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Fever
The average normal body temperature is 98.6 °F (37 °C). Temperatures tend to be highest around 4 p.m. and lowest around 4 a.m. In children 6 months to 2 years old, the daily variation is about 1 °. Daily variations gradually increase to 2 degrees per day by age six. Then, body temperature varies less in adults.
Digital thermometers take the temperature quickly from the ear canal and can be especially useful for young children and older adults. Isolated temperature elevations usually aren't dangerous in an adult until the temperature reaches 103 °F (39.4 °C). Note 100 °F stands for 37.7 °C.
Heatstroke is a particularly dangerous type of high temperature, because the body is not able to stop the temperature from continuing to rise. It can happen when a child is left in a hot car or when you exercise too strenuously without enough to drink.
If the fever is mild(less than 102 °F (38.9 °C)) and a child is playful and comfortable, drinking plenty of fluids, and able to sleep, fever treatment is not likely to help.
If you or your child is uncomfortable, vomiting, dehydrated, or having difficulty sleeping, remove excess clothing or blankets. Dress in one layer of lightweight clothing, and one lightweight blanket to sleep.
For temperatures between 102 and 104 F(40.0 C), take acetaminophen or ibuprofen according to the label instructions.
A lukewarm bath or sponge bath for five- to ten-minute may help cool someone with a fever. This is especially effective after medication is given -- otherwise the temperature might bounce right back up.
A sponge bath is most likely to help if it's used shortly after a dosage of acetaminophen or ibuprofen, so that the medication can work to keep the fever down after the bath takes effect.
If your child shivers in the bath, stop the bath, dry your child and wait. Shivering actually raises the body's internal temperature — shaking muscles generate heat. If the fever doesn't moderate or your child has a febrile seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, seek immediate medical care.
DO NOT use cold baths or alcohol rubs. Because these often make the situation worse by causing shivering, which raises the core body temperature.
Drink cool liquids, as tolerated.
If you don't know why you have a fever, it's best not to try to lower your temperature. This may only mask your symptoms and make it harder to determine the cause.
Get medical help:
If a baby younger than 3 months has an ear temperature of 99.5 F (37.5) or higher. If a child older than 3 months maintains a temperature of 103 °F (39.4 °C) after a few hours of home treatment. If an adult has a temperature of greater than 104 °F (40.0 C) or a temperature of 101 °F (38.3 °C) that persists for longer than 3 days.
If the fever is accompanied by severe headache, stiff neck, swelling of the throat or mental confusion, or if you see unusual rashes or bite marks.
If your child has a febrile seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, seek immediate medical care.
*** Fever is an important part of the body's defense against infection. Raising the temperature a few degrees can give your body the winning edge. In addition, a fever activates the body's immune system to make more white blood cells, antibodies, and other infection-fighting agents. Some experts think that aggressively treating all fevers actually interferes with your body's immune response. That's because the viruses that cause colds and other respiratory infections thrive at cool temperatures. By producing a low-grade fever, your body may actually be helping eliminate the virus. Some parents fear that fevers will cause seizures. For the great majority of children, this is not the case.
** Experienced pediatricians who relied on their clinical judgment more than existing clinical guidelines were able to minimize hospitalizations and avoid unnecessary lab testing for infants with fevers without a negative impact on the outcomes of care, according to a new study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study, "Management and Outcomes of Care of Fever in Early Infancy," is published in the March 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The infants who were treated in the office and with followup visits experienced similar results to those that would have been treated following the guidelines.
=Internet Citation:New Study Suggests that Clinical Guidelines Used to Treat Infants with Fevers May Not Improve Outcomes. Press Release, March 9, 2004. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2004/inffevpr.htm
Choking (Acute upper airway obstruction)
To perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself: Position your own fist slightly above your navel. Grasp your fist with your other hand and bend over a hard surface — a countertop or chair will do. Shove your fist inward and upward
To perform the Heimlich maneuver on someone else:
Stand behind the choking person and wrap your arms around his or her waist. Bend the person slightly forward.
Make a fist with one hand and place it slightly above the person's navel.
Grasp your fist with the other hand and press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust. Repeat this procedure until the object is expelled from the airway.
Cleaning the airway of a choaking infant:
Assume a seated position and hold the infant facedown on your forearm, which is resting on your thigh.
Thump the infant gently but firmly five times on the middle of the back using the heel of your hand. The combination of gravity and the back blows should release the blocking object.
If this doesn't work, hold the infant faceup on your forearm with the head lower than the trunk. Using two fingers placed at the center of the infant's breastbone, give five quick chest compressions.
If breathing doesn't resume, repeat the back blows and chest thrusts. Call for emergency medical help.
