Gout and the Risk of Kidney Stones
Despite what joints may be affected by gout, this particular form of arthritis can cause another complication - kidney stones.
What are kidney stones and what causes them? Kidney stones are small masses that are rock-like in substance. They can be small enough to be passed through urination, or large enough to block the flow of urine. Passing kidney stones is often an extremely painful experience that most people don't soon forget. Kidney stones can occur for different reasons. However, in the case of gout, kidney stones form as a result of too much uric acid in the urine.
Who is most at risk for developing kidney stones? Essentially, anyone who has recurring cases of gout is at risk for developing kidney stones. However, middle aged men, and the elderly (both women and men) are more likely to develop kidney stones, due to the fact that they are the primary gout sufferers, and have higher levels of uric acid.
Furthermore, kidney stones are most likely to occur in those who suffer from secondary gout and primary gout. Approximately 42% of those diagnosed with secondary gout will experience kidney stones. However, only 10 - 25% of primary gout sufferers will develop stones.
Why is the risk so much higher for secondary gout sufferers? The reason is because unlike those who have primary gout - high levels of uric acid without a known cause, those with secondary gout have high levels of uric acid because of their long-term medication (IE. diuretics, aspirin, levodopa, etc.) or health condition (IE. alcoholism, obesity, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, etc.)
Additionally, people who have experienced kidney stones are more likely to develop stones again in the future.
What are the signs and symptoms of kidney stones? Although in some cases there may be no symptoms at all, most people who suffer kidney stones report the following:
- Sudden extreme painful cramping that occurs in the lower back, side, groin or abdomen.
- Nausea or vomiting caused by severe pain
- Blood in urine
- Fever and chills may occur if there is an infection in the urinary tract
If you have any of the above symptoms, you should visit your doctor or the emergency room to make sure that what you are experiencing is indeed kidney stones.
How are kidney stones treated? Although the sudden onset of pain may compel you to take a trip to the emergency room, the chances are after you've been x-rayed and diagnosed, a doctor will likely prescribe you pain medication and tell you to drink plenty of water and wait for the kidney stone to pass naturally. Most stones pass within 48 hours when significant fluid is ingested. Symptoms should stop as soon as stones pass.
If the stone will not pass naturally due to its size, a doctor may perform:
- Lithotripsy - A common procedure that uses a shock wave to break up the large stone into small pieces so they can be passed.
- Surgery - there are a few techniques used to surgically remove the stones. These surgeries are often uncomplicated.
How to prevent uric acid kidney stones - The following are ways a gout sufferer can reduce their risk of developing stones:
- Avoid or limit alcohol intake
- Eliminate or limit foods in your diet that raise uric acid levels such as: organ meat, red meat, shellfish, mushrooms, asparagus, dried peas and beans, etc.
- Drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated all the time
- Exercise regularly
- Loose weight realistically - If you are overweight or obese avoid crash diets to lose weight quickly. Losing weight too fast can cause a rise in uric acid levels and increase the risk of stones.
- Medication - Talk to your doctor about medication that can help lower and control uric acid levels.
9 Headache Types, Which One Do You Have?
Half of the battle of headache treatment is know what type of headache you have. Did you know that there are over one hundred and thirty headache types? If you know what type of headache you have you can find the right treatment to get headache relief. Some headache types are:
o Tension
o Migraine
o Hormone
o Cluster
o Sinus
o Fever
o Rebound
o Reaction
o Organic
Headaches are not limited to your head. Headaches can affect your neck and shoulders. Know what headache type you have can help you find an affective treatment to relieve your pain. Headaches are not limited to adults. Children get headache also.
Some Remedies for Headaches
Some of the remedies for headaches can be natural or medicinal. Since each person reacts to things differently what may help you may not help some else. When aspirin may help one person another may not be able to take aspirin. There are many options of treatment for a headache. Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin and Excedrin are some of over-the-counter remedies that may help you. Some natural treatments may be ice-packs, hot-pack, and inhalation of pure oxygen or green tea.
