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Conjunctivitis-Facts & Eye Care

2011-09-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

Few people can say that they have'nt suffered from "the red eye"- "Conjunctivitis" .

Before I discuss a few common symptoms and how to deal with it, let me give you an idea to what really is conjunctivitis. Its basically the inflammation of the conjuctiva.
The conjunctiva is a mucous membrane that lines the insides of your eyelids and the front(anterior) of your eyeball.It joins the eyeball to the eyelids.

Few factors that can cause conjunctivitis are: hot dry climate,poor sanitation,dirty habits,poor hygienic conditions and flies.It may also be caused by a variety of organisms.
Mode of infection: conjunctiva may get infected through theses sources: directly through close contact,as air-borne or water borne infections, through material transfer such as infected fingers of doctors or nurses,common towels,handkerchiefs etc.

SYMPTOMS:

Discomfort and foreign body sensation
Difficulty to tolerate light(photophobia)
Mucus/pus discharge from the eyes
Sticking together of lids with discharge during sleep
Slight blurring of vision
Redness of eye ("fiery red eye")

Usually the infection reaches its height in 3-4 day.If untreated in mild cases the infection may be overcome and the condition is cured in 10-15 days.
TIPS to handle the infection:
No doubt at the start of the symptoms we run to the doctor to get our eyed checked and we're given a course oftreatment.But how do you ensure you're doing your part to help the healing process and not retard it. Here are a few pointers to recover sooner.

Do not wash your eye frequently- as it will wash away the protective proteins present in tears.
Dark goggles- contrary to popular belief conjunctivitis DOES NOT spread by looking at the eyes of an infected person and that IS NOT the reason they are advised to wear dark glasses. They are worn to provide relief to the eye,as the infected eye finds it difficult to tolerate light.(photophobia)
No bandage should be applied- exposure to air keeps the temperature of the conjunctiva low which inhibits bacterial growth. If you bandage the infection will become more severe as the conjunctiva will act as an incubator to the bacteria.
No steroids should be applied-otherwise the infection will flare up and an ulcer may develop and could cause you to go blind.
Anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers are given to provide symptomatic relief from mild pain especially in senitive patients.
Do not leave around the handkerchiefs or towels that you are using during the infection as you can spread the infection if others use it.
Wash your hands frequently-especially after touching you eyes,
DO NOT rub your eyes- in doing so you will worsen the infection and prolong recovery time.
Avoid crowded and dusty places- to reduce irritation to your eyes.
Most importantly-follow the instructions given to you by your eye doctor and follow the medications and ointments religiously.

Well,that's all there is to it.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR VISION! .. :)

Beware Of Painkillers- True Incident !!

2011-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Ask your doctor before you pop one in!!

