Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Speeding the wound healing process.


To , you need to understand what is involved in wound healing. There are three phases: the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases. What happens in the healing process is a growth of millions of tiny blood vessels producing new capillaries. Wound edges are then pulled together and in the last phase, new collagen forms.Time may heal all wounds. But to encourage this to happen faster,there are several things that can be done.How to heal open wounds faster? First aid guidelines...Most wounds do not require emergency medical treatment. However, watch for signs of severity.If the wound is either too deep, infected, if you can't control the bleeding, if there are still remaining debris after cleaning or if the wound is located on sensitive skin, medical wound care is usually much needed. You may also need steri strips or sutures to help close the wound and heal faster. For any open wound, your main focus should be to reduce the bleeding and avoid infection by applying pressure on the wound.Next wrap a sterile and absorbent cloth (or a compress) around it.To reduce bleeding, you can also raise the injured part above the level of the heart.When the bleeding is controlled, an ice pack wrapped in a towel can be applied until it begins to feel numb. This helps constrict blood vessels.To clean the wound, rinse it out with clear water. Do not use soap because it can irritate the wound, so try to keep it out of the actual wound. Wound cleaning reduces the risk of infection and tetanus.Fastest and safest wound treatments? Natural remedies...In case of superficial open wounds, there are many natural remedies that can be used to help fight against the infection and regenerate new cells. Colloidal silver to avoid further infectionColloidal silver helps kill bacteria without damaging newly forming skin cells. It does not sting or burn. Other antiseptics sting when applied to a wound because they are killing the surrounding wall tissue cells. Colloidal silver does not harm the surrounding cells or tissue. Use a spray and sprinkle the colloidal silver over the affected area. Herbal remedies and essential oilsIf infection is still likely to happen, it is best to avoid applying aloe vera or any essential oils on the wound at this stage. Essential oils, such as tea tree or clove oil, provide excellent treatment to heal faster when infection is unlikely. Comfrey or calendula ointments can also be used topically. Other tips to heal open wounds fasterWounds heal faster if there is no pressure on them and if they are kept relatively motionless. Movement disrupts the formation of the new blood vessels.Bandages keep the wound clean, keep harmful bacteria out, and maintain moisture to prevent your skin from drying out. Bandages should be changed daily. However, after the wound has healed enough to make infection unlikely, exposure to the air will speed wound healing.Other natural ways to heal an open wound? Nutrition...Nutrition is definitely something to focus on. Whereas good nutrition facilitates healing, malnutrition can delay, inhibits and complicate the process.Protein is required as part of the inflammatory process, in the immune response and in the development of tissue. The amino acid arginine is also important because it is abundant in the structure of collagen.Carbohydrates are needed for a healthy inflammatory response.Essential fatty acids are essential for skin membrane function. However, some studies show that fish oil supplements could slow down wound healing. Omega-3s from fish oil are anti-inflammatory, but you might want to avoid it for a while.Vitamin B, E, A, C, zinc and copper play key roles in wound healing.Nuts, seeds, polyunsaturated oils such as flax, olive, or hemp oil, whole grains and beans should be part of your diet. Eat vegetables and fruits to get plenty of vitamins and minerals.A wound Diet Supplementation can also help heal faster. A study (Rohrich's study) shows that taking a herbal supplement called InflammEnz can heal a wound 20% faster. This herbal product combines several antioxidants, nutrients and enzymes, including calcium and potassium. But there are four in particular that are suspected of boosting the healing process: vitamin C, bromelain, rutin, and grape seed extract. Important notice:The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed practitioner.

Proper Foot Care for Persons with Diabetes


One of the foremost concerns for persons with diabetes is proper foot care. Complications arising from diabetes can be varied and wide-ranging, affecting various bodily organs - from the eyes, heart and kidneys to the feet. This is mainly because of permanent damages to the small blood vessels within these organs, poor blood circulation and neuropathy arising from the continuous ravages of diabetes over time.The foot in particular, is a primary concern or diabetics. A good percentage of diabetics, mostly the Type II Diabetes sufferers only learn that they have this disease a little too late. They already suffer from complications before they acquire the knowledge of how to effectively prevent this from happening or to somewhat delay as much as possible the onset of such complications. Slow-healing foot ulcerations are one of the early complications arising from diabetes. It can lead to gangrene and ultimately amputation for a person with diabetes if left untreated at the onset. Diabetics are far more likely to have foot amputations than anyone else, so daily care and regular proper feet inspection by a medical professional is much required. For the sake of information, here are the aggravating factors for foot ulcerations in diabetics:Neuropathy Neuropathy or nerve damage is a fairly common complication for diabetics especially for those who intermittently suffer from uncontrolled glucose levels over a prolonged period of time. Diabetic nerve damages are progressive and permanent. This can lead to pronounced loss of sensations of pain, heat and cold for the affected body part, in this case, the feet. This can be serious because, a sufferer may already have already inflicted some considerable damage to his feet without realizing it because of loss of pain. One may suffer some foot injury such as abrasions and cuts due to barefoot walking or infected blisters due to ill-fitting shoes and not until it become severely infected that the diabetic sufferer may take some notice. Unfortunately for many, it may already become too late.Poor Blood Circulation Poor blood Circulation is another effect of diabetes that can greatly hamper the ability of the injured body part especially the extremities, to fight infection and to heal. Diabetes causes the small veins of the foot to narrow and harden thereby restricting flow of blood that carries antibodies to the damaged part. Poor blood circulation however is not at all uncontrollable. The patient can do some necessary measures to improve or at least prevent to aggravate further his poor circulation by not smoking and by doing some regular foot exercises recommended or approved by his foot therapists.Proper foot care should be observed by any diabetic patient routinely and religiously. This may require inspecting your feet everyday to lookout for blisters, cracks that may result from using ill-fitted shoes. If the skin of your feet feel dry or is visibly cracked due to excessive dead skin, it may be because the nerves that control the flow of oil to your skin maybe damaged already. Apply lotion to the affected part. You must immediately consult a health professional of any unusual sensations or pain occurs. Finally, it all boils down to proper management of your diabetes. This is a lifelong task and the point of all these is to prevent as much as possible the onset of diabetes complications very well into old age.

Treating Tinea Versicolor


It is a common problem with no serious or permanent ill-effects. Tinea Versicolor is a fungus which mainly affects adolescent or teenager's skin. This occurs due to heavy growth of the yeast on the skin surface. When such kind of a growth occurs it causes uneven skin color, scaling which can be itchy. An oily skin type makes things easier for this kind of a condition. The area affected is the neck, upper chest and back. You develop these spots which are light reddish brown in color. Yeast named Pityrosporum Orbiculare or Malassezia Furfur is the main cause of this condition. It is lipophilic which means fats are its vulnerability. This provides you the reason of infestation in a specific area like chest, arms and back. As these parts have huge number of sebaceous oily glands. The yeast remains dormant in our skin and with specific changes in environment like warm weather it reacts to it accordingly. When the skin is exposed to excess heat it causes the skin to tan which is affected by the fungus. The warm weather aggravates this problem further. Tinea Versicolor can be easily recognized. It is generally seen as small, scaly whitish-pink or tanned brown spots scattered all over your body. This fungus grows slowly, preventing the skin to tan in a normal fashion. It can be mistaken as any other skin disease but by doing some relevant tests it can be confirmed as Tinea Versicolor. Even after treating this condition the pigment changes may take a while to disappear. Some of the other known causes for this condition are the removal of adrenal gland, Cushing's disease, pregnancy, malnutrition, burns, steroid therapy, curbed immune system, oral contraceptives, increased heat and humidity. Once you start getting treatments change the bedding as well as night clothes to avoid any recurrence. You may have to continue with this treatment to prevent its return. To start with you can do the re-treating once for 3-4 weeks and then once for 3-4 months.Home Remedies for Tinea VersicolorIt can be treated by antifungal agents who are good in eradicating the lesions. These medicines include clotrimazole, ketoconazole, and miconazole.Over the counter dandruff shampoo also seems to work. The presence of selenium in the shampoos works against the fungus. A layer of this shampoo spread on the affected area and kept overnight could work out properly for your skin. Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Healing tinea corporis


