aspirin

Blood thinners are medicines that prevent blood clots from forming. They do not break up clots that you already have. But they can stop those clots from getting bigger. It's important to treat blood clots, because clots in your blood vessels and heart can cause heart attacks, strokes, and blockages.

You may need a blood thinner if you have:

• Certain heart or blood vessel diseases
• An abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation
• A heart valve replacement
• A risk of blood clots after surgery
• Congenital heart defects

There are different types of blood thinners:

• Anticoagulants, such as heparin or warfarin (also called Coumadin), slow down your body's process of making clots.
• Antiplatelets, such as aspirin and clopidogrel, prevent blood cells called platelets from clumping together to form a clot. Antiplatelets are mainly taken by people who have had a heart attack or stroke.

When you take a blood thinner, follow the directions carefully. Blood thinners may interact with certain foods, medicines, vitamins, and alcohol. Make sure that your health care provider knows all of the medicines and supplements you are using.

You may need regular blood tests to check how well your blood is clotting. It is important to make sure that you're taking enough medicine to prevent clots, but not so much that it causes bleeding.

Bleeding is the most common side effect of blood thinners. They can also cause an upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea.

Other possible side effects can depend on which type of blood thinner that you are taking.

Call your provider if you have any sign of serious bleeding, such as:

• Menstrual bleeding that is much heavier than normal
• Red or brown urine
• Bowel movements that are red or black
• Bleeding from the gums or nose that does not stop quickly
• Vomit that is brown or bright red
• Coughing up something red
• Severe pain, such as a headache or stomachache
• Unusual bruising
• A cut that does not stop bleeding
• A serious fall or bump on the head
• Dizziness or weakness

Most of the time, medicines make our lives better. They reduce aches and pains, fight infections, and control problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes. But medicines can also cause unwanted reactions, such as drug interactions, side effects, and allergies.

A drug interaction is a change in the way a drug acts in the body when taken with certain other drugs, foods, or supplements or when taken while you have certain medical conditions. Examples include:

• Two drugs, such as aspirin and blood thinners
• Drugs and food, such as statins and grapefruit
• Drugs and supplements, such as gingko and blood thinners
• Drugs and medical conditions, such as aspirin and peptic ulcers

Interactions could cause a drug to be more or less effective, cause side effects, or change the way one or both drugs work.

Side effects are unwanted, usually unpleasant, effects caused by medicines. Most are mild, such as a stomachache, dry mouth, or drowsiness, and go away after you stop taking the medicine. Others can be more serious. Sometimes a drug can interact with a disease that you have and cause a side effect. For example, if you have a heart condition, certain decongestants can cause you to have a rapid heartbeat.

Drug allergies are another type of reaction. They can range from mild to life-threatening. Skin reactions, such as hives and rashes, are the most common type. Anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction, is less common.

When you start a new prescription or over-the-counter medicine, make sure you understand how to take it correctly. Know which other medicines, foods, and supplements you need to avoid. Always talk to your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions about your medicines.

Kawasaki disease is a rare illness that usually affects small children. Other names for the disease are Kawasaki syndrome and mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome. It is a type of vasculitis, which is inflammation of the blood vessels. Kawasaki disease is serious, but most children can fully recover if they are treated right away.

Kawasaki disease happens when the immune system injures the blood vessels by mistake. Researchers do not fully know why this happens. But when it does, the blood vessels become inflamed and can narrow or close off.

Genetics may play a role in Kawasaki disease. There may also be environmental factors, such as infections. It does not seem to be contagious. This means that it cannot be passed from one child to another.

Kawasaki disease usually affects children under the age of 5. But older children and adults can sometimes get it. It is more common in boys than girls. It can affect children of any race, but those with Asian or Pacific Islander descent are more likely to get it.

The symptoms of Kawasaki disease may include:

• High fever lasting at least five days
• A rash, often on the back, chest, and groin
• Swollen hands and feet
• Redness of the lips, lining of the mouth, tongue, palms of the hand, and soles of the feet
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

Contact your child's health care provider if your child has a fever for 4 days, especially if they have any other symptoms of Kawasaki disease.

Sometimes Kawasaki disease can affect the walls of the coronary arteries. These arteries bring blood and oxygen to your heart. This can lead to:

• An aneurysm (bulging and thinning of the walls of the arteries). This can raise the risk of blood clots in the arteries. If the blood clots are not treated, they could lead to a heart attack or internal bleeding.
• Inflammation in the heart.
• Heart valve problems.

Kawasaki disease can also affect other parts of the body, including the brain and nervous system, the immune system, and the digestive system.

There is no specific test for Kawasaki disease. To find out if your child has Kawasaki disease, your child's provider:

• Will do a physical exam, which includes looking at the signs and symptoms
• Will likely order blood and urine tests to rule out other diseases and check for signs of inflammation
• May order tests to check for damage to the heart, such as an echocardiogram and electrocardiogram (EKG)

Kawasaki disease is usually treated in the hospital with an intravenous (IV) dose of immunoglobulin (IVIG) antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes to fight infections.

