricles; it’s called conduction disorder which can be detected with an ECG.

Conduction disorders, usually called blocks, are of two types:

• The atrioventricular block: the abnormality occurs during the transmission of the electrical signal from the ventricles to the atria.
• The bundle branch block: the abnormality occurs during the transmission of the electrical signal inside the ventricles.

Bradycardia is usually the main symptom of conduction disorders.

If an ECG is abnormal, we must look for an associated disease.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases touch the heart and the blood vessels of the body. According to a WHO report from 2016, they are the first cause of mortality in the world.

The risk factors

The main risk factors are:

• A poor diet: excess salt in diet (often in potato chips, snacks) can cause hypertension.
  Also, a high-fat diet, mostly animal fat.
  Foods like refined sugar (in white bread, rice or pasta), treats, other sugar-based products, processed fat of industrial food, red meat, fried foods… all these foods aren’t good for heart health. They have to be cut back or even totally removed from the diet.
• Lack of physical activity.
• Alcohol and tobacco.

Those factors will lead to obesity, accumulation of bad cholesterol in the body mostly in the blood vessels, diabetes and arterial hypertension; all these elements will weaken the heart and the blood vessels.

Some cardiovascular diseases can be congenital which means people are born with the disease.

What are the more frequent cardiovascular diseases?

Cardiovascular diseases touch the heart and also the blood vessels of the body, whether it is in the brain, the upper and lower limbs.

With the risk factors (obesity, diabetes, hypertension), cholesterol tends to accumulate in the blood vessels wall. The cholesterol will form what we call the atheromatous plaque (it is atherosclerosis).

The atheroma plaque can clog or weaken the blood vessels. It can also break and send some “piece” called embolus in the blood flow. Those emboli can clog other blood vessels of the body and cause different cardiovascular diseases according to the localization.

Coronary diseases

It’s the most frequent cardiovascular disease. It concerns the heart blood vessels called coronary vessels. If the coronary vessels are clogged, it’d barely provide blood to feed the heart muscle.

It manifests itself as angina pectoris or simply angina. People who have angina, typically they have an acute chest pain which projects to the jaw, the shoulders and the arms. It manifests during a physical effort, during stress or at rest. The pain can come with vomiting, nausea or palpitations.

The pain intensity changes from a simple discomfort to an unbearable pain which can be calmed down more or less quickly by the nitroglycerine, which is a drug that reduces the work of the heart by enabling the dilatation of the coronary vessels.

The angina care needs to be fast, otherwise, it can lead to a myocardial infarction or heart attack. It’s an irreversible death of the heart cells which can lead in the long run to a heart failure which means the heart cannot pump the blood efficiently.

To confirm the diagnosis of angina, it’s important to do an ECG to estimate the damages on the heart and the different parts affected. The troponin test can also help to estimate the damages on the heart. Indeed, when the heart cells die, they release troponins (proteins present in the heart cells).

Stroke

It is a brain failure due to the obstruction or a rupture of one of the brain blood vessels. This failure can damage any part of the brain, whose severity depends on which part is affected. In fact, each part of the brain controls specific functions of the body.

The symptoms are acute, sudden, without warning signs and they’re different depending on which part of the brain is touched. A stroke can manifest itself by feeling unsteady, numbness of a limb, face paralysis, headache, a sudden and transitory sight loss (this can concern just one eye or both), difficulty to talk or write, etc.

A stroke is an emergency and has to be managed immediately in the first minutes following the beginning of the symptoms, at the risk of some health effects whose severity depends on the affected cerebral part and the period between the apparition of the symptoms and the care.

The health effects of a stroke are:

• The irreversible paralysis of one half of the body.
• Memory impairment, difficulties of concentration.
• Speech or writing impairment.
• Disability to recognize the shape of objects.
• Loss of sensations (to cold or to heat) etc.

The doctor has to look for some risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes. He also looks for the cause of the stroke by doing urgently a brain scanner that must show which part of the brain is damaged.

