Tag: Possibilities

Poison Ivy and Children

Summer camps and family hiking sessions can sometimes result in children getting itchy rashes. To be blamed are plants such as poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak. All of them produce the same substance or oil, called urushiol, which cause rashes. Urushiol is colorless and even odorless and is present within the leaves. Poison ivy can even grow in the backyards and parks. So any kind of outdoor activity should be monitored and the lawn should be de-weeded periodically. Bushes should be checked, as they grow as a regular plant and the child would not be able to distinguish the poisonous plant from the regular one.

Precaution is better than cure. Children should be educated and made to understand the description and ill-effects of poison ivy. They come in wide range and some change the appearance depending on seasonal variations. Urushiol is released from the leaves only when the leaves are damaged like when they are torn, get bumped or are brushed. The moment the leave is damaged, urushiol is released and the skin is affected immediately. Also, what many people do not know that to get a rash by poison ivy is not only by coming directly in contact with the plant. Human and animal carriers of urushiol can affect people coming in contact with them. The leaves of the plant can be flown by the air, which can cause damage when those leaves are handled or burned with the rest of the leaves and twigs.

Once the children are made familiar with the plants, they should be asked to steer clear on the sight of the plant or leaves. Parents should avoid places where there are possibilities of growth of such plants. When going on camps, etc., children should not be dressed in short sleeves and short length pants, so that the body does not brush off such plants. In spite of taking all these precautions, if the child comes in contact with such plants and contact with urushiol is suspected, the area should be washed with water and disinfectant. It is best to take shower and clean the whole body and the clothes should be removed immediately and washed. Pets should also be bathed after their outdoor adventures.

Basically, the urushiol causes an allergic reaction which irritates the skin and that is the reason why it is known as an allergen. This allergen wont harm all, but eighty percent of the victims get skin irritations. It not only creates itchy rashes, but can also swell the skin. The time period for the symptoms to surface is few hours to five days. The rash usually takes one to two week to heal completely. First the skin swells and rash develops. Blisters can also form as a result of regular rubbing of the skin to get rid of the itch. The blisters will form a crust after some days and will flake off.

If the rashes are accompanied with fever, a pediatrician should be contacted for appointment. And if the case isnt that serious, the doctor recommends home remedies. The child would be asked to be given showers with cold water and calamine lotion would have to be applied. If the redness and itching is intense, fluid medicine along with pills are administered to the kid. Antihistamine is very popular in such cases. Steroids are prescribed by the doctor.

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Staying Fit On The Go

Just because you are a busy person with lots to do everyday, it doesnt mean that you dont have time to stay fit and keep in shape while traveling. Excuses do not keep you fit and in shape and able to keep up with the demands of your busy life. If you are a member of a health club it would benefit you greatly if you ask the club if it participates in any programs that offer privileges at other facilities. Guest passes to certain spa and athletic clubs are sometimes free for one day. If your hotel does not have arrangements with a club near your hotel, the hotel that you are staying at just might. Asking at the front desk may open your eyes to many possibilities for a workout away from home and you will find out exactly what your options really are. Lots of hotels at least have treadmills or similar machines, which are much better than simply laying in bed and watching TV during your stay. When traveling just remember that almost every town has a YMCA or YWCA. Locate the yellow pages in your hotel room and give them a call. Again, there is now no excuse to become a traveling couch potato. Opportunities for you to take care of your fitness needs abound in all of your business and personal travels.

If necessary you may need to get a little creative, by using your hotel room as the gym of the day. Exercising in your hotel room is an easily and very convenient way to make certain that you get in your work out without missing a beat. Before you leave for your trip pack some collapsible hand weights or elastic exercise bands or other equipment that is made for travel, and turn your hotel room into the indoor gym that it has the potential to be. Elastic bands are great for getting resistance without lugging around big old dumbbells everywhere you go. Use the chairs and other pieces of furniture to your advantage to satisfy all of your fitness needs. Body weight exercises are enough for a great workout. Combine crunches, pushups, and legups. You wont exercise a large variety of muscles using only body weight, but you will at least be able to work on your heart and your endurance.

We understand that working out is not as easily done when you are in route to your next destination, so if your time is extremely tight and you dont have time for a complete work out. There are other alternatives to not working out at all. Stretch in your room, take a long walk. I bet the hotel is just as nice on the other side of the pool. Speaking of pool, you could always take a swim. Swimming is definitely a workout that will work every muscle in your body. With all of these ideas for a good work out, if not the best work out that youve ever had, you should no longer have any excuse for not continuing your fitness routine while traveling. Just remember that it doesnt really matter where you are when you do your work out but that you do your work out where you are. And if you cant do the exact routine that you are useful, just take solace in the fact that you are getting a workout.

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.