Medical Today

Prevention

Washing the hands frequently can help to prevent strep throat.

Exposure to infected people should also be avoided. In order to prevent transmission of the disease within households, consult a doctor if any family member suddenly develops a sore throat (especially if it is accompanied by fever).

Boosting the immune system is also important to help prevent the development of strep throat. Vitamin C and zinc are often recommended for this purpose, as are goldenseal, echinacea, and garlic.

Definition

Strep throat is a contagious infection caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes.

Description

Strep throat primarily affects children, especially those between the ages of five and 15. Adults whose immune systems have been weakened by stress or other infections are also at risk. Most sore throats are associated with viral infections such as the common cold or the flu. Strep throat is responsible in only about 10%-15% of cases. Many people carry Streptococcus pyogenes in their systems without even knowing it. It can survive in the lining of the throat or nose for years without producing symptoms. Almost 20% of people in general good health may be harboring this bacterium unsuspectingly, according to one statistic.

Definition

Stress is an individual’s physical and mental reaction to environmental demands or pressures.

Description

When stress was first studied, the term was used to denote both the causes and the experienced effects of these pressures. More recently, however, the word stressor has been used for the stimulus that provokes a stress response. One recurrent disagreement among researchers concerns the definition of stress in humans. Is it primarily an external response that can be measured by changes in glandular secretions, skin reactions, and other physical functions, or is it an internal interpretation of, or reaction to, a stressor; or is it both?

Definition

Probiotics, as defined by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), are “live microorganisms administered in adequate amounts which confer a beneficial health effect on the host.” The microorganisms referred to in this definition are non-pathogenic bacteria (small, single celled organisms which do not promote or cause disease), and one yeast, Saccharomyces.

Definition

Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious disease characterized by inflamed hyperproliferative lesions covered with silvery-white scabs of dead skin.

Description

Psoriasis, which affects at least four million Americans, is slightly more common in women than in men. Although the disease can develop at any time, 10–15% of all cases are diagnosed in children under 10, and the average age at the onset of symptoms is 28 years of age. Psoriasis is most common in fair-skinned people and relatively rare in dark-skinned individuals, although the rate among African Americans appears to be slowly rising.