Friday, April 30, 2010

How To Get Rid Of Boils

What is a Boil?

The difference between a pimple and a boil is that a boil occurs deeper in the skin. A boil is an infection that can spread, so it can also get a lot larger and meaner. A boil is a pimple with problems.

Also known as an abscess, a boil is red, tender, and painful, appears suddenly, and proceeds through several stages, eventually becoming a pus-filled lump that comes to a head. Once it does that, it may burst and drain itself, or it may have to be surgically lanced. Bacteria are involved, and should the infection spread to adjacent skin, the lump may become several lumps that join to become a much larger lump, a furuncle (carbuncle), with accompanying chills and fever. It then needs medical attention.

Boils are like a very bad case of acne. In fact, there is one type of boil known as cystic acne that affects deeper skin tissue than the more common form of acne, Acne vulgaris.
What Causes Boils?

MedicineNet.com lists these types of boils:

* Hidradenitis suppurativa: When sweat glands become inflamed, multiple abscesses may result in the arm pits and/or the groin. If this condition can't be cured with antibiotics, the sweat glands must be surgically removed to stop the skin inflammation.

* Pilonidal cyst: Prolonged sitting produces a firm, painful, tender nodule in the crease of the buttocks.

Boils are caused most commonly by:

1. Cuts or scrapes that become infected.

2. Ingrown hairs.

3. Foreign material lodged in the skin.

4. Plugged sweat glands.

5. Certain diseases like cat scratch fever.

6. Stress.

7. Toxicity.

8. Allergy.

9. Thyroid imbalance.

Skin Boils from Diabetes and Skin Infections

Even otherwise healthy people can develop boils or carbuncles, but some factors can increase the risk:

* A compromised immune system opens one to getting infections that turn into boils. Diabetics, for example, need to avoid dry skin and skin infections. Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is the same bacterium responsible for pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infections, endocarditis, and food-borne illnesses; Candida albicans is a fungus. Both cause skin infections most common among people with diabetes; these skin infections include boils.

* Constant irritations like those caused by a tight collar can cause rashes; continuous irritation breaks the skin, and bacteria may then enter through a cut or a scratch. White blood cells, neutrophils, collect at the site to fight infection, creating inflammation. Pus forms.

* Other skin problems - acne, as one example - create susceptibility to boils and carbuncles.

* Corticosteroids that suppress the immune system, such as prednisone, increase susceptibility.

Treatment for Boils

Never squeeze or pop a boil, as this could cause it to burst internally, creating an even worse infection.

Hot compresses may relieve pain and make a boil heal faster. If a painful boil persists, see a doctor, who may drain it and prescribe antibiotics.

Tea tree oil, which is the oil from the leaves of the Australian tea tree, may be used to directly treat the skin where the boil is located. It's an antibacterial and germicidal agent. Apply a light coating 3 to 4 times a day, and continue for 2 weeks after the infection has disappeared.

Steeping the leaves of goldenseal, Echinacea, and burdock makes an herb tea that is said to help clear up an infection.

To prevent boils, try changing your diet. Incorporate fresh garlic, an effective antiseptic delivered through the circulatory system. Drink at least a liter of water a day, put fiber in your diet, and avoid foods which constipate and make skin problems worse by forcing more waste to be eliminated through the skin. Eat fresh and unprocessed foods, including green leafy vegetables. Except for fresh fruits, avoid high glucose foods and also refined foods such as white bread.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Household Dangers from Kittens

Kittens and children are a lot less compatible than you would think. Most pregnant women are aware of the risks associated with cat feces during pregnancy, which in a worst-case scenario can lead to such severe complications as cerebral palsy in the unborn child. This awareness of the risks tends to relax, though, after the child has reached the toddler stage, to be replaced by a consciousness of the positive benefits to the child of keeping a pet.

Those who have lived with cats and especially kittens will know how common it is to be scratched and bitten by a playful pet. Most owners will minimize the risks, because in their experience nothing bad has ever come of a cat scratch. However, if people are better informed of the risks, they would not necessarily take these injuries so lightly. More than half all cat bites result in infection of some kind, most commonly from the Pasteurella multocida bacteria, which form part of the normal flora of cats.

A local infection, at the site of the wound only, can lead to swelling or the formation of puss. This in itself is not always dangerous, but may lead to complications, perhaps with the joints becoming infected, or even the whole lymphatic system being invaded. Clearly those more at risk to such forms of infection are the very young, the elderly or those with suppressed immunosufficiency, such as cancer patients on medication and AIDS sufferers.

Cat scratch disease is an infectious illness associated with cat scratches, bites, or exposure to cat saliva. The bacteria Afipia felis and Bartonella henselae do not necessarily provoke symptoms in the carrier cat. But complications arising from infections with these bacteria can lead to nasty complications in humans, not just locally where the skin has been torn. CSD is perhaps the most common cause of chronic lymph node swelling in children, a feverous infection lasting up to two months.

Children under nine years of age are especially vulnerable to scratches and bites in the face and neck regions, most especially from kittens, which happen to be the most likely carriers of the Bartonella henselae group of organisms. Thus the advice is not to let children play too roughly with kittens - and any scratches or bites should be washed immediately with soap and warm water.

Osteomyelitis or septic arthritis from cat bites is not uncommon. The synovial capsules of the joints are usually completely sterile and infection at these points is both extremely painful and potentially very harmful. Osteomyelitis and septic arthritis can affect any joint or bone, but most commonly involve the lower limbs. Both are most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and require urgent treatment. The initial symptoms are tenderness and an unwillingness to use the joint or limb in question. Swelling and redness do not necessarily appear straight away.

Some authorities claim that fleas carry B. henselae bacteria, but the evidence is not conclusive. Nevertheless, it makes sense to keep fleas in check to guard against unnecessary risks. Cats should never be allowed to lick any wounds you or your child may have, as the saliva is where the bacteria come from.

If you or your child are bitten or scratched by a cat, at the first signs of any symptoms such as swelling, pustules, fatigue, fever, headache or swollen glands, consult your physician.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Can My Pet Make Me Sick?

Can having a pet make my children or me sick?

The answer to that question is "yes" and "no."

There is always the possibility and there are also ways to prevent problems.

The best way to make certain, germs and/or bacteria is not passed around is to practice good hygiene. Cleanliness seems to be the best prevention of common illnesses.

However, one important thing is, to keep in mind is the current state of everyone's health. People with a weak immune system, people suffering from serious illnesses, people with HIV/AIDS, people with organ transplants, people being treated for cancer and infants and young children are all at a greater risk of picking up a disease from an animal than most other people.

With few exceptions, carelessness in handling a pet along with not washing your hands after cleaning up after a pet, are primary causes of illness connected with pets.

