Immunizations

Immunizations have had far greater positive impact on health in the developed nations than all of the other health services put together. Only a few years ago only a few years ago, smallpox, cholera, paralytic polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus killed large numbers of people. These diseases are now effectively controlled by immunization in the United States and in most other developed nations. Smallpox has been eradicated from the entire world, and there is no longer any need for smallpox immunization. An incredible success story!

Frequent immunization is not needed now because these diseases occur less often and because we now know that the immunizations provide protection for a long time. Thus, tetanus boosters are only required every ten years for adults who have had the basic series of tetanus injections. As these conditions become rare, the problems of side effects from the inoculations are in some instances as great as the risk of the illness.

Keep a careful record of your immunizations. Do not allow yourself to be re-inoculated just because you have lost records of previous immunizations. If you haven’t had a tetanus shot for ten years or so, ask for a booster shot while visiting the doctor for another reason. You can save future tips to the doctor by being protected for the next ten years. In general, do not seek out the optional immunizations. Flu shots, for example, are only partially effective and often cause a degree of illness themselves; they are recommended only for the elderly and for those with severe lung diseases.

Bathroom Accessories

The needs of bathroom are always changing as the time pass. Chrome coated brass is used to pull out the waste. Toothbrush holder is used for keeping tooth brush and paste and a soap dish is attached with it. Other accessories are shaving mirror, towel rail and tissues. A bathroom could not be thought without tub, the shower, and commode. Contemporary bathroom should have beautifully designed bath, shower curtain in different fabrics. These products are available at the stores easily.

The true bathroom accessories will make a statement of your lifestyle, your attitude, and your frame of mind. There are some typical accessories that every one is familiar with: towel racks, paper holder, and some “fixed” accessories that are essentially attached to the walls. Find standard, almost imperceptible choices for these bathroom accessories.. There are varieties of bathroom accessories existing that have coordinating pieces or you can mix and match on the bases of color, style, or season. Let your individuality stand out with the accessories that are on the market nowadays. Another, often overlooked bathroom accessory is artwork. A simple picture, with a beautiful frame, can turn the blue and yellow room into the beach themed space.

Another way to jazz up your bathroom is the use of outlandish accessories in new ways. A paper towel holder (in the kitchen) can easily be altered to a magazine rack for the bathroom. A pleasant, big basket could be the fantastic towel storage. A plant hanger could an attractive paper holder as well. You are only limited by your imagination. Bathroom accessories are a fun and good way of giving your bathroom a facelift. Bathroom accessories are not much costly and easily available at excellent prices. Bathroom accessories can be purchased from retail and online bathroom stores at reasonable prices.

Bifold Doors

Bi fold doors are distinctive and vertical folding doors providing swift, easy and quite entry to the peoples. Mike Schweiss introduced Bifold doors in 1980. Mike’s first Bifold door size was 12 x 12 and placed in a factory at Renville County highway shed. Bifold doors are typically used in closet, pantries and between rooms. Bifold doors are always made in pair of two, four and six sides. Its side open from the center of the door.

Bifold doors are normally single doors, wardrobe doors and deliberate for the use in offices. Bifold doors also sometime uses as inner door for a greenhouse. Bifold private doors are space saver and let you easily use your whole closet. However, these types of bifold doors have some drawbacks. Sliding closet doors will only let you to open one split at a time even as closets with hinged doors face difficulties when any items are put near and around the outside of the door.

By far the most suitable design for door is the bifold closet door. If your room just has a small enigmatic, then you would be better to go for just one bifold closet door, but if it is big enough, then you could choose two bifold doors on opposite sides. Whilst, two bifold doors are not required they are extremely more pleasing to the eye and will add a small piece of a modern architectural look to your home. If you choose a stunning color scheme on the bifold doors, it will make the closets mix together with the rest of the wall to make the room feel more pooled and beautiful. A bifold closet door is the definitely a perfect option whether you have a small closet or a large walk-in closet. Another main thing to consider when selecting closet doors is the type of door that will affect the space and style of your room. If you want to save space, then preferably you should choose bifold closet doors. Not only are they visually beautiful but they drastically cut down on the space that a hinged door cover up in a room.

Use of Emergency Contraceptives:

Contraceptives are drugs used to prevent unwanted pregnancy. There are different forms of contraceptives: regular, emergency and permanent method. Here we are focusing more on emergency methods. Emergency contraceptives are the use of drugs or devices to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. People try to use it in the wrong way but its use in right time and right way can prevent further many complications. Complications such as mental tension, unwanted pregnancy and abortions can be prevented.