If one of these techniques opens the airway but the infant doesn't resume breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Vertigo
If vertigo starts suddenly and can be triggered by head movement, it is most likely benign positional vertigo which is the most common cause of vertigo. Most often, affected patients complain of the inability to roll in bed or to look up high at something. When severe, the vertigo is often accompanied by vomiting. Avoid head positions that trigger positional vertigo. Benign positional vertigo is uncomfortable, but it is not medically dangerous, and usually improves with time. If you develop any associated symptoms such as weakness, slurred speach, visual problems, that may indicate a more serious condition.
Fainting
Fainting may occur while you are urinating, having a bowel movement (especially if straining), coughing strenuously, or when you have been standing in one place too long. Fainting can also be related to fear, severe pain, or emotional distress. A sudden drop in blood pressure can cause you to faint. This may happen if you are bleeding or severely dehydrated. It can also happen if you stand up very suddenly from a lying position. Certain medications may lead to fainting by causing a drop in your blood pressure or for another reason. Common drugs that contribute to fainting include those used for high blood pressure, prostate hyperplasia, and nasal congestion.
Immediate treatment for someone who has fainted includes: Loosening tight clothing around the neck. Keeping the affected person lying down for at least 10 - 15 minutes. If the person cannot lie down, have him sit forward and lower his head below the levels of the shoulders, between the knees. If vomiting has occured, turning the person onto one side to prevent choking. Elevating the feet above the level of the heart (about 12 inches).
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of contents of the stomach and often, the proximal small intestine. Vomiting is usually experienced as the finale in a series of three events: nausea, retching, and expulsion.
Nausea is the body's way of teaching a person to avoid the substance or situation that caused it. Although nausea does nothing to remove toxins from the body, it leaves the person with a horrible memory which is apt to be attached to the last thing they ate. In retching, the respiratory and abdominal muscles contract, forcing the gastric contents into the esophagus, but this is not enough to propel them out of the body. At the rest phases between retches, the stomach contents reflux back into the stomach. When vomiting occurs, it is because the diaphragm relaxed suddenly during the retching cycle, enabling the stomach contents to be expelled through the mouth. The muscles that do the work are the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles.
Stomach acid is tasteless, although it does produce a burning sensation.One of the main functions of the stomach is to disinfect that which is entering the body, and it uses a powerful level of hydrochloric acid to soak the food sterile. The cycle of the stomach in emptying the normal way is 20 minutes.
Vomiting has many different causes. Some of the more common are viral infection, food poisoning, alcohol overdose, alcoholic hangover, morning sickness, motion sickness, gastritis, and reactions to medications. Less common causes are kidney disease, gastrointestinal cancer, intestinal obstruction, concussion, diabetes, appendicitis, and various diseases of the internal organs.
Simple vomiting rarely causes problems, but on occasion, can lead to such serious consequences as aspiration pneumonia.
Every medical book that has an opinion says that the head should be kept lower than the hips while vomiting. This is to prevent aspiration of the vomit into the lungs. This is especially important while holding a small child who may not know what to do.
If projectile vomiting, which occurs with so much force that the vomited matter is cast several feet from the body, happens after a head injury, it becomes a medical emergency and immediate attention is warranted. It can also be a sign of obstruction of the alimentary canal.
To prevent vomiting, simply relaxing should be the first line of defense -- much nausea is caused by stress and anxiety. Taking small sips of water will give an indication as to the level of stomach upset. If the water seems to inflame things further, lay off. If a little bit of water doesn't hurt, more shouldn't hurt either. An escalation of defense might involve taking ginger capsules or Emetrol. Emetrol is really cola syrup, the stuff in your Coke or Pepsi if you took away the carbonated water. Drinking warm, flat cola (or other soft drinks) is apt to work about as well. Sucking on ice cubes or an ice pop can help quiet your gag reflex.
The acupuncture point neiguan (Pericardium-6) is probably best known in the West as a treatment for nausea and vomiting. One can use finger pressure massage (acupressure) at that site or even have the person wear a wristband that includes a bump that will press into neiguan when positioned properly.
If you tried all of that and you are still nauseated, yuo may just put an end to your nausea and vomit. It's a bad idea to force yourself to vomit with emetics or direct stimulation of the gag reflex. If your body wants to vomit, it won't need that kind of induction. Stop fighting the nausea and let yourself vomit. Since it's easiest to vomit on a full stomach, drinking a glass of water or two is apt to help. If you've been fighting nausea, you've undoubtedly been paying close attention to the movements of the muscles that cause vomiting. You've probably been breathing a lot more shallowly than usual to avoid upsetting your diaphragm. Take a couple of sharp, deep breaths and then a couple more. If you're as nauseated as you say you are, you are apt to vomit quickly.
