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Dehydration and Oral Rehydration Solution(ORS)

Overview

when your body loses more fluid than you consume primarily due to diarrhea, vomiting, excessive of sweat and urine you become to happen dehydrated and so is called dehydration. In order to combat dehydration ORS is given as a primary solution for mild to moderate condition of dehydration However, a person may need intravenous (IV) fluids if they become dangerously dehydrated. ORS – Oral Rehydration Salts is made of water, glucose, sodium, and potassium. The combination optimizes fluid absorption in the body, which then helps quickly replenish fluids and makes you feel better and recover fast. One can buy ORS over the counter or get a prescription.

 What is ORS?

Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is made of water, sugar, and electrolytes, specifically potassium and sodium. ORS helps in replenishing the body’s fluid levels. It’s generally used to treat moderate dehydration due to diarrhea, vomiting, or other conditions.

Causes of dehydration

It’s normal to lose water from the body every day through sweat, urine, stools and saliva. Usually, we replenish it by drinking fluids and eating water-rich foods. If someone loses too much water or doesn’t replace it, they can get dehydrated.

Following are other reasons you may lose more water than usual:

  • Diarrhea
  • A fever
  • Vomiting
  • Excessive sweating
  • Too much urination

Symptoms of dehydration

Signs of mild or moderate dehydration include:

  • Thirst
  • Less urination
  • Headache
  • Dry or sticky mouth
  • Muscle cramps
  • Dry, cool skin
  • Dark yellow urine

Signs of severe dehydration include:

  • Dehydrated skin
  • Rapid breathing
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Sunken eyes
  • Not urinating or observing very dark yellow urine
  • Fainting
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Sleepiness, lack of energy, confusion, or irritability

Symptoms for young children and babies can be different than for adults. The symptoms include:

  • No tears when crying
  • Sleepiness, lack of energy, or irritability
  • Dry diapers for 3 hours
  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • Sunken eyes, cheeks, and soft spot on the top of the head

Treatment and Dosage recommendations

You can treat mild dehydration with fluids such as water and clear broth.

But in the case of moderate dehydration, an ORS is considered ideal. In addition to containing water, ORS also contains specific amounts of glucose and electrolytes. The electrolytes are potassium and sodium.

These components help in maximizing fluid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract relies on sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs), which are carriers of proteins in the intestinal cells of the body. Cotransporters help move substances across membranes in the body.

Specifically, SGLTs combine sodium and glucose transport in the small intestine. It then allows glucose to increase the absorption of fluids in the body. Additionally, sodium needs glucose to be adequately absorbed. Therefore, ORS contains both glucose and sodium.

Since 1975, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have used ORS to treat dehydration due to diarrhea. It’s commonly used in countries with limited access to clean water or other hydration options.

The success rate of oral rehydration therapy is high. According to 2018 researchTrusted Source, oral rehydration therapy has prevented 54 million deaths due to diarrhea since 2007. Since 1980, the therapy has also reduced diarrhea-related deaths in children by two-thirds.

Dosage

Compared to adults, children are more likely to experience dehydration due to diarrhea. They have a higher metabolic rate, meaning their bodies quickly use water. Children might unable to recognize thirst or hydrate themselves.

The correct dosage for children under the age of 2 is at least half a large glass of ORS after each watery stool and for children above the age of 2 is at least one large glass of ORS after each watery stool.

The appropriate amount of ORS depends on your age.

This is because your age determines how much fluid your body needs to function. Younger children are naturally smaller, so they need less. Adults will need more because they have larger bodies.

Here are the recommended doses by weight or age, according to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital:

Weight or age Dosage
7–10 pounds at least 2 ounces (4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup) per hour
11–15 pounds at least 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) per hour
16–20 pounds at least 3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) per hour
21–40 pounds at least 6 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) per hour
41–60 pounds at least 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) per hour
10 years or older up to 68 ounces (8 1/2 cups) per day

Potential risks and side effects of oral rehydration therapy

Oral rehydration therapy is designed to normalize electrolyte levels. However, if the solution isn’t prepared or used correctly, it can cause salt toxicity. This is also known as hypernatremia.

Possible side effects include:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • weakness
  • loss of appetite
  • confusion
  • severe thirst
  • kidney damage

Who should avoid oral hydration solutions

You should use oral rehydration solutions with caution if you:

  • have a kidney disorder
  • have diabetes
  • have heart failure
  • are taking heart disease or blood pressure medications

A doctor can determine if oral rehydration therapy is safe for you.

ORS preparation

It’s not recommended to treat dehydration with homemade ORS. Over-the-counter or prescription ORS is the safer choice.

Typically, ORS is available as powders in packets. The powders are designed to be dissolved in water.

