THE shape of your lips could determine how much you enjoy sex, a new study has revealed.
Experts believe women with a more prominent tubercle, that's the middle part of the top lip that points upwards - such as Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox have - are getting more fun in bed.
But are your lips also sending warning signals about your health?
Dry or sore lips could indicate anything from diabetes to herpes or Crohn's disease.
Dermatologist Shona Birch, who runs a private practice in Sevenoaks, Kent, said: "Really hot or cold weather could leave you with dry or cracked lips.
"But it could also be down to something more serious. If symptoms persist and you can't find a reason for it, then it's best to consult a pharmacist or a GP.
"There are lots of things you can do to keep your lips healthy. Use a lip balm with a protective sunscreen.
"Try not to lick your lips when it's cold - it will only make them dryer.
"And use a petroleum jelly before you go to bed at night to keep them moist."
Here, Sun Health tells you what to look out for... and explains why you should listen to your lips.
Cracked lips
Could mean: Diabetes
Cracked lips are very common and in most cases may be due to nothing more than a mild case of anaemia.
This leads to open cracks or sores in the corner of the mouth - a condition doctors call angular cheilitis.
But in isolated cases it could be a sign of undiagnosed diabetes. As blood sugar levels rise, this stimulates the growth of a fungus that can attack the lips.
Swollen lips
Could mean: Crohn's disease
Most people know that Crohn's disease affects the bowel. But it can also show up in the mouth and lips.
The condition, which affects one in every 1,000 people in Britain, can cause inflammation and swelling in different parts of the body, including the lips.
It even has its own name - oral Crohn's. Around ten per cent of Crohn's sufferers are also affected around the mouth.
Burning lips
Could mean: Herpes
A burning sensation on the lips can be one of the first signs of an outbreak of the herpes virus, which causes cold sores.
Within 24 hours, blisters may start to appear on and around the lips which are painful and, after a few days, they can burst and leak contagious fluid.
Avoid touching these sores, kissing or even sharing soaps, flannels or lipstick.
Numb lips
Could mean: Severe allergy
Numbness or tingling in the lips, especially if it is rapidly followed by swelling, could be a sign of a severe allergic reaction to a food or chemical.
Doctors call this angiooedema and it means the body is releasing huge amounts of the hormone histamine into the bloodstream in an over-reaction by the immune system.
Blue lips
Could mean: Croup
Going blue around the mouth and lips is a sure sign of a lack of oxygen.
In babies, it can be a symptom of croup, a respiratory condition that causes a hoarse, barking cough.
In adults, blue lips are often a symptom when the heart is struggling to pump oxygen-rich blood around the body, for example in people who suffer from chronic heart failure.
Lip rash
Could mean: Eczema
A rash around the edge of the mouth is often due to dry skin caused by excessive lip licking or thumb-sucking.
Dubbed "lick eczema", it should clear up when the habit stops and also responds to regular applications of one per cent hydrocortisone cream for a few days.
Coldsores
Could mean: Poor diet
A poor diet, stress or lack of sleep is often a strong trigger for cold sore outbreaks.
You should also avoid foods and drinks rich in an amino acid called arginine, such as peanuts, cashew nuts, chocolate, beer and cola.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Snake Plant for Herpes
A recent analysis of scientific data suggests that snake plant (Clinacanthus nutans) may help treat genital herpes and herpes zoster (which causes chickenpox and shingles).
Four randomized controlled trials that included a total of 286 participants were included in the review. Two studies tested the effects of snake plant on genital herpes, and the other two tested the effects herpes zoster.
The researchers concluded that the plant may have beneficial effects on these two viral infections. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and identify a potential mechanism of action.
For more information about integrative therapies for herpes infections, please visit Natural Standard's Comparative Effectiveness database.
References
Kongkaew C, Chaiyakunapruk N. Efficacy of Clinacanthus nutans extracts in patients with herpes infection: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Complement Ther Med. 2011 Feb;19(1):47-53. View Abstract
Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
Four randomized controlled trials that included a total of 286 participants were included in the review. Two studies tested the effects of snake plant on genital herpes, and the other two tested the effects herpes zoster.
The researchers concluded that the plant may have beneficial effects on these two viral infections. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and identify a potential mechanism of action.
For more information about integrative therapies for herpes infections, please visit Natural Standard's Comparative Effectiveness database.
