Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia; in actuality, it is intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social situation. People with such conditions may worry about acting or appearing visibly anxious, or being viewed as stupid, annoying, or awkward. They always try to avoid social or performance situations, and when they are unable, they feel significant anxiety and distress. Some intense physical symptoms have also been noticed in people with a social anxiety disorder.
Symptoms can include rapid heart rate, sweating, nausea, and full-blown attacks when confronting a feared situation. Although they can understand that their fear is unreasonable, and they are powerless against their anxiety.
A number of people (about 15 million) in the United States are suffering from this social condition as Social anxiety is the second most diagnosed anxiety disorder following specific phobia. This condition can be initiated by a teenager.
People with this condition commonly report extreme shyness, but the critical point is that it is not merely shyness but something more.
Signs And Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder
People with social anxiety disorder can experience these (given below) symptoms when performing in front of others.
Feel nauseous or sick to their stomach
Sweat, blush, tremble, feel a rapid heart rate, or feel their mind going blank.
Find it difficult and scary to be with other people, especially in front of an unknown person, and have a hard time talking to them even though they wish they could.
Make little eye contact, show a rigid body posture, or speak with an overly soft voice
Always be afraid that others will judge them
self-conscious in front of other people and feel awkward and embarrassed
Please stay away from other people or places where they are.
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
This mental condition sometimes runs in families, but there is not any evidence for sure why only individual members of the family experience it when others don’t. Human researches have proved that many parts of the brain are involved in fear and anxiety. Some reports said that misreading of an individuals’ behavior might be a cause of social anxiety disorder. Underdeveloped social skills can also cause social anxiety.
Social Anxiety
For example, people with underdeveloped social skills can feel discouraged after talking with someone unknown and may fear doing it in the future.
Treating Social Anxiety Disorder
Key Points
Medical researchers have found that medications work faster, but cognitive behavioral therapy plays the best role and produces long-lasting benefits.
Benzodiazepines or beta-blockers are recommended first for people with a specific social phobia.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and one serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are considered the best medication options for the management of generalized social anxiety (GAD).
Psychotherapy
Many medical studies have concluded that CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is often useful and produces better results than other psychotherapy options.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
It is a medical technique used in people with social anxiety disorder; it works to interfere with how they think about and react in situations that terrify them. Doctors can use this technique separately or as a part of group therapies.
It usually consists of 12 to 16 weekly sessions lasting 1 to 1.5 hours each. In studies, individuals with such conditions often needed at least six to twelve weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy before showing any improvement.
Other Options
There are some additional therapies for the management of social anxiety disorder. These techniques are modified forms of interpersonal treatment that improve the ability to interact and socialize with other peoples.
Medication Options
Some medication options are also available for the management of social anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines and beta-blockers are the best medication option after SSRI and venlafaxine.
Benzodiazepine
It is a family of certain similar drugs that are known for their calming effects between the human brain and the central nervous system. It boosts the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid and works to change how our brain responds to social conditions.
Beta-blockers
It is a recommended anti-anxiety medication for people with heart diseases. It can help to counter symptoms of social phobia such as sweating, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.
People all around the world are facing a different kind of health issues. These could be about your physical health or psychological health. It is important to come face to face to the fact that mental health issues exist in our society, and people should know about them and their symptoms. There are several psychological issues that are seen occurring in people. Most of them are due to the lifestyle changes that we have adapted towards.
What Do You Understand By The Word – Anxiety?
In standard terms, a person will feel anxiety as an outcome of stress. Many people feel this stress because of some fear or apprehension that they think is around the corner. A person may feel a kind of tension in situations like – going for a job interview, having a financial crisis, and many such fearful things that happen in our everyday life. The person may become nervous, and there starts the act of anxiety.
There can also be a time when a person may feel this stress regularly for more than six months or so. You should know that in such a case, you need to take medical advice from a health professional. No matter what, you must not try to purchase a drug for anxiety treatment by yourself. Always seek help from a medical professional to get a proper recommendation for managing the symptoms of anxiety.
In general, anxiety is a type of disorder that is the most common phenomenon of emotional disorders affecting a person. These types of disorders may occur at any point in time and any age. There have been studies that say women are more likely to develop the symptoms of anxiety as compared to men.
The Types Of Anxiety Disorder –
Many kinds of anxiety disorders may occur in different people. Some of the diseases that usually happen are given below –
Phobia – This type of condition occurs when a person is in excessive fear of a situation, an object, or an activity happening around him/her.
Social anxiety disorder – It is an extreme fear of meeting people in public and getting offended by others misjudging them.
Panic disorder – This is meant to be experiencing panic attacks at a recurring point of time without having a proper timing or schedule. A person who suffers from panic disorder is always in fear when a panic attack may occur.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder – It is a condition where a person may run through the same thoughts in his/her mind that are irrational. As a result of this, the same tasks and behavior are repeated on a daily basis.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – This a condition that will only occur when a person has faced a traumatic event in the past.
Illness anxiety disorder – A person who is conscious of his/ her most of the time tend to be suffering from this disorder.
What Are The Common Symptoms That Occur When A Person Suffers From Anxiety?
There will difference in the level of experience when a person suffers from anxiety. Not every individual will have the same feeling of anxiety as the other person. You should understand that the feels may range from – feeling irritated or to the extent of rapid heartbeats.
The person may also feel a disconnect between the heart and the brain due to its uncontrolled behavior. There are some other ways through which a person will experience anxiety, like – nightmares, painful thoughts, panic attacks, or memories that are harsh on your mind. You may feel worried, and fearful thoughts will run inside your mind. Along with this, the person will fear a particular event that has happened in the past or a place due to some uncomfortable connection.
Below are listed some of the general symptoms of anxiety –
Rapid heart rate
Trouble in concentration
Breathing heavily
Feeling restless
Unable to fall asleep
It’s not necessary that every person will face the same symptoms of anxiety. For some, these could be way too different from the one listed above. Hence, you need to know that there can be other symptoms of anxiety that may occur depending upon the person’s condition.
How To Tell If A Person Suffers From Anxiety?
Firstly, you need to know that a single test cannot define if you have the symptoms of anxiety or not. There is a lengthy process required for the diagnosis of anxiety. It will include – physical examination, questions related to psychology, and mental health evaluation.
Sometimes, a doctor may also tell you to undergo tests of a physical examination that includes a blood test and urine test. It is usually done so that the doctor could reach out to the actual cause of anxiety disorder. It is rare, but sometimes there are some underlying medical conditions that are responsible for causing anxiety. There can be several other tests that will determine the level of stress you are currently experiencing.
What is An Anxiety Attack?
