Archive for category medical

Sprained Ankle – Health Tip

Posted by Bloggylife in medical on February 17, 2009

Did you know that if you sprained your ankle, you’re just supposed to  treat it with ice pads and cold water.

Well that’s what the doctor advised us, not to put it in hot water, massage it, no oil or anything of that sort.

Just cold water and move it. Also, some pain killers to help ease the pain.

dcr0724l

No Comments

Six weeks sober & going

Posted by Bloggylife in medical, personal on September 24, 2007

I have been sober for about six weeks. No tea, coffee or soda. I mostly miss my morning green tea & my occasionally cold sprite.

I went to donate blood after they have given some to our sick maid. I have iron deficiency. WTH, I told the nurse I just had my breakfast. I hate having breakfast!!! She did the test again, negative can’t donate blood. So off to Googling & I found what things I need to eat or stay away from to increase the iron level in my blood. “Liver is one concentrated source of iron“, I drew the line here, HELL NO. After two weeks of eating vegi’s & avoiding the above, still I can’t donate blood.

Here I am after six weeks, yearning for a cold sprite. I want to look at the sunset or the sunrise, which ever the hell is available at the time, and drink the cold crystal clear shimmering full of gases liquid, let it tingle my tongue all the way down to my ever so welcoming stomach. Straight out of the can or in a beautiful cup topped with a slice of lemon. To savour the taste I’ll drink it alone, no food nothing just me and my sprite. I guess fasting didn’t help cramp in these cravings. I want to hold my hot cup of green tea in a slightly cold room snuggling on the sofa to drink it. Till that moment comes, I’ll stick to my boycott in hopes of a high level of iron in my blood ;)

8 Comments

Tuberculosis (السل, الدرن)

Posted by Bloggylife in medical on September 12, 2007

Since I so don’t trust our Doctors here and our maid ‘maskeena’ is sick, I looked up her diseases. She has been in the hospital for several months now. Need I talk about our hospitals!!! Anyway even she ‘la3at chabdha’ and wants to get out. I talked to the Dr. and he said why are you so eager to get her out? Dr. ‘nafseyatha ta3bana’ she doesn’t want to spend Ramadan here!!!

Anyway here is what I found since the Drs don’t tell you anything. Trust Google. The disease infected her bones bas el-7emdellah it’s not contagious. She can come home rest and take her treatment.

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the microorganism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect several organs of the human body, including the brain, the kidneys and the bones; but most commonly it affects the lungs (Pulmonary Tuberculosis). The first stage of the infection usually lasts for several months. During this period, the body’s natural defenses (immune system) resist the disease, and most or all of the bacteria are walled in by a fibrous capsule that develops around the area. Before the initial attack is over, a few bacteria may escape into the bloodstream and be carried elsewhere in the body, where they are again walled in. In many cases, the disease never develops beyond this stage – and is referred to as TB infection. If the immune system fails to stop the infection and it is left untreated, the disease progresses to the second stage, active disease. There, the germ multiplies rapidly and destroys the tissues of the lungs (or the other affected organ). In some cases, the disease, although halted at first, flares up after a latent period. Sometimes, the latent period is many years, and the bacteria become active when the opportunity presents itself, especially when immunity is low.
The second stage of the disease is manifested by destruction or “consumption” of the tissues of the affected organ. When the lung is affected, it results in diminished respiratory capacity, associated with other symptoms; when other organs are affected, even if treated adequately, it may leave permanent, disabling scar tissue.

What parts of the body are affected by tuberculosis?
First and foremost, tuberculosis is a disease of the lungs. However, the infection can spread via blood from the lungs to all organs in the body. This means that you can develop tuberculosis in the pleura (the covering of the lungs), in the bones, the urinary tract and sexual organs, the intestines and even in the skin. Lymph nodes in the lung root and on the throat can also get infected. Tuberculous meningitis is sometimes seen in newly infected children. This form of the disease is a life-threatening condition.
What are the symptoms?

Typical signs of tuberculosis are:

- Chronic or persistent cough and sputum (بصاق) production. If the disease is at an advanced stage the sputum will contain blood.
- Fatigue.
- Lack of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Fever.
- Night sweats.
The TB is extrapulmonary (outside of the lungs), it may cause few noticeable symptoms or a wide range including:
- Back pain and paralysis (spinal TB)
- Weakness due to anemia (TB in the bone marrow)
- Joint pain
- Pain associated with reproductive system or urinary tract, and possibly, resulting in infertility
- Abdominal pain
- Fever and shortness of breath (TB in the lining around the heart, the pericardium, or miliary TB, a large number in the bloodstream)
- Altered mental state, headache and coma (TB in the brain and/or central nervous system)

How is tuberculosis treated?

Today, treatment involves three or four different kinds of antibiotics given in combination over six to nine months.

Multiple medicines are necessary to prevent the emergence of resistance, which would lead to treatment failure and the nightmare of multiple drug-resistant organisms.

Single medicines must never be added to a failing treatment regime. Therapy should be directed by a chest physician who will have specialist knowledge of the complications and side effects of TB medicines.

Attention to the details of treatment is vital. The main cause of treatment failure is non-compliance with what is perceived as a demanding and prolonged programme of therapy.

Those patients who are microscopy or smear positive are infectious and, if possible, should avoid contact with other people for two weeks.

Patients do not require hospital admission in order to start treatment. Other patients with a lower bacterial load are smear negative but culture positive on testing. These patients are not as infectious but should still have therapy along conventional lines.

Chemoprophylaxis with a single medicine, isoniazid, may be given for 6 to 12 months with the aim of preventing future disease in individuals who show no evidence of disease, but have a strongly positive tuberculin skin test and no evidence of previous BCG vaccine to explain the positive skin test.

Pregnant women with TB must be treated urgently as the disease may progress rapidly with high risk to both mother and baby.

Surgery
Surgery is rarely used to treat tuberculosis (TB). However, it may be used to treat complications of an infection in the lungs or another part of the body.
Surgery for TB outside the lungs
Surgery occasionally may be needed to remove or repair organs damaged by TB outside the lungs (extrapulmonary TB) or to prevent other rare complications, such as:
- TB infection of the joints. You may need surgery to repair damaged areas of your spine or joints (orthopedic surgery).

2 Comments