“Since 1984, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared May to be “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.

More than 100 million people in the United States have asthma and/or allergies. Some people may have more than one of these conditions.

• Nearly 26 million people in the U.S. have asthma (20.7 million adults and 4.8 million children).^1,2
• About 20 million people in the U.S. have food allergies (16.0 million adults and 4.3 million children).^3,4
• About 80 million people in the U.S. have rhinitis due to nasal allergies, also called “hay fever” (66.4 million adults and 13.9 million children).^3,4
• There is no cure for asthma or allergies.

Allergies are one of the most common chronic diseases. A chronic disease lasts a long time or occurs often. An allergy occurs when the body’s immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it.  It is a long-term disease that causes your airways to become swollen and inflamed, making it hard to breathe. There is no cure for asthma, but it can be managed and controlled.”

Asthman and Allergy Foundation of America (https://aafa.org/asthma/)

“Your healthcare provider will take your medical history and give you a physical exam. Tests may also be done. These include BLOOD TESTS:

First checking Blood Lab Tests like-1-Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. This checks antibody levels in the blood, 2-Complete blood count (CBC). This checks if your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet levels are normal, 3-Creatinine This test checks for kidney disease,4-Sedimentation rate(ESR) This test can find inflammation, 5-Hematocrit. This test measures the number of red blood cells, in particular the solids in your blood strean versus the fluid in the bloodstream.,6-RF (rheumatoid factor) and CCP (cyclic citrullinated peptide) antibody tests. These can help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. They can also assess how severe the disease is.,7-White blood cell count. This checks the level of white blood cells in your blood, elevated infection., and 8-Uric acid. This helps diagnose gout (it would be elevated).

Other tests may be done, such as:Joint aspiration (arthrocentesis). A small sample of synovial fluid is taken from a joint. It’s tested to see if crystals, bacteria, or viruses are present.X-rays or other imaging tests. These can tell how damaged a joint is.Urine test. This checks for protein and different kinds of blood cells.HLA tissue typing. This looks for genetic markers of ankylosing spondylitis.Skin biopsy. Tiny tissue samples are removed and checked under a microscope. This test helps to diagnose a type of arthritis that involves the skin, such as lupus or psoriatic arthritis.Muscle biopsy. Tiny tissue samples are removed and checked under a microscope. This test helps to diagnose conditions that affect muscles.”.

John Hopkins Hospital (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/arthritis)

Possible causes of arthritis:

1.) It’s not known what causes inflammatory arthritis in every person, but the general consensus is that something in the environment — a virus, stress or smoking, for examples — can trigger it in people who are genetically predisposed. Recent research has also highlighted the complex and critical role of gut microbes in immune-related inflammatory diseases like RA and PsA.

2.) The trillions of mostly friendly bugs that live in your gut, skin and mouth, collectively called the microbome, regulate immune cells throughout the body and shape how the immune system functions in various diseases. When these vast microbial communities get out of balance due to poor diet, antibiotic treatment, stress or some other factor, they may no longer regulate the immune response in a normal way. This is thought to be one of the key contributing factors to RA and other autoimmune-related inflammatory conditions.

With autoimmune and inflammatory types of arthritis, early diagnosis and treatment are critical. Slowing disease activity can help minimize or prevent permanent joint damage as well as reduce pain and improve function and quality of life. Remission (defined as little to no disease activity) is always the goal, but low disease activity may be a more realistic target for some people.

This is usually best achieved with a combination of medications and a healthy lifestyle — regular exercise, restful sleep, healthy food choices and less stress. The medication depends on the type of arthritis, the severity of symptoms and how well someone responds to a particular drug, which is based on patient to patient (individual). For some people, the first medicine tried may not be the best fit. And some arthritis drugs can have unpleasant side effects or lose their effectiveness over time. It may take a few tries to find the right medication.

Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce signs or symptoms and improve quality of life through Occupational or Physical Therapy and/or through medications, the old way.

Things that make arthritis worse:

1.)Meds not the case always in resolving the arthritic problem. Conventional medicine through doctors ordering medications (see Dr. David Brownstein’s website for his Natural Way to Health (with his book) to overcome arthritis). Drugs rarely CURE things. We are trained to believe doctors have all the answers with medications or surgeries in resolving our health problem. It’s unnatural with arthritis and many other diagnoses. Natural therapies and good foods are not taken seriously by enough people in America in regards to helping a condition, like arthritis, or even prevention (which should be your first intervention, don’t wait for the diagnosis).

2.)Infection – check if a bacterial infection started your arthritis. If that is the cause antibiotics, low dose some doctors have given to people in studies and have worked. You would think this would be used more often, at least in testing for before just prescribing anti-inflammatory or analgesics meds. If its infection you need to kill the bacteria and the only way to do that it is with an antibiotic which kills a bacterial infection.

3.)DIET – Too many sugars or chemical preservatives and sweeteners which is in the standard American diet. Processed Foods are BAD.  The same foods that cause obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease can easily cause arthritis. Increase your fruits and nuts in your diet. Vitamin C and E are good for you. Pomegrante extract also.

4.) Dehydration– main causes of arthritis. Many simplify the problem. Your joints need water and if not enough it will cause an auto immune response=inflammation and get worse with processed foods.

5.) Heavy metal toxicity-Mercury, Arsenic and Nickel it includes. Not a fluke and mercury is one of the worst metals to have toxic in your body. Fish is the second worst source of heavy metal food. Few things you can do now, eat tuna occasionally. Silver malcum fillings have your dentist remove. Have your doctor do a heavy metal toxicity test on you if you never had one done and with arthritis.

6.) Low or imbalances of hormones=headache, faster aging, fatigue/lethargy, skin wrinkling sooner in life. Synthetic hormones don’t perform as well in your body and can lead to problems. Female hormones   can increase your chance to breast cancer for example.

7.) Along with Diet also bodyweight impact on arthritis

Experts say that eating a well-balanced diet is vital when you have arthritis. Not only will you be receiving critical nutrients, you will also be either maintaining or arriving more quickly at a healthy bodyweight. If you are overweight you will be adding extra pressure on weight-bearing joints. Many patients have found that losing just a few pounds made a significant difference to their quality of life. Doctors and nutritionists are more frequently advising arthritis patients to keep sugary and/or fatty foods to a minimum – such as red meat, cream and cheese. You should make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are thought to relieve to some extent the symptoms of arthritis. A common source of Omega-3 fatty acids is oily fish, such as sardines, herring, trout, and salmon. Many of us tend to place large portions on our plate. If you reduce the size of the portions you may lose weight more effectively. Make sure that vegetables and fruit make up a large part of your portion.

How to prevent or decrease arthritis:

1.Maintain a good body weight.  You put more pressure on the joints.  “Every extra pound of weight you have on is 4 pounds of pressure on the weight-bearing joints, like your knees and hips,” explains Scott Zashin, MD, a board-certified rheumatologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.

2.Trade in your high heels.  Zashin recommends biking or water exercises for those looking to stay active and practice arthritis prevention.

3.Do non-impact exercises..Zashin recommends biking or water exercises for those looking to stay active and practice arthritis prevention.

4.Use better body mechanics. When performing physical tasks, like lifting objects, how you hold your body (and any weight you’re carrying) matters. “People with bad body mechanics may be predisposed to develop arthritis,” says Zashin.

5.Avoid injuries.“Avoiding injury will decrease the risk of developing arthritis later in life,” says Zashin, who points out the connection between injuries and osteoarthritis in football players who develop arthritis pain years after retiring. Though most women aren’t playing football, other injury types can cause problems.

6.Check your vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 60 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, and women, especially African-American women and those of menopausal age, are especially likely to be lacking adequate levels. Asking your doctor to check your vitamin D levels is a smart move for arthritis prevention. “Patients who have adequate levels of vitamin D have less progression of osteoarthritis,” Zashlin says.

7.Stay hydrated. Another reason to drink more water: arthritis prevention. The cartilage in our joints is made up mostly of water, which is what makes it such a great cushion for the joints. When we’re dehydrated, water gets sucked out of the cartilage and it’s more easily damaged by wear and tear. This can be seen in people with osteoarthritis of the spine or degenerative disk disease, says Zashin.

“An estimated 58.5 million US adults have arthritis. Experts believe that number will grow as our nation’s population gets older.  Arthritis is a leading cause of work disability among US adults.  An estimated 25.7 million adults are limited in their usual activities because of arthritis. That number is expected to grow to 35 million by 2040.  Arthritis is common among people with other chronic conditions including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.”.

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/arthritis-fast-facts.html)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the famous New York Yankees baseball player who was forced to retire after developing the disease in 1939.  Once ALS starts, it almost always progresses.  ALS is a relentlessly progressive disorder. The rate of progression between individuals is variable , different for each individual and the history generally reflects gradual and progressive worsening over time until last stage called end stage occurs. Their are 4 stages to ALS early, middle, late, and end stages.”

MDA Muscular Dystrophy Association

“Once ALS starts, it almost always progresses.  ALS is a relentlessly progressive disorder. The rate of progression between individuals is variable , different for each individual and the history generally reflects gradual and progressive worsening over time until last stage called end stage occurs. Their are 4 stages to ALS early, middle, late, and end stages.”

MDA Muscular Dystrophy Association

“Bedbugs are small, reddish-brown blood-sucking, wingless insects. Bedbug bites usually clear up without treatment in a week or two. Bedbugs aren’t known to spread disease, but they can cause an allergic reaction or a severe skin reaction in some people. Bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed. They hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames and other objects around a bed and come out at night to feed on their preferred host, humans. The risk of running into bedbugs is higher if you spend time in places where nighttime guests come and go often — such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters.

Lice are tiny, wingless insects that feed on human blood. Lice spread from person to person through close contact and by sharing belongings. You or your doctor can usually confirm a body lice infestation through a visual examination of your body and clothing items.There are 3 types of lice head, body, and pubic lice. Unless treated properly, lice can become a recurring problem.”.

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lice/symptoms-causes/syc-20374399)

Bite marks on the body are the first sign of a bug infestation.

However; there are many species of bloodsucking mites and insects some of which typically include fleas, lice, ticks, bed bugs and so on. So how can you tell what is biting you?

This article will inform you the differences between bed bug bites vs lice bites in order to help you better understand what is biting you.

The first sign of a bed bug infestation is bite marks on your body as well as those of your family members. However, in many people, there is no significant visible reaction as they may have grown immune to the bed bug bites. Hence; it is important to also watch out for other tell-tale signs of bed bugs which typically include brown or rust colored stains on mattresses, discarded white or brown colored shells, as well as an obnoxious almond like smell in the air near the sleeping areas.

Bed bug bites also have following distinguishing characteristics:

• Bite marks may be seen on face, arms, legs and neck.
• The bites typically produce swollen bump with or without a red spot at the centre.
• The bites may be present in a linear pattern with groups of 2 or three bumps in one spot where the bed bug has inserted its mouthparts into the skin.
• In some people, the bites might lead to an allergic reaction which can cause intense itchiness, pain, and inflammation.

Bed bugs hide during the daytime and usually come out only at night-time to feed. So make sure you check your sleeping areas for bed bug signs. The pests also tend to hide in cracks and crevices around the bedding, so visually examine these areas. You will also have to vacuum the entire house and, if needed, discard heavily infested items.

Now Lice=What’s the actual difference with Beg Bugs?

Body lice or head lice are common reasons why humans develop itchiness in their scalp or other body parts. The main similarity between bed bugs vs body lice is that both are typically seen in low economy housing areas or areas where humans have to live in close or cramped quarters under unsanitary conditions. Body lice are also common in school-aged children as they tend to come in close contact with infested kids. Bed bugs may be even found in the cleanest of places including five star hotels or posh residential areas. This is because; they have nothing to do with cleanliness or hygiene and usually come inside one’s homes through the luggage or even through buses, planes, movie theatres and retail stores.

Body lice bites can cause severe irritation on the skin. In sensitive people, red bumps might arise on the bitten areas. Large infestation can even lead to pain, fever, headaches and chills. Crab lice (pubic lice) often produce bluish spots about 1/10^th of an inch in measurement in the bitten regions.

Summary of differences between bed bugs and body lice

• Bed bugs are larger in size than body or hair lice and can be best compared (in size as well as appearance) to an apple seed. Body lice or hair lice measure upto 3mm in length.
• Bed bugs leave characteristic tell-tale signs like a almond-like smell, discarded shells or exoskeletons as well as bloody or fecal matter on the bedding and sleeping areas. Body lice are usually only found through combing with a fine toothed comb.
• Bed bugs get transported from place to place through infested hotels, planes, buses or trains etc. Body lice such as crab lice are transmitted through sexual activities.
• Bed bug bites vs body lice bites: The former may be seen on face, arms, back, neck, chest or other exposed body parts. Body lice or hair lice bites may be present only on specific areas such as scalp, pubic region etc.
• Bed bug bites do not lead to any diseases. Body lice can lead to shivering, fever, aches and pains, especially in case of more severe infestations.
• The best remedies for both bed bug bites and body lice bites is treating and eliminating the infestations from the root. Bed bug infestations might need an integrated pest control approach such as vacuuming, discarding infested items, and spraying or dusting the areas with bed bug products. In case of lice, one will need to use lice combs, anti-lice solutions, lotions, shampoos and soaps to kill the larvae and eggs.

Though potentially harmless, both bed bug bites and body lice bites can be extremely annoying and itchy. Hence, it is vital to know how to identify the bug bites VS. lice through how they feel and look in order to seek proper medical attention or treat it at home so you get rid of the entire infestation of bed bugs or lice.