Tag: asthma

Swine Flu: What You Need To Know

With the new strain of influenza running around, I think everyone should know a few things. The thing is with any disease, even the swine flu, is it’s not the disease that really kills you. It’s ignorance that does it. You have to know enough to take care of yourself.

One of the things you have to remember is that influenza is spread via germs, and germs are spread via contact with contaminated items then contact with either your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs can’t get through the pores of your skin and need a convenient opening to get into. Don’t give them that opening. There’s a simple and easy way to do it: just wash your hands regularly, especially before eating anything or touching anything that you want to eat – like that tasty sandwich you’re about to have for a snack

It may seem rather simplistic but the regular act of rinsing and disinfecting your hands can help make sure that you never get infected with the swine flu. Another way to avoid infection is to avoid close contact with sick people. Remember germs can also be transmitted by air though microscopic droplets that are released when a person coughs or sneezes. Standing around sick people increases the chance of infection so try to avoid doing that, mostly because you can’t avoid touching stuff that they’ve sneezed on and those germs can go directly into your nose and mouth when you inhale.

So what if you suddenly get the sniffles? Is it time to hie off to the doctor for a consult? The smart thing to do is to just stay at home first and monitor your condition. The problem with identifying the swine flu is that it shares many of the same symptoms as the normal run-of-the-mill human flu: coughs, colds, fevers and the whole nine yards. Take the usual medicine at first and see if you settle down after that.

The over-the-counter antiviral drugs aren’t as effective on swine flu as human flu but they can make you feel a whole lot better and rev up you immune system to deal with your infection. You should also try your best to limit the infection to yourself. Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing so as to prevent the spread of germs in your environment.

If your symptoms are taking too long to cure, you might be infected. Note that swine flu is like the normal flu in that it manages to weaken your immune system for other respiratory diseases like pneumonia and bronchitis to spread. It can also worsen any conditions that you might currently have, like asthma. If you start vomiting or start suffering from diarrhea, it’s time to have the doctor drop by immediately.

Although it has caused a few deaths, the swine flu is nothing to worry about. As long as it has been caught early, there is treatment available in the form of antiviral inhibitors that help stop the virus from reproducing, which should help make you feel a whole lot better.

The current situation may all seem a bit frightening, but the swine flu is just a disease. All you need to protect yourself from it is to act smart and be prepared. Hopefully, this information can help a bit and act as theat ounce of prevention so you won’t have to use that pound of cure.

New Parents: The Benefits of Owning an Air Purifier

New Parents: The Benefits of Owning an Air Purifier

Are you a new parent? If not, are you expecting to become on in the future? If so, when that moment comes, your life will literally change forever. Like most parents, there is a good chance that you would do just about anything to ensure the health and safety of your new baby. When doing this, do you know what an air purifier can do for you and your child?

There is a good chance that you have heard of air purifiers before. If you havent, they are machines, which are electronic. The goal of these machines is to help clean the air indoors. This is often done with filters and collection grids. These filters and collection grids tend to trap bacteria and air particles, preventing them from circulating around inside your home. Of course, clean air is important for all, but it is especially important for young children.

If the air inside your home or your childs room is unhealthy, whether it be due to smoking, pets, or a lack of fresh air, do you know the impact it may have on your child? Smoking, pet hair, and the lack of fresh air has been known to cause numerous health problems. These problems may include asthma. That is why it is important that you do everything in your power to keep the air inside your home, or at least the air inside your childs room clean and pure. If you are a smoker or a pet owner, the best option may be to quit smoking or get rid of your pets, but if that is not an option an air purifier may do.

When it comes to purchasing an air purifier, especially if you would like it to have benefits to your child, you have a number of different options. Air purifiers tend to come in two main styles. These styles include individual room air purifiers and whole house air purifiers. Individual room air purifiers tend to clean the air in a specific amount of space, usually anywhere from 200 to 500 square feet. Depending on the size of the room in question, certain air purifiers may even be able to clean the air inside one or two rooms. As you might assume, whole house air purifiers are air purifiers that clean the air inside a whole house. This is done when the air purifier is connected to a homes heating and cooling system.

Once you have decided whether you would like to purchase a whole house air purifier or an individual room air purifier, you will have to decide on a specific air purifier make and model. When doing this, you will want to keep a number of things in mind. Perhaps, the most important thing to keep in mind is the overall cost of owning an air purifier. A number of air purifiers are filter-less, but not all are; in fact, most require a filter. In many cases, you will find that these filters need to be replaced, every so often. It is important that you examine the cost of all replacement parts, including the filters. It is the only way to ensure that you are really getting a good deal.

In addition to examining the overall cost of an air purifier, you will also want to examine your uses. If you would just like to have the air inside your childs room be fresh and clean, you should be able to purchase just about any air purifier that is currently on the market. However, if you would like an air purifier to remove the remnants of cigarette smoke or pet hair, you may need to look for an air purifier that specifically treats them. What you plan on using your air purifier for is important; it is the key to making your purchase worthwhile.