What are some of the possible illnesses that can be associated with animals? The most feared in my mind is rabies.

What is rabies? It is a disease caused by the rabies virus and is transmitted though a bite from an animal that is carrying the virus. Today most domesticated animals are vaccinated for the rabies virus as dictated by most state laws.

However, a bite from an unknown animal, domestic or wild, until it is known that the animal has been vaccinated, has to have the recipient of the bite, treated as if the animal has the virus.

It may take from one to three months for a person to show signs of the virus and by then it is too late for any treatment to work.

It is very important that your pet, even if it is an inside only pet, be inoculated against the rabies virus.

Teaching children to avoid trying to pet strange dogs or cats, unless supervised, along with avoiding the temptation to catch a wild animal, is one of the best lessons you can teach your child.

There are many germs/viruses that can be picked up from dogs other than rabies, most of which come from contact with a dog's feces. That is why cleanliness seems so important. To clean up after your dog eliminates, use plastic gloves, a pooper scooper or a plastic bag to avoid touching the feces.

A dog can carry many types of germs, bacteria and/or virus and not be ill, but you can pick it up and suffer. Most illness caused by pets usually run the gamut of diarrhea, vomiting, some fever and muscle aches. As with any illness see, your medical provider.

Cats too, can pass on a disease or two to their humans, but in general you are most likely not going to get sick from touching or owning a cat.

Cat scratch fever can come from a scratch or bite, but using normal precautionary measures such as washing the wound and putting an anapestic on it, can generally prevent any illness. Symptoms of cat scratch disease can include infection at the point of injury, swollen lymph glands, some fever, and a loss of appetite.

Another disease associated with cats is Toxoplasmosis, however people are more likely to get it from eating raw meat or gardening.

What is toxoplasmosis? It is a disease caused by a parasite, about 60 million people are infected by this bug and do not know it. You can get it by swallowing cat feces.

Yuk, you say why would anyone do that? Actually just by touching your mouth, eyes, or nose you can transmit it to yourself. The symptoms are flu like. It particularly dangerous for pregnant women as it can be transmitted to the fetus.

When cleaning the litter box always use caution and refrain from handling any feces. Keep pets away from the litter box, along with children. For some odd reason dogs seem to enjoy looking for treats in the litter box.

What other diseases can be transmitted to humans by pets?

Salmonellosis, which is a bacterial disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella. Most of the time people get it from infected chicken, eggs or other contaminated food. The symptoms can cause severe diarrhea, fever and stomach pain.

The virus salmonellosis can also be passed on to humans by handling such pets as reptiles (lizards, snakes and turtles,) baby chicks, ducklings and occasionally a cat or dog.

Again it comes from touching the feces of the animals and not washing your hands after doing so. Some animals can have it on their bodies, as they have picked it up from the ground.

Water can also be a point of contamination, where animals have access to it and due to ground run offs, feces and urine can flow into the water, humans need to be careful.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals.

How can you get it?

By exposure to many things, as the bacteria is secreted through the urine of infected animals. It can be found in water, (ponds and streams) food, or soil containing urine from the infected animals. Swallowing the water (swimming in a pond or stream,) contaminated food or by hands that have been in contact with a source and you have rubbed your eyes, nose or mouth or through a cut on your skin.

The symptoms include high fever, severe headache, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible especially, if you have been swimming in the "old swimming hole."

Leptospirosis is found worldwide, but mainly in temperate and tropical climates. Pets can acquire it from drinking out of a contaminated birdbath.

Ticks carry diseases and ticks bite dogs, so the rule here is, when removing ticks from your pet be extremely careful. Your chances of getting either Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted fever are slim and none, unless you are tramping around in areas of the country where those ticks are prevalent and are not wearing protective clothing.

Fleas can cause tapeworm in household pets. The animals get it by swallowing a flea that has been infected.

Can you get tapeworm, certainly, but only if you swallow and infected flea. Keeping your pet and household flea free will prevent either of you from becoming infected. Last, but not least in this list of things, is Ringworm, this is a skin and scalp disease that can be caught not only from animals, but people, too.

How can you get ringworm?

Ringworm is a contagious fungus that can be passed on from person to person, pet to person or pet to pet.

It has nothing to do with worms, but is a fungus that lives in humans, pets and rarely in the soil. Ringworm appears as, a flat round patch on the skin and then conforms to a ring like patch. It can be treated by a fungus killing medicine usually taken orally in tablet form or by an ointment applied to the affected area.

The important thing here is not to share personal items with an infected person, do not touch infected areas, keep children away from infected pets, and to thoroughly wash all items handled by the infected pet or person.

Now that I have made you wonder, should I ever get a pet, the answer is of course.

Plain old common sense hygiene is the answer to most pet to people diseases. I have never heard of a person dying because of a disease caught from a cat or dog. With the possibly exception of someone being bitten by a rabid animal and not seeking treatment.

Keeping play areas for children free from being your pet's bathroom area and keeping feces cleaned up is the safest thing you can do.

Teach your children to wash their hands frequently after playing with their pet and you are on your way to a long and happy life

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Know What Phlebitis Symptoms to Look For

Phlebitis is categorized as a vascular disease which is caused by a blood clot. It is normally seen in the forearms and upper limbs. The blood clot that appears in the vein may cause these superficial veins to be inflamed. It normally occurs in the upper and lower limbs - but it is most commonly seen in the arms most especially the forearms.

Proper treatment of the said disease will be a lot easier if it has been diagnosed earlier. It is essential for everyone to know the symptoms phlebitis - this way, people experiencing this kind of problem knows when they should ask and seek for medical attention.

Although the symptoms of phlebitis may differ from one person to another, here are the most common symptoms that a person with phlebitis may feel

• A low grade fever is common. Inflammation inside the veins may also cause infection. Once that infection is present inside the body, the white blood cells may react accordingly - this causes the increase in body temperature.

• The affected area may portray redness and even swelling of the superficial veins. The person experiencing phlebitis may feel a tender and even a warm feeling. As the vein gets more inflamed, the pain that the person may feel gets worse.

• The skin or the area that is affected may feel tender as well. There is a tendency that the affected portion may be itchy at times, and a burning sensation may be felt.

• First thing in the morning, the person may feel a tingling and a warm sensation on the affected area. On these areas, there are small thin lines surrounding the inflamed vein. This is one sign that phlebitis is starting to develop and that medical attention should be given immediately.

Remember, for people who have been experiencing these symptoms, or something similar to the things listed above, don't be afraid to consult a physician as soon as possible. This way, the disease can be treated accordingly, and the symptoms felt can be reversed. The knowledge imparted on the symptoms of phlebitis will aid everyone to make sure that this particular disease will be treated as early as possible. Knowledge is power and the more you know about a condition, the better you will be able to get the appropriate help for it. In order for you not to get misdiagnosed, it is important that you yourself do research regarding the diseases you may have developed. This way, you will be able to watch out for and pinpoint the symptoms rather than depend fully on what others think it is.