References
Kongkaew C, Chaiyakunapruk N. Efficacy of Clinacanthus nutans extracts in patients with herpes infection: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Complement Ther Med. 2011 Feb;19(1):47-53. View Abstract
Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Nose Is Gateway for Virus Tied to Brain Disorders
The nose apparently can be a portal for a cousin of the herpes virus that is linked to brain disorders, scientists have discovered.
These findings reveal a new way the brain can get infected.
Scientists investigated human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6), a member of the family of viruses that includes genital herpes as well as oral herpes, which causes cold sores. HHV-6 is linked with brain disorders such as multiple sclerosis, encephalitis and a form of epilepsy, and causes roseola, a disease common among infants that leads to a high fever and skin rash.
"This is a virus that we've all been exposed to, that we all pretty much acquired in childhood," said researcher Steven Jacobson, a neurovirologist at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Md. "Most of the time it's utterly benign."
The way this virus entered the brain had remained a mystery, as the seat of our intelligence is largely protected by the so-called blood-brain barrier, which filters out many germs and drugs.
However, researchers had known that other viruses, such as influenza and rabies, apparently could use the sensory network hooked up to the nose as a kind of highway into the central nervous system.
To see how HHV-6 enters the brain, scientists analyzed tissue samples from autopsies, including a patient who had multiple sclerosis. Although viral DNA was seen throughout the brain, it was found largely in the olfactory bulb, the brain region involved in detecting odors.
In addition, the researchers found DNA from HHV-6 in nasal mucus samples from healthy people, those suffering a loss of smell, and people with multiple sclerosis. This suggests the nasal cavity might harbor the virus in both healthy and diseased individuals.
Moreover, in experiments, scientists demonstrated that HHV-6 could infect lab-grown versions of the olfactory ensheathing cells, which help olfactory neurons grow and establish connections in the brain. The researchers believe the virus might use these cells as a bridge across the blood-brain barrier, the first time scientists had evidence these cells could be a route of infection.
"Now researchers can start looking to see if other viruses might use this route as well," Jacobson told LiveScience.
Jacobson cautioned that while this virus might help trigger brain disorders, it was not necessarily the primary cause. "We may all have it, but some might have a special genetic susceptibility to it, or maybe there's an environmental trigger that causes neurologic disease to then occur," Jacobson said.
Further studies could also investigate whether this virus has any effect on behavior. "It all depends on where this virus goes in the brain," Jacobson said. With the new information, researchers could then look for therapies against this virus.
The scientists detailed their findings Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
These findings reveal a new way the brain can get infected.
Scientists investigated human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6), a member of the family of viruses that includes genital herpes as well as oral herpes, which causes cold sores. HHV-6 is linked with brain disorders such as multiple sclerosis, encephalitis and a form of epilepsy, and causes roseola, a disease common among infants that leads to a high fever and skin rash.
"This is a virus that we've all been exposed to, that we all pretty much acquired in childhood," said researcher Steven Jacobson, a neurovirologist at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Md. "Most of the time it's utterly benign."
The way this virus entered the brain had remained a mystery, as the seat of our intelligence is largely protected by the so-called blood-brain barrier, which filters out many germs and drugs.
However, researchers had known that other viruses, such as influenza and rabies, apparently could use the sensory network hooked up to the nose as a kind of highway into the central nervous system.
To see how HHV-6 enters the brain, scientists analyzed tissue samples from autopsies, including a patient who had multiple sclerosis. Although viral DNA was seen throughout the brain, it was found largely in the olfactory bulb, the brain region involved in detecting odors.
In addition, the researchers found DNA from HHV-6 in nasal mucus samples from healthy people, those suffering a loss of smell, and people with multiple sclerosis. This suggests the nasal cavity might harbor the virus in both healthy and diseased individuals.
Moreover, in experiments, scientists demonstrated that HHV-6 could infect lab-grown versions of the olfactory ensheathing cells, which help olfactory neurons grow and establish connections in the brain. The researchers believe the virus might use these cells as a bridge across the blood-brain barrier, the first time scientists had evidence these cells could be a route of infection.
"Now researchers can start looking to see if other viruses might use this route as well," Jacobson told LiveScience.
Jacobson cautioned that while this virus might help trigger brain disorders, it was not necessarily the primary cause. "We may all have it, but some might have a special genetic susceptibility to it, or maybe there's an environmental trigger that causes neurologic disease to then occur," Jacobson said.
Further studies could also investigate whether this virus has any effect on behavior. "It all depends on where this virus goes in the brain," Jacobson said. With the new information, researchers could then look for therapies against this virus.
The scientists detailed their findings Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)