Tag: Medical Advice

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.

Pressure Points To Relieve Headaches

Medication isn’t always the best option for getting rid of headache pain. Sometimes you won’t have the pain reliever on hand, other times it won’t work, and there is also the possibility that you don’t like the idea of using drugs to treat your ailments. Pressure points to relieve headaches let you get rid of the pain without relying on drugs.

It’s not entirely understood how these pressure points work, but that doesn’t matter. The only thing you care about is that they can work. While they won’t always bring the relief you need, they work often enough to be useful. The best part is that they are a completely natural alternative to medicinal pain relievers.

If your headaches are not easily controlled, are new, or are stronger than usual, then see your doctor. While the chances are small, it’s possible that you have a much more serious condition that requires professional medical attention. Also, this article is not meant to be taken as medical advice of any kind; you can only get that from a qualified doctor.

Here are a few of the best pressure points to relieve headaches:

1. Your temples – Use two fingers from each hand and make a gentle, circular motion. Don’t press too hard, as the temples can be sensitive. Try doing this for 30 to 60 seconds, and then take a short break before doing it again.

2. The bridge of your nose – At the inside of the top of your nose where your eyebrows meet are some very effective pressure points. Simply massage the area with your fingers, applying a fair amount of pressure.

3. Your hairline – To be precise, the pressure points run along the front portion of where the hairline should be. If you have a receding hairline or are bald then you need to imagine where the hairline is. A circular massaging motion using the heel of your hand should help to ease the pain of most types of headaches.

4. Between your index finger and thumb – Here you will find a fold of skin. Pinch it firmly and then rub it. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds on one hand, and then switch to the other. You can also try using some padding and a clothespin, though that can be a bit painful for some people.

5. The shoulder blades – Most people tend to go right for the tops of the shoulders, and that can help, but one of the best pressure points to relieve headaches is found: approximately one-half of the distance between your head and the outside of your shoulders.

Using pressure points to relieve headaches means that you don’t have to rely on medication or questionable treatments ever again. Instead, you can simply use your favorite pressure point whenever the pain in your head starts, and massage your way to relief. You will always have a way of treating headaches, no matter where you go.

Confidentiality is a Must for Nursing Assistants

Nursing Assistants are exposed to a wide variety of events taking place in the medical field. It is crucial that they are aware of the importance of maintaining confidentiality in all aspects of their job.

Nursing Assistants are well trained in the policies and procedures of the facility. While it is important to follow them, it is not recommended to discuss them outside of the facility. For example, you dont want to provide others with confidential information regarding evacuation and other emergency procedures. Doing so many compromise the safety of the patients and staff during a natural disaster or violent attack.

Patients requiring care in a medical facility are to have their privacy protected. This means you do not discuss their care or other personal information with any other person except staff they have an interest in the care of that patient. Confidentiality becomes an issue when you know someone in the facility or someone asks you why someone else in there.

All patients have the right to their privacy being maintained. Compromising this information is a direct violation of every medical practice. Providing such information can result in termination of your job, and in some cases, the loss of your Nursing Assistant Certification.

Communicable diseases can surface in medical facilities. It is important that you follow the policies and procedures set in place by the particular facility your work with. However, do not release information regarding such diseases to anyone. This could result in a panic over the possibility of an epidemic, and lead to patients wanting to leave the facility against medical advice.

The proper medical staff will release information on communicable diseases to the proper agencies. Often this includes the area health department. They can then help the medical facility incorporate a plan of action to remedy the solution. The decision might be made to share the information with the area newspapers in an effort to allow them to protect themselves and to seek medical attention if they display the symptoms of a communicable disease that requires treatment.

Confidentiality also includes other medical staff. Nursing Assistants should not be disclosing any information they overhear among other staff in regards to a patient. Likewise, they should not disclose any information that they hear about the private interactions of staff. Often referred to as gossip, this violation of confidentiality can result in poor working relationships. The result is often a stressful work environment and patients not receiving the best care because lines of communication are not open.

To protect yourself, it is important that you clearly understand the basics of confidentiality and why it is so important in the Nursing Assistant profession. Make sure you are fully aware of the specific policies and procedures in place for the facility you work for prior to accepting employment. In addition, it is the responsibility of the Nursing Assistant to report any violations of the confidentiality policies and procedures to the proper person. Not doing so makes you as much a part of the violation as those who committed it.

While it is human nature to talk and discuss things in common, make sure the information you are sharing in regards to your work are being shared with those who need to know the information. It can be humiliating enough for individuals who need to be in a medical facility without worrying about who is going to find out about what took place while they were in care.

Natural Ways To Relieve A Headache-Sometimes The Old Ways Work

Natural Ways To Relieve A Headache-Sometimes The Old Ways Work Better

Having frequent headaches can range from being a nuisance to affecting your ability to function. Modern medicine’s typical response is to shove pills down your throat and see what happens. If the first pills don’t work then new pills are tried, and so on until you are able to find some relief. However, there are also some natural ways to relieve a headache so you won’t have to pop pills.

A warning is in order before we get to any of those methods: Nothing in this article is meant to be medical advice. You should always consult with your doctor before trying to treat any health condition, including headaches. If your doctor has prescribed medication, then you should always take it unless they instruct to stop taking it. Okay, and now onto the good stuff!

Cold or heat therapy is one of the oldest natural ways to relieve a headache. Placing a cold pack on the head, face or neck can lessen the severity of a headache, but don’t use anything that’s too cold as that can make the headache worse. Heat can be applied in the same way, and excessive heat should be avoided as well. Everybody is different, so you may need to see which temperature works best for you. How this works is still the topic of discussion, but what really matters is that it does indeed work, not how it works.

The body is covered with pressure points that affect other parts of the body. You can find pressure points that will help alleviate headaches. They can be found on the temples, the bridge of your nose, the hairline, the crook of your arm, your back and certain parts of your feet. Using a bit of trial and error, you should be able to zero in on the areas that bring you the most relief; however, if you want to be more precise then you can find information that shows you exactly where to apply pressure.

Aromatherapy can work wonders on your headaches, but you need to be careful. The reason is that some people are highly sensitive to certain scents, and they could end up making your headache worse. On the other hand, there are sure to be some aromas that soothe and clam you and lessen your headache pain. Some of the more popular scents for the treatment of headaches include lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Staying in good health isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it can definitely help control your headaches. After all, what could be better than preventing them in the first place? Make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day, eat right, exercise on a regular basis, practice stress reduction techniques and get a good night’s sleep.

The cool thing about all of these natural ways to relieve a headache is that they can be done by just about anyone, and you don’t have to worry about popping pills and adding chemicals to your system.