Tag: Period Of Time

Surgical Procedures for Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are not really dangerous because normally it gets out of the body through urination. Then again there are cases when kidney stones develop to something bigger than expected so they stay in the body. When this happens then it is time to visit your doctor so that you can go through necessary tests and figure out the next best steps to be taken. Usually a patient with kidney stones may just be advised to stay home and drink lots of water so that eventually the kidney stones are flushed out. Sometimes though that is not enough and so after careful thought surgery may be considered as it is needed.

There are many things to consider before someone with kidney stones should consider surgery. Here are some of the things to observe and take note of. If you are experiencing these things then you seriously have to start thinking about surgery. If the kidney stones seem to be stuck over quite a long period of time and is starting to cause the person pain. Also, when the kidney stones blocks the normal flow of urine and causes a urinary tract infection to persist. On very bad occasion, ignored kidney stones that are getting bigger may eventually cause kidney tissue damage which is evident in bleeding.

For over 20 years open surgery was the only way to go when it comes to removing kidney stones. As in any open surgery, recovery period takes a long period of time as in around four to six weeks which is really bad news. This is the reason why people tend to just self-medicate thinking it will wade out.

However things can just get worse if you leave things at that but who can blame those people? Going under the knife is not something that is easy to undergo. The good news is that these days, due to advancement in technology, many surgery choices for the removal of kidney stones no longer require open surgery and can even be performed in an outpatient setting.

Here a number of procedures are discussed. The most common surgery choice is Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy or ESWL. There are a number of ESWL devices available but basically they all work the same way. Shock waves are created outside the body and then it penetrates the skin and tissues to make its way through the kidney stones that will eventually be broken down into small pieces.

Now for more kidney stones in more complicated areas or states, there are other procedures to choose from. For larger stones or kidney stones that are hard to locate, there is the percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This requires a bit of going under the knife since a surgeon has to make a tiny incision at the back to create a tunnel directly to the kidney. What is good about this procedure is that it can remove fragments of kidney stones directly. For stones located in the mid and lower ureter, Ureteroscopy might be needed. No incision is required for this procedure.

The surgeon simply passes a small fiberoptic instrument called a ureteroscope until it reaches the ureter. Upon locating the kidney stone, it is removed with a cage-like device or breaks it with a special instrument that produces shock wave. This particular procedure, however, is rarely used to day because of the high risks involved.

Spider Vein Treatment Prevention is Better than Cure

There are several spider vein treatment and medications available these days for people who are raring to see the condition go away. But not everybody who has such veins would think about removing them through medical procedures.

Veins are only natural to appear. These are part of the aging process. Through time, you will be able to develop some. With such situation, the only thing that is left for you to do is learn tricks on how to slow down the process.

You can look into the different aspects of your life to make sure that you cover everything that can help you make the veins appear at a much latter time of your life.

Day-to-Day
Start your day right. Apply sunscreen protection on your skin, especially on the face part, before you head out to face the suns rays. If it is possible, walk to your destination. Make this an exercise that can help you strengthen your leg. Avoid wearing footwear with heels that can weary out this part of your body.

You must also be mindful of what you wear. Make sure that you wear clothes that are comfortable and do not constrict the different body parts like your legs, the groins and waist.

Food Intake
First of all, you must take note of your salt intake. Too much sodium in your body can lead to swelling that may cause for your veins to appear fast. It will also help if you will have a diet that is high on fiber. A good example of this is bran and other kinds of whole grains. You must also be pampered with fresh fruits and drinks as well as vegetables. This will lessen the chances of constipation attacks. Such situation can cause the appearance of varicose veins.

Regular Routine
You must avoid standing for a long period of time. If you really must, shift your weight from one leg to another after some minutes or so. This way, the pressure will be equally distributed to both feet. If your work requires you to sit for long periods of time during the course of the day, you must stand up and walk around every 30 minutes or so. This is to help the blood circulating properly at the bottom part of your body.

Make it a habit to sit properly without having to cross your legs all the time. This will only add pressure on the part of the body. And make sure that you rest your feet properly during the nighttime. You can elevate them a bit until you feel that part of your body rejuvenated.

Red Alert
Not because you have seen a vein develop on your face and on your legs, you will rush to the nearest doctor for treatment. Not all kinds of veins are harmful. It is likely that when they are not causing any discomfort or any pain, they will not really cause any harm.

When do you raise the red flag? It is when you feel like the veins are already causing pain to your system. Try to touch the veins. If they are warm and tender, they look swollen and red, this is the time that you consult your doctor about the situation.

But in most cases, spider vein treatment can be done through personal remedies like massages and light cream application. The idea here is this is only a normal occurrence.

As long as the veins are not causing any trouble, you dont have to worry about them too much.

Things to Know If You are to Stop Smoking

You should understand that the fight to stop smoking starts from the moment when you have finally decided to quit. However, it does not end there, because the hard part is when the withdrawal urges kick in and you find yourself on the verge of smoking again. These urges are just temporary in nature, and they too shall pass you just have to fight them when they manifest. So, as you stop smoking maybe you should know ten things that will help you with the cigarette renunciation.

1. Patience is the key to winning over the battle against smoking. The truth is that this process is not easy, nor is it for a short period of time. Thus, you should be patient to deal with the rehabilitation for as long as it takes you.

2. Go through the process day by day. Do not think of how long the process will really take, instead live through the rehabilitation each day. You will soon notice that as each day passes, your craving to smoke gets weaker, and your strength to defeat such craving gets stronger.

3. Do not let yourself be bothered by negative thoughts which may only make you wanting to smoke again. By being constantly reminded of your purpose and your goal, you will be more motivated to end your smoking life and replace it with a healthier lifestyle.

4. During your rehabilitation, you should not forget to satisfy your other needs, such as food and water. A good diet and sufficient hydration can help you flush away the toxins from your body that has accumulated because of smoking. You should also keep your body physically fit, so exercise regularly and then take enough rest daily.

5. Refrain from drinking alcohol, because it may just trigger your urge to smoke. Some people cannot detach smoking from drinking, because these two are very much related to each other.

6. Being stressed will not help you in your struggle to stop smoking. It may only tempt you into releasing your stress through smoking. Thus, you should not be stressed out, especially during your withdrawal phase.

7. You would definitely feel the urge to smoke again, sometime in the middle of your rehabilitation. You may find yourself craving for the pleasure of smoking, but you should not give into the temptation. You should learn to repress this urge, and soon enough you will realize that you are no longer feeling the drive to smoke.

8. The fight against smoking is a difficult battle. It would help a lot if you are able to find someone close to you, or some other people who are going through the same process just like you. It would make your feel at ease and comfortable, and will give you a sense of security that you are not alone in this battle.

9. Do not think that smoking a single stick would not affect your rehabilitation. The moment you give in to this temptation, you will continue doing the same again and again; and all your previous efforts to quit will just be flushed down the drain. If it becomes really tough for you, you may ask for assistance from a counselor.

10. Hold on to your reasons for quitting. You should keep in mind that you are to stop smoking for a good reason, and this should be your motivation.

Sun Skin Damage -Sunscreen And Lots Of It

There has long been cautions and warnings about how prolonged exposure to the sun can cause sun skin damage. But who wants to stay inside on a nice, warm , sunny, summer day? Not too many!

So what is the answer? Sunscreen and lots of it.

Did you know, though, that most people don’t use sun screen correctly? They go out and they put it all over their bodies one time and think they will be protected all day.

Some sunscreens may be able to protect you for an extended period of time but you should always reapply it every few hours. Some wash off in the water if you add swimming to your summer day and some are affected by sweat.

Always read the label and follow the directions closely to avoid sun skin damage, especially when children are involved.

Let’s talk about the sun’s rays for a minute. There are two main types that affect your skin: UVA and UVB

UVA rays are the ones that can cause age spots and other skin discolorations. You may not even realize that this is skin damage, but it is, and was caused by the sun shining on unprotected skin when you were younger.

UVB rays are the ones that cause you to get a sunburn. If you notice that your skin is red and painful after a day out in the sun, you have damaged your skin. The redness will fade after a few days but you will notice that after a week or two your skin will begin to “peel”. This is usually not a painful process but you will not like the way it looks.

Always use sunscreen! Even on cloudy days the sun’s rays can affect your skin. They pass right through the clouds so do not be fooled into thinking that you are safe.

Too many sunburns and/or prolonged exposure to the sun without being protected can lead to a more serious condition like skin cancer and premature aging of the skin.

Sunscreen comes in several different levels and you can find them everywhere this time of year. The lowest protection factor is 4 on up to at least 50 maybe even higher. Sun tan oils are different and do not provide any protection from the suns rays.

Tanning booths or beds are no better than lying in the sun. In fact, they can be even more harmful and can cause eye damage, accelerated premature aging, immune system suppression and they can even cause allergic reactions as well as skin damage.

To avoid sun skin damage, you should stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. These are the hours of the day are when the rays of the sun are most damaging. If you cannot avoid the sun at these times then you should at least try to limit the time that your skin is exposed by finding a nice shady spot to sit in and/or protecting yourself by wearing sunscreen.