| How to Identify and Treat Ringworm Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:00 PM PDT Ringworm, or tinea corporis, is a fungal infection of the skin that is not caused by worms. Ringworm often starts as an itchy, reddish, ring-shaped rash that can be anywhere on your body.[1] You can easily treat a mild case of ringworm at home with antifungal lotions or creams.[2] More severe cases may require a doctor's visit and prescription medication. By recognizing the symptoms of ringworm early and treating the infection at home, you may be able to avoid more involved medical treatment. EditRecognizing Ringworm Symptoms - Be aware of your risk. Although anyone can get ringworm, certain people are more prone to developing the infection. You are more likely to develop ringworm if you:[3]
- Are younger than 15 years of age
- Reside in a humid, damp, or crowded place
- Come into close contact with a person or animal infected with ringworm
- Share clothing, bedding, or towels with a person who has ringworm
- Take part in sports that include skin-to-skin contact such as wrestling
- Wear tight clothing
- Have a weakened immune system
- Watch for a scaly patches. In most cases, ringworm starts as a flat and scaly patch of skin. As the infection progresses, the scaly patch may grow in size.[4]
- Be aware that ringworm of the scalp often starts as a small sore that looks like a pimple. Keep an eye on the spot to see how it develops.[5]
- Notice patches by running your fingers over the skin to see if it feels scaly. Your skin patch may also be slightly matte in color from the scales. Watch the patch to see if it develops further or gets itchy, which may indicate ringworm.
- Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching any skin you suspect may be infected with ringworm. This can keep it from spreading to other parts of your body.
- Look at the patch border. Scaly skin may have a raised border that expands outward as the infection spreads on your skin. The patch will form a roughly circular ring, hence the name ringworm.[6]
- Be aware that the basic contours of the scaly or infected patch will be circular, but may also appear to be wavy like the outline of a snake or worm. You may also have several rings that interconnect with one another.
- See if you have any patchy and itchy areas in your groin or on your feet that are not circular in shape. These areas may both be signs of a fungal infection more commonly known as jock itch and athlete's foot.[7]
- Check the color of the border and see if it is a darker red than the inside of the patch. This is often a good indication of a ringworm infection.
- Examine the inside of the patch. The external and internal areas of most ringworm infections have different textures or appearances. Check the internal area of the patch for the following signs, which can indicate ringworm:
- Blisters
- Oozing[8]
- Scattered red bumps
- Scales of skin
- A clear appearance[9]
- Bald spots or broken hair on the scalp[10]
- Experience itching and discomfort. One of the most common symptoms of ringworm is severe itching and discomfort on your skin, especially near patches or sores.[11] If you have itching and/ or discomfort with any of the other symptoms, chances are you have ringworm and should get a diagnosis.
- Check your nails. Finger and toenails can also develop fungal infections similar to ringworm.[12] This is called onychomycosis. Some common signs of an infection on your nails are:[13]
- Thick nails
- White or yellow nails
- Brittle nails
EditAdministering Home Treatments - Use a topical antifungal lotion or cream. Mild cases of ringworm often respond to the application of an antifungal lotion. These preparations can relieve symptoms such as itching and kill the infection.[14]
- Get a topical antifungal treatment such as clotrimazole or terbinafine at a local pharmacy or medical supply store. Follow the packaging instructions or any by your doctor to treat the infection.
- These treatments work by making the cell wall of the fungus unstable and causes membrane leakage. This essentially "kills" the infection.
- Kill ringworm with honey. Rubbing honey on to ringworm may get rid of ringworm or prevent it from recurring on your skin. It also can help relieve any inflammation associated with ringworm. Apply some warmed honey directly to your ringworm or spread a layer on a bandage and put it over the infection.[15]
- Change the bandage or reapply honey twice a day until the infection goes away.
- Bandage ringworm with garlic. Place a few slices of garlic directly on your ringworm and then cover the area with a bandage. Garlic has antifungal properties that may kill the infection.
- Peel garlic and slice the clove into thin sections. Put the slices directly on the infection and then cover it with a bandage.[16] Wear the garlic overnight and repeat application every night until the infection disappears.
- Apply apple cider vinegar. Like garlic, apple cider vinegar has medicinal properties. Applying apple cider vinegar directly on ringworm for a few days can kill the infection.[17]
- Wet a cotton pad with apple cider vinegar and rub it onto the ringworm.[18] Repeat this treatment three to five times per day for one to three days.
- Dry out the infection with a paste. A salt and vinegar paste may kill ringworm.[19] Apply the mixture for a week and see if it eases your infection.
- Mix salt and vinegar into a paste and put it directly on the infection. Leave the mixture on your skin for five minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. It may take up to a week for salt and vinegar to kill ringworm.
- Try essential oils. Tea tree and lavender essential oils have strong antifungal properties. Use either oil to halt the development of ringworm and kill it.[20]
- Mix a solution of tea tree oil and water, using equal parts water and oil. Use this mixture for up to a week on the infection.
- Put a dab of lavender oil on the infection every day. Lavender oil treatments can take a bit longer — up to a month — to kill ringworm.
EditSeeking Medical Treatment - Schedule a doctor's appointment. If home treatments do not help or heal your ringworm, or if it gets worse, make an appointment with your doctor. This is the only way to get a definitive diagnosis and your doctor can develop a sensible treatment plan to combat and prevent your ringworm.[21]
- Undergo a physical exam in which your doctor will look for symptoms of ringworm. They may ask for your health history and factors such as exposure to ringworm.
- Ask your doctor any questions you have about ringworm or how you may have contracted it.
- Remember skin-to-skin contact, contact with bed linens, or an infected animal or person can spread this infection. Ensure that if anyone else in your home has the infection that they are treated as well to avoid getting reinfected after it clears.
- Receive a diagnosis. In most cases, your doctor can diagnose ringworm by examining it; however, you may need some testing to confirm a diagnosis. This can also help your doctor develop the best treatment plan for you.[22]
- Your doctor may scrape off some skin flakes to examine under a microscope. Your doctor will want to identify the fungus and diagnose your ringworm, especially if it is resistant to infection.
- If standard treatments do not work, your doctor will run more tests for immune deficiency issues.
- Get prescription antifungal lotions or creams. Your doctor might prescribe an antifungal cream or lotion if your ringworm is severe. Prescription antifungals are more powerful than over-the-counter options and may be more effective at treating your ringworm.[23]
- Follow dosing instructions if your doctor gives you a prescription antifungal medicine.
- Take oral antifungals. Your doctor may also prescribe an oral treatment for ringworm. These pills are often used for more severe cases of ringworm and may be used in conjunction with creams or lotions.[24]
- Take oral antifungals for eight to 10 weeks and follow the dosing instructions. The most common medications are terbinafine, itraconazole, griseofulvin, and fluconazole.
- Be aware that oral antifungals may have the following side effects: diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, and headache.
- Shampoo with an antifungal product. For scalp ringworm, you may take an oral antifungal and shampoo with an antifungal product. This may be easier and more effective at curing scalp ringworm than home treatments.[25]
- Consider using a shampoo with tea tree oil if you can't find an antifungal shampoo, as tea tree oil has antifungal properties and may help eradicate the infection.
EditPreventing Ringworm - Maintain good hygiene. Proper hygiene is an important part of preventing and treating ringworm. Simple measures — such as washing your hands to using only your own personal items — can keep ringworm from spreading to others and may prevent recurrences.[26]
- Clean your skin. Ringworm is a result of parasites that feed on skin cells. Washing your hands frequently and showering daily may help prevent ringworm or its recurrence.[27]
- Use a soap and water to wash skin after using the restroom or touching common surfaces.
- Wear flip flops or shower shoes if you shower in a gym or locker room.
- Dry skin completely. Damp environments can promote the growth of ringworm. Be sure to completely dry your skin with a towel or by air after swimming or a shower. This can eliminate a damp environment that promotes fungus growth[28]
- Dust talc or cornstarch rice powder to keep your skin dry of water or sweat.
- Use a deodorant and antiperspirant under your arms to keep them dry, which may help prevent ringworm.
- Avoid contact. Because ringworm is highly contagious, avoid sharing personal items. This can prevent ringworm or recurrence of the infection.[29]
- Keep the towels, bedding, and clothing of an infected person separate from your items. Hairbrushes and combs can also spread ringworm.
- Dress in loose, cool clothing. Wear clothing appropriate to the weather and choose to layer items in the event of changing temperatures. This can prevent the sweating that promotes the conditions favorable to ringworm.[30]
- Wear soft and lightweight clothing in the summer. Choose fabrics like cotton that allow your skin to breathe.
- Wear layers in winter or at transitional times. Layering allows you to easily remove clothes so you don't get hot. In turn, it prevents sweating that can promote an environment conducive to ringworm. Consider fabrics such as merino wool to keep you warm and dry.
