Many people are skeptical about seeing a chiropractor for care. This is because there is a great deal of myths and unknown facts that surround chiropractic care that makes the interest in seeing a chiropractor somewhat null. This is why you should know these things about chiropractors that you may not have known previously that can spark your interest: 

1. Chiropractors are Doctors: Many people believe that chiropractors are not doctors, however, this is not the case. Chiropractors go through the same amount of schooling and much of the same training as doctors, making them doctors themselves. The only difference is that they believe in a different level of care and specialize in spinal health. State laws and the degrees that chiropractors receive classify them as doctors, which helps to ease many people’s minds about visiting one.
2. Chiropractors Don’t Prescribe Medication: In most cases, chiropractors won’t prescribe prescription medications for patients because it is not in their belief to do so. Instead, they will treat ailments with manipulation of the spine, which is believed to relieve a number of problems, including migraines. However, don’t think that this doesn’t mean that chiropractors are not allowed to provide patients with prescriptions. Since they are doctors, they are allowed to do so, but based on their practice, they will look for alternative routes for care.
3. Chiropractors Can Perform and Order Tests: Many people are concerned that chiropractors won’t be able to know the true nature of their ailments because they do not perform or order to have medical tests done. However, this is not the case sine many chiropractors can have tests done right in their office, such as urine tests and even ultrasounds. If the chiropractor isn’t able to do this in their office, they can order one to be done by another office nearby. This gives them the ability to discover the true source of any pain or discomfort that their patients are experiencing. 
4. Chiropractic Care is Backed by Scientific Research: When chiropractic care was first founded, it was not based on scientific research, but neither was a good deal of other medical practices performed by surgeons and other doctors. However, nowadays, chiropractic care is backed by scientific research because of the multiple studies that have been done to find that chiropractic care is indeed a great way to treat a number of ailments that you may be suffering from.

When you know and understand these four things about chiropractors, you can see why seeing a chiropractor is going to likely be worth it for your health in the end.

When you get stung by a bee or a wasp, the typical reaction is for a slight red bump and some irritation. However, that’s not true for everyone. Some people have allergies to bees and wasps, which can mean that they have a more severe reaction to being stung. But, how do insect allergies get started?

What Is an Allergy?

An allergy is a reaction to a foreign substance that has been introduced to your body. It happens through exposure. For example, with a bee sting allergy, a person has to be stung at least once before their body develops the histamine reaction to the bee sting. The body can start to react after just one sting. However, a person can start to develop an allergy to bees or wasps after having many normal reactions to stings. 

What Are the Signs of an Allergic Reaction?

Since the allergy can range from very mild to extremely severe, there are several signs. 

• Redness: The normal reaction includes some redness, but will generally fade in a few hours. With an allergic reaction, the redness can last for a few days.
• Swelling: Swelling of the affected area can also be a sign of an allergic reaction. The swelling is in more than just the localized area where the sting was, it can include most of the affected limb, such as if the sting happens on the foot,both  the foot and lower leg would be swollen. 
• Itching: Histamine also causes your body to itch. As the histamine reacts to the allergen from the bee sting, it causes your body to itch. The itching can spread up past the sting. 
• Difficulty in Breathing: The more severe the allergy, the more severe the signs. One of them is that it starts to be difficult to breathe. The tongue and airway will swell up, which will make it hard to breathe. This reaction can be deadly if not handled correctly. 

What Are Some Treatments For Sting Allergies?

For a mild allergic reaction, an over-the-counter antihistamine generally can control the reaction. If you do have a mild allergic reaction, apart from treatment, you should also be aware that any sting you get will cause your allergic reaction to get more severe. If your allergy worsens, you may want to speak to your doctor about getting an epinephrine injector that you can keep with you to counteract any reaction until you can get in to get help.

Anyone can end up with a bee or wasp allergy, since it develops through exposure. Knowing some of the signs and treatments for an allergy can help you if you are one of the people who do develop an allergy. Visit a website, like http://www.oakbrookallergists.com, for more information.

Asteatotic eczema, also called eczema craquelé or xerotic eczema, is a skin condition characterized by dry, cracked, itchy skin. Here are four things you need to know about asteatotic eczema.

What are the signs of asteatotic eczema?

If you have asteatotic eczema, you’ll notice that areas of your skin are dry, cracked, and scaly. These areas will be intensely itchy, and when you itch them, red, raised lesions known as plaques will develop on your skin. These plaques are caused by excessive scratching.

This condition tends to occur during the winter months and is usually seen on the skin of the lower legs. It’s more common among elderly people who already have dry skin.

What causes asteatotic eczema?

Asteatotic eczema occurs when your skin loses too much water, becomes overly dry, and cracks. A wide variety of factors can lead to this situation. Winter weather (low humidity and cold temperatures) can lead to this condition since this type of weather increases the water loss from your skin, leading to dryness. Taking a lot of hot showers can also dry out your skin, especially if you don’t apply lotion to your skin afterwards. Exposure to degreasing cleansers, like dish soaps, can also lead to this condition.

Numerous health conditions can also lead to asteatotic eczema, including nutritional deficiencies, thyroid disease, neurological disorders, or cancers like lymphoma or breast cancer. Some medical treatments, like radiation or antiandrogen therapy, can also have this effect.

What complications can asteatotic eczema cause?

Scratching your skin will temporarily relieve the intense itch, but it can also break open your skin. Broken skin is vulnerable to bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the environment, so infections are a major concern. If you itch enough to break your skin, wash the area well and protect it with a bandage while it heals.

Intense itching can also make it hard for you to sleep properly. You may find yourself waking up during the night to scratch your skin. This intense itching can also be very distracting during the daytime and can decrease your focus at work.

How is it treated?

This condition is treated by addressing the causes. During the winter, use humidifiers to counteract the overly-dry winter air. Try to take shorter showers to avoid drying out your skin, and after your shower, apply lotion. Lotions that contain dimethicone or ammonium lactate are best for this purpose, according to Consultant360.

If over-the-counter lotions aren’t enough, your dermatologist can prescribe a lotion that contains corticosteroids to help control the itch and inflammation.

If you think you have asteatotic eczema, see a dermatologist right away. Click here for more information on this and other skin conditions.

After nine months of anticipation and planning, your bundle of joy has finally made their way into the world. Over the next year, you will watch your child grow and become the independent person that they are. An important aspect of your child’s development throughout this first year will be their hearing. Below is an overview of your child’s hearing milestones by age and signs you should watch out for that might indicate hearing loss.

Newborn

When it comes to newborns, it can be particularly difficult to determine whether hearing loss is present or not. This is why hearing exams are performed after birth, but even then, the test may not catch the hearing loss, or it may worsen after the test has been performed.

The main symptom that parents of newborns should watch for is failure to startle when a loud noise occurs nearby. If your newborn doesn’t startle, that doesn’t mean that hearing loss is present, but it does mean that you should keep an eye on them as they age and look for further symptoms, such as the ones mentioned below.

3 Months

At three months of age, your baby has really begun to blossom into an interactive and fun little being. At this time, your baby will begin to smile and track objects, and can even begin mimicking facial expressions and noises.

At this stage in your child’s hearing development, it’s not unusual that they don’t look towards voices or seem to hear you calling them. Your baby’s senses are coming together and they may be overwhelmed by everything going on around them, so if they don’t look towards your voice or keep attention on you when you’re talking to them, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t hear.

6 Months

At this point in your child’s development, it has become much easier for them to differentiate noises and determine where they’re coming from. This means your child will focus on sources of noise.

It’s much easier at this age for parents to determine whether their child is struggling to hear. If you notice that your child only favors certain pitches (high-pitched voices and toys) or doesn’t respond appropriately to being called or startled, it’s time to request a hearing evaluation from your child’s pediatrician.

9 Months

By nine months of age, your child’s comprehension should have taken off. Not only can your child differentiate voices and babble different sounds, but now they can even associate certain actions with certain sounds, such as waving when someone says “hi” or “bye.”

Your child should also begin to have “conversations” with you – your child will babble enthusiastically in response to being talked to and may even seem to wait until you’ve stopped talking to begin their babbling. At this stage, if your child doesn’t look towards voices or seem enthused with loud toys, such as rattles or sound pads, this may indicate a hearing difference and warrants further investigation by a pediatric audiologist.

12 Months

All children develop at different rates, but there are certain things your newly-turned one-year old should be doing.

At this age, your child’s babbles will start to become coherent sounds. Your child may have already begun to use certain sounds for certain things, such as saying “mama” to get his mother’s attention. Simple instructions, such as “sit down” or “come here, please” should be easily understood (though, not always followed). Even if your child seems to hear you and hearing loss isn’t suspected, your child’s pediatrician may refer them to a hearing specialist if the above milestones aren’t being met. Your child may be a late bloomer, or they may be compensating for their hearing loss which can make it appear as if their hearing is fine.

To learn more about hearing loss and which milestones your child should be meeting at every stage of development, consult with your child’s pediatrician or a company like The Hearing Clinic. 

You notice that you develop a mild headache soon after you eat. Sometimes it’s accompanied by an upset stomach. These can be signs of a food allergy. A visit to an allergy physician will narrow down the problem foods so you can avoid them and find substitutes. Here is what you need to know about food allergies and how to stop those annoying headaches.

A Small Group of Foods Cause People Big Problems

Most food allergies are due to just a few types of foods, which include:

• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Fish and shellfish
• Wheat
• Soy beans
• Groundnuts, such as peanuts
• Tree nuts, such as almonds

If you’re allergic to one of these foods, then you’ll also have a reaction to products containing those foods. This can be a challenge because the use of specific foods may not be listed in an ingredients label. For example, peanuts are used as a thickener for sauces but may not appear on a restaurant menu with the entree.

You may also have a reaction to some form of these foods but not another. People who are allergic to a specific protein in cow’s milk may not have a reaction to the protein in goat’s milk.

Testing for Food Allergies

An allergist uses two tests to determine which foods you have a reaction to. Each test gives a little different information, so both may be done to help your doctor with the diagnosis.

Skin test – This test is done by placing a drop of liquid containing a specific food on your skin. The skin is then pricked under the liquid drop. If you have a reaction, it will occur in just a few minutes. The reaction can be a small reddened area on the skin or a rash that begins to itch. This is an easy test to do and your doctor can test for several food allergies at once.

Blood test – Your blood can be tested for the presence of an antigen released by your immune system in response to a specific food. The presence of the antigen indicates that you’ve been exposed to a food allergen, but the test won’t help your doctor to know which food. If you have a skin condition that prevents the use of the skin test, then the blood test is the only alternative.

Your doctor may have you do a challenge test next. This will narrow down the results to a specific food. To do this test, the doctor will have you eat a very small portion of a food that they suspect causes you to have a reaction. You’ll increase the amount of the food you consume over a number of days until you begin to have symptoms. This tells you which foods you have a reaction to and how much you have to eat to have symptoms.

Treating Food Allergies

Food allergies cannot be cured, but knowing which foods you react to helps you limit them in your diet or avoid them altogether. This is where the challenge test is helpful. You may discover that while you have a dairy allergy, you can eat small portions of cheese without a problem.

You can also try substituting foods for something to which you won’t have a reaction. For example:

• If you’re allergic to eggs, it may be the protein in the yolk that causes the problems so you can try eating just the egg white.
• If you’re allergic to wheat, it’s likely the gluten is the problem, so you can try a gluten-free flour or other flours such as almond or rice.

Once you know the precise foods you’re allergic to, you can adjust your diet to get rid of those headaches and enjoy eating again.

If you have recently suffered a sports related injury, you most likely have a plan for recovery that can include corrective surgery and several months of rehabilitation. While it is important to work with a physical therapist and follow their instructions for appropriate exercises to aid in your recovery, it is also important that you understand the basic aspects of rehabilitation and what each step of your rehabilitation regime is trying to achieve. Understanding how rehabilitation works can reduce your frustration with the process and limit your risk of injuring yourself again during your training. 

Pain

The first part of sports rehabilitation involves reducing your pain in the injured area. This generally involves large amounts of rest, appropriate braces to reduce stress and strain on the injured area, and a slow weaning off of pain medication. 

Although you can start physical therapy while you are still suffering mild pain at your injury site, you should not return to your sport until your pain has completely subsided and you are no longer taking pain medication. Being honest with your physical therapist about your pain levels can help them create a more effective, long-lasting therapy routine for you. 

Strength 

Once your pain has subsided enough for you to put pressure on your injury site, your physical therapist will give you gentle exercises to rebuild your strength at your injury site. During the strength rebuilding phase, it is important to not overdo your exercises. You may experience slight fatigue and pain, but if you experience extreme fatigue or pain that lasts for more than a day, you should let your therapist know so they can modify your exercises. 

You should not advance in your exercises without permission from your therapist and you should not return to your sport until you have regained most of your strength. 

Neuromuscular Training 

While you are completing strength training, you will also complete neuromuscular training. This involves slight pressure and corrective resistance to encourage your nerves to activate the correct muscles for each physical task. Neuromuscular training may feel gentle and passive, but it is an important part of your recovery because it teaches your body to stop accommodating an injury that is no longer there and improves the efficiency of your movement. 

You can return to your sport while you are still undergoing neuromuscular training, as long as you are at safe strength levels. However, it is unlikely that you will reach your prior abilities until our neuromuscular training is complete. 

Each aspect of physical therapy has a slightly different purpose. It is important that you discuss the goals of each session with your therapist so you can work together to reach your full physical potential.