When a person goes through an anxiety attack, there can be different feelings that run at the same time. It can be a feeling of overwhelming apprehension, distress, fear, or worry of a situation. Most of the time, an attack of anxiety is build up slowly in your system. It may get worse when a stressful situation happens to occur in the near future.
The anxiety attacks may vary from person to person and also their symptoms. It is so because most of the symptoms of anxiety attacks do not happen to every person dealing with anxiety issues. They may change over a period of time.
The symptoms of an anxiety attack that are common are –
Feeling dizzy
Falling short of breath
Sweating
Chills in the body
Restlessness
Worry
Mouth gets dry
Fear
Numbness
Tingling sensation in the body
Many of people may not know that the symptoms of an anxiety attack are quite similar to that of panic attacks. To be sure if you suffer from anxiety or not, take help from your doctor.
What Are The Treatments For Anxiety Disorder?
Although anxiety is considered to be a severe problem, there are some treatments through which you can overcome this disorder. The treatment of anxiety is basically divided into two parts – medication and psychotherapy. Though they both (medication and psychotherapy) go hand in hand, in a mild case, doctors may only prescribe you for therapy and no drugs or vice versa.
A person will get treated with the help of medicines that acts as antidepressants and sedatives. The work of medicine is to balance the formation of chemicals and prevent a person from episodes of anxiety. Medication will help in managing the most severe symptoms of anxiety disorder.
While on the other hand, therapy programs will be run by a therapist or psychologists. They will help you in learning strategies and different tools through which you will be able to cope with the symptoms of anxiety.
Is There A Correlation Between Anxiety And Depression?
There is a terminology that says – if a person is suffering from an anxiety disorder, he must be dealing with depression as well. Although anxiety and depression may occur at two different times, it is also observed that both of these disorders may occur at the same point in time.
In other terms, anxiety is sometimes also referred to be a symptom of severe depression in a person. Likewise, when the condition of a person starts getting worse due to depression, it will trigger the problem of anxiety. Both these disorders (anxiety and depression) can be managed with the help of medication and psychotherapy.
Xanax is a well-known anti-anxiety medication commonly used to manage anxiety disorders. One can buy Xanax online to treat both acute and chronic types of anxiety. It is a highly prescribed brand form of Alprazolam that comes from the benzodiazepine family of the drugs. Benzodiazepine is the same drug group that contains Lorazepam, Clonazepam and Diazepam.
Since it is a prescription and a schedule IV controlled substance, Xanax is approved only for limited medical purposes. In addition to Alprazolam, Xanax contains inactive ingredients like cellulose, corn starch, lactose, docusate sodium, magnesium stearate, sodium benzoate.
What are the primary uses of Xanax?
Although Xanax is beneficial in treating various medical conditions, its approved uses are limited. You can order Xanax online as a treatment for the following conditions.
Generalized anxiety disorder;
Social anxiety disorder or social phobia;
Panic disorder or panic attacks;
Relationship anxiety or separation disorder, etc.
Xanax life in different body parts;
How long this drug can stay in your body and different body parts depends on your system and its half-life. Half-life is an estimated duration in which your body eliminates the half part of the drug. The half-life of a drug can vary from one person to another, depending on their metabolism.
Xanax has an estimated half-life of 11 hours in healthy adults. In other terms, it takes nearly 11 hours for a healthy person to eliminate the dose of Xanax. However, it is crucial to note that everyone metabolizes medications differently so that the half-life will change var from one to another.
Research has shown that the half-life of Xanax can vary anywhere from 6.3 to 26.9 hours, depending on the individual’s physical strengths. Therefore, before purchasing Xanax online, you must let your pharmacist know how your system reacts to a drug.
How does our system work?
This might help you understand all about the life of Xanax inside your system. Xanax is taken orally and is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. Once accepted, you may start feeling its effects within an hour. Xanax reaches peak concentrations in the bloodstream in one to two hours following ingestion.
Note: Half-life never means the elimination of the next half dose will also take the same time. The total drug will take up to four half-lives to fully release your body.
Xanax Tests
In order to detect Alprazolam in your different body parts, including urine, professionals implement some tests. These tests may include;
Blood test: Blood levels may be done in case of treatment for a suspected overdose or as a screening test. This test can be positive if someone has taken Xanax in the last 24 hours.
Saliva test: Yes, Xanax can also be detected in saliva for 2.5 days.
Hair: As with all prescription or non-prescription drugs, Xanax can be detected in your hair for up to 2 to 3 weeks. This test can also work for up to 90 days in some cases.
Urine test: A urine drug screening will test positive for benzodiazepines like Xanax for five days and up to a week after a dose. The detection time may be even longer for people who metabolize this drug more slowly – like the elderly, obese, and alcoholics.
Factors that play a vital role in the drug detection
Your age, fat, weight, other medications, length of the treatment, dose, hydration level, etc., affect how long it takes for Xanax to be eliminated from your system. Here is a breakdown of these factors:
Age: Your age can play a role in the half-life of Alprazolam. For example, the estimated half-life is roughly 11 hours in healthy adults, while this can be about 16 hours in senior and unhealthy adults.
Liver disease: In people with liver disease due to alcohol consumption or other health conditions have a more challenging time breaking down the drug in their bodies. This can increase the Xanax half-life by 8 to 9 hours, and the new duration might be 20 hours.
Alcohol: The combination of Alcohol and Xanax is risky and may become dangerous in some situations. Alcohol can enhance the impacts of Xanax, and the time it takes for Alprazolam to leave your system.
Ethnicity: Researches show that individuals of Asian descent take longer than Caucasians to excrete the drug from their body. The half-life of this medication is about 15% to 25% higher in Asian residents.
Certain other factors like body weight and the duration of the treatment can also affect how long Xanax can stay in your system.
Conclusion:
In the bottom line of our blog, we will say only one thing, “it can vary.” Everything regarding Xanax, including its life in your system, varies from one person to another. Although if we talk about the estimated data, Xanax can be detected in your urine for up to 5 days.
This is all about the Xanax life in your system. For more information regarding the drug, please feel free to contact us.
Psoriasis is a severe skin condition that varies depending upon the appearance of scales and where they are located in the body. According to a report, around 7.4 million people in the United States have psoriasis. This skin condition is commonly associated with other medical problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, anxiety, or depression.
This blog will help you get an overview of psoriasis, how many types of psoriasis are there, its symptoms, available treatment options, and some medical guidelines concerning this skin condition.
An overview of illness
Psoriasis is a known autoimmune condition that causes rapid skin cells build-up for a prolonged duration. Due to the buildup of cells, you experience scaling on the skin surface. This skin condition is the result of sped-up skin production.
