Skin Rashes

By Nurse Diane

It’s a beautiful day; you are taking a nice stroll.... The grass is green, the trees are green, and there are green leaves everywhere!  But beware!  Leaves of 3 let it be!  Yes folks, I’m talking about poison ivy and poison oak.    This is a real problem in the southern states and I’m sure other area as well.  I am highly allergic, just writing is is making me itch!  There was a large oak tree across the street from my school.  I would stand by it after school to wait for my mother to pick me up.  It didn't take too long for me to learn that it was covered with those nasty green leaves.   I touched it and swole up like that blueberry girl on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I had to go to the doctor and get what must have been a steroid shot back then my mother covered the rash with that pink calamine lotion.  Not only was I miserable with itchy seeping blisters all over my swollen face pink colored face, but also I looked like a circus clown.

When my father gets around it, he immediately starts a steroid dose pack to keep from getting a bad case of it.  Not only can you get a reaction from touching the leaves, but also if the leaves are burning and the smoke gets near you, you can get the rash, and also if you touch someone who has it you can get it.

I recently read another article about a new plant that is making its way across the country.  Its called Giant hogweed and it is a plant that looks like a supersized version of Queen Anne’s lace and a touch can cause blisters, burns and blindness.to see a short video about this plant, click here:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/innocent-looking-plant-poses-serious-151214291.html

Symptoms of the rash or contact dermatitis as it is more formally known as include:

Itching at the site

Redness at the site

Heat at the site

Localized swelling or tenderness

Blisters or rash

Treatment

If you come in contact with poison ivy or any poisonous plant, wash immediately with soap and water.  If a rash develops use corticosteroid creams and ointments if the condition becomes unbearable, however sometimes the best treatment is no treatment.  Over treatment of skin rashes may cause you to develop reactions to other irritants.  However, you may need corticosteroid medication if it worsens.  It usually takes 2 or 3 weeks before the symptoms disappear.

Prevention

As my daddy will tell you, if it is green and has leaves, stay away from it!

(Photos from Google) 

Menopause Week

By Nurse Diane

I recently celebrated a milestone birthday.  As I began to approach the half-century mark, one major thought entered my mind.  I was so excited about the prospect of ending my menstruation cycle and starting Menopause.  For the first couple of months at the start of the year, I had no period, so I began to dream of wearing white pants again.  However, that was not to be the case.  My cycle returned with a vengeance, and my shopping for white has once again been postponed. I have however started to experience some of the signs of menopause.

Some of the signs that Menopause has begin to occur include:

• Menstrual periods that occur less often and eventually stop
• Heart pounding or racing
• Hot flashes, usually worst during the first 1-2 years
• Night sweats
• Skin flushing
• Sleeping problems (insomnia)
• Decreased interest in sex, possibly decreased response to sexual stimulation
• Forgetfulness (in some women)
• Headaches
• Mood swings including irritability, depression, and anxiety
• Urine leakage
• Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse
• Vaginal infections
• Joint aches and pains
• Irregular heartbeat

Treatment:

There is no way to prevent the occurrence of Menopause; it is a natural process of aging.  Some measures you can take to help ease the symptoms include:

There are other medicines available to help with mood swings, hot flashes, and other symptoms. These include:

• Antidepressants
• A blood pressure medicine
• A seizure drug that also helps reduce hot flashes

DIET AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Hormones are not always needed to reduce symptoms of menopause. There are many steps you can take to reduce symptoms.

Diet changes:.

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods
• Eat soy foods. Soy contains estrogen
• Get plenty of calcium and vitamin D in food or supplements

Exercise and relaxation techniques:.

• Get plenty of exercise.
• Do Kegel exercise every day. They strengthen the muscles of your vagina and pelvis.
• Practice slow, deep breathing whenever a hot flash starts to come on. Try taking six breaths a minute.
• Try yoga, tai chi, or meditation.

Other tips:

• Dress lightly and in layers.
• Keep having sex.
• Use water-based lubricants or a vaginal moisturizer during sex.
• See an acupuncture specialist.

This is World Menopause Week.  If you are experiencing "the change" or know someone who is, remember to have patience and give support and encouragement.  Before you know it they will be back to their old self in no time (maybe).

(Images from Google) 

Eating Disorder

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By Nurse Diane

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.  This was a song by Karen Carpenter.  30 years ago, on February 4th she died from complications from Anorexia.  At that time, there wasn't alot known about this illness, but has since become studied and more has been learned about this disease in the hopes of preventing further deaths from this disorder.  People with eating disorders have a distorted view of their own bodies.

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They strive to be thin at the risk of endangering their lives.  I was reading that this is a particularly difficult time for some with all the television awards programs.  People who view these programs with all the movie stars in beautiful dresses want to look that way too.  Bulimia is another eating disorder where the person binge eats then forces vomiting, takes laxatives and diuretics to remove the food that was just consumed.

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Anorexia nervosa is characterized by:

Extreme thinness (emaciation);

A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight;

Intense fear of gaining weight;

Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight;

Lack of menstruation among girls and women’ and or

Extremely restricted eating.

Some other signs to look for if you suspect a person may have anorexia are:

Thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis)

Brittle hair and nails

Dry and yellowish skin

Growth of fine hair all over the body (lanugo)

Mild anemia and muscle wasting and weakness

Severe constipation

Low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse

Damage to the structure and function of the heart

Brain damage

Multi-organ failure

Drop in internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time

Lethargy, sluggishness, or feeling tired all the time

Infertility.

Signs of Bulimia include:

Chronically inflamed and sore throat

Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area

Worn tooth enamel, increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid

Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems

Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse

Severe dehydration from purging of fluids

Electrolyte imbalance (too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals) which can lead to heart attack.

Treatment for these disorders include:

Restoring the person to a healthy weight;

Treating the psychological issues related to the eating disorder;

Reducing or eliminating behaviors or thoughts that lead to insufficient eating and preventing relapse;

Individual, group, and/or family psychotherapy;

Medical care and monitoring;

Nutritional counseling; and or

Medications.

This week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week.  The campaign slogan is everybody knows somebody.  If you know someone or suspect someone has an eating disorder, check out this site and learn more ways to help them.  http://nedawareness.org/learn

 

Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day

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Nurse Diane

Earlier this week we talked about Mental Illness Awareness week, included in that article was a mention of Bipolar Disorder.  2.3 million people suffer from Bipolar Disorder.  This is a condition that usually begins in the mid 40's through the 50's or it can start earlier, but it requires lifelong treatment.  A person with this illness goes through periods of mania then depression.  Episodes like extreme shopping to deep depression are characteristics.

A recent episode of Bipolar was notice with the public displays of Charlie Sheen.  He was partying and doing drugs and acting abnormal for a while, then sunk into a depression stage, and nobody heard from him.  The same bizarre behavior was also noticed in Brittany Spears.  If Bipolar is left untreated, the risk of suicide is great.  In fact, 25 to 50% of those suffering attempt suicide.

You don't have to be in the public eye to suffer from this disorder.  You may know someone who shares these same symptoms.  The purpose of Bipolar Awareness Day is to:

• Learn more about the symptoms of bipolar disorder and mental illness and understand its impact on society;
• Participate in a free mental health screening held in many local communities; and
• Reach out people with bipolar disorder to seek treatment.

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This day was created in 1990 by Abbott Laboratories to increase awareness of bipolar disorder, promote early detection and accurate diagnosis, reduce stigma, and minimize the devastating impact on those who suffer from bipolar illness.

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Below is a quiz from psychcentral.com for you to take to see if you know anyone with these symptoms, or if you have them yourself.  If you do, please seek help and encourage those you may know to seek help as well.

http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/bipolarquiz.htm

Psoriasis Awareness Month – 2012 Update

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By Nurse Diane

Psoriasis is a common skin condition that causes skin redness and irritation. Most people with psoriasis have thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches called scales.

Psoriasis is very common. Anyone can get it, but it most commonly begins between ages 15 and 35.  It is not contagious. You cannot spread it to others.

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Psoriasis seems to be passed down through families. Doctors think it probably occurs when the body's immune system mistakes healthy cells for dangerous substances.

The following may trigger an attack of psoriasis or make the condition more difficult to treat:

• Bacteria or viral infections, including strep throat and upper respiratory infections;
• Dry air or dry skin;
• Injury to the skin, including cuts, burns, and insect bites;
• Some medicines, including antimalarial drugs, beta-blockers, and lithium;
• Stress;
• Too little sunlight;
• Too much sunlight (sunburn);
• Too much alcohol; and
• Psoriasis can appear suddenly or slowly. Many times, it goes away and then comes back again and again.

Symptoms include:

• Irritated, red, flaky patches of skin;
• Most often seen on the elbows, knees, and middle of the body; and
• Red patches may appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp

The goal of treatment is to control your symptoms and prevent infection.

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Three treatment options are available:

• Skin lotions, ointments, creams, and shampoos. These are called topical treatments.
• Pills or injections that affect the body's immune response, not just the skin. There are called systemic, or body-wide, treatments.
• Photo-therapy, which uses light to treat psoriasis

Psoriasis is a life-long condition that can be controlled with treatment. It may go away for a long time and then return. With appropriate treatment, it usually does not affect your general physical health.  This month is Psoriasis Awareness month.  For More information about psoriasis click on this site: http://www.psoriasis.org/ and remember, it is a disease, and is not contagious.

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Psoriasis facts

• Psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease in the U.S., affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans.
• Psoriasis occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells, resulting in painful red, scaly patches on the body that bleed and itch.
• Psoriasis is not contagious.
• Psoriasis frequently occurs with a range of other health concerns including diabetes, hypertension, heart attack and depression.
• Psoriasis impacts the emotions. Nearly 70% of people with psoriasis say their disease makes them feel self-conscious, embarrassed and helpless.
• Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriasis arthritis, which causes pain, swelling and stiffness around the joints.
• There currently is no cure for psoriasis.