10 Suggestions for the Treatment of Shin Splints

Shooting pain starting in the front of your ankle and continuing up almost to your knee cap could be shin splints. When you touch the area on either side of your shin bone, it may feel sore and tender.

Most shin pain, although annoying, is minor and can be treated with the guidelines that follow. However, if the pain persists or recurs, see a doctor. Shin splints may develop into a stress fracture- -a tiny chip or crack in the bone. Stress fractures won't go away on their own and, without treatment, may become serious.

1. Don't work through the pain. At best, shin splints won't get better and at worst, you'll be setting the stage for a more serious injury. At the first symptoms of shin splints, stay off your feet, or at the very least, decrease your mileage.
2. Ice shins. Ice is the treatment of choice for reducing the inflammation of any sports injury, and shin splints are no exception. Massage shins with water that's been frozen in a foam or paper cup for 10 minutes at a time, up to four times a day for a week or two. You can also try icing shins splints with a bag of frozen vegetables, such as peas or corn kernels.
3. Tape it. Taping up your shin with an Ace bandage or with a neoprene sleeve that fits over the lower leg may be comforting for shin splints, because it compresses the muscles and permits less muscle movement.
4. Take two aspirin. Over-the-counter analgesics, such as aspirin and ibuprofen (the ingredient found in Advil and Motrin-IB), are very effective in relieving the pain of shin splints. These medications bring down the swelling and inflammation that may come with these injuries. Acetominophen, the ingredient found in Tylenol and Anacin-3, may ease the pain, but they probably won't do much for inflammation caused by shin splints. Women who are pregnant or nursing a baby, as well as sensitive individuals, should check with their physicians before taking any medications.
5. Try an athletic insole. Since shin splints often arise as a result of excessive pounding, a padded insole placed inside the shoe may help soften the blow as your foot lands on hard ground.
6. Tune in to your body. If your shin hurts, rest it, ice it, or talk with your doctor about it.
7. Stay off the cement. Exercise on forgiving surfaces such as a running track, crushed gravel, and grass. If you have to run on roads, try to choose streets paved in asphalt rather than concrete to reduce the likelihood of developing shin splints. If you do aerobics, stay away from cement floors, even those that are carpeted. Suspended wood floors are best.
8. Cross train. One way to give rest to shin splints without cutting out exercise altogether is to switch to another type of activity. If you're a runner, add some swimming, stationary cycling, or other activities that don't tax your shins as much as running.
9. Don't run on hills. Running up and down hills may contribute to or aggravate shin splints.
10. Prevent the injury from occurring in the first place. Always warm up before exercising. Doing so relaxes the muscles and gets blood flowing to the tissues. Warm muscles are less likely than cold muscles to be injured. Warm up with a few minutes of walking or gentle stretching.

Choosing an Athletic Shoe
A good athletic shoe is an important investment for anyone who runs or does aerobics. Wearing shoes with worn-out or poorly cushioned insoles only paves the way for overuse injuries, such as shin splints. When shopping for athletic shoes, look for a good fit (with at least a thumb's-width of room at the toe and the heel held firmly), good cushioning (especially in the forefoot, for an aerobics shoe) and extra-supportive material on the inside heel-edge of the sole. Runners and walkers should replace their shoes approximately every 500 miles; aerobicizers every four to five months.

10 Ways To Deal With Bursitis

The painful inflammation of a bursa is called bursitis. It's caused by bumping or bruising, repeated pressure, or overuse. It can develop after performing an activity you're not used to doing or after increasing a familiar activity.

