How to Treat a Mild Concussion

How to Treat a Mild Concussion

Precio Daramola |Mar 22, 2021

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.

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What You Need to Know About Hyperkalemia

Staff Writer | March 22, 2021

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.

10 Most Common Symptoms of Poor Circulation

John David Abundo | March 22, 2021

Symptoms of Poor Circulation In this article, we will focus on the symptoms of poor circulation and when you should seek medical help. Signs of Poor Circulation 1. Varicose Veins If the valves in the veins of the legs are damaged, your blood will find it difficult to get back to the heart. This results in engorged veins and will eventually cause varicosities in the legs. Varicose veins are more common to those who regularly stand for long periods. 2. Painful Muscle Cramping The most common symptom of poor circulation is claudication, described as muscle discomfort or painful cramping, particularly in the legs. This is felt when you exercise or walk and usually disappears after resting your legs. The muscles that are most involved are the hips, thighs or calves. Claudication happens if there is a hindrance to the normal blood flow. For example, in atherosclerosis, where there is a buildup of cholesterol plaques in the blood vessels, the muscles cannot get enough blood during physical activity. The cramping pain is the muscle’s way of warning you that it is not getting enough blood during exercise to meet its increased demand. 3. Numbness or Weakness Reduced blood flow to different body parts may cause slow and irreversible damage to the nerves, which may be felt as tingling, numbness or weakness in that area. This is particularly alarming because having numbness on the extremities decreases your skin’s sensitivity to pain. As a result, there may be instances where your skin has already been damaged or wounded, but you cannot feel it. 4. Temperature Differences in the Extremities Poor circulation can lead to fluctuations in your skin’s temperature regulation. For example, reduced blood flow to your hands or feet may make them colder than the other parts of your body. To assess the temperature of your skin, you can use the back of your hands for a more accurate assessment. 5. Wounds That Do Not Heal or Heal Slowly Wounds heal by the different components and cells delivered through the bloodstream to the affected area. When blood flow is compromised, the healing process takes much longer and may even lead to infections. Even the slightest break in the skin may lead to catastrophic changes that could lead to amputation, especially in people with diabetes. 6. Change of Skin Color When there is insufficient blood flow, the skin may appear pale or blue (cyanosis). The change of color in the skin indicates that the oxygen-rich blood is unable to reach those tissues. The commonly affected body parts that may have this symptom are the toes, fingers, palms, soles and lips. [youmaylike] 7. Poor Hair or Nail Growth Hair and nails need the nutrients in your body to keep them healthy. Nutrients are delivered to the hair and nails through the blood. Therefore, any blockage or hindrance of the normal circulation of blood may affect the growth of healthy hair and nails, which can lead to hair loss or poor nail growth. 8. Shiny Skin on Legs Shiny skin on the legs can indicate that the skin stretched due to excess fluids in the legs. Poor circulation can cause blood pooling in the legs, resulting in fluid leakage from the blood vessels to the surrounding tissues. In turn, the skin will stretch, giving it a shiny appearance. 9. Weak Pulses When blood flow is restricted, the usual, brisk pulses on the extremities become weaker. Doctors usually include this in their physical examination to rule out any peripheral arterial disease. 10. Erectile Dysfunction in Men The penis is made up mostly of blood vessels. Penile erection happens because the arteries of the penis are filled up with blood to elongate and stiffen the organ. When there is poor circulation, blood cannot fill up the blood vessels in the penis. Most cases of impotence are a complication primarily of the arterial system. What is Poor Circulation? Poor circulation is not a condition in itself, but having any of its symptoms may indicate more serious conditions, such as: Peripheral artery disease (PAD). Uncontrolled diabetes. Blood clots. Atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty deposits in the vessels). Heart conditions. Having poor circulation may not be apparent initially. Still, whether you experience symptoms or not, it is important to be aware of them early on to help detect the underlying cause. For example, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and obesity are all factors that increase the likelihood of a person experiencing poor circulation symptoms. In Review The symptoms of poor circulation may vary for each person. In general, conditions that cause poor circulation are easier to treat when your doctor detects it early. If you experience any of these symptoms and suspect that it may be caused by a dysfunction in your normal blood circulation, it is essential that you see your doctor for assessment and treatment right away.

