Several people all over the country fight their battles against arthritis each day. The condition interferes with your day-to-day activities as it is painful and results in tenderness and swelling. There are a few things that can help you reduce your troubles. Lifestyle changes, dietary changes, or probably even moving to another state can help a lot! So, here are five of the worst states to live in for those with arthritis. 1. Oklahoma Oklahoma is one of the worst states to live in if you have arthritis. Humidity is one of the most significant problems here along with fewer healthcare facilities available for arthritis. The humidity and constant heat worsen joint pain and trigger a flare-up. Even though there are several individuals suffering from the condition in the state, Oklahoma makes it on the top of the list for states to avoid for people with arthritis. 2. Mississippi Mississippi’s climate consists of hot and humid summers, cooler but rainy winters, and intense humidity which does not prove to be good for people with arthritis. In addition to that, the availability of healthcare or doctors that you may need could be challenging to access. So, if you or a loved one is suffering from arthritis, you may want to pass living in this state.

Melanoma or skin cancer is one of the less common forms of cancer that originates from melanocytes. It is also a very dangerous form of cancer that spreads rapidly to other organs if not treated in the early stages. Apart from knowing the symptoms to treat the disease, it is also equally important to know the following risk factors that increase the probability of getting diagnosed with melanoma. 1. Exposure to ultraviolet light This is one of the major risk factors associated with melanoma. Ultraviolet light is found in abundance in sunlight, sunlamps, and tanning beds. There are specific areas that experience more exposure to UV rays. Exposure to these rays can alter skin genetics and even damage the DNA resulting in its mutation. The mutation causes the cell to grow out of control resulting in the formation of a malignant tumor. Evidence suggests that the body parts that are more prone to develop this form of cancer include the chest, back, and legs. People living in areas where UV radiation is higher than normal may stand a risk of developing this form of cancer on the face, neck, and arms. However, there are very rare cases where patients have developed mucosal melanoma on internal surfaces like the mouth and vagina where there is no sun exposure.

Sarcoma, also known as soft tissue sarcoma, is a type of cancer that grows in the soft tissues of different body parts such as fats, muscles, nerves, fibrous tissues, blood vessels, or deep skin tissues. Although several risk factors may indicate the likelihood of someone being diagnosed with the condition, very few of them are known to cause cancer directly. Here are some common risk factors associated with sarcoma. 1. Radiation exposure People who have had to undergo radiation therapy previously to treat other cancers are potentially at risk of being diagnosed with sarcoma. Such risks are usually minimal since doctors are cautious about being extremely precise about the number of doses a person is supposed to receive in the form of radiation. Other forms of radiation, such as X-rays, are less dangerous. 2. Exposure to chemicals The risk of being diagnosed with sarcoma increases significantly for people frequently exposed to harsh, radioactive substances and chemicals. Such chemicals may include vinyl chloride monomers, dioxin, chlorophenols, or certain varieties of herbicides. People usually come in contact with such chemicals only if they work in an industry that deals with manufacturing plastic, pesticides, or other such products. 3. Genetic factors If someone has a family history of cancer, they are more likely to be diagnosed with cancers like soft tissue sarcoma.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by tumors formed in the pancreas, the symptoms start showing when the cancer-causing cells have substantially spread. The symptoms accompanied by this disease include blood clots, nausea, loss of appetite, back and stomach pain, weight loss and jaundice. Let’s take a closer look at the risk factors of pancreatic cancer, the silent-spreading disease. Risk factors influence the possibility of developing a disease. We have listed below the factors that contribute to the illness. Understanding the risk factors can help you prevent the disease. However, some risk factors are genetic and there’s no control over them. 1. Age Age is one of the top risk factors for many diseases. People aged 45 and above are at higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. However, it’s a disease that can be diagnosed at any age. 2. Gender Men are more susceptible to developing pancreatic cancer as compared to women. This could also be associated with more tobacco use among men. 3. Family history If two or more close relatives in your family have or have had pancreatic cancer in the past, your chances of developing this illness increases. 4. Inherited genetic syndrome Genetic mutations are passed down from parents to children.

The medical condition in which the body doesn’t have an adequate amount of red blood cells is known as anemia. Due to this condition, the body doesn’t get the right amount of oxygen it needs, which may cause the person to feel weak and lethargic. Several factors or reasons may lead to such a deficiency in people, such as lack of iron, faulty production of red blood cells, or destruction of blood cells. Here are some common symptoms observed in people suffering from anemia. 1. Fatigue and headache A person with anemia may experience a tremendous lack of energy and fatigue due to the substantial absence of oxygen in their blood. This may also result in frequent lightheadedness and dizziness. This also leads to an apparent lack of concentration in such individuals. 2. Paler skin People with extreme anemia cases may also exhibit skin discoloration, where their skin might look paler or even yellowish. This occurs due to jaundice when the destruction of red blood cells contributes to a lack of oxygen in the body. 3. Unusual heartbeat A person suffering from anemia may also experience frequent instances of tremendous fluctuations in heart rate. They may also experience high heart rates, which is also known as palpitation.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, also known as PAH, is a condition where individuals suffer from high blood pressure in the arteries connected between the heart and lungs. This high blood pressure is not the same as the typical blood pressure that affects most individuals. When it comes to PAH, it is usually caused by narrow or blocked arteries, which makes it difficult for the blood to flow. This difficulty leads to higher blood pressure as the heart works harder to pump blood to meet the body’s requirements. PAH is a life-threatening condition and can affect individuals across the globe. Without the right diagnosis and eventual treatment, the condition can get worse over a period of time. Symptoms of PAH Many individuals who suffer from PAH may not notice that they have this condition. This is only because PAH does not usually have many initial symptoms. One of the early signs that you should keep an eye out for is shortness of breath. When this symptom is caused due to almost little to no physical activity, one should get in touch with their doctor. This shortness of breath can get worse over time and lead to other signs and symptoms. Other symptoms include:

Menopause occurs in one’s 40s and 50s and comes with its own set of symptoms. It also increases the risk of health issues like heart disease, osteoporosis, weight gain, and breast cancer. Menopausal women should opt for regular screenings and checkups to facilitate early diagnosis and timely treatment of severe conditions like breast cancer, which can otherwise spread. Here are a few symptoms of breast cancer that menopausal women should keep an eye out for: 1. Breast pain Fluctuating levels of estrogen can affect the tissues in the breast and lead to pain and discomfort. It may even cause the breasts to become sore, tender, and sensitive to touch. However, breast pain is also a symptom of breast cancer, which can be easily misunderstood as a symptom of menopause. So, doctors recommend regular screenings so that cancer can be detected at an early stage. 2. Hot flashes and night sweats This is the most common symptom of menopause, but breast cancer patients and survivors also experience these signs. Hot flashes are described as sudden warm feelings over the face, chest, and neck that cause profuse sweating. This is a way of the body lowering its temperature by releasing excess body heat through the skin.

When a person is said to have deep vein thrombosis or DVT, it means that they have a blood clot inside a deep vein, which mostly occurs in one’s leg. Usually, a blood clot may heal by compression, but if this or any other treatment is ineffective, the blood clot can end up breaking away from the lump in the leg and traveling upward to the heart, which can lead to serious complications. One can avoid this situation early by looking for the following telltale symptoms of DVT and seeking treatment immediately. 1. Swelling Usually, when one has DVT, the affected area will swell up because there’s an obstruction in the smooth flow of blood. The swelling may increase to an abnormal amount as more fluid gets clotted gradually. Most people will experience clotting only in a single limb, which is why the swelling up of a single leg or arm is considered a symptom of DVT. 2. Pain in the Affected Limb Along with swelling, DVT is also associated with pain in the affected area. So if one experiences pain in the legs or hands, it shouldn’t be ignored as it can indicate the presence of a clot. It can be a mild ache or turn into an excruciating pain if clots form in several deep veins of the body.

Not all patients with the same condition show the presence of similar symptoms. Some might experience most of the symptoms, while some others might not display any warning signs at all. The same holds true for colon cancer. However, it is still important to be aware of which signs might be the indication of the illness. Since colon cancer is one of the common forms of cancer, it is even more essential to be aware. Following are the telltale signs of colon cancer. 1. Unexplained weight loss Losing a considerable amount of weight without any efforts, can be a warning sign of some kind of health issue. It is a sign for patients to get themselves tested and get timely treatments for whatever is causing them issues. Like many other health conditions, cancer can act as a causative factor of substantial and unexplained weight loss. 2. Presence of blood in the stool Apart from changes in bowel movements and their appearance, there are some other stool related issues that need to be addressed. In colon cancer patients there are chances that the presence of blood can be noted in the stools. It is one of the common telltale signs of colon cancer and can be a frightening one.

Leukemia is the cancer of the blood. The treatment options available to the patients vary from one to the other. The health care professionals chart up a treatment plan based on the patient’s condition. The factors considered include the spread of cancer cells, the disease’s progress, and the patient’s medical history. None of these options come without possible side effects but are necessary, nonetheless. Here are some treatments for leukemia that the patient might have to undergo. 1. Biological therapy Biological therapy is one of the few commonly used options employed for the treatment of leukemia. This treatment method is aimed at better equipping the immune system. Alternatively known as immunotherapy, it increases the immune system’s ability to detect abnormal cells and then destroy them. Antibodies are derived from other living organisms or are synthetically obtained and administered into the patient’s body. This helps the patient’s immunity produce the proper response based on the cancer’s type and severity. 2. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is one of the most common methods used to treat cancer. Chemotherapy drugs help kill cancerous cells by administering them either orally, dermally, or using central lines. The medications used in this procedure can be single or can be a mixture of some.