Monday, April 26, 2010

What to Do If You Catch the Swine Flu During an Extended Business Stay

Since the Swine Flu, also known as the H1N1 Virus, was first discovered in April of 2009, over a million American citizens have been diagnosed with it and over 500 have died. While it has still not caused as much damage as the regular seasonal flu, it remains a threat largely because it refuses to go away. The virus has spread to all corners of the globe, so you are not safe from it when you are on business trips abroad. Travelling for business can also increase your risk of contracting the virus because you are in close proximities to others on the plane and have plenty of opportunity to catch it.

So what happens when you are on an important business meeting and you feel sick? The first thing you need to do is go to a doctor and see what the diagnosis is. There is no need for concern until you are certain you have the swine flu. Even if it turns out you do have it there is no need for alarm. Keep in mind that it is not any worse than the regular seasonal flu, as a matter of fact the number of deaths and hospitalizations have actually been lower. It is most threatening to certain age groups. These include children under the age of 2, women who are pregnant, those with asthma, teens, and young adults.

If you are diagnosed with swine flu on a business trip, report this to your superior immediately. Although it will probably cause some difficulties, it is best if you remain away from others until you are better. Most bosses will hopefully be understanding given the importance of staying away from work when sick being reported in the media. If they give you any trouble be sure that they understand that it will not help matters any if they are anybody else on the trip catches the virus from you. Hopefully they will understand and give you some time to recuperate.

When you have the H1N1 virus, it is important to cough into your elbow or shoulder to keep the spread of germs low. If your symptoms get worse and there is constant vomiting, chest pain, or a rising fever, go to the emergency room. You can take over the counter medications such as Tylenol and aspirin which can relieve the pain and help to bring down your fever and your doctor may prescribe a medicine like Tamiflu or Relenza that can help improve your systems and aid recovery as well. Even once your fever is gone and you feel better, give yourself at least 24 hours to make sure you are truly over it.

Getting the H1N1 virus is something that nobody wants to experience, and things are only worse when you are away from home. Although getting sick can disrupt your business plans, it is much better for everyone if you stay away from work until it recovers.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Could Your Candida Be Celiac Disease

Everyone has candida. It's a bacteria that lives naturally in all human bodies, mostly in the small intestine and the mucous membranes. It doesn't do anything harmful, and our bodies don't notice it. When it is allowed to flourish, though, it becomes problematic. The condition of system-wide candida symptoms is called candida dysbiosis.

The symptoms of candida dysbiosis are fatigue, headaches, weakness, the feeling of being "hungover," diarrhea, nausea, and memory loss, among others. Yet it's vital to note that another condition -- celiac disease -- has many of the same indications. Could your candida actually be celiac disease instead?

First, let's consider the causes. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small bowel that is caused by an abnormal reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, and similar proteins found in barley and rye. Candida can be caused by taking antibiotics or hormones, or by alcohol, stress, or a poor diet. Candida and celiac disease have entirely different causes, in other words, even though some of their symptoms are the same.

Celiac disease and candida often share these symptoms: chronic fatigue, weakness, headaches, general flu-like achiness, joint pains, chronic sinus problems, allergies, irritability, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and gas.

On the other hand, these symptoms are common in candida but NOT in celiac disease: dizziness, cold sweats, sore throat, low-grade fever, chronic athlete's foot, heart pains. If your symptoms include any of those, celiac disease is probably not what's ailing you.

If you suspect you have celiac disease, it's imperative that you get diagnosed properly as soon as possible. The condition is often misdiagnosed. Many of its symptoms suggest not just candida but irritable bowel syndrome and several other ailments. To accurately diagnose celiac disease, a blood test is needed. Other tests, such as an endoscopy, may also be necessary.

It's important that if you think you have celiac disease, you don't stop eating gluten products on your own before getting tested. Doing so may decrease the symptoms, but it will also make it harder to detect the disease when you do get tested. Instead, continue on with your regular diet until your doctor confirms you have celiac disease.

Once the diagnosis has been made, you'll have to make some changes. There is no "cure" for celiac disease; the only way to deal with it is to stop eating foods with gluten in them, and to continue on that diet for the rest of your life. Fortunately, many food manufacturers are making gluten-free versions of their products, and some health insurance providers even reimburse patients for the cost of these special foods.

After undertaking a gluten-free diet, your intestines will be able to heal themselves. In the vast majority of cases, all the celiac-related symptoms go away. Occasionally, a celiac patient will find that even with a gluten-free diet, the symptoms remain, sometimes because the disease persisted for so long that the damage to the intestines was irreparable. In these rare cases, steroids may be used to combat the symptoms.

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Various Bacterial Meningitis Symptoms That Are Important to Understand

Bacterial meningitis symptoms may appear all of a sudden as the meningitis due to viruses. There are a few signs of bacterial meningitis. There is no fixed period of these symptoms to appear. It might take a couple of days or weeks for bacterial meningitis symptoms to appear. Here are a few signs of bacterial meningitis.

The Main Symptoms

Firstly, you'll have a high fever. Accompanying which will be a repeated and serious headache. Alongside to that there'll be an agonizing neck that may also feel terribly stiff. This pain and stiffness will become more evident if you try to touch your chest with your chin. There will be vomiting but along with that you will also feel very dizzy. You'll be in a half state of consciousness.

This suggests that there'll be a reduced level of consciousness that you'll have to endure if you are suffering from bacterial meningitis. Episodes will also go with you if you are suffering from bacterial meningitis. In reality these are also the indicators of viral meningitis. These are some of the main bacterial meningitis symptoms. However there are more symptoms also.

Other Symptoms

The other symptoms which are also symbolic of bacterial meningitis symptoms are sluggishness and weakness. The muscle also aches a lot. You may also feel a lot of weird feelings like muscle shivering or plain weakness that will be prevalent across the body. The eye becomes awfully sensitive and pains when exposed to bright lights. This is not all. You can also be afflicted by skin rash and many dizzy spell episodes.

Development of Symptoms

The way in which the symptoms will develop relies on the kind of the microbe that is causing the illness. Now this differs from one microbe to another. But there is a definite gap between the incubation period and the showing of the symptoms. The incubation period is the time when the microbe first time you were exposed to the infection. The development of symptoms refers back to the time when the first symptoms developed in the body.

Symptoms in some exceptional cases

The elderly, babies some younger adults and people with certain medical conditions may not display the usual symptoms. In this example, there'll be separate symptoms. For babies, there'll be fever and decrease in appetite. They'll become irritable and it'll be tricky to calm them. Rashing of the skin together with vomiting will be present and they may customarily make a response to this with a strident cry. There might also be soft spots that are prominent at the side of the head. These spots are not due to crying. They could also have a stiff body.