Redness & inflammation around the scales is quite common. Usually, psoriatic scales have whitish-silver colors and develop thick, red patches. Sometimes, these patches on the skin crack and bleed.
Usually, skin cells grow deep in the skin and gradually rise to the surface. Eventually, they fall off after completing a typical cycle of one month. The skin cell production process may happen in comparatively fewer days in people with psoriasis. Due to this, cells don’t get time to fall off. And, this rapid overproduction results in the build-up of skin cells.
Scales usually develop on joints, such as knees and elbows. But they may develop in any body part, including the scalp, face, neck, hands, or feet. Less common types of psoriasis can affect your mouth, nails, and the area around the genitals.
Types of psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis: is the most widespread form of psoriasis, and according to the American Academy of Dermatology, about 80 percent of individuals with this skin condition have plaque psoriasis. It causes red-colored, inflamed patches that cover specific areas of the skin. These patches are usually covered with whitish-silver plaques commonly found on the scalp, elbows, and knees.
Guttate psoriasis: is a prominent type of psoriasis in childhood. It causes small pink spots on the skin surface, and the most common site for this psoriasis type include the arms, torso, and legs. These spots are rarely thick or raised, similar to plaque psoriasis.
Pustular psoriasis: This type of psoriasis is common in adults. It causes white-colored, pus-filled blisters with broad red, inflamed skin areas. Pustular psoriasis often localizes to smaller body areas, such as the feet or hands, but it can be widespread.
Inverse psoriasis: causes bright areas of shiny, red, inflamed skin. Inverse psoriasis patches develop under armpits or breasts, around the groin, or close to the skin fold in the genitals.
Erythrodermic psoriasis: is the most severe and rare type of psoriasis. This skin condition often covers large sections of the skin at once. In erythrodermic psoriasis, the skin also appears sunburned, and the scales usually develop slough off in huge sections or sheets. It is not atypical for an individual with this psoriasis type to have a fever or become excessively ill. It is the only type of this skin condition that can be life-threatening, so people should see a doctor or dermatologist immediately.
How do I know if I have psoriasis?
Psoriasis symptoms vary from individual to individual and depend upon the types of psoriasis. Areas of this skin condition can be as small as some flakes on the scalp or elbow or may cover the majority of your body. Most common plaque psoriasis symptoms may include:
raised, inflamed skin patches that appear red on light skin and purple or brown on dark skin
whitish-silver plaques or scales on the red patches or gray-colored scales on the purple and brown patches
soreness around the patches
dry skin that may crack or bleed
thick and pitted nails
painful, swollen joints
itching and burning sensations around the patches
Not everyone will face all of these symptoms. Some individuals may experience different symptoms if they have a less common psoriasis type. People with this skin condition mostly go through “cycles” of symptoms. This skin condition may cause severe symptoms for a few weeks and then clear up or become almost unnoticeable. If the situation worsens by a common psoriasis trigger in a few weeks, the issue may flare up again.
When you experience no active signs of psoriasis, you may be in “remission.” It does not indicate that psoriasis can never come back, but for the time being, you are symptoms-free.
Is it possible to treat psoriasis?
If you are clinically diagnosed with psoriasis, your treatment will depend upon the type and severity of your medical condition. The primary options include medications and phototherapy. Also, people with psoriasis should apply emollients to the skin moisturized during the treatment. Emollients reduce itching and irritation and may also decrease the number of plaques or lesions that develop.
Medications
Several topical, oral, and injected drugs are available for psoriasis treatment. Some over-the-counter (OTC) remedies that can help relieve mild psoriasis symptoms include the following:
Coal tar: helps soothe plaque psoriasis, itching (skin irritation), and lesions on the palms, scalps, and soles. Individuals can use coal tar on their own or with other treatments.
Hydrocortisone creams: reduce inflammation and soothe itching.
Salicylic acid: It can help remove scales and reduce swelling, usually in people with scalp psoriasis
Anti-itch agents: includes products containing hydrocortisone, calamine, camphor, or menthol.
Other available treatment options include topical and systemic therapies, including biologics, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and oral retinoids.
Phototherapy
This method involves regular skin exposure to specific lights and lasers under proper medical supervision. The light can slow down skin cell growth, suppress skin immunity, and reduce irritation.
People can also carry out phototherapy at home with the help of a lightbox or handheld device if the initial phase of treatment is successful. To make skin more sensitive to light, one may also need to take psoralen pills before exposure.
Anyone who has a condition that makes them more sensitive to light, such as lupus or skin cancer, should avoid using this method and go for some home remedies.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder found annually in more than 40 million people in the USA. Individuals suffering from insomnia often find it difficult to fall or stay asleep, wake up frequently during the night and have a problem going back to sleep, wake up too early in the morning, and feel tired upon waking.
Primary Insomnia: Primary insomnia is the one in which a person has sleep problems that are primarily due to insomnia and not directly associated with any other medical conditions.
Secondary Insomnia: Secondary insomnia is the one in which a person has a sleep disorder due to some other medical conditions such as pain, depression, asthma, arthritis, cancer, or any other health issue, or medications or drugs they are taking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvfCpwjWjiA
Causes of Insomnia –
There can be three types of reasons that can give rise to insomnia:
Medical Causes:
Nasal and sinus allergies
Gastrointestinal problems
Endocrine problems
Arthritis or asthma
Neurological conditions
Chronic pain
Sleep apnea
Prescription drugs
Psychological Causes:
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Lifestyle Changes:
Sedentary lifestyle
Lack of exercise
Time zone or shift changes
Substance abuse
Poor sleeping or eating habits
Treatment of Insomnia –
Lifestyle Changes And Exercise
Employ a proper sleep routine. Change sleep habits and exercise properly for 30 minutes a day. Take a balanced diet and do not overeat before sleeping. Moderate aerobics, brisk walk, swimming, and yoga can help sleep better. Avoid drinking too much caffeine or overheating the bedroom before going to sleep.
Medical Treatment
Doctors may prescribe certain medications for the treatment of insomnia based upon the medical status and other health conditions of a patient. Ambien is a prescription medication helpful in treating insomnia.
Ambien is a prescription medication to treat insomnia.
It is the brand-name version for generic zolpidem drugs.
Ambien belongs to a class of sedative-hypnotics drugs, which acts on the brain to slow down its activities and thus help sleep peacefully.
Ambien is the most prescribed sleep medication in the USA.
It comes in both immediate-release and extended-release oral tablet formulations.
Ambien is a Schedule IV controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act 1970.
Uses –
Ambien is a non-benzodiazepine sedative and hypnotic useful for the short-term treatment of insomnia or sleep-related conditions. It is an agonist of type A GABA receptor of the imidazopyridine class. It works by boosting GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) effects in the central nervous system by binding to type A GABA receptors as benzodiazepines.