- Avoid scratching your ringworm, which can make it feel worse and spread the infection.
- Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water any time you touch ringworm or suspected patches of it.
- Check and treat pets infected with ringworm.
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| How to Care for Quail Chicks Posted: 07 Oct 2016 09:00 AM PDT Fully-grown quails are small birds alone, but as quail chicks, they're tiny! This means that they can easily escape from their enclosure, get hurt by dangerous objects, and get injured by other birds/animals. But do not panic, you can avoid all this trouble if you follow the steps in this simple article. EditPreparing the Brooder - Set up a brooder for the quail chicks. A brooder is a small space to raise your quail chicks and can generally be anything (e.g. a cardboard box) as long as it is safe, warm and sanitary.
- The brooder should be kept in a safe and warm place that is away from predators. In your home is the best place to keep your chicks but you can also keep them in a shed or a garage as a last resort.
- Provide a heat-lamp for the chicks and keep the temperature at . Lower the temperature by 5 degrees every week until it is at room temperature.
- Cold chicks will pile on top of each over and fluff up whilst hot chicks will pant. You will also see the chicks trying to get away from the heat source if they are hot and trying to keep under the middle of the heat source if they are too cold.
- Add bedding to the brooder. Wood shavings are good bedding for your chicks but you can also use paper towels or newspaper, however, they are not as absorbent as wood shavings and newspaper is 'slippery'.
- Purchase a feeder and a water bowl. Choose a small feeder/water bowl and make sure that the chicks have easy access to them.
EditCaring for Incubated Chicks - Keep your chicks in a brooder. Once the chicks are dry it's important to raise them in a brooder for the first four to six weeks of their lives to ensure that they are safe, warm and are being kept healthy.
- Feed your chicks a special chick starter diet. Chick starter provides more protein than a quail's average feed and should be given to your chicks for six to eight weeks to keep them healthy.
- Provide plenty of fresh water for your chicks. Fill the water bowl daily and make sure that it isn't too deep for your chicks as they can fall in and drown. A common trick is to put pebbles/stones is the water bowl to make it shallower.
- Remember to clean the water bowl once a week to prevent diseases and the water from getting dirty.
- Clean the brooder daily. Depending on the amount of chicks you have and how old they are, it's important to clean the brooder often as the waste can cause serious disease to your chicks.
EditCaring for Hatched Chicks - Keep the hen with her chicks. The mother hen will keep the chicks warm, feed them and keep them safe. If you are going to separate the chicks it is best done when they are fully grown and can thrive on their own.
- Isolate the chicks and the mother hen. Keep them in a brooder or a small cage. This is important if the hen and her chicks are housed with other quail or aviary birds (finches, budgies, etc.) as they will attack or peck at the chicks causing them serious injuries and possible death.
- Suitable housing includes rabbit hutches, rodent cages, aquariums, pet carriers, etc.
- Make sure your hen and chicks cannot escape from the housing. Measure the space between the wiring, see if there are any gaps about and check that the housing is '''secure'''.
- A suitable place to keep your quail is indoors or in a shed/garage. As long as the area is warm, safe and free of drafts it is suitable for your quail chicks.
- Add bedding to the brooder/cage. Some suitable types of bedding are wood shavings, sand, hay, straw or newspaper shreddings.
- Make sure your chicks are safe from any pets. The main threat to quail are dogs and cats. Smaller pets such as hamsters, mice or fish are no harm to quail so they can be kept in the same room as your quail but other pets should be kept away.
- Consider adding a heat lamp to the housing. Though the hen will keep her chicks warm naturally, if it is a really cold day or if winter is approaching consider giving them a heat lamp as the hen can get cold as well.
- Provide your chicks and hen with chick starter soon after hatching. Chick starter provides more protein than normal quail feed and should be given if you want to raise your chicks into healthy quails.
- If you cannot purchase chick starter, use your normal quail feed and grind it down so that it is edible for the chicks. If the feed is too big the chicks will not eat no matter how much the hen tries to make them.
- Provide a constant supply of fresh water. Choose a shallow bowl for the chicks and make sure they can easily access it. Adding pebbles to a deep bowl can prevent the chicks from drowning if they do fall in.
- You should clean the bowl at least once a week to prevent the water from getting dirt. If your chicks have a more messy bedding such as wood shavings or sand, clean the bowl more often than usual.
EditCaring for Two Week Old Chicks - Give your chicks more space as they grow. Once your chicks are older they will need more space. Consider moving your chicks to a bigger brooder/cage.