When the mouth waters excessively -- the medical literature calls it hypersalivation -- it's unlikely that you'll be able to turn the tide. (It's a good idea to teach children that they should get to the toilet when they're feeling sick and their mouths water.) And when you feel your tongue lock down (the roof of your mouth is rising too in order to give what's coming more room), you'll be vomiting in less than a minute. Hypersalivation is their signal that vomiting is imminent, and that's useful. The two most common theories are (1) the saliva is useful in coating the teeth to protect them from the acidity of vomit; and (2) the salivation center in the brain is right next to the vomiting center, and the salivation center gets "cross-talk" from the vomiting center being excited,
To prevent it from recurring, nothing by mouth for at least one hour. Even a little bit of water could trigger another attack. After a few hours, try some water or light beverage like 7UP. When you're ready to try solid foods, remember BRAT. Not your children! Bananas - Rice - Applesauce - Toast
MOTION SICKNESS
The motion caused by travelling -- especially on a boat -- moves the fluid in the inner ear all kinds of directions at once. In motion sickness, the brain reads the excess stimulation of the inner ear as poisoning, and it responds by causing nausea and vomiting. Motion sickness is more common on a boat than other forms of transport because on a boat people are moved in three dimensions at once while on air and land people are usually only moving in one or two dimensions at a time.
The best thing is to stay on deck, preferably near the center and focus on the horizon. Back at the stern is a good place. Keep an eye on distant objects or the horizon. Avoid getting into strenuous work that involves having your head down, or break it up with long gazes out to sea. If below decks, lie down with your eyes closed and avoid reading; open a hatch if possible to keep the air fresh (but don't let the sea in...). Stay as close to the middle of the boat as possible to lessen the frequency and intensity of motion. If the engine is running, get away from the smell of the exhaust -- it can have a really bad effect. Also avoid strong odors such as coffee and bacon.
Most people adjust to the motion at sea within 48 to 72 hours.
Diet is very important. Avoid coffee(Coffee will almost guarantee seasickness), tea, alcohol, rich and spicy foods(even the day before sailing).
Nibbling crackers or bread can help a lot. Some people avoid sodas like plague; some find that sipping a fizzy drink can actually help. Remember to stay hydrated, whatever else you do.
Positioning an unresponsive victim
If the victim is unresponsive but breathing normally, and you do not suspect a spinal injury, position the victim in the recovery position, which helps to keep the victim's tongue from falling back and blocking the airway. Vomit, if any, is more likely to be expelled. To position a victim who is on one's back: Bend the victim's left elbow above the head. Bend the victim's right leg so that the knee is upward. Place the victim's right hand aginst one's left cheek with the palm facing outward. To roll the victim, put your right palm against the victim's right palm, grasp behind the victim's right bent knee and roll the victim toward you onto the left side.
Diarrhea
You will usually recover from the most common types of food poisoning within a couple of days. The goal is to make you feel better and avoid dehydration. Drink any fluid (except milk or caffeinated beverages) to replace fluids lost by diarrhea and vomiting. Children should be given an electrolyte sold in drugstores. Don't eat solid foods until the diarrhea has passed, and avoid dairy, which can worsen diarrhea. Do not feed honey to children under 1 year of age.
If you have diarrhea and are unable to drink fluids (for example, due to nausea or vomiting), you may need medical attention and intravenous fluids.
If you have eaten toxins from mushrooms or shellfish, you will need to be seen right away. The emergency room doctor will take steps to empty out your stomach and remove the toxin.
Get medical help if: Diarrhea lasts for more than 2 to 3 days. There is blood in your stools. You have a fever over 101°F.
Common Cold
The common cold (also known as "Nasopharyngitis") is a mild viral infectious disease of the nose and throat. Colds typically last three to five days, with residual coughing lasting up to three weeks. The common cold is caused by numerous benign viruses.
Pathology
The virus enters the cells of the lining of the nasopharynx (the area between the nose and throat), and rapidly multiplies. The major entry points are the nose and eyes, through the nasolacrymal duct drainage into the nasopharynx. The mouth is not a major point of entry and transmission does not usually occur with kissing or swallowing. The reasons may be the low temperature and high concentration of cells with ICAM-1 receptors needed by the virus.
Climate may affect transmission by some means, such as by causing people to stay indoors and increasing the proximity to infected persons, but the cause of the infection remains primarily viral. However, climate changes can also cause common-cold-like symptoms that can last for days. And, researches have shown that cold temperatures can lead to a greater chance of symptoms developing.