Ambien’s immediate-release tablet has an average half-life of two to three hours. The half-life increases in patients with liver problems.
Ambien makes a person fall asleep as soon as they go to bed and helps in restful night sleep. It decreases sleep latency for up to 35 days. Efficacy of Ambien is up to four to five weeks in controlled clinical studies.
Dosage –
Adult Dosage:
It is advisable to use the lowest effective dosages of Ambien. Initiate the dose with 5 milligrams for women and 5 or 10 milligrams for men, given before going to bed. Take the dose at least seven to eight hours before you need to wake up. Give 10 milligrams dose only if the 5 milligrams dose is not adequate to provide desired results. A 10mg dose increases the risk of high blood levels in the morning and leads to next-day impairment of alertness. Do not exceed a dose of 10mg once every night in any case.
The recommended dose for women is lesser because they have slower clearance of zolpidem.
Special Population:
Debilitating or elderly patients and patients with mild hepatic impairment are especially sensitive to the side effects of Ambien. Doctors recommend a dose of 5mg for these patients given once at bedtime.
Avoid Ambien for patients with severe hepatic impairment as it can cause encephalopathy.
Do not take Ambien with a meal as it slows the effects of the medication.
Side Effects –
Common side effects of Ambien include:
Drowsiness
Headache
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Tiredness
Feeling drugged
Unsteady walking
Nausea
Vomiting
Constipation
Diarrhea
Severe adverse effects of Ambien include:
Complex sleep behaviors
Abnormal thinking and behavior changes
Central Nervous System Depressant Effects
Next day impairment of alertness
Severe Anaphylactic and Anaphylactoid Reactions
Withdrawal symptoms
Precautions –
Follow some special precautions before taking Ambien:
Inform your doctor if you have hypersensitivity to any active or inactive ingredients of the medication. Check the list of ingredients before taking Ambien.
Tell your doctor about all the concurrent medications, prescription or non-prescription, nutritional supplements, vitamins, and herbal products you are taking.
Never take more than one pill in a single night. Do not take Ambien and any other sleeping medication concurrently.
If you are taking any herbal products for a sleep disorder or any other medical condition, inform your doctor about that before taking Ambien.
Consult your doctor about your history of substance or alcohol abuse or addiction. Also, consult the doctor if you have or ever had depression, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, sleep apnea, breathing problems, and liver or kidney diseases.
If you are in the last trimester of your pregnancy or a breastfeeding mother, consult your doctor about it.
Elderly patients are generally more vulnerable to the side effects of sleep medications. Doctors may recommend other treatment plans for older adults.
Do not forget to tell your dentist that you are taking Ambien before having dental surgery.
Ambien causes drowsiness, decreased mental alertness, and lightheadedness. Be extra careful while going out of bed, standing up from a lying or sitting position, driving, operating machinery, or doing any work that needs alertness.
Mixing Ambien with alcohol or any other CNS depressant can elevate the risk of side effects.
Ambien also causes sleep-walking and other activities while sleeping like making phone calls, cooking, eating, and having sex. Immediately consult a doctor if you are doing any of these sleeping activities.
Where To Buy?
People can buy Ambien online through online pharmacies. You can also buy the medication in drug stores and pharmaceutical shops. However, order Ambien online to get handsome discounts and genuine medication through our pharmacy.
An unpleasant and complex sensory, emotional experience comes under the category of pain. Pain is never expected, and when it lasts beyond the time of healing or continues for a period of three months or longer, it comes under the category of chronic pain.
Unlike wrinkled skin or graying hair, chronic pain is not a part of the normal aging process. For older adults primarily who live independently, chronic pain may have devastating and widespread effects, imposing steep economic and social costs, threatening the quality of life, and personal strain.
Even after extreme pain, many older adults do not discuss their problem and its impact on their healthcare providers because they fear invasive tests, loss of independence, hospitalization, or need to take additional medicines. It may cause underdiagnosis resulting in inadequate treatment, further diminishing quality of life.
Chronic pain is continuously a point of concern as the elderly population grows. According to a survey, in 2016, the number of Americans older than 65 years was about 36 million, 12.4% of the population. By 2030, this group of people may number 70 million (about 20% of the total population).
Causes of Chronic Pain
Advanced age increases the risk of specific health problems that can cause chronic pain. Conditions that can cause chronic pain in older adults may include musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoporosis and arthritis, peripheral vascular disorders, and neuropathic pain (postherpetic neuralgia).
How pain disrupts the quality of life?
Chronic pain is linked to depression, sleep disturbances, poor physical functioning, and reduced social activity. Pain-linked problems can make older adults more dependent on others for ADLs (activities of daily living) and may result in social isolation and a rise in healthcare costs. Pain is commonly seen as a threat that influences older adults’ coping processes.
Effects of pain on sleep
Chronic pain can disrupt your sleep in several ways. Altogether, falling asleep is problematic for various older people who have endured chronic pain stress in the day. Sleep quality may suffer because of frequent awakenings, as continuously changing sides on the bed may cause pain.
Sleep deprivation and alteration in sleep quality can lessen the pain threshold. Thus, a vicious sleep-deprived cycle occurs with lowered pain threshold, decreased sleep quality, and reduced ability to cope with chronic pain.
Depression and Distress
Many older people with chronic pain experience extreme distress or even depression which can obstruct their ability to handle or cope with pain. Additionally, the pain may worsen your cognitive dysfunction and malnutrition.
Along with financial hardship and other factors, chronic pain contributed to depression and distress among community-dwelling older adults. The chronic pain caused by arthritis interferes with daily activities and makes it harder for such people to carry out daily activities (ADLs), and it can cause distress.
Chronic pain can be directly linked to depression, and people might adapt to chronic pain and may not appear to be distressed daily; pain may create long-term effects manifesting depression.
Assessment
Assessment of chronic pain in older adults can be challenging due to the population tends to underreport pain. Also, unlike patients with acute pain, those with chronic pain usually do not manifest autonomic pain responses, such as a sudden increase in heart rate and respiration.
Using a pain scale is beneficial while assessing an older adult for pain. A doctor may encourage their patient to keep a pain diary to help identify events that precipitate or increase pain. A pain diary can also offer clues about the occurrence of breakthrough pain. If the findings from the assessment suggest the patient has chronic pain, try finding out whether and to what level the pain is affecting the quality of life of an individual.
Plan of Care
Medical healthcare providers must develop a proper plan to address the patient’s chronic pain. The program should check the patient’s comfort-function goal and identify the pain management needed to reach the required functional ability.