The health identify for ringworms is tinea corporis. They arent triggered by any worm like its identify indicates. Actually ringworm can be a fungal infection thats induced by microorganisms identified as dermatophytes. Theyre able to have an effect on any a part of the system. However ringworm affected area types a ring like rash that is reddish to brownish in shade. Therefore the title Ringworm is partly acceptable.CausesDermatophytes are group of fungi which leads to ringworm infection. It can impact equally humans and animals. Ringworms might be infested through contaminated soil infected animals or another man or woman as well as other home objects like carpets beddings and so forth.Varieties of ringworm infectionThis infection can have an effect on any component of the body. The name varies according to which component this infection is affectedTinea Pedis Generally recognized as athletes foot if it takes place on the feet.Tinea cruris Or jock itch if it infects the groin.Tinea corposis When on the body.Tinea capitis when it impacts the scalp.Signs and symptomsAn contaminated individual may typically have scaly and bumpy red round patches around the skin in an irregular ring shape. The affected location may be quite itchy. It may also lead to circular bald patches within the case of Tinea capitis. Ringworm infection in nails could cause thickness and discoloration of the nails and in addition scaling in the palms or soles.DiagnosesRingworms might be diagnosed by examining skin scraping inside the laboratory or skin biopsy or fungal culture.However a ringworm infection can be perplexed with other skin infection which may or might not be brought on by fungus. Consequently correct diagnosis within a ringworm infection is important.TreatmentClotrimazole and Micomazole are two common treatment methods for ringworms.Topical medicines may well not perform well in most cases specially the ones which are severe. Ringworms in scalp and nails need oral medicine. Itraconazole and fluconazole are deemed successful medicines for this disorder.PrecautionsRingworms are very infectious illness. Its important to get precautionary measures in order to avoid this infection.Do not stroll bare foot on damp places as ringworms are most likely to enter through the feet.Tend not to share towels garments undergarments sports equipments and sheets.In case you have the infection then completely wash the affected location with the antifungal soap in order to avoid the infection from spreading to other components with the body.In case you suspect ringworm infection then completely wash clothes in hot water with fungicidal soap.It is important to administer diagnosis and treatment method of ringworms. It requirements immediate consideration as delay in therapy can spread to other components in the entire body and could result in really serious skin problems.

Psoriasis Treatments


Psoriasis is not contagious disease. A person with psoriasis is not get it from other people; so he can not 'move' disease to others. Things that should be emphasized here because it affects how people interact with psoriasis and vice versa. Psoriasis is an inherited condition. One or both parents living with may have the disease, although it is not necessarily so. However, genetic predisposition is seen to be triggered by such things as injury, throat infection, certain medications, or physical and emotional stress. Types of psoriasis There are five types of psoriasis, and it can occur on any part of the body. Wound may be localized or extensive. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type occurs. Guttate psoriasis is seen as spots small red skin. Inverse psoriasis occurs in the armpits, crotch gap or groin, and folding the skin. Psoriasis eritrodermik seen as a sign of extreme reddening on the surface wider. Pustular psoriasis of burns white skin surrounded by red. The disease can affect any part of the body surface. Skin Psoriasis common head and often the wrong diagnosis as 'dandruff'. It could not be severe (a fine scales and slight) or severe (thick plaques covering the entire scalp, can lead to hair loss). Psoriasis often reach beyond the teeth hair directly to the forehead, the back of the neck and around the ears. Psoriasis usually affects the face eyebrows, the skin between the nose and upper lip, forehead and the teeth of the hair. A biopsy may be needed to distinguish psoriasis from other skin diseases. The bubble over psoriasis on the hands and feet should be treated promptly as they may be accompanied by fractures, burns and swollen. Psoriasis in the genital covers red spots are small to large patches, and could be misinterpreted as 'ringworm'. Other areas include the torso, lower body, upper body, the outside of the elbows, knees and shins. Psoriatic Arthritis About 10 to 30 percent of people who have psoriasis will also experience arthritis psoriatic. It affects the joints of the fingers and toes and may also involve the neck, spine, knees and ankles. Like psoriasis, this form of arthritis, such expanded and reduced. If untreated, psoriatic arthritis can cause disability and the damage can not be restored in the joint.