What is Hyperkalemia? Hyperkalemia is the medical term for when you experience high potassium levels in your blood. In terms of numbers, a healthy individual will have between 3.6mmol/L and 5.2mmol/L in their body. Anything higher than that is officially classified as hyperkalemia. Between 5.3mmol/L and 6.0mmol/L is mild hyperkalemia. Between 6.1mmol/L and 7.0 mmol/L is moderate hyperkalemia. Above 7mmol/L is severe hyperkalemia. Why is Too Much Potassium Harmful? Potassium is healthy for you in the right doses. Your body needs it to function properly. It is an incredibly important substance that plays a vital role in your nerves and muscle cells. This means that you need it for your heart to work. Like with anything else, too much of a good thing is not good. The more common form of hyperkalemia only rears mild to moderate symptoms. The most extreme severities of this condition can result in death. Symptoms of Hyperkalemia Generally, until your hyperkalemia is severe, you may not even experience or recognize any of the symptoms. As your levels soar to dangerous heights, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms: Muscle weakness or pain. Your muscles may feel tender or even painful. It may feel as though you just finished an intense workout. Fatigue. Despite getting adequate sleep, you may feel sluggish and tired the entire day or you may be too weak to function. Nausea. An upset stomach may or may not be accompanied by some vomiting. This is a common sign of hyperkalemia. Breathing problems. You may find it difficult to take deep breaths or find yourself forced to gasp for air. Irregular heartbeat. Your heart may beat funnily or feel weird in your chest. This is always a symptom to bring up to your doctor immediately. Chest pains. Chest pains ranging from mild to severe are a common result of hyperkalemia. In the most extreme cases, hyperkalemia left untreated can cause cardiac arrest and death. What Causes Hyperkalemia? There are several known causes of hyperkalemia, which range from medical disorders to lifestyle habits. Hyperkalemia is known to have many causes. These include: Kidney Disease The main function of a kidney is that it filters everything in your body. When there is something wrong with your kidneys, it can mess up all sorts of vitamin levels in your body. Potassium is just one of them. Heart Disease Heart disease results in a variety of factors that make it more likely to have problems with your potassium levels. Hormone Imbalances Having abnormally low amounts of aldosterone can result in potassium problems. This can happen due to a variety of conditions, including hypoaldosteronism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Diabetes A lack of insulin may be the culprit behind enhanced potassium levels. This is something that would be more likely to occur if diabetes is undermanaged (or undiagnosed). [youmaylike] Medications Side effects of certain medications could cause potassium levels to rise. You may be surprised to see that some common medications will do this. Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, will do it. Some of the other medications that can do this are heparin, mannitol, beta-blockers, angiotensin inhibitors, calcium blockers, and cyclosporine. Diet Medications are not the only way to introduce potassium to the body. There are lots of foods that can lead to heightened potassium levels. Many of these foods are healthy, but to a person at risk for hyperkalemia, they can be dangerous if not eaten in responsible quantities. There is also the chance that you are a victim of pseudo hyperkalemia. As the name suggests, you do not have any potassium problems. Sometimes due to faulty equipment, you will get a wrong reading. Hyperkalemia Treatment To determine how to treat hyperkalemia, it is important that you first identify the cause of it in yourself. Getting advice from a licensed medical physician is the best way to determine your treatments. Diet Change Changing your diet can do wonders for your health. If you battle hyperkalemia, consider limiting your intake of foods rich in potassium like cucumbers, pumpkins, potatoes, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, eggplants and peas. Intravenous Calcium or Insulin and Glucose Medical injections are an efficient and fast technique to lower calcium levels. When diet alone is not enough, these can drop your potassium levels to a safer place in a pinch. Albuterol Doctors may also administer albuterol alone or in addition to other treatments. Unfortunately, this does not work for everyone. Changing Medications If a certain medication is causing dangerous, unwanted side effects, you may want to talk to your doctor about switching.
What Are Dry Cough Remedies?
If your dry cough wakes you up in the middle of the night one more time, you’ll scream, then probably cough some more! Due to this, you may be wondering what some dry cough remedies are.
A rare, occasional dry cough is a natural reflex that clears your lungs or throat of any irritant. But, if you have a persistent dry cough that doesn’t go away, it can indicate something more serious.
So, what causes it? And how do you get rid of dry cough? In this article we will look at how to diagnose your cough, and some home remedies you can try to soothe the pain.
Diagnosing Your Cough
Before we begin, do you know exactly what a dry cough is?
A dry cough is like a tickle in the back of your throat. It does not bring up mucus or phlegm and is typically caused by an irritant in your throat.
Unlike a wet cough, which brings up mucus that cleans the irritant away, dry coughs are more annoying than anything, since it does nothing to expel the irritant.
Dry coughs usually occur at the tail-end of an infection. It could be a cold, or the flu, or the result of a sinus infection. Moreover, a dry cough could also occur if you are exposed to an irritant, such as dust, chemical fumes from cars, smoke, or cigarette smoke. Asthma and allergies can also trigger a dry cough.
Some serious health issues can also result in you experiencing constant dry coughing, such as:
- Sinusitis
- Chronic bronchitis or emphysema (Also known as a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Lung infections (acute bronchitis or pneumonia)
Nevertheless, if you get yourself tested and don’t find any such cause, there are unfortunately dozens of more conditions that can cause chronic dry cough.
5 Natural Home Remedies for a Dry Cough
Luckily, there are some things you can try at home to help soothe your dry cough. However, if your symptoms do not go away, or get worse, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor.
Honey
A teaspoon of honey in warm water or tea is the best remedy for a temporary dry cough. Additionally, you could have a teaspoon of honey and sprinkle some black pepper flakes on top. This reduces the nagging tickle in your throat and works more effectively than your average cough medication.
Drink Turmeric
Turmeric is a classic cough remedy and has been used to treat bronchitis and other upper respiratory conditions in Ayurvedic medicine for a long time. Turmeric in warm milk serves as an antiviral and anti-inflammatory remedy. And to top it off, it tastes good too and warms you from the inside.
Chew on Peppermint
Peppermint is widely used to obtain a chemical compound known as menthol naturally. So, when you chew on a peppermint leaf, that menthol component goes to the nerve endings in your throat, numbing them. This reduces pain and provides relief from coughing. Peppermint also reduces congestion and has other antiviral properties.
If possible, use peppermint oil for an aromatherapy treatment, or chew on a peppermint leaf if you have a bundle in the fridge.
Use a Humidifier
If you live in a dry region, that may be to blame for the dry cough you’re experiencing. Dry air leeches away all the moisture in the air. But, if you keep a humidifier handy, that puts moisture molecules back. That moisture then makes its way to your sinuses, thus opening them up and allowing your throat to feel less dry.
Buy an Air Purifier
If you live in the city, near traffic, or have dust or smoke allergies, an air purifier is exactly what you need.
As the name suggests, this device purifies the air and gets rid of any airborne irritants. Your throat doesn’t experience as many triggers as it normally would, which lessens your need to cough by reducing allergens.
When to See a Doctor
If you’ve used all the above tips, have taken all types of cough drops and syrups, and still experience a bad dry cough, then only a doctor can help you fight the problem.
As stated above, dry coughing is a symptom that can indicate some other health issue. Going to a professional physician will ensure you that you’ve taken all steps necessary to prevent your dry cough. With the right medical help and a complete physical, you’ll be able to get a proper diagnosis, address any underlying health issues, and be given a treatment plan.