While syphilis tends to be more common among men who have sex with men, diagnoses among women are on the rise…

The bacterial infection, which can be spread via vaginal, oral or anal sex, progresses in three stages that pretty much go from scary to horrible to terrifying.

In the first two stages, syphilis can easily be treated with a quick round of antibiotics. But if you don’t treat syphilis within 12 months, it goes latent, meaning the bacteria is still in your body but you may not have symptoms for many years.

Read more: 6 herpes symptoms in women that shouldn’t be ignored

Ten to 30 years down the line, it can become active again, though. In its third stage, syphilis can damage your brain, nerves, eyes, heart and other organs, leading to blindness, paralysis and even death, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

“It’s important to diagnose and treat syphilis early because it can progress to stages that can affect your brain or your overall health, and it can be transferred to babies if it’s not diagnosed in pregnancy,” says obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Jessica Shepherd.

Dr Shepherd says most people notice syphilis symptoms in the first or second stages of the disease, although it’s not uncommon for people to not realise their symptoms are caused by syphilis.

Here are eight syphilis symptoms in women you need to know about.

1. Firm, round, painless sores

In the first stage of syphilis, which lasts three to six weeks, you may or may not notice multiple sores at the spot of infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Read more: 6 things your gynae really wishes you knew about STIs

“They’re painless and firm, and kind of have a vesicular (i.e., a small fluid-filled sac) feel,” explains Dr Shepherd. There are usually several in one area, each slightly larger than a pimple, or about half a centimetre in width. “They do go away. If you don’t go to your doctor in time, you may not see them,” says Dr Shepherd. Untreated, the infection progresses to second-stage syphilis.

2. Fever and swollen lymph glands

Another symptom that can appear at any stage of syphilis is a low-grade fever, generally around 38 to 38.1 degrees Celsius. “It wouldn’t last for very long – a few days, if at all,” says Dr Shepherd.

To be fair, a fever can be a sign of lots of things, so if you haven’t noticed other syphilis symptoms it’s probably nothing to worry about. Still, if you’re concerned it’s never a bad idea to phone your doctor.

3. Skin rashes

Notice a funky rash anywhere on your body? Always a good reason to check in with your doctor. In the secondary stage of untreated syphilis, you may discover a rash on some pretty random parts of your body. “You’ll notice small, rough red bumps, and it may go unnoticed because it doesn’t cause itching,” says Dr Shepherd.

Read more: 8 vagina changes that mean you’ve just caught an STD

While a syphilis rash most often appears on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet, it can pop up elsewhere – although Dr Shepherd says it’s usually pretty localised. At this point, the syphilis bacteria has travelled through your blood, she explains, so it’s starting to affect parts of your body beyond where you were first exposed.

4. Sores in the mouth, vagina or anus

Another sign of secondary-stage syphilis: multiple large (1-3cm), raised grey or white sores that appear in moist areas like your mouth, underarms or groin. “They’re wart-like, somewhat raised and not painful,” Dr Shepherd says. “In fact they can be misdiagnosed as genital warts, which aren’t painful either.” Either way, if you notice these kinds of bumps it’s a good idea to book an appointment with your gynae right away.

5. Patchy hair loss

In the secondary stages of syphilis, you might find patchy bald spots on your scalp. Known as syphilitic alopecia, “this is not one of the big symptoms, and it’s not typical in what we would normally see,” says Dr Shepherd. In fact, hair loss in women can have all other kinds of causes, including hormonal changes, medications and medical conditions. “If you have hair loss, we usually see other symptoms like a rash, and we piece it together,” she adds. Once syphilis is treated, hair grows back.

6. Weight loss

Some women notice they might lose a couple of kilos in second-stage syphilis, but nothing dramatic, says Dr Shepherd. “We usually only notice it when we start to piece things together. Women may also have other symptoms rather than just weight loss,” she says. Other symptoms of second-stage syphilis are cold-like and include headaches, muscle aches, sore throat and fatigue, all of which will go away with or without treatment, according to the CDC.