The general steps for preparing an ORS are as follows:

  1. Wash your hands with soap and clean water.
  2. Next, wash a container and utensil with soap and clean water.
  3. Pour one liter of clean water into the container.
  4. Add the ORS powder to the water, then mix with the utensil.

Precautions to Consider

While ORS is generally safe and well-tolerated, certain precautions should be observed:

Underlying Health Conditions: Individuals with pre-existing kidney disorders, heart conditions, or electrolyte imbalances should consult a healthcare professional before using ORS.

Allergies: Those with known allergies to any of the ingredients in ORS should avoid its use and seek alternative hydration solutions.

Proper Dilution: Ensure proper dilution of ORS according to the instructions provided to avoid adverse effects due to excessive electrolyte intake.

Monitoring: In cases of severe dehydration or persistent symptoms, medical attention should be sought promptly to prevent complications.

Conclusion

An oral rehydration solution treats moderate dehydration. It’s made of water, glucose, sodium, and potassium. The combination optimizes fluid absorption in the body, which then helps quickly replenish fluids. The solution is often used to treat dehydration caused due to diarrhea or vomiting. One can buy it over the counter or get a prescription. If a person has had a lot of diarrhea or vomiting, they should speak with a doctor. They can determine if the person needs an oral rehydration solution or if they need intravenous fluids.

last but not the least if you come across any of your known friend, neighbour or loved one suffering from any disease unaffordable or untreatable at your country please feel free to contact us via email query@gtsmeditour.com or you can whatsapp us  on +91 9880149003 and get second medical opinion from our professional healthcare providers abroad. further we shall assist in getting the appropriate treatment.

Herpetic Whitlow

Overview

A herpetic whitlow is a herpes lesion, typically on a finger or thumb, Although the presence of a blister is a common sign of this condition, your fingers may become red or swollen before a blister forms. caused by the herpes simplex virus. Occasionally infection occurs on the toes or on the nail cuticle. Herpes whitlow can be caused by infection by HSV-1 or HSV-2.Symptoms of herpetic whitlow can appear 1 to 2 weeks after exposure to the virus. You may develop one blister or a cluster of blisters. It can take up to 3 weeks for the blisters to heal. Eventually, the blister — or group of blisters — ruptures. This forms a shallow ulcer with a crust-like scab. You may experience a burning or tingling pain that’s worse than what you would expect from the blisters. Herpetic whitlow can also produce a fever and swollen lymph nodes. It’s possible to get recurrent outbreaks after an initial outbreak, but this is rare. Herpetic whitlow doesn’t require treatment.The condition usually heals within a few weeks without medication, but a prescription antiviral drug can shorten the duration of an outbreak. However, recurrent outbreaks of herpetic whitlow are usually less severe and heal faster because the body has developed antibodies to take measures against the virus.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of herpetic whitlow include:

  • Blisters or fluid-filled bumps on the skin near your fingernail.
  • Colour changes to the skin around your nail, usually darker than your normal skin tone, or red to purple.
  • Swollen finger.

Causes

The herpes simplex virus (type 1 or type 2) causes herpetic whitlow. You usually acquire it from contact with another person who has the virus, especially after contact with a cold sore or “fever” blister. The virus usually penetrates your skin if you have a cut.

Diagnosis and Tests

Your healthcare provider will diagnose herpetic whitlow based on the appearance of the signs and symptoms localized on your finger. The condition has a unique look on your skin. To confirm the diagnosis, your provider will provide a PCR test or a culture test.

Management and Treatment

Herpetic whitlow typically lasts about two weeks, sometimes longer if left untreated. Herpetic whitlow deserves good wound care. Use compresses and protection with bandages to prevent secondary infection. Covering your blisters also prevents the spread of the virus to others Treatment for herpetic whitlow focuses on the infection. It could include compresses two to three times per day, coupled with an oral or topical antiviral medication. An over-the-counter pain reliever (analgesic) treats pain.

Prevention

Prevention may be difficult, but the following measures can help:

  • Frequent hand washing with soap and water.
  • Wearing gloves in a healthcare setting, especially with close contact with people’s mouths.
  • Stopping your child from sucking their fingers, especially their thumb.

Conclusion

Herpetic whitlow is a temporary, painful condition that typically resolves in two to three weeks. Antiviral treatment may be necessary to help the condition go away faster. further to conclude if you come across your loved ones with anykind of major disease where treatment is unaffordable you can guide them to us and let them share the patient latest reports via, email – query@gtsmeditour.com or whatsapp the reports on +91 9880149003 and get the second medical opinion and treatment plan for better decision making and planning for the same.

