Tag: Circulation

Treating Puffy Eyes And Dark Circles

Your eyes are one of the first things people notice about your appearance. It would be wonderful if people didn’t base their impressions on how you look, but they do. That means that treating puffy eyes, dark circles, and shadows under your eyes is important for several reasons.

There are several reasons for all of these happening around your eyes, and some of them are out of your control. However, there are plenty of things you can do to improve how your eyes look, and that can improve the way people look at you, and more importantly, how you feel about yourself.

Too much sodium in your diet can make your eyes look awful. One reason for this is that excessive sodium can cause you to retain water, and that can make your eyes look puffy. You shouldn’t eliminate all salt from your diet because it is necessary, but you should try to make sure you are not getting more than you need.

While it’s true that you don’t want to retain excess water, it is very important that you drink enough water to stay properly hydrated. Thirst is a sure sign that you’re nit drinking enough water. Water keeps your body running efficiently, and helps to make sure your blood flows properly (this is a simplification, but water is a part of good circulation).

Eating a well-balanced diet will also help in treating puffy eyes, dark circles, and shadows under your eyes. Be sure that you are getting the full range of vitamins, nutrients, and other minerals, especially vitamins A, C, and E.

You can always try a few home remedies for under-eye problems. Cucumber slices over the eyes are soothing, and also work to moisturize the area. Moistened tea bags can help to get rid of darkness and puffiness. Some people have even used hemorrhoid creams around their eyes to reduce swelling, but this is a very bad idea as it can irritate the eyes.

You can also find over the counter solutions if the home remedies don’t do the trick. Look for products that contain horse chestnut, as it stimulates circulation. Ivy will decongest the area and gets rid of excessive water. Aloe hydrates and also has a soothing effect. Tea (green or white) minimizes inflammation and redness that often accompany these common eye problems. Caffeine will bring any swelling down. Licorice plays double duty as it soothes and minimizes puffiness.

If none of the above methods work, then it may be time to get an injection from a qualified medical professional. Restylane and Juvederm can be thought of as medical-grade fillers that even out the appearance of the skin. Botox may also be an option, depending on how severe your problem is.

The main thing to remember is that there are several options available for treating puffy eyes, dark circles, and shadows under your eyes. At least one of them is sure to work for you.

Sleep Apnea: A Weighty Issue

Sleep apnea is the condition for where there are pauses in breathing during sleep. These are defined by medical terminology when an individual literally stops breathing. There are two types of apneas Central and Obstructive. This is a common problem among the morbidly obese which requires them to wear an oxygen mask so they can breathe since that’s due in part of their weight bearing down on their chest crushing their rib cage and lungs.

According to medical reports the population at risk are obese middle-aged males since physiology doesn’t make women potential sufferers of sleep apnea. The problem is that people who do fall asleep due to sleep apnea will go through brief periods where people think they’re not going to wake up. Keep in mind that this is very serious because if it’s not properly diagnosed it can be life threatening. People with excessive weight usually morbidly obese constantly have to deal with frequent episodes of paused breathing. Snoring is a common problem with the morbidly obese and constant gasping for air while sleeping is another problem. Obstructive sleep apnea can be dangerous to the heart because it’s prolonging and deprivation of oxygen to keep the circulation flowing efficiently.

Other symptoms that are deemed non-specific are headaches, irritability, moodiness, difficulty concentrating, Noctoria (getting up in the middle of the night to urinate), increased urination, decreased sexual drive, increased heart rate, anxiety, depression, esophageal reflux (acid reflux disease), and profuse heavy sweating at night.

Sleep apnea has also been linked to congestive and congenital heart failure usually found in people who are diagnosed as morbidly obese because of the excessive weight on them. This is from severe and prolonged cases meaning the individual(s) were not being treated and had let the condition get to the point that it’s no longer treatable.

Individuals born with Down’s Syndrome are likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea since 50% of the population that has this genetic condition are likely to be diagnosed because of having an enlarged head, adenoids, tonsils, tongue, and narrowing of the nasopharnyx. Pharyngeal flap surgery has also been noted to cause sleep apnea in patients because of the obstruction in the breathing pattern after surgery which if not monitored can be life threatening. There are different treatments for people with sleep apnea and doctors and ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialists take the following into consideration for designing a treatment plan for those who are diagnosed with this condition.

The factors that are considered are an individual’s medical history, severity of the disorder, and the specific cause for the obstruction. Some treatments also incorporate a lifestyle change, avoiding alcohol and medications that can relax the nervous system.

Other lifestyle changes is losing weight and quitting smoking, and incorporate things like elevating themselves while sleeping so that they can breathe using slanted pillows. The weight issue is the biggest lifestyle concern because that causes some people to be confined to beds where they can’t move and be active contributing further into a person’s weight gain.

Usually if someone who’s morbidly obese and loses about 50 pounds within a couple months their condition improves, but it’s usually up to a steady support system to get someone on a set routine and healthy eating plan that helps to get their weight down so they can qualify for other treatments to help them maintain weight loss which is either through gastric bypass which has to be strongly enforced since this surgery is irreversible and you have to eat differently and undergo a major lifestyle change.

The other option is lap band, which is reversible, but again to maintain the weight loss to improve sleep and breathing patterns comes with monitoring what one eats and exercise to help improve breathing patterns.