The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Caldolor, the first injectable dosage form of the common pain medication ibuprofen, to treat pain and fever.

“Injectable ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are promising pain management options,” said Bob Rappaport, M.D., director, Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Rheumatology Drug Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “But until now there were only oral forms of most NSAIDs. An injectable ibuprofen product can provide patients with relief from pain and fever when they cannot take oral products.”

Caldolor will be available for hospital use only. It is approved to be administered in 400 mg to 800 mg doses, over 30 minutes, every 6 hours for acute pain. To treat fever, the drug is approved in a 400 mg dose administered over 30 minutes, followed by 400 mg every 4 to 6 hours, or 100-200 mg every 4 hours, as necessary. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: allergic reactions, Bob Rappaport, Congestive heart failure, director, Division, Division of Anesthesia, fda, FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, fever, headache, high blood pressure, hysterectomy, ibuprofen, nausea, pain, pain management, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, vomiting

A sore throat may have many causes and it is important to find the right sore throat remedy for the particular condition that you have.

Common Causes Of A Sore Throat

Laryngitis: inflammation of the larynx. This usually results in losing your voice.

Tonsillitis: inflammation of the tonsils. Common in children.

Mononucleosis or glandular fever: accompanied by swelling of the glands in the throat.

Strep throat: a streptococcal bacterial infection of the throat or tonsils, often accompanied by fever.

Symptom of a viral infection: a sore throat is often the first symptom of a cold or flu.

Candida albicans or oral thrush.

Some of these conditions can become serious if not successfully treated. If your sore throat remedy does not work and the irritation or inflammation persists for more than 24 hours, or if you have swelling or a fever, it is important to see a doctor. You may need antibiotics or other medication. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: anti inflammatory, antibiotics, antiseptic solution, bacterial infection, cancer, chemotherapy, fever, glandular fever, HIV infection, home remedy, ibuprofen, inflammation, irritation, Laryngitis, natural remedies, pain, sore throat, thrush, Tonsillitis, viral infection

Natural earache remedies are very popular because they are effective in so many cases. As a father with a couple of kids I have seen the problems that my kids and other peoples kids have for earaches and ear infections. Usually you just give them some kids Tylenol but this may not actually be needed.

Are Natural Earache Remedies Effective?

Most infections occur in the outer ear. These infections are easy to access with drops and they usually clear up fast. In these cases, yes, natural and home remedies can be very effective.

However, you should be sure what you are treating before you begin using any natural earache remedies because infections in the middle ear are much harder to treat and can be serious. Middle ear infections are characterized by severe pain which is usually more acute than in an outer ear infection. In some cases, swelling occurs behind the eardrum to the point where the eardrum perforates to allow the pus to escape. This can cause long term deafness. So it is very important to see a doctor before beginning any natural earache treatment, to be sure what type of infection it is.

Inner ear infections can also occur. Often these are not painful at all but the person’s balance is affected. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: deafness, ear infection, ear infections, earache, earaches, fever, home remedies, olive oil, pain, pus, sinus infections, Swimmer, tablespoons olive oil

If you’ve ever been treated for severe pain from surgery, an injury, or an illness, you know just how vital pain relief medications can be.

Pain relief treatments come in many forms and potencies, are available by prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), and treat all sorts of physical pain— including that brought on by chronic conditions, sudden trauma, and cancer.

Pain relief medicines (also known as “analgesics” and “painkillers”) are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some analgesics, including opioid analgesics, act on the body’s peripheral and central nervous systems to block or decrease sensitivity to pain. Others act by inhibiting the formation of certain chemicals in the body.

Among the factors health care professionals consider in recommending or prescribing them are the cause and severity of the pain.

TYPES OF PAIN RELIEVERS

OTC Medications
These relieve the minor aches and pains associated with conditions such as headaches, fever, colds, flu, arthritis, toothaches, and menstrual cramps.

There are basically two types of OTC pain relievers: acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Acetaminophen is an active ingredient found in more than 600 OTC and prescription medicines, including pain relievers, cough suppressants, and cold medications.

NSAIDs are common medications used to relieve fever and minor aches and pains. They include aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen, as well as many medicines taken for colds, sinus pressure, and allergies. They act by inhibiting an enzyme that helps make a specific chemical.

Prescription Medications
Typical prescription pain relief medicines include opioids and non-opioid medications.

Derived from opium, opioid drugs are very powerful products. They act by attaching to a specific “receptor” in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. Opioids can change the way a person experiences pain.

Types of prescription opioid medications include

• morphine, which is often used before and after surgical procedures to alleviate severe pain
• oxycodone, which is also often prescribed for moderate to severe pain
• codeine, which comes in combination with acetaminophen or other non-opioid pain relief medications and is often prescribed for mild to moderate pain
• hydrocodone, which comes in combination with acetaminophen or other non-opioid pain relief medications and is prescribed for moderate to moderately severe pain

FDA has recently notified makers of certain opioid drugs that these products will need to have a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to ensure that the benefits continue to outweigh the risks.