7. Sensory deficits and clumsiness

Once untreated syphilis reaches the tertiary stage, bacteria can eventually affect the brain, says Dr Shepherd. Known as neurosyphilis, according to the CDC, it affects up to 10% of patients with untreated syphilis and can lead to meningitis, or inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Read more: 7 things you should know about genital warts

In addition to headaches and difficulty coordinating muscle movements, other symptoms include altered behaviour, paralysis, sensory deficits and dementia, according to the US Mayo Clinic. The good news is, syphilis is treatable at any stage with antibiotics – although you’ll need to see your doctor to get diagnosed, and you’ll likely need to take medication for weeks or potentially be hospitalised for IV antibiotics at this stage.

8. Fuzzy vision

Ocular syphilis is another tertiary effect of untreated syphilis, where bacteria affect the optic nerve in the brain, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include vision changes up to permanent blindness. “Syphilis is a blood-borne pathogen, so once it’s in the brain it will affect that organ. It’s just a matter of time before gets there,” says Dr Shepherd. There’s one more good reason to check in with your doctor right away if you notice any early-stage syphilis symptoms.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com  

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The safety of e-cigarettes has been an ongoing topic for a while.

Research has shown how e-cigarettes can be bad for your health in various ways.

But a new study suggests that the flavourings used in e-cigarettes might potentially be the most toxic part of the vapour inhaled by users.

What makes the flavour so dangerous?

E-cigarette liquid contains dozens of different chemicals, and these vary widely from product to product, said lead author Flori Sassano. She is a research project manager with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Many of these chemicals are toxic to human cells in the laboratory, but the most toxic appear to be those related to the flavourings contained in e-liquids, Sassano said.

These chemicals include vanillin and cinnamaldehyde, which respectively produce the flavours of vanilla and cinnamon.

The flavourings have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for consumption, but that doesn’t mean they are safe to inhale as vapour from an e-cigarette, Sassano explained.

The FDA’s list of safe flavourings “is based upon studies that have been done on these chemicals when ingested, but not when inhaled,” she said.

Not all flavours tested

There are more than 7 700 e-liquid flavours on the market from more than 1 200 different vendors, and most have not been tested for their potential toxicity, the study authors said in background notes.

For their research, Sassano and her colleagues tested about 150 commercially available e-liquids, and out of those identified 143 unique chemical compounds.

“What this tells us is these e-liquids are very diverse, and because they are diverse they are very hard to study as a group,” Sassano said.

What the study entailed

To test toxicity, the researchers developed a system by which lab-grown human cells are exposed to e-liquid chemicals. The more toxic a chemical, the more it will reduce the growth rates of these cells, according to the report.

Most of the liquid in an e-cigarette is made up of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine, and those chemicals on their own are toxic to lab-grown human cells, the researchers said.

But the flavourings added to e-cigarettes can be even more toxic, the investigators discovered.

The toxic effects of these liquids proved harmful to cells from human lungs and upper airways. And, overall, the more ingredients included in an e-liquid, the greater the toxicity, the findings showed.

The study was published online in the journal PLOS Biology.

Sassano said the process they’ve developed provides a fast and reliable way to evaluate the toxicity of the chemicals in e-liquids.

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Most nights, if you’re lucky, sleep is a completely unremarkable event. But every so often you may experience bizarre behaviours that can leave you feeling completely confused – and perhaps slightly freaked out.

Not to worry. We asked sleep doctors to decode some of the craziest things that can occur from the moment you close your eyes – and most of them are totally normal.

Read more: 3 tips to a better night’s sleep

1. Feeling like you’re falling

Also known as a hypnagogic jerk, it tends to happen as you’re falling asleep.

Typically when you dream, your body is paralysed, but sometimes you can start dreaming before your body is on “off” mode.

With hypnagogic jerks, you might act out a dream like falling off a cliff, falling from the sky, or tripping, says Dr W Christopher Winter, Men’s Health sleep advisor and medical director of the sleep centre at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Virginia.