- Provide a tub of sand for your chicks. They will soon begin dust bathing which quail love very much. Dust bathing also prevents mites, lice and other nasty parasites.
- Give your chicks some treats. Quail love vegetables, fruit and table scraps. Give them various items and see what they like and dislike. Good treats to give your chicks are:
- Vegetables such as cucumber, salad leaves, broccoli, etc.
- Fruit such as strawberries, tomato, melon, apple, pear, etc.
- Scraps such as pasta, boiled egg, rice, cereal, bread, etc.
- Live creatures such as mealworms, woodlice, millipedes, small spiders, etc.
- Let your chicks outside after a couple of weeks. Put the chicks and the hen in an outdoor cage and then watch them dig for bugs, dust bathe in dirt/sand and explore the new environment. Be cautious and make sure they cannot get out. To be sure, watch them for a minute or two to see how they adapt to their surroundings.
- If you're not watching them, put a tarpaulin on top of the cage so no birds will attack/scare them. Make sure to weight down the blanket with something heavy (bricks) so the wind won't blow it away.
- As they age into adulthood, continue taking taking good care of them. How to Care for Quail covers quail care beyond the chick stage.
- Brooders are normally available in farm supply stores but if you cannot purchase one you can build a brooder yourself. Brooders are basically small boxes to house baby quail for the first weeks of their lives.
- Don't worry about space for chicks as they don't need as much space as older quail.
- Throw some clippings from the garden in your quails cage, they love eating greenery.
- Consider taming your chicks. This is best done at an early age and is important if you interact with your quail a lot.
- As the chicks grow older, add a small amount of normal quail food in their bowl with chick starter food. Do this by the age of 3-4 weeks. When they are older than 8 weeks, consider experimenting with different mixtures of food.
- Bring the chicks inside before sunset if you have let them outside. If you don't they could possibly freeze overnight.
- Never keep the chick's brooder outside. The brooder should be somewhere safe, warm and free of drafts such as indoors or in a small shed.
- After six weeks of age, male quails should be separated as they will fight and possibly kill each other.
EditThings You'll Need - Quail chicks
- Chick starter
- Quail/bird feed
- Brooder
- Cage
- Heat lamp
- Feeder
- Water bowl
- Bedding
- Tub
- Sand
- Outdoor pen
- Tarpaulin
- Bricks
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| How to Make Apple Pie in an Apple Posted: 07 Oct 2016 01:00 AM PDT Apple pie may be one of the most classic desserts when it comes to pies in general. But have you ever considered making one inside of the actual apple? It does sound unusual, but it's possible to make, and ends up with deliciously tasty taste as well. Begin reading this article for instructions on making these adorable, simple pies! Serves 4 EditIngredients - 4 medium sized apples
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Lemon juice
- Chilled pie dough, rolled out about thick
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
- Wash the apples well under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Set on a cutting board.
- Cut a lid into each apple and remove the tops. With a small sharp knife, carve out the core and seeds (without piercing the bottoms of the apples).
- Using a small spoon, carefully scrape out the insides of the apple until an apple cup is formed. Save the pulp in a small bowl for the filling.
- Rub a tiny bit of lemon juice on the insides of each apple to prevent them from turning brown.
- Dice and peel the lids very finely. Toss out the stems. Put the peeled and diced lid bits into the pulp bowl.
- Mix the sugar, flour and ground cinnamon into the apple pulp until well blended.
- Spoon the filling back into each apple. Fill about 3/4 of the way to prevent spillage of filling while baking.
- Using a cookie cutter (or knife), cut out apple lid sized circles in the dough, 1 per apple. You can also cut out shapes like leaves, flowers, stars or animals and layer each piece onto the apple to form a crust.
- Gently lay the crust circles over the apple tops and pinch the edges together much like you would a regular pie to seal the edges. Poke four little holes in the top to allow steam to come through.
- Bake on a baking sheet for 30-40 minutes or until slightly tender and crust is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar or cinnamon on the tops. Enjoy!
- Finished.
- Sprinkle confectioners sugar to garnish the pie.
- You can add additional ingredients to suit your pie such as chopped walnuts or mix in a bit of caramel in the filling.
- No lemon juice on hand? To keep the apples from browning, wrap them in saran wrap and stick them in the fridge.
- Try using a Melon Baller for easier and quicker hollowing out.
EditThings You'll Need - Paper towels
- Small spoon for scooping
- Cutting board and knife
- Cookie cutter (or knife)
- Baking sheet
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