Mens Health Blog. Medical Blog

posted by admin on Apr 2

We’ve all had canker sores at one time or another. These small, white sores that form inside your mouth can appear for no reason, and they’re usually painful.

Canker sores—also known as aphthous stomatitis—are usually no more than a nuisance, however, and they normally last for only a week or two. Sometimes they’ll appear when you first start to get a cold, although physical or emotional stress can also cause them to surface.

However, a small, painful mouth sore might also be a cold sore, caused by the herpes simplex virus. A cold sore first appears as a blister, which frequently crusts over a couple of days after it first appears. It usually takes about a week from the initial onset until the cold sore completely disappears. Like a canker sore, a cold sore tends to reappear because even though the sore may disappear, the virus remains dormant in your body, ready to strike when you’re stressed.

A cold sore usually appears around the outside of your lips, while a canker sore tends to appear on the inside of your lip or cheek and sometimes on your tongue, which may make it difficult to eat and talk properly.

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posted by admin on Apr 2

You’ve probably seen the television commercials that tout the latest over-the-counter medication for sinus infections and headaches. The woman on the tube pops a capsule, and in the next scene she’s smiling.

Sinus infections are common occurrences in many midlife and older adults, but people frequently confuse sinusitis—an infection of the sinuses—with an allergic reaction or migraine headache.

Sinusitis is often caused by a cold, when the mucus membranes near the nose become so swollen that the passages to the sinuses close. Since the sinuses are unable to drain, pressure builds up in them, which can become extremely painful, especially if the sinus openings remain closed for a period of time. Frequently, a tooth infection or abscess will spread to the sinuses. Unfortunately, sinusitis can sometimes persist for weeks.

Sinusitis can be caused by either a bacterial or viral infection. A viral infection causes the nasal secretions—also called postnasal drip—to be clear and watery, while the mucus accompanying a bacterial infection will be thick and sticky, with a greenish tinge.

You probably have sinusitis if you answer yes to the following questions:

1. Do parts of my face behind and under my eyes feel painful to the touch?

2. Do I have a fever and/or chills?

3. Do I find it difficult to breathe through the nose?

4. Do my sinuses become painful when I bend over or walk up and down stairs?

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posted by admin on Apr 2

Frequently, men and women who were serious runners in their 20s and 30s turn to swimming in their 40s and 50s because they discover that their bones and joints can’t take the constant pounding anymore.

Unfortunately, avid swimmers frequently contract occasional ear infections of the ear canal and outer ear known as otitis externa, or swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear is commonly caused by water that becomes trapped in the ear canal or by poking and probing in the ear with a foreign instrument. Since the ear feels as though it’s filled with water, many people with otitis externa try to alleviate their symptoms by sticking hairpins, cotton swabs, or other objects into the canal. This usually just makes the condition worse and may permanently damage your hearing.

An itchy ear and/or flaky skin are also signs of otitis externa. You may also have a constant earache, sharp ear pain when you move your head, and secretions from the ear. Changes in pressure can also cause pain in your ears if you have otitis externa. Children often contract numerous ear infections throughout childhood without their hearing being affected. Midlife adults, on the other hand, can suffer partial ot total hearing loss if otitis externa is left untreated. The infection can also spread, damaging bones and nerves and eventually causing paralysis. Fortunately, it’s easy to treat.

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posted by admin on Apr 2

Floaters and flashes are signs that the vitreous humor, the gelatinlike substance filling the space between the retina and the lens, is aging. In the early part of your life, the vitreous humor is clear, but the aging process makes it appear opaque in certain spots, which can cause vision problems. Many people begin to feel the effects of vitreous humor decay and shrinkage by the time 50 or 60 rolls around.

One form of vitreous humor degeneration causes tiny clumps to detach from the retina and float freely inside the eye’s fluid. These microscopic specks cast shadows on the retina, and you see them as “floaters.” Both nearsighted people and those who have had cataract surgery are especially vulnerable to floaters, but the problem seems to affect the over-50 population in general.

Floaters are certainly annoying but are usually nothing to worry about. The bad news is that there’s really no cure for ordinary floaters, and they occasionally may get in the way of reading. The good news is that you can expect them to disappear over time.

However, if your floaters come in heavy showers accompanied by flashing lights, you may have a detached retina, and the shower of floaters may be a sign of retinal bleeding. If this is followed by fixed dark spots, you may already have retinal scarring. See your ophthalmologist immediately if you experience these symptoms. A detached retina can be repaired through laser surgery as long as you take care of the problem quickly.

Flashes originate because the vitreous humor starts out like Jell-0 but becomes more liquified as the years pass. This change weakens the bond between the vitreous humor and the retina. In this weakened state, eye movements can tug at the vitreous humor, stimulating the retina automatically and causing you to see brief flashes of light. The flashes you see will be fleeting and probably confined to one eye. Be careful not to confuse this sensation with steady glare, a benchmark symptom of cataracts.

If you see flashes in both eyes that last for 10 to 20 minutes and are accompanied by pain, you’re probably suffering from a migraine headache.

If the flashes are accompanied by a loss of vision or another change in your visual acuity, especially if your field of vision seems as though it is covered by a veil, make an appointment with your ophthalmologist immediately. These may be signs of a detached retina.

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posted by admin on Apr 2

Description and Possible Medical Problems

If you’re like most people, occasionally you’ll find your eyelid will twitch for a few seconds for no apparent reason. It’s not unusual to be alarmed at the twitching, simply because you’re not sure what is causing your eyelid to flutter. The good news is that most eyelid twitches are nothing to worry about, and they usually go away within a few minutes.

Treatment

A twitching eyelid is often caused by anxiety or fatigue. Most of the time, however, there is no obvious cause.

However, to stop the twitching, which can be annoying, you should try one or more of the following suggestions. Relax. Do some exercise. Listen to your favorite music, or else try to get some rest if you’re overtired.

If all else fails and your twitching eyelid becomes an annoyance, your doctor may decide to prescribe a small dose of Valium as a last resort to help you relax. This method, however, will bring only short-term results. To benefit in the long term, you need to reduce the amount of stress in your life.

In rare cases, a twitching eyelid can be a sign of a serious underlying disease such as multiple sclerosis or another neurological condition that affects the facial muscles. However, with these diseases, other, more severe symptoms are usually present that will help a doctor make a clear diagnosis.

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