Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Preventing episodes with Raynaud's Syndrome

When cooler weather approaches people with Raynaud's Syndrome need to be extra careful about keeping warm. Preventing episodes is crucial to maintaining health and well being. The National Insititutes of Health (NIH) has information about Raynaud's and self-help measures one can take to minimize the effect of an episode. Exercise, good diet, reducing stress, keeping warm, and not smoking may help. Read the full article on Questions and Answers About Raynaud's Phenomenon at the NIH Web site.

Man using Maine Warmers microwave hand warmer mittens outsideMicrowave Hand Warmers and Foot Warmers may help. Maine Warmers has a full line of microwave
heating pads that make dealing with Raynaud's more bearable.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Tips to help recover from shoulder surgery

Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is a procedure that has been around for decades. It's less invasive than open surgery, but there is still a significant recovery time and it is not a cake walk. Stitches need to heal and muscles and tendons need to be used again, gently, with the guidance of a physical therapist. According to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, it could take several weeks to bounce back from this type of surgery in one of the most complicated joints in the body. This article includes a good description of the shoulder joint anatomy, possible areas that need repair, some planning tips, procedures, and rehab.

1. Give yourself time. Arrange for help during the first two weeks of recovery and maybe longer.

2. Have a reclining chair or plenty of pillows for propping yourself up in bed. Laying flat may not be comfortable for a few weeks after the surgery.

3. Use ice to reduce swelling. When my mother had shoulder surgery she was reluctant to use ice because of the harsh cold. She was already in pain and didn't want more discomfort. Then she tried a gentle ice pack that is also a microwave heating pad. It is filled with dried corn and because there is low water content it does not get as cold as a bag of frozen peas or ice cubes.

4. Use a sling to help immobilize the shoulder during recovery as recommended by your physician.

5. There are physical aids like a "grabber" or that a occupational therapist might recommend to help you cope in the first week or two if you cannot arrange for help 24/7.

Man using microwave heating pad in the shape of a Black Bear for his shoulder
Black Bear Ice Pack and Microwave Heating Pad
A Cozy Black Bear from Maine Warmers can be stored in a plastic bag in the freezer and used it for about Seal or a Back Warmer. Once your shoulder has healed, a physical therapist may have you use heat to stimulate circulation and  increase flexibility. Then you can take your frozen "Warmer" and heat it for 1.5 minutes and enjoy soothing heat therapy.
20 minutes every few hours. It helped reduce the swelling and was not harsh like ice cubes! Other products for the shoulder are a

Sunday, October 02, 2005

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy?

Eating for two? That's okay as long as eating for 3 or 4 during pregnancy doesn't become the norm. Too much weight can result in complications and not gaining enough weight also has its health risks. The Mayo Clinic has some weight charts for those who are normal weight during pregnancy, those who are overweight, and those underweight.

Weight gain in pregnancy isn't just due to the weight of the baby. A woman's body changes dramatically to accommodate and house the fetus for nine months with added weight to the placenta, extra blood in the circulatory system, amniotic fluid, developing breasts, and more.

Too much weight gain can make it hard to lose the weight once the baby is born. It can lead to gestational diabetes and other health related issues. Plus, it is harder to lose the weight once the baby is born. Too little weight can result in having a smaller baby and may have a long lasting impact on the mother's health.

A first pregnancy can be very stressful. What will it be like? How will you cope with labor and then a newborn and all of the changes birth will bring to your lives.

To avoid overeating to deal with stress, try some relaxation techniques during pregnancy. This March of Dimes article on pregnancy may help give you some insights on how to deal with stress and to avoid weight gain.

Maine Warmers heating pads and gentle ice packs may help you relax tense muscles the natural way.