Sometimes, bursitis can flare up without a clue as to what has caused it. All you know is, it hurts. The good news is, once you tone down your activity, symptoms of bursitis begin to disappear. Here's how to speed your recovery along:

1. Give it a rest. The pain of bursitis may disappear completely after a few days of resting the affected joint. But this doesn't mean ceasing all movement, especially if the problem is in your shoulder. Immobilizing the shoulder can "freeze" the joint with adhesions (fibrous tissue) and scar tissue. Just take it easy and try to avoid the movement or activity that brought on the pain.
2. Get new shoes. Bursitis on the heel is usually caused by improperly fitting shoes. The solution is simple: Toss the shoes, and put on a better-fitting pair.
3. Make a change. If you have bursitis on your elbow or your knee, change the activity that caused it--such as leaning on your elbows while reading or crawling on your knees in the garden- -or wear protection (such as knee pads).
4. Deflate the inflammation. Take two 325-milligram aspirin four times a day to reduce swelling associated with bursitis. Ibuprofen is another option (follow the directions on the label). But avoid these if you have kidney problems or if your doctor has told you to avoid aspirin because it upsets your stomach. Check with your doctor about aspirin and ibuprofen use if you're taking blood pressure medicine.
5. Skip the acetaminophen. Unlike aspirin and ibuprofen, this over-the-counter pain reliever isn't an anti-inflammatory, so it doesn't do as much to combat bursitis.
6. Put it on ice. Ice brings down swelling by slowing down the blood flow into the area. Leave an ice pack on the joint for about 20 minutes, or twice as long if your bursitis is deep in the joint. Protect your skin by putting a towel or cloth between the ice pack and bare skin.
7. Warm it up. After the initial swelling has been brought down, heat from a heating pad or heat pack will not only feel good but will get rid of excess fluid in the bursa by increasing circulation.
8. Use a stepladder. Overhead reaching or pushing and pulling at or above shoulder level may worsen shoulder bursitis. If you can't reach something easily, use a stepladder, or better yet, have someone else reach it for you.
9. Get in the swing of things. Retaining range of motion in the joint is important, so certain exercises are a necessary part of bursitis treatment. While most of these exercises should be prescribed by a doctor, there are a couple that you can do on your own. One effective exercise for bursitis in the shoulder is the pendulum swing. To do this exercise, bend at the waist, and support your weight by leaning your good arm against a desk or chair back. Swing your sore arm back and forth and then in clockwise and counterclockwise circles.
10. Play "itsy bitsy spider." Another exercise you can do to restore your shoulder's range of motion is to have your hand crawl up the wall, like a spider. Make it a laid-back spider, however. Anything other than slow, gradual movement may do more harm than good.

If you follow the tips outlined above, your bursitis symptoms will soon be resolved.

Don't Shrug Off Shoulder Pain
Don't be too quick to label your shoulder pain as bursitis, especially if your condition doesn't improve after a few days of rest. There are many conditions for which shoulder pain is a symptom, but absolutely none for which pain and swelling should be ignored.

A physical examination by an expert, usually followed by X rays, is the first step in proper treatment. See a doctor if your shoulder pain is interfering with your everyday activities or your sleep.

11 Ways to Get Rid of Warts

Warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Because they're brought on by a virus, they are contagious. That's why an initial wart can create a host of other ones.

Common warts are the rough-looking lesions most often found on the hands and fingers. The much smaller, smoother flat wart can also be found on the hand but may show up on the face, too. Warts on the soles of the feet are called plantar warts and can sometimes be as large as a quarter. Genital warts, which have become a growing problem, develop in the genital and anal area. If you suspect that you have a genital wart, see your doctor; do not try the remedies suggested here.

No one knows why warts appear, disappear, and later recur in a seemingly spontaneous fashion. Researchers have yet to find a way to get rid of warts for good. That leaves you with two options: Have a dermatologist treat the warts or try a few methods on your own. Here are some tips to help you be wart-free.