Cardiomyopathy

It’s a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle and cause the failure of his functioning. The risk factors can be inflammation, infection, toxic elements (alcohol, cocaine), drugs (e.g. drugs used in chemotherapy). They can also be hereditary or related to metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Cardiomyopathies are rare comparing to coronary diseases and strokes.

The care of cardiovascular diseases

It’s about all the measures taken to treat people affected by cardiovascular diseases. Those measures can be drugs, treatment by surgery and prevention of risk factors.

Which drugs are used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases?

• Anticoagulants: they prevent the blood clots particularly among people who have an irregular heart rate or people who have an artificial heart valve.
• Thrombolytic drugs (clot-busting drugs): they destroy blood clots already formed in the vessels, which do not allow blood to flow in the organs.
• Other drugs such as beta blockers, diuretics and digoxin (improves the heart rate) can be used according to the disease.

Those drugs are taken only by medical prescription. The prescription and drug doses have to be respected even if you are feeling better. Some drugs like thrombolytic are used only in a hospital setting.

In some cases, cardiovascular disease can be treated by surgery to restore the normal blood flow in the vessels.

Risk factors (obesity, hypertension, diabetes) need to be considered and treated as well to prevent the progression of the disease, limit the damages and improve the living conditions.

The most effective measure is to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle:

• Avoid physical inactivity.
• Stop smoking.
• Avoid diet too rich in salt.
• Have a healthy and balanced diet.

Some heart-healthy foods

• Foods high in antioxidants: fruits and vegetables like carrots, eggplant, garlic mango, onions, grape, blueberry, pomegranate.
• Foods high in good fat: olive oil, avocados, oilseed (almond, nuts, peanuts, etc.).
• Foods high in omega-3 of animal sources (salmon, mackerel, sardine, tuna fish) or vegetable sources (flax oil, nut oil, rapeseed oil, etc.).
• Vegetable proteins (lens, beans, chickpea). They are also rich in potassium which prevents hypertension.

The treatment of cardiovascular diseases using only drugs is not enough. A healthy lifestyle is necessary to improve your health. The prevention of risk factors is the best way to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Origin of joint pain (arthralgia)

A joint is made up of:

• Joint surfaces of two bones coated by articular cartilage.
• Joint cavity full of synovial fluid which surrounds the joint, acting like a lubricant.
• joint capsule (a fibrous structure which covers the joint).

Others elements like muscles, tendons and ligaments surround the joint. So, any pain felt in the joints can come from the joint structures or from the others elements mentioned. There can be inflammatory pain or mechanical pain (it’s arthrosis due to joint wear).

What are the risk factors of joint pain?

They can be classified into two groups: non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors.

The non-modifiable risk factors are those which we can’t prevent:

• Age: the risks increase with advanced age but arthritis (painful inflammation of the joint) can occur at any age.
• Sex and hormones: especially pregnant and menopausal women. A hormonal component could exist especially in rheumatoid arthritis. In the menopause case, it’s the sexual hormone deficit which leads to bone demineralization, weight gain and then to arthrosis.
• Genetic susceptibility.

The modifiable risk factors can be:

• Obesity.
• Joint trauma (sprain, dislocation).
• Metabolic diseases such as chondrocalcinosis or gout due to microcrystals deposit in the joint which can cause a quick cartilage wear and inflammation.
• Bone anomalies and deformities: valgus (inward) or varus (outward) knees deformities.
• Physical work or sport: those which need intense and repetitive moves (swimming or manual work).

Others risk factors such as infection, tobacco and less physical activities can be involved.

What are the causes of joint pain?

An acute joint pain can be cause by:

• General bacterial infection (causing reactive arthritis) or a localised infection straight in the joints like knees, wrists, elbows etc. Generally, it comes with fever, redness, swelling and heat in the joint. Also, viral infections like flu can cause joint pain.
• Trauma or injuries occurring during an accident, sport or physical work.
• A severe gout attack due to uric acid microcrystal deposit in the joints both in big joints (wrists, knees or elbows) and small joints in the hands and feet. A high protein diet or a chronic renal failure increase the risk of gout attack.