Establishing a realistic and practical comfort-function goal offers direct patient input into their pain management and its implementation. It also holds both the medical healthcare team and the patient accountable for providing adequate pain relief.
Some older adults may need more help in establishing realistic goals. Firstly, inquire about the pain-related functional limitations that the person finds distressing.
Pharmacologic Pain Management
There are various pharmacologic pain management options. However, physiologic changes in the continuously aging body and coexisting health problems can challenge pharmacologic measures in the elderly.
Such physiological changes alter drugs’ pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. For some reason, some medications are not very appropriate for pain management in older adults. Here is a list of potentially inappropriate medications for pain management in older adults, including:
Classes of drugs or medicines generally should be avoided in people 65 years or older because they may be ineffective or pose an unnecessarily high risk. I prefer taking a safer alternative available for older adults.
Medications that one should not prescribe to older adults who have certain medical conditions.
For many patients, the plan for pain management may need to include pharmacologic methods and nonpharmacologic methods.
Promoting Compliance with Drug Therapy
Compliance with any therapy can pose a challenge for both the patient and medical healthcare provider. Many elderly patients mistakenly think that they should take analgesics only when the pain becomes hard to handle; some patients fear becoming addicted to them. The doctor should emphasize the importance of using pain medication to stay in a better condition, rather than waiting for the pain to become unbearable.
Some older people may avoid pain treatment because of the risk of constipation and other adverse effects. Suppose fear of constipation obstructs the patient from taking the required medication. In that case, the medical healthcare provider should educate them about beneficial dietary changes, such as eating more fiber-rich food and drinking more fluids.
Nonpharmacologic Pain Management
In most cases, various older adults are open more to nonpharmacologic approaches for pain management. As per the requirements and adaptability status, teach patients about relaxation, exercise, guided imagery, acupuncture, yoga, spiritual interventions, and music therapy. Some other popular nonpharmacologic pain management options include:
biofeedback
humor
repositioning
distraction such as reading a book, watching television, or talking on the phone
In some situations, application or massage of something heat and cold may be appropriate. But take caution in older adults who have neuropathic pain or ischemic pain due to peripheral arterial disease. In those conditions, using heat and cold may lead to altered sensation at the extreme level and damage tissues. One must encourage their patients with joint pain or arthritis to stay as active as possible and participate in non-weight-bearing activities, such as swimming, biking, or aerobic water exercises.
Be an advocate for the elderly.
Promoting health and well-being is the essential cornerstone of nursing an elderly patient. Once you understand the overall effects of chronic pain in older adults, you can identify patients with debilitating chronic pain more efficiently, collaborate with a multidisciplinary medical healthcare team, and implement needed interventions to offer relief and improve quality of life.
It would help if you constantly stay up-to-date on the latest studies, research, and chronic pain findings. You can use the information from the reports to help guide your practice. Provide measures that promote document patient outcomes, promote comfort, and advocate for elderly patients.
You may urge the nursing leaders to pitch the federal government to fund research concerning chronic pain in the elderly and assist researchers in data collection as appropriate. Remember that pain is not a regular part of aging and older adults also deserve pain relief and the stress pain creates.
Getting sleep under stressful conditions is quite challenging, but sleeping during an ongoing pandemic seems impossible for some nights. If you really think you are the only one going through sleeplessness, you are wrong. Stress-related insomnia due to the pandemic is definitely a thing and even has the name Coronasomnia.
As you might expect, it is a more complicated phenomenon than typical stress-related sleeplessness because it is not about the virus; it is about the drastic change in the lifestyle.
This article will talk about the issues surrounding COVID insomnia and its effects on your health, and what you or your close one can do to combat the problem. It can increase the necessary hours of sleep.
What do we mean by Coronasomnia?
Coronasomnia or Covidsomnia is the term used to describe sleep problems concerning the pandemic. The coronavirus goes hand in hand with insomnia; stress and sleep do not mix up. Any stress type is often the main trigger for insomnia, difficulty falling asleep at first, and inability to return back to sleep after waking up.
Stress impacts every sphere of our life, so it is apparent that it will affect our sleep. This condition has worsened further due to the ongoing pandemic that has consumed people’s lives for much of the last few years.
Indeed, stress levels have reached their highest during the pandemic for many reasons, such as economic hardships, loneliness, navigating parenting challenges, and juggling work with the school.
What is the reason for Coronasomnia?
An increase in sleep disorders, primarily insomnia, exists all over the world. According to a report studying the people who have insomnia, the number of people experiencing insomnia in the United States has increased from one to six to one to four. In contrast, the insomnia rate rose from 14.6 percent to 20 percent during the peak lockdown period.
The increase in sleep disturbances results from increased stress and anxiety that the pandemic has brought on, including the impact of the uncertainty of life and the constant barrage of information we are receiving at this time. Our regular routines are daily activity levels have been disrupted somewhere, and it has more likely impacted the sleep cycle of many people negatively.
The pandemic has not only been a giant stressor for many people, but it has also created new levels of uncertainty since there is no ending on the horizon. The loss of life of the loved ones also compounded the sleep disruptions we experienced last year.
We are currently experiencing COVID burnout or pandemic fatigue that can add to the already existing sleep deprivation. Homeschooling, sheltering in places, avoiding social gatherings and public meetings, wearing a mask continuously, and inability to perform regular activities have added more to this experience.
Being stuck in the houses most of the time can also cause complications in the sleeping patterns. Getting limited sunlight exposure helps attain a better sleep, but the pandemic made us all locked within the four walls causing sleep deprivation.
And with many of us still stuck in work-from-home situations, some people might face differences in the regular sleep cycle. Disturbances in the usual sleeping time for a specific period can make it more difficult to fall asleep in the following time and contribute to insomnia’s vicious cycle.
The anxiety accompanied by the pandemic, quarantining, and social distancing can result in more isolation and depression, causing significant sleep issues.
Is insomnia a symptom of COVID-19? The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) does not enlist insomnia or other such sleep disorder as a common COVID-19 symptom. In various people, pandemic-related stress is more likely to cause insomnia.
How the Corona and insomnia impact your health?
However, all stress and sleep deprivation can have significant and negative impacts on your overall health and worsen the preexisting health conditions. The most drastic effect due to this pandemic is on our immune system. As we all know, when someone is sleep deprived, they tend to have lowered immunity, making them more susceptible to the risks of viruses.
Lack of sleep can also negatively impact our mood and emotional regulation. If we are already feeling stressed about the virus, lack of sleep will undoubtedly drive that up. Getting an appropriate amount of good sleep can help you achieve better cognitive functions, and things like memory and decision-making capability can be impacted by poor sleep.
