The risk of small bleeds within the brain (known as brain lesions) in higher in blacks than whites and it increases their chances of having a stroke, a new study suggests.

Blacks had 32 percent more brains lesions (called cerebral microbleeds) than whites and it increased their chances of having a stroke. The study also shows that blacks are more likely to have these lesions in many different parts of their brain.

The study has been published in the Oct. 7 issue of Neurology.
continue reading Brain Lesions risk is higher in Blacks, a study finds

A new report says that getting ICU patients out of bed and moving them as soon as they are able can prove the best medicine for them.

The researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine based their study on a review of ICU patient data and concluded that the daily use of sedation and long bed rest may lead to physical impairment and poor quality of life after discharge from hospital.

Dr. Dale Needham, who is an assistant professor in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, said: “ One can better understand the benefits of getting ICU patients out of bed and moving them if one knows about the battlefield injured of world War II.”
continue reading ‘Early Mobility’ the best medicine for ICU patients

What Does Staph Skin Infection Look Like?

Staph skin infection may appear as a red bump, pus-filled blister (folliculitis, infected acne), boil (furuncle or carbuncle), vesicle which may burst and crust over (impetigo), erythema (cellulitis), or skin scalding (scalded skin syndrome). Drainage of pus from lesions is common.

What Causes Staph Skin Infections?

Staph infections are mainly caused by bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and rarely by S. epidermidis, or S. saprophyticus. In staph carriers, S. aureus, lives in the nose and on the skin, and less commonly in the mouth, mammary glands, urinary, intestinal, and upper respiratory tracts (1). Staphylococcal infections usually remain localized at the portal of entry. What is Staphylococcus aureus?

Who is at Risk for Staph Infections?

Persons at most risk are:

• staph carriers (many individuals carry S. aureus in the nose, throat or skin at some point; 20-30% are colonized persistently, especially health care workers, persons with diabetes, and patients on dialysis)
• newborn infants
• breastfeeding women
• obese persons
• people living in crowded communities or hot climates
• those with skin injuries, surgical wounds
• persons with piercings and fresh tatoos
• persons with skin diseases like atopic dermatitis or seborrhea
• persons with weak immune system, diabetes, cancer, vascular, blood, or lung disease
• patients receiving oral steroids or chemotherapy

continue reading Staph Skin Infections

What is Swimmer’s Ear?

Swimmer’s ear is an inflammation of the ear canal and eventually an earlap, occurring in people who often have wet ears. It occurs mostly in children and teenagers who spend a lot of time in water, but also in persons who sweat a lot or have skin diseases.  
  

Picture 1. Swimmer’s ear commonly occurs in children

Symptoms of Swimmer’s Ear 

Common symptoms are (1):

• ear itching
• pain, especially when pressing on ear ‘tag’ or pulling the ear-pad, or during chewing
• feeling of fullness in the ear
• decreased hearing, noises in the ear 
• ear canal and ear-pad swelling, redness, and skin scalding
• pus draining from the ear canal
• swelling of lymph nodes around the ear

Usually only one ear is involved.

In severe cases with fever, dizziness, or general headache, doctor should be visited promptly.

continue reading Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa)

World leaders and philanthropists announced to give nearly $3bn to fight malaria. The meeting at the UN also looked at ways to meet the Millennium Development Goals that aimed to reduce poverty worldwide by 2015.

Donors are quite hopeful that the funds will be sufficient to wipe out malaria by that time.

The funds include $ 1.6bn from the Global Fund to fight Malaria, Tuberculosis and aids while the World Bank will provide $1.1bn.

The rest of the funding has been promised by the British government and private organization like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
continue reading World leaders announced $3bn aid to fight malaria.

Folliculitis Pictures

Pictures in this article show staphylococcal folliculitis. Links to pictures of other types of folliculitis.

Picture 1. Staphylococcal folliculitis appears as a red bump, or white pustule.
(source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., Atlasdermatologico)

Picture 2. Staphylococcal folliculitis on the woman’s chest
Click to enlarge >> © Dermnet

Picture 3. Staphylococcal folliculitis on thighs
Click to enlarge >> © Dermnet

continue reading Folliculitis Pictures

For the right treatment of headache, it is the matter of utmost importance to diagnose which type of headache you have. More than two-thirds of headache sufferers aren’t satisfied with the medications they use for treating their headaches. A cheat sheet has been developed by Health.com and it can help you to allocate a name to your pain and getting the treatment accordingly.

Tension headaches

This is the commonest type of headache and in such sort of headaches a constant ache or pressure is felt around the head. Mostly these types of aches are felt at the back of the head or neck or at the temples. Usually, these headaches don’t stop someone from performing their regular activities and they are not severe as migraines.

continue reading 5 common headaches and their treatment

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions!”

Now the mosquitoes after the floods, the outburst of irritating tiny creatures in the waterlogged Midwest is stalking the clean-up crews and anyone venturing outside the area.

Something satisfactory is that most of them are floodwater mosquitoes that usually don’t carry West Nile virus and other epidemics. But they are blood thirsty and often attack in groups with their stinging bite.

The eggs of these tiny creatures hatch in the soil after floods and if there is high temperature after heavy rains, it becomes an ideal condition for these bugs to mate. They are called nuisance mosquitoes by the scientists.

continue reading Iowa under blood-thirsty Mosquitoes’ attack

Back pain sufferers are not alone in such sufferings as almost four out of every five adults have to face the symptoms of low Back Pain at least once in their life. Inter-vertebral discs, more than 30 muscles, several joints and ligaments with 33 vertebrae make Back a complex structure.

The best way to prevent Back Pain is to perform daily stretches as they relax the back muscles that have the risk of pulling apart. After wakening and before going to bed are considered the right times to perform Back Stretches. A regular stretching schedule often proves very helpful for many people. However, you must consult your primary care physician before starting any exercise program.

continue reading What is the best way to prevent Back Pain?

Introduction of the infection (Salmonella)

This infection is actually a stomach disorder, somewhat like Diarrhea, the symptoms of which are fever and severe abdominal cramps. This fever lasts for four to seven days and the patient gets auto recovery even if no treatment is undertaken/applied. The characteristic feature of this fever is that it shows its symptoms twelve to seventy two hours after infection. An acute dehydration is typically associated with this disorder and this is the only point which needs utmost attention and requires serious preventive measures on the part of the patient. Unavailability of any vaccine against Salmonella also aggravates the situation and the only weapon left against this stomach disorder is to remain particular about the precautionary measures to be taken against this infection. Some of these prime most important preventive steps are as follows.

Proper cooking

Some people don’t cook food fully well before they eat. Others have the habit or taste of eating raw food. Both of these cases enhance or encourage Salmonella, for half-cooked or raw food carries the germs responsible for causing stomach disorders. Half-cooked, poorly cooked and under-cooked dishes are injurious to human digestive system. Our digestive enzymes work properly on the food substances which are fully cooked. Otherwise enzyme action on the substrate never brings the desired results. So all the food items must be properly cooked before being eaten. Eggs, fish, mutton, beef and chicken must be cooked thoroughly in order to make them hygienic for our stomach.

continue reading Preventive Measures against Salmonella