What You Can Do
One thing you can do is take notes when you feel an onset of a headache. Try to see if the might be a trigger that sets it off. Certain time of month or time of day may help find the cause. Light, sound or smell may set it off. A medical condition or medication reaction may set your headaches off.
Headaches can last from a few moments to weeks or even months. Finding relief for your pain can be a daunting task and quite frustrating. Try to keep calm. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms so you can find an effective treatment for your headache [http://www.i-headache.com/Headache_Remedies/]
Exploring The Many Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Options
When the inflammation and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis calls for adequate treatment, there are many different options to consider. Since there is no known cure for this joint-affecting condition, patients must turn towards medication and other remedies in order to increase joint function and avoid further damage or deformity. Below you will find a brief description regarding an array of rheumatoid arthritis treatment options:
First-Line Drugs
There are two main classes of medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis: first-line and second-line drugs. First-line drugs are quick to respond to symptoms of the disease and include aspirin and cortisone because they are used to swiftly reduce inflammation and pain. Many patients wish to avoid the use of steroids during their treatment, meaning products like Naptosyn, Advil, Motrin, Medipren, and Lodine should be selected. It is also common to try an assortment of drugs before finding the one or ones that work the best. A doctor's goal is to pinpoint the first-line drug that creates the least amount of side effects.
Corticosteroid Medications
A stronger first-line drug given to rheumatoid arthritis patients includes oral or injected corticosteroids. Although the chances of enhanced joint mobility and function is often achieved, there are serious side effects that may also occur. High doses of these drugs for a long period of time increases the likelihood that issues may arise, such as muscle wasting, facial puffiness, and weight gain.
Second-Line Drugs
This approach towards rheumatoid arthritis treatment is slower to take action, including options, such as gold, methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). These selections are used to combat progressive joint damage, and encourage remission of the disease. They do not act as an anti-inflammatory. When it comes to choosing one of the most aggressive out of the second-line drug options, methotrexate is often prescribed. Additional second-line drug selections include the oral approach (Azulfidine), and injections (Solganal and Myochrysine).
Immunosuppressive Drugs
Immunosuppressive drugs are rather powerful in treating rheumatoid arthritis, but are often saved as a last resort or when the disease has taken an aggressive turn for the worst. Some of the products offering this effective medication choice include Rheumatrex, Trexall, Imuran, Cytoxan, Leukeran, and Sandimmune.
Surgery
When a patient suffers from an intense joint deformity, surgery might be the best choice to consider. Restoring joint mobility, as well as mending damaged joints are some of gains associated with this sort of procedure. An orthopedic surgeon may perform an arthroscopy or completely replace a joint, such as a knee or hip, which means damaged tissue is replaced with metal.
When an individual assesses the best course of action for their rheumatoid arthritis treatment, there are many factors to think about. Age, overall health, daily level of activity, affected joints, and disease progression are just some of the things that influence treatments choices. Overall, most patients respond the best to medical management when combining medications; specific joint exercises; rest; protective gear; as well as learning the ins and outs of the disease.
First Aid Treatment For Spider Bites
Most spiders in the Untied States are not poisonous. Therefore, their bites do not cause any harm so you do not need to treat them. This allows your body to heal itself which is always the best for your continued good health. To tell if you have suffered a spider bite (and not a bite from another insect like a mosquito for example), simply look at the center of the bite mark. If you see two small indentations or holes then you most likely have a spider bite.
Some people do experience some mild symptoms or reactions to spider bites even when the spider was not poisonous. To calm your nerves and give you more knowledge so you don't get nervous in the future I will list some ways to make yourself feel better after you have had a spider bite.
Spider Bite Treatment
The first thing you will want to do is to clean the area where you have the spider bite to prevent any infections or other reactions from occurring. The best way to clean your bite area is with warm soap and water. Then dry your skin completely and apply an antibiotic ointment . If you start to experience any swelling around the bite area or itching you may be experiencing an allergic reaction. You can stop this reaction in its tracks by taking an antihistamine . If you experience any pain in the bite area you can use acetaminophen which is also called Tylenol. Tylenol is effective in reducing pain and swelling. In addition grown adults may use aspirin to reduce the swelling and pain. A great way to reduce the swelling without taking any kind of medicine is to simply press a cool wet washcloth or ice pack to the bite area for 20 minutes or so. If you are using an ice pack be sure to wrap it in a small cotton cloth to keep the ice pack itself away from your skin.
If the spider that has bitten you happens to still be near by, you can easily catch it to identify that it is indeed not a poisonous spider. To catch a spider simply take a paper cup and a small piece of paper. Slowly put the paper cup over the top of the spider. Then keep the paper cup pressed against the wall or floor, and slide the paper under the top of the cup without lifting the cup up. Then lift the paper cup up being careful to keep one hand on the piece of paper to keep the spider inside the cup. You can also use a glass cup as well, however, they are heavier and sometimes harder to be slow in putting it over the top of the spider. If you move too quickly the spider will run away. By using slow movements you will discover just how easy it is to catch the spider in question.
If you have a child that is under six years old that has been bitten by a spider, you should contact your doctor right away. In addition if you experience any of these symptoms it is time to call your doctor for an appointment.
Spider Bite Symptoms
Headache after the spider bite You develop a fever You begin to experience muscle aches and pains You have nausea Your skin around the bite area is discolored
To set your mind at ease here is a list of spiders who could cause you some additional symptoms if they bite you.
Black Widow Spiders
These spiders are small and black, and easily identified by the large, red, hourglass shape on their backs. Symptoms of a black widow bite are immediate pain and swelling of the bite area, headache, dizziness, weakness, tremors, anxiousness, sweating, nausea, tearing, muscle cramping, and even paralysis. If you think you've been bitten by a black widow, administer the first aid as directed for other spider bites and contact a doctor immediately for further treatment.
Brown Recluse Spider
This is a very small, brown spider. You can recognize this spider easily because it has a violin-shaped mark on its back. As the name suggests this spider stays in hiding and prefers small, dark and dry spaces. Symptoms of brown recluse spider bites are:
Delayed pain Delayed itching Delayed burning and redness around the bite area Fever Headache Muscle aches and pains Nausea and/or vomiting
A brown recluse spider bite will slowly turn into a bull's eye marking on your skin and develop a black blister. If you experience a brown recluse spider bite you should elevate the part of your body that has the bite and contact your doctor right away.
Childhood Strep Throat Overview
Children and teenagers are commonly confronted with strep throat. Due to its very contagious character, strep throat can be easily acquired by children during the flu seasons. Strep throat is a type a sore throat caused by infection with group A streptococcus bacteria. Unlike sore throat, the bacterial form of the illness usually generates more intense symptoms which can persist for more than a week. Strep throat can cause symptoms such as throat inflammation and pain, enlargement of the tonsils and lymph nodes, difficult swallowing, difficult breathing, mucus-producing cough, headache, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea and fever. When it occurs in children, strep throat can also be accompanied by skin rash.
The reason why strep throat is very common among children and teenagers is that they interact with large groups of persons in kindergarten or school, rendering them very vulnerable to contracting streptococcus bacteria or other infectious agents. In order to avoid the occurrence of strep throat, it is very important to timely educate your child in maintaining a good level of personal hygiene. Proper personal hygiene is a very effective means of preventing strep throat and many other types of contagious diseases. Especially in the flu seasons, teach your child to wash his hands regularly and to avoid sharing personal items with other people. Once acquired, strep throat can be very difficult to overcome and hence it is best to take proper measures in preventing the occurrence of the illness in the first place.
When your child has a persistent sore throat accompanied by fever, inflamed tonsils and lymph nodes, it is a sign of infection with bacteria and you should pay a visit to a pediatrician as soon as possible. Before seeking medical guidance, avoid giving your child left-over medications, as you can generate more harm rather than good. Administered to very young children, even aspirin can have pronounced side-effects.
It is very important to note that strep throat doesn't clear on itself. Unlike most sore throats, strep throat may require a course of antibiotics. Although antibiotics have various side-effects and they also attack the body's benign bacterial flora, in present they are the best means of curing strep throat. Prescribed in the incipient stages of infection, antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin can effectively overcome strep throat, also minimizing the risk of developing complications. If the infection is serious, the doctor may prescribe a course of cephalosporins, a strong type of antibiotics.
In order to ensure a complete recovery and to avoid a recurrence of the infection, the medical treatment with antibiotics needs to be administered for at least 10 days. It is very important to follow the doctor's exact instructions when giving antibiotics to your child. Make sure that you respect the dosage specified by the doctor and avoid interrupting the treatment prematurely. Even if the child appears to be completely recovered from illness within the first days of treatment, it is important to complete the course of antibiotics in order to minimize the chances of relapse.
Pain Relief For Rheumatoid Arthritis – Discover Secrets For Pain Free Joints in the Next 10 Minutes!
Pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis is a matter of serious concern. So, what are the effective forms of rheumatoid arthritis drug therapy? What are their side effects and special precautions? Find out the expert answers to these important questions in this article.
Rheumatoid arthritis causes a lot of pain and discomfort in the life of the person who is suffering from it. Pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis is really a serious issue as more than 2.5 million people suffer from this dreaded disease in the United States alone.
Although prescription based rheumatoid arthritis drug therapy is effective for pain relief in the short term, it also suffers from the risk of various side effects -- which can be fatal at times.
As more and more research is being undertaken and the side effects of prescription based drug therapy are coming into light, people are now looking for safer, healthier and natural remedies to control inflammation and to achieve pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis.
These are some of the common treatments used --
1) Cox-2 inhibitors -- they are a popular form of drug therapy that work by blocking an enzyme called Cox-2 in our body, which is responsible for inflammation. They are approved by the FDA, but have received a lot of bad press and media attention due to their adverse side effects.
For example, Vioxx is a brand of Cox-2 inhibitor manufactured by Merck. It was removed from the market due to many reported cases of stroke and heart attack in patients. In fact, thousands of lawsuits are still pending against it.
So, although they are effective in pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis, they also carry the risk of serious side effects on health.
2) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) -- they are quite popular among people as short-term treatment in pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis. Aspirin and ibuprofen come in this category. They reduce inflammation and provide pain relief. But, they can cause serious side effects such as stomach problems, gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers and heart problems, if they are taken for long periods of time in high doses.
3) Corticosteroids -- it is a form of drug therapy which helps to reduce inflammation. They suffer from side effects such as high blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, thinning of the bones which leads to osteoporosis and much more. This is the reason why health experts recommend using them for short periods only.
4) Natural remedies -- the use of omega-3 fatty acids is one of the most effective means of pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis. They have excellent anti-inflammatory properties and are also very beneficial for a good health including the health of heart, brain, digestive system, skin, joints and hair.
Research has shown that the use of omega-3 supplements helps to reduce tenderness in joints, reduce inflammation, decrease morning stiffness and reduces the need of using other drug therapy for pain relief.
Purified Fish oil supplements are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. They can provide an effective and long term pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis naturally. Omega-3 supplementation becomes increasingly important in the Western world, as their diet is highly deficient in the essential Omega 3s.
However, in case you are using prescription based blood thinner medicines like aspirin, you should consult your doctor before you use omega-3 fish oil supplements in pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis. This is because Omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil are natural blood thinners and have anti-coagulant properties. So, you should avoid the intake of too many types of blood thinners as it could lead to serious side effects.
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