Some drugs like quinolone antibiotics, Salazopyrin (intestinal anti-inflammatory drug), incretins (oral antidiabetic drugs), bisphosphonate, diuretic drugs can have joint pain as side effects.

Chronic joint pain (more than 3 months) are essentially due to cartilage wear and chronic inflammatory arthritis, also named chronic inflammatory rheumatism. The latter is a group of diseases called autoimmune disorder that causes the human organism to produce antibodies, and thus attack its different organs and components including joints. We have diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma and ankylosing spondylitis; also, blood vessels inflammation like Kawasaki or Behcet disease etc.

Symptoms and progression

There are 2 types of joint pain: mechanical and inflammatory pain.

The mechanical pain is felt in the case of an arthrosis and keeps you awake at night. It occurs when the joint moves and disappears at rest. The pain intensity is lower in the morning, but increases during the day to reach its maximal level in the evening. It comes with morning joint stiffness lasting less than 15 minutes and a functional discomfort which means joint moves limitation. The general state is kept (no fever, no tiredness).

On the other hand, the inflammatory pain is triggered when the joint is at rest with a morning stiffness (more than an hour). It may be accompanied with local signs of inflammation which are pain, redness, heat and swelling. It also comes with general signs (fever, tiredness) and incidentally, others symptoms of rheumatism diseases.

The inflammatory joint pain can touch one or several joints. The affected joints disposition can reveal a specific disease, for example, the symmetrical damage of metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints in rheumatoid arthritis.

The pain progression is unpredictable, it depends on the cause. It can involve a slow or quick worsening, occasional pain crisis leading to a progressive cartilage wear if the care is not suited.

Joint pain: when do you have to see a doctor?

A joint pain can occur during an intense effort and disappear after a few days with a simple painkiller treatment. You need to see a doctor in those cases:

• A pain lasting more than 2 months.
• A pain coming with fever, tiredness, weight loss, swelling and a bad general condition.
• A pain that doesn’t allow you to make your daily activities.
• A pain coming with others symptoms such as joint deformity, chest pain, stains on the skin etc.

The doctor will first make an examination, looking for your antecedents (sports you’ve practised, a past trauma, drugs, similar case in the family), the risk factors, other symptoms (fever, swelling, stiffness etc.).

In order to find the cause of the joint pain, the doctor could ask biological and radiological analyses:

• The Complete Blood Count looking for hyperleukocytosis which is an infection sign.
• High CRP or sedimentation rate in inflammation.
• Joint fluid aspiration with biological and biochemical tests can be necessary if there’s an infection for example.
• Conventional radiography, a CT scan or an RMI of the joint (knees, elbows or wrist).

Other exams can be asked according to your clinical state.

How to treat the joint pain?

The purpose is to relieve pain. We can eventually use drug and non-drug treatment.

Which drugs to use?

Paracetamol

Paracetamol is effective on mechanical pain. He hasn’t side effects and the dosage should not exceed 3 grams per day, one taking every 6 or 8 hours.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSDAI)

More effective on important inflammatory pain because they have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect using local treatment (with cream or ointment) or oral treatment. In order to avoid gastric ulcer in case of oral treatment, the association with Proton Pump Inhibitor is recommended.

Other side effects such as arterial hypertension, asthma, rash etc. may arise.

NSDAI should not be used if there’s a gastric ulcer antecedent, age more than 65 years old, pregnancy beyond the 6th month. Always consult your doctor before using it.

Local treatment with corticosteroid infiltrations

In general, drug treatment needs a medical prescription and a background treatment can be introduced according to the underlying disease.

The non-drug treatment

The R.I.C.E protocol includes rest, icing (applying to an acute mechanical joint pain), compression and elevation. Heat can be use as treatment of an inflammatory pain. You should always keep a moderate physical activity by minimizing as much as possible the use of the painful join.

Some natural treatments using plants such as Sencha green tea, harpagophytum roots also named “devil claw” (ointment or capsule), turmeric or essential oils of eucalyptus lemon have proved their efficiency in the joint pain treatment with their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

The non-drug treatment should not replace a real medical consultation.

