HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Health Conditions

Hemorrhoids

Abdominal & Urinary Conditions

Hemorrhoids are veins in or outside of the anus that may become dilated or swollen.

Signs & Symptoms

* Bright red blood on or in the stool, on toilet paper, or in the toilet.

* Anal or rectal tenderness. Anal itching.

* Uncomfortable, painful bowel movements, especially with straining.

* A lump can be felt at the anus.

* Mucus passes from the anus.

Causes

Hemorrhoids are usually caused by repeated pressure in the rectal or anal veins. Often this is due to repeated straining to pass stool. The risk for getting hemorrhoids increases with:

* Prolonged sitting on the toilet and straining to have a bowel movement.

* Constipation.

* A low dietary fiber intake.

* Obesity.

* Pregnancy.

Treatment

Hemorrhoids are common. They are not likely to be a serious health problem. Most people have some bleeding from them once in a while.

Don’t assume that rectal bleeding is “just hemorrhoids.” See your doctor to find out the cause.

If symptoms of hemorrhoids are not relieved with self-care or with time, medical care may be needed. This includes:

* Laser heat or infrared light.

* Rubber band ligation. A rubber band is placed around the base of the hemorrhoid inside the rectum. The band cuts off blood flow to the hemorrhoid.

* Surgery.

* Cryosurgery. This freezes the affected tissue.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

* Drink at least 6 to 8 cups of fluid per day.

* Eat foods with good sources of dietary fiber, such as bran, whole- grain breads and cereals, vegetables, and fruits.

* Add bran to your foods. Add about 3 to 4 tablespoons per day.

* Eat prunes. Drink prune juice.

* Lose weight if you are overweight.

* Get regular exercise.

* Pass stool as soon as you feel the urge. If you wait and the urge goes away, your stool could become dry and hard. This makes it harder to pass.

* Don’t strain to pass stool.

* Don’t hold your breath when trying to pass stool.

* Keep the anal area clean. Use moist towelettes or wet (not dry) toilet paper after you pass stool.

* Don’t sit too much. This can restrict blood flow around the anal area. Don’t sit too long on the toilet. Don’t read while on the toilet.

* For itching or pain, put a cold compress on the anus for 10 minutes at a time. Do this up to 4 times a day.

* Take warm baths or use a sitz bath with hot water. A sitz bath is a basin that fits over the toilet. Get one at a medical supply or drug store.

* Check with your doctor about using over-the-counter products, such as:

– Stool softeners.

– Zinc oxide or anesthetic (numbing) products, such as Preparation H.

– Medicated wipes, such as Tucks.

– Suppositories.

Resources

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

www.niddk.nih.gov

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Learn Cpr. It Could Help Save A Life!

First Aid

Knowing how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can mean the difference between life and death. CPR can restore the flow of oxygen to the brain if the heart has stopped beating due to heart attack, drowning, electrical shock, suffocation, or a drug overdose. Learn to perform CPR correctly. Take a CPR training course to learn:

* How to contact emergency medical help.

* How to use an automated external defribrillator (AED).

* How to give rescue breaths, compress the person’s chest and when and how to do chest-compression only CPR. (It is important to push hard and push fast, giving 100 compressions a minute in cycles of 30 compressions for every 2 breaths.) {Note: Guidelines for CPR may change. Get updates for CPR and find out where you can learn how to perform it from the American Heart Association atwww.americanheart.org.}

You can also call your local chapter of the Red Cross or your local hospital to find out where you can learn CPR.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Rectal Problems

Abdominal & Urinary Conditions

The rectum is the lowest part of the large bowel (colon). The opening of the rectum is the anus. Stool are passed from the anus.

Signs & Symptoms

* Rectal pain.

* Rectal bleeding.

* Anal itching.

* Redness, swelling, or a rash in the rectal area.

Causes

Often there is no clear cause. Persons with diabetes and liver disease are more prone to rectal itching.

For Anal / Rectal Pain and/or Bleeding

* Constipation. Straining to pass stool. Hemorrhoids.

* Anal fissures. These are splits or tears in the skin around the anus.

* Polyps or small growths.

* Injury due to anal intercourse or the insertion of a foreign object.

* Blockage in the intestines.

* Colon or rectal cancer.

