Tag: Medical Professional

Warts: Weighing Up Your Options

In every area of medicine there always new developments being made in diagnostics, preventions, and treatments. Some are genuine improvements based on sound scientific research; others are more a matter of hit-and-miss, and not nearly as helpful as they proclaim to be. All it really takes is becoming adequately informed and exercising a bit of common sense to decide which ones fall into which categories. In doing this, you can then determine what will be the most beneficial for you.

On the subject of treatments for warts, the seemingly-wide range of options available can be broken down into three categories. Each has its own particular benefits, and each has its own particular drawbacks. You should weigh these factors carefully, in order to find the option of treatment which is best for your situation.

Although having your warts removed by a medical professional may initially seem like the most viable course of action, it would be wise to assess the facts about this procedure before dismissing other possibilities. First, while the methods which are currently available are minor procedures, they are indeed surgical procedures. Surgical procedures, regardless of how minor, are never without some degree of risk involved. The main risk involved in having warts removed surgically is that of infection. A skilled professional, as well as a sterile environment, greatly lessen this risk, but it is impossible to eliminate the risk entirely.

Another important factor to consider if you are thinking about having your warts surgically removed is that many people have some degree of apprehension about medical procedures of any type. People who are in this category can be traumatized by any of the aspects of these procedures. The procedures which require either general or local anesthesia may be particularly traumatizing.

Last but not least, one of the main factors to carefully consider is that the surgical removal of warts will be considerably more expensive than any other methods. While you might assume that having them removed professionally will be worthy any extra cost, the fact is that even having them removed by surgical means does not guarantee that they will not return.

The do-it-yourself methods also pose both benefits and drawbacks. There is a very large range of products you can purchase over-the-counter at pharmacies, department stores, and even supermarkets, which are all designed for the purpose of removing warts. Although their effectiveness varies from product to product and from person to person, the drawbacks of these products should be considered before deciding that you wish to purchase one of them for attempting to remove the warts yourself.

First, it is unwise to spend money on a product if you are not certain how to use it correctly, or do not have the ability to do so. Second, incorrect use of these products can cause more harm than their potential benefits. At the very least, incorrect use of over-the-counter wart removal products will result in the product not working, and therefore being a waste of money. You must read and be follow the instructions on the packages, and be willing to use the products for the specific time basis that it requires. This is a special concern for people who have very busy or active lifestyles, for they must ensure that they are willing to take the time necessary to use the product on a regular basis.

Another important concern about over-the-counter wart removal products is that if they are not properly used they can damage healthy skin tissues around the wart. This means you must take special care to keep the product localized on the wart itself, and not allow it to spill onto your skin or clothing.

Home remedies present another option. In general, the only risk involved with most of these home remedies is that they may not work, and the lack of results can be frustrating.

Assessing the pros and cons of these available methods will help you decide on the option which best suits your needs.

How To Get Rid Of Warts

There are many methods by which you can attempt to get rid of warts. There are home remedies, over-the-counter treatments, and medical treatments. Some may be more effective than others; but you may wish to consider some of the many possibilities.

The minor surgical procedure called curettage is one method that may be helpful. In this procedure, a surgical instrument called a curette is used to scrape away the tissue which makes up the wart. Curettage is a safe procedure when done by a medical professional in a manner which will lessen the risk of infection. Sterility of the surgical environment and of the wound itself is essential.

In cryosurgery, the wart is frozen to facilitate its removal. Most physicians will use liquid nitrogen for this procedure. The way it works is that the freezing kills the cells of the wart. This is often a preferred method of wart removal, as it is not invasive surgery. However, care must be taken to insure that the surrounding healthy skin cells are not damaged.

Laser surgery is one of the more recent treatments for warts. In addition to the risk of infection, and its effects on the immune system, this method is generally not recommended because it requires anesthesia. Laser surgery is usually only a suitable course of action if other methods have failed, and if removing the wart is absolutely necessary.

Injections of either cantharidin or candida are also used in wart removal. While their effectiveness varies, the warts often return after the skin has healed.

Imiquimod is a topical cream which aids in wart removal by helping in the production of interferon. This in turn assists the immune system in destroying the virus which caused the wart. It will also help in preventing the virus from spreading.

There are a number of over-the-counter methods being sold for the purpose of wart removal. Their effectiveness varies, but the primary concern is the possibility of destroying the healthy skin cells around the wart. Most over-the-counter methods use salicylic acid. There are many of these products available; they contain either adhesive pads or salicylic acid in small bottles or tubes.

Another over-the-counter method is a caustic pencil of silver nitrate. This method works by burning the wart. Cryosurgery kits are also sold over-the-counter. These kits are considerably more expensive than the other over-the-counter methods.

Although numerous studies have debated its effectiveness, a home-remedy treatment using standard duct tape has been shown to be helpful in some cases. In a process which takes up to two months, duct tape occlusion therapy simply consists of keeping clean duct tape on the wart for six days, carefully scraping the wart with a pumice stone, and continuing this cycle until the wart is gone. Although as of yet inconclusive, the theory of how this method works is that the specific type of rubber adhesive in the duct tape stimulates one’s immune system.

Although warts are caused by a virus, the theory that warts are also a sign of potassium deficiency has led many who prefer home-remedies to attempt wart removal by the use of banana peels. Some say it is often quite effective. As bananas are one of the most potassium-rich foods, keeping a fresh banana peel on the wart may cause the potassium to directly enter it. If one uses a fresh peel at least twice a day, the wart is supposed to shrink and fall off within a few days to a few weeks. Many people insist that this method does indeed work.

How To Relieve The Pain Of A Pinched Nerve

There are many things that can lead to having a pinched nerve, but no matter what the cause it’s a very painful condition to suffer from. If you have this problem, then all you can think about when it flares up is how to relieve the pain of a pinched nerve. It isn’t always easy to find the best solution, but there are things you can to bring some relief from the pain.

The very first thing you need to do is go see your doctor if you are experiencing constant pain or think you have a pinched nerve. A pinched nerve is a very serious condition, or it can be the sign of something else serious. Either way, only a qualified medical professional will be able to know for sure. Also, if your doctor prescribes any pain medication, be sure to follow their instructions very carefully.

Apart from a visit to your doctor, you can also go to your chiropractor. They are good at making adjustments to your neck and spine and tend to have a good understanding of the nerves in your body. They should be able to make adjustments that bring relief, though you may need to make several visits before you fond longer-lasting relief.

Inflammation can often lead to a pinched nerve, so doing things to reduce it is one of the methods of how to relieve the pain of a pinched nerve. There are over the counter medications that promise to reduce inflammation, but you need to be sure to take them regularly. If those don’t work, then you can talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking a prescription anti-inflammatory drug. Watching your diet is another way to reduce inflammation, as some foods can reduce it naturally. Wild salmon, broccoli, kelp, papaya and olive oil are a few of the foods you may wish to add to your diet.

Heat or cold on the affected area should be able to get your pain under control. Some people respond better heat, and others to cold; therefore, you should try one and see how it works for you. If heat doesn’t work, then try applying cold, and vice-versa. Don’t use anything that’s too hot or too cold as that could damage the skin or underlying tissue.

Another key to how to relieve the pain of a pinched nerve is to pay attention to your movements. Chances are that you already know and avoid a few motions that make the problem worse. However, you should always try to be aware of any moves you’re making, and be especially mindful of fast movements or strenuous activity.

One of the most pleasurable ways of how to relieve the pain of a pinched nerve is a professional massage. It’s important that you go to a professional because they will be aware of how to massage the sore area without doing more damage. Not only will you be easing the pain, but you also become more relaxed during the session.

Acne Scar Reduction-Prevention Best Treatment

Yuck! Nobody likes to suffer through an outbreak of acne, but even that can go from bad to worse if scars develop. Not only do you have to live with the acne, but you could be stuck with the aftermath for years to come, especially if you have severe outbreaks. However, there is good news because there are a lot of options for acne scar reduction.

The following is somewhat simplified, but it’s enough to give you the information you need to start treating your acne scars. When you have a bad outbreak of acne and sores develop, and that can lead to an infection which causes collagen and elastin to decrease. If that happens, then the skin cells themselves become damaged. The body then sends out its natural defenses and tries to repair the skin near the damaged area with connective tissue, and it’s this tissue that causes scarring.

Prevention of scarring is by far the best thing you can do. That may sound obvious, but all too many people overlook it. A good first step is to start treating your acne as soon as possible. Though it is often easier said than, you should never pick at the sores from your acne. Of course, if you start treating right away, there will be fewer sores to pick at.

You can always try using medicated treatments for acne scar reduction. Again, do what you can to prevent and treat outbreaks first. Over-the-counter medications may work just fine, but if not, you can always talk to your doctor or a dermatologist about prescribing something for your outbreaks.

You may not be able to do much in the way of prevention if you already have some scarring, but there are things you can do to minimize or eliminate the appearance of existing scars.

The first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor or dermatologist about your treatment options. They will be able to give you advice based on your personal medical history. Even if you want to try some home remedies for acne scar reduction, you should still talk to a medical professional about your concerns.

Laser treatments are becoming more and more popular as people see how well they work. The laser has to be used by a qualified dermatologist, so it will require an office visit. In simple terms, the laser burns of some of the skin in a controlled manner, then the scars are minimized when the new, healthy skin grows back.

Dermabrasion is where the top part of the skin is abraded or scraped off. A machine or buffer is used to make this happen. The idea here is that it will reveal the healthier skin underneath, but it also encourages new skin cell growth which adds to its effectiveness.

There are also different medicated lotions, creams and supplements that can help with acne scar reduction. Remember, you don’t have to live with yucky looking scars, so take advantage of any of these options right away.