Emergency contraceptives should be used in cases of unprotected sex, sexual assault or when condom is broken to help prevent pregnancy. Even though none of the contraceptive methods we use are 100% protective, it’s still better using them then taking chances. Emergency contraceptive methods should not be used by the females who are sexually active as regular contraceptive methods (birth Control pills) are better. There are different types of emergency contraceptives which are in use. They are:

• Hormone containing Pills: It contains higher dose of same hormones that are used in regular birth control pills. It contains combination of Estrogen and Progesterone which is taken as 2 pills 12 hours apart. The first dose should be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The other pill used is progesterone only pill, which can also be used within 72 hours of unprotected sex but more effective if used as soon as possible (0.75mg stat and 12 hrs. apart).
• Intrauterine device: The IUD used for emergency contraception is the Copper T 380A IUD. It can be inserted up to 5 days after unprotected sexual intercourse but should be inserted as soon as possible. The IUD can be removed after your next menstrual period, when it is confirmed that you are not pregnant.
• Anti-progesterone: It has not been used widely. The single dose of drug can be taken within 27days of cycle irrespective of days and numbers of intercourse.

Common side effects of emergency contraceptive pills are similar to those of birth control pills. They include nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache,and menstrual changes. Breast tenderness, fluid retention, and dizziness may also occur. Many of these symptoms may be less severe with progestin-only or intrauterine forms of emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception is not as effective as ongoing birth control. It should not be used routinely instead of birth control. If you are sexually active and wish to avoid pregnancy, you may wish to consider using a consistent form of birth control.

Know When to Use the Hospital

The hospital is expensive. It is not home or hotel. Lives are saved and lost. The hospital must be used, and it must be avoided. To manage these contradictions, the need for hospitalization for you or a member of your family must be carefully considered in each instance.

Don’t use the hospital if services can be performed elsewhere. The acute (short-term) general hospital provides acute general medicine; it does not perform other functions well.

Don’t use the hospital for rest; it is not good place to go for rest. It is busy, noisy, unfamiliar and populated with unfamiliar roommates. Its nights are punctuated with interruptions, and it has an unusual time schedule. It has many employees, a few of whom will be less thoughtful than others.

Don’t use the hospital for the “inconvenience” of having a number of tests done in a few days. It does not provide tests in the most efficient manner; indeed, most laboratories and X-ray facilities are not open on the weekend, and special procedures may require several days just to be scheduled.

Many people have urged that we establish a system of “hoptels.” “Hoptels” would provide lodging at minimal cost, allow for efficient test performance, and be appropriate for periods of rest and minimal activity. A number of experiments along these lines are underway. Until more appropriate facilities are available,
however, use the acute hospital with great reluctance.

Over a century ago, the Hungarian physician Inaz Philipp Semmelweiss noted two events: (1) Mothers giving birth at home and their infants fared better than those in the hospital, and (2) the existence of the often fatal “childbed fever” was one of the risks of the hospital. This problem, due to poor hygiene in the deliver rooms, has long since been corrected. But in our present age, new evidence suggests that for many conditions home treatment may work better than the treatment in the hospital. For example, home treatment for minor heart attacks in the elderly has been reported as possibly better than hospital treatment. It is apparent to most hospital visitors that the crisis atmosphere of the short-term acute hospital does not promote the calmest state of mind for the patient. Many therapeutic features of the home cannot be duplicated in the hospital.

The hospice movement attempts to provide humane, caring, medically sound treatment with a minimum of the technological trappings of the hospital. Hospice and home-care programs are growing rapidly and are very worthwhile.

Eye Irritation Treatment

The tear mechanism normally soothes, cleans, and lubricates the eye. Occasionally, the environment can overwhelm this mechanism, or the tear flow may be insufficient. In these cases, the eye becomes “tired,” feels dry or gritty, and may itch. A number of compounds that may aid this problem are available.

1) Murine and Visine
There are two general types of eye preparations. One class contains compounds intended to sooth the eye (Murine). Added to the compounds may be substances that shrink blood vessels and thus “get the red out” (Visine); these substances are decongestants to get rid of a bloodshot appearance is totally cosmetic. It is possible that such preparations can actually interfere with the normal healing process, although this is unlikely.

