Saturday, June 30, 2007

Chronic backache II

Take an aspirin a day
Back pain is often accompanied by inflammation around the site of the pain and over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin can help take it away.

Natural anti-inflammatory
If you are looking for a natural anti-inflammatory, try some white willow bark, which can be found in capsule form in health food stores. Taken after meals, it should not hurt your stomach and it works very well on mild to moderate back pain. Those who suffer from ulcers and heartburn, however, should not use it.

Visualise yourself pain free
Use your senses in visualization. The more involved the image is the more you are engaged with it and the quicker you will become distracted from the pain.

Turn your pain upside down
Gravity inversion works wonders on back pain. Gradually doing inversion traction with a proper, safe inversion apparatus for 5 to 10 minutes a day will really work to rid you from lower back pain.

T'ai chi
It is a great relaxation method that helps the muscles in your back. There are a lot of breathing exercises and stretching activities that foster a harmony within the body.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Friday, June 15, 2007

Chronic backache





Some people have back pain that lingers on and on. Some suffer from recurring pain. This is called chronic backache. The following tips are particularly helpful for those with chronic pain though acute pain sufferers can benefit from them as well.

Lumber up
Make sure your bed does not sag in the middle when you sleep in.

Use waterbed
A modern waterbed which is adjustable and does not make a lot of waves is excellent for most types of back trouble.

"S" sleeper
The best position for someone resting in bed is called the lazy "S" position. Put a pillow under your head and upper neck, keep your back relatively flat on the bed and then put a pillow under your knees.

Fetal position
Stick a pillow between your knees when you sleep on your side. The pillow stops your leg from sliding forward and rotating your hips, which puts added pressure on your back.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

My List updated!

Kitchen Experiments Elliottwave Signal Internet-Crazy Blog Newopps Blog Make Money Online Review Center Little Penang iFlicks Healing tips and home remedies Ornamental Fish Grasp! Seize! Get hold of it! Life Snapshot Mental Freedom, Por Favor Eat. Live. Be Merry! Funny Junk Addicting Flash Games Pictures Video Clips mott’s island Clinke Bidding Directory Blog Easy Home Cooking FrenzRSS.com Pink Poison Store Show Me Health Biz The Undeniable Beauty - Revamped An Anonymous Journal Cyberpartygal Blank Canvas She Rambles On charcamayne Money Online Adsense Money Tips For Adsense Belajar Cara Membuat Blog Wordpress Usahawan Internet Peluang Perniagaaan Internet iNicholas Made In Penang Syaf The Geek snapshots of life with Cheng Leng iCalvyn.com Blogging Through Depression & Life Trying to Save Money novatech personal playground Little World Of Thoughts Sumber Dekorasi & Laman Anda Menarik.com INSIDE MY MIND Sleepy As Usual thoughts ---> blogs Share Everything In Life Value Bookshop’s Reading Notes Tips and Tricks to Happy Parenting BERSAMA MEMBINA KEJAYAAN THE BITCH CLUB datotalrandommessy.grey Artmaker BlogWawasan.com life is beautiful Adino Online Penang Homes Physical-e A Mom's Diary Health Freak Mommy mrdefinite.com - It’s hot Tracking Movies SquareCookies MonkeyWong Voice of a Glass Doll Online Article Directory Bambang Wise Life Advice Kaklong Online Portal Down Memory Lanes Sleeping Princess Online Bisnes Forex Marketing Blog project010 ProTechWang.Com Bleargh Pigeon Card Pianologist KCLau’s Money Tips The Great Swifty Speaketh Mr & Mrs. Imran If fate allow our destinies to meet From chopstix to steak knives Where's My Noose? Duke Amiene Rev Mum & Kids In Wonderland Yum-Yum Cuisine Software, Web Development and Technology just another ordinary story Mummy In Vain's Little World How To Solve Your Question FáLLiÑg LéÃVéS add this to my life Free Encyclopedia High Paying Keywords try-test arshad's photojourney EvelynHolic RajaBLog.info Lovelymummy's Bay My Yummy Cruise Home Sweet Home Lovely Mummy OnlineBisnes Malay Blog Purest of e2wen MyAnimes MySpace Blog Badruzamani.Org Parenting Life Forum Newbie Bisnes Internet & Blogger Mohd Sufian A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words hcfoo's blog Amazing Grace The Sanctuary Welcome To cHrIstInA_YY's Pink World Defying Destiny Dead Boredom Seeking Freedom Travelogue An amazing & adventurous journey Erin Nurjenna [B][E][A][U][T][I][F][U][L] Fluffy's Day Off My Fairy-Tale Once Upon A Time Money Making Blog Bubba Stuff Little Raymond's quaint melody Seraph Chronicles Route Brumeuse Coder's Talk Reggae And SKA Art Of ApOgEE THE VEGEMASTER LIFE Boonage Coretan Pengalaman Mat Silverhorsegunnysack BLUEAPPLE scribbles Diet & Detoxification Karma Kameleon Hsien's Dirty Little Secret The Rojak Blog keeyit My Life Online Fun Stuffs Donny's Bits Nicholas Chan's Blog dream of's DESIGN strike freedom 115 Truly Malaysia It's another new day Lisan's Scribbles Ramblings of a 22 years old The Towering Joe Life's a Breeze Life's Roller Coaster AceOne118 In His Time in His time The New Sanctuary a life full of surprises Sketches of Life Shannon's Old Space Pikey Dude SEO & Online Marketing Blog ShowMeMoneyBiz.com Snapshots kahpengBlog I am Who I am yung . silent whisper Simple Life One blog.One girl.One story The World Through My Eyes Why Malaysia? Etcetera~Etcetera Giddy Tigers Make Money Online: Exploring The Dark Side of Blogging Xilly's Blog Malaika Xiao Yu My Home Recipe SQKIKI’s Simple Tech Nukilan Jejari Azhad ITCHY HANDseng Just My Lil' Organic Life Oooh La La... Weird World of MerapuMan Fibre Art The World at My Fingertips Organic Income Organic Parade Shopping Flavor Daily postings of a chung ling student Something about LAI KennyP’s Technology Blog Women Mumbles KuKuJian.com Lyon & Wien Under The SUN Crumbs In Life SotongZai's Flow In the Ocean allthingspurple Christene's Kitchen toxicle.org [ Wood ] [ Earth ] [ Cheap ] [ Flight ] COMtech Ah Ling's blog http://judychow.blogspot.com/ ~WoOLaLA~ vivivava Design My Mothering Corner Shoppingmum’s Home Office My Filling Station Shopping Mum All about Beauty Shoppingmum and Kids datotalrandommessy.grey Notes from my heart Joy Montessori wahlau's online hut Cedric’s Asylum mott’s mutterings Just My Thoughts delephant Incoherent Ramblings HOT STUFF Make Money Online with Malaysia Love AGLOCO MONTESSORIMUM.COM Funky Cookies Earn Money Online PabloPabla's Whatever Make Money with Blogging Paris Beaverbanks Free Links Giveaway Free Blogger Templates Blogsreview.Net Making a Living 5xmom How to be a Better Blogger My Women Stuff Hochiak! Delicious Asian Food Best Recipes Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget Daryl's Discovery Journey The fluff must go somewhere

