Some facts relating to viral lung diseases

Viral diseases are the most commonly known complications that affect the human lungs. Before its entry into the lung, viruses are known to cause infections in the upper respiratory part. Some of the common infections caused by the virus include Pneumonia, Bronchiolitis, and Interstitial Lung Disease. The later emerged viral infections have more potency to cause larger outbreaks of severe respiratory diseases. The infections usually occur during the winter and the viral often spreads via transmission process due to sneezing and coughing.

Bronchiolitis is a kind of inflammation attacking the membrane linings in the bronchioles. Various viruses like respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, or flu virus are involved for carrying out this kind of inflammation. This type of disorder is generally seen in young children and infants. Congesting nose is the starting associated symptoms that can further proceed to affect the lungs and cause symptoms of bronchiolitis. The symptoms linked to this disorder is felt in the form of croaky cough, breathing rapidly, wheezing, low levels of oxygen in the blood stream, retractions, and hypoaxia. The complication of illness with this disorder will last for one to two days, and in severe cases the extending period could be up to 14 days.

Pneumonia is yet another serious ailment included in the same category of viral infection and is triggered by infectious virus. This is linked to the abnormal inflammation disorder of the lung. However, infections in the lung can creep up due to innumerous reasons including fungi or parasites, bacterial infections, chemical or physical injury to the lungs and many more. However, viral infection has a great impact on the lungs and comes on the top list. Viral pneumonia is milder when compared to the bacterial infection. The symptoms attached with it include cough accompanying phlegm, chills and fevers. It also shows the symptoms through breathing shortness, rapid breathing, pleurisy, retractions, fatigue and muscle aches.

Viral Pneumonia along with the bacteria will take the problem further making it even more severe. This ultimately proceeds further to bring about the accumulation of fluids that could be hazardous. The accumulated fluid should be drained out through the means of surgery. We all know that pneumonia is a leading cause of death in children under the age of five. The blood in the sputum or discoloration is seen with the sufferers of pneumonia. Chest pain is another syndrome observed in patients with the attack of pneumonia. The other associated signals with it include headache, muscle pain, worsening cough, and many more.

Interstitial lung disease is known to attack interstitium area of the lungs. It is associated with the burning sensations taking place in the supportive tissues amidst of air sacs. The kind of complication leads to scarring process of the tissues thereby greatly affecting the supply of oxygen into the blood.

This is a guest post by irvine lampson (consultant physician and health expert) for genericpillmart.com.

All About Hay Fever

By Evangeline Allison

Probably the first thing you should know about hay fever, is that "hay" is not the culprit at hand. This condition gets its particular name because grass usually sheds its pollen at the same time of the year that hay is harvested hence, the name "hay fever". Hay fever is usually caused by an allergic inflammation of your nose because of flower or grass pollen, dust, or animal fur. These particles immediately trigger a huge production of antibody immunoglobulin E that locks onto the mast cells and cause you to sneeze, have itching and watery eyes, swelling and inflammation of your nasal passage because of an increase in mucus production.

The intensity of hay fever symptoms usually varies from person to person. Supposing the person is more sensitive and has a lower immunity it is possible that he may also experience hives or a rash during hay fever. Both heredity and the environment play a big role in just how sever and how often a hay fever may be. Health studies have shown that around the world one in three people will be having an active allergy at any given time of the day, and that at least three individuals out of four are bound to develop an allergic reaction during the course of their lives.

An individual with hay fever may be extra moody, short tempered, and agitated because of the constant sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose. They may also experience fatigue, insomnia, or irritability. It is important during this time that the person gets ample rest, re-cooperation, and the right medication whether entirely natural or otherwise. The symptoms of hay fever may also include having an itchy throat, and itchy nose, and blocked and runny nose. In more sever cases the individual may experience sweats, loss of smell and taste, headaches, and facial pain because of their blocked sinuses.

Some of the best home remedies for hay fever are mashing grapefruit and boiling it with lemon juice and honey for a three times a day sore throat cure, putting chamomile leaves in hot water and inhaling the steam twice a day for a blocked nose and head pain cure, drinking hot coffee to open your airways for easier breathing, or consuming twice a day a glass of water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar for overall healing. Garlic is also a powerful healer and is rather effective in treating hay fever if you are bold enough to use it. Including fresh garlic in your diet to be rid of hay fever sooner is definitely one of the best cures. But again, it is only for the bold, because not everyone feels the same way about the smell and taste.

