Potassium is a charged mineral, known as an electrolyte, that is especially important for electrical functioning of cells. The more electrically active the cells, the more they will be affected by imbalances of potassium. As such, nerves and...
Electrical stimulation, referred to as Estim, is widely used in rehabilitation settings to treat pain, reduce swelling and promote muscle strengthening. The use of Estim functions to activate large touch sensation nerve fibers and provide a...
Potassium is a mineral that carries a positive charge in the body. It is vital for the transmission of electrical impulses by cells. All cells in the body carry an electrical voltage, but some are more active and utilize electrical impulses more...
A physiological process caused by the breakdown of muscle fibers, rhabdomyolysis is a dangerous condition with equally dangerous side effects. Initial medical intervention for rhabdomyolysis is emergent. However, long-term treatment to prevent one...
Even though you can't see them, electrolytes-- minerals that carry electrical changes-- continually move across cell membranes to maintain a balance between your cells and your blood. Electrolytes in your body include bicarbonate, calcium,...
Rhabdomyolysis describes the injury and breakdown of voluntary muscles, also known as skeletal muscles. The contents of the destroyed cells enter the circulation, causing metabolic disturbances throughout the body. Rhabdomyolysis most commonly...
Pineapple juice imparts a sweet taste and serves as an option for drinking plain or mixed with other juices. Its medical properties make it a good choice for a variety of health conditions and injuries, although compounds in this juice can...
Tendonitis in the hand occurs because the tendon tissues become inflamed. The inflammation can be the result of repetitive strain or trauma. However, repetitive strain, such as long hours of typing and playing golf, is the primary cause of...
Increased potassium, or hyperkalemia, interferes with the electrical currents of the body. The cells of the body rely on the flow of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium into and out of cells in order to function properly. Electrolyte...
Paradoxical breathing is seen when inhalation results in a decreasing, or asymmetrical, chest movement rather than a normal chest expansion. This causes poor ventilation of the lungs, carbon dioxide buildup and oxygen depletion in the blood....
Injuries that crush the chest and abdomen are common in automobile accidents. These types of injuries occur as the driver's body compresses against the steering wheel. Wearing seat belts dramatically reduces the incidence and severity of crushing...
Trauma to your body causes injuries to your skin and the surrounding tissue, resulting in a bruise, which can swell and become tender and discolored. You can treat bruises in a variety of ways. Some people use natural remedies such as bromelain,...
The fibula is a bone in the lower leg. When mature, it consists of bone and cartilage. Cartilage is present on surfaces that cover the joints and allows for a smooth gliding surface for bones to move along on. In the growing child, the fibula...
Compartment syndrome is a serious complication that can occur after a child suffers a forearm fracture, any other long bone fracture, or crushing injury to a limb. Any of these injuries may cause internal bleeding and or swelling inside the limb....
Wearing a cup while playing soccer, while not mandatory, is useful in avoiding possible injury related to getting hit with the ball or kicked in the pelvic region. The comfort of the cup usually determines whether a soccer player wears it on a...
Potassium is an electrolyte required for the normal functioning of cells. Most of your body's potassium is located inside of cells with levels of potassium in the blood tightly regulated by several mechanisms. High levels of potassium can result...
There is no one cause of arthritis. Degeneration of a joint can be the result of several factors. Regardless of the cause, the end result is the progressive destruction of the cartilage that covers our joints, which causes pain, mobility...
Cycling has a number of health benefits for those who want to lose weight or tone up their muscles. It also provides a way for kids to stay active. Unfortunately, cycling on busy streets sometimes leads to serious injuries and deaths. The use of a...
Blisters form when friction, force or other factors separate the top layer of skin from the inner layers and the resulting space fills with clear fluid or blood, according to Sports Injury Clinic. Wart treatments, medication injections, brown...
Potassium is a mineral that helps regulate the functioning of the heart, nerve and muscle cells. The body stores potassium in cells to help keep a continuous level in the blood all the time. To maintain the correct amount of potassium in the...
An open wound is a break in the structure of an organ or tissue. It is usually caused by something that is outside the body and it mostly affects the skin. Wounds include minor cuts, scrapes or puncture wounds. According to University of Maryland...
Rhabdomyolysis is a physiological process resulting from damage, such as trauma, to your skeletal muscles. This damage to your muscles eventually causes a buildup of the electrolyte potassium in your bloodstream. Excess serum potassium, or...
Muscle damage usually involves a tearing of muscle fibers -- a condition known as a muscle strain. However, muscle damage may also be caused by crush injuries, pinch injuries or blunt force trauma. MayoClinic.com states that initial treatments for...
Tetanus, or lockjaw, is a life-threatening disease caused by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. It lives in the soil and enters the body through cuts in the skin. Once inside the body, a toxin produced by these bacteria causes dangerous...
Potassium is a mineral that helps muscles contract, helps regulate fluid and mineral balance, and helps maintain normal blood pressure. Too much potassium in the bloodstream is known as hyperkalemia. The kidneys normally remove excess potassium...
Ask anyone what humans breathe and most will reply oxygen. This is partially true, although humans require oxygen for life; a mixture of gases make up the air we breathe. Oxygen makes up about 21 percent of the mix. Oxygen therapy is the process...
Breathing pure oxygen at atmospheric pressures up to twice the normal level is an indicated treatment for everything from severe burns to irritable bowel syndrome, according to most hyperbaric chamber clinics and die-hard proponents. In truth,...
Rhabdomyolysis is a disorder in which skeletal muscle fibers break down and release muscle fiber contents called myoglobin into the bloodstream. Myoglobin is dangerous to the kidneys and can result in permanent damage.
According to "RN," electrolytes are charged particles found in body fluids that help transmit electrical impulses for proper heart, nerve and muscle function. High levels of the electrolyte potassium, called hyperkalemia, can effect the heart...