Monday, June 11, 2007

Backache II

More on how to cope with backache.

Heat relief
Take a soft towel and put it in a basin of very warm water. Wring it well and flatten it so that there are no creases in it. Lie chest down with pillows under your hips and ankles and fold the towel across the painful part of your back. Put some plastic wrap over that, then put a heating pad turned on medium on top of the plastic.

Heat and cold
Use both method if you are being indecisive which one is better. An intermittent regimen of heat and ice will actually make you feel better. 30 minutes of ice and 30 minutes of heat and keep repeating the cycle.

Stretch
Stretching a sore back will actually enhance the healing process. Gently bring your knees up from the bed and to your chest. Once there, put a little pressure on your knees, stretch then relax. Repeat. It helps your muscle calm down sooner.

Roll out of bed
When getting out of bed, roll out - carefully and gently. You can get out of bed by sliding to the edge of the bed.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Backache I

Trying to move the suddenly immovable is the number one cause of back problems. It causes you to push, twist, bend, lift, punch, pull and strain. The result is back pain and it is not always easy to get rid of.

It comes in two forms, acute and chronic. Acute pain comes on suddenly and intensely. It is the kind you usually experience from doing something you should not be doing or from doing it in the wrong way. The pain can be from sprains, strains or pulls on muscles in your back. However doctors say you can be pain free without any lasting effects by following self help tips.

Get off your feet
Get some bed rest. Any physical act may bring you pain. Therefore for the first few days, keep activity to a minimum.

Do not lounge too long
Get out of bed as quickly as possible when you feel better. Let pain be your guide. It is not true that a week of rest will take away the pain as it takes two week to rehabilitate for each week of bed rest. The length of bed rest does not really affect recovery.

Use ice
Put an ice pack on the site of the pain and massage the spot for 7 or 9 minutes. Do this for a day or two.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Acne III




More on how to cope with acne.

Use over the counter product
Use those with benzoyl peroxide in them. These products come in various forms such as gels, liquids, lotions or creams. It is suggested that you use a water based gel which is less likely to irritate the skin. The gel is used for an hour or so in the evening and wash it off thoroughly at bedtime especially in the areas around the eyes and neck.