One other cure for a blocked and itchy nose might be to use a Nasal Spray. These handy little items are entirely natural and help to clear out and dispel any dust particles. The nasal spray is a safe product for older children and is also okay for moms to use while pregnant. Another thing you could try is Loratadine. Loratadine is a simple use once a day relief tablet that has an active ingredient of loratadine which helps in preventing the effects of histamines.

Vision and Eye Complications during Diabetes

Diabetes is one severe metabolic disorder which is diagnosed among millions of people all over the world. Diabetes has resulted into many additional complications and few of them are even life threatening if it is not treated at the right time. Vision and eye complications are few major problems observed in many diabetic patients. In severe cases, diabetes quite often leads to the blindness of the individual. Many major diseases like diabetic retinopathy is one severe eye disorder diagnosed in the case of diabetes. Similarly, many other risks related to the vision and eye is reported by the medical professionals. This specific article is mainly focused on highlighting some major eye or vision problems occur in diabetes condition.

Major eye complications during diabetes

Many eye problems have been diagnosed in people who have got diabetes problem. Some of the major ones are described below:

• Glaucoma: This specific disease includes the development of high pressure inside the eye which further damages the optic nerve in a major way. It also leads to the appearance of blind spots in later stage of this disease. It is to be noted that no significant symptom or sign is really observed in the case of glaucoma until there is no any major nerve damage or blindness is felt by the patient.
• Cataract: It is one of the common eye disorders being noticed among many diabetic patients. The symptoms of cataract also occur by the age. It basically includes the formation of clouds over the natural lens of the eyes. As a result, it further leads to the case of blurred vision of the patient. People with diabetes are more prone to develop this specific disorder at very earlier stage of their lives.
• Retinopathy: It is considered to be one of the most serious eye complications faced by the diabetic patients. During retinopathy, the blood vessels that go to the retina actually get ruptured and start leaking blood in the eye portion. On the other side, blood vessels also do get blocked in few of the cases.
• Macula edema: Swelling in macula is one common eye problem observed in most of the diabetic patients. This specific eye problem is mostly occurred in those patients who have been already diagnosed with retinopathy. It severely affects the retina portion of the eye and quote often leads to permanent loss of vision in the patient.
• Dry eye: Diabetic patients mostly complained about the dryness of their eyes. This is because diabetes results into the lesser production of tears which ultimately dries up the surface of the eye. It also leads to a severe itchiness and burning sensation in the eyes.

It has been proven that diabetic people have got maximum risks to catch eye complications. Therefore, it is important to follow few effective ways that can actually help to lower your risk of diabetes. At the same time, the earlier diagnosis and treatment of disease and greatly help in lowering the risk of losing eye sight during diseases like diabetes.

Symptoms of Brain Tumor

With another name of intracranial growth, brain cancer truly includes the first growth originates from brain parenchyma and secondary brain cancer, the metastases from different components of body. Its symptoms vary as individual condition changes.

What Cause Brain Cancer?

1. The radiation and electrical waves from portable and laptop will promote the canceration of cells.

2. The prevalence of brain cancer is expounded to the contact of insect powder, solvent, dyes and gas in keeping with studies. to boot, a pregnant girl takes alcohol or hair coloring before delivery would increase the danger for babies to develop metastatic tumor.

3.A growth might develop in brain simply because of environmental trauma irritating brain and scar tissues of brain. This traumatic growth principally happens on a base of damages in cerebral meninges and arachnoid. External injure of brain will stimulate the expansion speed of existing brain cancer besides.

4. Radiation. The semipermanent exposure to radiation is another reason behind brain cancer.

What ar the Common Symptoms of Brain Cancer?

1. Headache is one amongst the foremost obvious symptoms of brain cancer. It unremarkably happens in four or five am once the patients ar in deep sleep. Patients typically rouse owing to headache, with sleep deeper, headache additional server.. The headache disappears bit by bit at eight or nine o'clock once obtaining up.