Your body can suffer from chronic sleep loss together with worsening cardiovascular and metabolic issues, resulting in an increased risk of diabetes, weight gain, and high blood pressure. It can reduce the capability of the body to exercise and make a person less likely to do any other physical activities resulting in more anxiety and stress with the risk of obesity and health condition concerning obesity.
Overall, one thing leads to another, and increased rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder related to pandemic stress have also become a reason for increased rates of sleep disturbance.
Some tips to combat COVID-related insomnia
There are various ways of tackling the sleep deprivation situation and improving our sleep experience. The most common and easy techniques can be cutting down the screen time before bed, a healthy diet, and a practical exercise regime. Few tricks to tackle the COVID-19 related insomnia are:
Take a break from the news
One can say the news of virus outspread is on prime time update of every channel. No one can deny that staying informed is good, but involving oneself in the information is not good in the present situation. We should avoid oversaturation of news and other habits such as scrolling the newsfeed on Facebook and other social media apps.
Nowadays, people are very connected to the news as it seems the only way to stay connected with the world. People prefer watching the information in the evening while at dinner or before going to sleep. But this setting does not seem to work quite right as it adds to stress and obstacles to your sleep. We should avoid stressful news before it can help ease anxiety at least a little bit.
Stay on schedule
Studies show that a lot of stress comes from procrastinating daily routine activities. To avoid this situation and get some relief, try creating a daily schedule and stick to it. Moreover, keep a consistent bedtime and waketime no matter whatever the day of the week.
With flexible working hours in a work-from-home schedule, you might decide to push your bedtime and waketime with ease and stay consistent.
Shine a light
Ensure you get enough exposure to the sunlight as it is an underrated part of our circadian rhythm, and various people are missing it in their morning work routines. Many of us do not go out and skip the healthy morning routine. Not forming any effective morning routine, getting that light exposure, can impact sleep negatively.
Get up and distract yourself.
One problem that might come up, specifically during times of stress, is waking up in the middle of sleep time and not falling back asleep. It does not only mean less sleep but also more frustration.
If you cannot fall asleep after 20 minutes of lying down, consider getting up and moving to a more comfortable environment for sleep. You may also distract yourself in the form of reading, writing, or performing yoga stretches that help you get calm.
Avoid excessive stimulation, especially from your tablet, phone, or computer. The emission of blue light with continuous scrolling from these devices can cause more sleeplessness.
ADHD and anxiety both are slightly different mental health disorders with their unique signs and symptoms. Although most things of these two are different still there are some links between them. Today’s article will cover some of the basics of these two emotional disorders and talk about the relationship between ADHD and anxiety. At the same time, we also let you know about the best treatments for ADHD and anxiety.
Keep reading if you are also suffering from any kind of anxiety or ADHD symptoms. Let’s begin the journey of knowledge;
The most common link between ADHD and Anxiety
As mentioned, they are different in signs and symptoms, but in some severe conditions, their disorders may occur due to ADHD. For example, if you have been diagnosed with ADHD, you may also have another psychological disorder that the symptoms of ADHD can mask. According to medical research, about 60 percent {Outbound link, remove it if necessary}of people with ADHD have a coexisting or comorbid health condition.
Anxiety is one of those health conditions that often occur in individuals with ADHD. And, it is estimated that about 30 to 50 percent of children with ADHD also have anxiety. Please check more headings to learn more about the connection between these two emotional health disorders.
Basics of ADHD and Anxiety ADHD
ADHD is short-term used to indicate a mental health disorder known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This condition is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children. It is usually diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may have trouble paying attention and controlling behaviors.
Signs and Symptoms
Daydream a lot
Squirm or fidget
Talk too much
Forget or lose things a lot
Make frequent mistakes or take unnecessary risks
Have a hard time resisting temptation
Have complications getting along with others
Have trouble taking turns
Treatment:
Mild symptoms of ADHD can be managed by some behavioral and lifestyle changes. While in severe conditions, you can buy Adderall online to get the best treatment for ADHD.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a widespread mental health disorder that affects over a million people in the United States. This condition occurs as a response to our body against extreme stress. Anxiety is a feeling of fear or phobia about what is to come. For example, when you visit a new place, start a new job, attend an important interview or give a speech, you may feel a kind of fear called anxiety.
Sometimes, anxiety lasts for a short period and can motivate you to do better in your role. But, if your fear feelings are extreme, interfering in your daily life activities, and last longer than 6 months, you can have an anxiety disorder.
Signs and Symptoms
Increased heart rate
Rapid breathing
Restlessness
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty falling asleep
Sudden fear
Treatment:
Mild anxiety does not require any special treatment other than some changes in lifestyle and daily life activities. In severe conditions, you can buy Xanax online as the best anti-anxiety drug.
Difference between an Anxiety disorder and ADHD
Though a medical evaluation is necessary, parents or siblings may be able to tell the difference between anxiety and ADHD. The key is to observe how your symptoms change over time.
If you have ADHD, you will find it difficult to pay attention most of the time in any type of situation. On the other hand, if you have anxiety, you may be unable to pay attention to only problems that cause you to feel anxiety.
In people who have both of these disorders simultaneously, the symptoms may seem more extreme. For example, anxiety can make it more challenging to concentrate for people with ADHD.
Understanding co-morbidity
It is not clearly known why there’s a connection between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety, and professionals do not fully understand what causes either condition. Genetics may be a reason behind both conditions and may also cause co-morbidity. Experts have also observed a number of other disorders that are commonly seen alongside ADHD, including:
Depression
Autism
Anxiety
Dyslexia
Sleep disorders
Substance abuse
Bipolar disorder
Possible causes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder include genetics, premature birth, or environmental toxins. It’s possible that these causes could also contribute to anxiety.
Bottom line
Both emotional disorders are hazardous and can lead to some unpleasant accidents or physical and psychological problems in the patient. If they combined, the condition might be worse. Please take immediate medical help if you have any of these two or a combination of these two.
Xanax is the brand version of alprazolam belonging to the benzodiazepine class of drugs. Xanax acts as a central nervous system depressant. Benzodiazepines, also called tranquilizers, provide relief from anxiety and muscle spasms, produce sedation, prevent seizures, and induce sleep.
Basic Information About Xanax –
Xanax, as we know, is a brand-name drug sold in the United States. It is preferably prescribed to patients with anxiety and panic disorder. This drug went on sale in the year 1981, and since then, most the doctors prescribe it for the given purpose. There are a lot of types of Xanax that are sold in the US market. Though they are used for the same purpose, yet they are different in strength and color. The doctors recommend their patients with the right amount of drug dose according to their health and condition.
The category to which Xanax belongs is Benzodiazepine, also termed as “benzos.” The drugs from this category affect the mind and give a calming and soothing effect by acting as a depressant. Xanax is also put under the Controlled Substance Act as a schedule IV drug. Furthermore, this means that the drug has the potential of getting abused by the masses.
