Test

What are different initial home treatment available for insect bites – a summer problem? Part 1

Common bites and stings
- Most bites and stings will heal on their own without a visit to a doctor.
- The insect bites range from a normal mosquito to spider or a bee sting.
- The severity depends on the insect.
- Some insect bites might not be dangerous and mild.
- Some can lead to severe swelling and may need doctor’s help upon the prolonged swelling of the bite.
- Depending on which part the insect has bitten, the precautions can be taken.
- For example, if it eyes or inside the nose or ear, doctor’s help is required at the earliest.
- Redness, Itching, Irritation, Inflammation etc., are some symptoms of the bite.
- There are several things you can do to relieve pain and itching and prevent infection from a bite or sting.

Insect or spider bites or stings or contact with caterpillars
- Move away from the stinging or biting insect. Bees will alert other bees, making them more likely to sting.
- Remain as calm and quiet as possible. Movement increases the spread of venom in the bloodstream.
- If you have been stung by a bee and the stinger is still in the skin, remove the stinger as quickly as possible.

If you have been stung on the arm or leg, do the following:
- Lower the limb at the time of the sting to slow the spread of venom.
- You can elevate the limb to help reduce swelling.
- Remove broken-off spines by placing cellophane tape or commercial facial peel over the area of the contact.
- Then pull it off.

Relieve pain, itching, and swelling
- Apply an ice pack to a bite or sting for 15 to 20 minutes once an hour for the first 6 hours.
- When not using ice, keep a cool, wet cloth on the bite or sting for up to 6 hours.
- Always keep a cloth between your skin and the ice pack.
- Do not apply ice for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Do not fall asleep with the ice on your skin.
- Elevate the area of the bite or sting to decrease swelling.
- Try a nonprescription medicine for the relief of itching, redness, and swelling.

Be sure to follow the nonprescription medicine precautions like:
- An antihistamine taken by mouth, such as Benadryl or Chlor-Trimeton, may help relieve itching, redness, and swelling.
- Don’t give antihistamines to your child.
- A spray of local anesthetic containing benzocaine, such as Solarcaine, may help relieve pain.
- If your skin reacts to the spray, stop using it.
- Hydrocortisone 1% cream or calamine lotion applied to the skin may help relieve itching and redness.

Other precautions :
- Remove the stinger with tweezers.
- Scrape out the stinger, moving parallel to the skin surface.
- This will help to reduce the chance of pumping more venom.
- Bathe the stung area with a solution of baking soda and water.
- Immediately apply ice packs to reduce swelling (lining the pack with cloth or a thin towel).
- Do this frequently for 5 minutes at a time.
- A swollen muzzle often indicates a bee sting.
- Stings and bites can cause severe reactions.

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Bladder Cancer – Symptoms – 2 types of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is of two types. Invasive bladder cancer and superficial bladder cancer. Superficial bladder tumors usually appear on the urinary epithelium in the form of bladder warts, papillomas or papillary tumors. Invasive tumors as the name suggests appear deeper in the urinary epithelium. In some cases they may extend into the surrounding tissues or muscle layers. They may also spread into near by organs like the sigmoid colon, prostate gland, rectum, uterus, bones of the pelvis and the lymph glands.
Bladder cancer is more common in men as compared to women and is usually diagnosed around the age of 65. Cigarette smoking is one of the main causes of bladder cancer. Exposure to cancer causing substances used in synthetic dyes, rubber, leather, cable and printing may also by high risk causes.

Symptoms: Bladder cancer can be very painful and if one experiences the following symptoms, you should get it checked immediately:

- Hematuria – blood in the urine
- Burning sensation or pain while urinating when you are not suffering from any kind of urinary tract infection.
- A radical change in bladder habits. Often you may want to use the toilet because of a strong urge to urinate but you may not produce too much urine.

These symptoms do not necessarily suggest that you may be suffering from bladder cancer. They are non specific and could be an indication of something else altogether. However if you are suffering from any of the above mentioned symptoms, you should consult a doctor right away.

