Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Sports Knee Injuries, Symptoms And What To Do

The ligaments of the knee may be stretched (strained), partially torn (sprained), or completely torn (torn ligament). Unlike the ankle, torn ligaments in the knee need to be repaired surgically as soon as possible after the in-jury occurs. If surgery is delayed, the operation is more difficult and less likely to be successful. For this reason, the approach to knee injuries is more cautious than for ankle injuries. If there is any possibility of a torn ligament, go to the doctor. Fractures in the area of the knee are less common than around the ankle and need to be cared for by a doctor.

Significant knee injuries usually occur during a sports activity, when the knee is more likely to experience twist-ing and side contact; these are responsible for most ligament injuries. (Deep knee bends stretch knee ligaments and may contribute to knee injuries; they should be practiced cautiously, if at all.) Serious knee injuries occur when the leg is planted on the ground and a blow is received to the knee from the side. If the foot cannot give way, the knee will. There is no way to totally avoid this pos-sibility in athletics. The use of shortlOr spikes and cleats help, but elastic knee supports and wraps give virtually no protection.

When ligaments are completely torn, the lower leg can be wiggled from side to side when the leg is straight. Compare the injured knee to the opposite knee to get some idea of what amount of side-to-side motion is normal. Your examination will not be as skilled as that of the doc-tor, but if you think that the motion may be abnormally loose, see the doctor.

If the cartilage within the knee has been torn, the normal motion of the knee may be blocked, preventing it from being straightened. Although a torn cartilage does not need immediate surgery, it de-serves prompt medical attention. The amount of pain and swelling does not in-dicate the severity of the injury. The ability to bear weight, to move the knee through the normal range of motion, and to keep the knee stable when wiggled is more important. Typically, strains and sprains hurt immediately and continue to hurt for hours and even days after the injury. Swelling tends to come on rather slowly over a period of hours, but may reach rather large proportions. When a ligament is completely torn, there is in-tense pain immediately, which subsides until the knee may hurt little or not at all for a while. Usually, there is signifi-cant bleeding into the tissues around the joint when a ligment is torn so that swelling tends to come on quickly and be impressive in its quantity. The best pol-icy when there is a potential injury to the ligament is to avoid any major activ¬ity until it is clear that this is a minor strain or sprain. Home treatment is in-tended only for minor strains and sprams.

Home Treatment

RIP is again the key word-rest, ice, and protection. Rest the knee and elevate it. Apply an ice pack for at least thirty minutes to minimize swelling. If there is more than slight swelling or pain, despite the fact that the knee was immediately rested and ice was applied, see the doctor. If this is not the case, apply the ice treatment on the khee for thirty minutes and then off for fifteen minutes for the next several hours. Limited weight bearing may be attempted during this time with a close watch for increased swelling and pain. Heat may be applied after twenty-four hours. By then, the 'knee should look and feel relatively normal, and after seventy-two hours this should clearly be the case. Remember, however, that a strain or sprain is not completely healed for four to six weeks and requires protection during this healing period. Elastic bandages will not give adequate support but will ease symptoms a bit and remind the patient to be care¬ful with the knee.
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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Insect Bites or Stings Symptoms And What To Do

Most insect bites are trivial, but some insect bites or stings may cause reactions either locally or in the basic body systems. Local reactions may be uncomfortable but do not pose a serious hazard. In contrast, systemic reactions may occasionally be serious and may require emergency treatment.

There are three types of systemic reactions from insect bites. All insect bites are rare. The most common is an asthma attack, causing difficulty in breathing and perhaps audible wheezing. Hives or extensive skin rashes following insect bites are less serious but indicate that a reaction has occurred and that a more severe reaction might occur if the patient is bitten or stung again. Very rarely, fainting or loss of consciousness may occur after insect bites. If the patient has lost consciousness, you must assume that the collapse is due to an allergic reaction from insect bites. This is an emergency. If the patient has had any of these reactions in the past from insect bites, he or she should be taken immediately to a medical facility if stung or bitten.

Bites from poisonous spiders are rare. The female black widow spider accounts for many of them. This spider is glossy black with a body of approximately one-half inch in diameter, a leg span of about two inches, and a characteristic red hourglass mark on the abdomen. The black widow spider is found in woodpiles, sheds, basements, or outdoor privies. The bite is often painless, and the first sign may be cramping abdominal pain. The abdomen becomes hard and boardlike as the waves of pain become severe. Breathing is difficult and accompanied by grunting. There may be nausea, vomiting, headaches, sweating, twitching,
shaking and tingling sensations of the hand. The bite itself may not be prominent and may be overshadowed by the systemic reaction. Brown recluse spiders, which are slightly smaller than black widows and have a white "violin" pattern on their backs, cause painful bites and serious local reaction but are not as dangerous as black widows.

If the local reaction to an insect bite or sting is severe or a deep sore is developing, a physician should be consulted by telephone. Children frequently have more severe local reactions than adults.
Tick bites are common. The tick lives in tall grass or low shrubs and hops on and off passing mammals, such as dogs. Ticks will commonly be found in the scalp.

Home Treatment And What To Do For Insect Bites And Sting


Apply something cold promptly, such as ice or cold packs for insect bites. Delay in application of cold results in a more severe local reaction. Aspirin or other pain relievers may be used. Antihistamines, such as Chlortrimeton or Benadryl, can be helpful in relieving the itch somewhat. If the reaction from insect bites is severe, or if pain does not diminish in forty-eight hours, consult with the physician by telephone.
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Friday, September 11, 2009

Pain in Wrist, Elbow Pain, Pain In Shoulder Symptoms Home Treatment

The ligaments of these joints may be stretched (strained) or partially torn (sprained), but complete tears are rare. Fractures may occur at the wrist, are less frequent around the elbow, and are uncommon around the shoulder. Injuries to wrists and elbows occur most often during a fall, when the weight of the body is caught on the outstretched arm. Injuries to the shoulder usually result from direct blows.

The wrist is the most frequently injured of these joints. Strains and sprains are common, and the small bones in the wrist may be fractured. Fractures of these small' bones may be difficult to see on an X-ray. The most frequent fracture of the wrist involves the ends of the long bones of the forearm and is easily recognized because it causes an unnatural bend near the wrist. Physicians refer to this as the "silver fork deformity."

"Tennis elbow" is the most frequent elbow injury; if you think this is the problem, consult Tennis Elbow. Other injuries are much less frequent and usually result from falls, automobile accidents, or contact sports. A common problem in children under five years of age is minor dislocations due to pulling on the arm.

The collarbone L-clavicle is a frequently fractured bone; fortunately, it has remarkable healing powers. An inability to raise the arm on the affected side is common; the shoulders may also appear uneven. Bandaging is the only treatment required.
The shoulder separation often seen in athletes is perhaps the most common injury of the shoulder. It is a stretching or tearing of the ligament that attaches the collarbone to one of the bones that forms the shoulder joint. It causes a slight deformity and extreme tenderness at the end of the collarbone. Sprains and strains of other ligaments occur but complete tearing is rare, as are fractures. Dislocations of the shoulder are rare outside of organized athletics but are best treated early when they do occur.

In summary, severe fractures and dislocations are best treated early. These usually cause deformity, severe pain, and limitation of movement. Other fractures will not be harmed if the injured limb is rested and protected. Complete tears of ligaments are rare; strains and sprains will heal with home treatment.

Home Treatment and Remedies for Pain in Wrist, Elbow Pain, Pain In Shoulder

RIP is the key word-rest, ice, and protection. Rest the arm and apply ice wrapped in a towel for at least thirty minutes. If the pain is gone and there is no swelling at the end of this time, the ice treatment may be discontinued. A sling for shoulder and elbow injuries and a partial splint for wrist injuries will give protection and rest to the injury while allowing the patient to move around. Continue ice treatment for thirty minutes on and fifteen minutes off through the first eight hours if swelling appears. Heat may be applied after twenty-four hours. The injured joint should be usable with little pain within twenty-four hours and should be almost normal by seventy-two hours. If not, see the doctoror. Complete healing takes from four t-o six weeks and activities with a likelihood of reinjury should be avoided by the patient if possible during this time.
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Saturday, September 5, 2009

Understand Sore Throat Causes, Symptoms and Home Remedies


Sore throats can be caused by either vi­ruses or bacteria. Often, especially in the winter, breathing through the mouth can cause drying and irritation of the throat which maybe one of symptoms of strep throat infection. This type of irritation always subsides quickly after the throat becomes moist again.

Viral sore throat strep, like other viral infections, cannot be treated successfully with antibiotic for strep; they must run their course. Cold liquids for pain, and aspirin or acetaminophen for pain and fever are often helpful. Older children and adoles­cents frequently develop a viral sore throat known as infectious mononucleosis or "mono." Despite the formidable sound­ing name of this illness, complications seldom occur. The "mono" sore throat is often more severe and is often prolonged beyond a week, and the patient may feel particularly weak. The spleen, one of the internal organs in the abdomen may en­large during mononucleosis; resting will be important. A viral sore throat that does not resolve within a week might be caused by the virus responsible for mono­nucleosis. Again, there is no antibiotic cure for mononucleosis.

Virtually all sore throats caused by bacteria are due to the streptococcal bac­teria. These sore throats are commonly referred to as "strep throat." A strep throat should be treated with an anti­biotic because of two types of complica­tions. First, an abscess may form in the throat. This is an extremely rare compli­cation but should be suspected if there is extreme difficulty in swallowing, diffi­culty opening the mouth, or excessive drooling in a child. The second and most significant complications occur from one to four weeks after the pain in the throat has disappeared. One of these complications, called acute glomerulo­nephritis, causes an inflammation of the kidney. It is not certain that antibiotics will prevent this complication, but they may prevent the strep from spreading to other family members or friends. Of greatest concern is the complication of rheumatic fever which is much less com­mon today than in the past but is still a significant problem in some parts of the country. Rheumatic fever is a compli­cated disease that causes painful swollen joints, unusual skin rashes, and results in heart damage in half of its victims. Rheumatic fever can be prevented by an­tibiotic treatment of a strep throat.

Strep throat is much less frequent in adults than in children, and rheumatic fever is very rare in adults. Strep throat is unlikely if the sore throat is a minor part of a typical cold (runny nose, stuffy ears, cough, and so on).

If you or someone in your family has had rheumatic fever or acute glomerulo­nephritis, preventive use of antibiotics ("prophylaxis") as prescribed by the phy­sician should be followed instead of the instructions given here.

The choice of when to use antibiotics for sore throats is controversial. Many physicians believe that throat cultures are the best way to determine the need for antibiotics; this is a reasonable ap­proach, especially if throat cultures are available without a full office visit. More recently, physicians have begun to rely on studies that indicate that many pa­tients do not need a culture, either be­cause the risk of rheumatic fever is al­most nil, or because this risk is high enough to justify the use of antibiotics without waiting two days for the culture results.

We feel strongly that throat cultures should be available without a full office visit. We are especially impressed with home throat-culture programs which demonstrate that you, the public, can perform this test with somewhat greater yield than the physician's office staff. If your physician believes that every sore throat should be cultured, express your belief that cultures should be easily available and inexpensive. Frequent and recurrent sore throats are common, especially in children between the ages of five and ten. There is no evidence that removing the tonsils decreases this frequency. Tonsillectomy is an operation that is very seldom indicated.

Home Treatment Or Home Remedies for Sore Throat

Cold liquids, aspirin, and acetaminophen are effective for the pain and fever. Because recent information indicates an association with a rare but serious problem known as Reye's Syndrome, aspirin should not be used for children who may have chicken pox or influenza.

Home remedies that may help include saltwater gargles and honey or lemon in tea. Time is the most important healer for pain; a vaporizer makes the waiting more comfortable for some.
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Thursday, September 3, 2009

Get That Colds And Flu Gone In A Day

Most doctors believe that colds and the flu account for more unnecessary visits than any other group of problems. Home remedies for colds and flu are readily available info. Since these are viral illnesses, they cannot be cured by antibiotics or any other drugs. However, there are nonprescription drugs-aspirin, decongestants, antihistamines that may help to relieve symptoms while these problems cure themselves. Understanding home remediesfor colds and flu will greatly help reduce the need to visit your doctor.

There seem to be three main reasons why these unnecessary visits are made. First, some patients are not sure that their illness is a cold or the flu, although this seems to be a relatively small part of the problem they don't understand the symptoms and some home remedies for colds and flu. Most patients state clearly that they know they have a cold or the flu.

Second, many come seeking a cure. There are still large numbers of people who believe that penicillin or other antibiotics are necessary to recover from these problems, but neglect home remedies for colds and flu that can be very effective.

Finally, there are many patients who feel so sick that they feel that the doctor must be able to do something and too lazy to try home remedies for colds and flu first. Faced with this expectation, doctors sometimes try too hard to satisfy the patient. A physician may even give an antibiotic if it is requested, or fail to fully inform the patient as to the limitations of the drugs prescribed. This is understandable; who wants to tell a sick patient that they have wasted their time and money by coming to the doctor? Sometimes we also just need to use commom home remedies for colds and flu.

Of course colds and flu do lead to necessary visits as well. These visits from the complications of colds and the flu, primarily bacterial ear infections and bacterial pneumonia. In very young children, viral infections of the lung may lead to complications. Understanding the symptomps of simple colds and flu will help you decide if you just need home remedies for colds and flu.

Home Treatment Or Home Remedies for Colds and Flu

"Take two aspirin and call me in the morning." This familiar phrase does not indicate neglect or lack of sympathy for your problem. They think this home remedies for colds and flu are not effective. Aspirin is the best available medicine for the fever and muscular aches of the common cold. For adults, two five-grain aspirin tablets every four hours is standard treatment. The fever, aches, and prostration are most pronounced in the afternoon and evening: take the aspirin regularly over this period. If you have trouble tolerating aspirin, use acetaminophen in the same dose. If you want to spend money, buy a patent cold formula, but remember that the important ingredient that "doctors recommend most" is aspirin; check labels for equivalent dosage. Because recent information indicates an association with a rare but serious problem known as Reye's Syndrome, aspirin should not be used for children who may have chicken pox or influenza.

"Drink a lot of liquid." This is insurance. This is one of the most effective home remedies for colds and flu. The body requires more fluid when you have a fever. Be sure you get enough. Fluids help to keep the mucus more liquid, and help prevent complications such as bronchitis and ear infection. A vaporizer (particularly in the winter if you have forced-air heat) will help liquefy secretions.

"Rest." How you feel is an indication of your need to rest. If you don't have fever and feel like being up and about, go ahead. It won't prolong your illness, and your friends and family were exposed during the incubation period, before you had symptoms. Make sure that you also educate your family members of home remedies for colds and flu.

A word about chicken soup: dizziness when standing up is common with colds and is helped by drinking salty liquids; bouillon and chicken soup are excellent.

Though right now, there are similarities of Ah1n1 virus infection or swine flu to colds and flu, still, there are some differences between them. again, we have to be familiar of the symptoms and home remedies for colds and flu.
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