Xanax is available as both liquid and pill formulations. Xanax pills come in rectangular bars, shapes, round, oval, elliptical, and triangular shapes.
What Are The Slang Terms Used For Xanax?
Common street names or slang terms used for Xanax are:
Xannies
Z bars
Zanbars
Bars
Handlebars
Xanbars
Planks
Benzos
Bricks
Hulk Xanax
Green Monster
School bus
How is it Used?
Xanax is a prescription medication for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, transient symptoms of anxiety, anxiety related to depression, and panic disorder. Misuse of Xanax includes swallowing or injecting the drug.
Colored Xanax Bars (2mg)
There are 4 types of Xanax bars, that are most popular in the market due to their name, shape, and color (2mg bars). All are given below –
Green Xanax bars are Alprazolam, which is a powerful medication used for treating anxiety and panic disorders. Similar to any other Alprazolam, the Green Xanax bar affects the central nervous system of the patient, which produces a calming effect helping the patients by treating anxiety.
Several pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing Green Xanax bars, thus is available in an enormous variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. The reason for this is to provide each pill with a unique identity. Green Xanax bars are also imprinted with S 90 3 pills which are provided by manufacturers to give them recognition in the market. Thus it is also known as Green Xanax bars S 90 3.
Green Xanax typically contains active Alprazolam 2mg, which is similar to the White and Yellow Xanax bars in strength. They are thus making the Green Xanax have similar effects as the Yellow and White Xanax.
Green Xanax is available in triangular, rectangular, round, and oval shapes, which are available in Green Xanax bars 2mg and Green Xanax bars 3mg doses. Actavis, Pfizer, Mylan, and DAVA are some major pharmaceutical companies that manufacture this medication.
A White Xanax bar is a rectangular shape tablet that contains 2mg of the drug. Most drugs that we take are white. It is so because white is the standard color for medicines, and almost every pharmaceutical company produces medications of the same color.
This drug is considered to be a high dose for Xanax, and the dosage shall not be increased without consulting with the doctor. The tablet of a white Xanax bar is divided into four parts and can be taken in pieces as per the doctor’s advice.
It’s essential for patients to understand that 4mg is the maximum dosage for Xanax. In no condition, a person is allowed to take a higher dose without consulting from a health expert. On the streets, a white Xanax bar is also named as “sticks.”
As we just informed you that White Xanax Bar is a higher dose of Xanax and shall not be taken for another purpose.
Hence, you are advised not to quit the drug suddenly. Talk to a health expert and then follow the steps as per the recommendation.
Patients who have been taking Xanax for a while must know that the drug comes in many doses, colors, and shapes. Yellow Xanax is one of the most commonly used forms of Xanax that is prescribed to the patient as per their condition.
The yellow Xanax bar is quite similar in effect to that of the white Xanax bar. On a yellow Xanax bar, R039 is imprinted, which makes it unique from the other drugs. Also, as the name says Yellow Xanax bar is yellow and comes in the shape of a rectangle.
The most common name for Yellow Xanax on the streets is the “school bus.” This name is given after the color and shape of the drug. As said above, yellow Xanax and white Xanax are similar in effect; the strength of a yellow Xanax tablet is 2mg as well. It is essential to take the dosage pattern of yellow Xanax after consulting with a health expert.
You may have learned by now that all the tablets of Xanax that come in rectangular/bar shape are the most common dosage of the drug. Alprazolam or Xanax that comes in the form of a blue Xanax bar is similar to other Xanax bars. A yellow Xanax bar, green Xanax bar, and white Xanax bar are useful in the somewhat same manner.
A pill of a blue Xanax bar is also of the same amount as the rest of the other bar tablets of Xanax. The tablet is imprinted with B707 on one side and is rectangular. The strength of a blue Xanax bar is 2mg, which is quite like the other Xanax bars.
Side Effects of Xanax Bars –
The common side effects that could be seen in patients using real Xanax bars are:
Constipation
Nausea
Diarrhea
Blurred vision
Vomiting
Dizziness
Irritability
Upset stomach
Drowsiness
Trouble concentrating
Dry mouth
Muscle weakness
Slurred speech
Loss of interest in sex
Increased sweating
Insomnia
Lack of coordination or balance
Serious side effects that should be informed to the doctor immediately are:
Nervousness or fear
Difficult or labored breathing
Ear congestion
Hallucinations
Mood swings
Memory problem
Blurred vision
Suicidal thoughts
Body aches or pain
Severe abdominal or stomach pain
Seizures
What Are The Risks Associated With Xanax Use?
Xanax is a tranquilizer that slows down normal brain function, which results in adverse effects such as shallow breathing, slurred speech, fatigue, sluggishness, lack of coordination and disorientation, and dilated pupils.
Higher doses of Xanax cause memory impairment, loss of coordination, paranoia, irritability, and suicidal thoughts. Some people also become agitated or aggressive after taking Xanax. Using Xanax with any other central nervous system depressants, particularly alcohol, can slow breathing or heart rate, or both. It leads to severe consequences, even death.
Continued use of Xanax leads to dependence even at recommended doses. Withdrawal symptoms may also appear if a person stops using Xanax abruptly. As all tranquilizers slow brain activity, when someone stops taking them, rebound effects can occur, such as seizures.
Tolerance to Xanax can also occur. People require larger than previous doses to achieve similar effects when they develop tolerance. It often leads to overdose as the user takes more than prescribed doses to get the results.
Prescription tranquilizers like Xanax can be highly addictive, as a person needs to continue the doses of a drug despite its harmful consequences.
What Are Some Signs of Xanax Use?
Signs of Xanax use at a glance:
Suicidal thoughts
Paranoia
Irritability
Memory impairment
Dilated pupils
Loss of coordination
Disorientation
Fatigue
Sluggishness
Shallow breathing
Slurred speech
Fake Xanax Online
Buying fake Xanax is one of the most menacious risks of purchasing Xanax through online pharmacies. Fake Xanax pills could contain several hazardous ingredients, some of which are even not for human consumption.
Moreover, fake Xanax looks precisely like the real Xanax pills and even comes in the proper packaging. It gives you no clues that medicine is fake. Some companies also sell drug testing kits online that are unreliable and fake too.
Misusing the prescribed drug is dangerous for you, but using fake medicine is even more critical.
Buying Xanax Online: Is it safe?
Buying any drug, say it’s a prescription drug, designer drug, or illegal drug, online is never safe. There are too many risks associated with it. Purchasing drugs such as Xanax online does not only possess a chance to your physical health but your financial health also. You can end up in criminal charges or severe overdose, causing coma and death.