Whilst babies may have flu, older adults and folks who have other conditions may only realize they've a fever and a slight headache. They could also not feel very well but that is it. They may feel very weak but they will not have any of the other grosser symptoms that others would show. So these symptoms are awfully tricky to detect. These are a few of the important bacterial meningitis symptoms.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Aids - What is It?

Aids stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It means that it is infectious and can cause a weakened immune system and cause a group of health trouble. Aids is the final process in an infection called HIV. There is no cure for Aids at this time. It can be spread from person to person through the exchange of bodily fluid. There are ways to prevent it from spreading and things to know to keep you safe.

HIV is passed on to someone by an infected person. It can be contacted through sex, sharing needles with an infected person, being born to an infected mother or drinking breast milk from an infected person. And in very rare circumstances can HIV be transmitted through oral sex and kissing when there are deep cuts in the mouth. In the past HIV was transmitted through blood transfusions but now tests screen for it before the blood is given out to someone who needs it.

HIV can show no symptoms and not be able to be found in blood for months after being infected. That is why when a person comes to get tested for HIV they are told to come back in six months for another test just to be sure. Symptoms may first appear like a cold with things like fever, headaches, body aches, swollen glands sore tummy and joints that may last for a few weeks. This usually passes and the person goes on with their life and they may not know that this was actually the onset of HIV setting in.

A person can have HIV for up to ten years and not show any signs of it. However, the disease is still at work as it deteriorates the body over time creating a weak immune system. When HIV is first transmitted to a person, their body will make anti-bodies to fight it off. When a blood test is taken it is the anti-bodies that are shown and that tell the lab technician that HIV is present.

HIV works by destroying CD4 cells that help your immune system work. A healthy person has anywhere from 500 to 1500 of these CD4 cells. Aids is present when these cells go down to under 200 of the CD4 cells. A person can receive treatment that can slow down the process of HIV, the Antiretroviral medicine works by trying to keep some of these cells alive as long as possible.

In the 1990's Aids was the leading cause of death. Currently there is 1 to 1.2 million people infected with the virus in the USA alone. And studies show that a quarter of these people do not even know that they have it. Statistics have also revealed that 75% of people infected are men while the remaining 25% are women.

To prevent HIV and Aids it is advisable to not share needles with anyone for any reason. Keeping yourself safe might mean that you have to keep needles stocked up and to always have them with you if you feel you might be using them during the day. Another way to prevent HIV is to have you and your partner tested before becoming active. It is also healthier to have few sexual partners and use protection when you are engaging in sex or oral sex. Even one time of unprotected sex or shared needles can result in a lifetime of HIV.

HIV will eventually lead to Aids of which there is no cure for. Medicine can help to slow the process but the time span of a person infected with HIV is unknown most peak around ten years where AIDs sets in and the immune system begins to shut down. Which makes common illnesses deadly for someone with the disease.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I Am the Poliomyelits Virus and I Watched the Pharaohs Come and Go

I am Poliomyelits virus, and I have inhabited this planet for many years than I care to remember. I was there with the ancient Egyptians long before Menes united the two kingdoms of Lower and Upper Egypt in 3100BC. In fact the finding of misshapen bones of some mummies show I was already celebrating my sixth hundred birthday before his unification party. You know I followed the Badarian south to Abydos in Upper Egypt, helping them with their copper smelting, even supervising them building their houses of mud brick and thatch.

But enough of that, suffice to say I must have liked the sunsets over the Nile because I was still there if you look at the stone reliefs of 1500 BC, those poor priests with their atrophied short legs, their muscle wasting, their crippled bone growth. Just look a little closer at the artefacts on show the next time you are down near that old sandy museum in Maydan El Tahrir, Cairo and you will probably see my calling cards. Anyway, having enough of the Akhenatens and the Amarnas, I decided I needed a Greek holiday and arrived on the island of Kos. It was just about the beginning of the fourth century, the time Ictinus was designing the Parthenon and Pericles was still trying to find which Irish bar was serving the best tequila slammers over on Ios.

Well, who did I run into but the great Hippocrates himself and he even mentioned me under the title of 'infant paralysis' in his latest book 'The Hippocratic Corpus' . OK! It wasn't exactly a best seller, but with Plato, Philolaus and that newcomer Lysis of Epaminondas all trying to make the Christmas list, well he had some stiff opposition, you know. By the way, my name is Greek, pilios (gray), myel (marrow) and itis (inflammation). Well, it's not really as bad as it sounds, after all it could have been worse. Can you imagine telling some poor Irish women, her teenage daughter has just befriended Spiro.

And as the Roman Empire fell, and unwashed barbarians descended upon their cities, looting artefacts and burning books, I went with the Irish who took up the great labour of copying all of Western literature and the Celtic physicians called me 'the pestilence that is called lameness'. For centuries, I remained a mild disease often ignored by physicians until some bright spark abandoned the chamber pot for the modern flush toilet and unwittingly transformed me into a paralysing agent of epidemic proportions. The improvements in waste disposal and the widespread use of indoor plumbing during the late nineteenth century meant that babies were no longer exposed to me at a young age and acquired no natural immunity.

God bless the Huns, maybe they had some use after all!. When I visited the Scottish poet, Sir Walter Scott at the tender age of eighteen months, his doctors thought he had 'teething fever'. His grandfather, Dr. Rutherford even suggested that they should take the boy out into the country where the clean air would be good for his lame leg. I visited Stuttgart in 1840 and even got mentioned in a book by the renowned physician of the day, Dr. Jacob von Heine. They later even called me the virus Brunhild meaning of course 'fighter in armour' but really being named after an Icelandic queen from the epic Nibelungenlied

Wasn't my cup of tea.

Anyway, back to my tale. In 1916, I crossed the Atlantic and while poor Padraig Pearse was busy battling it out in the General Post Office, I checked out the new flushing toilets in New York. That summer I befriended thousands of young children in the city and panic erupted as thousands of families fled from Manhattan. Talk about bioterrorism at its best, the Department of Health quarantined the city and hundreds of families were turned back on Brooklyn Bridge. By the end of the summer two thousand Manhattan children were dead and I had paralysed nine thousand others.

By the time of the Great Depression, I was the most feared disease known on the planet and everywhere there was sanitation there were people hobbling around on crutches, rolling about in wheelchairs, lying immobile in giant iron lungs, the legions of sufferers, none knowing what was causing their affliction. Things got so bad that President Franklin Roosevelt actually declared a war on me and put the tremendous resources of post-war America were brought to bear in trying to develop a vaccine against me.