2.Spraying unconditioned reflex. Compared to vomits that ar caused by stomachal diseases, the vomit happens on brain cancer unremarkably shows no symptoms like abdomen soberness and distension, nausea and abdominal pain or symptom. Moreover, the vomit isn't associated with foodintake, it's simply a unexpected spraying vomit shortly once headache, that is due to magnified intracranial pressure stimulating the unconditioned reflex centre of medulla.

Besides, abrupt twitch, single symptom, hearing impairment in one ear, hemiplegia, lowered eye vision, diplopia, issue in swallow and sustaining body balance, dizziness, are the symptoms of brain cancer.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

In early stage of Prostate Cancer, there's no special clinical manifestation, whereas as time goes by, Prostate Cancer shall manifest several varieties of symptoms and these symptoms would exacerbate step by step. To sum up, there area unit in the main 3 aspects as follows:

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Urination obstruction: as a result of the tumor's volume will increase step by step therefore on squeeze duct, therefore patients with Prostate Cancercan suffer from more and more getting-worse symptoms like upset, frequent voiding or voiding urgency, or different stimulation symptoms like odynuria. a part of advanced stage Prostate Cancer patients would suffer from retention as a result of they're utterly unable to urinate.

Other tissues to be concerned in: once Prostate Cancer invades adjacent or encircled tissues or organs, a series of native infiltration symptoms shall be caused, for instance, neoplasm offensive nerve and cavitas pelvis would cause pain in lower abdomen likewise as in area or perhaps in male reproductive gland, or bearing-down pain in pocket or lumgago; neoplasm offensive vesica, vesicle, would cause these symptoms like bloody voiding, hemospemia; neoplasm offensive canal would cause hydronephrosis; if duct is invaded, corresponding symptoms like piddle retention or enuresis then on area unit caused.

Tumor metastasis: it's simple for Prostate Cancer to unfold to skeleton, before skeleton being destroyed, Prostate Cancer patients shall suffer from nice pain, and meantime bear the additional risk of bone fracture. If bone marrow is broken, the immunity degrade or anaemia would appear; neoplasm spreading to blood vessels or lymph gland close, circulation of blood or humor fluid would be blocked or blocked so the limbs or area of patients shall suffer from edema; neoplasm spreading to respiratory organ, would cause hurting, pulmonic infection, respiration problem, ejection blood then on; neoplasm spreading to liver, would cause discomforts to liver space, jaundice then on; neoplasm spreading to brain, would cause headache, dizziness, vomiting, cognitive state then on; advanced stage Prostate Cancer patients could suffer from serosa fluid, ascites, swollen everywhere the body then on.

Symptoms of Lymphoma

Lymphoma may be a malignancy of system will develop in any a part of body. it always seems as a solid neoplasm within the organs made in body fluid tissues and tends to encroach on body fluid nodes, tonsil, spleen and bone marrow. it's simply unnoticed due to insidious symptoms. however the survival rate will extremely improved if its symptoms ar noted in early stage and take treatments in time. Therefore, it's necessary for North American country to grasp some symptoms of Lymphoma.

1. the foremost typical symptoms of Lymphoma ar painless superficial body fluid nodes, that grow bit by bit with sleek surface and within the hardness like nasal tip. Swelling body fluid nodes ar most ordinarily occurring in neck and supraclavicular regions, at that time ar in armpits and inguens. Some cases would chiefly gift the symptom of swelling body fluid nodes deep in body, for instance, swelling body fluid nodes in cavity, abdomen and pelvis. Those cases associate with associate insidious onset that once the patients ar diagnosed Lymphoma, the swelling body fluid nodes deep in body unremarkably ar each obvious to notice.

2. Progressive swelling body fluid nodes might have an effect on or continue tissues or organs around and cause correspondent symptoms. for instance, once superior vena is ironed by the swelling body fluid nodes in cavity would block blood backflowing to cause swollen face and neck, chest distress, hurting or troublesome breath then on. If the swelling body fluid nodes of pelvis and abdomen continue alimentary tract, duct or gall ducts etc. would cause blockage, pathology, jaundice, which can additionally associate with abdominal pain and distention.