Buying Xanax online seems to be the best option if you are addicted and experiencing extremely discomforting withdrawal symptoms. You don’t need to be addicted to Xanax for a lifetime. There are many ways out of your addiction. There are numerous benzodiazepine detox programs. You can take help from one of those programs, or you can consult a health care expert about your Xanax addiction.
Buying Xanax online can be unsafe and precarious. Only buy Xanax online from trusted legal pharmacies that sell genuine medications approved by the FDA.
How Long Does Xanax Last?
Even though the half-life of Xanax is around 11 hours, still it is not considered a long-lasting medication as the effect of this medication lasts for about four hours only. This means that the Xanax present in the patient’s system after 4 hours is ineffective, which is the reason why it is used several times a day.
The dosage of Xanax depends upon the doctor’s prescription and the severity of the symptoms. It is the main reason why doctors do not recommend using Xanax for the treatment of chronic anxiety.
Facts About Xanax That Can Be Alarming –
Although Xanax has a low potential of abuse as compared to the other drugs, it is high among the most abused drugs in the United States. Here is a list of facts that will tell you about the warnings that are related to Xanax usage.
There is an increase of 67% of the people in the United States since the year 1996 who have filled in for Xanax prescription.
The abuse of Xanax can be deadly as in the year 2015, approx. Nine thousand people died due to benzodiazepine drugs.
There were four times more deaths between the years 1996 and 2013 due to the overdose of Xanax and Valium.
There was an estimate of about 10 to 25 percent of Xanax users who were dependent upon the drug due to long-time use.
There is an increment of 17% in Benzodiazepine prescription since the year 2006. It merely means that overall, 94 million more prescriptions are assigned to people every year.
The combination of Benzos, along with an opioid drug, can cause lethal health issues. There have been 8,000 to 9,000 deaths in the year 2015 due to the combination of benzos with opioids.
Abuse Of Xanax Among Teenagers –
The FDA and other drug authorities are more concerned about the dependency of Xanax on teenagers. There can be a high threat to the health of teens with the abuse of Xanax. They may become physically and mentally dependent upon the use of Xanax. This not only occurs when a person misuses the drug, but it can also happen when you are taking the medicine as per the prescription. Therefore, it can be deadly at times.
According to the reports of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there is a huge count of younger people taking Xanax and other Benzodiazepine drugs for non-medical use. It has also been reported that more than 10 percent of the younger people between the age of 18 to 25 are abusing Xanax for its sedative effect. In fact, this rate is just double of people who are above the age of 26 and abusing the drug.
In What Ways Will Xanax Abuse May Impact The Lives Of Teens’
Apart from making them physically and mentally dependent upon the drug, Xanax can also affect the lives of Teen in the following ways –
It can have a negative impact on your performance level in school or work.
You may not be in touch with your close friends.
Your family relations will be disrupted.
You might be at a much higher risk of injury due to accidents.
You will be high on abusing drugs and more than one substance at a time.
Novel Coronavirus, which is behind the onslaught of COVID-19 disease, comes from the family of coronaviruses. These viruses can cause illnesses like the common cold, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). In late 2019, in the Wuhan province of China, a new coronavirus was identified as a cause of a disease outbreak in the region.
The virus itself is called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease it causes in people is known as coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19. In March o 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic, and ever since major public health groups like WHO U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), etc. are monitoring the epidemic and updating their websites with the latest information about the outbreak.
These public health groups are also issuing guidelines regarding the prevention and treatment of this illness.
Symptoms
COVID-19 symptoms start to appear within 2 to 14 days after the exposure. The time between a person getting exposed to the virus and showing signs is called the incubation period. It is the most crucial time for a person, as, during this period, a person is most likely to spread the disease to others.
Common COVID-19 symptoms can include:
Cough
Fever
Tiredness
These are the main symptoms of this disease, but other symptoms can also indicate that the coronavirus has infected a person.
Other symptoms of coronavirus disease include:
Muscle aches
Headache
Sore throat
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Chills
Loss of taste or smell
These symptoms are not all the signs that a person can exhibit after getting infected with the virus. Organizations like WHO and CDC are monitoring the situation and adding new symptoms in the list
Some new symptoms of COVID-19 include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Congestion and runny nose
The severity of the symptoms can vary between individuals, and children generally have milder symptoms than adults. Not everyone shows all signs of this disease. Some have very few symptoms, while others might not exhibit any of the signs of the illness.
People with already existing chronic medical conditions such as lung disease, severe obesity, heart disease, diabetes, chronic liver disease or kidney disease, or compromised immune systems might be at higher risk of serious illness.
When to visit the doctor?
If you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms or have come in contact with someone diagnosed with this disease, you should contact a medical professional immediately. Tell them about your symptoms or exposure before you show up there for your appointment.
If the severity of the symptoms is high, you should not waste any time and immediately get medical attention. The symptoms that might warrant an emergency response can include:
Persistent chest pain or pressure
Trouble breathing
New confusion
Blue lips or face
Inability to stay awake
It would be best to let the medical professional know about any chronic medical condition that you might have, such as lung disease or heart disease.
What Causes COVID-19?
Exposure to the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) results in COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).
Right now, human-to-human transfer appears to be the primary cause of spreading this disease. Data shows that the virus spreads from person to person when they come in close contact (usually within 2 meters or six feet).
It also spreads sneezes, coughs, or talks through the droplets that the other person can inhale. The virus can also spread if a person touches a surface that contains the virus and then touches their nose, eyes, or mouth.
Prevention
There is no cure available for COVID-19, but there are various steps that a person can take to reduce the risk of infection. CDC and WHO recommends the following precautions for COVID-19:
Stay at home as much as possible.
Keep a distance of about 2 meters (6 feet) between yourself and others.
Wash your hands frequently with water and soap for 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose.
Disinfect and clean the frequently touched surfaces, like light switches, counters, electronics, and doorknobs.
Avoid events and mass gatherings.
Use a cloth mask to cover your face in public places. Using a surgical mask is not required as an ordinary cloth mask is enough to get the job done.
Use a tissue or cover the nose and mouth with your elbow while sneezing or coughing.
Throw the used tissue and wash your hands immediately.
Do not share items such as towels, beddings, glasses, dishes, and other household items.
Do not go to the office, school, or any other public area if you feel sick.
Avoid using public transport, taxis, and ride-sharing services if you are going to visit a doctor.
Because of the unavailability of any vaccine for COVID-19, it is crucial to take all the necessary precautions. People with chronic health issues should also consult with their doctor for any additional precautions they need to take. They have a very high risk of contracting the illness and suffering severely from it.