I was waiting outside the ICU as my granny had just been admitted. With nothing much to do until i could visit her, I did what most people do- looking at visitors and relatives and trying to decipher from their expressions and emotions, the probable reason they're there.Is it his father,son, mother,wife or daughter? What could be the problem? How bad is it?Did that family lose a loved one?..Being a medical student a billion reasons and diseases popped into my head. While pondering over them I caught sight of an old man , his face wrought with worry.I noticed he made multiple visits to the ICU (which is not usually permitted to prevent exposure of patients to the infective atmosphere outside -hence visting hours are maintained!)..they only allow you in at other times if they doctor asks for,patient asks for you or if the patient is critical.
In my mind i lost sight of all else in the waiting area and focussed on my new subject. As I watched him, I could see him patiently explain to other visitors and heard a few big medical terms from his mouth. And i thought to myself,"How is it that he knows these words?..Why and what is he explaining to so many people in contrast to the others who sat silently in their seats, shared with other visitors their problems or huddled with their families speaking in low toned voices??"...Once he was done explaining,he started pacing- not once,not twice but the whole time!..The curiosity in me kept increasing as did the urge to talk to him.I thought that being a medical student,maybe I could hear him out and offer a few words of comfort for at least a few minutes so as to lend his legs some rest. But I resisted, afraid of what his reaction would be.
So I kept prodding my mom to go up to him and ask. The visitors slowly dwindled away and the relatives retired to the waiting area for the night, leaving the old man,my mom and me outside the ICU. Well in that kind of situation you're pretty much forced to at least nod at the other person. And that's how our conversation started. My mom said about my granny and when inquired about him he replied ,"My son" ..What happened?- "He's admitted for respiratory infection"...And just when I thought "Whew!..He's young,probably has no other complications, he'll bounce back with good care"..He continued- "It started 5 years back, his fingers were hurting so he went to a general practioner who prescribed him ibuprofen. Few minutes after he took the tablet he started developing rashes and other symptoms and finally fainted.I called the ambulance and on the way to the hospital he suffered a cardiac arrest!..The guys in the ambulance did not administer CPR as fast as they should have..When we reached the hospital the doctors assessed him and said that due to the lack of oxygen supply to his brain he has gone into a coma!!..My wife and I were shocked..we just moved here and did not know anyone..we had no support,no friends here..we had nowhere to go and noone to ask for help...we were weeping..he's our only son and we have a daughter..if only the medics in the ambulance had attended to him efficiently!..my son is a neuroscientist..the institute he worked in pays for his treatment..we've been living in their hospital for the past 5years and came here coz of the infection.."..I was listening to him in rapt attention and watched with a heavy heart as he wiped precious tears streaming down his face..yet he was composed and calm enough to talk..Why did i ask??..Stupid me!...He continued, " He's out of coma now..but he has lost the usage of his limbs as he was bedridden for 5years and he needs rigorous physiotherapy to restore the ability of his limbs..its difficult to find therapists who will be patient enough to spend 3hrs of therapy on him..I'm 75 years old but I have never been admitted to the hospital or had any serious issues..I'm grateful to God at least I can care for my son.."..I was relieved to know his son was out of coma,but also worried coz patients who are immobile or have low immunity take a longer time to recover from any infection..I wondered to myself,"Poor man, his pain is so evident yet he is soo strong and composed,"..I tried to imagine his mental condition- 75 years old and he has a 39yr old unmarried son who needs constant care..''who would care for him after his parents time was done?''....He then took out a newspaper clipping and showed me the report where a filmstar had suffered the same reaction to ibuprofen but was attended before any damage could have been done..he was perfectly fine.. "See?" he told me.."He also had the same issue, but the doctors saved him"..I didn't know what to say other than nod my head and tell him "I will remember you in my prayers and let you know if I find any physiotherapists for home therapy."..
..."His mother is in there with him..they allow her to stay as long as she wants..he sees us and hears us..but hasn't said anything yet.."...He takes out the ID card of his son and shows me the smiling face of a handsome young man.."See?..that's him"...and the tears flow again..unable to compose himself he says..."I will have some dinner and see you around"..."Okay" I said- "We'll be in the waiting area..." And I sat there with him in my thoughts,thinking about physiotherapists with a very heavy heart.."Wow!..His son must have put in years of efforts to be a neuroscientist,not to mentionn working in one of the top institutes of the country..and now??..he's just lying in bed-helpless and immobile!..I shuddered to even think of myself in that condition...."Ibuprofen??"..Its the commonest drug which is used for pain relief and can be obtained without a prescription..I take it soo often..it sent a chill down my spine....This young man was one of the few victims of its side effects..I'd never imagined it could nip a talent in the bud and cause soo much grief"...- Precious tears of a father..not today..but since 5years and counting ..till his son gets restored..will he be around to witness that miracle..or will he lie on his deathbed still carrying the burden of his son..I shed a few silent tears and said a prayer for him....
(Note:not everyone develops a reaction with ibuprofen..its one of the commonest drugs used for arthritis,fever and pain relief....please check the links given in this article..it will be of help to you..)

Body Shop Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion - Product Review

2011-09-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

Usually when people hear "butter" ,whether cocoa or shea butter "greasy" and "thick" comes to mind. Not so with this product. As one who has tried different brands of cocoa butter lotions the Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lotion definitely reaches the mark. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone in search of a good body lotion!..Oily skin?-didn't make my skin more oily..Dry skin?-then highly recommended...Non-greasy,smooth and easy to apply- little goes a long way..Not only does it leave a subtle scent of chocolate ,it also imparts a gentle sheen to the skin..softens and helps restore skin's elasticity.So good that I apply it in summers too!

You might think butter in summer?..Isn't it meant for the cold,dry winters?...Well here's a fact from body shop itself, "
"For centuries the women of Ghana have used cocoa butter to moisturize and cool their skin in the African heat. Women have used it to protect their skin from the dry Saharan winds. ..."
I second that. This definitely is one of my favorite body lotions!
About Product from : http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/specials/sale-buy1-get1/sale-body-products/cocoa-butter-hand-body-lotion.aspx

The Body Shop® difference: Before founding The Body Shop®, Dame Anita Roddick was traveling the world picking up ideas for effective natural treatments and remedies used by native people in their daily life. While in Tahiti, Anita was impressed by the soft, smooth skin of the native women. When she asked them how they kept their skin so smooth, they showed her what looked like a lump of cold lard. In fact, it was cocoa butter, extracted from cocoa pods, which they rubbed into their skin just as their mothers had taught them.

