Medications | Health And Wellness Tips

Help Someone Having a Panic Attack

Panic attacks often occur to anyone without warning. So whenever someone had an attack, it is important that you know what to do.

Understand what a panic attack is. A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear or anxiety. It is manifested by several signs and symptoms. During an attack, a person experiences increased heartbeat or palpitation, chest pain, hyperventilation or shortness of breath, stomach churning, upset stomach, trembling and shaking, muscle tension, sweating, dizziness and light-headedness, hot or cold flashes, tingling sensation or numbness, fear of dying, going crazy or losing control and feeling detached from the surroundings.

Seek for emergency medical help. It is important to call for a health professional especially if a person experiences an attack for the first time.

Identify the cause of the symptoms. The signs and symptoms of panic attack are similar to medical conditions. Hyperventilation or shortness of breath can be a sign of asthma. Chest pain, increased heartbeat or palpitation and sweating can be a heart attack. Talk to the person and determine if the symptoms are caused by other medical conditions. When in doubt, a health professional will be a great help.

While waiting for help, find the cause of attack. Once it is established that the cause of the symptoms is really a panic attack, find the source of the panic and take the person away from it. Do not make an assumption about what the person needs. A person who is suffering from the attack may know exactly what to do or has medications which will get him through the attack, so it is best to ask.

Don’t surprise the patient. Be predictable with your movements. Do not grab, hold or restrain. Keep him calm and stay calm yourself. Reassure the person that everything is going to be fine but do not dismiss his fear by saying “it’s all in your mind” or “don’t worry about it” or “you are overreacting.” Take note that the fear is very real to the victim so it dismissing the fear has no effect or can even make the matter worse.

Help the patient to control his breathing. Many patients breathe heavily during an attack; others hold their breath. Using deep breathing technique is a very effective way to purge the symptoms of a panic attack as well as calm the patient down. Guide the person and tell him to breathe in for 3 slow counts. Then ask him to hold his breath for 3 slow counts and breathe out for another 3 slow counts. Do this several times until the person is calm. You can also advice him to breathe into a paper bag. This way, he will re-breathe his carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide helps correct the blood acid level that had been disturbed by excessive breathing. But be careful when using paper bags since they may trigger another fear.

Stay with the person throughout his ordeal. Never leave a person especially if he is having difficulty in breathing. Be patient. They may act rude or unfriendly but remember that it is temporary and will go back to normal as soon as the attack is over.

Do not forget that for the patient, the thoughts are real. Reassure him the help is on the way. Never allow the patient to do things that will put his life at risk.

How to Lessen the Chances of Seeking Spider Vein Treatment

What do you expect when you undergo spider vein treatment? Different people are expected to have different opinions. And besides, not everybody will be willing to undergo such procedures. There are various processes that can be done to eliminate the unwanted vein. But how badly do you want this to be done?

Some people opt for their veins to be removed out of mere vanity. Others feel like the situation is causing too much trouble and pains that they want to live without. There are those who just cannot accept that they are getting old and the spider veins are part of the process. To whom you can relate among the three? Whatever your reasons are for availing treatments, you must consult with the right doctor as to your best options. They can provide you with the proper details that will suit your body fine accordingly.

Before you start contemplating about getting the right medications and procedures, you must first have an overview of how the situation comes about.

What are the causes of spider veins?

There are actually a lot of factors that come into play and contribute to the gravity of the situation. Here are only some to give you basic idea about the overall scheme of things with regards to the veins.

1. Women usually develop more spider veins as they reach their menopausal stage. This causes many hormonal changes that lead to the situation.

2. Women also suffer from such when they get pregnant. The situation may also lead for more serious problems like the swelling of the veins near their private parts, more commonly known as hemorrhoids.

3. But not only pregnant women are prone to such. People who suffer from obesity are likely to develop spider veins as well as other kinds of veins which might be painful, like varicose veins.

4. Medical conditions like high blood pressure can also increase the emergence of the unwanted veins.

5. Standing for a very long time will also cause such problem. To avoid this, you must shift your weight every once in a while so that the pressure wont be handled by only one leg. You must also do necessary exercises like walking, jogging and running to develop the muscles on your legs and for the lower part of your body to gain strength.

6. Too much sitting also causes the development of the unwanted veins. To help solve the problem, if you find yourself in such situation, you must stand up every 30 minutes or so. Walk a while for a brief time. This way, your blood circulation will be regulated. And you will lessen the emergence of the unwanted veins.

7. Incorrect diet can also cause the veins to easily become visible all throughout your body. To remedy this, make sure that your diet is composed of high-fiber foods like wheat grain, well-cooked vegetable, juices and fresh fruits. The foods that are high in fiber will lessen constipation. This will also lessen the early developments of the unwanted veins. You must also make sure that you regulate the amount of salt that you get inside your system. Such element can cause swelling that may lead to the development of the veins.

