A wrist abscess may make it difficult for an individual to move the wrist fluidly. It may also make it difficult for him or her to grip and grasp objects. Some wrist abscesses may also be painful. The best way to treat wrist abscess is by draining the pus, which forms the abscess followed by a course of antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria causing the condition. The pus can be drained by a needle or by making a small incision at the site of the abscess under a local anesthetic and draining the pus. Diligent followup with the treating physician is necessary to ensure that the patient has completely cured from wrist abscess.

What Causes Wrist Abscess?

A Wrist Abscess may be caused by numerous conditions like a trauma or injury to the wrist like by a gunshot wound or by a sharp object like a knife causing a deep cut, which injure the nerves and vessels resulting in development of wrist abscess. A retained foreign object within the wrist may also be a cause of wrist abscess. Perioperative infections are also one of the causes of wrist abscess. A skin infection which may spread deep within the tissues may also be a cause for wrist abscess.

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What are the Symptoms of Wrist Abscess?

Some of the symptoms of Wrist Abscess are:

• Pain around the lump on the wrist.

• Peeling of skin around the Wrist Abscess.

• Ulceration of the skin around the Wrist Abscess.

• There may also be swelling noted around the wrist due to Wrist Abscess along with warmth and redness.

• An individual with Wrist Abscess may have a general sense of feeling unwell and may get fatigued easily.

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How is Wrist Abscess Treated?

If the wrist abscess is caused due to a bacterial infection, then antibiotics are the way to go to treat wrist abscess. Before embarking on treatment with antibiotics physicians will first attempt to drain the pus. This will be done either by a needle if the site of the abscess is accessible and if not then an incision will have to be made under local anesthetic and the pus will have to be drained. Any retained metallic object such as a bullet if still present will have to be removed. Once the pus has been drained completely off of the Wrist Abscess then a rigorous course of antibiotics will be prescribed to the patient.

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The patient will have to diligently follow the physician's instruction and complete the course of antibiotics to prevent any recurrences of Wrist Abscess. An untreated Wrist Abscess may result in complications where the infection spreads to other parts of the body causing serious complications, which may need emergent medical attention. Thus, it is always advisable to consult with a physician whenever an individual notices a lump in the wrist which is hampering his or her activities of daily living and not going away.

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Osteoarthritis is a condition once thought to be due simply to wear and tear on the cartilage of a joint. ... This cartilage is the surface that is worn thin in the condition called osteoarthritis. The problem that causes osteoarthritis is due to more wearing away (degradation) and less repair of the cartilage surface.

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Treatment

Surgery for cartilage damage is generally a last resort.

Conservative treatment (non-surgical) - some patients respond well to conservative treatment, which can include special exercises, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and sometimes steroid injections.

Exercises may include physical therapy and/or a program the patient can do at home. If the damage is not extensive, this may be all the patient needs.

Surgery - patients who do not respond to conservative treatment will need surgery. There are several surgical options, depending on a number of factors, which include the age and activity level of the patient, how big the lesion is, and how long ago the injury happened.

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Headache is the symptom of pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It occurs in migraines (sharp, or throbbing pains), tension-type headaches, and cluster headaches. Frequent headaches can affect relationships and employment. There is also an increased risk of depression in those with severe headaches.

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Here are some warning signs for when you should worry about headaches:

1. Headaches that first develop after age 50.

2. A major change in the pattern of your headaches.

3. An unusually severe "worst headache ever"

4. Pain that increases with coughing or movement.

5. Headaches that get steadily worse.

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Tension-type headaches, the most common variety of headaches: May be experienced as a tight band of pain around your head, a dull ache or pressure. Maycause mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head. May be triggered by stress, neck strain, missed meals, depression, anxiety or lack of sleep.

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A primary headache is caused by overactivity of or problems with pain-sensitive structures in your head. ... Chemical activity in your brain, the nerves or blood vessels surrounding your skull, or the muscles of your head and neck (or some combination of these factors) can play a role in primary headaches.

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Applying an ice pack to the back of your neck can give relief from a migraine, since the cold from the ice helps reduce inflammation that contributes to headaches. Plus, it has a numbing effect on the pain. And believe it or not, just soaking your feet in hot water also helps get rid of a headache.

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What drinks are good for headaches?

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• Good Old-Fashioned Water. Dehydration leads to a world of hurt for those of us with headaches. ...

• Almond* Milk. Almonds* are high in magnesium, one of the most important minerals for migraine sufferers. ...

• Feverfew Tea. ...

• Cayenne Pepper in Warm Water. ...

• Liquid Fish Oil. ...

• Warm Lemon* Water. ...

• Peppermint Tea. ...

• Ginger Tea.

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What is the best medicine for a headache?

Pain relievers. Simple OTC pain relievers are usually the first line of treatment for reducing headache pain. These include the drugs aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen (Aleve). Prescription medications include naproxen(Naprosyn), indomethacin (Indocin) and ketorolac (Ketorolac Tromethamine).

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Over-the-counter medicines that you can use to stop a headache include:

• Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol).

• Aspirin (such as Bayer).

• Ibuprofen (such as Advil).

• Naproxen (such as Aleve).

• Medicine that combines aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine (such as Excedrin).

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Sprains and Strains

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Sprains and strains are common injuries that share similar signs and symptoms, but involve different parts of your body.

A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments — the tough bands of fibrous tissue that connect two bones together in your joints. The most common location for a sprain is in your ankle.

A strain is a stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon. A tendon is a fibrous cord of tissue that connects muscles to bones. Strains often occur in the lower back and in the hamstring muscle in the back of your thigh.

Initial treatment for both sprains and strains includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. Mild sprains and strains can be successfully treated at home. Severe sprains and strains sometimes require surgery to repair torn ligaments, muscles or tendons.

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When to see a doctor

 

Mild sprains and strains can be treated at home. But the injuries that cause sprains can also cause serious injuries, such as fractures. You should see a doctor if you:

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• Can't walk more than four steps without significant pain

• Can't move the affected joint

• Have pain directly over the bones of an injured joint

• Have numbness in any part of the injured area

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Eye Infections

Most simple eye infections can be fairly easily treated at home with the appropriate medications.

Maybe your eyes are itchy and they're starting to turn a shade of pink. Could it be an infection, you wonder? Your doctor can make the final call, but there are key signs to watch for that can give you clues.

An infection in your eye can show up in many different ways. A lot depends on which part of your eye has the problem. For instance, you can get symptoms in your:

• Eyelid

• Cornea (clear surface that covers the outside of your eye)

• Conjunctiva (thin, moist area that covers the inside of the eyelids and outer layer of your eye)

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Symptoms of an Eye Infection

You may have symptoms in one or both eyes when you have an infection. Look out for this kind of trouble:

How your eye feels. You may notice problems like:

• Pain or discomfort

• Itchy eyes

• Feeling that something's on or in your eye

• Eye hurts when it's bright (light sensitivity)

• Burning in your eyes

• Small, painful lump under your eyelid or at the base of your eyelashes

• Eyelid is tender when you touch it

• Eyes won't stop tearing up

• Irritation in your eyes

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How your eye looks. You could have changes like:

• Discharge out of one or both eyes that's yellow, green, or clear

• Pink color in the "whites" of your eyes

• Swollen, red, or purple eyelids

• Crusty lashes and lids, especially in the morning

How well you see. You may find you have blurry vision.

Some other problems you may get are fever, trouble wearing contacts, and swollen lymph nodes near your ear.

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Types of Eye Infections

After you see your doctor, she may name the infection you have. You may hear her use medical terms like:

Pinkeye (conjunctivitis). It's an infection of your conjunctiva and usually gives your eyes a pink tint. It can be caused by a bacteria or virus, although sometimes you might get it from an allergic reaction or irritants. It's common to get pinkeye when you have a cold.

Keratitis. This is an infection of your cornea. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites in water. It's a common problem for people who wear contact lenses.

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Stye. It can crop up as painful red bumps under your eyelid or at the base of your eyelashes. You get them when the oil glands in your eyelid or eyelashes get infected with bacteria.

Fungal eye infections. It's rare to get infections from a fungus, but they can be serious if you do. Many fungal eye infections happen after an eye injury, especially if your eye was scraped by a something from a plant, like a stick or a thorn. You can also get one if you wear contacts and don't clean them properly.

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Uveitis. This is an infection of the middle layer of your eye, called the uvea. It's sometimes linked to an inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Before deciding on the best treatment for your infection, your doctor will need to look at your eye and may also take a tissue or fluid sample. She'll send it to a lab, where it gets checked under a microscope or put into a dish to make a culture.

Based on what the lab finds, your doctor may prescribe medication you take by mouth, a cream you spread on your eyelid and eye, or eyedrops. If the infection is due to an injury, allergy, irritant, or other health condition, she may suggest other treatments to deal with those issues. You shouldn't wear contact lenses until your eye infection has cleared up.

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Fortunately, most common bacterial eye infections clear up, particularly with prompt treatment such as prescription antibiotic eye drops or ointments and compresses. Many common viral eye infections resolve on their own. In cases of severe viral eye infections, an antiviral eye drop may be prescribed.

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Bacterial eye infections should be treated with prescription eye drops from your doctor. Viral conjunctivitis is contagious. Some viral types of pink eye go away on their own, but the severe kind will cause red, watery, sore eyes, along with a clear or whitish eye discharge. You may also have blurred vision.

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There is no treatment for pinkeye due to a viral infection.

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Common drug classes used to treat eye infection are aminoglycoside / polypeptide antibiotic combinations, aminoglycoside antibiotic / corticosteroid combinations,aminoglycoside antibiotic / polypeptide antibiotic / corticosteroid combinations,aminoglycoside antibiotics, macrolide antibiotics, polyene antifungals, ...

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When should I give chloramphenicol?

Eye drops

• Give four times a day. This is usually first thing in the morning, at about midday, late in the afternoon and at bedtime. Ideally these times should be at least 4 hours apart (e.g. 8 am, midday, 4 pm, 8 pm).

• If the infection is severe, your doctor may tell you to use the drops every 2 hours for the first 48 hours.

• Your doctor may give you ointment to use at bedtime instead of drops.

Eye ointment

• Apply four times a day. This is usually first thing in the morning, at about midday, late in the afternoon and at bedtime. Ideally these times should be at least 4 hours apart (e.g. 8 am, midday, 4 pm, 8 pm).

Continue to give the drops or ointment four times a day for 3 days after all signs of the infection have gone.

Give chloramphenicol at about the same times each day so that this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help you to remember.

How much should I use?

Your doctor will work out the amount of chloramphenicol (the dose) that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on the medicine label.

It is important that you follow your doctor’s instructions about how much to give.

How should I give it?

• Use the drops or ointment only in the infected eye, unless your doctor has told you to treat both eyes.

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after giving the drops or ointment.

• The drops or ointment are easiest to give when your child is lying down.

• You may need help from another adult to help give eye medicine, especially in small children and babies. One of you can hold the child still and one can give the drops or ointment. You may find it helpful to wrap a small child or baby in a blanket to help keep them still.

How to give eye drops

• For older children, gently pull the lower lid out and squeeze the bottle gently so that one drop goes into the pocket that is formed.

• In small children and babies, place the drop into the inner corner of the eye. This is easier with the eye open, but the liquid will still drain on to the eye even with a closed eye if you can hold your child’s head still for a few seconds.

• After giving eye drops, your child should keep their eye closed for as long as they can (5 seconds if possible) so that the eye drop doesn’t spill out.

• If you think the drop didn’t go into the eye, you can repeat the process but do not try more than twice.

• Try to avoid the tip of the tube touching any part of your child’s eye, if possible.

• Wash your hands again with soap and hot water.

How to give eye ointment

• For older children, gently pull the lower lid out and down and squeeze the tube gently so that a small amount (approximately 1 cm) goes into the pocket that is formed.

• In small children and babies, place the ointment into the inner corner of the eye, preferably with the eye open.

• After giving the ointment, your child should blink several times to help dissolve the ointment.

• If you think the ointment didn’t go into the eye, you can repeat the process but do not try more than twice.

• Try to avoid the tip of the tube touching any part of your child’s eye, if possible.

• Wash your hands again with soap and hot water.

When should the medicine start working?

The drops/ointment will start to work straight away, although it may take 2–3 days for the eye to look better. It is important that you give the whole course of drops or ointment, as your doctor has told you to even if the infection seems to have gone. This is to make sure that all the bacteria are killed and the infection doesn’t come back.

What if I forget to give it?

Give the missed dose as soon as you remember as long as this is at least 2 hours before the next dose is due.

What if I give too much?

This medicine is unlikely to cause harm if you give too much by mistake. If you are worried that you may have used too much, contact your doctor or local NHS services (111 in England and Scotland; 0845 4647 in Wales). Have the medicine or packaging with you if you telephone for advice.

Are there any possible side-effects?

We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes they have other effects that we don’t want (side-effects).

Your child’s eyes may sting a little with the first few doses. Other side-effects are unlikely with chloramphenicol eye drops/ointment. If you notice anything unusual and are concerned, contact your doctor.

Can other medicines be given at the same time as chloramphenicol?

• You can give your child medicines that contain paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told you not to.

• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any other medicines to your child. This includes herbal or complementary medicines.

Important things to know about taking antibiotics

• It is important that your child completes the course of antibiotic. If you stop giving the antibiotic too soon, the troublesome bacteria that are left will start to multiply again, and may cause another infection. There is also a risk that these bacteria will be ‘resistant’ to (no longer be killed by) the first antibiotic. This means that it might not work next time, and your child might need a different antibiotic.

• Try to give the eye drops/ointment at about the same times each day, to help you remember, and to make sure that there is enough in your child’s body to kill the bacteria.

• Only give these eye drops/ointment to your child for their current infection.

• Never save medicine for future illnesses. Give old or unused antibiotics to your pharmacist to dispose of.

Is there anything else I need to know about this medicine?

• If your child rubs the infected eye, they should wash their hands, so that they don’t transfer the infection to the other eye.

• Children should not wear contact lenses during treatment with eye drops or ointment because the preservatives can cause irritation.

• If someone swallows eye drops of ointment by accident, it is unlikely to do harm.

• If your child is using other eye drops/ointments, try to space them out during the course of the day, and do not give at the same time (unless recommended).

• Once opened, chloramphenicol eye drops/ointment should not be kept for longer than 4 weeks.

• Only give these drops/ointment to your child for their current infection. Do not save the medicine for future infections. Give old or unused drops/ointment to your pharmacist to dispose of.

General advice about medicines

• Try to give medicines at about the same times each day, to help you remember.

• If you are not sure a medicine is working, contact your doctor but continue to give the medicine as usual in the meantime. Do not give extra doses, as you may do harm.

• Only give this medicine to your child. Never give it to anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the same, as this could do harm.

• If you think someone else may have used the medicine by accident, contact your doctor for advice.

Where should I keep this medicine?

• Once opened, the eye drops and ointment can be kept in a cupboard, away from heat and direct sunlight.

• Eye drops can be kept in a cupboard for up to 7 days but it is better to keep them in a fridge. Make sure that the medicine doesn’t freeze. The drops should be taken out of the fridge 2 hours before using them, so that they do not sting.

• Make sure that children cannot see or reach the medicine.

• Keep the medicine in the container it came in.

Who to contact for more information

Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will be able to give you more information about chloramphenicol and about other medicines used to treat eye infections.

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