Wondir Health

Q&A of the week

2007-02-16T10:40:00.000-05:00

rcampbell37 asked in the Cars category:
- When connecting a battery, which cable do I connect first?
louiecski answered:
- Positive first, THEN negative. When you do the opposite, what you've done is ground the battery to the car, so accidentally touching the car with your wrench while hooking up the positive will short the battery (SPARKS! Shocks!). Always positive first. If connecting jumper cables, put the negative clamp onto a metal part of the engine - the engine mounts are good for this if you can reach one of them.

Q&A of the week

2007-01-05T15:25:00.000-05:00

magan2006 asked in the Pregnancy category:
- Why can't you use Vicks vapor rub while pregnant?
alithemklady answered:
- I have heard that it's fine. I have the flu. I have not been rubbing it on myself, but using it in the vaporizer.
  My doctor said that it was fine. And I double checked with the pharmacist. :)

Q&A of the week

2006-11-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

Anonymous asked in the Colds & Flu category:
- I have a 5 year old girl that every time the cold season comes she gets a chronic cough. I've been to the pulmonologist 3 times. They did a blood test, sweat test, and allergy test; all were negative. I want to know if there are any home remedy treatments or cough medicine I should give her. P.S. She has a humidifier in her room every day. Plus, I give her a steam bath all the time.
Anonymous answered:
- You seem to have done all the right things. There is an herbal remedy called Echinachea for children. This helps during the winter months for those who are prone to colds and coughs. Steam inhalation is good. If you have central heating try and crack a window or make sure you humidify. Hope this helps a bit.

Q&A of the week

2006-11-02T15:25:00.000-05:00

Anonymous asked in the Dental Health category:
- Any ideas on how to keep your gums from bleeding when brushing teeth? I already use a soft toothbrush and when I spit it is bloody.
Anonymous answered:
- Actually bleeding gums could be a sign of disease like gingivitis. Get a toothpaste that aids in preventing this or go to your dentist. Also, flossing helps to toughen up gums. That's how the dentist usually knows if you're flossing or not. If you bleed you don't floss!

Q&A of the week

2006-10-26T13:30:00.000-04:00

Anonymous asked in the Caregiving category:
- My parents will shortly be facing the issue of not being able to handle their own finances and care. My sister is suggesting that we give her new husband (who is an accountant) power of attorney. I think it should be split between the three siblings. Can anyone tell me how this would be done?
Anonymous answered:
- Almost anyone who knows how to be careful with money can handle finances. Give him POA for financial, medical and Medicare/Social Security purposes if he is willing but set up an oversight procedure so you and your siblings can be kept informed on a periodic basis that minimizes extra work by the POA person. The POA person should not mind at all if everything is kept above board and if he objects, that is an early indicator that things should be done differently.
  Your parents should set up living wills if they don't already have them so there is no question regarding their wishes.

Q&A of the week

2006-10-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

italia06 asked in the Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat category:
- What is pink eye?
buffaroozi answered:
- Conjunctivitis. It's an eye infection.
italia06 answered:
- How long is it contagious for after you get it? Someone in my family has it and I don't want my son to catch it, as he is only 15 months old. Any precautions?
dmdiver answered:
- Wash your hands frequently and don't touch your eyes or anyone else's. It will be harder for a toddler to do that, since they touch all sorts of things and rub their eyes. Pink eye is spread so easily. That's why a lot of day care centers and schools won't let kids come to school with it. Check with your pediatrician as well.

Q&A of the week

2006-10-11T12:38:00.000-04:00

AnnaKatesMom asked in the Pregnancy category:
- I just started my 2 week old on formula and sometimes after she eats it's like she spits up the whole bottle. Is this normal?
melissajstp answered:
- You can get fomula that is specially made for babies the regurgitate more than normal, or you could switch to a soy formula.
acmb26 answered:
- This happened with both my children and I had to put them on soy milk. Check with your doctor. She might be allergic to the milk formula.

Q&A of the Week

2006-10-05T15:23:00.000-04:00

Anonymous asked in the Other Conditions & Diseases category:
- I have serious heartburn several times during the day and night. I have found that a teaspoonful of baking soda in a little water gives me fast relief. Is this harmful? I have been taking it for several months now.
Ethmer answered:
- It is only harmful because it is allowing you to relieve the symptom but not cure the problem.
  If you can't afford to see a doctor or clinic, then at least consider using Prilosec OTC which is an over-the-counter equivalent to prescription drugs like Omeprazole and Nexium.
  
