How to Pack a Travel First-Aid Kit
As anyone who's ever visited an emergency room far from home knows, an illness or accident can instantly undo the benefits of even the most relaxing vacation. In a foreign hospital, especially if you don't speak the language, an unpleasant situation can evolve into a confusing — and sometimes expensive — nightmare. But while travel inevitably includes exposure to new germs and environmental elements, there are ways to mitigate the risk. Here, experts share their best advice on what to pack to minimize the chance of an on-the-road medical drama.
First, talk to your doctor — and your insurance company
Even if your destination doesn't warrant typhoid vaccinations or anti-malaria medication, your health care provider may have some pre-travel recommendations. For example, if you're traveling to an area experiencing a measles outbreak — which currently includes parts of the U.S. — you'll want to make sure your shots are up to date, says Kawsar Talaat, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Your physician may also prescribe an extra supply of your daily medications as well as some just-in-case antibiotics. Note that levels of antibiotic resistance around the world vary and are always changing, so your itinerary will have an impact on which drugs will be most effective, says the physician Stuart Harris, the founder and chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital's Division of Wilderness Medicine.
It's also a good idea to contact your health insurance company to determine your level of coverage away from home, says Robert Hoke, an emergency medicine doctor at New York's Mount Sinai Health System. While the country you're visiting may provide free medical care, that doesn't always apply to nonresidents. Finally, if you're going somewhere very remote, consider buying evacuation insurance in case of serious injury or illness. 'It's an extra expense, but this is maybe not the place to skimp,' says Hoke, noting that emergency medical flights can cost tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Consider any chronic conditions
It's best to carry daily prescription medications in their original containers. 'If you're a customs person looking at a bunch of pills and you don't know what they are, it can cause problems,' says Talaat, who also recommends bringing more than you need, in case of travel delays. If you've ever been prescribed an asthma inhaler or EpiPen, make sure to bring it — even if you've never used it at home. 'You're going to be trying different foods and using different soaps,' says Hoke. 'This isn't the time not to have it.'
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New York Times
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Health Line
20 minutes ago
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All About Gluteal Amnesia (‘Dead Butt Syndrome')
Dead butt syndrome (DBS) makes the buttocks feel numb or sore. It can happen if you spend a lot of time sitting without getting up to move around. Stretching and movement can help. If you spend hours a day sitting and not getting up frequently to stand, walk, or otherwise move around, you may have experienced a problem commonly known as dead butt syndrome (DBS). The clinical term for this condition is gluteus medius tendinopathy, though it may be referred to as gluteal amnesia. As you might expect from its common name, the condition results from the gluteal muscles essentially 'forgetting' their main purpose: supporting the pelvis and keeping your body in proper alignment. Moving more and sitting less can help prevent or treat dead butt syndrome, but you need to be aware that this odd-sounding condition can lead to other problems if not taken seriously. Keep reading to learn about the symptoms of DBS as well as how to treat and prevent it. Symptoms of DBS After sitting for a long time, the gluteal muscles (glutes) in your buttocks can feel numb or even a little sore. But walking and some mild stretching can help you recover more quickly. If DBS is severe, the symptoms of dead butt syndrome can cause pain and stiffness to radiate elsewhere. You may experience pain in: one or both hips your lower back knees Pain may shoot down the leg, similar to the way sciatica feels. A loss of strength in your glutes and hip flexors can also occur if DBS isn't treated. If one hip in particular is affected, it may hurt just by lying down on that side. DBS can lead to inflammation of the hip bursa, a fluid-filled sac that eases movement within the hip joint. Other symptoms of bursitis (bursa inflammation) include pain and swelling around the affected area. Pain in your lower legs can also result from balance and gait problems triggered by DBS symptoms. You might change your usual stride to help ease hip and back pain when you walk or run. However, this can put a strain on your knees, ankles, and feet that they're not used to, causing soreness to emerge far from your butt. Causes of DBS Multiple factors can cause symptoms of DBS. Contributing factors include changes in load, or when the muscles go from sitting for a long period to strenuous exercise. Not getting enough movement, including if you spend hours sitting or lying down, can cause the gluteal muscles to lengthen and the hip flexors, or hip muscles, to tighten. Hip