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Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE)

Overview

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) may look like a birthmark, but is actually a rare benign tumor caused by the abnormal growth of blood vessels, diagnosed in infancy or early childhood   It can appear anywhere on the body, often on the head and neck but also on the stomach, back, arms, and legs — even inside the chest, abdomen, or bones. Although KHE can grow, it doesn’t spread to other locations in a child’s body. A mild form of KHE, called tufted angioma, is less likely to cause complications or require treatment. Researchers are still searching for the cause of KHE. It is not inherited, and while it typically occurs in infancy,  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is generally first-line assessment because the deep infiltrating nature of KHE may not be apparent on physical exam or on ultrasound. MRI with and without gadolinium has the most value in the diagnosis of KHE as well as for clearly determining the extent of involvement and response to treatment. Some mild KHE tumors go away without treatment. For those that do not, doctors have multiple treatment options available to them, depending on the size, location, and behavior of the tumor. The goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms, shrink the tumor, and reverse Kasabach-Merritt, if it is present. Further clinical studies are also needed to refine the guidelines for the standard use of therapies and follow-up in patients with KHE.

Symptoms

The exact symptoms of KHE depend on where the lesion appears. The most common symptom of KHE is a growing lesion on the skin. This lesion:

  • Is usually a deep reddish-purple and has poorly defined edges
  • Is firm and warm to the touch
  • Often has shiny and tense skin
  • May be accompanied by a bruise-like discoloration nearby, or tiny red or purple spots (petechiae) anywhere on the body
  • Sometimes swells and becomes painful, or causes pain with movement or reduced range of motion

The exact symptoms of KHE depend on where the lesion appears. About 10 percent of children with KHE have no skin lesion, and some lesions penetrate deeper than the skin into other tissues.

Most children have few complications and may not need medical therapy. Some patients with KHE, however, develop what is called Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP), in which their tumor traps platelets and keeps them from circulating through the bloodstream. Because platelets help prevent bleeding, patients with KMP have a higher risk of bleeding.

KMP may develop in patients whose tumors are larger, invade into deeper tissues, or if there are sites of infection or inflammation nearby. Some children who develop KMP also lack other blood proteins that help control bleeding, such as fibrinogen.

Causes

Causes for Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is unknown, Researchers are still searching for the cause of KHE. It is not inherited, and while it typically occurs in infancy, KHE can arise prenatally or in adults after trauma.

Diagnosis

The first step in treating your child is forming an accurate and complete diagnosis. An experienced vascular anomalies specialist can help tell the difference between KHE and other vascular anomalies.

Most often, KHE is diagnosed through a complete medical history, a thorough physical exam and one or more of the following tests:

  • Complete blood count
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Ultrasound
  • Biopsy

Treatment

Some mild KHE tumors go away without treatment. For those that do not, doctors have multiple treatment options available to them, depending on the size, location, and behavior of the tumor. The goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms, shrink the tumor, and reverse Kasabach-Merritt, if it is present.

Treatment options include:

  • Watchful waiting: For superficial tumors without low platelets, your child’s doctor may want to observe the tumor for a few months before determining the most appropriate treatment.
  • Oral or topical steroids: In mild cases, oral or topical steroids may help other treatments work better and improve superficial lesions. However, only about 12 percent of KHE tumors respond to steroids.
  • Drug therapy: Considered the gold standard treatment for most tumors, medications slow the growth of the tumor and improve symptoms.
  • Surgery: Your doctor will only recommend surgery if your child’s tumor is very small or extremely aggressive and able to be completely removed.
  • Embolization: This minimally invasive procedure blocks the main artery feeding a KHE tumor to cut off the blood supply and shrink it. We do not attempt embolization in cases where several arteries feed into the tumor, which is often the case with KHE.

Medications

Medications used to treat KHE include:

  • Sirolimus: Also known as rapamycin, this oral medication suppresses the immune system and slows the growth of abnormal lymphatic vessels that form the tumor. It has been found to shrink KHE tumors and improve symptoms, including pain.
  • Vincristine: This chemotherapy drug targets all dividing cells within the body and is therefore used to treat many cancers. While KHE is not a cancer, there are dividing cells in the tumor. Vincristine has been used successfully for decades to treat KHE.

Many patients have an excellent long-term outlook through successful KHE treatment. In general, you child’s prognosis depends on:

  • How quickly the diagnosis is made and appropriate medical therapy is started
  • The size, location, and extent of disease
  • The tumor’s initial response to therapy

When KHE is suspected, it’s important to see a specialist quickly to allow early discussions about treatment. Specialists can then attempt to shrink the tumor before it affects muscles or other tissues nearby. Early treatment could also help reduce long-term complications by preventing further growth.

To Conclude if you come across any of you close ones with this type of disease or any such kind you can direct the patient to us or share us the latest medical history with reports via email : query@gtsmeditour.com or whatsapp the same on +91 9880149003 and get the genuine second opinion, which help you decide further and take firm decision.

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