Apart from great skin benefits this product supports community fair trade:
Made with passion, it helps to give over 40,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana a fair income,control over their future,and the means to send their children to school!..Since 1995, The Body Shop has been buying cocoa beans from the Kuapa Kokoo company in Ghana, a fair trade co-operative with over 30,000 small-scale farmers. The money made by the co-operative enables the development of community projects such as schools and village wells in addition to providing the farmers with income to support their families.
Well that's a product with a heart!!..Good for the community and great for your skin!..Thumbs up to this product!.. :)

How To Deal With The Flu Virus?

2011-09-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Aaachoo!!
pic courtesy-weikhang.com

Hey,
Past 2 weeks have been drab thanks to the flu. Bodyaches,lethargy, runny and blocked nose (in my case ears too!), low appetite and just sick and listless. Nothing seems fun and all I wanted to do was stay under the covers not to mention missing classes for 2 weeks!..
Sounds familiar??..yeah everyone gets struck by the virus- some rarely and some more often than not!

Anyways now that I'm better I thought I'd share some tips on how to handle the flu not just as one who gets affected by it every year but also as a medical student! :

Tip #1 : There is no definite cure for the common cold. You just gotta let the virus run its course.
However there are medicine to alleviate your symptoms in the form of painkillers for the nasty headache and decongestants for your blocked sinuses.

Tip #2 : Rest, rest and some more rest...yes its the best time to catch up on lost sleep!....(drag yourself to work and its just gonna get worse and cause you to stay in longer- my experience....however sometimes you just cant stay in coz of work demands..if thats the case-try to get at least 8hrs sleep at night)

Tip #3 : Minimize exposure to crowds and pollution to prevent spreading the virus or worse yet aggravating your flu!

Tip #4: Plenty of fluids to thin your secretions and make it easier for you to get rid of it. May be soups,herbal teas,juices or just plain old water...Stay hydrated!

Tip #5: Good nutrition- no matter how tasteless food may seem you just gotta stuff it in to get better..not junk mind you!..taking a daily multivitamin along with your medications helps too..

Tip #6: Blocked sinuses? Head seems like it will burst?..(something I realised about sinusitis-your tooth can hurt and drive you to the dentist!..yes it can cause toothache-i dint know that until my recent tryst with sinusitis!!..)
The most favored way to clear your head and sinuses- STEAM INHALATION!..twice or thrice a day...yes your physician will tell you that..you may add menthol or eucalyptus oil but its the steam that matters!
(trust me once you do this it feels like someone's lifted a tonne of bricks of you head!-works like a charm)

Tip #7: Something that helped me with the chills...wear socks and plug your ears with a little cotton or a monkey cap! (reduces your exposure to cold)..and do not sleep directly under the fan...still cold?..bring on the blankets..

Tip #8: DO NOT leave your hair wet for long if you HAVE to wash it..(I'd advise against it) and take quick warm showers ,dry off soon and jump into warm clothes..

Tip #9: Handwashing- its important for you and your family members to wash your hands more often to prevent catching the flu or spreading it..Can't wash often?- keep a sanitizer at hand..
Tip #10: Nothing beats TLC- that's right- tender loving care!..(no one gives that better than mom :)..
If you're alone tips up to 8 will do great for you....if your at home sweet home -MOM is the best remedy!!

Having said all the tips I've personally tried and tested- If your condition seems to get worse,suffering from high temperatue or you're going green??..its time to visit the doctor..(which I did at the start of my symptoms to confirm it was just the common cold-my FIRST advise though mentioned last)..why??-- coz a viral infection can get risky if not taken care of...considering the different strains of virus doing the rounds...

Hope this is helpful...if the flu virus decides to prey on you- you know what to do! :)

For the love of writing

2011-09-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hey ,
I've been wanting to blog for years now but never got up to it. With so much going on as a medical student I never thought I'd have the time. But then as one who loves to write on anything and everything I just could'nt resist the temptation when fellow students started publishing feeds on networking sites. It got me thinking of school days when writing was one of my favorite hobbies and i thought why not?..Not only is blogging a great getaway from hectic student life but also a great way to share the crazy experiences of everyday life that could make for interesting writing and reading...and of course FOR the love of writing..So stay tuned for a cuppa hot brew- you'll only know what's in once you take a sip!..until then -Ciao! ;-)