9 Signs of Pregnancy to Be Aware Of

Sinead Carey | March 22, 2021

What Are the Symptoms of Pregnancy? The early signs and symptoms of pregnancy can vary wildly from person to person. It is essential to be aware of the common symptoms and the possible and rare symptoms. So, what are the symptoms of pregnancy? We will dive into the specifics. Common Symptoms of Pregnancy 1. Missed Period Missing your period is most often the first sign of pregnancy. Your body recognizes the conception and stops making the hormone that sheds the lining of your womb. Your menstrual cycle is essentially paused, and you won’t have another period until after the baby is born. 2. Morning Sickness Contrary to what is shown on TV, morning sickness can also happen at noon and night. Feeling nauseous and vomiting is a normal part of early pregnancy. It is most common in the morning, and this is what coined the term. 3. Overtiredness or Fatigue You know the feeling when you sleep well but still feel tired? That is fatigue, and it is common in early pregnancy. Experts say this is due to the rise of hormone levels. This feeling tends to improve over time. 4. Frequent Urination Are you going to the bathroom every 10 minutes? This is another sign of pregnancy. Your body’s blood supply increases to support the new life, which means your kidneys must work harder. More waste plus more urine equals extra trips to the bathroom. 5. Aching Breasts Your breasts may start to feel sore and tender. You may have felt this before during your period, or it could be a completely new experience. This feeling is due to your fluctuating hormone levels and should fade with time. Some people describe this as an aching or tingling feeling. You might also experience a slight enlargement of your breasts. 6. Mild Cramps and Spotting Don’t panic if you see you have light spotting or cramping in the first few weeks. Spotting can indicate that the embryo has implanted in the lining of your womb. Implantation usually takes place a few days after you conceive and can cause blood spots or brown discharge. This symptom is crucial to know about, as it causes many people to believe they are not pregnant. If you are concerned or the bleeding persists, speak to your doctor without delay. 7. Headaches Persistent headaches can be a sign of so many things. That is why people don’t recognize them as a sign of pregnancy. If you are experiencing frequent headaches, there may be more to it than you think. Make sure you find a headache treatment option that safe for you. 8. Metallic Taste in Mouth Some people experience a metallic, coppery taste during early pregnancy. It can happen when eating or at seemingly random times throughout the day. Again, people do not consistently recognize the taste as a possibility of pregnancy. 9. Changes in Food Preferences This symptom varies from person to person, and some don’t experience it at all! You may crave certain foods; you may feel sick after certain foods; you can have a complete aversion to food altogether. Nutrition during pregnancy is important, and you should discuss this symptom with your doctor. [youmaylike] Rare Symptoms of Pregnancy Other symptoms that are rare but could affect you are: Heightened sense of smell. Heart palpitations. Increased saliva production (more drool). Nosebleeds. Swollen gums or tooth problems. More pimples or acne. Hot sweats. Are At-Home Pregnancy Tests Reliable? The sure-fire way to know if you are pregnant is to take an at-home test. These tests are reliable, and though false positives occur, it is rare. Always check the label, as different brands show different symbols to indicate pregnancy. The tests generally take a few minutes to develop, and digital tests can even display the word pregnant. When Should You Talk to a Doctor If You Think You’re Pregnant? If you suspect that you are pregnant, have a positive test result or are currently trying to get pregnant, the next step is to talk to your doctor. Your doctor will want to take a complete medical history, and if you are already pregnant, they may prescribe prenatal medication. The doctor can guide you on the steps throughout the pregnancy and lend an ear if you have any questions. It is vital to discuss everything with a medical professional. Your doctor is the gateway to an informed and happy pregnancy.