Old men who experience blood in the urine and are heavy smokers should consult a medical professional immediately as smokers are at high risk of getting bladder cancer. Blood in the urine is the first warning sign and it should not be ignored.
However it is also important to note that the blood in the urine is often not visible to the naked eye. A simple urine test can prove the presence of microscopic hematuria. You can also know for a fact that there is blood in your urine, if it changes color. If your urine takes on a pinkish or orange color, it’s a sign of hematuria.
Like many other cancers, even bladder cancer is difficult to detect and causes little or no symptoms till it has reached an advanced stage. At an advanced stage it is difficult to cure and can be very painful. People who are smokers are usually at a higher risk and as they age they should speak to their doctors and consider going in for regular cancer screening to check whether they are alright.
These are just a few symptoms of bladder cancer. The condition can be very painful if left undetected. However it is difficult for an individual to understand that he or she is suffering from bladder cancer as the symptoms take too long to surface.
However it is essential that every individual as they age should keep a track on their lifestyle, avoid smoking and drinking and also follow a good diet and exercise regimen if they want to stay healthy. A sedentary lifestyle will only make the condition worse. People who are smokers should keep an eye out for the signs and should not waste any time if any of the symptoms surface. Tests and trips to the doctor may cost you some money but it is worth it if the cancer is detected at an early stage. Treating the cancer at a later stage is difficult and can cause a lot of pain to the entire family, therefore staying precautious is the only way of staying safe and healthy.

Anal Cancer Tests – PAP smear test

The PAP smear test has helped save a number of lives. It has been one of the best ways to test cervical cancer amongst women and has served as a lease for life for those who have detected their cancer at an early age. The anal papilloma screening also known as an Anal PAP can prove to be as effective is detecting anal cancer amongst men.
It is being touted as the best way for men who are straight or bisexual to check whether they may be inflicted by the deadly condition. It is very similar to the exam that is conducted for women. It requires a collection of cells from the rectum and anus of the patient at first. These cells are then examined under a microscope to check if they have undergone any structural changes. If there are any changes there may be reason to worry, however it is good as it is an indicator that proper treatment should be started at the earliest.
The Anal PAP procedure is absolutely painless, quick and very simple. A Dacron swab is used to collect cell samples around the area of the rectum and anus. The anal canal is swabbed off some cell samples to continue with analyzing the change in cell structure. Once the cell samples are collected they are sent to a lab where technicians examine the cells with the help of a microscope and try to pin point changes in the cell structure that indicate cancer. The results however may take a few days.
If you are experiencing the symptoms of anal cancer and your doctor has advised you to go in for an anal PAP, you may have to pay attention to the following to ensure your tests come out right. A day prior to the anal PAP you should practice the following don’ts :
a) Do not indulge in anal sex
b) Do not put any kind of ointments, creams, medications or lubricants in or around your anus
c) Stay away from sex toys and do not get excited 24 hours before your examination
d) Do not take enemas or douche
It is essential that one stays abreast of one’s health and therefore one should not wait until it’s too late to get an anal PAP done. An exam once in every three years can help detect and treat the cancer at an early age. In case there is a certain abnormality that surfaces as a part of the test the supervising physician can take care of these abnormalities by suggesting various non surgical treatments. A few of them are listed below:

Imiquimod: The abnormality detected can be treated with a topical agent called imiquimod. However this may have limited effect as it tends to rub off easily.
Onyx-015: This procedure is still under clinical trials, however it is said that this recombinant adenovirus has the power to kill the cells in the anal cavity that are infected with HPV.
Therapeutic Vaccines: Your physician will only recommend this route to treat the abnormality if you have a strong immune system.
These are just a few treatments that your physician may advise if some abnormality is detected. However you should ensure that you undergo an anal PAP once every three years if you want to stay healthy for a longer period of time by early detection and treatment of a condition that can take away precious years from your life.

So go in for regular examinations and checks and stay careful at all times. Make sure the physician you consult is the best and can offer you only the best advise and treatments.