Now that you know the causes, you will lessen the possibility of seeking out spider vein treatment in the future.

What You Should Know About Spider Vein Treatments

Spider veins are nothing more than a cosmetic problem. If you plan to undergo spider vein treatment, here are a few things you should know.

Before you undergo any type of treatment, you have to consult with your doctor. You will be asked a few questions with regards to your medical history, what medications you take, what type of work do you do and a few others because these are some of the cause of spider veins.

He or she will examine your leg to check if there are other problems. The hand held Doppler ultrasound device will be used to detect if there is a backflow within the venous system. If there are no serious problems, then you can undergo spider vein treatment but should there be any, you will be referred to another specialist.

Lets say there are no problems. Your doctor will then explain to you what happens when you undergo sclerotherapy. This procedure is the trend these days for this cosmetic problem. In this procedure, sclerosing agents are injected in the affected area which is designed to lighten the color of the veins.

If you have any questions, dont be afraid to raise them. Some people ask if it is going to hurt, what are the risks and benefits, how long is the recovery period and the costs which is perfectly normal since you will be the one who will undergo the procedure.

After getting all the necessary information and your willingness to still do it, you have to follow your doctors instructions to prepare you for treatment. You must not apply any moisturizer, sunblock or oil to your legs on the day of your procedure. You can wear shorts during the procedure but have to wear a prescribed support hose and slacks when you go home.

The procedure does not take that long. This may last from 15 to 45 minutes. It is a painless procedure and you dont have to be injected with anesthesia. If your doctor has their own clinic, it will be done right there.

Just how many injections will be used depends on the number of spider veins. Some patients will get 5 injections while this can go up to about 45. When the injection has been removed, the doctor will apply cotton ball and compression tape to that area of the leg.

Your legs will look bruised or slightly discolored for a few weeks and chances are you wont be going to the pool or beach for a few weeks because you will not be comfortable wearing a swimsuit. You can go to work and party but instead of wearing dress, you will be wearing slacks or a pair of jeans.

Since one session is not enough to make the spider veins unnoticeable, you will have to go back for the next session after one month. If new spider veins start appearing, it is your choice whether or not you want to undergo this procedure again. If you are vain, chances are you will.

Not everyone can undergo sclerotherapy. If you happen to suffer from diabetes, circulatory problems, heart condition or are suffering from a blood born disease like hepatitis or AIDS, you will have to find another form of spider vein treatment.

Deciding to Stop Smoking: Rising Above Withdrawal Urges

When you smoke, your body is exposed to nicotine, a very addictive substance. The longer period that the body is exposed to nicotine, the harder it is for the body to function properly without such substance. This is the reason why people who smoke, especially those who have been smoking for a long time already, may find it difficult to stop smoking. They have become addicted to nicotine, and they will need longer time just to cleanse their system from the nicotine. So, even if they have finally stopped from smoking, they are still faced with the urge to go on a relapse and smoke again. This is commonly known as nicotine withdrawal urges.

Withdrawal symptoms may come in different forms, and has different effects on different people. Some urges may take form in the following:

* Difficulty to sleep
* Always being nervous and worried
* Unable to concentrate
* May feel depressed
* May feel irritable
* May feel the urge to light up another stick of cigarette
* Increased hunger and need to eat

Thus, before you finally stop smoking, you should first have an idea on how to fight these withdrawal symptoms, because if not you may end up starting on the process all over again.

Start by knowing the possible urges that you may experience once you have finally stopped smoking. By doing so, you would have ideas on how to manage them properly when they eventually manifest. There several products which can assist you as you begin to cut down your exposure to nicotine. There are nicotine gums and patches which are available in the market to satisfy your need for nicotine without the need of smoking a cigarette. However, if you choose to buy these products, you should realize that you would still have to stop using them eventually because you would want your system to be cleansed from nicotine.

There are also medicines and prescription drugs which can help you overcome depression after you have stopped smoking. Sometimes, these medications may also help with other withdrawal symptoms aside from depression. However, before you take any of these drugs, you should consult your doctor first so that you would be guided accordingly.

These withdrawal urges may come and go throughout the day. You just have to wait it out until the urge passes. You have to fight hard not to smoke despite such strong urges. After several times of being able to fight off the urge to smoke, you will feel that such urges will become less powerful, and you will find it easier to defeat such tendencies. You just have to stay strong because it is not easy to flush out the nicotine from your body, and will surely take time before you are absolutely cleansed from it. So, as you wait, you have to stay strong, firm, and focused. Try hard not to relapse; otherwise you might end up on the starting line again, and youd waste your efforts. Do your best to divert your attention to healthier activities so that you will not think of smoking as often as necessary. Remember your reasons for quitting, and hold on to them. The process you need to go through to stop smoking may not be easy, but it shall be worth it.