Tag Archives: diphenhydramine

Straight, No Chaser: Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite!

Infectious Disease, , , , , , ,

bed-bugs-101-chalkboard

There’s nothing pleasant in talking about bedbugs, but’s it is even worse to have to deal with them, so let’s get you some information to help you prevent and address these bug bites.

bed-bugs-chart

Bedbugs are everything you don’t want them to be. They’re parasites found all over the world, living only to feed on the blood of humans and other animals while you sleep. They’re excellent at hiding, and they do so all day. They only come out every week or so to feed, and when that doesn’t work, they don’t mind so much. They can go over a year between meals. Here’s a not-so-pleasant fact. If you have them, they live within eight feet of where you sleep, but they are willing to travel over 100 feet to get to you.
Let’s discuss your major concerns about bed bugs.

bed-bug

How do I prevent having them?

  • Keep a tidy environment so there are fewer places for bedbugs to hide.
  • Routinely check your furniture, drapes and curtains.
  • Use a protective cover for your mattress, box springs and pillows, and frequently check it for holes.
  • When on the road, don’t place your luggage on the floor (use a luggage rack if available). Inspect your mattress, looking for bugs, blood stains or droppings.
  • When returning from a trip, unpack directly into the washing machine. Learn to check your travel bags.

If bitten, what type of symptoms will I have?

  • You’ll itch, and you’ll discover bite marks (These may not appear for a week or two after the bite. Why you might ask? The bite actually injects an anesthetic into you that prevents you from immediately realizing you were bitten.). Symptoms vary pretty widely between individuals, from some having no reaction to others having severe allergic reactions.

Do bedbugs spread disease?

  • At least it can be said that bedbugs don’t transmit other diseases.

What treatment do I need for bedbug bites?

  • Treatment is symptomatic and involves controlling the itching. Diphenhydramine (branded as Benadryl®) is usually effective for this, as are over the counter topic corticosteroids. You should be careful about scratching your skin, as you can cause infections. If you develop redness, swelling, pain, ongoing itching or develop pus from the bite site, you should seek medical attention.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

  • Once you discover you are exposed to bedbugs, you will need to wash and dry your clothes and bed sheets at very high temperatures.
  • If you aren’t using protective covers for your mattress, box springs and pillows, you will need to do so.
  • Insecticide spraying is effective in treating infestations.

Bedbgs

Keep in mind that bed bugs are often an acquired habit. When you’re at a hotel or a guest in someone’s home, be mindful to check everything you bring back home!
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: Allergies – Friend or Foe?

General Health and Wellness, , , , , , , ,

allergyseason

Bee stings. Medication reactions. Food allergies. Latex. Animals. Dust. Cosmetics. What do these things have in common? You get allergic to them, and in differing degrees they make you come to the emergency room or your physician’s office huffing and puffing and puffy and sometimes thinking about not breathing anymore.

allergy

The basis of allergies is that your body is trying to defend you from infections. Sometimes our defense mechanisms are “indiscriminate,” and the body overreacts to what normally might be harmless substances by producing a system wide reaction, producing antibodies to certain triggers (allergens). This overreaction amounts to our bodies fighting a war that doesn’t need to be fought. That manifests itself clinically by some subset of itchy rashes (called wheals, urticaria or angioedema), shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and other body-wide systems. Again, it’s important to note that this can be both a systemic overreaction or just a local reaction.
One question I commonly get asked is “Why am I allergic to this now?” In other words, sometimes allergies occur after the initial exposure to seafood or peanuts, or maybe you had been stung by a bee in the past without incident. That occurs because the first allergic exposure doesn’t always cause a visible reaction. However, it will sensitize the body such that you’re mobilized for subsequent exposures and will be prepared to “unload both barrels” if it’s needed. Unfortunately, this reaction can be life-threatening. This life-threatening response is called anaphylaxis, and you’ll know it because more than one organ system of your body will be affected. For example, you may have pounding or racing heartbeats, breathing difficulties, intestinal upset, itchy skin rashes and/or dizziness as your body goes into shock.

allergiesintro

Although allergic reactions are more likely to occur in those with conditions like asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies, and sleep apnea, to be clear, the acute allergic reaction is a different animal than seasonal allergies. If you have any sensation that you’re short of breath, your throat feels like it’s closing, you have any dizziness or altered mental status, palpitations, or if the rash is diffuse and spreading, please get to your closest emergency room. I wouldn’t be upset if you took the recommended dose of Benadryl (generic name: diphenhydramine) along the way.
Final tip: Those of you who’ve suffered any type of allergic reaction to medication, food, animals, etc., should ask your physician about the utility of carrying an epipen, benadryl or steroids to be taken in the event of an emergency. If your risk profile warrants it, any or all of these could prove life saving. However, these medicines aren’t without risk, so you shouldn’t take any of them unless recommended by your physician.

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of 844-SMA-TALK and http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA). Enjoy some of our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite!

Infectious Disease, , , , , ,

bed-bugs-101-chalkboard

There’s nothing pleasant in talking about bedbugs, but’s it is even worse to have to deal with them, so let’s get you some information to help you prevent and address these bug bites.

bed-bugs-chart

Bedbugs are everything you don’t want them to be. They’re parasites found all over the world, living only to feed on the blood of humans and other animals while you sleep. They’re excellent at hiding, and they do so all day. They only come out every week or so to feed, and when that doesn’t work, they don’t mind so much. They can go over a year between meals. Here’s a not-so-pleasant fact. If you have them, they live within eight feet of where you sleep, but they are willing to travel over 100 feet to get to you.
Let’s discuss your major concerns about bed bugs.

bed-bug

How do I prevent having them?

  • Keep a tidy environment so there are fewer places for bedbugs to hide.
  • Routinely check your furniture, drapes and curtains.
  • Use a protective cover for your mattress, box springs and pillows, and frequently check it for holes.
  • When on the road, don’t place your luggage on the floor (use a luggage rack if available). Inspect your mattress, looking for bugs, blood stains or droppings.
  • When returning from a trip, unpack directly into the washing machine. Learn to check your travel bags.

If bitten, what type of symptoms will I have?

  • You’ll itch, and you’ll discover bite marks (These may not appear for a week or two after the bite. Why you might ask? The bite actually injects an anesthetic into you that prevents you from immediately realizing you were bitten.). Symptoms vary pretty widely between individuals, from some having no reaction to others having severe allergic reactions.

Do bedbugs spread disease?

  • At least it can be said that bedbugs don’t transmit other diseases.

What treatment do I need for bedbug bites?

  • Treatment is symptomatic and involves controlling the itching. Diphenhydramine (branded as Benadryl®) is usually effective for this, as are over the counter topic corticosteroids. You should be careful about scratching your skin, as you can cause infections. If you develop redness, swelling, pain, ongoing itching or develop pus from the bite site, you should seek medical attention.

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

  • Once you discover you are exposed to bedbugs, you will need to wash and dry your clothes and bed sheets at very high temperatures.
  • If you aren’t using protective covers for your mattress, box springs and pillows, you will need to do so.
  • Insecticide spraying is effective in treating infestations.

Bedbgs

Keep in mind that bed bugs are often an acquired habit. When you’re at a hotel or a guest in someone’s home, be mindful to check everything you bring back home!