1. Make sure it's a wart. Warts (except the small, smooth flat wart) commonly have a broken surface filled with tiny red dots (the blood vessels supplying the wart.). When in doubt, see your doctor. And if you are diabetic, do not try any home therapy for wart removal; always see your doctor.
2. Don't touch. The wart virus can spread from you to others, and you can also keep reinfecting yourself. So keep the virus's travels to a minimum by not touching your warts at all, if possible. If you do come in contact with the lesions, wash your hands thoroughly in hot water.
3. Stick to it. Doctors have known for years that adhesive tape is an effective treatment for warts that's cheap and doesn't leave scars. In fact, a 2003 study found that tape therapy eliminated warts about 85 percent of the time compared to a standard medical treatment using liquid nitrogen, which was only successful on 60 percent of warts. Try this: Wrap the wart completely and snugly with four layers of tape. Leave the tape on for 6 « days, then remove it for half a day. You may need to repeat the procedure for about three to four weeks before the wart disappears.
4. Try castor oil. It's probably the acid in castor oil that does the trick by irritating the wart. The oil works best on small, flat warts on the face and the back of the hands. Apply castor oil to the wart with a cotton swab twice a day.
5. "C" what you can do. Vitamin C is mildly acidic, so it may irritate the wart enough to make it go away. Apply a paste made of crushed vitamin C tablets and water only to the wart, not to the surrounding skin. Then cover the paste with gauze and tape.
6. Heat it up. One study found that soaking plantar warts in very hot water was helpful because it softens the wart and may kill the virus. Make sure the water is not too hot, or you may burn yourself.
7. Take precautions with over-the-counter preparations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved wart-removal medications made with 60 percent salicylic acid, but over-the- counter remedies most commonly contain 17 percent. The stronger formulas are not recommended for children. Salicylic acid works because it's an irritant, so no matter which strength of solution you use, try to keep it from irritating the surrounding skin. If you're using a liquid medication, smear a ring of petroleum jelly around the wart before applying the medication. If you're using a medicated wart pad or patch, cut it to cover just the size of the wart. Apply over-the-counter medications at night and leave the area uncovered.
8. Chalk it up to the power of suggestion. Some physicians use this technique on children, who are still impressionable. The doctor tells the child that if the doctor rubs chalk on the child's warts, they will disappear. There are variations on this, including: Coloring the warts with crayon or drawing a picture of a child's hand with the warts crossed out and throwing the picture in the garbage.
9. Don't go barefoot. Warts leak virus particles by the millions, so going shoeless puts you at risk for acquiring a plantar, or foot, wart. Locker rooms, pools, showers in fitness centers, even the carpets in hotel rooms harbor a host of viruses--not just wart viruses. You can catch any of a number of infections, from scabies to herpes simplex. The best protection: footwear.
10. Keep dry. Warts, especially plantar warts, tend to flourish more readily in an environment that's damp. That's why people who walk or exercise extensively may be more prone to foot warts. Change your socks any time your feet get sweaty, and use a medicated foot powder.
11. Cover your cuts and scrapes. The wart virus loves finding a good scratch so it can make its way under your skin. Keep your cuts and scrapes covered to keep out the wart virus.

Caution: Genital Warts
The number of cases of genital warts is growing at a phenomenal rate, says the American Academy of Dermatology. The reason: Genital warts are extremely contagious. The usual mode of transmission is through sexual contact. It's also possible for an infected woman to pass on the virus to her fetus during pregnancy or birth.

The use of condoms can help protect against sexually transmitted diseases, including genital warts. Yet, many people still choose not to protect themselves, possibly because the threat seems remote--they simply can't believe they are truly at risk. If you need additional incentive for using condoms, consider that certain strains of HPV have now been linked to cancer.

14 Ways to Get Rid of Acne

Whether you're a teen or an adult with acne, you don't have to simply put up with it. Here are 14 ways to get rid of acne.

1. Don't pick, press, rub, or otherwise manipulate your pimples. If you do, you risk spreading the bacteria and increasing the chances of scarring.