Why the falling? Researchers aren’t sure. “It’s more likely to happen when you’re overtired, sleep-deprived or stressed,” Dr Winter says. “And your brain enters into sleep cycles more aggressively, but your body hasn’t caught up.”

2. Sleep paralysis

You start to wake up in the morning and realise you can’t move a muscle or speak. It can last from several seconds to several minutes, and it’s completely terrifying.

Essentially, it’s the opposite of what happens with hypnagogic jerks, where your brain wakes up before the paralysis that accompanies deep sleep goes away, Dr Winter says.

“You may feel like you can’t breathe. Many people describe it as an elephant sitting on their chest. That’s because all of the muscles that control your breathing except for the diaphragm are still paralysed.”

Read more: In honour of world sleep day, here are 7 products to help you snooze better

3. Sleepwalking

Most sleep-related behaviours are harmless. But sleepwalking can be a dangerous issue, since you can trip, walk into something, leave your house or even get behind the wheel.

“With sleepwalking, you’re coming out of sleep just enough for your body to move, but not enough for your brain to be awake,” says Dr Winter.

That’s why you probably have no recollection of your late-night jaunts. The prescription sleep-aid Ambien (known as Zolpidem in South Africa) has been linked to some of the more bizarre sleepwalking incidents including cooking, binge eating and driving while zonked out.

That’s because even if you wake up during the night, the drug keeps your brain sedated so you’re still in an unconscious state, Dr Winter says.

If you experience unusual or dangerous nighttime antics and pop the sleeping pill, talk to your doctor about switching prescriptions.

4. Sleep-talking

About 5% of adults yap in their sleep, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Most pillow-talk sessions last only about 30 seconds on average.

“It often happens within the first hour or two of sleep when your body is entering into deep stages of sleep, but there’s still enough muscle tone to produce sounds or movements that may accompany dreams,” says Dr Winter.

Read more: 8 foods you had no idea could put you to sleep

5. Recurring dreams

“Dreaming is a way for your brain to sort out things it needs to reevaluate and process before it can file them away as memories,” Dr Winter says. “Recurring dreams may happen with unresolved psychological issues your brain is trying to sort out.”

Oftentimes, recurring dreams are based partly in reality. “If you were robbed at the grocery store, you might replay that over and over during sleep until you come to grips with it – whereas if you went to the store to get bread and milk, your brain would process it right away and move on,” Dr Winter adds.

6. Sleep sex

You’re not the only one who has woken up mid-act. In a study of more than 800 patients at a sleep disorders centre, about 8% of patients reported incidents of sexsomnia – initiating sex with a partner while asleep, according to researchers at the University Health Network in Toronto.

“In my experience working with patients, the attitudes, behaviours and things people may say during sleep sex are often very different from what they’d do and say when fully awake,” Dr Winter says.

As a parasomnia, the phenomenon is similar to sleepwalking – you’re coming partly out of deep sleep enough that you can move and possibly talk, but your brain isn’t awake enough to be fully conscious.

“Many people have a vague recollection of it happening during the night or they wake up during sex,” says Dr Winter. “It’s possible you may have been dreaming about sex or perhaps you went to bed with the urge.”

Read more: These 5 crazy facts will make you want to sleep naked. Every night

7. Exploding Head Syndrome

It’s just as freaky as it sounds: “All of a sudden, the person wakes up having heard a really loud noise, like an explosion, a flash of light, or a sense that their head is exploding,” says Dr Winter. “In reality, nothing has actually happened.”

It’s a type of hypnagogic jerk, similar to feeling like you’re falling: You’re heading toward deep sleep, but your body hasn’t achieved paralysis yet, and your senses are still turned on.

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This article was originally published on www.mh.co.za

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re probably focusing on what you eat, rather than where and how you eat it. But according to a new Ohio State University study, the structure of your meals may be even more important than how often you eat them.

After surveying more than 12 800 Ohio residents who reported eating at least one family meal in the week before their interview, researchers found that people who never watched television or videos during their meals had 37% lower odds of obesity compared to people who always stayed glued to their screens during dinnertime.

Read more: This diet is ranked #1 in the world – but is it right for you?

