Cleaning cuts and scrapes

How to treat a cut

Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils.
Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by infection with a common virus, but bacterial
infections also may cause tonsillitis.
Common signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include:
Red, swollen tonsils
White or yellow coating or patches on the tonsils
Sore throat
Difficult or painful swallowing
Fever
Bad breath
Headache
If a virus is the expected cause of tonsillitis you must drink plenty of water, to keep
your throat moist and prevent dehydration, warm liquids caffeine free, warm water
with honey. Keep your home free from cigarette smoke and cleaning products that
can irritate the throat. Talk to your doctor about using ibuprofen or paracetamol to 
minimize throat pain and control a fever.
If tonsilloitis is caused by a bacterial infection your doctor will prescribe a course
of antibiotics. Penicillin taken by mouth for 10 days is the most common antibiotic
treatment prescribed for tonsillitis caused by group A strptococcus.

Epistaxis

Epistaxis is defined as acute hemorrhage from the nostril, nasal cavity, or nasofarynx.

Sit upright and lean forword.
By remaining upright, you reduce blood pressure in the veins of your nose. 
This discourages further bleeding.
Sitting forward will help you avoid swalloing blood, which can irritate your stomach.
Pinch your nose for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

 To prevent re-bleeding, don't pick or blow your nose and don't bend down for several hours
after the bleeding episode. During this time remember to keep your head higher than the
level og your heart.
If the bleeding last more than 20 minutes or if it follows an accident, a fall, or an injury
in your head, please contact your doctor.

Migraines

A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or a pulsing sensation in one area of the head 
and is commonly accompanied by nauea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
This painful headache can last for hours or even days.
Medications can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.
One or two days before a migraine, you may notice some changes including constipation, depression, hyperactivity, irritabily and uncontrollable yawning.
Aura  may occur before or during migraine headaches. Auras are nervous system symptoms
that are usually visual disturbances such as seeing various shapes, flashes f light and vision loss.
Medications used to combat migraines fall into two broad categories.
1)  Pain relieving medications.
     These drugs are taken during migraine attacks and are desighed to stop symptoms that have 
     already begun (paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, triptans and many others).
2)  Preventive medications.
     These types of drugs are taken regulary, often on a daily basis, to reduce the severity and
     the frequency of migraines. Most popular are  beta blockers (propanolol-Inderal, metoprolol
     tartrate-Lopressor) and many others.
Vitamins and minerals can also help (vitamine B2, coenzyme 10, magnesium).