However, the 1930's were years of great poverty and medical advances were often rushed in an effort to stop my advances. In 1935 field trials for a new vaccine were tried by Maurice Brodie and John Kollmer. Brodie concocted his vaccine from an emulsion of the ground-up spinal cords of infected monkeys. He even attempted to deactivate me by exposing me to formalin and then he tried the concoction on twenty monkeys and 3000 children. The less said about this the better as in the words of a historian of the period, "something went terribly wrong and his concoction was never used again".

Kollmer then tried mixing me with various chemicals and putting me in a fridge for two weeks. The new 'attenuated' virus, he called me. Well he tried out this veritable 'witches brew' on a few monkeys, himself, his children, and twenty-two others. He even started to distribute it to hundreds of physicians across the country but after he was blamed for causing many cases of polio, some even fatal, he gave up the quest. Kolmer addressed a meeting of the Southern Branch of the American Public Health Association in 1935, with the words "Gentlemen, this is one time I wish the floor would open up and swallow me." To be fair, he did manage to pick up the pieces and go on to a successful, if not distinguished, research career.

But poor old Brodie, he died shortly afterwards but not before accepting a minor research position in Michigan. It is rumoured in many circles that he took his own life, but either way he was not around to see Jonas Salk having a little more success with the problem. True, he also dipped me in formaldehyde but he also heated me up in an effort to find my weak spot. You would have thought that after all those summers in Egypt and Greece, I would have been a bit more used to the heat, but like an American bomber with a Taliban in his sights, he knew that he had me on my back. In 1952 he inoculated his wife, and their three sons with his mixture and they all began producing antibodies to the disease, yet no one became ill.

The following year he published the results in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and nationwide testing was carried out. By 1952, I had befriended over 57,628 cases, making it the worst year yet. His former mentor Thomas Francis, Jr., who had helped him develop the influenza vaccine during the Second World War decided that America should start a mass vaccination of their schoolchildren. In the early 1960s, I was on the run and when Albert Sabin started to produce different oral versions of me I decided to go into hiding. By 1964, approximately 100 million Americans had taken Sabin's vaccine on sugar cubes or sweetened syrup. The fact it could be taken orally and kept in the refrigerator until administration time meant it was easy to administer in third world countries such as Africa. After taking the vaccine, you could even excrete live poliovirus from your faeces and immunise all your neighbours secondhandedly. What chance did I have!. God bless the Jews for their ingenuity!

Soon I was only a memory in most of the industrialised world and the economic and social impact was incalculable, except for the makers of crutches, wheelchairs, and iron lungs who quickly went out of business or started work on drones that could be later used in Afghanistan. More recently the World Health Organisation took umbrage against me and said they would smoke me out and run me off the planet by 2005. In 1999, there were 7141 cases worldwide and this had dropped to 3500 in 2000, a 99% decrease from the 350 000 annual cases estimated in 1988. Last year 550 million children under five years were immunised and this included India, where 152 million children were vaccinated in three days. This keeps the campaign on track for a world certified polio-free by 2005

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Keeping Your Backyard Chickens Healthy - Common Chicken Diseases To Watch For

Taking care of them can be a lot of work. They need a proper chicken coop and run so they are safe from predators. They need proper nutrition and exercise. Chickens are susceptible to disease just like any other pet. Some of these can be caused by improper care while others can develop in even the most pampered chicks. Here are some of the most common afflictions of backyard chickens.

External Parasites - Fleas, Ticks, Lice, and Mites

Parasites are pretty common among chickens. These include tiny mites, fleas, ticks, and lice. Mites can be so small they are hard to even see. Lice look similar to the head lice seen on the heads of young kids. Fleas and ticks can infest your chickens just like they do your dog or cat. These are easy to see crawling over the feathers or burrowed into the skin.

These parasites are annoying to your chickens and may even cause serious medical conditions like tick fever. At the very least they can cause itching and skin irritation. Mild infestations should be treated quickly before they get out of hand. You can buy parasite drops or sprays from the feed store that will handle most of these problems. However, if the infestation is severe you may need to get help from your veterinarian before it harms your flock.

Internal Parasites - Worms

Chickens can also get internal parasites and these are usually more dangerous to their health. These can cause pale comb, diarrhea, weight loss, and even death. If you notice these symptoms in your chicks, internal parasites could be the cause. Chickens get worms just like puppies sometimes get. To get a diagnosis, collect some feces and take it to your vet. He will be able to determine the type of parasite and prescribe the appropriate medication for treatment. When your chickens have worms, be extra meticulous about cleaning up their feces in order to prevent spreading them to other chicks in the flock. It is also a good idea to not eat any eggs that your chickens produce when they have worms.

Marek's Disease - A Deadly Viral Condition

Marek's Disease is a fairly common viral disease of chickens that is very hard to eradicate. It can live for a long time in your chicken coop and survive harsh conditions. It can be spread by you from chicken to chicken or spread through dust and feather dander.

This disease usually strikes the white blood cells of young chickens. This causes cancer to develop. You may become aware of the condition when you notice a chicken with paralyzed legs, wings, or neck. The afflicted chicken can have other symptoms as well like weight loss, breathing difficulties, and diarrhea. Marek's Disease cannot be treated or cured. Luckily your chicks can be vaccinated and spared suffering from this condition. Always vaccinate your birds or buy chicks that have already had their vaccinations.

Fowl Pox - A Common Virus

Fowl pox is another viral disease that can strike your flock of backyard chickens. They can pass this virus among themselves by fighting or pecking insects off each other. The bite or scratch allows the virus to enter the body. By the time the wound has formed a scab, the disease begins to manifest. Most of the time, chickens do recover from fowl pox. But while in a weakened state they may succumb to a secondary infection. Once a chicken has had this viral infection and recovers from it, he is immune for life.

Disease Prevention

Chickens are generally pretty hardy animals and will recover from ailments given proper care. The notable exception to that is Marek's Disease that has no cure. A lot can be done to prevent disease in your backyard chickens. Maintaining proper hygiene is very important in preventing the spread of disease. Keep your chicken coop clean and free of feces. Clean out the feces daily and clean the coop or hen house on a regular basis. Change the water and food you give your chickens daily rather than just adding to it so viruses and parasites won't be spread internally. Also, be careful when working with your flock that you do not spread disease from chicken to chicken by handling them. Marek's Disease in particular can travel on your clothing. Just like any other pet, your chickens need proper health care and you should seek advice from your vet on a regular basis.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Diagnosing CFS

It can be very difficult to diagnose CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). This is because CFS has many different possible causes, depending on the patient. Doctors must diagnose it in an exclusionary fashion. What this means is that if the doctor suspects CFS, he or she will try to eliminate other possible causes of the symptoms. Once every other possibility has been eliminated, that leaves CFS as the diagnosis.