Aspirin may also be part of the treatment. But do not give your child aspirin unless the health care provider tells you to. Aspirin can cause Reye syndrome in children. This is a rare, serious illness that can affect the brain and liver.

Treatment usually works. But if it is not working well enough, the provider may also give your child other medicines to fight the inflammation. If the disease affects your child's heart, they might need additional medicines, surgery, or other medical procedures.

A fever is a body temperature that is higher than normal. A normal temperature can vary from person to person, but it is usually around 98.6 °F (37 °C). A fever is not a disease. It is usually a sign that your body is trying to fight an illness or infection.

Infections cause most fevers. You get a fever because your body is trying to kill the virus or bacteria that caused the infection. Most of those bacteria and viruses do well when your body is at your normal temperature. But if you have a fever, it is harder for them to survive. Fever also activates your body's immune system.

Other causes of fevers include:

• Medicines, including some antibiotics, blood pressure medicines, and anti-seizure medicines
• Heat illness
• Cancers
• Autoimmune diseases
• Some childhood vaccines

Treatment depends on the cause of your fever. If the fever is very high, your health care provider may recommend taking an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Adults can also take aspirin, but children with fevers should not take aspirin. It is also important to drink enough liquids, to prevent dehydration.

Pain relievers are medicines that reduce or relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, or other aches and pains. There are many different pain medicines, and each one has advantages and risks. Some types of pain respond better to certain medicines than others. Each person may also have a slightly different response to a pain reliever.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are good for many types of pain. There are two main types of OTC pain medicines: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are examples of OTC NSAIDs.

If OTC medicines don't relieve your pain, your doctor may prescribe something stronger. Many NSAIDs are also available at higher prescription doses. The most powerful pain relievers are opioids. They are very effective, but they can sometimes have serious side effects. There is also a risk of opioids. Because of the risks, you must use them only under a doctor's supervision.

There are many things you can do to help ease pain. Pain relievers are just one part of a pain treatment plan.

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus. It can also cause shortness of breath, wheezing, a low fever, and chest tightness. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic.

Most cases of acute bronchitis get better within several days. But your cough can last for several weeks after the infection is gone.

The same viruses that cause colds and the flu often cause acute bronchitis. These viruses spread through the air when people cough, or though physical contact (for example, on unwashed hands). Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute bronchitis. Less often, bacteria can also cause acute bronchitis.

To diagnose acute bronchitis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your breathing. You may also have other tests.

Treatments include rest, fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever. A humidifier or steam can also help. You may need inhaled medicine to open your airways if you are wheezing. Antibiotics won't help if the cause is viral. You may get antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the name for a group of problems that includes numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in your wrist or hand. It's a very common condition that happens when a nerve in your wrist becomes squeezed.

The carpal tunnel is a narrow opening between the bones in your wrist and the ligament that holds them together. A nerve, called the median nerve, runs from your lower arm through the carpal tunnel and into your hand. This nerve provides feeling to your thumb and first three fingers. It also helps you move your thumb.

Tendons also run from your lower arm, through the carpal tunnel, and into your hand. The tendons connect your finger bones to muscles in your arm, so you can bend your fingers.

If the tendons become swollen or irritated inside the carpal tunnel, they may press on the nerve. The squeezed nerve may not work well, which can lead to numbness, weakness, and other symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

In certain cases, the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is unknown. But it usually happens from a combination of things that affect the structures in your wrist, such as:

• Injury to your wrist that causes swelling, such as a sprain or broken bone
• Health conditions that can affect your nerves, joints, or other parts of your wrist, for example:
  • Diabetes.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • A cyst or tumor in your wrist.
  • Changes in certain hormones, which may cause swelling from extra fluid in your body. Examples include an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), pregnancy and menopause.
  • Problems with the way your wrist is formed.
• Doing the same wrist and hand movements over and over, such as:
  • Assembly line work.
  • Carpentry or using tools that vibrate.
  • Knitting, gardening, or sports, such as golf.

Researchers aren't sure whether long-term typing or computer use leads to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome usually happens only in adults. You're more likely to develop it if you:

• Are a woman. Women are three times more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome than men.
• Have a health condition that may affect structures in your wrist.
• Do activities with repeated hand motions.
• Have had a wrist injury.
• Have a close relative who has had carpal tunnel syndrome, such as a parent, brother or sister.

You may feel numbness, tingling or burning in your fingers, especially in your thumb, index, and middle fingers. Symptoms often affect both hands.

In the early stages, symptoms usually:

• Start slowly in your dominant hand (the one you write with)
• Happen at night if you sleep with your wrists bent

As symptoms get worse, you may notice:

• Tingling, pain, or weakness with certain activities, such as driving or holding a phone
• Difficulty grasping or holding small things
• Feeling like your fingers are swollen when they're not

Without treatment, you could lose feeling in some fingers and have permanent weakness in your thumb. But early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent lasting damage.

To find out if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, your health care provider will:

• Ask about your medical history
• Ask about your family health history
• Do a physical exam
• Order tests if needed, such as:
  • Lab tests to look for diseases that may damage nerves
  • X-rays to look for broken bones or arthritis
  • Tests to measure the electrical activity in your nerves and muscles
  • Ultrasound to check the nerve in the carpal tunnel

It's easier to treat carpal tunnel syndrome early on, so you should start treatment as soon as possible. Your provider will first treat any health conditions you have that may cause your symptoms. The next step would be treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome. They may include:

• Wrist splints (usually worn at night).
• Rest.
• Medicines to reduce swelling and pain:
• Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium.
• Prescriptionsteroids, either pills or an injection (shot) into your wrist.
• Other therapies (complementary and integrative medicine). Research shows that yoga may help with pain and weakness. Some people may find acupuncture and chiropractic care helpful, but research hasn't shown that these therapies can improve carpal tunnel syndrome. If you want to try other therapies, talk with your provider first.
• Surgery to make more space in the carpal tunnel. Surgery may be an option if your symptoms are severe and other treatments don't work. It involves cutting the wrist ligament to take pressure off the nerve. Recovery may take months. Carpal tunnel syndrome rarely comes back after surgery, but mild symptoms may last.

You may help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome if you protect your wrists:

• Use good posture to keep your wrists in a natural position.
• Keep your hands warm to keep your muscles flexible. Fingerless gloves may help.
• Take work breaks and vary your tasks.
• Stretch and exercise your hands and wrists.
• Organize your workspace and tools to reduce strain on your hands and wrists.

Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Most cases are in children under age 15, but older children and adults can get it. It spreads very easily from one person to another.

The classic symptom of chickenpox is an uncomfortable, itchy rash. The rash turns into fluid-filled blisters and eventually into scabs. It usually shows up on the face, chest, and back and then spreads to the rest of the body. Other symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Loss of appetite

Chickenpox is usually mild and lasts 5 to 10 days. Calamine lotions and oatmeal baths can help with itching. Acetaminophen can treat the fever. Do not use aspirin for chickenpox; that combination can cause Reye syndrome.

Chickenpox can sometimes cause serious problems. Adults, babies, teenagers, pregnant women, and those with weak immune systems tend to get sicker from it. They may need to take antiviral medicines.

Once you catch chickenpox, the virus usually stays in your body. You probably will not get chickenpox again, but the virus can cause shingles in adults. A chickenpox vaccine can help prevent most cases of chickenpox, or make it less severe if you do get it.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Chikungunya is a virus that spread by the same kinds of mosquitoes that spread dengue and Zika virus. Rarely, the virus can spread from the pregnant parent to their newborn around the time of birth. It may also spread through contact with infected blood. There have been outbreaks of chikungunya virus in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Most people who have chikungunya will have symptoms, which can be severe. They usually start 3-7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The most common symptoms are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and rash.

Most people feel better within a week. In some cases, however, the joint pain may last for months. People at risk for more severe disease include newborns, older adults, and people with diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease.

A blood test can show whether you have chikungunya virus. There are no medicines to treat it. Drinking lots of fluids, resting, and taking non-aspirin pain relievers might help you feel better.

In the U.S., there is a vaccine for adults who are at a higher risk of getting chikungunya. You can also help prevent getting or spreading chikungunya by avoiding mosquito bites:

• Use a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent when you go outdoors. Make sure to follow the instructions for using the repellant.
• Wear clothes that cover your arms, legs, and feet.
• Stay in places that either have air conditioning (with the windows closed) or that use window and door screens.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Cold and cough medicines can help relieve symptoms of a common cold. The symptoms of a cold can include a sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, and coughing.

You don't usually need to treat a cold or the cough that it causes. You can't cure a cold, and antibiotics won't help you get better. But sometimes the symptoms can keep you awake or cause a lot of discomfort. In that case, cold and cough medicines can sometimes be helpful.

There are lots of different cold and cough medicines, and they do different things:

• Nasal decongestants - unclog a stuffy nose
• Cough suppressants - quiet a cough
• Expectorants - loosen mucus in your lungs so you can cough it up
• Antihistamines - stop runny noses and sneezing
• Pain relievers - ease fever, headaches, and minor aches and pains

Before taking these medicines, read the labels and follow the instructions carefully. Many cold and cough medicines contain the same active ingredients. For example, some of them include pain relievers. If you are taking these medicines and are also taking a separate pain reliever, you could be getting a dangerous amount of the pain reliever.

Do not give cold or cough medicines to children under two, and don't give aspirin to children.

If you decide that you don't want to take cold and cough medicines, there are other ways to feel better:

• Drink lots of fluids
• Get plenty of rest
• Use a cool mist humidifier
• Use saline nose drops or sprays
• Use nasal suctioning with a bulb syringe, which can be very helpful in children under a year old

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention