PC THE TOWN

People who have bad breath can really stink up a room. The cause of their social faux pas is due primarily to poor oral health. The technical term is halitosis; but if you mention to anyone that they suffer from that particular issue, you might just get a blank stare. Most people, however, can easily identify with the term �bad breath.� In some parts of the world, the whole country might smell�likely because most of the inhabitants are living with halitosis. According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), more than 80 million people suffer from chronic halitosis, or bad breath. In most cases it originates from the gums and tongue. The odor is caused by wastes from bacteria in the mouth, the decay of food particles, other debris in your mouth and poor oral hygiene. The decay and debris produce a sulfur compound that causes the unpleasant odor. In many people, the millions of bacteria that live in the mouth (particularly on the back of the tongue) are the primary causes of bad breat...

Suicide is the end result of someone who has seen no end in sight for a particular problem. Taking your life because you seemingly feel there is no way out of an issue is not an answer�coldly, it�s an excuse. It may be a solution to your crisis that in your mind is the only way to escape; but to end your life can be tragic not only for you, but for those who know and love you. Suicide is not an acceptable answer to a question you anticipate has no other resolution. If you are in intense emotional and/or physical pain, remember that your judgment is being clouded by that pain. If you are considering suicide, you are trying to end that pain. Please do not confuse ending your pain with ending your life. The two are very different, according to www.suicide.org , a prevention organization. If you are suicidal, you probably are suffering from clinical depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, postpartum depression, PTSD, or something similar. And if you have something along these lines, y...

If you suffer from chronic pain in your lower left abdomen, that also may be accompanied with tenderness and some fever, you may be experiencing diverticulitis. Some people may additionally experience leukocytosis (an elevation of the white cell count in blood tests). Patients may also complain of nausea or diarrhea; others may be constipated. According to MedicineNet.com, as a person ages, pressure within the colon causes small outpouchings (sacs) that push out from the walls of the colon. A single outpouching is called a diverticulum. The plural of diverticulum (two or more outpouchings) is diverticula. Diverticula may occur throughout the colon, but they are most common near the distal end of the left colon called the sigmoid colon. People who have diverticula in the colon are referred to as having diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is very common in adults in the U. S., and most people will eventually develop them. Diverticula are common in the Western world but are rare in areas suc...

When the flowers start to bloom and the trees begin to bud, the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring is near. Have you ever been so depressed or have feelings of being cooped up like a caged bird as you await the arrival of warmer temperatures and milder weather that you can hardly stand it? You just want to run outside without worrying about freezing to death from all the blustery winds and snow of the colder months. You seem like you are going to burst if you don�t get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors without the fear of frostbite. According to the Los Angeles Times, Spring fever, that reputed and seemingly infectious malady that strikes when the days lengthen and temperatures begin to climb, has been blamed for feverish bouts of house-cleaning, restless behavior in the classroom, distraction in meetings and love struck dazes. Some scientists think spring fever is more than just a colloquialism -- they think it's a constellation of symptoms brought about by hormonal cha...

People who have plantar fasciitis typically experience terrible foot pain on the bottom of their foot. Often, the pain can be excruciating to the point of someone having the inability to walk without difficulty. Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time. You may have less stiffness and pain after you take a few steps. But your foot may hurt more as the day goes on. It may hurt the most when you climb stairs or after you stand for a long time.   This type of health problem of the heel and plantar surface of the foot is characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, or structural deterioration of the plantar fascia of the foot. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of connective tissue that originates on the medial tubercle of the heel bone and extends along the sole of the foot towards the toes and supports the arch of the foot. The condition is often caused by overuse of the plantar fascia, increa...