This must be the process because many of CFS' symptoms resemble those of other conditions. Often the CFS sufferer reports 'flu-like symptoms: aches, pains, fatigue, fever, and chills. Other times, the symptoms seem like clinical depression (although there is a key difference: Physical exercise usually helps people with depression, while exercise for CFS sufferers generally worsens their symptoms).

Once a doctor has ruled out any other potential causes of the symptoms, he or she looks for the primary CFS indicators. First and foremost is incapacitating fatigue. This must be constant exhaustion that is new (i.e., has not existed since birth), cannot be explained by other conditions or diseases, has lasted for at least six months, and is not improved by sleep or rest.

Continue reading for more information on other CFS symptoms that need to be present before a diagnosis can be given and sign up for the free newsletter below, which offers tips and suggestions for overcoming CFS naturally.

If those conditions are met, the doctor then looks for more. At least four of these eight symptoms must be present: poor short-term memory and concentration, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, joint pain, headaches, muscle pain, insomnia or poor sleep, and "post-exertional malaise" (which means feeling exhausted for 24 hours after vigorous exercise).

If the fatigue and at least four of the other eight symptoms are present, the doctor may conclude that CFS is the culprit as long as there are no other reasons for the symptoms.

For many years, doctors were unfamiliar with CFS and wouldn't diagnose it. Others were familiar with it but did not consider it a real syndrome, but more of a psychological condition. Even today, because of the conditions vague origins and lack of a specific cause, some doctors are reluctant to diagnose it and consider it a true "syndrome." This frustrates sufferers of CFS, who insist their condition is medical, not psychological.

Part of the problem is the inclusion of the word "fatigue" in the syndrome's name. Everyone feels tired at times. Some people even feel tired MOST of the time, due to having a demanding job or a very active social life. Calling that a "syndrome" seems "wimpy" to some people. It's important to note that while fatigue is certainly the most prevalent symptom of CFS, it's not the only one. The 'flu-like symptoms are a major component, too, and no one would argue that 'flu-like symptoms aren't a legitimate medical condition.

So there remains some stigma with CFS, and the medical community has not reached a consensus on its causes or treatments. If you feel you are suffering from CFS, it's important to find a physician who understands and who will take your health seriously and provide appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Making Homemade Kitten Food at Home

Do you need a cheap, healthy alternative to store bought kitten food to help wean your kittens off their mother's milk and transition them to traditional canned kitten food? More than likely, they have shown little interest in regular canned food, preferring the milk to anything you might put in their bowl. Dry food will also be too hard on their developing teeth. The best option would be to start them on a food that reminds them of what they prefer, but can be mixed with traditional wet food to help transition them over. This recipe is simple to make, and kittens find it delicious.

Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and mix in one envelope of unflavored gelatin. Be sure to mix thoroughly, and do not boil the gelatin. If the water tastes bad or has a heavy chlorine taste when it comes out of the tap, consider using filtered water instead.

Pour this mixture into a blender along with half of a 12 ounce can of goat's milk. Blend just long enough to combine thoroughly. Do not substitute cow's milk because cats tend to be lactose intolerant. Using cow's milk can lead to discomfort, diarrhea, and worse if fed to kittens.

Add the following ingredients one at a time. After each addition, blend briefly to combine before moving on to the next. You will want to use the lowest setting to avoid overmixing. Add: 3 tbsp full fat yogurt, 3 tbsp real mayonnaise, 3 tsp light corn syrup, and 1 raw egg yolk. Concerning the egg yolk, raw eggs carry a small risk of salmonella poisoning. To eliminate any risk of accidentally passing this on to your kittens, use eggs that have been pasteurized in their shells.

You can serve the completed homemade kitten food the way it is, or you can store it for use later. To store for later usage, cover the mixture tightly in a small container. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to ten days or in your freezer for up to three months.

If you are going to use food that you have prepared in advance, you will want to warm it up before serving, especially if it is coming from the refrigerator or freezer. Cold food causes severe stomach upset in kittens. Warming it up will also make it more aromatic, and thus more appetizing to the kittens.Cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection that originates from the bacteria present in cat saliva. It is usually transmitted to humans through licking, biting, or scratching, hence the name. You do not actually have to be scratched or bitten, as most people who suffer the condition do not recall being bitten or scratched. It is not a severe condition, but care must be taken if the person in question is elderly, very young, or has a weakened immune system. The symptoms of cat scratch disease, which will be discussed below, usually form anywhere from a few days to a week after infection.

Check the area surrounding any visible wounds that may have been caused by the cat. If it is due to physical injury, this would be the point where the person was scratched or bitten. If the person is suffering from cat scratch disease, the wound will be very slow to heal. There will also be an area of redness and swelling around the point of injury that does not go away for several days.

Determine whether or not there is any swelling in the lymph nodes near this area. This will be the primary symptom that you will want to look for, and is usually the one that people notice first. If the swelling is accompanied by severe pain, or if it does not go away after two weeks, seek medical attention.

Check for fever. As with any bacterial infection, fever will most likely be present.

Determine whether there are any signs of pain. People will generally report a nonspecific sense of overall discomfort or malaise that seems to hang on. It is also usually accompanied by a prolonged fatigue, lack of energy, and lack of motivation to do much. Headache is also very common.

Check for less common symptoms that may be present. They include: sore throat, weight loss, and lack of appetite. The unfortunate truth about these symptoms is that they are common to quite a few different conditions, so no diagnosis can be based on their presence alone.

It is difficult for a person without medical training to diagnose cat scratch disease on their own, but in most cases, it will not be a cause for concern. Most people with normal immune systems will recover quickly with no treatment. If the person is very young, old, or is suffering from another condition that weakens the immune system, antibiotics may be recommended in order to clear up the infection.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Lost Cats or Strays - What if You Found One?

A pet owner will probably know what to do if his pet is lost. A responsible person will always register his animal with the local authorities and will have the animal wear a tag on his collar. He might also decide to have a microchip installed between the shoulder blades of the animal.

What if you are not a pet owner but found a stray cat or kitten in a busy road or in the middle of nowhere? Such an animal deserves immediate care; otherwise, a car or a bigger animal could kill him, or worse yet, he could fall into the hands of cruel people.

The first thing to do in such a case is to approach the animal slowly with a gentle manner and gain his confidence. If the animal seems friendly enough and allows a stranger to handle him, looking for some kind of identification is the next step. If his tag has the owner's phone number, you can call the owner immediately. If the cat has a license number on his tag, the local county animal agency can trace the animal to the owner.

If the animal has no identification, you may take him to a shelter or to the local animal control agency. If you are afraid the local agency will euthanize the animal, you can ask them to trace the owners and offer to become his temporary adopter until they can do so.