How to prevent joint pain?

It’s all about applying simple hygiene and dietary rules including:

• Having a healthy and balanced diet avoiding overweight and obesity.
• Having a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D and trace elements such as zinc, copper, sulphur, silicon etc.
• Avoiding tobacco.
• Practising regular exercises, especially water sports.
• Avoiding sedentary lifestyle.

Those rules help to eradicate the risk factors and keep joints healthy.

Historically, tobacco (herbaceous plant from the Solanaceae family) is originally from South America and it’s cultivated almost everywhere in the world. It was brought in Europe with the Christophe Colomb expedition in 1492. Its arrival to Africa was made through Morocco in 1593, and it’s just in 1930 that cigarette begun to emerge in Swiss and its expansion is still growing nowadays.

But, from where do the tobacco effects come?

Nicotine is the agent responsible for smoking dependence. Once inhaled, it quickly reaches the brain where it causes either stimulating or calming sensation by setting on specific receptors. So, to keep this stimulating or calming sensation, the body demands more. One cigarette leading to another, here comes the dependence.

Not just the nicotine…

Besides nicotine dependence effects, tobacco contains more than 7000 types of substances whose toxicity directly interferes with organs, in particular respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

We can cite substances such as carcinogenic substances and the carbon monoxide responsible for hemoglobin oxygenation decrease.

It’s important to notice that the three above-mentioned substances, namely nicotine, carcinogenic substances and carbon monoxide form a vicious circle: nicotine maintains the dependence, and subsequently, the continued exposure to carcinogenic substances and the carbon monoxide.

Several adverse effects on the body

Almost all the organs can be touched, but lungs and cardiovascular system are the first suffering for tobacco exposure.

Tobacco is responsible for more than 90% of lung cancers, chronic bronchitis evolving towards COPD and insidious dyspnea.

On the cardiovascular system, arteries inflammation can lead to:

• High blood pressure.
• Lower limbs arteritis which can cause necrosis.
• Coronary disease evolving towards myocardial infarction. The stimulating effect increase the heart rhythm and frequency leading to cardiac exhaustion.

Tobacco is incriminated in the occurrence of many cancers such as:

• Lips, mouth, throat and esophageal cancers.
• Pancreas cancer.
• Bladder cancer.
• Cervical cancer etc.

Concerning the pregnant woman, the risk is increased, even for the fetus:

• Miscarriage.
• Arterial hypertension in pregnancy.
• Fertility alteration.
• Prematurity.
• Fetal malformations etc.

Tobacco can worsen other diseases such as rheumatoid polyarthritis, psoriasis and oral diseases.

In practice…

According to what we just saw, tobacco has multiple adverse effects which discreetly occur. What does ‘’silent killer’’ really mean?

Let’s take a 40 years old man consulting a doctor for a cough.

The cough is a trivial symptom. So, a simple syrup is sufficient to fix the issue.

Years later, comes dyspnea, settling down insidiously with weight loss. The man put this on the count of oldness.

During an ulterior medical consultation, the pulmonologist asks for a thoracic x-ray and discovers a “white patch”.

To investigate deeper, the pulmonologist demands thoracic CT scan which reveals a pulmonary mass and the biopsy concluded that it’s a bronchogenic cancer.

The first symptom was a trivial cough which led us to a pulmonary cancer, and the biological analyses showed renal failure and high blood pressure.

Going back to his interview with the doctor, we found antecedent smoking exposure during 20 years without any other medical antecedents. To assess lung cancer risks occurrence, the pack-year number is estimated as being approximately 60 pack-years.

Notice that the pack-year number is obtained by multiplying the number of cigarette packs, (taking as reference a pack of 20 cigarettes) by the number of years where he smoked that quantity.

Even if the pack-year metric is more or less reliable as a predictor, it’s nevertheless used in current practice to estimate the occurrence of a pulmonary cancer risk due to smoking.

This is an example amongst many others. Smoking kills discreetly, on physical, psychological and even economical plan. Prevention is the only way for hedging those risks.