Ignore numbers
Acne medications contain concentration of benzoyl peroxide ranging from 2.5 percent to around 10 percent. The percentage has little to do with the product's effectiveness.

Extra care on dry skin
Start with a lower strength product if you have dry skin.

Stay out of the sun
Minimize exposure to sunlight, infrared heat lamps and sunscreens until you know how you will react as acne medication may cause adverse reactions to the sun.

Scrub the skin
Cleanse your skin thoroughly every time before applying any over the counter acne medication.

A treatment at a time
Do not mix treatments.

Stop the spread of acne
Apply acne medication about a half inch around the affected area to help keep the acne from spreading. You need to treat beyond the red inflammatory area. The affected area is not just where the pimple is.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

"My List"

My List stands for the giving hearted and goodwill of Malaysians to help one another and also most definitely for the Malaysian Boleh! spirit in the great big world of blogsphere!


Introduction
The purpose of My List is to gather all Malaysian blogs under the banner of unity and creating a huge bookmark. So much richness can be found within our very own Malaysian blogs and this will open up our minds and hearts to the lives of our fellow bloggers. If you are keen to participate, kindly read this page entirely for instructions and guidelines.

Who can Participate?
Malaysian bloggers residing anywhere on mother earth.
Non-Malaysians whose blogs feature anything pertaining to Malaysia (example: Malaysian food, Formula 1 in Malaysia and etc).
Blog submitted must be of good quality contents. Please do not submit your blog which is less than 2 weeks old.

Dateline for Participation
31st May 2007

Important Guidelines
One reminder email will be sent once the final list is updated on this page after the deadline.
All participants must then feature a brand new post before 15th of June with the final updated and complete list of participating Malaysian blogs downloadable directly via the email or from this dedicated My List page.
All My List Post must be permanent and accessible.

Submitting Your Other Blogs
You may submit as many blogs which is owned by you but each blog entry must contain their own My List post.

How To Participate
Download My List in Text format.
Make a new post promoting My List and guide your fellow Malaysian readers to this page if they are keen to participate.
Copy the entire Text File you downloaded.
Paste it at the end of your post. (You can arrange it however you prefer if it goes lengthy but ensure the entire list is there)
Publish the post and ensure all links are in working order.
Submit your contact details and the permanent url of your MyList post by using this contact form.
Your blog url will then be added to the list.
Post a new post of the final My List after receiving an email notification as mentioned in the guidelines above. This is done to ensure everyone will benefit from this even those who participate later or close to the deadline.