Symptoms
Ninety-five percent of people exposed to a cold virus become infected, although only 75% show symptoms. The symptoms such as sneezes, runny nose, and coughs start 1-2 days after infection. Before then, concentration of virus is too low to make symptoms. They are a result of the body's defense mechanisms to expel the invader, and inflammation to attract and activate immune cells. The virus takes advantage of sneezes and coughs to infect the next person before it is killed by the body's immune system.Sneezes expel a significantly larger concentration of virus than coughing. A sufferer is most infectious within the first three days of the illness.
Complications
Bacteria that are normally present in the respiratory tract can invade through the weakened immune system during a common cold and produce middle ear infection in children or bacterial sinusitis.
Prevention
The viruses are transmitted from person to person by droplets resulting from coughs or sneezes. The droplets are either inhaled directly, or transmitted from hand to hand via handshakes or objects such as door knobs, and then introduced to the nasal passages when the hand touches the nose or eyes. People with the common cold whould wear surgical masks out of courtesy to protect others.
Treatment
There is no treatment that directly fights the virus. Only the body's immune system can effectively destroy the invader. Available treatments therefore focus on relieving the symptoms. The best defense system you have is your own immune system. Your immune system does not work when you are tired or stressed. In fact, when you have the first signs of a cold you would be well advised to go home, curl up in bed, drink lots of water and try to sleep and relax. To whatever degree you are successful, the intensity and duration of the cold will be reduced.
If your nose becomes horribly stuffed, see 'nasal stuffiness'.
Cough
Cough is a reflex caused by stimulation of mucosal receptors located in the nasopharynx, ears, trachea, larynx and bronchial tree. Stimuli to cough can include mechanical (foreign body, wax in ear, bronchospasm) and chemical (smoke and other environmental irritants) factors, in addition to acute inflammatory causes (infection, allergy). Then organs such as the diaphragm and the intercostal, laryngeal, tracheal, bronchial and abdominal musculature are stimulated.(바로잡아야 할 것) A cough is the end result of this muscular stimulation.
Management would be head end elevation of the entire bed you lie on by placing bricks under the head end of the bed legs, lateral postion for sleep. At first, the cough may help you raise thick secretions in the lungs to prevent pneumonia. These "productive" coughs are beneficial, and should not be stopped. Instead, you should drink lots of water, use a vaporizer or a humidifier, and take a nonprescription product containing guaifenes. However, there are times when all other cold symptoms have disappeared, but a cough hangs on for several days. This dry, hacking, nonproductive cough can be halted with the use of such nonprescription ingredients as dextromethorphan (Vicks 44), topical menthol products (Vicks Vaporub, Mentholatum), menthol lozenges or tablets (Hall's), or vaporizer inhalants (Kaz Inhalant, Vicks Inhalant).If the cough is productive but disrupts sleep, a product containing guaifenesin and dextromethorphan may be the best choice.
Ingredients that are safe and effective for productive cough include guaifenesin. Nonproductive coughs may be safely treated with dextromethorphan, camphor/menthol ointments or steam inhalants, oral menthol (in lozenges, etc.). Airway clearance can be facilitated by drinking 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water daily.
Pressing the lung meridians such as LU-1 to L-11 would help to relieve cough,
Most otherwise healthy adults with acute cough due to upper respiratory infection will improve within a week. Cough in those under the age of 2 years should be evaluated by the pediatrician. Any time cough lasts longer than 7 days or recurs, a more serious underlying condition such as cystic fibrosis could be present, and a physician must be seen. If a cough is not accompanied by runny nose or sore throat, it may not be due to a common cold at all. Some patients already suspect that the cough is caused by another problem.
Tip of croup
If your child has a bad coughing fit during the night, take him or her into the bathroom. Close the door, and turn on the shower, generating steam in the room. The warm moist air will help to calm and soothe the throat, and alleviate the coughing. After 15 to 20 minutes, children often feel much better and stop coughing.
In cool weather, the cool dry air outdoors can also alleviate coughing. Wrap your child in a blanket, to keep him or her warm, and stand outside for 15 to 20 minutes. //
코막힘과 기침
생리식염수 비점적
찬 가습
기침
기침은 우리몸의 방어작용이므로 기침을 가라 앉게 할 필요가 없다. 단지 그 정도가 심하다면 약을 복용하여 정도를 줄일 필요가 있겠다.
덱스트로메트로판은 코데인정도의 효과를 가지고 있으며 마약도 아니므로 자주 사용되는 기침치료제로 대부분의 기침약에 들어 있다.
미지근한 물도 기침의 치료제이다. 즉 진한 점액을 묽게해주는 작용으로 기침을 줄일 수 있으며, 미지근한 물보다 더 효과적인 방법으로 가습기를 사용하기도 한다.