Affected opioid drugs, which include brand name and generic products, are formulated with the active ingredients fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone.

FDA has authority to require a REMS under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007.

Types of non-opioid prescription medications include ibuprofen and diclofenac, which treat mild to moderate pain.

USE PAIN RELIEVERS AS DIRECTED

Pain medications are safe and effective when used as directed. However, misuse of these products can be extremely harmful and even deadly.

Consumers who take pain relief medications must follow their health care professional’s instructions carefully. If a measuring tool is provided with your medicine, use it as directed.

Do not change the dose of your pain relief medication without talking to your doctor first.

Also, pain medications should never be shared with anyone else. Only your health care professional can decide if a prescription pain medication is safe for someone.

Here are other key points to remember.

With acetaminophen:

• Taking a higher dose than recommended will not provide more relief and can be dangerous.
• Too much can lead to liver damage and death. Risk for liver damage may be increased in people who drink three or more alcoholic beverages a day while using acetaminophen-containing medicines.
• Be cautious when giving acetaminophen to children. Infant drop medications can be significantly stronger than regular children’s medications. Read and follow the directions on the label every time you use a medicine. Be sure that your infant is getting the infants’ pain formula and your older child is getting the children’s pain formula.

With NSAIDs:

• Too much can cause stomach bleeding. This risk increases in people who are over 60 years of age, are taking prescription blood thinners, are taking steroids, have a history of stomach bleeding or ulcers, and/or have other bleeding problems.
• Use of NSAIDs can also cause reversible kidney damage. This risk may increase in people who are over 60 years of age, are taking a diuretic (a drug that increases the excretion of urine), have high blood pressure, heart disease, or pre-existing kidney disease.

With opioids:

• Use of opioids can lead to drowsiness. Do not drive or use any machinery that may injure you, especially when you first start the medication.
• The dose of an opioid pain medication that is safe for you could be high enough to cause an overdose and death in someone else, especially children.

KNOW THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

A specific area of concern with OTC pain medicines is when products sold for different uses have the same active ingredient. A cold and cough remedy may have the same active ingredient as a headache remedy or a prescription pain reliever.

To minimize the risks of an accidental overdose, consumers should avoid taking multiple medications with the same active ingredient at the same time.

All OTC medicines must have all of their active ingredients listed on the package. For prescription drugs, the active ingredients are listed on the container label.

Talk with your pharmacist or another health care professional if you have questions about using OTC medicines, and especially before using them in combination with dietary supplements or other OTC or prescription medicines.

MISUSE AND ABUSE
Misuse and abuse of pain medications can be extremely dangerous. This is especially so in regard to opioids. These medications should be stored in a place where they cannot be stolen.

According to the National Institutes of Health, studies have shown that properly managed medical use of opioid analgesic compounds (taken exactly as prescribed) is safe, can manage pain effectively, and rarely causes addiction.

But the abuse of opioids is a significant public safety concern. Abusers ingest these drugs orally, and also crush the pills in order to snort or inject them.

Commonly abused opioid pain medicines include prescription drugs such as codeine, and the brand-name products Oxycontin (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone with acetaminophen), and Demerol (meperidine).

Addiction is just one serious danger of opioid abuse. A number of overdose deaths have resulted from snorting and injecting opioids, particularly the drug OxyContin, which was designed to be a slow-release formulation.

USE OPIOIDS SAFELY:  3 KEY STEPS

1. Keep your doctor informed. Inform your health care professional about any past history of substance abuse. All patients treated with opioids for pain require careful monitoring by their health care professional for signs of abuse and addiction, and to determine when these analgesics are no longer needed.
2. Follow directions carefully. Opioids are associated with significant side effects, including drowsiness, constipation, and depressed breathing depending on the amount taken. Taking too much could cause severe respiratory depression or death. Do not crush or break pills. This can alter the rate at which the medication is absorbed and lead to overdose and death.
3. Reduce the risk of drug interactions. Don’t mix opioids with alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines. All of these substances slow breathing and their combined effects could lead to life-threatening respiratory depression.

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Health Information Web page (www.fda.gov/consumer), which features the latest updates on FDA-regulated products. Sign up for free e-mail subscriptions at www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html.

Tags: acetaminophen, aches, allergies, arthritis, brand-name products, cancer, chemical, chemicals, constipation, cough, cramps, dietary supplements, drowsiness, fever, food and drug administration, generic products, headache, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, ibuprofen, kidney disease, machinery, OTC, OxyContin, pain, pains, peripheral and central nervous systems, pharmacist, respiratory depression, surgery, toothaches, www.fda.gov/consumer, www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html

Many people rely on home remedies for boils. Boils (also known as skin abscesses or furuncles) are not serious but they can be ugly and painful.

