Instant Arthritis Relief: Is It Possible?

If you have arthritis, you know pain. In fact, you know it well. There are over one hundred different types of arthritis. Despite the different causes and symptoms, one thing is common. That is pain. All arthritis patients suffer pain. For some, it comes and goes. For others, the pain in constant. You want relief and you want it now, but is instant arthritis pain relief possible? Yes and no.

Before focusing on a few ways that you can get quick arthritis pain relief, it is important to note variances. It all depends on your definition of instant. For most, instant means right away and immediately. For others, 10 to 15 minutes is soon enough. As previously stated, most arthritis sufferers want relief and immediately. When you are in pain, 15 minutes can literally feel like a lifetime.

In terms of over-the-counter arthritis relief, you have two main options. Those are over-the-counter pain pills and over-the-counter topical arthritis creams. So, which provides you with the fastest relief? It all depends on your body.

In terms of over-the-counter arthritis topical creams, most see relief right away. In fact, you may experience relief as soon as the cream makes contact with the skin. Even if you have never used these creams before, you may have used Bengay or a similar cream to treat achy pains. Think back to that time. You may remember the tingling sensation, but what about relief? You should have felt it immediately. The same holds true for arthritis creams. If you need relief and need it now, grab a tube of arthritis pain relief cream. Ensure you have some at home.

In terms of over-the-counter pain pills, it all depends on your body and your purchase. For example, most pain relief capsules or tablets must dissolve in your body. It can take time for the entire pill to dissolve. On the other hand, Advil has a Liqui-Gel format. Just the outer layer needs to dissolve, so relief is typically faster. Tylenol has a special arthritis formula. This has two dissolving layers; one is fast for quick relief and the second is slower for long-lasting relief.

Another way that arthritis patients seek pain relief is through heat. For some, this does provide immediate relief. Your options include soaking in a warm bath, wrapping the joint in a warm washcloth, using on-the-go heating patches or a reusable heating pouch. Many experience pain relief until the heat stops. It is best to use heat as a source of relief until your over-the-counter pain pills are able to kick in.

Many natural supplements also claim to add in the relief of arthritis pain and swelling. These supplements are nice, as most are natural and safe. But, they do have their pros and cons. The biggest downside is time. Most are not designed for immediate relief. Instead, continued used provides long-lasting relief. The same is true for exercise. It may be difficult to move your achy joints at first, but continued low-impact exercise can reduce pain, stiffness, and swelling overtime.

In conclusion, instant relief is nice, but you should not write off an arthritis treatment option because it does not provide you with immediate relief. Remember that preventing or lessening the risk of pain, discomfort, and swelling is just as important as treating it.

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What Are Sinus Infections?

Sinus infections are also known as sinusitis. In fact, there are two types namely acute and chronic.

An acute sinus infection is caused by harmless bacteria that most healthy people have in their upper respiratory tracts. This happens to approximately 2 percent of adults and 20 percent of children who are suffering from a cold. It usually lasts for two to four weeks and those affected respond very well to medical therapy.

Among the two types, chronic sinus infections are very common. It is estimated that at least 37 million Americans are affected by this every year and this usually lasts for 3 months or more and it may keep on coming back.

The symptoms for acute and chronic are very similar. These include bad breath, cough, dental pain, difficulty breathing through your nose, erythema, facial pain, fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, nausea, pain or tenderness in the eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead and sore throat.

If you have acute or chronic sinus infection, you are advised to see a doctor because if left undiagnosed and untreated, complications could occur which may lead to severe medical problems and at times death. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the complications that could happen.

We know that fevers and headaches are common with a sinus infection. But did you know that this together with soft tissue swelling over the frontal sinus may indicate an infection of the frontal bone better known as Potts Puffy Tumor or Ostemyelitis?

The persons eye socket may also get infected due to ethmoid sinusitis and if it swells or becomes droopy, this may result in the inability to see and even permanent blindness. What is even worse is when it causes a blood clot forms around the front and top of the face. The persons pupils will become fixed and dilated and this will happen on both eyes.

A sinus infection could also make someone experience mild personality changes or altered consciousness. If this happens, it is possible that the infection can spread to the brain and result in a coma or death.

Given that anything can happen if you have a sinus infection, you are advised to see a doctor as soon as possible. This will the professional time to diagnose what is wrong and then recommend the proper medical treatment.

Some of the tests could be as simple as touching your face lightly to check for tenderness in the skin to CT scans, MRIs and X-rays.

The treatment that doctors initially recommend to a patient who has a sinus infection is usually an over the counter drug like Tylenol. If there is no improvement after a week, then he or she can assume that it is a bacterial infection and treat it with a proper antibiotic.

The length of the time that the patient will be under the medication depends on the person. Usually, the person will use antibiotics for 2 weeks but this can be extended for another 7 days should the infection be chronic.

Sinus infections can be treated so before you take any medicine out of the cabinet, have yourself checked by the doctor first to determine what is causing it. For all you know, your sinus infection is not caused by bacteria but rather an allergy.