Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Friday, July 31, 2009

What Are Cataracts And How Are They Treated?

By Bella Holly

What is a cataract? A cataract is the result when the lens of an eye becomes damaged. A tell-tale sign of a cataract is a "cloudiness" of vision, which is due to the proteins in the eye become changed. If you suffer with a cataract, it is wise to gather as much information as possible about how to treat a cataract.

Cataract laser surgery is the best treatment option to go with, as it is the only way to completely restore vision to the eye. The basic idea is that an incision is made in the eye (the size of cut depends on the severity of the cataract), and if the lens damage is not too severe, it will be removed in pieces. If the damaged lens is significant, the lens is removed completely intact. After the damaged lens is removed, the surgeon implants an artificial lens which will remain permanently in the eye. One does not have to wait until the cataract becomes severe to have the surgery.

One of the most notable perks of having cataract surgery is that your eyesight improves as soon as the surgery is over! Obviously, your eye(s) will need time to heal, and 100% vision clarity may take a few months to achieve because of this. However, a pair of glasses (with a new prescription, of course) would suffice until your vision is completely restored.

Your doctor may require you to administer eye drops for a course of eight weeks, just to make sure that your eye does not sustain any infection as a result of the surgery. It is imperative that you keep your eye as clean as possible, which means avoiding eye make-up and, whenever possible, making sure that soap does not get in your eye (although that's not very fun even without having had surgery!).

You must bear in mind that any kind of surgery carries some risks, but very few patients actually have any serious complications when undergoing this surgery. Everything you do to treat medical problems comes with some degree of risk, but simple surgery has been proven to cure cataracts in almost all cases.

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