Burns 2nd and 3rd degree

A burn is an injury that can prove to be devastating to the individual who is involved.  Burns can alter the way of life you once knew and cause drastic changes to your physical appearance if they are extensive enough.  Burns are among the most common household injuries and they are characterized by severe skin damage in which many of the affected cells will die.  A third degree burn is the worst type and requires immediate emergency medical care to prevent complications that could otherwise result in death.  Total Home Health would like to elaborate on burns in general with the main focus on second and third degree burns to provide you with insight on what these types involve.

            Causes of Burns

-  Scalding

-  Chemical burns

-  Electrical burns

-  Fires

-  Excessive sun exposure

A good point to remember is that the type of burn is not necessarily based on what caused it.  For example if you have a scalding burn, it could have caused first, second or third degree damage to the area involved.  The type of burn ultimately depends on how hot the source is and how long it makes contact with the skin.  Following are characteristics of both second and third degree burns.

            Second Degree Burns

·         Referred to as partial-thickness burns.

·         Remember your skin is composed of 3 layers.  A second degree burn will involve the first layer of the skin along with part of the second layer.

·         Damage to the skin will include blisters, redness, swelling, and some thickening.

·         If the burn is deeper, the skin may appear to be a mixture of red and waxy white, wet or moist, with no blisters.

·         The burned area will be painful.

·         Usually second degree burns will heal within 2 to 3 weeks and may result in some scarring where the area of the burn is at its deepest.

·         During your treatment course, you will be given medication to decrease your pain level and to prevent any infections, while helping you heal.

·         Surgery, if it is needed, will help to remove damaged tissue, replace or cover any skin that was lost, or relieve pressure to improve blood flow to promote healing.

·         Treatment will depend upon the age of the individual involved, their present health condition, how much of their body surface is burned, and to what depth the burns have reached.

            Third Degree Burns

·         Most severe type of burn.

·         Requires serious and immediate medical attention due to extent of injury.

·         This burn reaches to the third deepest layer of skin and beyond into the fatty tissue layer beneath the skin.

·         The muscles, tendons, ligaments and possibly even organs may be involved.

·         Areas affected by third degree burns may appear charred black or even white.

·         Skin color appears to become whiter as burn wounds get deeper.

·         Skin may also appear waxy or leathery.

·         Third degree burns can extend down into the skin to destroy nerves that will result in numbness.

·         Generally third degree burns are accompanied by very little pain or no pain at all because of the serious damage that is done to the nerves due to the depth of the burn.

·         Since this type of burn is virtually painless, it is increasingly dangerous when it comes to timing…third degree burns can lead to shock and death if medical attention is not provided timely enough.

·         If an individual is affected by this type of burn, there is also an increased risk of difficulty breathing, smoke inhalation, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

·         Treatment will require a sterile environment because the risk of infection is so high from the skin being greatly damaged.

·         Small areas of third degree burns may take months to heal.

·         There will be scarring of the skin.

·         In almost all cases of third degree burns skin grafts are necessary to heal larger areas that were burned.

Ultimately these types of burns can cause serious, life-threatening complications especially if there is failure to seek out prompt medical attention.  The health professionals that are involved in your care will use procedures and diagnostic tests to determine what percentage of your body has been burned and to what extent.  After all the important information is collected, your burn treatment will continue more specifically to your needs in order to aggressively treat your burn and to decrease the chances of it worsening or an infection setting in.    

Total Home Health has a program that is right for you relating to all your burn care and treatment.  Our professionals clearly understand how painful and devastating a burn can be and we are ready to be by your side to go through this journey with you.  Total Home Health staff will strictly adhere to your personal treatment plan in order to bring out positive results and see that your burn heals as quickly as possible, while you continue to lead the life you’ve come to love.  Enroll and let’s get started!

Hernia

Experiencing a hernia at some point in your life is a very common occurrence amongst the population in the United States.  Anytime an internal body part (an organ or tissue) pushes into an area where it doesn’t belong, it’s called a hernia.  Hernias are medically treatable by a medical professional and can usually be diagnosed by the person they occur in.  A typical hernia will involve the stomach or intestine.  The symptoms you experience will all depend on what area is affected.  You may have no symptoms at all, or there could be swelling and pain.  Typically males are affected more than females, and the incidence of hernias increase more in those who are 40 plus years old.  Types of hernias include inguinal, incisional, femoral, umbilical, and hiatal.  Let us explain.

            Inguinal Hernia

Ø  This is a hernia that occurs in the groin.

Ø  Intestine or bladder protrudes through the abdominal (stomach) wall, or into the inguinal canal in the groin. 

Ø  This type occurs more frequently in males because of a natural weakness in the groin.

Ø  Keep in mind that this type does not get better or go away on its own and it could very well lead to life-threatening complications.

Ø  Surgery is usually the recommended treatment; inguinal hernia repair is a very common surgical procedure.

            Incisional Hernia

Ø  The intestine will be observed to push its way through the abdominal wall at a site of a previous abdominal surgery. 

Ø  This hernia can happen months or even up to years after you had abdominal surgery.  It can be large and painful depending on your condition.

Ø  Most of the time it will occur along a vertical incision (one that goes up and down).

Ø  Most common in the elderly or individuals who are overweight and inactive after abdominal surgery.

            Femoral Hernia

Ø  Occurs when tissue bulges from the lower belly into the upper thigh, just below the crease of your groin.

Ø  Most common in women, more so if the individual is overweight.

Ø  Pain will usually be felt in the groin area, which may cause a femoral hernia to be mistaken for an inguinal hernia.

Ø  This type may be hard for your provider to diagnose due to being too small to feel during an exam, so other tests may be required.  Your provider will discuss your options with you should this occur.

            Umbilical Hernia

Ø  Occurs when part of the intestine protrudes through the umbilical opening in the abdominal muscles.

Ø  Common occurrence that is typically harmless.

Ø  Most frequently seen in infants and usually these hernias close on their own by 1 or 2 years of age.

Ø  This type commonly affects obese women, or those individuals who have had many children.

Ø  If an umbilical hernia occurs in adulthood, it may require surgical repair.

            Hiatal Hernia

Ø  The hiatus is an opening in the muscular wall that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen.

Ø  Normally, the esophagus (where your food goes down) goes through the hiatus and attaches to your stomach, a hiatal hernia happens when the stomach bulges up into the chest cavity through that opening instead.

Ø  Some individuals with this type of hernia may complain of heartburn.

Ø  Occur more often in women, those over age 50 and those who are overweight.

All types of hernias are caused by a combination of pressure and muscle weakness.  The pressure will push the organ or tissue through the opening or weak area.  This muscle weakness generally occurs later in life.  An increase in pressure in your abdominal area can result in a hernia.  Examples of what could cause an increase in abdominal pressure include:

ü  Lifting heavy objects without proper body mechanics to stabilize your abdominal muscles.

ü  Having diarrhea or constipation.

ü  Experiencing a persistent cough or sneezing.

There are also some modifiable factors that can weaken your muscles and make hernias more likely to happen to you and these include being overweight, having poor nutritional habits, and smoking.  Your provider will discuss your options with you that could help lower the incidence of you experiencing a hernia of any type. 

With a hernia, your symptoms will vary depending on the location affected.  Some individuals will not have any noticeable symptoms, while others may experience pain in the abdomen, pelvis, or testicle that can be dull, sharp, and/or severe.  Some may experience discomfort or swelling in the groin area alone, whereas a hiatal hernia could result in belching or bloating.  With any hernia there could be swelling and tenderness of the surrounding skin of the area that is involved.

Treatment of the hernia you are experiencing will ultimately be up to your provider and the extent and characteristics of your specific type of hernia.  Some individuals will be given supportive devices as a goal to prevent the hernia from worsening, while its progression is monitored.  If a supportive device does not allow for improvement and the hernia continues to cause problems, this is the time when surgery may be the required for treatment.  If you do undergo surgery, the goal of it will be to return the protruding tissue back to its normal location and closing the opening where there is weakness. 

Total Home Health has a program that is right for you or your loved ones who may experience any type of hernia.  Our professionals will work closely with you to determine how you can continue your daily life as independent and with the least amount of pain that is physically possible.  Enroll and we’ll get started today!

Angina

Angina…better known in society as chest pain, is a very common occurrence in today’s population.  The pain and discomfort that accompanies angina is caused when your heart muscle essentially doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood, which results in a lack of the adequate nutrients it needs to perform optimally.  The pain in angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing sensation in your chest…some people say it feels like an elephant is sitting on their chest, ouch!  

You may hear of other individuals who complain their pain radiating, meaning that not only is there discomfort in their chest, but it also may be felt in their shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back.  Pain from angina could also even feel like a bad case of indigestion too.  Due to the wide variety of areas that can cause you discomfort with angina, several tests will be completed to rule the type of angina you are experiencing, if any.  Do not automatically assume you’re having a heart attack because you may be surprised…it could just be indigestion.  Do not cause yourself more worry than it’s worth because that worrying just makes things worse.

Angina is not a disease in itself; rather it is a symptom of another underlying heart problem.  Usually, angina is a symptom of coronary heart disease.  There are several types of angina which we will elaborate on briefly to hit the high points and give you a little insight to which type of angina you or your loved one may be experiencing.  Total Home Health cares deeply about the state of your health and we believe that if you are well informed you will more likely participate in ways to prevent conditions such as this from happening to you.  Listen up!

Types of Angina

Ø  Stable Angina (Angina Pectoris)

·         Chest pain due to coronary heart disease.

·         Heart muscle lacks adequate blood supply when one or more arteries are narrowed or blocked.

·         Causes uncomfortable chest pressure, squeezing, and/or radiating pain.

·         Most likely occurs during times of physical activity or stress.

·         Can also occur at rest if your arteries are severely blocked or narrowed.

·         Pain episodes will follow a distinguishable pattern and are predictable.

·         Episodes usually lasts 5 minutes or less.

·         Pain may feel like indigestion and is relieved by rest or medication, or both.

·         May be triggered by stress, very hot/cold temperatures, eating large meals or smoking.

Ø  Unstable Angina (Acute Coronary Syndrome)

·         Chest pain is unexpected.

·         Usually occurs during rest, sleep, or with little physical exertion.

·         Commonly caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.

·         Should be treated as an emergency because you could be having a heart attack.

·         Caused by blood clots that block your arteries, which results in inadequate blood flow to the heart.

·         Episodes may last longer than 5 minutes and may worsen with time.

·         Rest or medicine usually does not relieve the pain.

·         To treat, your provider will have to determine where your blockage is, and to what extent.

·         Once the blockage is determined, further specific treatment measures will be implemented.

Ø  Variant (Prinzmetal’s) Angina

·         Almost always occurs at rest, usually between midnight and early morning hours.

·         Attacks can be very painful.

·         Rare condition and usually occurs in younger individuals.

·         Pain is caused by a spasm in the coronary arteries (these arteries supply blood to your heart muscle).

·         Coronary artery spasms can occur from exposure to extreme cold temperatures, stress, medications, smoking, and use of cocaine.

·         Can be relieved by taking medication, such as nitroglycerine.

·         Spasms will occur in cycles, and this is a chronic condition that your provider will strictly follow for your health and safety.

Ø  Microvascular Angina

·         Affects the heart’s smallest coronary artery blood vessels

·         Spasms in the very small blood vessels result in reduction of adequate blood flow to the heart which leads to chest pain

·         Episodes of chest pain usually last greater than 10 minutes, and may even last longer than 30 minutes

·         May occur with shortness of breath, sleep problems, being tired, or having a lack of energy

·         Individuals usually notice this during their routine daily life and possibly during times of mental stress

·         Your provider will create an individualized plan of care to work to control and prevent symptoms of this condition once you are diagnosed.

Ultimately, all chest pain should be evaluated by a medical professional to determine whether or not your situation warrants diagnostic tests and any treatment measures.  You should not ignore episodes of angina because if left untreated it could result in a heart attack, or even death.  Never hesitate to seek out medical attention, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Total Home Health has a program that will work closely with you in regards to your needs related to you angina experience.  Our healthcare professionals are highly trained and will remain on top of your condition to keep you well informed on ways to restore your optimal health and prevent future occurrences of angina.  Plus, our skilled professionals will be alert to any changes to your health that need to be immediately reported to your provider in order to adjust your treatment plan.  Our passion is your overall optimal health and satisfaction!  We will be by your side for all your health care needs throughout your enrollment with us.