Try Holistic Treatment For Arthritis Pain

Try Holistic Treatment For Arthritis Pain
Mike Herman

If you dislike taking over the counter or prescription
medications to control your stiff, swollen joints, consider
trying a holistic treatment for arthritis pain.

These treatments allow patients to avoid medications that can
potentially interact with current medications or conditions
while still ensuring they are free from pain and keep their
range of mobility.

Although a holistic treatment for arthritis pain may seem
unusual or unique, many of these treatments have garnered a
great deal of success in patients of all advancements of the
disease.

Furthermore, these treatments will allow arthritis sufferers to
experience a better overall sense of health and well-being,
since the treatments tend to focus on the entire body instead of
just the afflicted area.

When it comes to finding a holistic treatment for arthritis
pain, consult your physician regarding alternative options to
traditional prescription medications.

More and more arthritis sufferers are choosing these homeopathic
treatments, especially with the recent controversy surrounding
Vioxx, the prescription medication proposed as a cure-all for
arthritis pain, but proved to cause more serious problems,
including heart problems and even strokes.

Consider ancient Eastern exercises like Tai Chi. This slow
moving and stretching form of exercise is popular with
individuals of all ages.

In addition to slowly using all the muscles and joints in the
body, Tai Chi is an excellent way to achieve an introspective
look.

Another great alternative method for treating arthritis pain is
to consult an acupuncturist.

Using age old techniques for identifying the parts of the body
thought to be connected, your pain, swelling, and stiffness
associated with arthritis can be diminished.

Another homeopathic method of treating arthritis without using
prescription medication is to use all natural herbs, vitamins,
and minerals instead.

This is an excellent way to ensure you do not experience any
problems with arthritis while not being at risk for drug
interactions.

About the author:
Learn More About How You Can Treat and Live with Asthma at Asthma-Explained.com

Pneumonia in Children

Pneumonia is the infection of the either one lung or both. When both the lungs get infected it is known as double pneumonia. When the pneumonia is mild enough that the visit to the doctor can be avoided and the child can carry out daily activities normally, it is known as walking pneumonia.

The lungs are an important part of the respiratory system. The air which is breathed in contains oxygen, which is filtered by the lungs. This oxygen then is carried around the body with the help of blood which is passed from the breathing tubes by the alveoli. Capillaries or the minute blood vessels are surrounded by small air sacs known as alveoli. There are over six hundred million alveoli in the human body. The air which is taken in is supplied to the alveoli; the oxygen extracted from the air is dissolved in the blood. Then it is the job of the red blood cells to distribute the oxygen to all the body parts. Oxygen is vital in the proper functioning of the human body and insufficient supply of oxygen can damage the organs and sometimes can be life threatening. This functioning is disturbed when the lungs get infected by pneumonia.

Pneumonia does not allow the lungs to function properly, because the infection produces fluid which obstructs the alveoli. In turn the oxygen does not penetrate deep inside the lungs and lesser oxygen is supplied to the blood. The breathing is affected and the condition worsens when both the lungs get infected with pneumonia.

People of all ages from infants to old could get affected with pneumonia. It is a myth among people that getting wet makes the person catch pneumonia. But it is actually the virus or the bacteria which causes the infection. When a person infected with flu or cold faces a deterioration in his/her condition, he/she can be infected with pneumonia. This happens because the irritation caused by the flu or cold helps the pneumonia germs to get into the lungs easily and move around to spread the infection.

The virus or bacteria which cause pneumonia can cause damages, whose severity can depend on the health of the child. If the infection is caused by bacteria, the child will get sick very soon and can get high temperature fever accompanied with chills. Pneumonia caused by virus develops very slowly and it takes longer time to go away. The child can also experiences cough, chest pain, headache, and or muscle ache. It can also make it difficult to breath, so the child will start to breath faster which may make him cough out gloppy mucus. The child would have to totally abstain from eating.

When given the right treatment, the child can recover fully. The doctor will first examine the heartbeat and breathing with the help of the stethoscope. The stethoscope also helps to check the lungs, the sounds made by the lungs help to determine if it contains any fluids. Sounds such as crackling or bubbling are indications of pneumonia. Chest X-ray will be taken too. White patchy area will show fluid buildup. By looking at the X-ray, the doctor can also determine whether the infection is caused by bacteria or virus. If it is caused by bacteria, antibiotics will be prescribed. And if it is difficult for the child to swallow the medicine or to retain it inside, he/she will be injected with IV fluid. And if virus is responsible for the infection, antibiotics wont work. Fever reducers, along with cough medicine, will be given in this case. The medicines will be of no use, if the child doesnt take adequate rest and plenty of liquids.

Shots can be taken to prevent pneumonia. These series of shots are called pneumococcal. Regular flu shots can also prove helpful, especially for kids who have asthma or other kinds of lung infection. Rest and sleep also strengthens the immune system. Washing hands regularly can keep harmful germs at bay.

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