What’s more, people who always cooked their meals at home had a 26% lower risk of obesity than people who ate only some or no home-cooked meals. Those who always cooked at home and never ate their meals with their screens blaring had a 47% lower obesity risk, the study found.

While the researchers couldn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship, past studies suggest that both of these factors can play a significant role in weight control.

Read more: If you can maintain weight loss for a year, it gets easier

For one, plopping down in front of the TV drowns out the sound of your chewing, which may actually cause you to overeat, according to research from Brigham Young and Colorado State universities. (Here are six more reasons you can’t stop eating.)

So tune into your meal instead of the TV, the researchers say. The more you pay attention to your food, the less likely you are to overdo it on your portion sizes.

Plus, people who cook their meals at home typically consume fewer kilojoules, fat and sugar, according to a study from John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. You’re less likely to rely on frozen meals and fast food when you go out to eat, too.

Read more: Cooking at home can help you lose weight and drop body fat

So even if you don’t typically spend much time in the kitchen, try easing your way into cooking at home so you know exactly what’s going into your food.

^{This article was originally published on www.menshealth.com}

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Alisa Hrustic

After an incubation period of one to four days, a bout of influenza typically resolves after three to seven days. 

Each flu season, however, claims its victims, and for those of us who recover it seems unbelievable that something seemingly no worse than a bad cold can actually be a killer.

Influenza is a highly contagious viral illness that occurs predominantly in the winter months. Similar to the common cold, flu affects the respiratory tract, but symptoms tend to be more severe.

Two weeks max

According to the Harvard Special Report Viruses and Disease, the flu is caused by one of three different virus types: influenza A, B or C. It spreads rapidly through airborne droplets of saliva, personal contact and by sharing utensils or items like clothing and other personal effects.  

Although you’ll probably feel a lot better after a week, you might be stuck with a lingering cough and general malaise for approximately another week.

Four ways the flu can kill you

The following are four examples of conditions that can turn a run of the mill bout of flu into a killer:

1. A weak immune system

Both the very young and old have weaker immune systems. Infants and young children have not yet built up an effective immune system, and in the case of senior citizens immunity may not be as strong as it used to be. 

This doesn’t mean that people in their thirties don’t die from the flu. A hundred years ago, for example, the Spanish flu killed indiscriminately.

In 2008, researchers discovered what made the 1918 flu so deadly: The virus was able to weaken victims’ bronchial tubes and lungs, which led to bacterial pneumonia (secondary infection).

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with HIV and Aids are at high risk for influenza-related complications because of a weakened immune system.

Other factors that can weaken your immunity are:

• Lack of sleep
• Chronic stress
• Poor hygiene
• Insufficient exercise
• Poor nutrition
• Smoking and drinking
• Excessive use of antibiotics

2. Respiratory failure

The influenza virus causes infection of the upper respiratory tract (nasal passages, throat) and lower respiratory tract (lungs). This leads to inflammation, an immune reaction that causes swelling in these organs.

When lung tissue becomes swollen with immune cells, it becomes harder or impossible for oxygen to reach the blood vessels. This is called respiratory failure, which is one of the most common and fastest ways the flu can kill you. Death can occur quickly and with little warning.

3. Sepsis

Infection of the respiratory tract caused by the flu virus can trigger an inflammatory response, not only in the lungs, but in the entire body.

Like inflammation in the lungs, the rest of your organs may also develop severe swelling as part of the immune reaction. This triggers sepsis, which is when the inflammation overwhelms your organs, causing multiple shutdown and rapid death.

4. A secondary infection

When your immune system is struggling with a viral infection, other bacteria that are present in the body, but are normally under control, can attack the lungs and cause a secondary infection. This is called pneumonia. Secondary pneumonia can develop slowly as the bacteria multiply inside your lungs and overwhelm your exhausted immune system.

Antibiotics may help, but may not be able to kill the bacteria fast enough. If anyone with influenza suddenly appears to take a turn for the worse, it might be pneumonia, in which case one needs to get medical help as soon as possible. 

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Eugene Lotter