2. Use an over-the-counter product containing benzoyl peroxide once or twice a day. It helps break up the plug of dead skin cells, bacteria, and oil that clogs the pore and forms an acne blemish. And it cuts down on the bacteria, too. Start with the lowest concentration, and work your way up.
3. Try over-the-counter products containing sulfur or resorcinol, which help unplug oil glands by irritating the skin. However, most dermatologists believe that benzoyl peroxide is the most effective over-the-counter ingredient for acne.
4. Don't just spot-treat acne; put the product on acne-prone areas, too. That can include your entire face (avoid the lips and eyes), back, and chest.
5. Go easy on your face. Washing removes oils from the surface of the skin, not from within the plugged ducts. In fact, if you're too aggressive in your quest for cleanliness, you may end up drying out or irritating the sensitive skin on your face.
6. Wash properly once or twice a day, using a mild soap, and rub lightly with your fingertips and warm water. If your skin is oily, use a soap with benzoyl peroxide for its drying properties.
7. Don't use brushes, rough sponges, cleansers with granules or walnut hulls, or anything similar on the delicate facial skin.
8. Don't use oily products, such as hair pomades, heavy oil-based facial moisturizers, or oily cleansers.
9. Use water-based make-up.
10. Don't get a facial. You may end up doing more harm than good.
11. Don't rest your chin on your hands or constantly touch your face.
12. Protect your skin from cancer and wrinkles without aggravating your acne by choosing an oil- free sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.
13. Don't worry about what you eat, unless you notice a correlation between a particular food and your skin breaking out.
14. Watch out for iodine, which can be found in multiple vitamins and iodized salt. Some doctors believe iodine may encourage acne.

Acne Rosacea
If you're over 40 and suddenly develop severe acne, you could be suffering from acne rosacea. This is a different disease from acne vulgaris, the medical name for your garden variety of acne.

Here's how to tell the difference. Acne rosacea is characterized by redness, inflammation (swelling), and dilated blood vessels. Further clues: You don't have any blackheads, the acne is located mainly on the central part of your face (nose and cheeks), and you have a lot of pustules (pus-containing pimples).

There's not much you can do on your own for acne rosacea, but a dermatologist can treat it. Just be especially careful about avoiding the sun.

6 Refreshing Tips To Cure Bad Breath

Fixing bad breath depends on what's causing it. In 80 to 90 percent of cases, it's due to something in the mouth. Most often, it's nothing more serious than a dirty mouth. Plaque, the nearly invisible film of bacteria that's constantly forming in your mouth, is often responsible for bad breath. Other dental culprits include cavities and gum disease.

Occasionally, bad breath is due to something in the lungs or gastrointestinal tract or to a systemic (bodywide) infection. However, eating a garlicky meal is one of the most common causes. The strong odors of foods such as garlic, onions, and alcohol are carried through the bloodstream and exhaled by the lungs. Another big loser when it comes to bad breath is tobacco.

In addition, some health problems, such as sinus infections or diabetes (which may give the breath a chemical smell) can cause bad breath.

Here's what you can do to keep your breath as fresh as possible:

1. Keep your mouth clean. That means a thorough brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. Food and bacteria trapped between teeth and at the gum line can only be removed with floss. If they're left to linger, bad breath is imminent.
2. Clean your tongue, too. Bacteria left on your tongue can contribute to less-than-fresh breath. Be sure to brush your tongue after you brush your teeth.
3. Wet your whistle. A dry mouth can quickly cause bad breath. Saliva helps clean your mouth; it has a natural antibacterial action, and it washes away food particles. That awful morning breath is the result of reduced saliva flow at night.
4. Rinse. If nothing else, at least rinse your mouth with plain water after eating. Swishing the water around may help to remove some of the food particles left in the mouth after a meal and prevent bad breath from setting in.
5. Munch on parsley. Munching on parsley or spearmint won't cure bad breath, but the scent of the herb itself can help to temporarily cover up offending oral odor.
6. Eat to smell sweet. Foods that help fight plaque may also help fight bad breath. Opt for celery, carrots, peanuts, or a bit of low-fat cheese if you want something to snack on.

6 Suggestions for the Treatment of Gout

The most common symptom of gout, which afflicts about three-quarters of gout sufferers, is excruciating pain in the joint at the base of the big toe. However, joints in other parts of the body including the feet, hands, wrists, knees, shoulders, and elbows are fair game for gout attacks. Joints can become so swollen and inflamed that the patient develops a fever and chills.

