Ibuprofen

Many women experience unusual vaginal bleeding between periods at some point in their lives. It is also known as metrorrhagia. Vaginal bleeding is thought to be abnormal in the following cases:
1. When your menstrual period is not expected
2. When your menstrual flow is lighter or heavier than normal
3. At unexpected stages in life. For example, when you are pregnant or after you have attained menopause.

Bleeding during periods is not a normal condition. Usually, the duration of the cycle is about 21 – 35 days. Abnormal vaginal bleeding has numerous conceivable causes. Independently, it doesn't show a genuine condition.

1. Mid-cycle bleeding can be caused due to ovulation.
2. Two hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle are progesterone or oestrogen. A condition of hormonal imbalance which is known as Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOs) causes interference with normal ovulation. This results in problems in thyroid glands as well as causes dysfunctional ovaries.
3. Medications such as birth control pills are capable of causing abnormal bleeding, especially with the irregular intake of such medications.
4. Infections or inflammation caused in the pelvic regions such as uterus, vagina, cervix, ovaries or fallopian tubes are capable of causing abnormal bleeding. STIs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and PIDs (Pelvic inflammatory disease) are often the cause of such a condition.
5. Although Cancer is not one of the primary causes, cancer in organs such as the uterus, vagina, cervix and ovaries are capable of causing abnormal bleeding during periods.

How it can prevented

1. Maintaining a healthy diet. Women who are either underweight or overweight tend to have more problems with abnormal bleeding
2. Relaxation practices should be followed so that stress is reduced. Stress can cause abnormal bleeding.
3. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) should be consumed to reduce menstrual bleeding. Examples are ibuprofen or naproxen.
4. In case of consumption, birth control pills should be taken as per the prescription only and regularly at the same time.
5. Hormone therapy (using external hormones in a medical treatment) can be used in order to regulate menstrual cycles, stabilize the endometrium which is the lining of the uterus as well as to rectify hormonal imbalances. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Dental pain is an especially difficult situation to handle on your own. True dental pain usually doesn’t respond to common over the counter pain control options. Let’s go over the different types of dental pain, what you can expect with each, and what you can do temporarily in each case.

Toothache (Severe Constant Throbbing, Hot and Cold Sensitivity)

Dentists call this type of toothache “irreversible pulpitis”. The nerve of the tooth has been traumatized and is in the process of dying. While this lasts you’ll have severe throbbing pain as well as pain from hot and cold. Many times the pain is enough to wake you up at night. I’ve had many patients tell me that it is worse than giving birth or having kidney stones. There are very few things you can do to help with this type of pain because of it’s severity. 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours will sometimes take the edge off. Anesthetic gels or crushed aspirin tablet around the tooth will be ineffective. The only solutions to this problem are to wait for it to go away, have the tooth extracted, or have a root canal. If you decide to wait it out, you should realize that the tooth will likely become infected at some point in the future.

Toothache (Severe constant pain especially if any pressure is placed on the tooth, No hot and cold sensitivity)

Once the nerve of the tooth has died, the area inside the tooth becomes infected. This infection will often spread out of the tooth and into the bone around the tooth. This is known as a dental abscess. You won’t have any sensitivity to temperature in this case but you can still have severe throbbing pain and pain when you bite or anything touches the tooth. You can use 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours to take the edge off. Again any anesthetic gel or similar preparation around the tooth will not help. Antibiotics will help in this case to reduce the infection and relieve some of the pain temporarily. The pain will come back at some point in the future. The only permanent options for treatment are to take the tooth out or do a root canal.

Toothache (Pain only when biting)

If you have pain on biting after having fillings done, your bite is usually a little bit high (called a 'high-point') and needs to be adjusted by the dentist. Avoid biting on that area as best you can until you can get it adjusted. If you haven’t had any dental work done recently, this can be the result of a crack developing in the tooth. The best thing to do is avoid chewing on the tooth until you can see the dentist. Most of these teeth end up needing a crown and occasionally need a root canal if the crack goes into the nerve.

Mouth Ulcer

Ulcers in your mouth can mimic the pain from the a toothache. These can develop all on their own or sometimes they are the result of biting your lip or cheek. If you see a roundish white area surrounded by a bright red halo, you likely have an ulcer. Any over-the-couter available anesthetic gel (e.g. Mucopain, Hexigel, Soregel) placed on the ulcer will help numb it and reduce the pain. Most of these will heal on their own within a week.

Sinus Pain

Sinus pain is another one of those situations that can mimic a toothache. The roots of your top molars literally sit right next to your sinuses and any type of sinus pressure from a cold, etc can cause your teeth to ache. You’ll usually feel a minor to moderate constant ache in those areas. One of the best tests of this is to bend your head and upper body down towards your feet and then straighten up suddenly. If this causes additional pain it is usually sinus related. Decongestants like Otrivin will help relieve some of this pain.

TMJ Pain

Lastly, many people develop TMJ pain. The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)  is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. When this joint is injured or damaged, it can lead to a localized pain disorder called Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) syndrome. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) syndrome often responds to home remedies, including ice packs to the joint, over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), massage or gentle stretches of the jaw and neck, and stress reduction. The prognosis for TMJ syndrome is generally good as the disorder can usually be managed with self-care and home remedies. If it doesn't respond to any medication, you must see your Dentist for further care.

A chemical burn can occur owing to a number of substances, for instance, if the skin comes in contact with strong acids, bases, irritants, gasoline, paint thinner and drain cleaners then it react with your skin. Chemical burns are also termed as caustic burns. The symptoms usually depend on the intensity of a burn, which include redness, irritation, numbness, pain, the skin turning black and dead or even vision loss, if the chemicals come in contact with the eyes.

What are the Do’s and Don’ts?

