Tag: Stomach Pain

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment
Robert Kokoska

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition where involves inflammation
of joints which leads to further swelling and pain. It causes an
upset inside the body where the immune system starts attacking
joint tissue, cartilage and other organs.

However the causes of rheumatoid arthritis are still not known
fully. This type of arthritis is the most common and affects one
in every 100 people. Rheumatoid arthritis affects people of all
ages but mainly effects people within the ages of 30 – 50. Women
are three times more likely to be effected as men. Patients
carrying this form of arthritis most often complain of
fluctuating pain and inflammation of joints, which can get gets
worse during flare-ups.

This article aims to offer an insight into several treatments
that can be used against rheumatoid arthritis.

There are two main kinds of drugs used against rheumatoid
arthritis; first line drugs, fast acting drugs, and second line
which are slow acting drugs.

First line drugs include nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Examples of NSAIDs are
aspirin, ibuprofen and etodolac. These can be used to reduce
pain and swelling of joints.

Aspirin has long been used to decrease inflammation. It can be
used to treat rheumatoid arthritis by using doses that are
higher then those used during fever. Newer types of NSAIDs are
effective as aspirin and require fewer intakes per day. However
just like all medication, it has its own side effects which
include stomach pain, abdominal pain and a few others. In order
to minimize the side effects of NSAIDs, they are regularly taken
with meals.

Another type of first line drugs includes Corticosteroids. They
are more powerful then NSAIDs and are given either orally or
through an injection to the inflamed areas such as joints.

Corticosteroids are given in small doses, mainly during
flare-ups as it reacts more strongly to inflammation. However it
can have serious side effects on the body if given for an
extended period of time in high doses. These include weight
gain, easy risk of infection, easy bruising and others. The side
effects can be minimized by decreasing the level of doses given
to the patients slowly as the condition of the patient improves.
A sharp decline in the doses given to the patient is discouraged
as it can lead to flare-ups and other symptoms of the disease.

Second line drugs include Disease-modifying
Anti-rheumatic Drugs or DMARDs. These drugs are mainly used to
prevent destruction of joints and deformity. DMARDs are used for
an extended period of time in order to be effective. DMARDs can
often be used with a combination of other second line drugs as
therapy.

Some examples of DMARDs include Sulfasalazine,
Hydroxychloroquine, D-penicillamine and others.

Apart from the above methods, there are some other approaches
that can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The patients can
undertake exercise that can help them improve their physical
condition and improve joint mobility. Additionally it is
important to have a healthy intake of food.

Many often patients with rheumatoid arthritis can experience
weight loss. This can be combined with medication and therapy to
come up with a more potent combination against the condition.
Depending on your position, you can under go either
physiotherapy or occupational therapy. This will help improve
flexibility, mobility, and reduce pain in your joints.

The aforementioned approaches to rheumatoid arthritis have been
used time and again. However it is essential to seek your
nearest doctor to get firm guidance. Each arthritis case shall
be dealt on an individual basis.

With the passage of time, new and more effective treatments
against arthritis are starting to come through. However the only
way to gain the maximum benefit from the existing treatments
will be to remain punctual throughout the course of the
medication. It is important to constantly consult your doctor
and keep him or her up to date with your condition, so that the
doctor can advise you further and give more effective feedback.

About the author:
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Abdominal Pain in Children

Tummy aches are one of the most frequently complained about problems in children. There are many causes attributed with it, and it is a challenge for the parent or the physician to find out the exact problem. Sometimes the pain requires immediate attention and can also be a case of emergency. The causes can be related to food, infections, poisoning, insect bites, etc.

Bacteria and viruses are responsible in case of abdominal pain due to infections. Gastroenteritis and stomach flu are some of the examples of infections that can cause stomach aches. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation and irritation of stomach and the gastrointestinal passage. Extra care must be taken by travelers, as the food and drinks can be contaminated at new locations and can lead to travelers getting diarrhea. Stomach pain due to viral infections ward off quickly, but bacterial infections demand the intake of antibiotics. In both the cases, some children recover very fast by vomiting and excreting. In case of diarrhea, excess drinking fluids should be given to the kid to avoid dehydration.

Food related stomach aches can be caused because of food poisoning, gas production, excess food ingestion and food allergies. Problems because of food poisoning are temporary and can cause bloating. Symptoms of food poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. Usually these symptoms surface within two days of consumption of contaminated food. Depending on the severity chill, fever, bloody stools, or damage to the nervous system can follow. In case of a group of people who consumed the contaminated food, this situation is known as an outbreak. Over two hundred diseases are known to be transmitted via food. Food can be poisoned because of toxic agents or infective agents. Infective agents are parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Toxic agents are uncooked food, exotic foods, and poisonous mushrooms. Food can get contaminated because of handling by unclean workers at the local restaurant, too. Parents should check out the cleanliness and should visit a trusted restaurant.

Particular foods can cause the irritation, such as diary products can cause lactose intolerance. If this is the case, the child is allergic to certain food or drinks and swallowing even a small amount can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, and skin rash. Since these items are harmless otherwise, such kind of allergic reactions are known as hypersensitivity reaction. Sometimes the symptoms can be life threatening and are known as anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis.

Poisoning can also be due to overdose of medicines and even due to eating non-food stuffs. Insect bites such as black widow spider bite can also lead to pain in the abdomen. It can be accompanied with muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, tremor, vomiting and in severe case it can cause dizziness, faintness, respiratory problems, and chest pain. Also, the heart rate and blood pressure increases.

In very rare cases, abdominal pain can be due to appendicitis. This is a result of blockage and inflammation of tissues. Young kids have a higher rate if complications are considered and should be immediately rushed to the hospital. The pain starts slowly in the abdomen, specifically near the belly button. The pain shifts slowly to the right side of the lower abdomen within a time period of over twenty four hours. Clear symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, fever and loss of appetite. Diabetes can also be a reason of abdominal pain. Small children usually curl up, cry and express pain through facial expression. Some kids will be reluctant to talk, but the parent should try to get clear explanation of the problem. Along with close monitoring of the symptoms, studying the location of pain, pain duration, nature of vomiting, and urinary problems will help. After that a pediatric should be consulted who can further refer to a gastroenterologist. Until help is reached, the child should be made to relax.
Often, lying with face in downward direction can relieve pain due to gas. Incase of vomiting and diarrhea, fluids should be given constantly. Solid food should only be given when the child is comfortable about eating it.

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Acupuncture and Extreme Cases

What are some extreme cases where acupuncture is useful? Let us talk about a few particularly interesting ones. The first is using acupuncture on a person in a coma. Many times people in comas only receive minimal care. When my father was in a long term care hospital, I often walked by two rooms where the occupants were in comas, one I knew had been that way for at least several months. After treating any conditions that the doctors were aware of, there was little else to do for these patients. The one that was there for months never had any visitors as far as I could see, and the hospital was maintaining him until at some time he might come out of his coma. The practice of acupuncture can help a person in a coma in the following ways: clear the physical senses, calm the spirit, clear the brain, strengthen the heart, and eliminate phlegm. Without getting too specific, these areas are regulated by different organs of the body and the energy from those organs, and insertion of needles at correct points will redirect that energy.

Depending on the patient, sometimes the needles might be twirled gently. Western medicine distinguishes comatose patients based on their originating symptom (brain tumor, car accident, etc), but the practice of acupuncture groups the patients by their set of common symptoms. The use of acupuncture for these patients will improve their overall well being, and in some cases the patients revive after a time, though it is not possible medically to determine why they revive.

A second use of acupuncture is for someone that is prone to simple fainting. As a caution, a physician should determine if the cause is serious heart trouble. If not, there are standard acupuncture regimes which will regulate energy to allow the blood to freely recirculate through the entire body, including the head. It is also interesting to note that a number of times this physical symptom can be accompanied by a social problem such as overwork, or an emotional problem such as internally rebelling from a situation that the patient wanted to be released from. Acupuncture can restore harmony to both the physical and emotional components of the patient.

Another application of acupuncture is for patients in emergency situations. It would be best to have an actual acupuncture practitioner at the scene, but anyone can use these simple techniques. If someone has lost consciousness, apply a strong pressure with your fingernail in the groove between the nose and mouth, about one third of the way down from the nose. This is a simple acupuncture point that may well awaken the patient. Chest-related emergencies can be helped with the acupuncture point on the underside of the forearm, between the two tendons, and about two thumb widths back from the last wrist crease. This may help for people experiencing palpitations, hiccups, stomach pain, and lung problems. Press firmly.

These just list a few unusual applications where acupuncture would be useful. There are also acupuncture regimens for people that have gone into shock, a drowning victim that is now breathing but still unconscious, acupuncture support for patients with broken limbs, etc. I hope this has expanded your view on many additional uses for acupuncture.

Arthritis medications

Arthritis medications
Robert Kokoska

Patients suffering from arthritis have to undergo a wide range
of treatments which includes medication. There are over 100
medications that are presently being used to treat arthritis.
However medicines at this stage can only help people suffering
from arthritis, and not act as a cure. The medicines can be used
to reduce pain, improve joint mobility, decrease flare-ups and
reduce inflammations.

The aim of this article is to present an insight into 4 main
types of medicines that can be used by arthritis patients.

The first category is called pain-relieving medicines which
include aspirin, paracetemol and ibuprofen. As a matter of fact,
aspirin and ibuprofen are mainly anti-inflammatory drugs;
however they also contain small amounts of pain killing doses.
These pain relieving drugs are available at almost all chemists,
without subscription from doctor.

Anti-inflammatory medicines can be used to
decrease flare-ups and reduce swelling. It comes in two packages
which include Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and
steroids. NSAIDs need to be taken over an extended period of
time so to make it more effective. However its side effects
include stomach problems. It is the most common prescribed
medicine against arthritis. Some NSAIDs include naproxen
(Naprosyn), fenbufen (Lederfen), piroxicam (Feldene) and Cox – 2
inhibitors. However there have been concerns raised about the
safety of Cox-2. Steoids are very effectives against
inflammation. However they can cause harm to the body is used
for a long period of time. They are mainly used to bring severe
cases of arthritis under control before any further
prescriptions are given.

Disease-modifying medicines are used with cases
which involves damage to the immune system such as by rheumatoid
arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They can be either
taken in by mouth or through injections and deals with the whole
of immune system, instead of the symptoms. Some types of this
kind of medicine are methotrexate, sulfasalazine and gold
(sodium aurothiomalate).

Biologic response modifiers (BRMs) are
increasingly being used in the treatment of arthritis. They were
used to treat severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis, however now
they have assumed a new role and are used to treat patients in
the early stages of arthritis, so to prevent profound damage to
the joints. Although many people with rheumatoid arthritis find
BRMs effective, it is still not suited for everyone with
arthritis. The downside of these products is that they are
expensive and can only be given through injections or infusion.

All medicines contain some side effects. Also these side effects
may vary from patient to patient. Many patients undertaking
arthritis related medicines experience certain side effects such
as stomach pain. Nevertheless arthritis medicines can be very
powerful and can have a profound effect on the body. There are
certain approaches in order to reduce minimize the side effects.
It is important to take to take medicines according to
instructions such as 2 times in the day. Your doctor must be
constantly supervising you so that he or she can see whether the
intake is going according to the plan. Another important aspect
to be taken into account is that the benefit of taking the
medicine shall be weighed against the harm of not taking them.
Arthritis can get worse if no medication is taken.

The reason so many medicines for arthritis has been produced is
to meet specific demand of arthritis patients. Also using one
can have side effects. Therefore the range of medicines allows a
person to choose ones that gives least side effects to him or
her. Before you start taking any medicine, it is essential for
you to contact your family so to great a grip of the actual
situation and choose the medicine that best caters to your
needs. Additionally, it is very important for pregnant women to
consult their doctors. Some medicines contain strong side
effects and can be harmful to the baby. Therefore it is
essential to adjust medication in such cases.

About the author:
Are you sick and tired of arthritis pain?

Relieve your arthritis pain naturally with Ea
zol Arthritis Capsules

Read the online press release about “I Cured My Arthritis,
You Can Too”