The Undeniable Beauty - Revamped An Anonymous Journal Cyberpartygal Blank Canvas She Rambles On charcamayne Money Online Adsense Money Tips For Adsense Belajar Cara Membuat Blog Wordpress Usahawan Internet Peluang Perniagaaan Internet iNicholas Made In Penang Syaf The Geek snapshots of life with Cheng Leng iCalvyn.com Blogging Through Depression & Life Trying to Save Money novatech personal playground Little World Of Thoughts Sumber Dekorasi & Laman Anda Menarik.com INSIDE MY MIND Sleepy As Usual blogs" href="http://chriskong57.blogspot.com/" target=_blank>thoughts ---> blogs Share Everything In Life Value Bookshop’s Reading Notes Tips and Tricks to Happy Parenting BERSAMA MEMBINA KEJAYAAN THE BITCH CLUB datotalrandommessy.grey Artmaker BlogWawasan.com life is beautiful Adino Online Penang Homes Physical-e A Mom's Diary Health Freak Mommy mrdefinite.com - It’s hot Tracking Movies SquareCookies MonkeyWong Voice of a Glass Doll Online Article Directory Bambang Wise Life Advice Kaklong Online Portal Down Memory Lanes Sleeping Princess Online Bisnes Forex Marketing Blog project010 ProTechWang.Com Bleargh Pigeon Card Pianologist KCLau’s Money Tips The Great Swifty Speaketh Mr & Mrs. Imran If fate allow our destinies to meet From chopstix to steak knives Where's My Noose? Duke Amiene Rev Mum & Kids In Wonderland Yum-Yum Cuisine Software, Web Development and Technology just another ordinary story Mummy In Vain's Little World How To Solve Your Question FáLLiÑg LéÃVéS add this to my life Free Encyclopedia High Paying Keywords try-test arshad's photojourney EvelynHolic RajaBLog.info Lovelymummy's Bay My Yummy Cruise Home Sweet Home Lovely Mummy OnlineBisnes Malay Blog Purest of e2wen MyAnimes MySpace Blog Badruzamani.Org Parenting Life Forum Newbie Bisnes Internet & Blogger Mohd Sufian A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words hcfoo's blog Amazing Grace The Sanctuary Welcome To cHrIstInA_YY's Pink World Defying Destiny Dead Boredom Seeking Freedom Travelogue An amazing & adventurous journey Erin Nurjenna [B][E][A][U][T][I][F][U][L] Fluffy's Day Off My Fairy-Tale Once Upon A Time Money Making Blog Bubba Stuff Little Raymond's quaint melody Seraph Chronicles Route Brumeuse Coder's Talk Reggae And SKA Art Of ApOgEE THE VEGEMASTER LIFE Boonage Coretan Pengalaman Mat Silverhorsegunnysack BLUEAPPLE scribbles Diet & Detoxification Karma Kameleon Hsien's Dirty Little Secret The Rojak Blog keeyit My Life Online Fun Stuffs Donny's Bits Nicholas Chan's Blog dream of's DESIGN strike freedom 115 Truly Malaysia It's another new day Lisan's Scribbles Ramblings of a 22 years old The Towering Joe Life's a Breeze Life's Roller Coaster AceOne118 In His Time in His time The New Sanctuary a life full of surprises Sketches of Life Shannon's Old Space Pikey Dude SEO & Online Marketing Blog ShowMeMoneyBiz.com Snapshots kahpengBlog I am Who I am yung . silent whisper Simple Life One blog.One girl.One story The World Through My Eyes Why Malaysia? Etcetera~Etcetera Giddy Tigers Make Money Online: Exploring The Dark Side of Blogging Xilly's Blog Malaika Xiao Yu My Home Recipe SQKIKI’s Simple Tech Nukilan Jejari Azhad ITCHY HANDseng Just My Lil' Organic Life Oooh La La... Weird World of MerapuMan Fibre Art The World at My Fingertips Organic Income Organic Parade Shopping Flavor Daily postings of a chung ling student Something about LAI KennyP’s Technology Blog Women Mumbles KuKuJian.com Lyon & Wien Under The SUN Crumbs In Life SotongZai's Flow In the Ocean allthingspurple Christene's Kitchen toxicle.org [ Wood ] [ Earth ] [ Cheap ] [ Flight ] COMtech Ah Ling's blog http://judychow.blogspot.com/ ~WoOLaLA~ vivivava Design My Mothering Corner Shoppingmum’s Home Office My Filling Station Shopping Mum All about Beauty Shoppingmum and Kids datotalrandommessy.grey Notes from my heart Joy Montessori wahlau's online hut Cedric’s Asylum mott’s mutterings Just My Thoughts delephant Incoherent Ramblings HOT STUFF Make Money Online with Malaysia Love AGLOCO MONTESSORIMUM.COM Funky Cookies Earn Money Online PabloPabla's Whatever Make Money with Blogging Paris Beaverbanks Free Links Giveaway Free Blogger Templates Blogsreview.Net Making a Living 5xmom How to be a Better Blogger My Women Stuff Hochiak! Delicious Asian Food Best Recipes Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget Daryl's Discovery Journey The fluff must go somewhere

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Acne II

More on how to prevent and fight acne.

Wash your face
Wash your makeup off thoroughly every night. Use a mild soap twice a day and make sure you rinse the soap entirely off your face.

Natural look
Use less makeup

Blame it on the Pill
If you are on the birth control pill and have an acne problem, discuss with your doctor.

Leave them alone
Do not squeeze pimples or whiteheads. You may cause infection if you squeeze your pimples. Pimples are inflammations. You cannot do anything to make it go away faster. In the meantime, whiteheads are noninflammed plugged pore. When you squeeze them, the wall of the pore could break and the contents could leak out into the skin and cause pimples.

When to squeeze
Although most pimples are best left alone, a pimple with a little central yellow pus head in it can be gently squeezed. It will heal quicker once the pus is out.

Attack blackheads
A blackhead is a very blocked pore. You can get rid of it by squeezing. Blackhead will not cause pimples.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Acne I

Acne may be the scourge of the adolescent years, but it can follow some people into middle age and beyond. Acne is really a catchall term for a variety of symptoms such as pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. It is a condition where the pores of the skin become clogged and the person gets inflamed and noninflamed lesions.

What causes acne? Heredity - at least for the most part. It tends to run in the family. Stress, sun exposure, seasonal changes and climate can precipitate and acne attack.

Acne is classified in four grades, the first being a mild bout with a few whiteheads and blackheads, The fourth and most serious grade consists of many whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, nodules and cysts. Grade four acne is often accompanied by severe inflammation that becomes red or purple. And it is a sign that you should see a dermatologist. Severe acne can result in permanent scarring if it is not treated properly.

Here are some blemish-free advices.