Boils can be caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, by an infected hair follicle or an ingrowing hair. Staph infections are likely to spread to other parts of the body or to other people if not treated. You should see your doctor, especially if you think you may have a Staph infection or if you develop a fever along with your boil.

Simple Boils

Simple boils are easier to treat and can often be eliminated by natural methods. They are a little like large, hard pimples, pus-filled lumps in the skin. Most methods of treatment involve removing the pus. A doctor may do this by lancing the boil with a sharp instrument but it is not recommended to do this at home. It is very likely that you would make the situation worse.

External Treatment

The best way to treat boils externally at home is to bring the infection to a head using heat. Apply a sterilized hot compress every 15 minutes. This should bring the pus toward the surface of the skin and it will start to drain off. Continue, being sure to wash the area and your hands frequently with antibacterial soap.

When the boil is fully drained, the whole area should be treated with antibacterial soap or lotion. Repeat until the area has healed.

Internal Treatment

If you catch the boil early, you can often prevent it from developing by taking the spice turmeric. Turmeric is an Indian spice commonly found as an ingredient in curry. It is believed to have anti inflammatory and blood purifying actions as well as being good for the digestion.

You will need around a teaspoon of turmeric 3 times a day. You can make it into a drink or add it to food. Eat it in curry or add turmeric to soup. You can also take it mixed into yogurt, or try making a tea of turmeric, powdered ginger, lemon juice and maple syrup. You can even add it to chocolate milk.

Drink plenty of water if taking turmeric, as it tends to provoke sweating and you may be more likely to become dehydrated.

Other Types Of Boils

Cystic acne will often produce boil-like symptoms. Unlike a boil, a cystic acne pimple will often go away in time without ever coming to a head. However, you may need antibiotics, either internally or in the form of a cream. Do not try to force the pus out by squeezing. This can lead to scars.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a serious form of abscess that occurs in clusters in sweat glands or hair follicles, usually in the armpit, under breasts or in the groin area. This disease is rare and often runs in families. It is not easy to cure and will not respond to home remedies for boils.

Tags: abscess, acne, anti inflammatory, antibiotics, Boils, fever, food, furuncles, Hidradenitis suppurativa, home remedies, pus, scars, staph infection, Staph infections

To find the best home remedies for bladder infection, you need to understand what causes bladder infection and how to stop it happening with natural treatments.

What Is Bladder Infection?

The bladder is the place where urine is stored when the kidneys have produced it. Bladder infection is more correctly called urinary tract infection (UTI) and it can be an infection in either the bladder, the kidneys, or the passages that the urine travels along from the kidneys to the bladder (the ureters) and from the bladder when we pass urine (urethra).

Causes Of Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infection is much more common in women than in men. UTI often begins when bacteria, usually originating in the colon, enter the urethra from the outside world. Another form of UTI can be sexually transmitted. UTI can also be caused when tubes are placed in the urethra to control urine flow during and after surgical operations.

Urine itself is sterile and does not contain any bacteria, viruses or fungi. In fact it is believed to have mild anti bacterial properties. However, this is not always enough to protect against infection in the passages, especially where the urine is not flowing fast enough through the system and stagnates in the bladder.

Symptoms Of Bladder Infection

You can guess that you may have a bladder or urinary tract infection if you have a burning sensation when you urinate. You are also likely to have frequent urges to urinate although you may pass very little. In some cases the urine looks cloudy or reddish.

If you also have fever, nausea or constant pain in the lower abdominal area then this is a sign that the infection may have spread to the kidneys and you should see a doctor immediately to prevent possible permanent damage to the kidneys.

Home Remedies For Bladder Infection

One of the most important things to do if you have a UTI is to drink plenty of water. Have one 8 oz glass every 20-30 minutes. Assuming that your kidneys and bladder are functioning correctly and the infection is limited to the urethra, this is often enough to flush out the system. The body’s natural healing process together with the mild anti bacterial properties of urine may be able to deal with the infection by themselves when fresh urine is washing through the system quickly.

However, if you want to give your body a helping hand, cranberry juice is the best known natural remedy for UTI. This has been used for over one hundred years to help people with infections of the bladder and associated passages. It appears to work because proanthocyanins in cranberry juice help to prevent bacteria sticking to the walls of the urinary passages. They can then be washed out more easily by the urine.

You can either eat cranberries, drink juice diluted in water (unsweetened) or buy supplements of cranberry extract from a health food store. Research seems to show that cranberry extract supplements are the most effective.

In the case of sexually transmitted bladder infection both partners will need tests and treatment although often only one partner has symptoms. If the other partner is not treated too, the infection will recur. Medical tests can identify this type of infection.