flexors are muscles that run from your lower back, through your pelvis, and across the front of your thigh. They're responsible for moving your legs when you walk, run, and climb stairs. If the hip flexors aren't stretched, just taking a brisk walk can trigger an episode of dead butt syndrome. Allowing your hip flexors to tighten and your gluteal muscles to lengthen can lead to inflammation of the gluteal medius tendons. The gluteus medius is one of the smaller muscles in the buttocks, and the tendons that support it are vulnerable to this kind of injury. Other factors that can increase the risk Risk factors can include: a sedentary lifestyle a job where you sit for long periods of time prior injuries slouching People who run a lot are at a higher risk of DBS if they spend too much of their non-running time at a desk. Distance running, or any strenuous exercise, can strain muscles and tendons that are in the same position for long periods. Other types of athletes and ballet dancers are also at higher risk. Falling or other injuries can also make DBS more likely. Diagnosing DBS If you experience symptoms of DBS, especially during weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or stair climbing, it's best to talk with a doctor. A sports medicine specialist or orthopedist may also be a good choice to evaluate your symptoms and, if necessary, start you on a treatment program. The doctor will review your symptoms and medical history, and examine the areas experiencing pain and stiffness. You may be asked to move or stretch your legs in different positions and share any changes in symptoms. They may also order an X-ray or MRI, but only to rule out other potential conditions. These types of imaging tests aren't especially effective for diagnosing DBS. Treating DBS The proper treatment for dead butt syndrome will depend on how far it has progressed and on your physical activity goals. If you're a runner trying to get back on track as soon as possible, you'll want to work closely with a sports medicine specialist to return to running safely. For most people, including runners and other athletes, the usual treatment involves a break from exercise or sports routine. 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The injections are done at the site of your injury. They're meant to speed the healing process. Shockwave therapy, which involves delivering acoustic (shock) waves to the site of an injury, may also be an option to stimulate healing. Preventing DBS The simplest preventive strategy for dead butt syndrome is to break up long periods of sitting with short walks and movement, such as getting up each hour. Going up and down stairs can be particularly helpful. If you need a reminder, set a timer on your phone or computer to alert you every hour or half hour. The movement can help stimulate blood flow to the tight areas and revive your 'dead butt.' In general, try to take the stairs as often as possible. Not only does this activate the muscles and tendons affected by DBS, but it's a good weight-bearing and cardiovascular workout. Exercises for DBS You can do several simple exercises a few times a week to help preserve the strength and flexibility of your glutes, hip flexors, and hip joints. It's best to talk with a healthcare professional before beginning an exercise routine for DBS. They may want to rule out other causes of your pain to make sure exercise won't worsen it. Hamstring stretches There are several ways to stretch the muscles in the back of your thigh, but a simple one is to stand with your left leg in front of your right. With your right leg slightly bent and your left leg straight, bend slightly at the waist until you feel a slight pull on your left hamstring. Hold for 10 seconds, then switch legs. Work up to holding the stretches for 30 seconds at a time. Glute squeeze You can also do this exercise standing up. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Pull your abdominal muscles in and hold your shoulders back while you squeeze your glutes tightly for about 3 seconds. Then relax your glutes slowly for 1 full repetition. Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. 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With both knees bent at about a 90-degree angle and your shoulders flat on the floor, lift your hips toward the ceiling. Then lower them back down. Think of pushing down through your heels for stability. Outlook for DBS With proper treatment and exercise, you can bring your 'dead butt' back to life and keep it that way for a long time. If you take time to move throughout the day and add DBS-preventing exercises to your weekly routine, you may help your body recover and prevent DBS from happening again. However, keep in mind that with long periods of sitting and then taxing your glutes and hip flexors by running or other strenuous activities, those symptoms may return. If you're a serious runner, you may want to talk with a sports medicine specialist about getting a functional movement screening (FMS). This screening analyzes the biomechanics of your running form and can help improve your performance and reduce the risk of a DBS return. 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Health Line
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What Causes White Discharge Before Your Period?
