HealthyLife Articles

Tag: sting

  • Canker Sores

    Dental & Mouth Concerns

    Canker sores are small, round mouth sores in the lining of the mouth or on the tongue, gums, or lips. You can have one canker sore or a group of them.

    Signs & Symptoms

    *  A burning or tingling feeling before the sore appears

    *  Red-rimmed, shallow sores in the mouth

    *  Discomfort when you eat and talk

    Causes, Risk Factors & Care

    Canker sores may be caused by any tear in the mouth’s lining, from an uneven tooth, rough tooth brushing, a burn from a hot drink, etc. Vitamin/mineral deficiencies, emotional stress, and family traits may also trigger canker sores.

    Canker sores heal within 1 to 2 weeks. Self-care can help with symptoms and speed up healing. If needed, a mouthwash with tetracycline and/or an oral paste (amelxanox) can be prescribed.

    Self-Care / Prevention

    To Relieve Pain:

    *  Mix 1/2 cup salt in 1 cup of warm water. Rinse the mouth with an ounce of this mixture 4 times a day. Don’t swallow the water.

    *  Put ice on the canker sore or suck on a frozen popsicle.

    *  Avoid spicy foods and acidic drinks, like citrus juices.

    *  Use over-the-counter products, like Anbesol, Blistex, and aloe vera gel.

    *  Swish Mylanta or milk of magnesia around the mouth to coat the sore. Then spit the medicine out.

    *  Put the gel from a vitamin E capsule on the sore several times a day.

    *  Take an over-the-counter pain medicine.

    Prevention

    *  Avoid things that irritate the mouth, such as hot drinks and sharp objects.

    *  Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate. Don’t brush too hard.

    *  Take a daily vitamin/mineral supplement as advised by your doctor.

    Medical Care

    Contact Doctor When:

    *  You have any of these problems with the canker sore:

    – Fever and/or swollen glands

    – Severe pain

    – A sore on the roof of the mouth or white spots in the mouth that do not heal in 1 to 2 weeks

    *  A canker sore disturbs your sleep or does not allow you to eat.

    *  A canker sore appears only after you start a new medicine.

    *  A canker sore has not healed after 3 weeks.

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

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Insect Stings

    Skin Conditions

    Signs & Symptoms

    *  Quick, sharp pain.

    *  Swelling.

    *  Itching.

    *  Redness at the sting site.

    *  Hives.

    Insect stings can even result in a severe allergic reaction.

    Causes

    Insect stings come from bumblebees, honeybees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, and fire ants.

    Treatment

    Self-care treats mild reactions to insect stings. A severe allergic reaction needs immediate care. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction usually happen soon after or within an hour of the sting.

    If you have had a severe allergic reaction to an insect sting, you should carry an emergency insect sting kit, prescribed by your doctor. You should also wear a medical alert tag that lets others know that you are allergic to insect stings. Persons who have had severe reactions to bee or wasp stings should ask their doctor about allergy shots.

    Questions to Ask

    Self-Care / Prevention

    To Avoid Insect Stings

    *  Keep food and drink containers tightly covered. (Bees love sweet things, like soft drinks.)

    *  Don’t wear perfume, colognes, or hair spray when you are outdoors.

    *  Don’t wear bright colors, like white or yellow. Choose neutral colors, like tan or khaki. Wear snug clothing that covers your arms and legs.

    *  Don’t go barefoot. If camping, look for insects in your shoes before you put them on.

    *  Wear an insect repellent, especially if you are sensitive to insect stings.

    *  Be careful when you work outdoors, pull weeds, mow tall grass, and work around shutters. Bees often build hives behind shutters.

    *  If an insect that stings gets in your car, stop the car. Put the windows down. Once the insect leaves, resume driving.

    *  Check for and repair openings in your window screens.

    To Treat an Insect Sting Without a Severe Allergic Reaction

    *  For a bee sting, gently scrape out the stinger as soon as possible. Use a blunt knife, credit card, or a fingernail. Yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets don’t lose their stingers.

    *  Don’t pull the stinger out with your fingers or tweezers. Don’t squeeze the stinger. It contains venom. You could re-sting yourself.

    *  Clean the sting area with soapy water.

    *  Remove jewelry from bitten fingers, wrists, etc. It may be difficult to remove jewelry once swelling occurs.

    *  Put a cold compress (ice in a cloth, etc.) on the sting. Don’t put ice directly on the skin. Hold the cold compress on the site for 10 to 15 minutes.

    *  Keep the sting area lower than heart level.

    *  Take an over-the-counter medicine for pain as directed on the label.

    *  For itching and swelling, apply a topical 1% hydrocortisone cream and/or take an over- the-counter antihistamine, such as Benadryl, if okay with your doctor. Follow directions on the labels.

    Signs of Severe Allergic Reaction

    *  Fainting or decreasing level of consciousness.

    *  Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing or swallowing.

    *  Severe swelling all over or of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat.

    *  Pale or bluish lips, skin, and/or fingernails.

    *  Wheezing.

    *  Dizziness, weakness, and/or numbness.

    *  Cool, moist skin or sudden onset of pale skin and sweating.

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

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine