Tag: allergic reaction

Do You have Kidney Stones

Is there blood when you urinate or do you feel pain coming from your back or pelvis? If your answer to these two questions is yes, then you may have kidney stones in your body and the only way to be sure is to have yourself examined by a doctor.

The two symptoms mentioned are just some of the symptoms that tell you if you have kidney stones. Other symptoms include fevers or chills, feeling or being sick, frequency urinating and feeling a burning sensation when you urinate.

It is hard to tell just by how you feel if you do have kidney stones because these symptoms are also felt by those who have UTI or urinary tract infection.

When you go to your doctor, he or she will have to do a system of checks. This will include reviewing your medical history, conducting a physical examination and doing some tests.

The best way to rule out UTI is to extract a sample of urine or blood and scanned using one or two machines that may be a computed tomography (CT) scan, intravenous pyelogram (IVP), retrograde pyelogram or X-ray.

To give you a better understanding of what these machines are;

The CT scan is used not only to tell if you have a kidney stone because it can be used for other purposes. In the case of kidney stones, the doctor will tell the technician to focus on your urinary system.

The only problem with the CT scan is that it cannot detect small stones when these are located near the bladder. TO be sure, an x-ray will be done to tell the doctor its orientation, shape and size.

The Intravenous Pyelogram or IVP is another option and this can only work after you have been injected with a contrasting agent. Once this is flowing through your kidney, it will be easy for the machine to see if you have a kidney stone blocking the ureter.

There are risks for conducting this test especially if you have a slight allergic reaction to the fluid that was used.

The ultrasound has other uses and letting you know the size of your baby is just one of them. The doctor may also use this device to check if you have kidney stones located in your upper urinary tract or in your ureter. Unfortunately, it cannot be used to check for kidney stones in other parts of the body.

Another test is called the retrograde pyelogram is a cytoscopy. This test is similar to the IVP because it also uses a contrasting agent. The only difference is that once you are injected, a slam telescopic instrument is sent it to check the bladder.

In most cases, patients who may have kidney stones do not need to undergo these tests because the others mentioned have already confirmed that.

When doctors are sure that you have kidney stones and determined the type this is in your body, only then will they be able to treat it. The doctor may or may not have to give you medication. In extreme cases, surgery may be the only option.

Kidney stones happen more often to men than women. If you feel something wrong down there, dont wait until things get worse to see your doctor.

MASSAGE THERAPY AS COMPLIMENTARY ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Massage therapy is a broad term that encompasses a wide variety of procedures and methods of pressing, rubbing and manipulating muscles and other soft body tissues such as tendons, ligaments, skin and connective tissues. The main objective of massage therapy is to relax the soft tissues while promoting an increased delivery of blood and oxygen to the areas being massages and, therefore, to decrease tightness and pain. Massage therapy is most often accomplished by utilizing the massage therapists fingers, hands, arms, elbows and/or feet. Occasionally, however, mechanical and electronic devices may be also used.

As a matter of fact, there are more than eighty official types of massage therapy treatments but some of the most widely known are the following:

* The Deep Tissue Massage. This technique uses a combination of strokes and deep finger pressure applied way down under the skin and into the muscles at the painful sites in order to breakup knots and loosen tightness.

* The Trigger Point Massage. This procedure is also known as the Pressure Point Massage and it is more focused on specific myofascial trigger points with a stronger force than the Deep Tissue Massage. The goal here is to dissolve the painful knots that were formed in the muscles as well as to relieve additional symptoms in more remote areas of the body.

* The Swedish Massage. This system utilizes oblong smooth strokes, kneading and friction of the muscles as well as movement of the joints to increase their range of motion and flexibility.

* The Shiatsu Massage. Using altering rhythmic pressure, tapping, squeezing and rubbing along the meridian and on various other parts of the body, the main objective of this Eastern massage therapy is to enhance the flow of a fundamentally important energy called gi. And this energy, in the ancient Chinese medicine is believed to be the life force that regulates a persons spiritual, emotional, mental and physical wellness that is easily affected when subjected to the rival forces of yin and yang.

Whether the four most often practiced massage therapies I mentioned above are used as complimentary alternative medicine (also known as CAM) or any one of the other recognized eighty which are available to a lesser or greater extent, there are important points to be considered:

* No massage therapy should ever be used in place of regular or ongoing medical care.

* Massage therapy should not be the cause or the excuse to postpone visiting a medical professional for existing medical issues.

* The massage therapists schooling and credentials must be verified as well as his or her experience with specific health and medical conditions.
* Any additional complimentary alternative medicine (CAM) such as herbs, supplements, special diets or other treatments which are suggested by the massage therapist must first be reviewed with a medical professional.

* Although the subject of massage therapy (how it works and why) has been studied for many years and continues to be studies, much of it still remains within the realm of a mystery.

* If and when massage therapy is performed by a well training and experienced professional, few risks are involved and the worst of them may be temporary pain or discomfort, bruising, swelling or an allergic reaction to the massage oils. The small number of serious injuries which have been reported were triggered by untrained hands that were not aware that certain medical conditions should not be massaged. It is, therefore, essential to consult a medical professional before undergoing massage therapy, particularly under the following circumstances:

* Deep vein thrombosis
* A bleeding disorder or when taking blood thinners
* Damaged blood vessels
* Weakened bones from osteoporosis, a recent fracture or cancer
* The presence of high body temperature
* Open or healing wounds, tumors, damaged nerves, an infection, a severe inflammation or fragile skin
* Pregnancy
* Heart problems
* Dermatomyositis or any other skin disease
* History of physical abuse

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What Is Acute Sinus Infection?

Acute sinus infection occurs when your nasal passages become inflamed making it difficult for the normal drainage of the mucus. As a result, you have difficulty breathing and may also experience a headache, fever or cough.

The common cause of acute sinus infection is the cold. Other causes include bacteria, allergies, nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum and certain medical conditions. When the doctor is able to determine the exact cause, only then will treatment be given.

But most of the time, acute sinus infection is either bacterial or viral. Since it is hard to pinpoint what is the exact cause doctors speculate that if the problem persists longer than 14 days, then it is more likely that the cause is bacterial.

You will know if you have acute sinus infection if you have any of these symptoms. These include bad breath, cough, dental pain, erythema, fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, nausea or a sore throat. You may experience one or a few of these at the same time and you should treat it immediately to prevent this from becoming a chronic sinus infection even worse cause complications.

This means that the sinus infection could last longer than 8 weeks or you could develop acute asthma, aneurysms, meningitis or vision problems.

If the symptoms of acute sinus infection are mild, you can try self-care like drinking lots of fluids and bed rest. However if the ever exceeds 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 39 degrees Celsius, then you have to seek medical advice.

When you to the doctor, he or she will be asking you a few questions to gather information about your medical history, conduct a physical examination and in some cases call for a CT scan to pinpoint which areas are inflamed.

If the test results show that the cause is bacterial, then you may be prescribed some antibiotics like amoxicillin or the combination drug trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. If there are no changes, then a different antibiotic will be recommended.

Should this be caused by an allergic reaction, the doctor will likely recommend an antihistamine.

Other possible treatments for acute sinus infection include the use of prescription decongestants, nasal corticosteroid spray, oral corticosteroid pills to relieve stuffiness, over the counter decongestants or pain relievers and spraying a saline solution inside your nose several times a day.

But do you always have to wait for acute sinus infection to strike before taking any action? The answer is no because this can be prevented. Some simple things you can do includes practicing proper hygiene, getting flu shots annually, staying away from people who have colds, keeping yourself hydrated, limiting alcohol use, investing in a humidifier, avoid going to polluted areas and hanging out with people who smoke.

If you already have acute sinus infection, steam your sinus cavities by mixing Vicks Vaporub with warm water or with a few essential oils then inhale it for about 10 minutes. You can also take a hot a shower and breathe the warm air. Dont forget to also take some decongestants and drink lots of fluids as this will all reduce congestion and promote drainage.

An acute sinus infection doesnt last that long but when its there, you will really have a bad day. It can happen to anyone and at anytime so you have to take good care of yourself.