The next step is to take the animal to a veterinarian, even before you take him home with you. This is very important, because you don't know if the animal you found has a sickness or a disease that can infect you, your family members, and your other pets at home. Zoonoses, rabies, cowpox, ringworm, pasteurella, tetanus, Campylobacter enteritis, cat scratch fever, conjunctivitis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, salmonella, toxoplasmosis, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and even plague can be transmitted from cats to humans or to other animals.

If you see a lost cat in the middle of a busy road, take care of your safety first by checking the rear-view window before stopping, signaling your intention, using your hazard lights, and then stopping by the side of the road at a safe place. Don't jump out of our car suddenly, and try to act calmly toward the animal. If he feels uneasy and becomes afraid of you, he may suddenly rush into the traffic and may get killed.

Also, if the animal looks hostile and threatening, it is a better idea to call for help rather than handle him yourself. If the animal is injured, signal the other cars to slow down until you can get the animal to relative safety or find a suitable carrier to take him to your car.

When you approach the animal, make sure he sees you and understands that you are a friend. Try to talk to him in a gentle voice and offer him food if you have it with you. If you have a carrier or a box in the car, put the cat inside it, making sure he gets enough air. An unrestrained animal whose behavior is unknown to you can be a danger to himself and to your driving.

The last but not the least is not to become too attached to a found animal. Not all cats that are lost have irresponsible owners or are abandoned. Some animals just wander away and get lost, while their owners grieve. If you take the lost animal to your home and he becomes part of your household, be ready to hand him over to his original owner if you can find him and if that owner shows up for his pet.

If you want to help stray animals, you may opt to keep some emergency equipment in your car: A carrier or a sturdy box lined with a towel with breathing holes; fresh water and a saucer; dry cat food; the phone numbers of pet shelters, veterinarians, and the local animal control agency.

As animal lovers, we need to keep this in mind: Animals that cannot defend themselves depend on us for survival. We need to do for them what we would want someone else do for us in our hour of need.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Art of Succeeding Without Going Anywhere - Story of Immanuel Kant

Travelling for pleasure is a modern phenomenon. Before the twentieth century, few people undertook long journeys if it was not for investment or trade. Moving from one country to another was uncomfortable and expensive. Before vaccination became an everyday procedure, malaria and yellow fever presented major health risks for those travelling to tropical areas.

In our days, public taste has shifted to the opposite extreme. From teenagers to pensioners, millions of individuals devote their holidays to visiting distant cities. Airlines offer affordable tickets to cross the ocean, inviting consumers to spend their next vacation exploring exotic cultures. Who can resist their enticing advertisements?

The fact that large numbers of people travel for pleasure provides evidence of its popularity, not of its benefits. Many individuals count smoking, overeating, and excessive drinking amongst their favourite occupations. The enjoyment derived from those activities does not automatically qualify them as advantageous. Judgement should be passed on the basis of rational assessment, not of popularity.

While dogs and cats appear perfectly contented to move around without purpose, human beings tend to become restless. Travelling dissolves our routines and forces us to start from scratch. Encountering novelty can be pleasurable, but too much of it leads to exhaustion.

Spending your vacation in an unusual location guarantees that you will meet new people and taste exotic food. For the duration of the break, you will forget your routines and feel exempted from preoccupations. The idea is that, since you have worked hard for months, now it is your turn to enjoy a holiday.

On the other hand, if you are one of those who loves his work and is inclined to introspection, you might experience some doubts: Should you really be there? Don't you have better things to do? What is the point of all these vacation trips? Are you not wasting your time?

The vision of life as a sequence of work interrupted by holiday trips was born a century ago, but our mental patterns are more than 5.000 years old. The practice of going away at regular intervals and leaving everything behind would have seemed incomprehensible to most 19th century entrepreneurs, composers, or inventors. They would have looked at us with surprise and inquired about the purpose of all that travelling.

The German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is known to have spent his entire life in Konigsberg, a city that nowadays belongs to Russia. Apparently, he never wandered more than a few kilometres away from Konigsberg, where he worked for decades as a university professor. If he had wished to travel, he possessed the means to do so.

Kant never crossed the ocean to see America and never visited Russia, even though St. Petersburg is not far away from Konigsberg. He never went to London, never set foot in Paris, and never spent a summer in Rome. For all we know, he did not even go to Berlin for a weekend. If this sounds boring to you, wait until you read the whole story.

Due to financial difficulties in his youth, Kant was forced to interrupt his studies for a couple of years. He eventually managed to obtain an advanced degree and, when he was 31 years old, he landed a teaching job at the University of Konigsberg, where he would continue to lecture until his retirement decades later.

For most of his life, Kant did pretty much the same every day, irrespective of the season. He would have breakfast, walk to the University, teach his classes, have lunch, do some research, write a few pages of his next book, return home, and have dinner.

When his friends urged him to have a more active social life, Kant politely replied that he had no time. There was always some exciting subject that he was researching or some important book that he was planning. His writing kept him busy, leaving little room for travel and other activities.

After a quarter of a century at his job, he produced his most important book, the Critique of Pure Reason (1781). When the volume was published, Kant was already 57 years old and fully conscious of the importance of what he had accomplished. History would prove him right. His work has exerted foremost influence on philosophers during the last two centuries.

The insights contained in Kant's book prepared the ground for scientific discoveries and industrial development. His ethical theories, which underline the role of reason, stressed the importance of individual responsibility.

Would Kant have written such exceptional book if he had spent several weeks per year travelling for pleasure? Would he have produced such extraordinary achievement if he had interrupted his work at regular intervals?

While exotic vacations are fine for some people, other individuals find them disruptive. Depending on your personal philosophy and the type of activities you like, extended travelling might or might not be the right thing for you.

Do not assume that you are obliged to follow the trend. If there is a lesson to be learned from Kant's life, is that you can attain great success without going anywhere. Travelling for pleasure can be great fun, but if there are better things that you could do with your time, do not let anybody decide for you.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

How to Eradicate Intestinal Worms Naturally

Worm infestation is a serious worldwide health problem, but it is found much more frequently outside of the United States.  The worms that infect humans are usually of three types: roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes.

In the United States, roundworms or tapeworms are the most frequent, and these range from less than and inch to up to 15 or 20 feet.

The most common worms in the roundworm family are: pinworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.  Pinworms are found mostly in children.  At night the female pinworms pass to the anal region and lay their eggs.  

This causes sever itching, and the eggs can be transmitted to the mouth when the hands become contaminated, either by scratching around the anal area or by coming in contact with the pinworm eggs on contaminated bed clothes.  

More than one member of the family may be contaminated.  It is important that during treatment, all underclothes and bed clothes be changed and sterilized daily whipworm and roundworm infection can be prevented by proper disposal of human waste.