If the infection spreads to the kidneys it can become very serious, and in some cases this can happen even when the symptoms have been controlled. There is also a risk of recurrence. Therefore you should always see a doctor even if these home remedies for bladder infection seem to have worked for you.

Tags: bladder infection, fever, health-food store, home remedies, natural remedy, nausea, pain, urinary tract infection

I have written before about the best way to suntan and the best ways to get rid of a sunburn but now that Summer is here and I really do get concerned about the people that read my suntanning articles.

I worry that people will get sunburned, I know that people can easily get skin cancer from overexposure to the sun but also I remember how hard I tried in my late teens and twenties to get the best suntan possible with the skin type that I have.

These sun worshipers bake themselves carefully and with proper apparent care. They are careful to turn and twist their bodies in a way best calculated to get an even, rich suntan over as much of their skin as possible. They slather themselves with the latest lotion that promises to keep out harmful sun-ray effects and most importantly guarantees a deep tan.

“Ah, it feels so good,” they say. And I, with a trace of the sun worshiper still in me, agree. The warmth feels like a balm. Vitamin D is brought to the body by the sunlight’s effect on the skin. The pimples of acne can diminish or disappear when the sun’s ultraviolet rays play upon them.

Any teen-ager who winces with pain of sunburn when clapped on the back can testify that the extra time in the sun is never good. For everyone there is an amount and degree of sun beyond which danger lies.

Even a person who tans readily and easily may get harmful changes in his skin if he has too much exposure. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: acne, blisters, chills, fever, lupus, oatmeal solution, olive oil, pain, physician, skin cancer, sun oil, sunburn, Tennis, Vitamin D

The Daily Mail in England has this very interesting story that seems to give hope to the millions of people worldwide that suffer from Alzheimers disease.

Doctors are calling for a clinical trial of an experimental drug treatment that it is claimed can reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease “in minutes”.

U.S. researchers say the treatment allowed an 82-year- old sufferer to recognize his wife for the first time in years.

In the UK, specialists believe the claims should be properly tested as only a few patients have been treated so far.
The treatment involves injecting a drug called Enbrel – which is normally used to treat arthritis – into the spine at the neck. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's Research Trust, Alzheimer's Society, ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis, California, chief executive, cough, diabetes, director, Edward Tobinick, Enbrel, experimental therapy, fever, head of research, immune disease, inflammation, Institute for Neurological Research, Institute of Neurological Research, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Los Angeles, Marvin Miller, necrosis, nurse, professor, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Rebecca Wood, rheumatoid arthritis, Serious infections, Susanne Sorensen, TB, tuberculosis, tumor, tumour, United Kingdom, United States, University of California Los Angeles

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body’s own immune system attacks itself. In addition to the joints, Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the skin, blood vessels, heart, and lungs.

Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, from toddlers to seniors, but usually appears between the ages of 25 and 50, It occurs three times more often in women than in men. The joints most affected are in the wrist, fingers, knees, ankles, and feet.

When the immune system attacks healthy joints, it causes inflammation of the joint lining. Inflammation of this lining can be very painful, making it difficult to walk or do regular activities such as cooking. If the disease is not treated and controlled, it can lead to permanent damage, such as joint deformity and disability.

The Rheumatoid arthritis disease can start slowly with fatigue or a sudden attack of flu-like symptoms. There may be a slight fever. Joints may feel warm to the touch and look red or swollen, They may be stiff and become painful as time passes, Pain is usually worse in the morning, when the body has been inactive for a while. Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, swollen glands, burning eyes, and difficulty breathing. If you have any of these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: acetaminophen, arthritis, autoimmune disease, deformity, fatigue, fever, inflammation, lifelong treatment, nsaids, Oral, pain, physical therapist, physical therapy, rheumatoid arthritis, surgery, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

The Chinese have used green tea to treat ailments for several centuries. Nowadays, Western culture is beginning to understand the benefits of green tea. Recent research has revealed some of the health benefits of using green tea including the possible prevention of arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cataracts and also cancer.

Besides the disease-fighting benefits, Green Tea also aids weight loss programs. Studies have shown that drinking green tea helps you burn more calories. So what makes green tea so beneficial?

Green tea is the most popular types of Chinese tea. Many people, consider it as the best drink for hot summers. The main reason for this claim is the fact that green tea is cool and fights off irritation. Many have even claimed that it relieves fever.

The health benefits of Green Tea have been known throughout the world, and are appreciated a lot more these days. The Chinese have known about these medicinal benefits since ancient times, as they have been using green tea to treat everything from headaches to depression, and a long list of other ailments. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: antioxidant, arthritis, Asia, cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, depression, esophageal cancer, fever, green tea, headaches, heart attacks, irritation, National Cancer Institute, prevention of arthritis, stroke, thrombosis, University of Purdue