A sinus infection, otherwise known as sinusitis, can leave you feeling pretty miserable. The sinuses are pockets in the forehead and face that produce normal mucus to keep you healthy, as well as moisten the air you breathe. When the sinuses get inflamed, they’re not able to perform their usual functions, and this sometimes results in infection.
There is a range of symptoms that someone with a sinus infection might exhibit. These include:
- a runny nose
- bad breath
- sore throat
- pressure or tenderness around eyes
Not everyone has the same symptoms, and these symptoms also vary in severity dependent upon the individual.
Often, sinus infections will improve on their own with time. To help alleviate symptoms, there are a number of measures you can take.
- Use nasal saline
- Apply warm heat
- Breathe in steam vapors from the shower
- Drink lots of fluids
- Flush out sinuses
- Use decongestants as needed
- Use over-the-counter painkillers as needed
- Drink tea
- Eat spicy foods
- Avoid cigarettes
When to See a Doctor
If your sinus infection isn’t going away with home remedies, you may need to see a doctor. If you have any of the symptoms below, call your doctor’s office for guidance.
Symptoms that don’t improve after seven to 10 days
- Green, yellow or bloody mucus
- A high fever
- A strong headache not improved by OTC painkillers
- Ear pain
- Stiff neck
- Severe neck pain
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Heaviness in the chest
- Vision changes, swelling or redness around eyes
- An allergic reaction to medication
- Chronic sinusitis
About 2 to 10 percent of sinus infections are bacterial, and these can be treated with antibiotics. A doctor may also want to perform allergy testing to see if that is what’s causing your sinusitis, especially if it’s chronic. If you do have allergies he or she may prescribe or recommend certain allergy medications. Inhaled steroids are sometimes used to reduce inflammation. Lastly, surgery may be an option, if you continue to have bouts of sinusitis. You may need a procedure that enlarges the sinus passages and removes blockages.
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One of the most difficult decisions that a parent or care giver needs to make is to decide when a sick child needs to stay home. For many parents this decision may be made worse by the fact that their child may frequently complain of ailments just to skip school. Here some ScannerDoc tips that should help you make a decision.
Find the Answers
When should you keep sick children home from school? This question can be answered by first considering three simple questions. Firstly, you need to think about your child’s symptoms. Is it possible that they will keep her from participating in school activities? Next, if your child is contagious, then your decision is already made for you. Finally, consider if your child may need more care and supervision than the school can provide.
One of the most common ailments that afflict children is the flu. In fact, when it comes to the flu, school children are the most affected. The disease is contagious and easily spread in the classroom environment where children frequently come in contact with a sick child. This is why pediatricians recommend the flu vaccine. Though many parents worry about the effectiveness of the vaccination, better vaccines that match the flu virus in circulation are being developed.
Some of the common symptoms associated with the flu include runny nose, cough and fever. ScannerDoc recommends that parents keep their children home from school if they have a fever of over 100. In addition, symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea are indications of the contagious phase of the illness.
In other words, if the child has a temperature of over 100, is vomiting or has a tummy upset, then it is best for her not to go to school. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC recommends that children stay away from school at least 24 hours after the fever subsides.
If a child suffers from an ailment that is not contagious, such as an injury, it is best to consider how comfortable she may be at school. If medication may resolve the situation then it would be quite alright to continue with the usual routine. If you still find it difficult to make a decision, we recommend that you speak to your pediatrician.
Being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis can be frightening and you may feel like you are alone. However according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, it is one of the most common neurological diseases in adults. Multiple Sclerosis affects people between the ages of 20 and 40, and studies show that 400,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, with 2.3 million people worldwide also suffer from it. What you need to know about this disease is that it can be managed successfully.
Medical professionals say that there are various treatments and medication now days that are designed to effectively handle the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. If you have been diagnosed with the disease, you should make it your duty to find out all you can about it. Education is the key to empowering yourself. The more you know about the condition, the better prepared you are. Multiple Sclerosis is a difficult disease to diagnose and a series of tests must be done in order to rule out the possibility of other diseases.
Some of the symptoms you may experience with this condition include, blurred vision, loss of balance, impaired speech and extreme fatigue, however, you must understand that no 2 people are the same. Some symptoms may come and go, while others will last longer. Start your treatment as soon as you receive your diagnoses. The longer you wait the more you increase the risk of disability. By tracking your symptoms and how often you are getting them, you can assist your doctor in determining whether the medication is helping or not. You can also try to avoid a relapse. Although there is no definite way of knowing when a relapse will begin, there are things that can trigger a relapse, such as consuming excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking. Being in the sun too long, taking hots baths and extreme fatigue may also trigger a relapse. Speak to your loved ones about your concerns about the disease and the most important thing that you can do aside from taking your medication and doctors advice, is not to give up hope.
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Antibiotics are utilized to treat bacterial infections throughout the body. In the average lifetime, a person will take them numerous times on a short-term basis. It’s well-known that antimicrobials are invaluable treatment options. Some confusion exists about taking antibiotics over long periods of time, though. Fortunately, we’ve got answers here at the ScannerDoc: Medical Imaging and Health Blog.
Typical Antibiotic Uses and Treatments
For most bacterial infections, a regimen of antibiotics lasts anywhere from three to 10 days. Antimicrobials tend to come in pill or ointment form with slight variations between the two. Rarely are they needed for longer than a few days to stop bacterial infections. Typically, doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat eye infections, urinary tract infections, and more. These medications will not treat any viral infections.
When is long-term usage necessary?
Long-term antibiotics usage is a rare occurrence, but certain conditions require it. For instance, rosacea and certain forms of acne necessitate frequent usage of these medications. A handful of other conditions involving bacterial infections could involve long-term treatment with antimicrobials. The overwhelming majority of people will never suffer from such a condition because antibiotics are so effective.
Long-Term Usage Risks
Taking antibiotics over long periods of time can be risky for two reasons. For starters, all medications come with side effects. Side effects range from discomforting to severe, and they often get worse with time. Antibiotic resistance is the second issue, which can have large implications. With prolonged usage, the bacteria could become resistant to medication, and that makes treating infections exponentially more challenging.
Can long-term usage be safe?
In the end, long-term antibiotic usage can’t be avoided in all cases. Patients should work closely with their doctors to create a safe but effective usage plan. Topical ointments have less pronounced side effects and a lower risk of resistance, so they’re preferable for long periods of use. Either way, doctors and their patients need to weigh the benefits versus the risks in creating an antibiotic regimen to avoid issues moving forward.
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Many adults will experience occasional dizziness at some point in their lives. Vertigo is a related condition but it is more serious and creates the feeling that the room is spinning around you even when you are standing still. According to a study conducted by the UCSF Medical Center, one in four adults over 40 will experience vertigo at least once. Here are some facts about dizziness and vertigo everyone should know.
Dizziness creates a temporary imbalance that can be mild or severe depending on the individual. In some cases, vertigo can cause vomiting or nausea and sometimes it signals a serious balance disorder.
The inner ear plays an important role in balance. The saccule and utricle are two structures in the ear that detect gravity and signal your body about its orientation in space. When you move from a standing position to a lying position, these structures are responsible for directing blood flow in response to the position change. You may feel dizzy if there is a malfunction of this process.
BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the result of a mechanical problem within the ear. Sensing crystals, called octoconia, and calcium inside the ear help you maintain balance. If they are knocked loose and travel through the ear canal, it will cause you to feel like you are spinning. This is a problem that often affects elderly individuals, but adults in any age group may experience it. Physical therapy is the most effective treatment for this condition.
Among the most serious causes of dizziness is heart disease. Atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation and narrow or leaky heart valves are conditions that can cause you feel dizzy. The sensation is caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain.
Other common causes of dizziness include a vitamin B12 deficiency, anxiety and dehydration.
If you experience dizziness or vertigo that interferes with normal activity, it is important to seek the advice of a qualified medical professional. The only way to know for sure if it is caused by a minor condition or a major health problem is to have a physician perform an examination and provide an accurate diagnosis.
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Visits to the doctor should not be limited to the times when you are feeling unwell. Even if you feel fine, there could be an issue developing that you are not aware of. There are lots of diseases that don’t have noticeable symptoms until they are at an advanced stage and difficult to cure. Vigilance will enable you to catch them at an early stage for quick resolution. This is important at any age so even men in their prime between 18 and 39 years of age should consider it.
Blood Pressure Screening
Most people will be adequately covered by a blood pressure screening every two years. However, those who have a history of high readings or a chronic ailment should get theirs checked at least one every year. Look around for this service around your area so that you can drop by when it’s convenient. There are plenty of establishments offering this including pharmacies and other stores if you can’t go to a clinic. The nurse will give some advice after taking your vitals. A BP greater than 140/90 is unusually high and warrants an appointment with a doctor.
Heart diseases are responsible for millions of deaths every year. Be sure to prevent their development by getting screened for signs like cholesterol level at least once every five years, especially if you are a male above 34 years old. People who have diabetes have more difficulty controlling their cholesterol so they should get screen regularly from the age of 20. Kidney ailments and heart conditions may prompt your doctor to recommend more frequent tests. Ask their advice on when to get health screenings.
Type 2 or adult-onset diabetes can happen to anyone, especially those who have a sedentary lifestyle and a high body mass index (BMI). Check your weight and height. Input these two variables in an online calculator to learn about your BMI. Individuals who exceed 25 are considered obese and have a high risk of developing diabetes. Get screened right away if you haven’t done so already.
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Tagged Blood Pressure Screening, Cholesterol Screening, Diabetes Screening, Health Screening, Health Screening Reccomendations, Health Screening Schedules, Health Screenings for Men, Men 18-39, Men's Health, Physical Exams, When Should I Get Health Screenings
Dialysis is not a painful treatment, although the needles may hurt going in. If you experience significant pain from the needles, you may request numbing medicine to ease this pain. During hemodialysis the patient may experience painful muscle cramps. These cramps are usually brought on by gaining excess fluid weight between treatments. So it is important to limit the amount of fluid you take in daily as it can be dangerous to a person undergoing dialysis.
How Will I Feel After Dialysis?
This treatment is intended to make you feel better and enjoy a better quality of life. Many people feel better after a week, while for others it could take months and with a select few, the dialysis treatments may nit be helping at all. In this case, you would need to alert your care team and also inform them of all the uncomfortable symptoms you may be experiencing. In the beginning, your body will need time to adjust to the dialysis. This includes the treatment, medicines and routine as well. However, once you are undergoing regular dialysis and the the waste and excess fluid is being removed from your body, you should start to feel a noticeable difference in health. Dialysis will not make your health worse, under any circumstances.
What to Expect from Dialysis?
There are several ways to tell if you are receiving a good quality and enough dialysis treatment. The first sign is obviously feeling good, both physically and mentally. The second sign is having enough energy and motivation to do the things you want to do and lastly you will have a good appetite and also feel as though you don’t need another dialysis treatment, even when your next treatment is due.
If you are alternatively not receiving enough dialysis treatments, you may lose your appetite, feel tired all the time and have a yellowish tone in your skin. The taste of ammonia in your mouth is also another way that many people know that they are not getting better on dialysis. This either means that more treatments need to be scheduled or alternatively, more tests need to be done to determine what is hindering progress.
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