Gout comes on very suddenly, produces severe pain, and usually lasts three to five days if untreated. However, flare-ups frequently recur and last even longer.

There are several conditions that can result in gout, but the primary cause is an abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood, either from the body's producing too much or from the body's not excreting it properly. Gout is more common in men than in women, possibly because the female body eliminates uric acid more efficiently. The disease often strikes middle-aged males, especially men who are overweight and drink too much alcohol. But healthy people can develop gout, too. For instance, allowing yourself to become severely dehydrated may trigger an attack.

Although gout produces brutal pain, it is rarely life-threatening. However, the condition requires proper diagnosis and treatment by a doctor, who can rule out other causes of joint pain and prescribe effective medications. Once you've seen your physician, however, there are a few things you should do on your own.

1. Don't put any weight on the joint. This usually means staying off your feet as much as possible until the episode subsides. Any pressure you put on the joint will increase the pain and possibly damage the area further.
2. Keep the joint elevated. Let gravity help reduce inflammation by slowing the rush of blood to the gout inflicted joint.
3. Immobilize the joint. The less you move the joint, the better it will feel. Simply lying still will help, though you may want to build a splint for the injured joint. Ask your doctor how, or consult a first-aid guide.
4. Take a nonprescription anti-inflammatory. Inflammation causes swelling, which worsens pain. Both ibuprofen and aspirin are anti-inflammatories, but when taken at low levels, aspirin may actually make the pain worse, so reach for the ibuprofen when treating gout.
5. Avoid icing or heating the area. Unlike other types of pain, gout doesn't respond well to heat or ice therapy.
6. Wear comfortable shoes. For gout sufferers, styles that offer a lot of room for the toes are the best choice.

6 Tips for the Treatment of a Black Eye

As horrifying as a black eye can look, it is usually nothing that will cause lasting or serious damage. A black eye is technically a hemorrhage around the eye; the blood that's underneath the skin shows through as a purplish color.

There are many diseases and conditions that can cause a black eye, but a true "shiner" is typically caused by some trauma to the eye. Anyone with a black eye should see a doctor to rule out damage to the eye itself. If you have any vision problems, it is especially important to get to the doctor immediately.

Once you've been checked out, here are some ways to care for your black eye:

1. Ice the area. Hold an ice pack or some ice cubes wrapped in a washcloth on the eye. Ice helps reduce swelling and numbs some of the initial pain.
2. Pack a black eye in popcorn or peas. A bag of frozen, upopped popcorn kernels or frozen peas placed over a washcloth on the affected eye can also help cool the area and bring some pain relief.
3. Clean it up. Clean any small lacerations with mild soap and water. This will help keep the area from becoming infected with bacteria. Then continue to keep them clean and dry.
4. Avoid pressing on the eye itself. The area has already been traumatized enough, and pressing on it will only cause further trauma. Be gentle when you apply an ice pack to a black eye or clean the area.
5. Keep your chin up. Don't be embarrassed by your black eye. It's going to be around for a while--about one to two weeks. It will lessen during that time, but it won't fade completely for a couple of weeks or so.
6. Wear goggles. As is true with so many injuries, the best treatment is prevention. While you may not necessarily like the way you look in goggles, wearing them can help you ensure that you'll be able to see the way you look.

A black eye can be painful and put you in the limelight for a little while, but it's an injury that's easily treatable and goes away with time.

7 Ways to Get Rid of Cold Sores

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is believed to lie dormant in certain nerve cells of the body until it is activated by stress, anxiety, a cold, or excessive exposure to the sun. The sores last anywhere from 7 to 14 days.

Although some use the terms "cold sore" and "canker sore" interchangeably, they are different. Unlike cold sores, canker sores are bacterial infections inside the mouth that are characterized by small, round, white areas surrounded by a sharp halo of red. And, while cold sores are highly contagious, canker sores are not.

Unfortunately, attempting to camouflage a cold sore with makeup often aggravates the problem. Still, while you can't do much about the way a cold sore looks, you can do a few things to help decrease discomfort, speed healing, and keep it from coming back. You can even take steps to prevent passing on your cold sore to others. Here's how:

1. Cover cold sores with a protective petroleum-based product. This will speed healing and help protect it from secondary infection with bacteria.
2. Reach for aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. Cold sores can be quite painful. Over-the- counter painkillers can help.
3. Avoid salty or acidic foods. Foods such as potato chips or citrus fruits can further irritate cold sores and add to the pain.
4. Apply an over-the-counter anesthetic. A local anesthetic ointment containing benzocaine can help numb the pain temporarily.
5. Consult your health-care provider. If you have frequent or severe cold sores, see your doctor. In some cases, an antiviral medication called acyclovir can be prescribed.
6. Protect your lips from the sun. Applying sunscreen to your lips may help prevent sun-induced recurrences of cold sores. Look for a sunscreen designed especially for the lips that has an SPF of 15 or higher. Or, choose a lipstick that contains sunscreen.
7. Keep it to yourself. Cold sores are extremely contagious. Avoid kissing and sharing cups, towels, or other such items. Wash your hands frequently, especially after touching cold sores. And take care not to touch your eyes or genitals immediately after touching cold sores.

9 Ways to Help You Stop Snoring

Snoring is a fairly common affliction, affecting 40 percent of men and 25 percent of women. If you snore, you make a raspy, rattling, snorting sound while you breathe during sleep. Older people are particularly prone to snoring: About one-third of people ages 55 to 84 snore. Despite its frequency, however, snoring is a sleep disorder that can have serious medical and social consequences. The tips that follow may help you sleep more peacefully.

1. Sleep on your side. Snoring is more likely if you're lying on your back.

2. Lose weight. Excess body weight, especially around the neck, puts pressure on the airway, causing it to partially collapse.
3. Avoid alcohol and tranquilizers. Alcohol and sleeping pills can depress your central nervous system and relax the muscles of your throat and jaw, making snoring more likely. These substances are also known to contribute to sleep apnea, a dangerous condition that has been linked with cardiovascular disease.
4. Get your allergies treated. Chronic respiratory allergies may cause snoring by forcing sufferers to breathe through their mouths while they sleep. Taking a decongestant or antihistamine before bedtime may help. If your nose is blocked, try using over-the-counter saline spray or a humidifier to prevent snoring.
5. Buy a mouth guard. Your dentist or doctor may be able to prescribe an anti-snoring mouth guard that holds the teeth together and keeps the lower jaw muscles from becoming too lax.
6. Stop smoking. Smoke damages the respiratory system.
7. Keep a regular schedule. Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day.
8. See a doctor if you are pregnant and snoring. Women who are pregnant will sometimes begin to snore. The snoring may rob the baby of oxygen, so pregnant women who snore should talk to the doctor about it.
9. Elevate your head. Sleeping with your head raised may take some of the pressure off the airway, making breathing easier and reducing snoring. Raise the head of the bed by putting blocks under the bed posts, or prop yourself up with pillows.

When Snoring Becomes Serious
Snoring is a nuisance. It can keep your bed partner awake, and it can prevent you from getting the restful sleep you need. It may also indicate that you have sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder. The National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org) recommends that you see your doctor if:

• You wake up during the night choking and gasping for breath
• You have been told that your snoring is disturbing to others
• You don't feel refreshed when you wake up
• You are extremely tired during the day
• You wake with a headache
• You are gaining weight
• You have trouble concentrating, remembering, or paying attention
• Your bed partner notices that your breathing pauses during sleep
• It's important to have sleep apnea treated, not only because it interferes with your daily functioning, but because it increases your risk of vascular disease.

Sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle modification, surgery, oral mouth guards, or a CPAP machine, which blows air into the back of your throat while you sleep.