Dental Emergencies

Accidents happen when you least expect them. In the case of dental emergencies, from the common toothache and broken tooth to the much more complicated situations like broken jaw and knocked out tooth, do not panic. Follow the tips below for first aid treatment:

For toothaches – Do not put painkillers on the gum to avoid burning sensation. Instead, gargle with warm water to clean and rinse your mouth. If there's any food particle left in between teeth, try flossing. Should the toothache persists, see a dentist.

For broken tooth – Gargle with warm water to clean your mouth. Reduce swelling in the area by applying cold compress. Then, contact your dentist immediately.

For broken jaw – Reduce swelling by applying a cold compress to the area. It is better that you call your dentist or go the emergency room of a nearby hospital or clinic.

For knocked out tooth – Gargle with warm water to rinse the tooth. Avoid brushing and do not pull out any tissue that may still be attached to it. Instead, try to place the tooth back into the socket. If not, keep the tooth in a safe container and bring it to the dentist.

Abdominal Pain: When Is It Serious?

Everyone has experienced abdominal pain at one point in their lives. While most abdominal pain cases can easily be treated, some conditions may be symptoms of a health problem and may prove to be serious.

Recognizing the cause of abdominal pain can help you be aware which needs no cause for alarm and the ones that need immediate medical attention.

The list of common abdominal pain causes include:

• Menstrual Cramps
• Indigestion
• Gas
• Ulcers
• Constipation
• Stomach “flu”
• Food poisoning
• Food allergies
• Lactose intolerance
• Urinary tract infection
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Hernia
• Gallstones
• Kidney stones
• Endometriosis
• Crohn's disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• If the pain is severe, watch out for the following symptoms which may be an indication that immediate doctor's attention is required:
• Fever
• Inability to keep food down for several days
• Inability to pass stool accompanied by vomiting
• Vomiting blood
• Bloody stools
• Difficulty breathing
• Painful or unusually frequent urination
• Pain during pregnancy
• Tender abdomen that is sensitive to the touch
• Pain resulting from previous injury to the abdomen
• Pain lasting for several days

Pain In The Pool

Nothing beats swimming when it comes to over-all bodily exercise. It provides a lot of benefits such as improving ones agility, flexibility, muscle strength, blood circulation, as well as reducing body fat.

However, swimmers are not immune to pain. Problems usually associated with swimming are shoulder ailments due to its wide range of motion. The stress of repetitive motion can bring gradual wear and tear to the group of muscles in the rotating cuff, leading to the inflammation of the tendons. This is called the rotator cuff syndrome. Treatment includes anti-inflammatory medicines and injections of steroids. Sometimes, surgery is necessary for severe and chronic cases.

The neck is also prone to pain and injury due to the repetitive motion of the head while executing different swimming strokes. If you have a history of back problems, refrain from doing the dolphin kick to avoid low back pain.

Always make sure that you engage in proper stretching exercises before diving into the pool. Should you be in pain, apply ice on the affected area and rest. If pain persists and becomes chronic and recurring, consult your physician, specifically a rheumatologist, to find out if you have arthritic problem.

Stretch First To Keep On Dancing

Dancing can be a lot of fun, but it can also lead to a lot of pain. The time spent in spirited swirling can cause a lot of impact in the neck that if you don't take a break, you are surely setting yourself up for muscle strain.

Without proper stretching, you can be prone to muscle pains in the shoulders and the neck area. Dancing with your arms held above shoulder level can lead to the cramping of rotator cuff tendons, a common problem among dancers known as impingement syndrome.

Dancing that requires repetitive arm motion can hurt your elbows and may lead to a type of tendonitis affecting the outer part of the elbow. This painful condition is known as lateral epicondylitis.

Another part of your body that is greatly affected by dancing is the hand. Any form of dancing that requires interaction with a partner's hand may cause the median nerve to get tweaked and can result to carpal tunnel syndrome. Lifting a heavy partner can put a toll on your back as well as your knees. So make sure you do proper stretching before doing a routine to avoid hurting yourself.

Dulling The Pain With Hot Chili Pepper

Over the years, chili peppers have been used for various pain remedy while the heat-inducing capsaicin creams are well-known for soothing muscle spasms. Today however, the spice is hot due to the research showing how capsaicin targets key pain-sensing cells in a unique way.

Pain is one major reason why many people shun surgery. And while anesthesia can do wonders in keeping a patient asleep, immobile, and out of pain during complicated surgeries, as soon as the patient wakes up, it can't do anything to curb the pain caused by cutting into the body.

Recently, scientists are experimenting to find out whether the ingredients for hot sauces can also tame surgical pain. Surgeons tried to use the substance from chili peppers straight into the affected areas such as open wounds and lacerations during painful procedures. The experiments made use of a highly concentrated form of capsaicin to avoid infection. Volunteers were placed under anesthesia so that they don't feel the initial burn.

-Ramon Bravante