1. Do away with those chemicals, which have caused the burn or wipe off the dry chemicals. It is safe to use towels or put on gloves for this work.

2. Remove jewelry or any contaminated clothing to avoid further burning and inflammation of the skin.

3. Rinse off the affected area immediately with cold water.

4. Loosely wrap the area with sterile gauze or a bandage.

5. If required, you can even opt for pain relievers such as naproxen sodium, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

6. Consider taking a tetanus injection, but at the same time, ensure that your booster is up-to-date.

7. Refrain from applying an antibiotic ointment over the burnt area or neutralizing it with an alkali or acid. This may aggravate the burn.

When should you seek an emergency care?

1. When the person exhibits sign of shock such as shallow breathing, pale complexion or is experiencing bouts of fainting.

2. When the chemical burn pierces through the upper layer of the skin, occupying an area of above 3 inches in diameter.

3. When the chemical burn has spread to the buttocks, groin, face, feet, hands, eyes or even the limb.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Polycystic kidney disease is a disorder that is inherited; it is characterized by development of cysts in the kidneys. These cysts are round sacs that contain a water like fluid. Initially, the size of the cysts are small, they tend to increase in size after the fluid accumulation. This disorder can also cause cysts to develop in the liver and other parts of the body.

Symptoms and Complications
The most common symptoms of this disorder are back pain, headache, high blood pressure and kidney failure. It can also lead to formation of stones in the kidney, presence of blood in the urine and an urge to urinate frequently. It also make your kidney prone to various bacterial infections.

Causes
The disease is caused because of the presence of defective genes in the body, implying that this disorder is primarily hereditary. In some cases, the disease is caused by a genetic mutation. Based on the causes, it is classified into two types:

1. Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease: This disorder causes the symptoms to appear immediately after birth, although the symptoms are delayed until adolescence. This disorder only occurs when both the parents carry the defective gene which is passed to the offspring.
2. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: This disorder usually tends to occur only after the age of 30. Unlike the previous type, here only one parent needs to carry the defective gene that is passed on to the offspring.

Treatment
The treatment of polycystic kidney disease generally involves dealing with the following signs:

1. Pain: Chronic pain, usually in the sides of the body or the back, is a common symptom of this disorder. You can opt for pain reliving medication such as ibuprofen. If the cysts are large, then surgery is required to ease the pain.
2. High blood pressure: High blood pressure is best controlled by a following a healthy diet and lifestyle. High blood pressure can damage the kidneys severely. Medications may also be required to control blood pressure, if it rises abnormally.

One of the most common complications of having a tooth taken out is developing a dry socket. A dry socket is when the blood clot that is supposed to be in the extraction site either doesn’t form or is displaced. This exposes the bone in the area causing a severe toothache type pain. Many of my patients have told me that the dry socket pain is worse than the toothache that caused the tooth to need to be extracted! This pain can last anywhere from a week up to 5 weeks. Most dry sockets resolve in the shorter end of that range and will always resolve on their own whether you seek treatment or not. Some types of treatment will actually extend the healing time so keep that in mind.

So how do you know if you have a dry socket? Most dry sockets follow a relatively predictable pattern.

• Tooth pain from an extraction generally peaks and starts to quickly decrease within 24-48 hours after the extraction. A dry socket on the other hand usually starts 3-5 days after having a tooth taken out.
• Dry sockets have a much higher incidence after removal of impacted wisdom teeth (especially bottom wisdom teeth) as well as after difficult extractions.
• Risk factors include smoking, using straws, spitting, taking birth control medication, and the intake of hot liquids and foods in the first day or two after the extraction.
• Oftentimes you’ll see a hollow area where the tooth came out and sometimes you can see or feel the exposed bone.
• If you notice pus coming out of the area, it may be infected rather than a dry socket. This is much less likely than a dry socket but can cause similar pain and in a similar time frame. See your dentist for sure if you are concerned it may be infected.

It is important to realize that while a dry socket can be miserably painful, there are no health consequences associated with it. All treatment seeks to manage the symptoms until the area is able to heal on it’s own. Studies have been pretty inconclusive as to what treatment, if any, is best for managing dry sockets. Let’s take a look at some of the things you can do at home.

• Practice prevention. Avoid smoking for as long as you can manage after the extraction. 3 days minimum and longer is better. Don’t use straws or spit. Avoid hot foods for the first day or two after the extraction.
• Take 600-800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours on the dot. If you only take it when it hurts you’ll get into a bad pain cycle that is hard to get out of. Staying ahead of the pain is important.
• Rinse any debris out of the socket. Food tends to get trapped down in there and can cause problems. The easiest way to do this is with a curved monoject syringe. Your dentist usually has these or you can sometimes get them at a pharmacy. An alternative would be a standard oral medication syringe (like you’d use to give medications to kids). As long as you reach the tip into the socket, it’ll work fine. Put some water in it and gently rinse the socket out. Don’t be forceful as this can also displace blood clots.

• DIY Dry Socket Medications – Most medication materials that dentist’s use for dry sockets have some combination of eugenol (oil of cloves) and an anesthetic such as benzocaine as well as some other minor ingredients. Oil of cloves and benzocaine are both medications you can purchase over the counter. The best thing to do is make a 50/50 mixture of these two things and dip a piece of cotton in it.  Take a pair of tweezers or something similar that can hold the cotton and push the cotton into the socket. Make sure your cotton piece is big enough that when you push it into the socket you have enough sticking out the top to remove it. Leave it in for a couple of minutes and then remove. You don’t want to leave this in the socket long term as it will slow/stop healing. This combination of medications will help relieve some of the pain and you can do this several times a day.
• If all else fails, remember that the DENTIST is just a stone throw distance away!