HealthyLife Articles

Tag: pass

  • Know How To Use A Fire Extinguisher

    Home Safety

    Image of fire extinguisher.

    Every home should have at least one fire extinguisher. Extinguishers should be mounted in plain sight and be simple for all family members (except small children, of course) to use in an emergency. Show the babysitter how it works, too.

    *  Buy a multipurpose extinguisher rated 2A10BC or higher. The letters indicate the type of fire the extinguisher will douse. “A” units are for combustible materials like paper or wood, “B” units are for flammable liquids like gasoline, and “C” units are for electrical fires. The numbers relate to the size of the fire. The higher the number, the greater the capacity to extinguish that fire.

    *  Check for a UL (Underwriters Laboratory) or FM (Fire Mutual) code. They tell you the product is effective, safe, and reliable.

    *  Be sure the directions are simple to understand. Mount the fire extinguisher securely, in plain sight.

    *  Be sure you understand how the firing mechanism works. Check to see whether you need to push a button or pull a lever. Don’t activate the extinguisher, though. Once you do, it must be serviced and recharged, even if you only use it for a few seconds and the gauge indicates it’s full.

    *  Check the pressure indicator once a month to be sure the extinguisher works.

    To use a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS.

    *  Pull the pin.

    *  Aim the nozzle or barrel at the base of the fire, not at the flames.

    *  Squeeze the handle.

    *  Sweep back and forth at the base of the fire.

    A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Kidney Stones

    Abdominal & Urinary Conditions

    Kidney stones are hard masses of mineral deposits formed in the kidney(s). They can be as small as a tiny pebble or an inch or more across. They are more common in men.

    Illustration of kidney stones.

    Kidney Stones

    Signs & Symptoms

    Some kidney stones cause no symptoms. Small ones can be passed, without pain, when you urinate. When symptoms occur, they include:

    *  Crampy pain that comes and goes. The pain starts in the lower back, travels down the side of the abdomen, and into the groin area. The pain can be severe.

    *  Bloody, cloudy, or dark-colored urine.

    *  You may need to pass urine often. You may pass only small amounts of urine. You may only be able to pass urine in certain positions.

    *  Nausea and vomiting. Fever and chills (if an infection is also present).

    Causes

    *  Too much calcium in the urine or in the blood.

    *  High levels of uric acid in the blood.

    *  A diet high in oxalic acid. This is in spinach, leafy vegetables, rhubarb, and coffee.

    *  Repeated urinary tract infections.

    *  Mild dehydration that persists.

    *  Family history of kidney stones.

    *  Living in certain parts of the U.S. Areas of the southeast have the highest rates.

    In some cases, the cause is not known.

    Treatment

    If the stone is small and can be passed in the urine, treatment may be just drinking plenty of fluids. For stones too large to be passed, lithotripsy using ultrasound is a common treatment. With this, shock waves are directed to the stone location and break the stone into fragments. Drinking fluids helps flush the fragments from the person’s system.

    Questions to Ask

    Self-Care / Prevention

    *  Drink lots of fluids. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.

    *  Eat a well-balanced diet. Vary food choices.

    *  Save any stone you pass in your urine. Take it to your doctor. Its contents can be analyzed. Follow your doctor’s advice to prevent and treat kidney stones.

    Healthier at Home book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine