Disability also increases the risk of infection, an awareness of the warning signs can help you recognise the symptoms early, and get the infection treated quickly.

General signs of infection:

• Fever – a temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius, or 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (please note: a temperature at this level is considered a mild temperature, it ideally should be lower than this)
• Pain
• Inflammation

Urinary tract infections: Some specific symptoms if it is in the urinary tract

• Pain when urinating (could be a burning sensation)
• Needing to urinate more frequently than normal
• Feeling as if you still need to urinate after you just did
• Your urine might appear cloudy, and could have an offensive odour
• Back pain (this is a later symptom)

Respiratory: Some specific symptoms if it is in the ‘chest’

• Viral symptoms don’t resolve in the expected time, and symptoms become worse rather than better
• Sputum (what you cough up) might be a different colour, e.g. yellow or green (it should be clear)
• Difficulty breathing (later symptom, if this happens seek immediate medical attention)

Unhealed wounds:  Some specific signs of an infected wound

• Red skin around the wound – You can draw an outline around the red area to see if it is improving or getting worse each day
• The ooze changes colour – Yellow or green is never a good sign
• Blackened areas – this is serious, it means parts of the skin have died, you need to seek urgent medical attention
• Foul smelling ooze

If you suspect you have developed an infection seek medical attention. Infections left untreated can enter the bloodstream; this is life threatening and needs urgent treatment. The earlier an infection is detected, the easier it is to treat.

If you are prone to infections you might want to consider adding some routine checks into your week, e.g. weekly temperatures, regular at home urine dipstick tests (this is for urinary infections, you will need to get instructions from your GP/nurse on how to conduct an at home urine dipstick test). Most people will not need to do this; people with physical disability are more likely to need these precautions.

If you are put on antibiotics ALWAYS complete the course (i.e. finish the pack) even if you are feeling better. The bacteria if not completely treated by the antibiotics can become resistant. Infections that do not respond to antibiotics are a serious problem; finish ALL the tablets.

Post from: The Recovery Room

Infections

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Sedatives can be useful to break the cycle, but require a prescription from a doctor, and doctors are often reluctant to prescribe them. Sedatives also do not solve the cause of insomnia and may only work temporarily. Also keep in mind sedatives have a half life of maybe 4hrs, this means that after 4hrs its had its strongest impact and is working its way out of your system, so if you wake up through the night the medication will no longer be working and you may not fall back asleep. I recommend trying other more natural methods first before trying medication.

There is also a medication called melatonin available, it may be useful if the cause of insomnia is to do with a disruption in circadian rhythm as can be seen in jet lag, or a low level of melatonin production. Melatonin levels peak at night effectively controlling the sleep-wake cycle. You can read more about this here

The solutions discussed above can be effective, but how effective they are depends on the individual; a bit of trial and error will be necessary to discover the best solution.

Some natural treatments include relaxation techniques, such as resting yoga poses, meditation and sleep hypnosis. Some yoga poses that can help can be found here

Some suggested routines are:

-          Don’t work on the computer past a certain hour, around 2hrs before your normal bedtime is a good idea.

-          Don’t read in bed, I know it’s tempting, but it provides a mind association of activity with bed.

-          If you can’t sleep within a reasonable period of time, get back up, do something restful such as read a book (but not in bed) and try again in half an hour.

-          As much as possible create a routine that works for you, following a similar routine every night signals to your mind that you’re going to bed soon.

-          Practice relaxation techniques when you’re not trying to sleep: It’s no good having your first attempt at meditation while you’re frustrated, practice during the day at a time when you don’t need it, and it will be easier to meditate when you need sleep.

-          Exercise during the day (within your ability to do so)

-          Avoid napping during the day – this may be unavoidable, if you must have a nap set an alarm and limit the length of time, an hour nap is unlikely to affect sleeping that night.

-          Try and wake up at a similar time every day, even if you haven’t slept well (This is hard to stick to, but it can improve sleep patterns).

Be prepared to try new things to improve your sleep patterns, what works for a while may all of a sudden stop working. It may be necessary to rotate a few of the more effective methods, as even though one method may stop working, revisiting that method it may work again for a while.

Post from: The Recovery Room

Insomnia: Management

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“Erosion of the tissue lining, usually in the stomach (gastric ulcer) or the upper small intestine (duodenal ulcer). These are generally referred to as peptic ulcers”  [1] From glossary G-19

Why does an ulcer develop?

Ulcers can occur either because there is excessive acid which erodes the stomach tissue and/or because the protective mucus layer of the stomach has deteriorated.

Some possible causes of this happening are:

·         Acid-resistant bacterial infection (Helibacter pylori [H.pylori)

·         Heavy use of aspirin and related NSAIDS medications

·         Stress

·         Disorders that cause excessive acid production in the stomach

·         Smoking and alcohol

·         Genetics [1]

Symptoms:

·        Pain after eating – “Stomach acid acting on a meal irritates the ulcer after most of the meal has moved from the site of the ulcer” p93 [1]

Less common symptoms:

·         Nausea and vomiting

·         Loss of appetite/weight [1]

More on pain – burning or gnawing abdominal pain

“This is a typical symptom of duodenal ulcer, although many people with duodenal ulcers don’t have the typical symptoms. The pain can occur one to 2 hours after meals, or sometimes in the middle of the night or early morning. It usually occurs when the stomach is empty. You may feel pain in the area between your navel and your breastbone. The pain may last from between a few minutes to several hours, and can often be relieved by eating, drinking milk or taking antacid medicines. With stomach ulcers, pain can be caused by eating rather than relieved by it.” [2]

Risks:

·         The ulcer could erode all the way through the stomach wall, leading to an infection

·         If a blood vessel is eroded there could be massive blood loss [1]

If you suspect you have an ulcer, see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Do not ignore the symptoms.

Treatments:

“In the past, milk and cream therapy – the so called Sippy diet – was used to help cure ulcers…milk and cream are two of the worst foods a person with an ulcer could eat. The calcium in these foods stimulates stomach acid secretion and actually inhibits ulcer healing.” p93 [1]

Medications:

·         Antibiotics –to treat H.pylori infection if its present

·         Acid blocking medications e.g. omeprazole

·         Antacids e.g. Zantac

Both antacids and acid blocking medications block acid secretions in the stomach but work in different ways. [1]

Lifestyle changes:

·         Stop smoking or at least keep it to a minimum

·         Avoid aspirin and related NSAIDS where possible (discuss alternatives with your GP)

·         Avoid foods that cause pain – this might include foods like curries and spicy foods, acidic fruit like tomatoes pineapple and oranges, dairy foods. Keep a diary to work out what aggravates your symptom’s, it could be 2hrs after eating before you react.

·         Avoid alcohol, coffee and tea

·         Eat enough fiber

·         Chew food thoroughly (improves digestion)

·         Lose weight if overweight [1]

·         Take Probiotics to improve digestive health, dairy free supplements are more appropriate than yoghurt until the ulcer/s are healed. Probiotics will also replace the lost bacteria if on antibiotics, and can help reduce H.pylori bacteria by providing a better balance of good bacteria.

Diet changes are considered of minor importance in relation to ulcers, however individuals may find improvements avoiding trigger foods and taking probiotics.

References:

1. Wardlaw G & Hampl J. Perspectives In Nutrition. 7^th ed. 2007. McGraw-Hill, New York.

2. mydr.com.au

Peptic ulcers: What are the symptoms?

http://www.mydr.com.au/gastrointestinal-health/peptic-ulcers-what-are-the-symptoms

Post from: The Recovery Room

Ulcers: A quick guide

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