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.
Learning About Mild Concussion Treatment
Research shows that concussions are often associated with people involved in sports. Most people involved in high-contact or high-risk sports are known to suffer from concussions and brain injuries due to regular head impact. In this article we will discuss mild concussion treatment options, as well as the possible causes.
What is a Concussion?
A concussion refers to a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that may occur after a blow to your head. It can also happen after a whiplash-type injury that causes your head and brain to shake quickly back and forth. It may result in temporary loss of normal brain function or an altered mental state that may include unconsciousness.
What Are the Causes of a Concussion?
The brain is made of soft tissue, therefore specific head impacts from falling, getting hit, or being in an accident can cause the brain to move around in your head. Concussions are caused by such direct trauma to the head. When this occurs, it may lead to bleeding, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves.
Concussions do not always involve passing out or a loss of consciousness. In many cases, people with a concussion never lose consciousness. In several cases, external signs of head trauma, such as bleeding, may also be absent. You should see a doctor immediately if you experience direct trauma to your head.
As earlier mentioned, people who participate in high-impact sports such as football or boxing have an increased risk of getting a concussion. Although concussions are not usually life-threatening, they may result in serious symptoms that require medical treatment.
Common Symptoms of Concussions
Symptoms may vary from person to person and usually depend on the severity of the injury and the person injured. A concussion can affect memory, judgment, speech, balance, reflexes, and muscle coordination. People with concussions often suffer from a brief period of amnesia or forgetfulness; this means they cannot remember what happened immediately before or after the injury. The most common signs of a concussion may include:
- Memory problems
- Confusion
- Double vision or blurred vision
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Drowsiness or feeling sluggish
- Dizziness
- Balance problems
- Slowed reaction to stimuli
The symptoms may begin immediately, or they may not develop for hours, days, weeks, or sometimes even months following the injury. The following symptoms can also occur during the recovery period after a concussion:
- Irritability
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mild headaches
When to See a Doctor
Although some concussions are less serious than others, experts advise that mild concussions should not be taken lightly. Most people may recover quickly following a concussion, while some can have symptoms lasting for several weeks. You should, however, seek urgent medical attention if:
- You keep having persistent headaches
- You experience slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination
- You suffer from incessant nausea or repeated vomiting
- You have seizures
- You experience any loss of consciousness
- Your symptoms keep worsening
- You have a history of multiple concussions
Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Concussions
Due to hidden symptoms in some cases, concussions may sometimes be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms may not appear for days or weeks after the injury. Some symptoms may last for only a few seconds after the impact, while others may linger. Whatever the case, it is important to see a doctor to get diagnosed early and take the proper steps to treat the injury.
Mild concussion treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms. In severe cases that involve bleeding in the brain, swelling of the brain, or a serious injury to the brain, you might need surgery or other medical procedures.
However, most concussions do not require surgery or any major medical treatment. The doctor may only give self-care instructions to follow. For mild concussions, some of these helpful instructions include:
- Take time to rest. You need to stop whatever caused the concussion immediately because resting is key. If you resume the activity too soon, you risk a greater chance of having a second concussion, which can worsen the damage. You have to rest for your brain to heal properly.
- Avoid repeat concussions. Successive concussions can have severe consequences such as brain swelling, permanent brain damage, long-term disabilities, or even death.
- Use medicine as prescribed. Treat pain with aspirin-free medications as prescribed by the doctor.
- Revisit your doctor. If the symptoms do not stop, please go back to the doctor.
Safety Precautions that Help to Avoid Concussions
A concussion is often difficult to prevent because it happens unexpectedly. However, there are safety precautions you can follow to lessen the possibility of a traumatic brain injury:
- When participating in high-contact or high-risk sports, wear protective equipment, as they increase the likelihood of a concussion. You can wear a helmet, headgear, padding, mouth guards, and eye guards to help safeguard against traumatic head injuries.
- Drive and ride smart by always wearing your seat belt, avoiding excess speed, and never driving when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Remove hazards in the home that may contribute to falls, e.g., installing window guards and blocking stairways.
- Avoid fights. Concussions are often sustained during an assault, and more men than women report traumatic head injuries.
- Exercise regularly to help you keep fit and maintain a better balance. It can give you stronger leg muscles and better balance, which can help prevent falls.
- Look out for other important safety precautions as the need arises.