  Prilosec and the others are acid blockers which reduce the amount of stomach acid that your stomach makes. They are usually taken once a day although i take mine, Omeprazole, twice a day as prescribed.
  By reducing the acid, these blockers give the body a chance to heal the esophagus which could be inflamed and ulcerous.
  If you can afford a visit to a clinic or medical doctor, i would advise you to get an appointment for an endoscopy which would examine your esophagus to determine if there is any serious damage and what medicines might be needed.
  
  What you have is GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and can lead to serious complications (even cancer), so it is well worth getting it looked into.

Q&A of the Week

2006-09-20T12:44:00.000-04:00

Anonymous asked in the Cosmetic/Beauty category:
- Does massaging the scalp help at all to retard hair loss?
sfseeker answered:
- I'm a cosmetologist. Actually it does help, but so slightly you won't even notice. Hair loss IS hereditary, meaning it's already a done deal. And please don't fall for any of the bogus "cures." None of them work. If you're a guy, don't worry about it. Some of the hottest men I know are totally bald. If you're a woman, wigs are your best friend - just buy decent ones.

Q&A of the Week

2006-09-14T14:02:00.000-04:00

Anonymous asked in the Physical Fitness category:
- Where does stamina come from?
Sunriser answered:
- Your muscles carry stores of glycogen, which can give bursts of immediate energy, but which are quickly depleted. This is when you feel the burning "pain" in your legs as you are running; if you keep going you start to switch to do anaerobic exercise, which is basically your body burning fat to supply energy. The more you exercise, the better your body becomes at both storing glycogen and switching to anaerobic metabolism. This is what we mean by stamina.

Best of Wondir

2006-09-07T11:27:00.000-04:00

Recent Answers (last 90 days)
- Bronzebabe stays on top with 6,863 answers
- talisman remains in second place with 6,605 answers
- buffaroozi overtakes third with 5,066 answers
Lifetime Answers
- jevette stays in first with 46,243 lifetime answers
- shoes holds on to second with 43,514 answers
Detailed statistics available on the Best of Wondir page

Wondir Bowl Winners

2006-09-07T11:22:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all Wondir Members who participated in the Wondir Bowl. Congratulations to the five devoted Wondir members: talisman, guest19284113, Bronzebabe, jevette, and chattypatty2, who won our contest and will receive a Wondir USB radio.

Q&A of the Week

2006-09-07T11:19:00.000-04:00

jennas-pregnancy wrote in the Pregnancy category:
- I am nearly 39. Is this too old to try for a baby?
Elimommy answered:
- No! My stepmom had one at 45 and my sister is due in October--she is 43. These days lots of women are having babies later in life.
Benevol ence answered:
- I personally don't think so. Just go to your gynecologist and get a pre-pregnancy check-up, then get yourself on prenatals and all that good stuff.
kellyj20 05 answered:
- As long as you are fit and healthy and have all the energy thats needed, then it is really your choice. If you are planning, I would suggest you talk to your doctor.

New Health Categories

2006-09-07T11:18:00.000-04:00

Last December we added a dozen new health-related categories to Wondir. If your questions have been disappearing and popping up in other places, it could be because they were a better fit in a different category. Below is a list of all the health-related categories on Wondir. Have a health question? Just click on the appropriate category below to ask now.

Health (general)

Pregnancy

Best of Wondir

2006-08-31T11:54:00.000-04:00

Recent Answers (last 90 days)
- Bronzebabe stays on top with 7,147 answers
- talisman jumps into second place with 5,647 answers
- ghost56 slides to third with 4,975 answers
Lifetime Answers
- jevette stays in first with 45,747 lifetime answers
- shoes holds on to second with 43,344 answers
Detailed statistics available on the Best of Wondir page

Wondir Bowl Winners

2006-08-31T11:51:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all Wondir Members who participated in the Wondir Bowl. Congratulations to the five devoted Wondir members: Anonymous911, 18959641, mstynred, buffaroozi, and alias8422, who won our contest and will receive a Wondir USB radio.

Best of Wondir

2006-08-24T10:14:00.000-04:00

Recent Answers (last 90 days)
- Bronzebabe stays on top with 7,179 answers
- ghost56 remains in second place with 4,971 answers
- talisman takes over third with 4,968 answers
Lifetime Answers
- jevette stays in first with 45,558 lifetime answers
- shoes holds on to second with 43,255 answers
Detailed statistics available on the Best of Wondir page

Wondir Bowl Winners

2006-08-24T10:12:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all Wondir Members who participated in the Wondir Bowl. Congratulations to the five devoted Wondir members: talisman, 3xmommy, Bronzebabe, guest19284113, and pher, who won our contest and will receive a Wondir USB radio.

Q&A of the Week

2006-08-24T10:10:00.000-04:00

prego1204 wrote in the Women's Health category:
- Please Help!!! I can feel a lump down around my left ovary. I had the doctor check two weeks ago and he said there are no cysts. It could just be my colon or an ab muscle. But, it's grown since then and I feel nauseated a lot. Any help?
Anonymous answered:
- Request an ultrasound. I had the same problem and it turned out that I actually had a cyst inside my fallopian tube.

Bookmarking Questions

2006-08-24T10:06:00.000-04:00

See a question you want to bookmark so you can follow up on it later? Just click on the "Add to Favorites" link in the Response Center for any question you'd like to bookmark. To access your favorites, click on "View Favorites" in your public profile.

Best of Wondir

2006-08-17T10:20:00.000-04:00

Recent Answers (last 90 days)
- Bronzebabe stays on top with 7,425 answers
- ghost56 sneaks into second place with 5,000 answers
- sammm slips to third with 4,433 answers
Lifetime Answers
- jevette stays in first with 45,427 lifetime answers
- shoes holds on to second with 43,118 answers
Detailed statistics available on the Best of Wondir page

Wondir Bowl Winners

2006-08-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all Wondir Members who participated in the Wondir Bowl. Congratulations to the five devoted Wondir members: mstynred, noahandgavinsmommy, buffaroozi, Anonymous911, and Rosered, who won our contest and will receive a Wondir USB radio.

Q&A of the Week

2006-08-17T10:14:00.000-04:00

Anonymous wrote in the Health category:
- I have a skin rash covering my face, neck, chest and upper back. The rash consists of little unopened bumps. I was exposed to pollen from picking flowers. Do you think the reaction my be allergic, or caused by something else.
duffduff answered:
- Sounds like it's an allergic reaction to me. Witch hazel gel is really good at getting rid of a skin rash.
smartshark answered:
- Are you sure you weren`t exposed to poison oak, sumac,or ivy?

Wondir Users Offer More Advice

2006-08-17T10:11:00.000-04:00

Last week, the Q&A of the Week was about a mom trying to convince her daughter to seek treatment for bipolar disorder. Twenty Weekly Wondir subscribers took the opportunity to offer more advice through our Wondir Health Blog.

In last week's featured question, mhashimoto wrote:
- I think my adult child is bipolar. She doesn't believe there is such a thing. Her father doesn't either, he thinks things like ADHD, depression, etc. are cop outs. How can I convince her that she could benefit from counseling? She can't hold a job, finish tasks, gets angry and can be violent (went to court today over domestic violence arrest), and is unmotivated.
- Wondir user Meg replied:
- "Bipolar is a recognized illness with mood swings from highs to lows. It can be greatly helped and even fully controlled by the right drugs. People with untreated bipolar can end up in jail, in mental hospitals or on the streets."
- "I suggest that you seek a family psychologist for you to talk to first. I've experienced a similar situation and was given excellent advice on what behavior I would see from my child, and how to approach the issue with other family members. Be aware that the first person you seek for profesional assistance may not work for you or other family members. I talked to three different counselors/psychologists before finding one that everyone was comfortable with."
Many replies discussed the importance of "tough love." Wondir users suggested that mhashimoto tell her daughter she will not offer any help or assistance or support unless the daughter seeks help.

Thank you Wondir users for all the great responses!

Best of Wondir

2006-08-10T10:05:00.000-04:00

Recent Answers (last 90 days)
- Bronzebabe stays on top with 7,377 answers
- sammm remains in second with 5,406 answers
- ghost56 continues in third place with 5,154 answers
Lifetime Answers
- jevette stays in first with 45,372 lifetime answers
- shoes holds on to second with 43,043 answers
Detailed statistics available on the Best of Wondir page