Vaginal discharge is the body's way of protecting the vagina from infections, and it can look different throughout your menstrual cycle. However, white discharge can have several other causes, as well. You may produce around a teaspoon of thick or thin, odorless mucus daily, and the color can change from white to clear to brown throughout your menstrual cycle. Your hormone levels can affect the color and consistency of this discharge. Learn more about why you might see white discharge before your period. What is white discharge? Discharge keeps the tissues in your vagina healthy and lubricated. The white discharge you may see before your period is known as leukorrhea. It's filled with fluid and cells that are being shed from the vagina and may even look slightly yellow at times. This part of your menstrual cycle is called the luteal phase. It's when the hormone progesterone peaks in your body. When estrogen is the dominant hormone, discharge tends to be clear, stretchy, or watery. Progesterone, on the other hand, turns it cloudy or white. Some people use discharge as a way to track potential fertility. This is known as a natural family planning strategy, or fertility awareness method. Thin, stretchy mucus is considered an indicator of your fertile window, as it happens around the time when your egg may be released. White, thick discharge occurs outside of your fertile window. That makes sense, as you most often see this type of mucus when you're no longer fertile, between ovulation and the start of your period. What else can cause white discharge before your period? While white discharge before your period can indicate typical reproductive system functioning, it can also have other triggers. Some may be nothing to worry about. But any discharge with a strong smell, a particularly thick texture, or irritation can be a symptom of an infection. Here are some other potential causes to consider. Birth control Birth control changes your hormone levels, which can lead to more discharge, particularly if your contraceptive contains estrogen. Pregnancy More discharge before your period is due can be an early indicator of pregnancy. That's because estrogen levels are high when you first become pregnant. It can be hard to tell this apart from your regular discharge, but it usually appears white or slightly yellow and may be sticky. Other indicators of early pregnancy include: missed period aching breast or chest tissue nausea tiredness needing to urinate more often Sexually transmitted infection (STI) Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are the STIs most likely to cause changes to your usual discharge. Chlamydia and trichomoniasis discharge may look white. However, along with gonorrhea discharge, they can also cause it to appear yellow or green. With chlamydia and gonorrhea, you may also experience other symptoms, such as: pelvic pain bleeding between periods and after penetrative vaginal sex pain when urinating Trichomoniasis can also cause irritation around the vagina and pain when urinating or having penetrative vaginal sex. Discharge associated with this STI may have a fishy smell, too. However, it's common for STIs to occur with no symptoms at all. Yeast infection (candidiasis) A yeast infection can also cause white discharge. Symptoms of a yeast infection can include: thick, white discharge that looks like cottage cheese itching and burning sensations in the vagina Antibiotic use, birth control pills, and pregnancy can all increase the risk of this common infection. Symptoms may be most noticeable right before you get your period, as the same hormonal changes that trigger a period can lead to a yeast imbalance in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is an infection that occurs when the natural balance of bacteria in your vagina changes. Some risk factors that may increase your risk of BV include: being sexually active having a new sexual partner having an IUD using scented products in or around your vagina douching Discharge from BV tends to have a fishy smell, be gray or white, and look thin or watery. But half of the people affected have no symptoms. What discharge to expect throughout your cycle Vaginal discharge usually changes throughout your menstrual cycle. This can include: After your period: Dryness is common in the three to four days after your period ends. Follicular phase: After that, you may experience three to five days of white, cloudy, or sticky discharge. This occurs during the follicular phase when an egg is developing. Ovulation: During ovulation, it's common to have lots of clear, stretchy, or watery discharge. This 'egg white' discharge is thin and slippery, which is extremely helpful to sperm traveling to the waiting egg. After ovulation: Following ovulation, white discharge returns again as progesterone takes over as the primary hormone. You may see more of it than you do earlier in your cycle. But the amount slowly declines until it becomes thicker and stickier, almost like glue. On average, this mucus lasts for 11 to 14 days. Before your period: The mucus right before your period may also look yellow. In the days after your period, you may also have brown discharge, which is usually old blood leaving your body. Spotting with blood or brown discharge around the time of your expected period may be an indicator of implantation in early pregnancy. If your period's late and you see spotting, it's a good idea to take a home pregnancy test. When to talk with a healthcare professional Discharge may be nothing to worry about before your period, particularly if it's clear, white, sticky, or slippery. But there are also times when your discharge may be due to an underlying health condition. For example, a thick white discharge accompanied by itching may mean you have a yeast infection. Yellow or green discharge may also mean infection, such as BV. It's best to talk with a healthcare professional if you're experiencing: pain, burning, or other discomfort in and around the vagina rash or sores with or without discharge cottage cheese-like or frothy discharge strong or fishy vaginal odor bleeding between periods or after sex Some STIs can also affect discharge and lead to serious health complications, such as infertility, if left untreated. If you notice a change, it's best to talk with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. At your appointment, they may ask questions about your symptoms, medical history, and general lifestyle, including any products you use near or in your vaginal area. They'll also likely perform a pelvic examination and swab your vagina, testing the discharge then and there or sending it to a lab for more complex testing. If vaginal discharge has an underlying cause, you may need treatment. Treatment may involve a combination of antibiotics and lifestyle changes, but the treatment depends on the underlying cause. The bottom line Vaginal discharge is natural throughout the menstrual cycle. However, other health issues, such as infections, can affect the color, texture, and even the smell of the discharge. Monitoring what it usually looks like can help you quickly notice any changes needing medical attention. If you may have an infection, it's best to talk with a healthcare professional. They may recommend testing to determine the source of your discharge. Once they know the underlying cause, they can recommend treatment.
