When you see signs of cold or flu the only thing you can do is treat the symptoms of the disease. Since the virus will fight for your immune system. Here's what you can do to alleviate the feeling during this period.
Peace. This is especially important if you have a fever. With cold and flu people get tired of symptoms. Therefore, you may need to sleep more than usual.
Abundant drink. It will fill the loss of fluid coming out of the body with phlegm and secretions from the nose. In addition, drinking liquids to prevent dehydration at high temperature. Drink more water, juice or useful tincture.
Do not smoke themselves, and avoid tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and worsen symptoms of the disease.
Warm salt water. If paddling her throat several times a day, sore throat decreases.
Candies cough. Special candy will cough.
Drops from the cold. They moisturize irritated nasal mucosa and contribute to a discharge of mucus.
Inhalation and humidification. Steam from inhalation promotes sputum discharge and facilitates breathing. A potential danger is a steam burn, so it should be done cautiously. Keep the inhaler out of the reach of children. Humidifier increases the humidity in the room and gives an effect similar to the inhaler. However, both devices create a favorable environment for mold and other microorganisms, so they should be regularly disinfected. Inhalers and humidifiers are particularly useful for children because they have colds are complicated by croup.
Medicines for colds does not exist. But there are many drugs that ease the symptoms of these diseases and are sold as a prescription and without it.
The composition of many drugs for colds and influenza combined, so carefully read the instructions and select the medication that helps it from your symptoms. Before you give your child medication, consult your doctor.
Below are recommendations for the use of OTC medicines for cold and flu.
Analgesics. Release muscle pain and reduce fever. Examples of analgesics: acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen. Note: Aspirin is banned for use in children because of the risk of Reye syndrome.
Antihistamines. Cease the production of histamine - a substance that causes runny nose and sneezing in allergic reactions. Antihistamines eliminate the discharge from the nose and eyes. Some drugs of this type - chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, and feniramin triprolidin - may cause drowsiness. Claritin - antihistamines, which has no sedative effect on people.
Expectorants. Liquefy mucus and facilitate expectoration. Example gvayfenazin.
Cough. It reduces a cough. Recommended in the presence of dry cough without sputum. An example is dextromethorphan.
Decongestants and vasoconstrictor drugs. Available as tablets or nasal spray. Cause vasoconstriction and thereby reduce the swelling of nasal mucosa and facilitate breathing. An example is pseudoephedrine.
Take these drugs in strict accordance with the recommendations of a physician or the instructions on the package. Carefully read the liner. Consult with a pharmacist about possible interactions of drugs, if you take them simultaneously.
Rx Kentucky
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Medical myths and beliefs
"Do not make hay eyes, and then stay cross-eyed!" Heard horror stories as a child that? Most likely, you yourself are convinced that, in fact, if not make hay, but his eyes still return to the place. However, not all common representation so easily verifiable. Can you distinguish between medical facts from myths? To find out, try to answer "true" or "wrong" to the following questions:
1. Dermatitis, which causes poison ivy, is transmitted from person to person.
Wrong. Dermatitis may cause only direct contact with the oil (urushiol), which allocates a poisonous plant. If the oil wash, then "infected" dermatitis of the injured person is impossible.
2. If you read in low light or sitting too close to the TV, you can spoil the eye.
Wrong. You can not spoil the eyes, if you use them to their destination. We should not just look straight at the sun.
3. Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.
Wrong. After the death of the skin around hair and nails tightened - so it seems that they continue to grow.
4. If you shave the hair, they become darker, harder, and will grow faster.
Wrong. In this case, all men would Cutting bearded with stiff bristles.
5. Swallow chewing gum is very dangerous.
Wrong. Swallowed chewing gum does not pose any threat. Contrary to what is often heard, it does not remain in the stomach for a long seven years. The body is really not able to digest chewing gum and quickly passing the digestive tract, it leaves the body in nearly the same form in which it came.
6. If crunch knuckles, you can earn arthritis.
Wrong. This was no proof.
7. If you drink warm milk, it is easier to fall asleep.
Right. Milk contains the chemical tryptophan, which induces sleep.
8. Influenza can get sick by being vaccinated against influenza.
Wrong. Influenza vaccines are prepared from inactive organisms are not capable of causing disease.
9. We use only 10% of our brain.
Wrong. Brain scans show hundred percent activity. During the day, using all parts of the brain.
10. His wife soon becomes pregnant, if her husband is free underwear (like boxers), but not excessively tight little shorts.
Wrong. Underwear does not affect reproductive function.
11. If you eat turkey, want to sleep.
Right. Meat turkey contains tryptophan, which causes drowsiness, especially if you eat a large portion of turkey on an empty stomach.
12. After the meal need to wait at least an hour before going swimming.
Wrong. If you do not overate, then wait for an hour is not necessary.
13. When a baby's teething, it causes fever, runny nose and diarrhea.
Wrong. These symptoms are possible when a baby's teething, but they are not caused by this process. (If such symptoms appear, when your child's teething, talk about this with your doctor.)
14. Before the advent of modern methods of pregnancy testing, urine was injected female rabbit, and if he died, so the woman was pregnant.
Wrong. Animal dies, whether a woman is pregnant or not. Rabbit killed in order to investigate its ovaries. But some changes in the ovaries indicated the woman's pregnancy.
Rx Delaware
1. Dermatitis, which causes poison ivy, is transmitted from person to person.
Wrong. Dermatitis may cause only direct contact with the oil (urushiol), which allocates a poisonous plant. If the oil wash, then "infected" dermatitis of the injured person is impossible.
2. If you read in low light or sitting too close to the TV, you can spoil the eye.
Wrong. You can not spoil the eyes, if you use them to their destination. We should not just look straight at the sun.
3. Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.
Wrong. After the death of the skin around hair and nails tightened - so it seems that they continue to grow.
4. If you shave the hair, they become darker, harder, and will grow faster.
Wrong. In this case, all men would Cutting bearded with stiff bristles.
5. Swallow chewing gum is very dangerous.
Wrong. Swallowed chewing gum does not pose any threat. Contrary to what is often heard, it does not remain in the stomach for a long seven years. The body is really not able to digest chewing gum and quickly passing the digestive tract, it leaves the body in nearly the same form in which it came.
6. If crunch knuckles, you can earn arthritis.
Wrong. This was no proof.
7. If you drink warm milk, it is easier to fall asleep.
Right. Milk contains the chemical tryptophan, which induces sleep.
8. Influenza can get sick by being vaccinated against influenza.
Wrong. Influenza vaccines are prepared from inactive organisms are not capable of causing disease.
9. We use only 10% of our brain.
Wrong. Brain scans show hundred percent activity. During the day, using all parts of the brain.
10. His wife soon becomes pregnant, if her husband is free underwear (like boxers), but not excessively tight little shorts.
Wrong. Underwear does not affect reproductive function.
11. If you eat turkey, want to sleep.
Right. Meat turkey contains tryptophan, which causes drowsiness, especially if you eat a large portion of turkey on an empty stomach.
12. After the meal need to wait at least an hour before going swimming.
Wrong. If you do not overate, then wait for an hour is not necessary.
13. When a baby's teething, it causes fever, runny nose and diarrhea.
Wrong. These symptoms are possible when a baby's teething, but they are not caused by this process. (If such symptoms appear, when your child's teething, talk about this with your doctor.)
14. Before the advent of modern methods of pregnancy testing, urine was injected female rabbit, and if he died, so the woman was pregnant.
Wrong. Animal dies, whether a woman is pregnant or not. Rabbit killed in order to investigate its ovaries. But some changes in the ovaries indicated the woman's pregnancy.
Rx Delaware
Medical discoveries or pseudoscientific nonsense?
"A stroke most often occur on Mondays.
"The quick-tempered men die young."
"Studies have shown that antioxidants do not work.
So they say. One believe this? The trouble is that the reports of medical studies are filled with newspapers, television and radio broadcasts. How do I know what is and what is not worth paying attention to?
To answer this question easily. You often have to disassemble the truth of this or other information. But it's best to talk about it with your doctor - he was aware of the latest research and can distinguish pseudoscientific nonsense from a working hypothesis, and even more from the already proven facts to consider when treating your illness or the organization of your lifestyle.
Here are the right questions that need to be clarified:
1. What kind of research involved?
* Studies on animals - this is usually the first experiments to test new drugs. The results of these studies do not necessarily coincide with the results of studies on humans, because the other person's immune system, metabolism, and many features that distinguish it from animals.
* Epidemiological studies - cover certain groups and summarize mainly the results of observations. In other words, scientists do not try to change the lives of these people or how to treat them. They simply use the collected data to determine how a certain state of health is related to human behavior. In such studies can be used by the poll results, which participants are responsible for memory and what they think it necessary to reply. Because scientists can not fully control the conditions of these studies, they can not always explain what exactly is the basis of observed relationships. Thus, epidemiological studies reveal the connection, but no unambiguous causal relationships.
* Meta-analytical studies - a theoretical study, which analyzed a large number of studies performed by other scientists. In essence, this generalizing reviews.
* "Gold standard" in medical research are clinical trials using a double-blind method. In double-blind study of new drugs nor the investigator nor the volunteer involved in the study do not know whether the patient a drug or a placebo. Placebo - a tablet that does not have rights to any physical action.
2. How large was the study? How many participants - 12 people or 10 thousand? Number of participants is very important because it demonstrates the scale of the study.
3. What are the statistics? Do not forget that the statistics presented in the study only applies to the treatment group, but not to the entire population. When the report states that the drug by 40% reduces the number of tides, some people mistakenly believe that the probability of hot flashes decreased in each, receiving the tool to 40%. Meanwhile, the rate of 40% may apply to all participants in the study, which involved not only women.
4. Has published the results of this study and where exactly? Scientific papers published in reputable medical journals, pre criticize specialists, professors and doctors of science, so the probability of error is much smaller.
5. How many studies have been conducted on this subject? One study, little is talking about. Before recommending a particular method of treatment, the researchers tested it many times and in different ways.
Try to read between the lines and understand yourself. If something you are particularly interested, your doctor will help you get oriented in a broad flow of medical information.
Rx Montana
"The quick-tempered men die young."
"Studies have shown that antioxidants do not work.
So they say. One believe this? The trouble is that the reports of medical studies are filled with newspapers, television and radio broadcasts. How do I know what is and what is not worth paying attention to?
To answer this question easily. You often have to disassemble the truth of this or other information. But it's best to talk about it with your doctor - he was aware of the latest research and can distinguish pseudoscientific nonsense from a working hypothesis, and even more from the already proven facts to consider when treating your illness or the organization of your lifestyle.
Here are the right questions that need to be clarified:
1. What kind of research involved?
* Studies on animals - this is usually the first experiments to test new drugs. The results of these studies do not necessarily coincide with the results of studies on humans, because the other person's immune system, metabolism, and many features that distinguish it from animals.
* Epidemiological studies - cover certain groups and summarize mainly the results of observations. In other words, scientists do not try to change the lives of these people or how to treat them. They simply use the collected data to determine how a certain state of health is related to human behavior. In such studies can be used by the poll results, which participants are responsible for memory and what they think it necessary to reply. Because scientists can not fully control the conditions of these studies, they can not always explain what exactly is the basis of observed relationships. Thus, epidemiological studies reveal the connection, but no unambiguous causal relationships.
* Meta-analytical studies - a theoretical study, which analyzed a large number of studies performed by other scientists. In essence, this generalizing reviews.
* "Gold standard" in medical research are clinical trials using a double-blind method. In double-blind study of new drugs nor the investigator nor the volunteer involved in the study do not know whether the patient a drug or a placebo. Placebo - a tablet that does not have rights to any physical action.
2. How large was the study? How many participants - 12 people or 10 thousand? Number of participants is very important because it demonstrates the scale of the study.
3. What are the statistics? Do not forget that the statistics presented in the study only applies to the treatment group, but not to the entire population. When the report states that the drug by 40% reduces the number of tides, some people mistakenly believe that the probability of hot flashes decreased in each, receiving the tool to 40%. Meanwhile, the rate of 40% may apply to all participants in the study, which involved not only women.
4. Has published the results of this study and where exactly? Scientific papers published in reputable medical journals, pre criticize specialists, professors and doctors of science, so the probability of error is much smaller.
5. How many studies have been conducted on this subject? One study, little is talking about. Before recommending a particular method of treatment, the researchers tested it many times and in different ways.
Try to read between the lines and understand yourself. If something you are particularly interested, your doctor will help you get oriented in a broad flow of medical information.
Rx Montana
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