Change your makeup
In adult, makeup is the major factor in acne outbreaks. Oil based makeup is the problem. The oil is usually a derivative of fatty acids that are more potent than your own fatty acids. Use a non oil based makeup if you are prone to acne.

Read the labels
Cosmetic products that contain lanolins, isopropyl myristate, sodium lauryl sulfate, laureth-4 and D & C red dyes should be avoided. Like oil, these ingredients are too rich for the skin.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Ingrown hair

Mr Tweezers is about the only way to get rid of the ingrown hair, but there are ways to make him stay gone:

Pluck him out
Apply a warm, damp compress for a couple of minutes to soften the skin then sterilize a needle or tweezers and pluck him out. Follow with an antiseptic or rubbing alcohol.

Bring it to the surface
If you cannot see the ingrown hair, treat it with the compress until you can see a hair lurking there.

Think about growing a beard
The curlier your hair is the more likely you are to get ingrown hairs. If it is a real problem, consider growing a beard.

Prepare for shaving
Wash your face thoroughly with soap and water for 2 minutes, rinse well and apply shaving cream or gel. Leave it on for 2 minutes to further soften the hair before shaving.

Electric razor
Use an electric razor.

Single track razor
Uuse a single track razor and settle for a shave that is not as close. Double track razors are meant for more trouble.

Train your whiskers
Train it to grow out straight by shaving in two directions, down on the face and up on the neck. Do not shave in all kinds of different direction or back and forth.

Aftershave special
Use a creamy aftershave lotion, not the typical alcohol loaded aftershave splash. It is soothing and moisturized the hair.

Prevent infection
Benzoyl perioxide solution has some antibiotic effect and can be used as an aftershave to cut down the amount of bacteria.

Shave down
For ladies, shave down from knee to ankle to avoid ingrown hairs.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Chafing

When something rubs you the wrong way, and leaves a rash, there are several things you can do:

Get on the natural fiber
Switch to 100 percent cotton, the problem will clear up.

Wash before you wear
Wash any new exercise clothes before you wear them. Washing softens the fabrics enough to lessen the abrasion.

Wrap it up
Overweight and those who have big thighs will likely to face this problems. Using elastic bandages around the portion of legs that rub may help. Be sure the elastic bandage is secure so it does not move across the skin.

Keep it tight
A pair of the electric coloured, stretchy-fabric athletic tights or cycling shorts may be ideal to.

Put cotton
Wear cotton undies to separate the fabric from your delicate skin.

Use lubricant
Petroleum jelly between your thighs, around your toes, under your arms, anywhere you chafe, will act as lubricant and glide the rubbing skin against itself.

Powder power
Talcum powder helps the skin slip past other skin without catching and rubbing.

Bandage
Simply block the rub with an adhesive bandage.

Switch sport
If you have sore spots from walking, try the stationary bicycle. Try a virtually chafe free sport if you have chafing problem.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Bruxism

Sufferers of bruxism sink their upper teeth into their lower teeth, gritting and grinding. Though it may result from stress, a mess of things can result from bruxism. It causes worn down teeth, headaches and sore necks and backs. A condition known as temporomandibular joint syndrome is also caused by bruxism. The following remedies may help.

Lips together, teeth apart
Your teeth should touch only when you are chewing food or swallowing. Therefore practice keeping your teeth apart, it will reduce the urge to clench or grind.

Crunch an apple
If you tend to grind at night, tucker out the jaw by munching on an apple or raw carrots before retiring.

Apply heat to your jaws
Fold up a washcloth, run hot water over it, wring it out and apply it against the sides of your face. Apply it as often and as long as you can as this will help relaxing the clenching muscles.

A mouth guard
There are mouth guards that you can put in hot water and then pop into your mouth and bite down on for a better fit. Mouth guard can be used temporarily to guard against night time chomping.

Calm down
Experts agree that bruxism is most often related to stress. Therefore, the best thing to do is to avoid caffeine and refined cabohydrates such as candies and pastries; take some warm baths, ease up on yourself and learn good general relaxation techniques.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Scarring

The way you treat a cut can determine what kind of scar, if any that may develop. The way you care for that scar can determine too, how fast and to what extent it will fade.

Avoid getting cuts
Every time the skin gets cut, it scars. So protecting your skin with gloves, long pants, long sleeves whenever working around thorny, sharp, or jagged objects are necessary to avoid cuts.

Heal it properly
A wound that heals quickly and neatly is less likely to develop a scar. Therefore, clean all your cuts and scrapes properly and keep the would slightly moist with antibiotic ointment.

Do not pick at scabs
Picking scabs off a healing would could increase your chances of leaving behind a visible scar.

Close gaps
If you get cut and it is large enough, go to a doctor for stiches. But if it is small and you are concerned about scarring, use a butterfly bandage. Use it after the wound is thoroughly cleaned.