Hookworm disease is contracted by walking barefoot on contaminated soil.  Prevention of this disease depends on proper sanitary disposal of human feces and wearing shoes.

Tapeworm infestation is acquired by the ingestion of eggs or larvae in uncooked meat.  To prevent infection with tapeworm it is necessary that all beef, pork, and fish be thoroughly cooked before eating.

Symptoms

Many persons infected with worms have few if any symptoms.  With a heavy infection of the worms, anemia or weakness may develop.  

Trichinosis, which is acquired by eating improperly cooked pork, frequently causes muscle pains; the worms may also lodge in the heart, brain, or eyes.

Abdominal pain and diarrhea may be present.  Children are frequently restless during the night with gritting of the teeth, a dry cough, and a slight fever.  Occasionally worms may cause convulsions.

The Natural Treatment

The cause must be corrected, and this usually means the correction of unhygienic living conditions and the proper cooking of all meat and dish.

It is easy to remove the worms from the body, but this does not necessarily cure the disease.Do not eat food robbed of its life-giving properties such as white flour products, cane sugar products, vegetables cooked in lots of water and the water thrown away, peeled potatoes, candy, cakes, ice cream, and meats of all kinds.  

Constipation, if present, must be overcome by herbal laxatives.

Fast 2 or 3 days and eat raw pumpkin seeds generously.  You can eat as much as one pound a day.  

Fennel seed, slippery elm, white oak bark teas will drive them out.

Cut up an onion and soak it for 12 hours in a quart of water; then squeeze the juice out and take for 4 days.  This juice will kill and expel worms.  Take as much juice as possible, fasting while taking it.

Medicinal Herbs

- Chamomilla/Camomile: It expels worms.

"Side Effects"

Gives tone and strength to the stomach, stimulates digestion and improves the appetite.

- Wormwood: Expels worms.

"Side Effects"

It's good for those with poor digestion or a lack of appetite.  Follow the directions on the label and don't take extra doses.

- Fennel Seed:

Worms do not like fennel as it is a sedative to them, and they will pass from the body if the bowels are kept loose (herbal laxative).

"Side Effects"

It is a tonic to the stomach and will strengthen it.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Lip Herpes and Stress

Lip herpes, or Herpes simplex 1 is a painful viral condition that produces red fluid filled blisters on the lips, mouth and even sometimes the nose. Also known as cold sores and fever blisters, they can also occur on the inside of the mouth and gums as well.

90% of all adults in the United States are exposed to the virus by the age of 60. 40% of people infected will experience the full blown symptoms of oral herpes. If you suffer from fever blisters, chances are that you picked it up as a child. 60% of all children are exposed to the virus by late puberty.

When someone becomes infected with herpes HSV1, the virus makes its way through the skin from the point of infection into a group of nerve cells in the brain known as ganglion. The virus lodges in the ganglion and becomes dormant. Some people are fortunate enough to never experience an actual outbreak of HSV1.

What causes the virus to become activated? Stress on the immune system which had kept the virus suppressed . Once activated the symptoms of a cold sore will begin. These typically are;

A tingling, prickly or itching sensation.
Slight redness, swelling and pain.
An eruption of a blister or cluster of blisters.
The blisters break down into yellowish shallow ulcers.
The emergence of a hard irregular crust, with bleeding.
After a period of 7-14 days the blister will recede and heal.

Once the infection becomes active, it can be spread to others by oral contact. During this time you should avoid kissing or other forms of contact with people. Do not share food, drink or dining and kitchen utensils. Do not share your toothbrush or dental floss. Do not share towels. Also its best to avoid contact with infants and people with a weakened immune system.

Certain stressful conditions are known to reactivate the dormant virus. Some of these are;

Exposure to sunlight, wind and cold.
Lack of sleep
Menstruation and hormonal changes.
Pain
Certain Foods
Drugs
Dental Procedures
Anything that stresses your immune system

Cold sores symptoms can be treated with topical applications of ice, alchohol or lip balm. Over the counter treatments include antiviral creams such as Decisional (Abreva), and Peniclovir (Denivar).

There is an All-Natural Permanent cure available for Lip Herpes.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Cat Scratch Disease - My Cat Just Scratched Me, What Do I Do?

Cat scratch disease is also known as cat scratch fever. This disease strikes people who are infected by the Bartonella henselae bacteria. In almost all cases, cat scratch disease occurs when the person was scratched or bitten by his cat. The cat itself does not catch cat scratch disease. It is just a carrier. Now, before you panic and send your cat to the pound, the National Center for Infectious Diseases (CDC) estimates that 40% of all cats carry this disease at some time in their lives. Considering how many cat owners exist in the world, clearly, this disease is not very infectious or dangerous.

But how do you know whether you were infected by cat scratch disease? The first thing you want to look at is the place your cat bit or scratched you. Is the wound infected? (Note: If you cannot find the wound, then you do not have cat scratch disease.) Then you want to check your lymph nodes. Are the nodes around your head, neck and upper limbs swollen? Do you also have fever, headache, fatigue, and a poor appetite? These are the typical cat scratch fever symptoms.

What can you do? The first step is always preventative. If you own a cat, or play with cats, you will definitely get bitten or scratched. What you should do every time you get scratched is simply to clean the wound with soap and running water. Then clean it with an antiseptic like peroxide and apply an antibiotic cream (neosporin works pretty well). Just applying these basic hygiene practises will prevent most cases of infection from cat bites or scratches, not just cat scratch disease.

What if you have already been infected - your wound is swollen and reddish, your lymph nodes are swollen and you have a fever? Then just go to your doctor. He will probably give you an antibiotic, and maybe drain the wound if necessary. You should also send your cats to the vet. Let him make sure they are not still carrying the bacteria. Otherwise they may infect you again, or infect other people.

In the long run, you need to train your cats not to bite or scratch too hard. Your cats need to learn how to show affection without drawing blood from you. And you need to learn not to provoke or over-excite your cats.

Provided that you are not the one who provoked the cat scratch, you can spray kitty with water every time it bites or scratches you. This means you will need to carry around a spray bottle with you at home. Spray kitty consistently when it bites you, and it will learn to stop biting you. Remember to spray when it bites - not 30 seconds later, or 1 minute later, or 5 minutes later. It will only learn if your response is immediate. Too many people spray only after the cat scratched or bit, then they complain that the technique does not work.

If your cat tends to bite or scratch you during playtime, then you need a different approach. Play with your cat normally. When he bites or scratches you, stop playing and ignore him. Too many people just continue playing - unfortunately, this teaches kitty that biting or scratching is good.

As you can see, cat scratch disease is not a big deal. As long as you practice basic hygiene, and train your cat not to bite or scratch too much, everything should be alright.