Kentucky second highest in antibiotic consumption in U.S.

The next time you ask your doctor for an antibiotic, or if he or she offers to give you one, think again. It might do your health no good, but could be bad for public health.

"Every time an antibiotic is used ... future effectiveness of that drug is diminished," but Kentuckians take antibiotics at the second highest rate in the country, with 1,205 prescriptions per 1,000 people, says a study by the Centers for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy. Only West Virginia had a higher rate, 1,214 per 1,000. 

Studies show 1 million antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily every year. "Though antibiotics offer no benefits for colds and other viral infections, many people, including doctors, continue to view these drugs as a quick fix," said a press release by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which helped fund the study.

The problem with the overuse of antibiotics is that bacterial infections become resistant to them. To illustrate the issue, CDDEP says, "High-level penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumonia in the United States has experienced a thousand-fold increase in the last 20 years," rising from 0.02 percent in 1987 to more than 20 percent in 2004. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus — known more commonly as staph — increased from about 2 percent in 1974 to 50 percent in many U.S. hospitals in 2004.

"The problem of resistance is an evolutionary game played between humans and microbes: we try to stay ahead by creating new antibiotics, and microbes develop resistance to our drugs," CDDEP reports. "Unfortunately for us, microbes evolve resistance to antibiotics faster than we can create new drugs, meaning that, in recent years, bacteria have been winning this 'arms race.'"

Though there is no cure to resistance, managing the levels at which people become resistant is possible through judicious prescribing, vaccination, hospital infection control, treatment strategies and new antibiotics. (Read more)

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RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

In addition to trivial infections like colds and flu, are caused by different viruses that can occur in the upper and lower respiratory tract bacterial infection and more serious diseases. If the body's own defense is too weak or the number of invading bacteria is too high, there is an infection that is manifested by the typical symptoms of redness, warmth, swelling, pain and loss of function. Depending on the site of infection occur in the upper respiratory tract infections of the ears (otitis), the tonsils (tonsillitis = angina), the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis), throat (pharyngitis) or larynx (laryngitis) on. In the area of the lower respiratory tract can cause inflammation of the trachea and bronchi (bronchitis) or even lead to lung inflammation (pneumonia).

Besides viruses and bacteria, although there are also fungi, protozoa (single cell) and other microorganisms as infectious agents, but these occur on relatively rare. Infection takes place in respiratory infections usually by droplet infection, ie the germs of a sick person by sneezing, coughing or speaking with fine droplets through the air and spun by others absorbed through the respiratory tract. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid, especially in the wet cold season, larger crowds in small spaces.

Depending on the type of infection can cause the following symptoms:
* Sniffles.
* Cough.
* Hoarseness.
* Sore throat.
* Fever.
* Head and body aches.
* Ear pain.
* Chills.
* Fatigue.
Most of them are in acute respiratory infections by disease, but there is also a chronic course, often such as bronchitis. Characterized by a chronic infection is the constant presence of the infectious stimulus, with an occasional, more or less severe flare-ups of symptoms. This does not pass acute infection into a chronic condition, they must be adequately addressed; a prescribed antibiotic must be taken long enough (usually by using up a box).

What can you do?
* Drink plenty! (Not too hot and too spicy, mineral water, hot tea ...)
* Physical protection, fever and bed rest, plenty of sleep.
* The-counter medications, such as for example decongestant nose drops, paracetamol tablets or suppositories for pain and fever, cough and throat lozenges for disinfecting, analgesic or moistening of the throat to relieve the discomfort.
* Inhaling with chamomile tea or essential oils, possibly before the nose drops.
* Mouthwash / gargle with warm chamomile or sage tea or warm salt water (1 / 4 teaspoon salt to 1 glass of water).
Fives * / rubbing e.g. with liniment or balm with essential oils.
* Room air moisten, e.g. Hang wet towels or obscure essential oils.
* No smoking (with).

What your doctor can do?
* The physician can determine the extent and cause of the infection.
* Is this a bacterial infection, the doctor will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic to combat the pathogen.
* Viral infections can only alleviate the symptoms and the spread of infection and secondary infections can be prevented.

Prevention:
* Strengthen the immune system.
* To keep sick people apart.
* Pay attention, especially in the wet cold season appropriate clothing (not too light but not too warm).

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Urinary calculus

Kidney stones result from salts in the renal pelvis or - crystallize in the bladder - rare. Often the stones made of calcium oxalate, uric acid or calcium phosphate; form all substances, the water-insoluble compounds. The stones can be very small (kidney Gries), but also fill the entire renal pelvis. Men are more prone to kidney stones than women. If the stones migrate from the kidney into the ureter can lead to strangulation. Then suddenly violent cramping or stabbing pains occur in the lumbar region of (renal colic). In most cases the pain radiates on the unaffected side. Sometimes they are accompanied by chills, vomiting, urination or blood in the urine. Often the stones are washed out here.

If the stones are too great for walking caused chronic renal pelvic stones. Often such stones cause no symptoms. By continuous stimulation of the renal pelvic mucosa it may cause chronic kidney infections, which can eventually lead to shrinkage of the kidney.

Common causes:
* Disturbances of calcium metabolism.
* Disturbance of uric acid metabolism (see Gout).
* Too little fluid intake.
* Poor diet with too much protein, fat, calcium.
* Chronic urinary tract infections.
* Other diseases that impede urine flow and thus lead to a concentration of the urine.

What can you do?
* You should go at the first sign of urinary stones to the doctor.
* Drink plenty to deposit gravel or kidney stones do not, but may be washed out.
* Herbal drops or pills to take, which promote the flushing of the urinary tract, e.g. with horsetail, birch leaves, rest-harrow.

When you need a doctor?
* At the slightest suspicion of kidney stones or kidney infections, so in kidney pain, renal colic, possibly in conjunction with fever.
* Generally in blood in the urine, although there are of no pain.

What your doctor can do?
* The various studies can determine the location and size of the stones and then initiate appropriate treatment.
* Combination therapy consisting of analgesic, anticonvulsant drugs and flushing, heat, exercise and plenty of fluids put together.
* Uric acid stones can be dissolved with medication (see Gout).
* The stones can be removed with a medical sling, if they are favorable.
* Larger stones can be broken with shock wave treatment (ultrasound).
* In some cases, surgical intervention is necessary.
* The removed stones will be tested for their composition.
* Dietary advice, when analyzed, which consists of salts of the stone.

Prevention:
* Always drink plenty, especially in hot weather, heavy sweating, fever, etc.
* A diet can be useful. Especially, if ever there were stones and their composition was known, the relevant substances in food are largely avoided. For uric acid stones should be high in fat and meat consumption and the consumption of offal should be avoided. For calcium oxalate, it is useful to limit the consumption of milk and milk products (calcium), as well as spinach, rhubarb and tomatoes (oxalate).
* Urinary tract infections are treated accordingly.

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