Dear Nurse Dave,
I think I've got some irritable bowel stuff happening. What should I do? Also what should I be for halloween?
Sam, Los Angeles, CA
You probably want to go see a GI doctor about the irritable bowel stuff. Its hard to know what's wrong without knowing your symptoms. You can try some dietary changes such as eliminating milk or gluten and see if that helps. Or try to avoid caffeine (caffeine makes diarrhea worse). Basically if you've got a serious issue going on down there you're going to need a colonoscopy to really figure out what's going on. In a colonoscopy a doctor goes into your GI tract (through your rectum) with a camera and takes a look at what's going on. You'll be awake during the procedure but you'll be drugged so that you don't remember it. Good luck!
As for what should be for halloween I would focus on obscure pop culture references. If you have two other friends and a baby at your disposal you really need to consider three men and a baby. Other Steve Guttenberg roles to consider would be Cocoon, Police Academy 1-4 and whatever this is.
If Steve Guttenberg doesn't get it done for you maybe the lizard guy from the Last Starfighter. That could be a very impressive outfit. My final suggestion would be Raiden from Mortal Kombat.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Disturbing
Dear Nurse Dave,
What's the most disturbing thing you've heard in the last little while?
Carl, Knoxville TN
I don't want to go into details Carl because it frightens me a little to think about it. Lets just say it involves a handgun and a sexually transmitted disease.
What's the most disturbing thing you've heard in the last little while?
Carl, Knoxville TN
I don't want to go into details Carl because it frightens me a little to think about it. Lets just say it involves a handgun and a sexually transmitted disease.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Healing and Music
Dear Nurse Dave,
I have heard that music can have healing powers. What are some songs that you would recommend for curing the following diseases:
Chronic fatigue
Diarrhea/Bowel disorders
Migraine headaches
Common cold
Spencer, Chicago, IL
Music can be very powerful. I think we've all felt times in our lives when a song lifted us to be able to do something that normally would not have been possible. I don't think music actually grants some power but rather enables us to harness power within us that usually lies dormant. So of course music can heal. It taps into our own natural abilities and produces powerful results.
Chronic Fatigue - I think there's two ways to go here. A high energy song to grant the energy that the sufferer desperately needs or a really mellow song that finally allows the sufferer to achieve the relaxation they so desperately want. Ideally you relax first and then energize second. To build up perhaps the most powerful energy you could ever experience I'd go with Thunder Road (a tip: when Bruce suggests that you roll down the window and the let wind blow back your hair you should really do it). For ultimate relaxation I'd go with nightswimming. Or just go with this one
Diarrhea/Bowel disorders - You don't want to be to excited here. You want a song that builds slowly but has a satisfying conclusion. If the song only builds and never finishes then you may end up with constipation. Its the satisfying conclusion that is so important. I'm going with Built to Spill on this one.
Migraine Headaches - Jeff Tweedy enables you to actually enter a migraine headache with Less Than you Think. Unfortunately You-tube cuts off the final ten minutes of migraine simulating white noise. Naturally the cure for a migraine would have to be the next song on the album. The Late Greats. If anyone understands how to heal a migraine it has to be Tweedy.
Common Cold - Sorry spencer there isn't actually a musical cure for the common cold. So much of music and life is about suffering. To even understand why we have music you must have some degree of discomfort in your life. Some of us have headaches, social awkwardness, eczema to teach us this. But all of us have to have the common cold. At the very least we all can connect with each other here. So the thing to do is just listen to some good music, keep moving forward and buy some soft kleenex. Or if you don't buy that you could try listening to the Cure, but believe me when I say that results of doing that are quite mixed.
I have heard that music can have healing powers. What are some songs that you would recommend for curing the following diseases:
Chronic fatigue
Diarrhea/Bowel disorders
Migraine headaches
Common cold
Spencer, Chicago, IL
Music can be very powerful. I think we've all felt times in our lives when a song lifted us to be able to do something that normally would not have been possible. I don't think music actually grants some power but rather enables us to harness power within us that usually lies dormant. So of course music can heal. It taps into our own natural abilities and produces powerful results.
Chronic Fatigue - I think there's two ways to go here. A high energy song to grant the energy that the sufferer desperately needs or a really mellow song that finally allows the sufferer to achieve the relaxation they so desperately want. Ideally you relax first and then energize second. To build up perhaps the most powerful energy you could ever experience I'd go with Thunder Road (a tip: when Bruce suggests that you roll down the window and the let wind blow back your hair you should really do it). For ultimate relaxation I'd go with nightswimming. Or just go with this one
Diarrhea/Bowel disorders - You don't want to be to excited here. You want a song that builds slowly but has a satisfying conclusion. If the song only builds and never finishes then you may end up with constipation. Its the satisfying conclusion that is so important. I'm going with Built to Spill on this one.
Migraine Headaches - Jeff Tweedy enables you to actually enter a migraine headache with Less Than you Think. Unfortunately You-tube cuts off the final ten minutes of migraine simulating white noise. Naturally the cure for a migraine would have to be the next song on the album. The Late Greats. If anyone understands how to heal a migraine it has to be Tweedy.
Common Cold - Sorry spencer there isn't actually a musical cure for the common cold. So much of music and life is about suffering. To even understand why we have music you must have some degree of discomfort in your life. Some of us have headaches, social awkwardness, eczema to teach us this. But all of us have to have the common cold. At the very least we all can connect with each other here. So the thing to do is just listen to some good music, keep moving forward and buy some soft kleenex. Or if you don't buy that you could try listening to the Cure, but believe me when I say that results of doing that are quite mixed.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Antibiotics?
Dear Nurse Dave,
I recently was prescribed some antibiotics that gave me wicked diarrhea. What's up with that? Also, why is it that people are always saying to eat yogurt when you are on antibiotics--or is it after you get off? I'm thinking these two things might be related.
Agatha, West Chester, PA
Thanks for the health related question. It seems like a lot of recent questions have forgot about the "Nurse" in Ask Nurse Dave. The answer involves living in harmony with microorganisms.
We as humans live symbiotically with billions of bacteria and microorganisms in our bodies. We have a mutually beneficial relationship where we provide nutrients for bacteria and the bacteria provide stuff like vitamins and protection from other bacteria for us. I would compare it to Rocky teaming up with Apollo Creed to defeat Clubber Lang. Rocky could never have done it alone. He needed Apollo to help him find his heart.
This teaming up of ourselves and bacteria can be thrown off in a number of ways. Issues with our immune system can let usually friendly bacteria get out of hand and cause infection. Sometimes outside bacteria or viruses can get in a wreck havoc. Also antibiotics can mess with the system. Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infection but sometimes the antibiotics can also destroy our bacteria friends like the ones in your GI tract, causing wicked diarrhea. Some yogurts are thought to be probiotics. They help to replace necessary bacteria, building the team back up and letting our digestion return to normal. So eat some yogurt and you'll be having solid bowel movements in no time.
I recently was prescribed some antibiotics that gave me wicked diarrhea. What's up with that? Also, why is it that people are always saying to eat yogurt when you are on antibiotics--or is it after you get off? I'm thinking these two things might be related.
Agatha, West Chester, PA
Thanks for the health related question. It seems like a lot of recent questions have forgot about the "Nurse" in Ask Nurse Dave. The answer involves living in harmony with microorganisms.
We as humans live symbiotically with billions of bacteria and microorganisms in our bodies. We have a mutually beneficial relationship where we provide nutrients for bacteria and the bacteria provide stuff like vitamins and protection from other bacteria for us. I would compare it to Rocky teaming up with Apollo Creed to defeat Clubber Lang. Rocky could never have done it alone. He needed Apollo to help him find his heart.
This teaming up of ourselves and bacteria can be thrown off in a number of ways. Issues with our immune system can let usually friendly bacteria get out of hand and cause infection. Sometimes outside bacteria or viruses can get in a wreck havoc. Also antibiotics can mess with the system. Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infection but sometimes the antibiotics can also destroy our bacteria friends like the ones in your GI tract, causing wicked diarrhea. Some yogurts are thought to be probiotics. They help to replace necessary bacteria, building the team back up and letting our digestion return to normal. So eat some yogurt and you'll be having solid bowel movements in no time.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Expendable?
Dear Nurse Dave,
Of all the Expendables, I can't help but wonder which, if any, could be considered the Least Expendable?
Grayson, (i think he lives in Utah)
Let's go through this man by man. I think you may be surprised by the results.
Couture (demolitions expert) - An MMA fighter with limited acting ability. If the only thing we had to thank him for was the soundtrack to this montage of his fights we would have a lot to thank him for. His limited acting ability does however make him expendable.
Crews (weapons specialist) - He's the guy that was in some of those old spice commercials. Unfortunately he's not even the best old spice advertising guy (this guy is). That makes him pretty expendable.
Li (martial artist) - I don't know if I've really seen anything he's done. I think he does Jackie Chan like movies except they don't have comedy. I like my martial artists to come with a sense of humor. He's very expendable.
Lundgren (sniper, he didn't make the picture for some reason) - Although he's only really know for one character in his cinema career that character is pretty awesome. The thing is though that to be not expendable you have to be able to take that character and place the exact same character into dozens of successful movies (much like the next guy on our list).
Stallone (team leader and all around badass) - Few other actors have found as much success with playing the same basic character in all of their movies. From Rocky to Rambo to Cliffhanger to Judge Dredd to Demolition Man to Over the Top to the Expendables Stallone is always playing Stallone and no one could possibly replace him. No other actor has given us the amazing amount of training montages. No other actor has shifted gears more often while listening to "No Easy Way Out." No other actor has given as many inspiring speeches. The man is a genius. So how is he not the least expendable of the expendables? I'll explain.
Statham (blades specialist) - Statham is the answer. He is the least expendable because he still has so much to offer us. Stallone has already given us 6 Rocky movies and 4 Rambos. Statham has only given us 3 Transporters and 2 Cranks. He's only given us one oil fight so far. There's a lot more in the tank. Look at his IMDB page. He's got 5 bad action movies coming out in the next year. This guy is going to churn out these movies for the next 20 years. What do we have left with Stallone? Expendables 2 maybe Expendables 3. Stallone is on the way out. Statham is just getting started. I'm willing to give up on Stallone because he's already given me so much. I just can't let Statham go before I get a transporter 4. There are still so many things that need transporting.
Of all the Expendables, I can't help but wonder which, if any, could be considered the Least Expendable?
Grayson, (i think he lives in Utah)
Let's go through this man by man. I think you may be surprised by the results.
Couture (demolitions expert) - An MMA fighter with limited acting ability. If the only thing we had to thank him for was the soundtrack to this montage of his fights we would have a lot to thank him for. His limited acting ability does however make him expendable.
Crews (weapons specialist) - He's the guy that was in some of those old spice commercials. Unfortunately he's not even the best old spice advertising guy (this guy is). That makes him pretty expendable.
Li (martial artist) - I don't know if I've really seen anything he's done. I think he does Jackie Chan like movies except they don't have comedy. I like my martial artists to come with a sense of humor. He's very expendable.
Lundgren (sniper, he didn't make the picture for some reason) - Although he's only really know for one character in his cinema career that character is pretty awesome. The thing is though that to be not expendable you have to be able to take that character and place the exact same character into dozens of successful movies (much like the next guy on our list).
Stallone (team leader and all around badass) - Few other actors have found as much success with playing the same basic character in all of their movies. From Rocky to Rambo to Cliffhanger to Judge Dredd to Demolition Man to Over the Top to the Expendables Stallone is always playing Stallone and no one could possibly replace him. No other actor has given us the amazing amount of training montages. No other actor has shifted gears more often while listening to "No Easy Way Out." No other actor has given as many inspiring speeches. The man is a genius. So how is he not the least expendable of the expendables? I'll explain.
Statham (blades specialist) - Statham is the answer. He is the least expendable because he still has so much to offer us. Stallone has already given us 6 Rocky movies and 4 Rambos. Statham has only given us 3 Transporters and 2 Cranks. He's only given us one oil fight so far. There's a lot more in the tank. Look at his IMDB page. He's got 5 bad action movies coming out in the next year. This guy is going to churn out these movies for the next 20 years. What do we have left with Stallone? Expendables 2 maybe Expendables 3. Stallone is on the way out. Statham is just getting started. I'm willing to give up on Stallone because he's already given me so much. I just can't let Statham go before I get a transporter 4. There are still so many things that need transporting.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Top 20 Blog For Nurses
Just wanted to let everyone know that Jacksonville University School of Nursing just selected my blog as one of the top twenty blogs for Nurses. That's from the entire internet. So competition was naturally pretty steep. I beat out Nurse Pat and from what I understand she's pretty upset about the whole thing.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Pimples?
Dear Nurse Dave,
Should I pop my zits or should I just leave them alone?
Paul, Duluth MN
Paul from my personal experience I generally pop the zits that are ready to go. I don't try to force the issue. I just make a basic assessment and if it is time to take care of the issue I do it. Sadly this continues to be an issue into my early thirties. I thought once you hit thirty there was moratorium on further skin problems. This is unfortunately incorrect.
But the real professional advice is to never pop a zit due to the fact that it can cause scarring or actually make the infection worse. Acne.com has this advice for the proper popping of a zit. They basically say don't pop the zit unless there's white showing and don't force the issue. Acne.com also recommends using a needle. I'm not going to say I agree with that particular advice. I knew a guy once with a bad zit that had the bright idea to use some needle he found to pop it. He of course didn't sterilize the needle ended up with a bad infection and grew a bad goatee to cover it up.
Really Paul, its about patience. The acne is going to clear up. If it doesn't go see a doctor. And if your thirty and still have acne I'm not sure what to tell you (really I don't know, let me know if you've got an answer).
Should I pop my zits or should I just leave them alone?
Paul, Duluth MN
Paul from my personal experience I generally pop the zits that are ready to go. I don't try to force the issue. I just make a basic assessment and if it is time to take care of the issue I do it. Sadly this continues to be an issue into my early thirties. I thought once you hit thirty there was moratorium on further skin problems. This is unfortunately incorrect.
But the real professional advice is to never pop a zit due to the fact that it can cause scarring or actually make the infection worse. Acne.com has this advice for the proper popping of a zit. They basically say don't pop the zit unless there's white showing and don't force the issue. Acne.com also recommends using a needle. I'm not going to say I agree with that particular advice. I knew a guy once with a bad zit that had the bright idea to use some needle he found to pop it. He of course didn't sterilize the needle ended up with a bad infection and grew a bad goatee to cover it up.
Really Paul, its about patience. The acne is going to clear up. If it doesn't go see a doctor. And if your thirty and still have acne I'm not sure what to tell you (really I don't know, let me know if you've got an answer).
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