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Posts Tagged ‘medicine’

The Treatment of Headaches

December 20th, 2009 Rose Williams No comments

When we are suffering from a headache we generally think of ways to stop the pain. However, as there are different types of headaches, sometimes the treatments may work for only a few headache types. There are two different ways of curing the pain caused by headaches. These types of headache treatment are called prophylactical and abortive headache treatment.

The prophylactic type of headache treatment must be ingested everyday in order to reduce the frequency of and to control the pain of the headache. The abortive type of headache treatment is started only when the headache starts.

You must understand that your doctor will not prescribe any prophylactic headache treatment unless you are suffering from several, frequent headache attacks a month. When you take the prophylactic medication you will be monitored for side effects like weight gain, water retention, lethargy, memory impairment and hallucinations.

The treatment of headaches with prophylactic medication begins with a low dosage. The dosage amount is then increased as time passes. You will be tested every month or so to see if the treatment is taking effect. Your doctor will also make sure that, during this phase of your headache treatment, you are not taking any other types of medicine or vitamins.

It is vital to tell the doctor whether the sufferer is or becomes pregnant. If you do become pregnant, then your doctor must be informed, so that tests can be done to uncover any possible side effects on the unborn baby.

The major prescription drugs that are used for headache treatment are beta blockers like Tenormin and Lopressor. Calcium channel blockers such as Cardizem, Dilacor, and Procardia are also used. Doctors may also prescribe anti-depressants like Elavil and Zoloft. You may also be prescribed Serotonin Antagonists like Sansert.

Sometimes anti-convulsants such as Tegretol, Depakote, and Dilantin are given for headache treatment. Cafergot and Sansert, which are ergot derivatives, may also be prescribed by your doctor. The abortive headache treatment that you can take for your headache pain is generally the over the counter type. These include Paracetamol, Aspirin, Tylenol, Panadol, Motrin, and Advil to name but a few. Tylenol and Panadol are known as Acetaminophen drugs. Motrin and Advil belong to the group of drugs that are known as Ibuprofen.

Further to these headache medicines there are also non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. The side effects of NSAIDs like Naprosyn and Meclomen include nausea, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, diarrhea, light-headedness and constipation. These headache treatments can also cause some people to get side-effects in the form of a different type of headache.

Since taking these drugs can result in side effects, you should consult your doctor in order to discover whether they are all right for you or not. People who would rather take an ‘alternative’ headache treatment should ask their doctor whether he thinks the alternative medicine, such as aromatherapy or supplements, will work.

If you have a problem with migraine or headaches, you ought to visit our website at Stopping Headaches.

Fleas, Ticks and Worms

November 16th, 2009 Owen Jones No comments

Fleas and other parasites have always to be given the top priority by dog owners. The very common incidences of flea bite allergy in dogs causes worry to many dog owners every year, especially in the summer. This is because flea bites can cause allergic reactions in the area bitten by the fleas, which is often on the back above the tail. In these cases, the affected area becomes hairless due to the dog scratching itself very vigorously.

Heavy flea infestations can cause severe dermatitis in dogs. If the flea bites cause an allergic reaction or even dermatitis in your dog, he/she really ought to be taken to the veterinary doctor, because mostly, the dog will be experiencing severe discomfort by now.

The vet will sell you a salve to soothe the itching and reduce the inflammation and some powder or a spray to kill the fleas. Prevention is better than cure and medicated collars are available to treat and prevent an infestation of external parasites like ticks and fleas.

Apart from fleas, other parasites like ticks and lice plus the internal parasites like hookworms, round worms, whip worms etc. can have an adverse effect on the the health of your dog. For instance, if hookworms have infected a dog, that dog will almost surely become anaemic soon. The signs of anaemia become more obvious depending on the advancement of the hookworm infection.

Hookworm larvae can pass directly through the skin and cause problems inside the affected dogs. Such dogs may have cuts due to dermatitis on the paws and on the skin. Frequently, skin rashes are the result in such cases and the affected animal passes loose stools, which are tinged red with blood.

Nearly all dogs and definitely all puppies will have round worms at some time, which is why dogs can sometimes be seen rubbing their bottoms along the ground. However, if round worms are present in very large numbers, infected puppies show a pot belly, which is easily noticeable by the dog’s owners themselves. This can result in malnutrition and even death. A dose of piperazine salts is given orally for the treatment of this problem. However, broad-spectrum anthelmintics like pyrantel pamoate, fenbendazole etc. will also cure this very common condition.

Lately, many drugs have come onto the market to treat fleas and other parasites. Nowadays, the medical agent called ivermectin is highly preferred by many dog owners to treat fleas and other parasites in dogs. This drug is available in injection form and oral form. The drug is available for external application also.

If you are having problems getting rid of fleas on your dog, please follow the ‘fleas’ link, however if you want to read more about dogs or training dogs, please go here: Man’ Best Friend - the Dog