2) Methylcellulose Eyedrops
The second group of preparations makes no claims of special soothing effect and contains no decongestants. They are solutions with concentrations like those of the body so that no irritation occurs.  Their purpose is to lubricate the eye, to be “artificial tears.” These are preparations preferred by ophthalmologists for minor eye irritation. Methylcellulose eye drops are an example of this type.

3) Prefrin
Prefrin is a substance that lies somewhere between the two types of eye preparations discussed above; it contains both substances that soothe and lubricate the eye and a decongestant.

Dosage
Use as frequently as needed in the quantity required. You can’t use too much, although usually a few drops give just as much relief as a bottleful. If your problem of dry eyes is constant, you should check it out with the doctor because an underlying problem could be present. Usually, the symptom of dry eyes lasts only a few hours and is readily relieved. Too much sun, wind, or dust usually causes the minor irritation.

Side Effects
No serious side effects have been reported. Visine and other drugs containing decongestants tend to sting a bit. None of these drugs treat eye infections or injuries or remove foreign bodies from the eye.

Insect bite and its treatment:

Even though there are several insects which can inflict poison by bite or sting, the common ones which cause medical problems are bees, wasps and ants which are found near us. They belong to group Hymenoptera. As, these species live in groups if one stings you theirs more chance of you stinging by others. Mostly Bees and wasps inject poisonous venom by stinging into your skin.

The injury is mostly confined to the area close to the stings but may also result in severe bodily dysfunction as kidney failure. Most common presentation is local allergic reaction to and near the sting site as pain, swelling and itching. Sometimes larger zone of bacterial infection may also result within 12-36 hours of bite. Systemic Symptoms resulting in swelling of whole body, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, decrease urine output etc. in severe cases unconsciousness and death may occur.

One recent case which I came across was a person who was sting by more than 100 wasps came with complain of decrease urine output and swelling of whole body. Vitals (Pulse, BP, Temp, Respiratory rate) were stable and on examination he had swelling of whole body, with difficulty in breathing and added sounds in chest. Urine output was nil. Blood test revealed acute renal failure for which he had to undergo hemodialysis for 5-6 episodes with other medical treatment. At end the patient symptoms resolved and he went back home at good health.

Treatment of wasp bite mostly depends on the severity of the condition. Many of the complications from an allergic reaction respond well to various medications-when given in time. Simple allergic bite in non allergic person doesn’t need more than first aid. Avoid bites by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent. Remove any stingers present in the body; wash whole body with soap; apply ice to the sting site as frequent as possible; use of antibiotic cream to sting site; antihistaminic medicine for itching and painkillers for pain relief. If symptoms are severe seek the medical attention immediately which can help in preventing your life, as death can occur sometimes.

Insomnia

Insomnia:

Insomnia is defined as “difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep”. Nearly 30-50% people have sleepless nights, it may be due to improper sleep habit. It may be either due to inadequate quantity or quality of sleep. Insomnia is not a disease itself it’s a symptom which can vary from people to people. It can be seen in all age groups. If it lasts for more than 3 weeks one should visit the doctor as it may be due to some disease process and also may interfere with one’s daily activity.

It is classified according to the duration of symptoms presented:

• Transient Insomnia- less than one week

• Short-term Insomnia- lasting 1-3 weeks

• Chronic Insomnia- more than 3 weeks.

Causes of Insomnia: May be due to situational factor, medical or psychiatric causes or sleep problems.

• Transient or short term: jet lag, changes in shift work, Stress, acute illness, withdrawal from drugs, alcohol, sedatives or other medicines.

• Chronic may be due to psychiatric causes or physiological.

• Psychiatric: anxiety, Mood Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia

• Physiological (medical causes): Chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic pain syndrome, Acid peptic disease,Asthma,Obstructive sleep Apnea, Tumors, Strokes, Parkinson’s disease and many more.

• Drugs related: Blood pressure medicines, Medicines for depression, anxiety; some over the counter cold or asthma medicines.

Treatment:

It depends on identifying the cause factor and treating one. Generally treatment includes both non-medical and medical aspect.

• Non-medical treatment and Behavioral Therapy: Maintaining sleep hygiene (regular bed time; no drinks, coffee at bed time; no smoke; no TV or worries and Relaxation therapy. These methods work most of the time not requiring medication.

• Medicine: Drugs according to the medical causes such as antidepressant for Depression. Antihistamines, Sedatives etc.

Screening and Prevention of Disease Conditions:

As we know “Prevention is always better then cure”. A primary goal of health services is to prevent disease or to detect early so that early interventions can be made. A primary goal of screening is early detection of the risk factor or the disease at a stage where it can be cured. Screening would be effective if it’s going to carry out in conditions as heart diseases, cancer, lung diseases which results in high death rates in each part of world. Screening of risk factors for lung diseases and cancer as smoking can be identified early, it puts on to your life when quitted at the start of your symptoms. Also identifying these risk factors and providing counseling helps. There are several conditions where screening is considered helpful in early diagnosis of diseases. Such conditions may or may not run in families. But, the conditions like breast cancer, colon cancer, poly-cystic kidney disease and many more may run in families if presented in early age group. These conditions can be ruled out or treated in other members if screening can be done in its earliest.

Here are few diseases whose screening methods are simple and effective by some means:

• Breast Cancer Screening in females: Mammography at age of 40 then every 1-2 years

• Cervical Cancer screening: Pap smear at age of 21 or within 3 years of onset of sex, then every 3hrs until age 65.

• Colon Cancer Screening: Colonoscopy at age 50 and every 10years. If family history is present then 10 year early to the age group of member diagnosed. If more than 3 members start from age of 25 and be done every 1-2 years.

• Diabetes: >45 years or earlier if additional risk factors present. Then every 3years.

• Blood Pressure, height, weight: >18 years and yearly

• Cholesterol: men >35; Women> 45 years of age and every 5years.

Some Questions of Medication

As we grow older above the age of 30, we begin to lose a part of our “organ reserve.” In youth, our hearts van pump ten times the amount of blood required to sustain life, our kidneys can excrete six times the waste products that we produce in our bodies each day, and every other organ has similar reserve powers that fortunately are very seldom required. After age30, we begin to lose this reserve at a rate of 1 or 2 percent each year. We don’t even notice the loss, unless we are in a situation in which we really need it. Loss of reserve power means that it is more difficult to restore the equilibrium of the body after a severe insult to a body function.

As we age, our bodies detoxify drugs at a slower rate. In medical terms, the drug is metabolized more slowly. A little goes along way. In essence, we can get the same effect for a lower dosage; the regular dose of a drug can become an overdose. The first rule that a good doctor observes with an older patient is to keep the dose low.

Side effects of medications can simulate disease, and unwary doctors and patients often mistake a drug reaction for an underlying medical problem. A small dose of codeine may cause severe fatigue and sleepiness, a little digitalis may cause profound nausea and vomiting, a diuretic to remove fluid from the ankles may cause dizziness and kidney problems. The second rule that a good doctor observes is to suspect that the whole problem might be a minor drug reaction, cured simply by removing the offending drug. The largest problems come from the anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, naproxen, piroxicam, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and meclofenamate. These drugs frequently cause bleeding from the stomach and often cause hospitalization or even death. Older people are at three times the risk of younger ones.

Entirely new side effects can appear in the elderly. A sleeping pill may keep the patient awake. A tranquilizer may excite the patient or cause severe depression. These paradoxical reactions are not fully understood, but they are very common. Again, the good doctor and the thoughtful patient or relative will suspect the drug first.

Skin Fungus Treatment

Anti-Fungul Preparation
Fungal infections of the skin are not serious, so treatment is not urgent. In general, the fungus needs moist, undisturbed areas to grow and will often disappear with regular cleansing, drying, and application of a powder to keep the area dry. Cleansing should be performed twice daily.
If you need a medication, there are effective non-toxic agents available. For athlete’s foot use one of the zinc undecylenate creams or powders, such as Desenex. In difficult cases, tolnaftate (Tinactin) is very effective. This agent is useful for almost all sin fungus problems, but it is more expensive.

Dosage
For athlete’s foot, use as directed on the label. For other skin problems, selenium sulfide is available by prescription in a 2.5% solution. Over the counter, a 1% solution is available as Selsun Blue shampoo. Use the shampoo as a cream and let it dry on the lesions; repeat several times a day to compensate for the weaker strength.

Side Effects
There are very few. Selenium sulfide can burn the skin if used to excess, so decrease application if you notice any irritation. Selenium may discolor hair and will stain clothes. Be very careful when applying any of these products around the eyes. And don’t take them by mouth.

Watch Your Salt Intake

Too much sodium (salt) in the system tends to retain fluid in the body, increasing the blood pressure and predisposing to problems such as swelling of the legs. The heart has to work harder with the increased amount of blood volume. Thus, it is good to decrease salt intake, the average person in United States takes in about 12 grams (g) of sodium each day, one of the highest intakes in the world. Our convenience foods and our fast foods are usually loaded with salt.  Salt is in ketchup, in most sauces, and in hidden form in many foods. You need to read the labels to find it: look for “sodium,” not “salt”, the recommended amount is 4 grams a day of salt for a typical person. You will get plenty without adding anything. Under a doctor’s advice, patients with problems of high blood pressure, heart failure, or some other difficulties may need to reduce salt much more radically.

Do you have the typical craving for junk food? Don’t despair, there are healthy snacks! One of our favorites: popcorn, butterless, hot-air cooked, sprayed with butter-flavored PAM, and sprinkled with a little Parmesan cheese. Even better, try popcorn with olive oil instead of butter, unsalted peanuts in the shell, or French bread basted with olive oil and toasted with oregano or garlic.

Obesity and Its Consequences

Obesity is defined as excessive collection of fat (adipose tissue) in the body. Fat tissues which are widely present in adipose tissue in our body are used to store excess energy. It releases stored energy as free fatty acids for the use of other sites. This energy can be used for humans to survive starvation for as long as months. Due to the adaptation of sedentary life style these fats get deposited in our various body parts and result in many adverse health consequences.

Measures of Obesity:

• BMI (Body Mass Index) = wt. kg/ Ht2 m.

                Normal = 19-25
                Overweight= 25-3
                Obesity >30
                Morbid Obesity >40

• Waist to Hip ratio= > 0.9 (W); > 1 (M)
• Anthropometry (skin fold thickness) = mostly used in children <5>

BMI is the most important indicator used widely.

Consequences of Obesity:

The definitive cause of obesity is unknown some says it may be due to genetical inheritance or due to the high intake of foods more than required. Obesity can result from increased energy intake, decreased energy expenditure, or a combination of the two. Thus, identifying the etiology of obesity should involve measurements of both parameters. This results in many adverse health conditions as

• Diabetes Mellitus
• Reproductive Disorders: Male- hypogonadism, Gynecomastia; female- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Heart Disease: Coronary Disease, Stroke, Heart Failure, Hypertension associated
• Pulmonary Disease: may cause increased work in breathing, Severe Obesity results in Obstructive Sleep Apnea ( snoring while sleeping)
• Gallstones: Obesity is associated with enhanced biliary secretion of cholesterol, super saturation of bile, and a higher incidence of gallstones, particularly cholesterol gallstones.
• Cancer: In males cancer of the esophagus, colon, rectum, pancreas, liver, and prostate; obesity in females is associated with higher mortality from cancer of the gallbladder, bile ducts, breasts, endometrium, cervix, and ovaries.
• Bone, joint and cutaneous disease: Osteoarthritis, Gout.

Treatment:

• Behavior modification: Eating Habits, Counseling regarding weight loss.
  
• Diet: Reduced Caloric Intake. A deficit of 1000 kcal/d should cause a loss of 1 kg per week. Advantages of very low calorie diets are the greater rate of weight loss compared to less restrictive diets. In patients on such diets, blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels fall, and pulmonary function and exercise tolerance improve. Sleep apnea may improve within a few weeks. Complications of very low energy diets are: fatigue, constipation or diarrhea, dry skin, hair loss, menstrual irregularities, orthostatic dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.
  
• Exercise: It plays a major role in decreasing obesity and is valuable to sustain diet. Daily means of light exercise or jogging keeps oneself healthy and prevents from other health conditions as heat diseases.
  
• Drugs: Despite modest short-term benefits from several agents, medication-induced weight loss is not a cure and is often associated with rebound weight gain after the cessation of drug use. The use of these drugs has their own side effects too. This makes it hard to prescribe for long term use in cases of Obesity.
  
• Surgery: In response to typically ineffective treatment using diet, exercise, and available drugs, surgical approaches are increasingly being employed. The potential benefits of surgery include major weight loss and improvement in hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, CHF, angina, hyperlipidemia, and venous disease. Two procedures in common use today are the vertical-banded gastroplasty and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.