3. Expect systema lymphaticum, Lymphoma can even encroach on different organs and gift correspondent symptoms. as an example, duct Lymphoma would show the symptoms like abdominal pain, duct lesion, harm and oppression etc., that ar same as abdomen diseases and viscus cancer do. Lymphocytoma body covering is generally mistaken as skin disease, skin disorder and eczema. If the neoplasm develops in brain, headache, blurring vision, disturbance of speech, cognitive state, and alter in disposition, nervous disorder of limbs or whole body, and even dysfunction in severe cases. once neoplasm invades bones will cause pain or fracture of bones, and if in bodily cavity might develop symptoms like nose obstruction, running nose, nasal harm, that ar like those of cavum cancer.

4. cancer may be a general disease, except the higher than symptoms, fever, night sweat, acratia, emaciation, loss of appetency, rash, itching, anemia and different systematic symptoms might develop in additional than five hundredth patients. From this, superficial Lymphoma comes with obvious symptoms that ar straightforward to search out early. except for the Lymphoma develops deep in body, it's troublesome to notice as a result of regarding symptoms would occur once the neoplasm is giant enough.

Why a pill just won't cut it

You can't turn on the television, open a web browser, or read the newspaper without an advertisement or study telling you a new way to be healthy. One study says chocolate will help you lose weight, another says it's all genetic anyway - how do you ever know what to believe? One way to think about it is to think about a time not too long ago before fad dieting and obesity were daily topics of conversation. How did your grandmother eat? How did her mother feed her? Many believe our ancestors were much healthier than we are today, and one way to boost our own health may be to mimic those diets. One thing they certainly didn't consume back then: dietary supplements and vitamins.

It may seem like popping a calcium pill is a great, easy way to get your nutrients. Maybe it even sounds more appetizing than having some yogurt. But did you know that a study by the British Medical Journal found a connection between taking calcium supplements and thirty percent rise in the risk of suffering a heart attack. That risk was not seen in those who got their calcium the old fashioned way - by ingesting it in their food - or in people who also took vitamin D with their calcium.

Another major drawback of going the supplement route is the risk that you will encounter adverse side effects. One report found that excessive amounts of vitamin A supplements can cause headaches and birth defects, lower bone strength and can even cause liver damage. Zinc has been associated with nausea, vomiting, and internal organ damage.

Supplements can also have interactions with your prescription medications. For example, blood-thinning medication and vitamin K can be a dangerous combination, potentially increasing risk for blood clots. Vitamins E and C may decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy. So if you're taking a prescription and you add a dietary supplement to your daily regimen, you may find yourself experiencing some unexpected and unpleasant reactions.

What does all of this tell us? It's hard to say exactly, except that when you pop a pill, you don't really know what the effects will be. Something else you don't know: what's actually in that pill. While the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture technically regulate what can and cannot appear on a food label, there is no government regulator out there keeping track of what a dietary supplement's label out there. So the health claims made on those bottles could be - and some likely are - entirely made up out of thin air. Is that the kind of product you want to buy? Probably not.

The truth is that we can get all the nutrients we need by eating a balanced diet that relies on a variety of foods and food groups. And food offers a lot of great things that you can't buy in a pill. It brings people together; it teaches us about new cultures; it tastes good. Why would you want to skip all of those benefits for a questionably beneficial supplement? Especially when that supplement comes in a non-regulated bottle and costs money? Do yourself, your wallet, and your taste buds a favor and skip that morning dose.

About the Author: Steven Madison freelances about health-related topics for this website. He's a personal trainer who has seen one too many diets based on supplements go terribly wrong.

Natural Treatment For Headache

Do

• Rest in a quiet room, in darkness or with dimmed lights. Make sure of getting enough sleep at night.
• Massage the muscles at the back of neck and shoulder in a gentle circular motion with sesame oil. Then take a hot shower.
• Try using heat to soothe the pain: fill a hot-water bottle, wrap it in a towel, and rest your head on it.
• Try aerobic exercise, yoga, or deep breathing or relaxation exercises.
• If working at a desk or computer workstation, get up and walk around regularly to reduce tension in your neck and shoulders.
• Have your eyesight checked.
• Build up physical resistance through proper nutrition, exercise and positive thinking to prevent headache.

Avoid this:

• Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine in excess, and smoking.
• Avoid red meat, nuts, and chocolate.
• Avoid Spices, condiments, sour buttermilk, and oily foodstuffs.
• Boiling fresh ginger or dried ginger powder in water and then inhaling the steam is also effective.
• Eat a ripe apple with a little salt every morning on an empty stomach. Take this continuously for about a week.