Well balanced diet
Protein and vitamin obtained by eating a good, well balanced diet help to heal right.

Treat scar with gentleness
Sweat glands, oil glands and hair glands are all destroyed by a scar. Scar due to a third degree burn should be lubricated with a good skin cream to protect them from abrasions.

Clean scars gently
One common source of abrasions to tender scars is a washcloth in the hands of an overzealous washer. So, wash gently.

Cover it with sunblock
Scars have less pigment. Cover all scars with a strong sunscreen whenever you head outside on a sunny day.

Do not be overly alarmed
Fresh scars are often noticeable but they will fade over time all by themselves.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Toothache

It hurts when you smile or frown or eat or drink, when you clench or unclench your jaw, when you move your head in any direction. It even hurts when you breathe because cold air rushes into your mouth, over the tender tooth!

While waiting to see your dentist, the following are tips on how to stop the pain.

Rinse your toothache
Take a mouthful of water (at body temperature) and rinse vigorously. If the ache is caused by trapped food, a thorough rinse may dislodge the problem.

Floss gently
If the above does not work, floss gently.

Numb the pain
Hold a swig of whiskey over the painful tooth. The gum will absorb some of the alcohol and that will numb the pain. Spit out the rest.

Rinse with salty water
After each meal and at bedtime, stir one teaspoon of salt into an 8 ounce glass of water (at body temperature). Roll it around your mouth and spit.

Try a hand massage
Rub an ice cube into the V-shaped area where the bones of the thumb and forefinger meet. Gently push the ice over the area for 5 to 7 minutes. Research shows that this procedure works by sending rubbing impulses along the nerve pathways that the toothache pain would normally travel on.

Oil up with oil of cloves
Drop a little directly onto the tooth, dab a little on a cotton ball and pack the elixir next to the ache.

Do not bite
If it is caused by a blow to the tooth, try not to use that area when you eat.

Suck on some ice
Put ice on the aching tooth or the nearest cheek for 15 minutes intervals at least three or four times a day.

Keep your mouth shut
If cold air moving past the tooth is a problem, just shut off the flow.

Keep your mouth open
Some toothache happen when a person's bite is not quite right. Thus avoid shutting your mouth as much as possible.

Aspirin
Take an aspirin every 4 to 6 hours as required.

Stay cool
Keep heat away from your aching cheek.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Hives

Hives are the way the skin sometimes reacts to allergies, physical irritation, stress or emotions. The often intensely itchy wheals that result may disappear in minutes of hours and usually within a couple of days, but while you have them, you may not want to appear all swollen and scratching in public. Here are the tips.

Antihistamines
Get antihistamines but remember most of them, make you drowsy.

Cool down
Cold compress or baths are about the best only topical treatment of hives. You can also rub an ice cube over the hives. However if you get hives from cold weather or water, you are out of luck.

Calamine lotion
It may help temporarily soothe the itch of your hives.

Alkaline
Anything alkaline usually helps to relieve the itch. Therefore try dabbing milk of magnesia on your hives. It is thinner than calamine, thus it may works better.

Hydrocortisone
If you have just a small number of small hives, a hydrocortisone cream like Cortaid applied directly on the hives may relieve the itch for a while.

Vegetation vigilantes
The leaves and bark of red alder, brewed into a strong tea, will help hives. Apply it locally to the affected area and you can also take a couple of tablespoonfuls internally. Repeat until the hives are relieved.

Avoid exposure
If you know you are going to get hives for whatever reasons, take an antihistamine beforehand to prevent it.

If you get hives in your mouth or throat, seek medical treatment immediately. People with chronic hives (longer than six weeks) or with severe acute hives should also see a doctor.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Conjunctivitis

Your mother called it pinkeye. We call it conjuctivitis. Here is how to soothe pinkeye if you have them.

Wash the red away
A warm compress applied to the eyes for 5 to 10 minutes three or four times a day will make you feel better.

Keep them clean
Conjuctivitis gets better by itself. However to help the healing process, keep your eyes and eyelids clean by using a cotton ball dipped in clean or sterile water to wipe the crusts away.

Baby yourself
A warm compress works well for children, but sometimes adults need a little something more. Adults who have a lot of discharge should make a solution of one part baby shampoo to ten parts of warm water. Dip a sterile cotton ball into the solution and use it to clean off your eyelashes. The warm water loosens the crust and the baby shampoo cleans off the junction of your eyelid and eyelash.

Throw in the towel
This infection is highly contagious. Do not share towel or washcloths with anyone.

Do not chlorinate your eyes
The chlorine in swimming pools can cause conjuctivitis but without the chlorine, bacteria would grow. That could cause conjuctivitis too. So, wear tight fitting goggles while in the water as precautions.

Use ice
If your eye itches like a mosquito bite and you have stringy pus in your eye, most of the time that is the sign of allergic conjuctivitis. Taking an over the counter antihistamine will help that and use cold, not warm, compresses. It will relieve the itch.

Get drugged at night
Germ causing conjunctivitis intensifies when your eyes are closed. That is the reason it gets worse at night when you are asleep. Therefore put any prescribed antibiotic ointment in your eyes before you go to bed.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Eye redness

If the whites of your eyes have more red lines than a road map, these are what you can do:

Water your eyes
If your red eyes are a result of not getting enough sleep, find a way to catch up on your rest. Closing your eyes for 7 to 8 hours helps to rehydrate them. Without sleep the eyes can dry out and dry eyes are red eyes.

Treat your eyelids
If your eyes are red when you wake up, the problem may not be in your eyes but on your eyelids. It is called blepharitis and it is a low grade infection of your eyelids. Just wash your eyelids with warm water at night before you go to bed.

Use drops sparingly
Drops designed to get the red out have an agent in them that works to constrict your blood vessels. They take the redness out by shrinking the blood vessels, however they wear off in a couple of hours and the redness comes back worse. Thus, use drops sparingly.

Crocodile tears
Redness that comes on during the day is caused by dryness. If that is the case, over the counter artificial tears can be used to moisten the eyes. Unlike normal eyedrops, they do not shrink blood vessels.

Cool it
Use a cool, wet washcloth and lay it over your closed eyes. The cold will constrict the blood vessels without the rebound effect while the water will add moisture to your eyes.

It is normal to see blood in the white of your eyes but it is not normal to see blood covering your pupil. See your doctor right away if you do. If your eyes hurt, your vision blurred or you have a pinkish haze, you need medical treatment urgently.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Hangnails

Where do hangnails come from? Those annoying little triangular splits of skin around the fingernails are nothing more than dead skin. The skin in that area, which does not contain a good supply of oil to begin with, simply dries out. It is particularly common among women who have their hands in water a lot or who bite their nails. People who work with paper all the time can get hangnails. The paper absorbs oil from their hands and hangnails is just the physical effect of oil being removed from their skin.

If your hangnails are giving you nightmares, try these tips.

Clip job
Clip it short and clip it early. Just clip off the little tags of skin with small, sharp, sterilized scissors. But before it, soak it in a littler water or a water and oil solution to soften it. Do not clip a hangnail when it is still hard and end up ripping the skin more.

Mom's advice
Do not bite hangnails. You will end up with fairly deep cuts around your fingers if you do that.

Go soak
Soak your hand in an oil and water solution as you would when getting a manicure.

Wrap it up
Rub an emollient cream or ointment on the affected fingers at bedtime and wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap. Secure the end with a bit of tape. The plastic will keep the moisture overnight. Remove the plastic in the morning.

Do not pick at hangnails
If you tend to do this when you are feeling nervous, wear clothes with pockets where you can put one hand in each pocket and leave them there until the urge passes.

Moisturize
Moisturize your cuticles every day. Rub hand lotion into the flesh surrounding your nails.

Cuticle cautions
Use cuticle removing product sparingly and always follow package instructions as it is the cuticle that provides the vital function of protecting your nails from harmful bacterial and fungi.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Bed-wetting

Bed-wetting can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing for a child. Thankfully, almost all kinds outgrow it in time. But should you want to do something while you wait; here are the ways.

Be realistic
Do not praise and do not punish. Just change the bed and do not say a word as it will go away by itself.

Change for the better
Set out a felt-covered rubber pad so when the child has 'an accident', he can lay it over the wet part of the bed. In additon, put out a pair of dry pajamas he can change into. You also can make the child feel better by arranging the bedroom so that the child can change the sheets himself.

Alarm
Bed-wetting alarms emit a buzzing or ringing sound when the child is wet. The theory is that the sound will condition him to awaken when he needs to urinate. Eventually, wetting will be inhibited and bladder distension will become the signal for the child to awaken. Most children respond to this type of conditioning strategy within 60 days. Bed-wetting is considered cured when the child remains dry for 21 consecutive nights.

Boost bladder muscles
Have the child drink lots of fluids during daytime then practice bladder control by holding off urination for as long as possible. This bladder stretching exercises may work.

Patience and love
All kids outgrow bed-wetting at a rate of 15 percent a year, which means by the time they go through puberty, less than 1 or 2 percent will still wet the bed. Therefore, just be patient and supportive.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Burns

10 treatments for minor accidents.

Douse the flame
Stop the burning process first. If it is a contact burn, run the injured part under cold water. If it is hot grease or splattered hot material like battery acid or soup, remove the clothing that is saturated first, wash the grease off your skin then soak the burn in cold water. If the clothing sticks to the burn, rinse over the clothing, then go to the doctor. Do not attempt to pull the clothing off yourself.

Leave the butter for your bread
Food on burns can hold the heat in your tissue and make the burn worse. It also might cause an infection. No vinegar, potato scrapings or honey too.

Check your burn
You can self treat first and second degree burns smaller than a quarter on a child or smaller than a silver dollar on an adult. See doctor for larger burns or for burns on infants under 1 year or people over 60.

Cover it
Gently wrap the burn in a clean, dry cloth such as a thick gauze pad.

Do nothing
For the first 24 hours, leave the burn alone.

Help it heal
Starting 24 hours after you burn yourself, wash your injury gently with soap and water once a day. Keep it covered, dry and clean between washings.

Soothe with aloe
Two or three days after you burn, break off a fresh piece of aloe and use the plant's natural healing moisture or squeeze on an over the counter aloe cream. Do not use aloe if you are using blood thinners or have a medical history of heart problems.

Soothing solutions
When it starts to heal, break open a capsule of vitamin E and rub the liquid onto your irritated skin. If feels good and may prevent scarring.

Dab on an antimicrobial cream
An over the counter antibiotic ointment containing the active ingredients polymyxin B sulfate of bacitracin will discourage infection and speed your healing.

Leave blisters intact
Those bubbles of skin are nature's own best bandage, so leave them alone. If it pops, clean the area with soap and water then smooth on a little antibiotic ointment and cover.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Snoring

There are different levels of snoring. Men are more likely to snore than women. Moderate snorers are those who snore every night but perhaps only when on their backs or only part of the night. In snoring, the sound is orchestrated by a wind ensemble located in the back of the throat. When you breathe in, it causes this tissue to vibrate and that effect is very similar to a wind instrument. So how do we stop the 'music'?

Diet
Most snorers tend to be middle aged, overweight men. Most women snorers are past menopause. Slimming stops snoring. The snoring becomes less loud, and disappears for some, if they loses weight.

No alcohol before bed
Alcohol before bed makes snoring worse.

No sedatives
Sleeping pills may make you snore. Anything that relaxes the tissues around the head and neck will tend to make snoring worse.

No cigarette
Just stop smoking.

Back off
Sleep on your side. Heavy snorers snore in virtually any position but moderate snorers only snore when they are on their backs.

Get rid of your pillow
A large pillow will make you snore more. Pillows only elevate your snoring level.

Raise you bed to new height
Elevating the bed can help minimize snoring. Elevate the upper torso, not just the head.

Allergies
Sneezing and snoring go together. Snoring can develop due to allergies or colds. Use a nasal decongestant, especially if your snoring is intermittent and comes during hay fever season.

Put a plug in it
If everything fails, the one on the receiving end of the nasal abuse can wear earplugs to bed.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Bronchitis

Bronchitis is a lot like a cold. It is usually caused by virus. Therefore antibiotics will not do much good. Sometimes, it is caused by bacteria and in that case antibiotics will work. Acute bronchitis will go away by itself in a week or two but chronic sufferers can cough and wheeze for months. Though we have to let it take its course, there are things we can do to breathe easier while we have it.

Stop smoking
If you are a chronic sufferer, quit smoking. 95% of chronic bronchitis is due directly to smoking. The fewer years you have been smoking, the more likely it is that you will have a complete recovery.

Avoid being with other smokers
Avoid those who smokes. You need to avoid all tobacco smoke. Exposing yourself to exhaled smoke can give you bronchitis.

Keep the fluids flowing
Drinking helps the mucus become more watery and easier to cough up. Warm liquid or just plain water is best. Avoid caffeine or alcoholic beverages.

Warm, moist air
Stand in your bathroom, close the door and then run your shower, breathing in the warm mist that steams up your bathroom helps a lot.

Creating a 'tent'
Fill the sink with hot water, put a towel over your head and the sink, creating a tent and then inhale the steam for 5 to 10 minutes every couple of hours.

Do not expect too much from expectorants
No medicine that can dry up mucus. Drinking fluids of any type is the best way to cough up secretions.

Listen to your cough
Do you have a productive or nonproductive cough? If you have a productive cough, one where you cough up sputum, you do not really want to suppress it completely because you will not be coughing up the stuff your lungs want to rid themselves of.

Watch your volume
If your cough is nonproductive, that is - you are not coughing anything up, then it is good to take a cough medicine designed to suppress a cough.

Milk may help suppress bronchitis in smokers. The same effect however was not found in milk-drinking nonsmokers. However, there is no doubt that quitting smoking is still the best way to rid yourself of chronic bronchitis.