Safeguard your kidneys from renal stones

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Imagine a situation where you get up suddenly in the middle of the night with an excruciating pain in your abdomen. You scream and yell with pain and feel like a woman in labor! And then suddenly the pain is relieved. However, the trauma and the fear of that pain remain in your mind. It can come up again if it was because of a stone (calculus) in your kidneys. But, it is in your hands to prevent such a recurrence if you take the right precautions and medicines.

Kidney calculi are hard, crystallized mineral materials that are formed within the urinary tract. They are formed when the urine contains a higher concentration of crystal-forming substances, such as uric acid, oxalate and calcium, than your urine can dilute. It may also occur when the urine lacks substances that prevent the crystals from sticking together; thereby creating an ideal environment for stone formation.

What symptoms may be present when one has renal calculi?

Most patients are unaware that they have renal stones. Pain usually occurs when the calculus leaves the kidney and travels down the narrow ureters.

Surprisingly, it is not the large calculi, but the small ones that are more likely to cause colicky pain. Large stones are often asymptomatic because they tend to get stuck at one site. However, with time, these larger stones cause obstructions and superimposed infections and may result in serious damage to the kidneys.

• Pain that radiates to the groins
• Cloudy urine
• Foul-smelling urine
• Persistent urge to urinate
• Difficulty in passing urine

Simple tips to prevent kidney stones:

• The most effective non-medication therapy for this problem is increasing one’s fluid intake. The goal should be to drink enough fluids so as to pass more than 2 liters of urine in a day.

• Excess salt consumption can cause more calcium to enter into the urine, resulting in calculus formation. Hence, patients are advised to avoid salty foods.

• Drinking fresh lemonade or adding lemon juice to your drinks can also help to reduce your risk. It has been found that citrates commonly found in lemons help inhibit stone formation.

Kidney stone medications:

Sometimes, dietary modifications are not enough for preventing a stone. In such cases, it is essential to take oral medications like Zyloprim on a daily basis. This drug contains allopurinol that specifically helps in reducing the risk of uric acid calculi by lowering uric acid levels in the blood.

Patients are usually prescribed Zyloprim in a dose of 200 to 300 mg per day. You should consult your doctor to know the right dose suitable for your specific condition.

The pain caused by renal calculi can be so severe that the patient can not sit still or find a comfortable position. Also, if you had more than one kidney stone in the past, you are prone to developing more of them in future. But, luckily there are drugs like Zyloprim that, along with some dietary changes, help prevent this problem.

Never Panic if You Experience Anxiety Bouts, Handle Them Prudently

Anxiety, rage, stress.. each of us experiences these feelings in our day to day lives. And a number of us also go through chest discomfort due to these horrible emotions, which sneak into our psyches easily and bring about harm to our overall well-being.

When a person is strained out or troubled, the body muscles stiffen. Consequently, one endures extreme pressure or pain in the chest. Such a acheing feeling is also labelled as angina. The answer to avoiding this anxiety-related discomfort is simple – understanding how to handle such problems efficiently and implementing the required steps so as to eliminate stress. Take into consideration the guidelines mentioned below:

1. Be Calm:

Thoughts that arise in your mind during an anxiety bout are critical in managing the condition. Be optimistic and tell yourself that you will be alright. Don’t ever panic as it will only worsen the problem and tighten the muscles more. After you relax, the entire built up tendon pressure and tension in the chest will dispel and gradually vanish.

2. Loosen Stiff Muscles:

It’s essential to relax tightened ligaments. Stay at a neutral place that is comfortable and then pay isolated attention to every muscle group. For instance, if you are sitting, drop your chin to the chest & raise it slowly. Similarly, perform the exercise of holding every muscle in your body and calming it. Once you reach the toes towards the end, you will feel quite relaxed and the agony will disappear.

3. Contemplate Taking Medicines:

In case you are unable to keep the tension under check, talk to the physician about the probable treatment choices. Anti-anxiety medications like Tenormin are beneficial in coping with stress. However, prior to starting use, ensure that you disclose to the general practitioner any vital information such as any sicknesses you are troubled with and medicines being taken, to confirm safe usage.

Stick to the therapy plan given by the doctor once you begin consuming Tenormin and never do any changes in the dosing schedule on your own.

4. Do Regular Exercise:

Physical activity on a regular basis generates discharge of endorphins in the body that considerably aids to lessen anxiety attacks, Furthermore, it assists to minimize worry and defends you from other ailments such as hypertension, obesity, etc.

5. Perform Deep Breathing Exercises:

Respiration exercises, a key component of yoga, have been considered as helpful by many in handling stress. All that’s required is a peaceful place and a yoga mat if you have one. This relaxation method when practised for simply 5-10 minutes, once or twice each day, works wonders for one’s health.

It relaxes the body during demanding situations that can induce an anxiety episode and produce chest pain. Take the assistance of instruction guides or DVDs to know the different deep breathing techniques.

Although anxiety-caused chest pain is not fatal, it must not be taken casually. Studies suggest psychological concern is amongst the prime risk factors, which can lead to heart attacks. Handle these attacks with a positive mind-set and attempt to be worry-free for the sake of your heart.

7 Signs of High Blood Pressure that you should be aware of!

High blood pressure or hypertension is called the Silent Killer because of its nature. This health problem could cause fatal consequences like strokes and heart disease. Other ailments and diseases show distinctive symptoms, but high blood pressure cannot be detected easily. Many people are not even aware that they suffer from it, until this disorder reaches the last stages. The most common symptoms of this ailment are mentioned below. In case you experience these signs often, consult a doctor immediately for proper diagnosis.  

Hypertension and its Common Symptoms:

If you suffer from high blood pressure (pressure readings above 140/90), you may experience these symptoms:

 

·      Headaches: A headache is amongst the most frequent symptoms of hypertension. These are quite different from the usual headaches, however if you frequently experience headaches, possibilities are that you could suffer from hypertension.

·      Fatigue: Hypertension causes patients to feel fatigued often. This is probably because of the insufficient blood circulation to the different body parts. When people exert themselves, lack of blood circulation makes them tired faster.

·      Dizziness: With headaches, a patient even experiences dizziness. This occurs as a result of inadequate blood supply to the brain.

·      Blurred Vision: Symptoms of blood pressure are primarily known to arise in areas where greater pressure is exerted in blood vessels. Recurrent blurry vision is an indication that there might be a partial blockage within the blood vessels in the eyes.

·      Breathing Problems: Difficulty in breathing is the most obvious symptom and indicates that high blood pressure has reached an advanced stage.

·      Nausea: It is linked with dizziness and headaches. Dizziness and chronic headaches caused as a result of high blood pressure will frequently lead to nausea.

·      Irregular Heartbeats: Pounding sensations in the ears, neck and chest are the most obvious and severe of all these symptoms. This indicates that the problem is far advanced, and needs instant diagnosis as well as treatment.

Treatment:

A variety of drugs are known to treat high blood pressure successfully. Some medications that are used to treat this ailment are beta-blockers, alpha blockers, vasodilators and diuretics. But, any form of medication must be taken after obtaining a healthcare professional's prescription only.

Medicines like Zebeta are frequently prescribed for hypertension treatment, because of their effectiveness. Zebeta belongs to the category of drugs called beta-adrenergic receptors. This drug works to prevent neurotransmitters (the chemicals used by nerves to communicate) from binding to beta receptors in nerves. This helps the medicine decrease heart rate and even the force with which the heart contracts, thereby lowering blood pressure. But, Zebeta must be used only after seeking advice from a doctor.

High blood pressure is quite a severe health disorder and must be diagnosed and treated in time. In case these symptoms are overlooked, this condition will worsen and will eventually cause other health problems. Apart from the medicine prescribed by the medical practitioner, exercising often, eating a healthy diet and quitting smoking and alcohol also helps to keep pressure levels under check and helps one live a healthy lifestyle.