Featured Articles
Heart Burn: Understanding And Treatment
9:50 pm by Admin in General Medicine
Ughhh… I’ve got this horrible sensation where my heart feels like it’s on fire my throat is burning as if acid has been injected into it and I feel like I’m about to gag!
It happens to nearly all of us at one time or another. You enjoy a delicious meal, settle back for some relaxation afterward, and then it hits. The burning sensation in your chest and the bitter taste in your mouth.
For some, the burning gets so intense that it feels as though your chest is on fire. This is where the term “heart burn” comes from, even though the pain has absolutely nothing to do with your heart.
In some severe cases, heart burn can even be mistaken for a heart attack or vice versa - making this condition appear to be more serious than it really is. For most, the pain of heart burn is enough to leave us running for relief from our medicine cabinet. And the good news is that this solution is usually sufficient to put that burning sensation to rest once and for all.
Before discussing treatment options for heart burn, it is important to understand exactly what happens in your body to create this painful sensation after a meal.
At the base of your esophagus, there is a ring-like muscle that is called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. Usually, this muscle relaxes to allow food to move from your esophagus into your stomach, where it is digested by your stomach acids. The LES then closes, so that the food and acid inside your stomach cannot creep back up the digestive tract into your esophagus. If this muscle does not work properly for one reason or another, substances in the stomach can indeed come back up, resulting in burning as the stomach acids reach the esophageal lining creating a bitter taste as they make their way to your throat and mouth.
Effective Heart Burn Treatments
Most folks who only occasionally suffer from heart burn will benefit from an over the counter remedy when the condition strikes. This might include an antacid, like Rolaids that will neutralize the stomach acids quickly, giving you relief from the painful burning. Another good over the counter treatment for heart burn is an H-2-receptor blocker, such as Tagamet HB or Pepcid AC. These medicines work differently from the antacids, because they actually reduce the production of acid rather than neutralizing it. And while they are not as speedy as their antacid counterparts, they do tend to bring relief for a longer period of time. Some heart burn sufferers will find that a 1-2 punch will work the best on this condition, with an antacid bringing immediate help while the H-2-receptor blocker will offer relief over the long term.
Like any persistent ailment if you find yourself suffering with more frequent bouts of heart burn, we recommend that you talk to your doctor and get a proper diagnosis so that he/she may point out additional remedies available. Remember frequent occurrences of this condition can lead to damage to the esophageal lining, in which case a prescribed treatment becomes more imperative.
Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative Medicine, Herbal medicine, Organics and is the main contributor to http://www.heartburncurer.com
7 Reasons You May Love Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
9:45 pm by Admin in General Medicine
Are you thinking of updating the contact lenses you wear? Odds are that you only require a spherical correction and can wear soft contact lenses. I say that because statistically, most lens wearers use spherical soft lenses. Knowing this, you may want to consider daily disposable contact lenses. Below are 7 top benefits of wearing this convenient style of lens.
Barbara Lewis has provided you with only a few of the benefits of daily disposable contact lenses. She writes for http://www.ContactLensSuccess.com providing updates and information of todays contact lenses.
1. Extra pairs of lenses means you don’t have to worry about losing one. Daily disposable lens wearers know that if they lose or tear a lens, it does not matter. Think about it, when you buy a year supply of lenses, which is over 700 lenses! who cares if one gets lost?
2. Minimal clouding from deposit buildup. Lenses that are re-worn are prone to buildup of surface debris. With daily disposable lenses, there is hardly any opportunity for debris to coat up the surface and cause cloudy vision.
3. Small streamlined packaging makes it easy to store and keep your supply of daily use contacts.
4. Peace of mind in knowing that you are putting on clean and sterile contact lenses each and every day.
5. Single uses are arguably the healthiest lenses available. Because you are never putting the same lens back on your eye again, this style of contact lens provides you with a very healthy lens experience.
6. Easy to care for. Daily disposables are designed for single use wear. Meaning there is no care system or extra solutions to buy. Just the lenses.
7. Best for travel. You do not have to carry any extra saline solution when you go away. Simply drop a couple lenses in your bag and you are ready for your trip. (always pack an extra pair or two for peace of mind)
As of the date of this article single use lenses are available in some in toric and multifocal designs, but mainly in spherical corrections from +6.00 to -12.00. All available daily disposable contacts are soft lenses. I hope you consider asking your eye care provider about this amazingly conveneint and healthy modality of contact lens wear.
Blood Pressure Basics
6:55 pm by Admin in General Medicine
There are no hard and fast figures which represent a normal blood pressure. And very often doctors and other experts cannot even decide between them what an ideal blood pressure range is for an adult.
However it is usually agreed that somewhere between 110/70 and 125/80 is considered to be an average blood pressure for a grown person, though someone with naturally low blood pressure may be closer to a range of 100/60
A blood pressure of 140/90 is considered to be high, though as a person gets older, this falls into the more normal range for people.
Blood doesn’t circulate in an even stream around the body, but travels in a constant series of spurts. Therefore the pressure peaks in the blood vessels just after a heart beat and then ebbs until the next one. This is a continuous process.
The two blood pressure figures represent the pressures when the forces are at their peak and at their lowest ebb. The stronger the arteries are, the more they resist the force of the blood and the lower the blood pressure.
As a person gets older, and the elasticity of their arteries weakens, the figures tend to rise. However the lower figure should still be under 90 until that person at least reaches their sixties.
Many studies looking at blood pressure in both black and white people have found there is a higher prevalence of hypertension (High blood pressure) in black people than there is in white. This has led to further research in determining whether this is racially determined or just based on socioeconomic and dietary factors.
Some people suffering high blood pressure may find they just can’t pinpoint a cause for their problem. They may be fit, have a very healthy lifestyle yet their blood pressure remains consistently high for no apparent reason. This is called Primary or essential high blood pressure. However if the raised blood pressure is due to an underlying medical problem, it is known as Secondary High Blood Pressure.
Nearly one in four people in the Western world have high blood pressure. Many people don’t appreciate it is a dangerous condition that can lead to a heart attack kidney failure or stroke if it is left untreated. Yet there are thousands of people unaware they have high blood pressure who are walking around with a lethal time bomb ticking away inside them.
Diana for Guide to Blood Pressure, and low blood pressure.
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