Common Eye Infections and When to go to the Doctor

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Pink Eye

Pink eye is the common name for conjunctivitis. It can be bacterial or viral, but the warning signs are similar: eye redness, swelling, burning and discharge. Viral conjunctivitis usually causes a watery discharge with crusting in the mornings, while bacterial conjunctivitis typically results in a constant, thick, yellow or green discharge. Pink eye is highly contagious and spreads quickly, especially in schools and day care centers. An ophthalmologist will usually prescribe antibiotic eye drops for bacterial pink eye.

Bacterial Keratitis

Bacterial keratitis is an infection of the cornea, the clear dome in the front of the eye. It is caused by pseudomonas bacteria found in soil and water or staphylococcus bacteria carried on human skin. Contact lens wearers can develop bacterial keratitis, but people who do not wear contacts can develop it as well. Although bacterial keratitis is not contagious, it can develop quickly and can cause vision loss if left untreated.

Stye

A stye develops when an oil gland in the eyelid or eyelash becomes infected with bacteria, usually bacteria that is normally found on the skin. It can look like a red bump under the eyelid or at the base of the eyelashes, and it can feel painful and tender. Most styes last about a week and will eventually heal without treatment.

When to Visit an Eye Doctor

It is not necessary to visit your eye doctor at the first sign of eye irritation, but if symptoms persist or worsen over 24 hours, or if you are a contact lens wearer and have a red eye for more than one day, you should make an appointment with an ophthalmologist. Here are a few symptoms that could indicate a serious eye infection:

  • Swelling in the area around the eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurred vision
  • Eye pain
  • Discharge that forms a crust along the lash line
  • Blurry vision
  • Extreme light sensitivity
  • Sensation of a foreign object in the eye

Most eye infections can be prevented with good hygiene. Wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes. Clean all towels, washcloths and pillowcases in hot water, and never share cosmetics. 

Herniated Disc Pain Often Relieved with Non-Surgical Treatment

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A herniated spinal disc can be extremely painful and can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. When a disc is herniated or ruptured, the gel-like, inner substance can leak into the surrounding area and aggravate the spinal nerves.

Fortunately, though, many people with pain from herniated discs experience relief from non-surgical treatment. If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, here are some of the non-surgical treatment options your orthopedic surgeon may offer:

Short-Term Non-Surgical Treatments for Herniated Disc Pain Relief

  • Ice: Pain and inflammation often accompany a herniated disc. Your orthopedic surgeon may recommend an ice pack to reduce swelling. After 48 hours, treatment with ice is less effective, so use it soon after the onset of back pain for optimum relief.
  • Heat, or heat and ice: For some, heat or a combination of heat and ice is the best short-term solution to relieve herniated disc symptoms. Like ice, however, treatment with heat is less effective after the first 48 hours.
  • Pain medication: As an initial non-surgical treatment for herniated disc pain, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen to help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Long-term use of NSAIDS has been linked to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems, so limit your use of these medicines.
  • Steroids: Another non-surgical option for herniated disc pain is steroids. Your orthopedic surgeon may prescribe an oral steroid to help you. Like NSAIDs, they should not be used over the long term.
  • Muscle relaxants: Some people with herniated disc pain experience painful muscle spasms. If this is true for you, your orthopedic surgeon may prescribe a muscle relaxant that can help.

Long-Term Non-Surgical Treatments for Herniated Disc Pain

  • Physical therapy: Spinal issues like herniated discs are often caused by weak back muscles. Because of this, your orthopedic surgeon may prescribe physical therapy, which can strengthen the back muscles reducing strain on the spine. Additionally, a physical therapist may teach you new and better ways to perform certain activities, such as lifting items, to help you avoid future herniated disc pain.
  • Epidural injections: Another non-surgical treatment to relieve herniated disc pain is an epidural injection, which contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. Epidurals are injected directly into the painful area to reduce swelling and bring pain relief.

Although there is a good chance a non-surgical treatment can help reduce herniated disc pain, it can sometimes take several weeks or months to establish a personalized treatment plan. Treatment will likely involve a combination of non-surgical methods.

If you have tried non-surgical treatments for herniated disc pain that have not helped or are no longer working, there may be a minimally invasive a spine surgery option that could benefit you. Talk to your orthopedic surgeon to find out more.

What is Celiac Disease and How is it Diagnosed?

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So, what is fact and what is fiction?

Gluten Intolerance Versus Gluten Sensitivity

Gluten intolerance is due to a condition called celiac disease. Celiac disease is a genetically predisposed autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. Common symptoms of celiac disease include brain fog, depression, ADHD-like behavior, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, bone or joint pain, and chronic fatigue after eating gluten.