What is Foot Reflexology

Foot Reflexology has become a well respected ADJUNCT to regular medical care.It is used in Hospitals, by Physical Therapists and Chiropractors to enhance MOST forms of medical treatments.

Foot reflexology can help ease the pain of achy joints and muscles, relieve headaches and toothaches, improve the functioning of major systems of the body.

Foot Reflexology works by applying pressure at specific points on the bottom of the foot. This is not the same as acupressure or acupuncture.
In fact, the only thing that is the same is that medical science can't prove how it works...they just know it does!!

There are over 7,200 nerve endings at the bottom of each foot. Nerves connectto every organ, every limb and region of the body through the brain and spinal column. It is thought that foot reflexology works in much the same way. Even though we don't actually work the nerve endings, the correlation of the bottom of the feet to every region of the body definitely exists. It was originally called "The Zone" therapy in the early 20th century and was successfully organized into a comprehensive therapy by a physical therapist, Eunice Ingham in the '40s. She coined the term "reflexes" when referring to this therapy.

Foot reflexology can increase the blood flow to the part of the body being worked, which in turn increases the oxygen going to that part.

The increased blood flow helps take away toxins that build up in each cell of the body each day.
This brings more health and vitality to the region plus adds a sense of over-all well-being. When our feet feel good, we feel good!

Learn to do foot reflexology to help your family and friends feel better! Get helpgetting your body back to its' natural state of health by teaching your family todo foot reflexology on you!

Please realize that foot reflexology is NOT a substitute for medical treatment, you are always encouraged to seek professional medical help when needed, however, this therapy can be used in conjunction with most treatments for most conditions.

Please, if being treated by a medical professional, get that professional's permission before doing foot reflexology for that medical condition

Cialis And Similar Yet Natural Alternatives

BY: Nitin Vaghela

Cialis is a drug that is used in the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED). The problem is more common in older men although men of any age can suffer.

How it works
A complicated series of actions and reactions must occur for a man to gain and maintain an erection. The end result is that chemicals are released in order to relax certain muscles and allow blood flow to the penis to increase, thus causing erection. Erection ceases when a chemical called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) is released and breaks down the other chemical, causing the blood flow to decrease and the penis to return to its flaccid state.

Cialis' active ingredient is Tadalafil. This works to inhibit PDE5, meaning the chemicals that cause increased blood flow to the penis remain intact for longer, resulting in a longer asting erection.

Is it Safe?
As with any medication, men need to consult a doctor before using Cialis. Because tadalifil is a blood thinner, there are certain medications that cannot be taken in conjunction with Cialis including any form of nitrate. Using both of these forms of medication together, or anything else that can lead to low blood pressure, such as alcohol or blood pressure tablets, can cause extreme and sudden low blood pressure, resulting in more serious complications.

The treatment can also cause side-effects such as:
Headache
Nausea
Diarrhea
In rare occasions, often with people already suffering from a different medical condition such as a heart condition,
Cialis may cause:
Chest pains
Palpitations
Strokes
The treatment is by no means safe to use by everyone. A medical exam should be taken and all available options should be discussed with the doctor before a definite course of action is taken.

Alternatives
There are other medications on the market that are designed to treat ED including Viagra and Levitra. Although these two medications use different active ingredients, they act in the same way; by using chemicals to increase blood flow to the penis. Therefore, the side-effects and risks are almost the same.

Natural pills for erectile dysfunction are widely believed to be much safer than the prescription drugs, purely for the fact that the ingredients are natural extracts of different herbs and plants. Due to the lack of chemical, there is considerably less chance of some kind of allergic reaction with many of the natural pills having no side-effects at all.

A lot many people like you who take Cialis are worried about it side effects and are looking for different alternatives. I present you with a totally natural alternative to Cialis which does not have side effects and is doctor recommended.

Serious note about heart attacks and METHOD OF TREATMENT

Drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3.. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)
6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards - daily..
8. This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
9. It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
10. This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
11. For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
12. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.
13. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.
14. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

• Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
• Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
• You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
• Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
• 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
• Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about

Syphilis

Syphilis is another sexually transmitted disease. It can be transmitted from an infected sex organ to an open cut in the skin of another person. It usually penetrates the moist mucous membranes of the mouth, the vagina, and the penis urethra, through which urine passes from the bladder to the outside.

Symptoms
If Syphilis if not treated, it can occur in three stages. The symptoms are slow to appear usually 10 -90 days after exposure.

The first stage can occur any time between two to four weeks after infection has occurred. A painless ulcer develops at this site most of the time. The ulcer starts as a red spot, turns into a pimple, which ulcerates, forming a sore. The ulcer is usually found on the genitals or anus, but can appear on any part of the skin, including the mouth. It usually heals in 4-6 weeks, leaving a thin scar. During this period the bacterium is circulating in the blood throughout the body.

The second stage appears one to six months after the ulcer heals, you feel generally ill, you have a fever and a headache and lose your appetite. The glands in your neck, armpit and groin may swell. Most people develop a skin rash that does not itch. The spots appear on the palms of the hands and the bottom of the feet.

The symptoms usually last three to six months. There is what you call a latent period where there are no apparent symptoms, and the carrier is no longer contagious. However, the organism is working itself into the host's tissues. There are 50 to 70 percent of the carriers that can live the rest of their lives in this stage, without passing into the syphilis stage. MORE PICTURES

The last stage is the serious stage. It flares up without warning. It can cause heart problems, eye problems, brain and spinal cord damage, with a high probability of paralysis, insanity, blindness or death.

Treatment
Treatment is by penicillin injection, or a two-week regimen of tetracycline, which is the standard treatment for syphilis. All stages of syphilis are treatable and can be stopped.

Transmission
The most common form of transmission is through sexual intercourse. Syphilis can also be acquired by blood transfusion or from passed from an infected mother to her fetus.

Testing
The disease is detected by a blood test.

Taking too much paracetamol

Victims of 'staggered' overdoses often fail to realise the amount they are taking could be fatal over a few days, they say.

Experts have also pointed out, however, that many of us will be taking paracetamol or combination remedies containing the drug this winter to combat colds and flu, and that it is a safe and effective painkiller when the correct amount is taken.

A study shows the risk of dying from liver failure is higher from accidental overdose than deliberate suicide attempts.

This is because people report feeling unwell to GPs or accident and emergency departments without knowing the cause, making it difficult to diagnose and treat in time.

It is too easy to 'top up' the dose without realising the dangers, they warn.

Eight 500mg tablets a day – the equivalent of 4g – should be the maximum daily dose.

In the study, a team led by Dr Kenneth Simpson analysed data from 663 patients who had been admitted to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary between 1992 and 2008 with liver damage caused by paracetamol.

Tragedy: Donna Bishop overdosed on paracetamol

Donna Bishop overdose in paracetamol

They found 161 people with an average age of 40 had taken a staggered overdose, usually to relieve stomach and back pain, headache or toothache.

Two out of five died from liver failure – a higher fatality rate than recorded for deliberate overdosing, says a report in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Dr Simpson, of Edinburgh University and the Scottish Liver Transplantation Unit, said staggered overdoses can occur when people have pain and repeatedly take a little more paracetamol than they should.

He said: 'They haven't taken the sort of one-off massive overdoses taken by people who try to commit suicide, but over time the damage builds up and the effect can be fatal.

'They are often taking paracetamol for pain and they don't keep track of how much they've consumed over a few days.

'But on admission, these staggered overdose patients were more likely to have liver and brain problems, require kidney dialysis or help with breathing and were at greater risk of dying than people who had taken single overdoses.'

Hospital doctors may find low levels of paracetamol in the blood of people suffering from staggered overdoses even though they are at high risk of liver failure and death. Dr Simpson said some people reacted worse to a lower dose than others, with high alc0hol consumption exacerbating the problem – and it was not possible to identify them in advance.

He said 10g was the lowest amount in the study leading to death while 24g over 24 hours was a recognised fatal dose.

'The safest thing to do is monitor how much you're taking and do not exceed eight 500mg tablets in a day,' he said.

Normal quantities of the drug are broken down harmlessly by the body but excessive amounts can accumulate in the liver, leading to irreversible damage.

By JENNY HOPE