Most Fattening Foods of Summer

Most Fattening Foods of Summer


Ahhh, the lazy days of summer: backyard barbecues, cocktails at the pool, baseball games, and lots of fried chicken, ribs, potato salad, ice cream, hot dogs, and beer. Summertime living may be easy, but if you're not careful, summer's fattening foods can really pack on the pounds. While most people are more active during the summer, it may not be enough to burn off all the extra calories from fattening summer treats.

OTC Pain Medication and Fever Reducers (Analgesics, Antipyretics)

OTC Pain Medication and Fever Reducers
(Analgesics, Antipyretics)



Medical Author: Annette O. Gbemudu, PharmD, MBA
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

* Introduction to OTC pain medication and fever reducers
* What are the classifications of pain?
* What are the types of headaches?
* What causes fever?
* What are the different classes of pain relievers and fever reducers?
* Aspirin
* Acetaminophen
* Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
* What about overdoses of pain relievers and fever reducers?

Introduction to OTC pain medication and fever reducers

Pain is the most common reason for people to seek medical advice, pain medicine is the most frequently purchased over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Fever is one of the most common reasons that children visit the doctor. Moreover, one in five emergency room visits for children is due to fever. Since OTC medicines that are effective in treating pain also are effective at reducing fever, they will be considered together in this article.

What are the classifications of pain?

Pain can be classified as acute, chronic non-malignant, chronic malignant. Headaches are the most common cause of pain and can be considered a separate class of pain.

Acute pain

Acute pain is experienced by everyone; it is usually short in duration with an identifiable pathology, a predictable prognosis, and treatment that usually includes analgesics. Acute pain is most often due to injuries. Examples of injuries include:

* muscle soreness due to overuse, sprains or strains, or viral infections,

* tears of the ligaments,

* broken bones,

* bruises, and

* cuts.

Acute pain from such injuries can respond well to OTC pain medication. Muscle soreness also may respond well to heat and massage.

Chronic non-malignant pain

Chronic non-malignant pain often begins as acute pain, but it continues beyond the typical time expected for resolution of the problem or persists or recurs for other reasons. It is a type of pain associated with progressive, debilitating diseases such as arthritis. Treatment for chronic non-malignant pain can include OTC medications . However, because of the chronic nature of the pain, regular use of OTC medications can lead to side effects.

Chronic malignant pain

Chronic malignant pain is pain associated with advanced, progressive diseases (often fatal) such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, and terminal kidney disease. OTC medications for pain may be useful for the management of chronic malignant pain. However, stronger prescription medications are usually necessary.

What are the types of headaches?

Headaches are the most common reason that pain medications (analgesics) are taken. Headaches can be classified into three types:

1. muscle contraction,

2. migraine or vascular, and

3. sinus.

Muscle contraction headache

A muscle contraction headache, the most common type, results from the continuous tightening of the muscles in the upper back, neck, or scalp. This type of headache often is described as a tight, pressing, or throbbing sensation of the head. It can be brought on by emotional stress and anxiety ("tension headaches"). Acute muscle contraction headaches generally respond well to OTC analgesics, but chronic muscle contraction headaches can require physical therapy or relaxation techniques.

Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand Smoke



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Secondhand Smoke
View Quit-Smoking Tips Slideshow
Quit-Smoking Tips Slideshow Quit-Smoking Tips Slideshow

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Charles C. P. Davis, MD, PhD

* What is secondhand smoke?
* What causes secondhand smoke?
* What are the health risks of secondhand smoke?
* Lung cancer
* Cardiovascular disease
* Other lung diseases
* Other effects on children
* Effects on pregnant women
* Possible link to breast cancer
* Is there a safe level of secondhand smoke?
* What is thirdhand smoke?
* What can be done about secondhand smoke exposure?
* Secondhand Smoke At A Glance

What is secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke refers to tobacco smoke that is passively breathed in by people in the vicinity of a person who is smoking. Terms that have been used to refer to secondhand smoke are passive smoking, involuntary smoking, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke from the tobacco product itself (termed sidestream smoke) and exhaled smoke from the smoker (known as mainstream smoke).

When a nonsmoker inhales secondhand smoke, he or she is exposed to the same toxins and chemicals, including nicotine, as the smoker.

Exposure of children to secondhand smoke also increases their health risks; and children are especially vulnerable to the effects of environmental tobacco smoke. About 35% of U.S. children live in homes where smoking occurs regularly. Research has shown that 50% to 75% of children in the U.S. have detectable levels of cotinine (the breakdown product of nicotine) in their blood, so even children who do not live with smokers may be at risk for adverse effects of secondhand smoke. Chemicals from tobacco smoke inhaled by a nursing mother are also known to reach breast milk.

What causes secondhand smoke?

Cigarettes are the most common sources of secondhand smoke, followed by cigars and pipe smokers. People can be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke anywhere - in their homes, in the workplace, and in recreational settings.

What are the health risks of secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke carries many health risks. At least 250 harmful chemicals have been identified in secondhand smoke, including at least 50 carcinogens (chemicals that are known to cause cancer). Just some of the dangerous chemicals present in secondhand smoke include vinyl chloride, cadmium, benzene, arsenic, and ethylene oxide.

Secondhand smoke is known to cause cancer. It has been classified as a "known human carcinogen" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is also associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as other serious health conditions; several are listed below