It is estimated that celiac disease affects 1 in every 100 individuals worldwide, but millions are unaware that they have the condition. In the United States alone, 2.5 million men, women and children have undiagnosed celiac disease. 

People who suffer from symptoms that seem related to gluten may have a condition referred to as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This means that they may experience similar symptoms of celiac disease, but ingesting gluten does not damage their small intestine in the same way. Studies estimate that 18 million Americans have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. That is six times the number of Americans who have celiac disease.

How is Celiac Disease Diagnosed?

Celiac disease can be detected by a simple blood test that screens for celiac disease antibodies. The most common test is called the tag-IgA test. For this test to be effective, the patient must be eating a diet including gluten at the time the test is administered. If the blood test results suggests celiac disease, the doctor will make a referral to a gastroenterologist.

The gastroenterologist will perform an outpatient procedure called an endoscopic biopsy of the small intestine to evaluate whether the patient has tissue damage related to gluten. A diagnosis of celiac disease can be confirmed when there is evidence of healing due to a gluten-free diet.

If you are experiencing symptoms related to celiac disease, call your gastroenterologist for an appointment. 

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How Age-Related Macular Degeneration is Treated

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When the macula is damaged, central vision may appear dark, blurred or distorted. AMD is one of the leading causes of severe vision loss in the world among individuals over the age of 50.

AMD is a Worldwide Problem

One of the greatest challenges of AMD is that it is a multifactorial, progressive disease with no cure. There are two distinct types of AMD, wet AMD and dry AMD, and they behave differently. Currently, there are no tests that can identify risk or severity of AMD.

Available Treatments for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Because there is no cure for AMD, the goal is to delay progression of the disease. In some cases of dry AMD, this can be accomplished with over-the-counter multi-vitamins that help protect the eyes from oxidative stress. Patients with wet AMD can benefit from eye injections that block the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. However, neither of these treatments restores vision.

Future of AMD Treatments

Clinical trials for AMD are large, lengthy and expensive, but researchers are committed to learning more about how and why AMD develops. A study was recently published online in Ophthalmology that suggests small particles in the blood could indicate the presence of AMD. This is particularly exciting because AMD can go undiagnosed for many years. The researchers were hopeful that blood profiles could help detect AMD earlier, thus preventing vision loss.

The Best Way to Preserve Your Vision

Yearly eye exams are the most effective way to detect AMD and preserve your eyesight. At your eye exam, your ophthalmologist will evaluate your vision for:

  • Eye diseases such as AMD, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy
  • Refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism
  • Focusing problems including presbyopia
  • Other vision problems such as strabismus, amblyopia or binocular vision

Eye exams can also offer a window into your overall health and detect chronic conditions like hypertension or high cholesterol. If it has been over a year since you have had a full eye exam with dilation, contact your ophthalmologist to set up an appointment.

How to Know if You Have a Gluten Allergy

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Gluten is what provides the elastic texture of bread, and it helps certain foods maintain their shape. Think of it as the “glue” that holds food together.  

Gluten can be harmful to those with Celiac disease because the protein causes inflammation and damage to the small intestine, the location in which the body absorbs vitamins and essential nutrients from food. Malabsorption can result in malnutrition, weight loss, anemia and stunted growth.

Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

There are over 200 identified symptoms of celiac disease, which means that every case is unique. An estimated 1 percent of the U.S. population is allergic to gluten, but 83 percent of those individuals are undiagnosed.

So how do you know if you may be allergic to gluten? Some of the most common symptoms include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Gas
  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Feeling tired or foggy
  • Migraine headaches
  • Dizziness and feeling off-balance
  • Inflammation, pain or swelling in your joints
  • Anxiety, depression and mood swings
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia

How Gluten Allergy is Diagnosed

Many digestive conditions can present similar symptoms, so it is important to make an appointment with your doctor or gastroenterologist for proper testing. Celiac disease cannot be diagnosed by answering an online questionnaire or by eating a gluten free diet.  It must be diagnosed by a healthcare professional through a blood test.

There are several types of blood tests that screen for celiac disease antibodies, but the tTG-IgA test is the most common. For the test to be effective, you must be consuming gluten. If celiac disease antibodies are present in your blood, your doctor may order a biopsy of your small intestine to confirm whether you are allergic to gluten.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

Some people experience symptoms of a gluten allergy but do not have celiac disease. This is often known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Although the two conditions share similar symptoms, non-celiac gluten sensitivity does not cause intestinal damage. Research estimates that 18 million Americans have gluten sensitivity, six times the number of Americans who have celiac disease.

Make an Appointment with Your Doctor

Remember that celiac disease is a serious medical condition. If you have symptoms, do not ignore them. Make an appointment with your doctor. Working with your primary care physician, a board-certified gastroenterologist and a registered dietician can help you obtain an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment.

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