For Anal / Rectal Itching

* Dry skin. Products that irritate or cause a skin allergy in the anal area. Examples are over-the-counter anesthetic ointments that end in “caine,” such as benzocaine.

* Hemorrhoids.

* Psoriasis. This is a chronic skin disease. With this, itchy, scaly red patches form on a part of the body.

* Pinworms. These are intestinal parasites. They usually affect children. The anal itching is at night and can be painful.

* A fungal infection.

Treatment

Treatment for rectal problems depends on the cause. Any sign of rectal bleeding should be evaluated by a doctor. This includes blood on toilet paper. Colon cancer should be checked for, despite the person’s age or family history of this disease.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

For Anal / Rectal Bleeding

* Don’t lift heavy things.

* Stop taking anti-inflammatory medicines and/or aspirin (unless prescribed and monitored by your doctor).

* Don’t strain to pass stool.

For Anal / Rectal Itching

* Practice good hygiene. Clean the rectal area daily.

* Use an over-the-counter ointment, such as one with zinc oxide or one for hemorrhoids, such as Preparation H. Follow package directions.

* Wear clothes and undergarments that fit loosely.

* Take a warm bath or sitz bath. A sitz bath is a shallow, warm water bath. You can get a sitz bath device from a medical supply company and some drug stores. Then dry the rectal area well. Use talcum powder, as needed.

* Take warm tub baths.

* Lose weight if you are overweight.

* If you are diabetic, keep blood sugar under control.

* For pinworms:

– Check for pinworms in this way: In a dark room, a few hours after bedtime, shine a flashlight on the anus. Pinworms, if present, will go back into the anus when the flashlight is shined on them.

– Wash the hands often.

– Keep fingernails closely trimmed.

– Try to get your child to not suck his thumb and not bite his nails.

– Wash underwear and bed linen in hot soapy water.

– If medication for pinworms is prescribed, use it as directed.

For Rectal Pain

* Take warm baths.

* Use a warm water sitz bath for 15 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.

* Put towels soaked in warm water on the anal area. Or, apply a cold compress to the painful area, if this helps with the pain. You can buy a sitz bath from a medical supply or drug store.

* Follow measures to prevent constipation.

* Don’t strain to pass stool.

* Keep the rectal area clean.

* Use soft, plain, unscented, two-ply toilet paper. Take your own toilet paper to work or other places that may use harsh paper. Use wet, not dry, toilet paper, if that helps.

* Use an over-the-counter wipe, such as Tucks, after using toilet paper.

* Don’t sit for long periods of time. When you do sit, raise your legs, as often as you can.

* If needed, take an over-the-counter medicine for pain as directed.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Sticky Snacks Spell Trouble

Dental & Mouth Concerns

Sticky, chewy foods-like cough drops, hard candies, and sugary pastries-cling to the surface of your teeth, where they mix with bacteria in the mouth and produce acids that gradually wear away tooth enamel. Granola bars, many dried fruits, and foods or cereals sweetened with honey, corn syrup, or molasses are particularly troublesome. But starchy foods like bread, crackers, potato chips, or pretzels-which are turned into sugar by saliva-can also be a problem. To minimize this difficulty:

* If you eat fruit and other foods high in sugars, eat them with meals. Finish a meal with foods that help buffer acid formation.

* Don’t eat sweets, fruit, or starchy foods before bedtime. Saliva production slows down overnight, enabling cavity-causing bacteria to feed on food particles more easily. Brushing your teeth doesn’t effectively prevent the problem.

* Avoid sugar-sweetened gum and beverages. Chew a sugar-free gum instead, especially one with the artificial sweetener xylitol.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Wash Hands For Health

General Health Conditions

Having clean hands is one of the most important things you can do to prevent getting sick and spreading disease-causing germs. That’s why technique matters.

Add water & soap:Wet hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.

Lather up:Lather all parts of your hands well by rubbing them together.

Sing a song:Scrub for at least 20 seconds or sing “Happy Birthday” twice.

Rinse & dry:Rinse well under clean, running water. Dry hands using a clean towel or air-dry them.

Option:If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Bloody Nose Know-How

MEDICAL NEWS

Maybe you blew your nose too hard or bumped your nose. Causes aren’t always known. But when the blood starts gushing, nosebleeds can be frightening.

Experts at eMedicineHealth tell what to do: Remain calm. Sit up straight and lean your head forward. Contrary to what some people think, do not lean your head back, you’ll only swallow the blood.

Ice packs do not help either. Pinch your nostrils tightly together with your thumb and index finger for 10 minutes. Just hold it. Breathe through your mouth, of course. Do not release your grip.

That should stop the blood flow, usually from an artery in the front of your nose. Then be nice to your tender nose for the rest of the day. Think about adding humidity to the air when you sleep, especially in dry winter weather.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Go Red To Manage Pain

SELF-CARE CORNER

Tart cherries may help reduce chronic inflammation, especially for the millions of Americans suffering from joint pain and arthritis, according to research from Oregon Health & Science University. The researchers suggest tart cherries have the “highest anti-inflammatory content of any food” and can help people with osteoarthritis manage their disease.

In a study of women ages 40 to 70 with inflammatory osteoarthritis, the researchers found that drinking tart cherry juice twice daily for three weeks led to significant reductions in important inflammation markers-especially for women who had the highest inflammation levels at the start of the study.

Often thought of as “wear-and-tear” arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Athletes are often at a greater risk for developing the condition, given their excessive joint use that can cause a breakdown in cartilage and lead to pain and injury, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Along with providing the fruit’s bright red color, the antioxidant compounds in tart cherries-called anthocyanins-have been specifically linked to high antioxidant capacity and reduced inflammation, at levels comparable to some well-known pain medications.

Available every day of the year in dried, frozen, and juice forms, tart cherries are a versatile ingredient to include in any training or inflammation-fighting diet.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Open Wide

SELF-CARE CORNER

Your dentist and dental hygienist inspect your mouth for oral cancers when you show up for your regular dental cleanings. But between visits, take note of these early warning signs, and see your dental professional if they do not improve or disappear after 2 to 3 weeks:

* A sore, or soreness or irritation that doesn’t go away

* Red or white patches, or pain, tenderness, or numbness in your mouth or lips

* Lumps, thickening tissues, rough spots, crusty or eroded areas

* Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or moving your jaw or tongue

* A change in the way your teeth fit together when you close your mouth

Always call your dental professional right away if you have any immediate concerns. Those at high risk of developing oral cancer have traditionally been heavy alcohol drinkers and smokers over age 50. But today, cancer is occurring in younger, nonsmokers. The sexually transmitted HPV is related to some cancers in younger people.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Sun Sense

SELF-CARE CORNER

Did you know … the term “sunblock” is no longer used on sunscreen labels because no sunscreen can block all of the sun’s rays? You’ll now see the term “broad spectrum” that indicates a level of protection offered from both UVA and UVB rays.

Sunscreens really aren’t waterproof either. Apply and reapply at least every 2 hours, but question why you’re out in the sun for that long a period of time anyway.

Remember, only broad spectrum sunscreens with an SPF value of 15 or higher can claim to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging, and that’s only if they’re used correctly and with other sun protection measures such as wide-brimmed hats (not baseball caps) and sunglasses.

Nobody ever applies enough sunscreen. And many people forget about ears, backs of necks, nose, lips, and tops of feet (avoid wearing flip-flops).

Source: University of Michigan Health System, Loyola University Medical Center

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
When Allergies Get Real Serious

MEDICAL NEWS

A severe allergic reaction can be life threatening. It’s called anaphylaxis. The symptoms begin within minutes of eating a trigger food or after a bee sting or touching poison ivy. Some drugs can cause these serious reactions too. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America offers this safety advice:

* Know the symptoms: flushed skin, rash, tissue swelling, stuffy nose, sweating, panting, nausea, stomach cramps, rapid pulse, wheezing, convulsions, or fainting.

* Know what you’re allergic to: check food labels and ingredients. Ask at restaurants if you’re unsure if a menu item contains something you’re allergic to. Skin or blood tests done by a specialist can confirm that you’re sensitive to certain substances that can cause a severe reaction.

* Carry an auto-injectable epinephrine device that allows you to use a rescue medication until emergency help arrives.

* Wear a medical alert bracelet to let others know of your allergy.

* Anaphylaxis is a 9-1-1 medical emergency.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026